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{{Short description|1990 film directed by Ralph S. Singleton}}
{{Short description|1990 film by Ralph S. Singleton}}
{{Infobox film
{{Infobox film
| name = Graveyard Shift
| name = Graveyard Shift
| image = Graveyard Shift film.jpg
| image = Graveyard Shift film.jpg
| caption = North American theatrical release poster
| caption = Theatrical release poster
| director = Ralph S. Singleton
| director = Ralph S. Singleton
| screenplay = John Esposito
| screenplay = John Esposito
| based_on = [[Graveyard Shift (story)|"Graveyard Shift"]]<br>[[Stephen King]]
| based_on = [[Graveyard Shift (story)|"Graveyard Shift"]] by [[Stephen King]]
| starring = {{plainlist|
| starring = {{plainlist|
* [[David Andrews (actor)|David Andrews]]
* [[David Andrews (actor)|David Andrews]]
Line 16: Line 16:
| cinematography = [[Peter Stein (cinematographer)|Peter Stein]]
| cinematography = [[Peter Stein (cinematographer)|Peter Stein]]
| editing = Jim Gross<br>Randy Jon Morgan
| editing = Jim Gross<br>Randy Jon Morgan
| studio = Sugar Entertainment, Inc.<ref name="afi">{{cite web|title=Stephen King's Graveyard Shift (1990)|work=[[AFI Catalog of Feature Films]]|access-date=14 June 2021|url=http://catalog.afi.com/Film/58526-STEPHEN-KINGSGRAVEYARDSHIFT?sid=bded091d-8e20-42c4-8d3c-82e6cf116c18&sr=17.124912&cp=1&pos=0#2}}</ref><br>Graveyard, Inc.<ref name="afi"/>
| studio = [[Republic Pictures|Sugar Entertainment, Inc.]]<ref name="afi">{{cite web|title=Stephen King's Graveyard Shift (1990)|work=[[AFI Catalog of Feature Films]]|access-date=14 June 2021|url=http://catalog.afi.com/Film/58526-STEPHEN-KINGSGRAVEYARDSHIFT?sid=bded091d-8e20-42c4-8d3c-82e6cf116c18&sr=17.124912&cp=1&pos=0#2}}</ref><br>Graveyard, Inc.<ref name="afi"/>
| distributor = [[Paramount Pictures]] (North America and Japan)<br>[[Sony Pictures Releasing|Columbia Tri-Star Film Distributors International]] (International)
| distributor = [[Paramount Pictures]]
| released = {{Start date|1990|10|26}}
| released = {{Film date|1990|10|26}}
| runtime = 86 minutes
| runtime = 86 minutes
| country = United States
| country = United States
| language = English
| language = English
| budget = $10.5 million<ref name="GraveyardShiftProd">{{cite magazine |last= Wood |first=Gary |date=December 1990|title= Graveyard Shift|url= https://archive.org/details/cinefantastique_1970-2002/Cinefantastique%20Vol%2021%20No%203%20%28Dec.%2C%201990%29/page/n7/mode/1up?view=theater&q=million|url-status= |magazine=[[Cinefantastique]]|location= |publisher= Fourth Castle Micromedia|access-date=July 14, 2023}}</ref>
| budget = $10.5 million
| gross = $11.6 million<ref name=boxofficemojo>{{cite web|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?page=weekend&id=graveyardshift.htm|title=Graveyard Shift (1990)|publisher=[[Box Office Mojo]]|access-date=November 7, 2011}}</ref>
| gross = $11.6 million<ref name=boxofficemojo>{{cite web|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?page=weekend&id=graveyardshift.htm|title=Graveyard Shift (1990)|publisher=[[Box Office Mojo]]|access-date=November 7, 2011}}</ref>
}}
}}
'''''Graveyard Shift''''' is a 1990 American [[horror film]] directed by Ralph S. Singleton, written by John Esposito, starring [[David Andrews (actor)|David Andrews]], [[Stephen Macht]], Kelly Wolf, and [[Brad Dourif]], and based on the 1970 [[Graveyard Shift (story)|short story of the same name]] by [[Stephen King]]<ref name=NYT>{{cite web|title=Graveyard Shift|archive-date=February 22, 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150222002143/http://www.nytimes.com/movies/movie/132261/Stephen-King-s-Graveyard-Shift/overview|department=Movies & TV Dept.|work=[[The New York Times]]|publisher=[[Baseline (database)|Baseline]] & [[All Movie Guide]]|author=Cavett Binion|date=2015|url=https://movies.nytimes.com/movie/132261/Stephen-King-s-Graveyard-Shift/overview}}</ref> which was first published in the October 1970 issue of ''[[Cavalier (magazine)|Cavalier]]'' magazine, and later collected in King's 1978 collection ''[[Night Shift (book)|Night Shift]]''.<ref name=NYT/> The movie was released in October 1990.
'''''Graveyard Shift''''' (also known as '''''Stephen King's Graveyard Shift''''') is a 1990 American [[horror film]] directed by Ralph S. Singleton, written by John Esposito, starring [[David Andrews (actor)|David Andrews]], [[Stephen Macht]], Kelly Wolf, and [[Brad Dourif]], and based on the 1970 [[Graveyard Shift (story)|short story of the same name]] by [[Stephen King]]<ref name=NYT>{{cite web|title=Graveyard Shift|archive-date=February 22, 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150222002143/http://www.nytimes.com/movies/movie/132261/Stephen-King-s-Graveyard-Shift/overview|department=Movies & TV Dept.|work=[[The New York Times]]|author=Cavett Binion|date=2015|url=https://movies.nytimes.com/movie/132261/Stephen-King-s-Graveyard-Shift/overview}}</ref> which was first published in the October 1970 issue of ''[[Cavalier (magazine)|Cavalier]]'' magazine, and later collected in King's 1978 collection ''[[Night Shift (book)|Night Shift]]''.<ref name=NYT/>

''Graveyard Shift'' was released in October 1990. The film received negative reviews from critics.


==Plot==
==Plot==
⚫
Widowed drifter John Hall is hired to work in an old rat-infested textile mill next to an abandoned graveyard by the sadistic mill foreman, Warwick. Warwick has been carrying on numerous affairs with female workers, the latest being Nordello. Warwick has hired eccentric rat exterminator Tucker Cleveland to take care of the rat problem. Cleveland confides in Hall that he is unable to kill all of the rats and the mill should be shut down. In the following weeks, Hall is bullied by both his fellow workers Danson, Brogan, and Stevenson, and Warwick, who holds a special hatred for him. Hall begins a romantic relationship with his coworker Jane Wisconsky.
Jason Reed is working the graveyard shift at a rat-infested [[textile mill]] that has recently been reopened. Reed is surrounded by rats, and attempts to drive them away by throwing one rat into a [[cotton picker]]. When the rats do not leave, Reed prepares to throw another one into the cotton picker when he is attacked by a large unseen creature which pushes him into the cotton picker where he is torn apart.


Warwick is informed that the basement must be cleaned up to due to major safety violations that could shut the mill down. Warwick assigns Stevenson to look through the basement and string up lights before he assigns a crew to clean it out, but he's grabbed by a creature and dragged away.
⚫
Some time later, widowed drifter John Hall is hired by the sadistic mill foreman, Warwick. Warwick has been carrying on numerous affairs with female workers, the latest being Nordello. Warwick has refused to close the mill despite the rat infestation, hiring an eccentric rat exterminator and [[Vietnam War|Vietnam veteran]] Tucker Cleveland to take care of the rat problem. Cleveland confides in Hall that he is unable to kill all of the rats and the mill should be shut down, explaining that both the sheer number of rats and their intelligence overwhelm him. In the following weeks, Hall is bullied by both his fellow workers Danson, Brogan, and Stevenson, and Warwick, who holds a special hatred for him. Warwick is informed that the basement must be cleaned up to make way for new offices. Warwick assigns Stevenson to look through the basement before he assigns a crew to clean it out. Stevenson is grabbed by the creature and dragged away.


Hall befriends his fellow worker Jane Wisconsky, who sympathizes with him. Jane and Hall begin a romantic relationship. Warwick replaces Stevenson with new hire Charlie Carmichael. Warwick assigns Nordello to the cleanup crew, much to her outrage. As revenge, she attacks Warwick’s car with a fire ax. Warwick attacks her, but is stopped by Hall. Warwick assigns Hall, Carmichael, Brogan, Danson, Wisconsky, and Ippeston to clean the basement. Ippeston is fired by Warwick after he calls Warwick out for forcing the group to kill the rats in the basement. That night, Nordello breaks in to steal documents showing recommendations for the mill’s closure from Warwick. Nordello falls down the stairs into the basement, where the creature devours her. Warwick blackmails Cleveland for polluting the nearby river with chemicals and dead rats and forces him to investigate the nearby graveyard, believing it to be the nesting place for the rats. Cleveland investigates with his rat hunting dog Moxie, who leads him into a crypt. Cleveland is killed when he slips on unsteady, muddy ground, causing an above ground casket to slide, crashing into his head.
Hall, Wisconsky, Carmichael, Danson and Brogan are assigned to clean the basement. That night, Nordello breaks in to Warwick's office to steal documents showing recommendations for the mill's closure from the exterminator and OSHA. As she leaves, Nordello falls down the stairs into the basement, where the creature devours her. Meanwhile, Warwick believes the graveyard to be the breeding ground for the rats. Cleveland is blackmailed by Warwick to exterminate the rat problem in the graveyard, but he's killed when a stone coffin falls on him.


Hall discovers a trap door leading to an abandoned part of the mill. Hall believes it to be the nesting ground of the rats. Warwick forces Hall to enter with a fire hose to kill the rats. Hall agrees on the condition he have help in handling the fire hose, and chooses his partner to be Warwick. Wisconsky also volunteers, and Warwick forces the whole group to go. Brogan is startled by a severed arm and attempts to flee up the stairs, only to break the fire hose and fall into a large underground river. The creature enters the pool and drags Brogan underwater. Hall and Wisconsky also fall in, but grab onto a floating coffin to avoid drowning. Warwick, Danson, and Carmichael flee. Carmichael discovers a small cavern and they go into it in the hopes of escaping. Carmichael attempts to break through a small hole to escape, only for his arm to be torn off by the creature. Danson and Warwick abandon him, and Carmichael is killed. Danson refuses to move and Warwick goes to find an escape route. Danson is attacked by the creature, and Warwick rushes to help him, only to be too late. Warwick flees, but trips and falls down several stories.
While cleaning out the basement, Brogan keeps busy by shooting rats with the fire hose. Hall later discovers a trap door leading to an abandoned part of the mill, which he believes to be the nesting ground for the rat infestation. Warwick forces Hall to enter with a fire hose to kill the rats, but Hall only agrees on the condition that Warwick help him in handling the fire hose. Wisconsky also volunteers, and Warwick forces the remaining workers to go as well, and once downstairs they discover caves beneath the mill. Brogan discovers a severed human hand and, terrified, runs back up, but one of the stairs breaks and he falls into the pool beneath, where the creature devours him.


Carmichael discovers a cave passage with the sound of an outside river and encourages the team to follow him. Once inside, he discovers a hole through which they can reach outside. When Carmichael puts his hand through the hole, he is attacked by the creature, which rips his arm off. The team abandons Carmichael as he is devoured by the creature; a terrified Danson refuses to keep going and is also abandoned by the team. Left alone in complete darkness and hearing a strange noise next to him, he lights a lighter and encounters the creature, who immediately devours him.
⚫
Hall and Wisconsky discover the creature’s lair, a large cavern filled with human and animal bones. Wisconsky discovers Warwick with a severe head wound buried beneath a pile of bones. Now insane, Warwick attacks Hall and Wisconsky, engaging Hall in a brutal battle. Wisconsky attempts to stop him, only to be stabbed by Warwick with a knife. Warwick flees from a vengeful Hall, only to discover the creature: a large, bat-like rat. Warwick attacks and injures it, only to be killed and devoured. Seeing this, Hall flees and manages to escape into the mill. The creature follows him and attacks him, only for its tail to be caught in the cotton picker. Hall turns on the cotton picker, tearing the creature apart. The final shot shows a sign outside the still-open mill, stating the mill is under new management.

⚫
Hall and Wisconsky discover the creature's lair, a large cavern filled with human and animal bones. Wisconsky discovers Warwick buried beneath a pile of bones. Now insane, Warwick attacks Hall and Wisconsky, engaging Hall in a brutal battle. Wisconsky attempts to stop him, only to be stabbed by Warwick with a knife. Warwick flees from a vengeful Hall, only to come upon the creature: a large, bat-like rat. Warwick attacks and injures it, only to be killed and devoured. Seeing this, Hall flees and manages to escape into the mill, but the creature follows him and attacks. The creature gets its tail caught in the cotton picker as it closes in on Hall, so he turns on the cotton picker, shredding the creature. The final shot shows a sign outside the still-open mill, stating the mill is under new management.

==TV extended ending==
Hall punches out ending his shift, and he also punches Wisconsky's shift before leaving the mill.


==Cast==
==Cast==
Line 46: Line 53:
* [[Vic Polizos]] as Brogan
* [[Vic Polizos]] as Brogan
* [[Brad Dourif]] as Tucker Cleveland
* [[Brad Dourif]] as Tucker Cleveland
* Robert Alan Beuth as Ippeston
* Robert Alan Beuth as Cy Ippeston
* Ilona Margolis as Nordello
* Ilona Margolis as Nordello
* Jimmy Woodard as Charlie Carmichael
* Jimmy Woodard as Charlie Carmichael
Line 59: Line 66:


==Production==
==Production==
[[Stephen King]] optioned ''[[Graveyard Shift (short story)|Graveyard Shift]]'' for a relatively modest $2,500 to William J. Dunn who had worked on King projects such as ''[[Creepshow 2]]'' and ''[[Pet Sematary (1989 film)|Pet Sematary]]'' as a location scout, as well as having helped to establish the Maine Film Office.<ref name= "GraveyardShiftProd"/> King's decision to option ''Graveyard Shift'' for a relatively small amount was motivated by the story being a short story as well as the company being small and felt they had interesting enough ideas to warrant a "Pay as you go" type approach.<ref name= "GraveyardShiftProd"/> Dunn brought in Ralph S. Singleton to direct the film in what would be his directorial debut after having previously served as an associate producer on ''Pet Sematary''.<ref name= "GraveyardShiftProd"/> The adaptation of ''Graveyard Shift'' was written by John Esposito who had actually been carried over from work under another producer who had previously held the option on the story but let it lapse.<ref name= "GraveyardShiftProd"/> Dunn secured financial backing for the film from Larry Sugar Entertainment who had previously handled the European theatrical release of ''[[Salem's Lot (1979 miniseries)|Salem's Lot]]'' edited from the TV miniseries, and opted to produce ''Graveyard Shift'' independently which was motivated by the success of ''Pet Sematary''.<ref name= "GraveyardShiftProd"/> Larry Sugar put the film immediately into production hoping to be the very first King adaptation after ''Pet Sematary'', and upon the film's unveiling at the [[American Film Market]], [[Paramount Pictures|Paramount]] acquired distribution rights hoping to repeat the success of having distributed ''Pet Sematary''.<ref name= "GraveyardShiftProd"/>

The film was shot in the village of [[Harmony, Maine]] at Bartlettyarns Inc., the oldest woolen yarn mill in the United States (est. 1821). The historic Bartlett mill was renamed "Bachman" for the movie, an homage to King's pseudonym, [[Richard Bachman]]. The interior shots of the antique mill machinery, and the riverside cemetery, were in Harmony. Other scenes (restaurant interior, and giant wool picking machine) were at locations in [[Bangor, Maine]], at an abandoned waterworks and armory. A few other mill scenes were staged near the Eastland woolen mill in [[Corinna, Maine]], which subsequently became a [[Superfund]] site.
The film was shot in the village of [[Harmony, Maine]] at Bartlettyarns Inc., the oldest woolen yarn mill in the United States (est. 1821). The historic Bartlett mill was renamed "Bachman" for the movie, an homage to King's pseudonym, [[Richard Bachman]]. The interior shots of the antique mill machinery, and the riverside cemetery, were in Harmony. Other scenes (restaurant interior, and giant wool picking machine) were at locations in [[Bangor, Maine]], at an abandoned waterworks and armory. A few other mill scenes were staged near the Eastland woolen mill in [[Corinna, Maine]], which subsequently became a [[Superfund]] site.


==Reception==
==Reception==
The film was received poorly by critics. On the [[review aggregator]] website [[Rotten Tomatoes]], it holds a 13% approval rating based on eight reviews.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/stephen_kings_graveyard_shift|title=Stephen King's 'Graveyard Shift' (1990)|website=[[Rotten Tomatoes]]|access-date=January 18, 2020}}</ref> Audiences surveyed by [[CinemaScore]] gave the film a grade of "C-" on scale of A+ to F.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cinemascore.com/publicsearch/index/title/ |title=Cinemascore |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181220122629/https://www.cinemascore.com/publicsearch/index/title/ |archive-date=2018-12-20}}</ref>
The film was received poorly by critics. On the [[review aggregator]] website [[Rotten Tomatoes]], it holds a [[List of films with a 0% rating on Rotten Tomatoes|rare 0% approval]] rating based on seven reviews.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/stephen_kings_graveyard_shift|title=Stephen King's 'Graveyard Shift' (1990)|website=[[Rotten Tomatoes]]|access-date=January 18, 2020}}</ref> Audiences surveyed by [[CinemaScore]] gave the film a grade of "C−" on scale of A+ to F.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cinemascore.com/publicsearch/index/title/ |title=Cinemascore |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181220122629/https://www.cinemascore.com/publicsearch/index/title/ |archive-date=2018-12-20}}</ref>


''Graveyard Shift'' was a modest box office success for Paramount. The film was released October 26, 1990 in the United States, opening in first place that weekend.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/weekend/chart/?yr=1990&wknd=43&p=.htm|title=Weekend Box Office October 26-28, 1990|publisher=[[Box Office Mojo]]|access-date=November 7, 2011}}</ref> It grossed a total of $11,582,891 domestically.<ref name=boxofficemojo/>
The film was released October 26, 1990 in the United States opening in first place for the weekend; however, due to negative word of mouth; ''Graveyard Shift'' saw a steep drop off in attendance the following weekends.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/weekend/chart/?yr=1990&wknd=43&p=.htm|title=Weekend Box Office October 26-28, 1990|publisher=[[Box Office Mojo]]|access-date=November 7, 2011}}</ref> It grossed a total of $11,582,891 domestically.<ref name=boxofficemojo/>


[[Stephen King]] heavily disliked the film and named it one of his least favorite adaptations calling it "a quick exploitation picture".<ref name="deadline16">{{cite web |first=Mike Jr. |last=Fleming |title=Stephen King On What Hollywood Owes Authors When Their Books Become Films: Q&A |website=[[Deadline Hollywood]] |date=February 2, 2016 |url=https://deadline.com/2016/02/stephen-king-what-hollywood-owes-authors-when-their-books-become-films-q-a-the-dark-tower-the-shining-1201694691/ |access-date=September 24, 2017 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20160203061225/https://deadline.com/2016/02/stephen-king-what-hollywood-owes-authors-when-their-books-become-films-q-a-the-dark-tower-the-shining-1201694691/ |archive-date=February 3, 2016 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all}}</ref>
[[Stephen King]] heavily disliked the film and named it one of his least favorite adaptations calling it "a quick exploitation picture".<ref name="deadline16">{{cite web |first=Mike Jr. |last=Fleming |title=Stephen King On What Hollywood Owes Authors When Their Books Become Films: Q&A |website=[[Deadline Hollywood]] |date=February 2, 2016 |url=https://deadline.com/2016/02/stephen-king-what-hollywood-owes-authors-when-their-books-become-films-q-a-the-dark-tower-the-shining-1201694691/ |access-date=September 24, 2017 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20160203061225/https://deadline.com/2016/02/stephen-king-what-hollywood-owes-authors-when-their-books-become-films-q-a-the-dark-tower-the-shining-1201694691/ |archive-date=February 3, 2016 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all}}</ref>
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[[Category:Films based on short fiction]]
[[Category:Films based on short fiction]]
[[Category:Films based on works by Stephen King]]
[[Category:Films based on works by Stephen King]]
[[Category:Films set in factories]]
[[Category:Films set in Maine]]
[[Category:Films set in Maine]]
[[Category:Films shot in Maine]]
[[Category:Films shot in Maine]]
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[[Category:Columbia Pictures films]]
[[Category:Columbia Pictures films]]
[[Category:1990s English-language films]]
[[Category:1990s English-language films]]
[[Category:1990s American films]]
[[Category:1990 science fiction films]]
[[Category:English-language science fiction horror films]]

Latest revision as of 09:17, 9 December 2024

Graveyard Shift
Theatrical release poster
Directed byRalph S. Singleton
Screenplay byJohn Esposito
Based on"Graveyard Shift" by Stephen King
Produced byWilliam J. Dunn
Ralph S. Singleton
Starring
CinematographyPeter Stein
Edited byJim Gross
Randy Jon Morgan
Music byBrian Banks
Anthony Marinelli
Production
companies
Distributed byParamount Pictures
Release date
  • October 26, 1990 (1990-10-26)
Running time
86 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$10.5 million[2]
Box office$11.6 million[3]

Graveyard Shift (also known as Stephen King's Graveyard Shift) is a 1990 American horror film directed by Ralph S. Singleton, written by John Esposito, starring David Andrews, Stephen Macht, Kelly Wolf, and Brad Dourif, and based on the 1970 short story of the same name by Stephen King[4] which was first published in the October 1970 issue of Cavalier magazine, and later collected in King's 1978 collection Night Shift.[4]

Graveyard Shift was released in October 1990. The film received negative reviews from critics.

Plot

[edit]

Widowed drifter John Hall is hired to work in an old rat-infested textile mill next to an abandoned graveyard by the sadistic mill foreman, Warwick. Warwick has been carrying on numerous affairs with female workers, the latest being Nordello. Warwick has hired eccentric rat exterminator Tucker Cleveland to take care of the rat problem. Cleveland confides in Hall that he is unable to kill all of the rats and the mill should be shut down. In the following weeks, Hall is bullied by both his fellow workers Danson, Brogan, and Stevenson, and Warwick, who holds a special hatred for him. Hall begins a romantic relationship with his coworker Jane Wisconsky.

Warwick is informed that the basement must be cleaned up to due to major safety violations that could shut the mill down. Warwick assigns Stevenson to look through the basement and string up lights before he assigns a crew to clean it out, but he's grabbed by a creature and dragged away.

Hall, Wisconsky, Carmichael, Danson and Brogan are assigned to clean the basement. That night, Nordello breaks in to Warwick's office to steal documents showing recommendations for the mill's closure from the exterminator and OSHA. As she leaves, Nordello falls down the stairs into the basement, where the creature devours her. Meanwhile, Warwick believes the graveyard to be the breeding ground for the rats. Cleveland is blackmailed by Warwick to exterminate the rat problem in the graveyard, but he's killed when a stone coffin falls on him.

While cleaning out the basement, Brogan keeps busy by shooting rats with the fire hose. Hall later discovers a trap door leading to an abandoned part of the mill, which he believes to be the nesting ground for the rat infestation. Warwick forces Hall to enter with a fire hose to kill the rats, but Hall only agrees on the condition that Warwick help him in handling the fire hose. Wisconsky also volunteers, and Warwick forces the remaining workers to go as well, and once downstairs they discover caves beneath the mill. Brogan discovers a severed human hand and, terrified, runs back up, but one of the stairs breaks and he falls into the pool beneath, where the creature devours him.

Carmichael discovers a cave passage with the sound of an outside river and encourages the team to follow him. Once inside, he discovers a hole through which they can reach outside. When Carmichael puts his hand through the hole, he is attacked by the creature, which rips his arm off. The team abandons Carmichael as he is devoured by the creature; a terrified Danson refuses to keep going and is also abandoned by the team. Left alone in complete darkness and hearing a strange noise next to him, he lights a lighter and encounters the creature, who immediately devours him.

Hall and Wisconsky discover the creature's lair, a large cavern filled with human and animal bones. Wisconsky discovers Warwick buried beneath a pile of bones. Now insane, Warwick attacks Hall and Wisconsky, engaging Hall in a brutal battle. Wisconsky attempts to stop him, only to be stabbed by Warwick with a knife. Warwick flees from a vengeful Hall, only to come upon the creature: a large, bat-like rat. Warwick attacks and injures it, only to be killed and devoured. Seeing this, Hall flees and manages to escape into the mill, but the creature follows him and attacks. The creature gets its tail caught in the cotton picker as it closes in on Hall, so he turns on the cotton picker, shredding the creature. The final shot shows a sign outside the still-open mill, stating the mill is under new management.

TV extended ending

[edit]

Hall punches out ending his shift, and he also punches Wisconsky's shift before leaving the mill.

Cast

[edit]
  • David Andrews as John Hall
  • Kelly Wolf as Jane Wisconsky
  • Stephen Macht as Warwick
  • Andrew Divoff as Danson
  • Vic Polizos as Brogan
  • Brad Dourif as Tucker Cleveland
  • Robert Alan Beuth as Cy Ippeston
  • Ilona Margolis as Nordello
  • Jimmy Woodard as Charlie Carmichael
  • Jonathan Emerson as Jason Reed
  • Minor Rootes as Stevenson
  • Kelly L. Goodman as Warwick's Secretary
  • Susan Lowden as Daisy May
  • Joe Perham as Mill Inspector
  • Dana Packard as Millworker
  • Frank Welker as Giant Bat

Production

[edit]

Stephen King optioned Graveyard Shift for a relatively modest $2,500 to William J. Dunn who had worked on King projects such as Creepshow 2 and Pet Sematary as a location scout, as well as having helped to establish the Maine Film Office.[2] King's decision to option Graveyard Shift for a relatively small amount was motivated by the story being a short story as well as the company being small and felt they had interesting enough ideas to warrant a "Pay as you go" type approach.[2] Dunn brought in Ralph S. Singleton to direct the film in what would be his directorial debut after having previously served as an associate producer on Pet Sematary.[2] The adaptation of Graveyard Shift was written by John Esposito who had actually been carried over from work under another producer who had previously held the option on the story but let it lapse.[2] Dunn secured financial backing for the film from Larry Sugar Entertainment who had previously handled the European theatrical release of Salem's Lot edited from the TV miniseries, and opted to produce Graveyard Shift independently which was motivated by the success of Pet Sematary.[2] Larry Sugar put the film immediately into production hoping to be the very first King adaptation after Pet Sematary, and upon the film's unveiling at the American Film Market, Paramount acquired distribution rights hoping to repeat the success of having distributed Pet Sematary.[2]

The film was shot in the village of Harmony, Maine at Bartlettyarns Inc., the oldest woolen yarn mill in the United States (est. 1821). The historic Bartlett mill was renamed "Bachman" for the movie, an homage to King's pseudonym, Richard Bachman. The interior shots of the antique mill machinery, and the riverside cemetery, were in Harmony. Other scenes (restaurant interior, and giant wool picking machine) were at locations in Bangor, Maine, at an abandoned waterworks and armory. A few other mill scenes were staged near the Eastland woolen mill in Corinna, Maine, which subsequently became a Superfund site.

Reception

[edit]

The film was received poorly by critics. On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, it holds a rare 0% approval rating based on seven reviews.[5] Audiences surveyed by CinemaScore gave the film a grade of "C−" on scale of A+ to F.[6]

The film was released October 26, 1990 in the United States opening in first place for the weekend; however, due to negative word of mouth; Graveyard Shift saw a steep drop off in attendance the following weekends.[7] It grossed a total of $11,582,891 domestically.[3]

Stephen King heavily disliked the film and named it one of his least favorite adaptations calling it "a quick exploitation picture".[8]

Home media

[edit]

Graveyard Shift was released on VHS and Laserdisc in 1991. The DVD was released on May 28, 2002, and re-released on August 15, 2017 by Paramount Home Entertainment. Columbia TriStar released the film on Region DVDs and VHS from 1992-2003. The film was released on Blu-ray in France on October 3, 2011, Spain and Germany in 2017. On July 28, 2020, Shout! Factory under the Scream Factory label released the film on Blu-ray.

Soundtrack

[edit]

A limited edition soundtrack release, featuring the score by Anthony Marinelli and Brian Banks, was released on October 6, 2020 from La-La Land Records.[9]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "Stephen King's Graveyard Shift (1990)". AFI Catalog of Feature Films. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Wood, Gary (December 1990). "Graveyard Shift". Cinefantastique. Fourth Castle Micromedia. Retrieved July 14, 2023.
  3. ^ a b "Graveyard Shift (1990)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved November 7, 2011.
  4. ^ a b Cavett Binion (2015). "Graveyard Shift". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. Archived from the original on February 22, 2015.
  5. ^ "Stephen King's 'Graveyard Shift' (1990)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved January 18, 2020.
  6. ^ "Cinemascore". Archived from the original on 2018-12-20.
  7. ^ "Weekend Box Office October 26-28, 1990". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved November 7, 2011.
  8. ^ Fleming, Mike Jr. (February 2, 2016). "Stephen King On What Hollywood Owes Authors When Their Books Become Films: Q&A". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on February 3, 2016. Retrieved September 24, 2017.
  9. ^ "Graveyard Shift: Limited Edition Soundtrack". La-La Land Records. Retrieved 2020-10-15.
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