The Descent (2005)

Director:

Neil Marshall

Writer:

Neil Marshall

Release Date:

4 August 2006 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Horror

Tagline:

The Scariest Movie In Earth

Plot:

A caving expedition goes horribly wrong, as the explorers become trapped and ultimately pursued by a strange breed of predators.

Plot Keywords:

Friend | Cave | Creature | Expedition | Friendship

Awards:

7 wins & 14 nominations

Cast

Shauna Macdonald	...	Sarah
Natalie Mendoza	...	Juno
Alex Reid	...	Beth
Saskia Mulder	...	Rebecca
MyAnna Buring	...	Sam
Nora-Jane Noone	...	Holly
Oliver Milburn	...	Paul
Molly Kayll	...	Jessica
Craig Conway	...	Crawler - Scar
Leslie Simpson	...	Crawler
Mark Cronfield	...	Crawler
Stephen Lamb	...	Crawler (as Steve Lamb)
Catherine Dyson	...	Crawler
Julie Ellis	...	Crawler
Sophie Trott	...	Crawler
Tristan Matthiae	...	Crawler
Stuart Luis	...	Crawler
Justin Hackney	...	Crawler

Directed by
Neil Marshall

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Neil Marshall

Produced by
Keith Bell	....	associate producer: Northmen Productions
Christian Colson	....	producer
Ivana Mackinnon	....	associate producer
Paul Ritchie	....	co-producer
Paul Smith	....	executive producer

Original Music by
David Julyan

Cinematography by
Sam McCurdy

Film Editing by
Jon Harris

Casting by
William Davies
Gail Stevens

Production Design by
Simon Bowles

Art Direction by
Jason Knox-Johnston

Costume Design by
Nancy Thompson

Makeup Department
James Adams	....	prosthetics assistant
Jo Budden	....	prosthetics assistant (as Joanna Budden)
Stuart Conran	....	senior prosthetic makeup artist
Jacqueline Fowler	....	prosthetic makeup effects artist (as Jackie Fowler)
Jo Hannford	....	hair stylist: MyAnna Buring
Jennifer Harty	....	makeup supervisor
Paul Hyett	....	special makeup effects designer
Vicki Lang	....	makeup supervisor (as Vickie Lang)
Tanya Lodge	....	makeup designer
Chris Lyons	....	special effects teeth
Neil Morrill	....	special makeup effects artist (as Neil Morille)
Sandrine Mugglestone	....	makeup trainee: FT2
Conal Palmer	....	senior prosthetic makeup effects artist
Robin Pritchard	....	senior prosthetic makeup effects artist
Robin Pritchard	....	special makeup supervisor
Stuart Sewell	....	prosthetic makeup effects artist
Dawn Stewart	....	prosthetics assistant
Daniel Vidal	....	trainee sculptor
Simon Webber	....	lead sculptor
Samia Wood	....	prosthetics technician

Production Management
Jeanette Haley	....	post-production supervisor
Jennifer Wynne	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Matt Carver	....	second assistant director
Joanna Crow	....	first assistant director: additional photography
Tanya Harris	....	third assistant director
Paul Mason	....	third assistant director
Jack Ravenscroft	....	first assistant director
Charlie Waller	....	second assistant director: additional photography
Dan Winch	....	first assistant director: second unit

Art Department
David Abbott	....	stand-by carpenter
Barry Amos-Yeo	....	greens assistant
Kevin Amos-Yeo	....	greens assistant
Graham Baker	....	stand-by rigger
Paul Bradburn	....	dressing props
Alfie Burgess	....	stand-by props
Dean Clegg	....	stand-by art director
Jim Cornish	....	storyboard artist
Gary Dempsey	....	painter
Billy Edwards	....	stand-by props
Michael Kelm	....	props
Johnny Mann	....	sculptor supervisor
Jon Marson	....	head greensman
Jono Moles	....	construction manager
Lucy Moles	....	construction coordinator
Helen Morgan	....	art department trainee
Harry Pain	....	art department assistant
Barnaby Papworth	....	carpenter
Jo Sansom	....	art department runner
Zoe Smith	....	production buyer
Terry Stinson	....	dressing props
Terry Wood	....	property master
Terry Woods	....	property master
Thomas Jones	....	mold maker (uncredited)

Sound Department
Stuart Bagshaw	....	foley recordist
James Bennett	....	adr recordist
Oliver Brierley	....	assistant sound re-recording mixer
Wayne Brooks	....	adr editor
Paul Carter	....	foley editor
Matthew Collinge	....	supervising sound editor
Ed Evers-Swindell	....	additional crawler sound effects
Robert Farr	....	adr recordist
Colin Gregory	....	boom operator
Nigel Heath	....	sound re-recording mixer
David Hoskins	....	additional sound designer
Claire Mahoney	....	foley artist
Michael Maroussas	....	sound effects editor
Joseph Paines	....	FT2 sound trainee
Jacques Plante	....	adr supervisor
Rob Prynne	....	adr editor
Jamie Roden	....	adr mixer
Danny Sheehan	....	supervising sound editor
Nick Thermes	....	sound mixer

Special Effects by
Paul Hyett	....	special effects makeup designer
Clive R. Kay	....	special effects contact lenses
Richard Magrin	....	special effects crew
Neil Morrill	....	special effects makeup
Christine Overs	....	fabricator: animals
John Rafique	....	special effects supervisor (as Johnny Rafique)
Nick Rideout	....	special effects supervisor
Nick Smith	....	senior special effects technician
Mark Vanstone	....	senior special effects technician
Simon Webber	....	lead sculptor
Mark White	....	model maker
Stuart Wishart	....	animatronics designer

Visual Effects by
Bob Ballan	....	senior model maker
James Ballan	....	model maker
Ritchie Beacham-Paterson	....	post production manager: Lipsync Post
Lee Clappison	....	colourist
Ivan Cornell	....	digital lab systems support: Lipsync Post
Neil Damman	....	digital compositor: Mattes & Miniatures
William Foxwell	....	digital lab operator: Lip Sync Post (as Will Foxwell)
Scott Goulding	....	digital lab operator
David Hewitt	....	model maker (as David Hewit)
Katja Hollmann	....	digital lab supervisor: Lipsync Post
Sue Lin	....	model maker
Alasdair MacCuish	....	digital grade producer: Lipsync Post
James Manning	....	model maker
Adrian Oostergetel	....	digital effects artist
Mike Peel	....	model maker
Adrian Platt	....	digital matte artist: Mattes & Miniatures
Leigh Took	....	visual effects supervisor
Howard Watkins	....	visual effects supervisor: Lip Sync Post
Phillip West	....	camera operator: miniature effects
Julia Hall	....	digital effects artist (uncredited)
Angela Rose	....	visual effects (uncredited)

Stunts
Claire Alderton	....	stunt assistant
George Cottle	....	stunt performer
Ray De-Haan	....	stunt double
Jim Dowdall	....	stunt coordinator
John Fell	....	wire assistant
Stephen Fell	....	wire assistant
Steve Griffin	....	stunt coordinator (as Steve 'Street' Griffin)
Paul Hornsby	....	stunt assistant: additional photography
Paul Hornsby	....	stunt supervisor
Rob Hunt	....	stunt double
Kim McGarrity	....	stunt double
Daz Parker	....	stunt double
Robert Schofield	....	wire supervisor (as Bob Schofield)
Lee Sheward	....	stunt driver
Roy Weatherley	....	wire effects
Maxine Whittaker	....	stunt double
David Williams	....	wire effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Alex Bailey	....	still photographer
Rami Bartholdy	....	camera trainee: second unit
Sergio Bernuzzi	....	key grip
Ashley Bond	....	focus puller: second unit
Tim Driscoll	....	best boy
Warwick Drucker	....	additional crane grip
Dai Evans	....	crane grip
Tony Fabian	....	grip: second unit
Kate Filby	....	clapper loader: second unit
Jon Garwes	....	focus puller
Ross Grainger	....	electrician
Rodrigo Gutierrez	....	director of photography: second unit
John Heald	....	grip: second unit
Alice Hobden	....	clapper loader: second unit
Phil Humphries	....	clapper loader
Bob Milton	....	electrician
Ang Richards	....	camera trainee: FT2
Andrew Robertson	....	video assist operator
Steve Slocombe	....	best boy
Andrew Taylor	....	gaffer
John Taylor	....	Steadicam operator
Neil Tomlin	....	crane technician dailies
Amelia Troubridge	....	still photographer
Matthew Waving	....	camera trainee
Dave Wells	....	trainee grip
Gareth Williams	....	electrician

Casting Department
David Wheal	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Helen Ingham	....	costume supervisor
Catherine Jordan	....	costume trainee: FT2
Kate Laver	....	costume assistant

Editorial Department
Ritchie Beacham-Paterson	....	digital lab production manager: Lip Sync Post
Siobhan Boyes	....	post-production coordinator
Lee Clappison	....	colorist
Alasdair MacCuish	....	digital lab producer: Lip Sync Post
Alexandra Montgomery	....	post-production coordinator
Russell Pawson	....	HD DVD conform editor
Kevin Phelan	....	digital lab head of post-production: Lip Sync Post
Catriona Richardson	....	assistant editor (as Tina Richardson)
Jason Wheeler	....	negative cutter

Music Department
Chris Barrett	....	score assistant
Terry Edwards	....	choir conductor
Andrew Glen	....	music editor (as Andy Glen)
Isobel Griffiths	....	musicians contractor
Martyn Harry	....	music arranger: choral
Nick Ingman	....	conductor
Dana Niu	....	orchestrator
Steve Orchard	....	score mixer
Steve Orchard	....	score recordist
Emily Rogers Swanson	....	music editor (as Emily Rogers)
Bill Silcock	....	music preparation
Ian Wood	....	assistant scoring engineer
Gavyn Wright	....	orchestra leader

Transportation Department
Chris Mayhead	....	driver: cast
Colin Simmons	....	driver

Other crew
Sarah Baker	....	development assistant
Sarah Baker	....	production assistant
Peter Block	....	acquisitions executive
Hannah Brown	....	floor runner
Georgina Bryce	....	double
Georgina Bryce	....	runner
Matt Curtis	....	title designer
Andrew Gwyn Davies	....	production coordinator: pick-up shots
Yvette Dore	....	unit publicist
Hannah Godwin	....	production coordinator
Brian Hall	....	supervisor: climbing
Darroch Harkness	....	consultant: helicopter
Harriet Harper	....	assistant to executive producer
Steve Harrow	....	pre-production consultant
Stuart Hendry	....	assistant stills photographer
Emily Hobbs	....	floor runner
Rachel James	....	post-production accountant
Clive R. Kay	....	special effects contact lenses
Emma Magee	....	production runner
Chris Mayhead	....	cast security
Chris Moore	....	location scout
Debbie Moore	....	production accountant
Natalie Moore	....	assistant accountant
Clive Noakes	....	laboratory contact
Bill Ridealgh	....	unit medic
Richard Rowntree	....	assistant: Steve Harrow
David Taylor	....	unit manager: Scotland
Elizabeth West	....	script supervisor

Production Companies

• Celador Films
• Northmen Productions (in association with)
• Pathé

Distributors

• A-Film Distribution (2006) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Alfa Films (2006) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• FS Film Oy (2005) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Festive Films (2005) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Lions Gate Films (2006) (USA) (theatrical)
• Maple Pictures (2006) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Monopole-Pathé (2005) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Pathé Distribution (2005) (UK) (theatrical)
• Shaw Organisation (2005) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Universum Film (UFA) (2005) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Vértigo Films (2005) (Spain) (theatrical)
• A-Film Home Entertainment (2006) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• A-Film Home Entertainment (2009) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• FS Film Oy (2006) (Finland) (DVD)
• Film1 (2007) (Netherlands) (TV) (limited)
• La Fabrique de Films (2005) (France) (all media)
• Maple Pictures (2006) (Canada) (DVD)
• Net5 (2008) (Netherlands) (TV)
• Panasia Films (2010) (Hong Kong) (DVD)
• Square One Entertainment (2005) (Germany) (all media)
• Transeuropa Video Entertainment (TVE) (2006) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Transeuropa Video Entertainment (TVE) (2006) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Universum Film (UFA) (2008) (Germany) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (Switzerland) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Mattes & Miniatures Atlantic Digital (MMAD) (visual effects)
• Lip Sync Post (digital grading)
• Elements Special Effects (physical effects)

Other Companies

• Digital Post Services  post-production digital facility (picture & sound)
• Hyperactive Broadcast  editing equipment
• Pinewood Studios  movie studio
• AP  title design: main and end titles
• Air Lyndhurst Studios  music recorded at (as Air Lyndhurst)
• Audiolink Radio Communications  walkie talkies
• Bonded Services  film storage
• Fatts  post-production script service
• Fuji Photo Film  motion picture film supplied by
• Goldcrest Post Production London  ADR Facility
• Goldcrest Post Production London  adr recording
• Hackenbacker Sound  sound re-recorded at (as Hackenbacker)
• J & E Post Production  post-production consultant
• Jason Wheeler Film Services  negative cutting
• Jeremy Walker + Associates  publicity
• Lee Lighting  lighting
• Lip Sync Post  digital film grading
• Lofty's Lab  stills processing
• London Session Orchestra, The  orchestra (uncredited)
• Lusam Music  music published by
• Midnight Transfer  post-production facility
• Phaze UK  sound design
• TLO Film Services  action vehicles
• Take 2 Film Services  camera equipment provided by
• TayScreen Scotland  locations
• Videosonics Cinema Sound  foley recording (as Videosonics)

Also Known As:

"Descent" - Japan (English title) (imdb display title)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong violence/gore and language

Runtime:

99 min | 100 min (original unrated cut)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS (US prints) | Dolby Digital EX

Certification:

Norway:15 | Philippines:R-18 | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | Germany:18 | Finland:K-18 | Singapore:R21 | Singapore:M18 (cut) | Taiwan:R-18 | Sweden:15 | Portugal:M/16 | Netherlands:16 (cut) | Iceland:16 | France:-16 | Argentina:16 | Germany:16 (cut version) | Canada:16+ (Quebec) | Canada:18A (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Ontario) | USA:R (certificate #41746) | Brazil:16 | Australia:MA | New Zealand:R16 | Japan:R-18 | Italy:VM14 | South Korea:18 | Malaysia:18SG | Hong Kong:III | Chile:14 | Ireland:18 | UK:18

Filming Locations:

Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Company:

Celador Films

Trivia:

The hospital scene contains 30 extras.

Goofs:

Factual errors: Cars in North Carolina are not required to have front license plates. Also, the license tag is made up of four digits followed by three letters; on North Carolina plates, letters precede numbers.

Quotes:

Holly:Hey, there's something down here...

Movie Connections:

References Carrie (1976)

If you go in there...

After watching "The Descent", my bud Robert and I decided that spelunking would now come off both our "To Do" lists—for good. Writer and Director Neil Marshall's "The Descent" crafts and sustains an unrelenting tension throughout, once you get past the suspended disbelief. As I watched the women one by one crawl through the tiny water filled crevice to enter the caverns somewhere in the Appalachian Mountains, I thought, "How are they going to get back? They've got to be nuts!" Well, you just have to go with it. Well, kind of. Fortunately, director Marshall effectively pretexts the story. The prior thrill-seeking jaunt for the group was a white water rafting trip. Following that trip, Sarah (Shauna MacDonald) suffers a life altering tragedy. A year later, Sarah and her close friend Beth (Alex Reid) join up with the gang at a cabin in the Appalachians. The 6 women are gearing up for a cave exploration trip headed by Juno (Natalie Mendoza). Apparently, Juno regrets not being there for Sarah following her personal tragedy and recovery. Juno sees this trip as an opportunity to empower Sarah. Those along for the ride include Becca (Saskia Mulder), Sam (MyAnna Buring), and Holly (Nora-Jane No one).

The trip starts out curious enough when Juno (Mendoza) discards her map of the caves. The women proceed, and are undeterred by the telltale signs of mysterious animal carcasses. Not surprisingly, the cave exploration goes horribly wrong. They are lost without a clue how to get out, and they are being hunted by terrifying fleshing eating creatures. So the women are literally in the fight for their lives. Marshall masterfully orchestrates the mood and tension. My bud Robert keenly pointed out that what really works in "The Descent" is that it never evolves into a trite action movie. No one screams, "Take that you, Mother F-----!" Granted Marshall may have intended his story as an empowerment allegory. The women are authentically terrified, and fight with all their courage and heart amidst their overwhelming fear. Somehow while they are thrashing and being thrashed by the fierce creatures, it is all strangely believable—strangely. Rather it gets you thinking: "Would I do the same?" Sarah (Macdonald) and Juno (Mendoza) in particular emerge as forces to be reckoned with. Mendoza's Juno warrior spirit is consistent and engaging—she is the brash leader. MacDonald is powerful and believable in Sarah's emergence as a heroic presence. All the performances are strong throughout.

Marshall maintains a claustrophobic feel and keeps us on edge. The unveiled details involving the cave creatures regarding their possible evolution is a nice touch. "The Descent" has to be one of the most gory horror movies with realistic violence—and I am not a big horror fan. However, I am a big hero fan. "The Descent" has great women heroes. Shauna Macdonald and Natalie Mendoza are awesome. "The Descent" is a wild tension filled ride. At the very end one wonders, "What next?"