Death Ship (1980)

User Rating:

4.2/10   

Director:

Alvin Rakoff

Writers:

Jack Hill (story)
David P. Lewis (story)
(more)

Release Date:

7 March 1980 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

Those who survive the ghost ship are better off dead!

Plot:

Survivors of a tragic shipping collision are rescued by a mysterious black ship which appears out of the fog...

Plot Keywords:

Ship | Nazi | Survivor | Ghost Ship | Boat

Cast

George Kennedy	...	Captain Ashland
Richard Crenna	...	Trevor Marshall
Nick Mancuso	...	Nick
Sally Ann Howes	...	Margaret Marshall
Kate Reid	...	Sylvia
Victoria Burgoyne	...	Lori
Jennifer McKinney	...	Robin Marshall
Danny Higham	...	Ben Marshall
Saul Rubinek	...	Jackie
Murray Cruchley	...	Parsons
Doug Smith	...	Seaman No. 1
Tony Sherwood	...	Seaman No. 2
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Andrew Semple	...	Strangled Sailor (uncredited)

Directed by
Alvin Rakoff

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Jack Hill		story
David P. Lewis		story
John Robins		writer

Produced by
Derek Gibson	....	producer
Harold Greenberg	....	producer
Larry Nesis	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Ivor Slaney

Cinematography by
René Verzier

Film Editing by
Mike Campbell

Production Design by
Chris Burke

Art Direction by
Michel Proulx

Makeup Department
Pierre David	....	hair stylist
Joan Isaacson	....	makeup artist
Huguette Roy	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Michael Bennett	....	unit manager: USA
Roger Héroux	....	production manager
Adrian Hughes	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Charles Braive	....	assistant director
Pedro Gandol	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Frances Calder	....	property buyer
Pierre Gelinas	....	assistant art director
Jim Hodgson	....	property buyer
David Phillips	....	props
Norman Simpson	....	property master
Andre Brochu	....	construction supervisor (uncredited)

Sound Department
David Appleby	....	sound re-recording mixer
Henri Blondeau	....	sound mixer
Terry Burke	....	post-synchronisation sound effects
Steven Cole	....	sound effects assistant (as Steve Cole)
Austin Grimaldi	....	sound re-recording mixer
Andy Malcolm	....	post-synchronisation sound effects
Normand Mercier	....	boom operator
Michele Moses	....	sound effects assistant
William Trent	....	sound effects editor
Don White	....	foley recording mixer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Michael Albrechtsen	....	special effects
Peter Hughes	....	special effects

Stunts
Grant Page	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Michel Paul Bélisle	....	gaffer
Peter Benison	....	photographer: second unit
Frank Connor	....	still photographer
Greg Daniels	....	best boy
Denis Gingras	....	assistant camera
Paul Gravel	....	assistant camera
Frank Lenk	....	camera operator
André Ouellette	....	camera grip
John Palmer	....	camera operator
Norman Smith	....	key grip (uncredited)

Casting Department
Ingrid Fischer	....	casting: Canada
Victoria Mitchell	....	casting: Canada
Anna St. Johns	....	casting: U.K.
Sue Stone	....	casting: U.K.

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Paul-André Guérin	....	costumer
Gaudeline Sauriol	....	costumer

Editorial Department
Greg Glynn	....	assistant editor
Yurij Luhovy	....	assistant editor
Jean-Pol Passet	....	assistant editor

Other crew
Todd Allan	....	location manager: USA
Victoria Barney	....	production assistant: USA
Joy Berger	....	unit publicist
Jean Louis Bibeau	....	technical advisor
Monique Brasseur	....	production assistant
Don Carmody	....	production executive
Michael Dalling	....	unit publicist
Micheline D'Andre	....	production assistant
Andre Genest	....	advisor: German memorabilia
Shirley Gill	....	production accountant
Linda Gregory	....	production accountant
Nancy Mayer	....	production assistant: USA
David Novek	....	unit publicist
Captain Pelletier	....	technical advisor
June Randall	....	script supervisor
Jacques Vezina	....	technical advisor
Leon Vezina	....	technical advisor
Linda Browne	....	script supervisor trainee (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Artemis Films
• Astral Bellevue Pathé
• Bloodstar Productions
• Canadian Film Development Corporation (CFDC)

Distributors

• Astral Films (1980) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Scotia-Barber (1980) (UK) (theatrical)
• AVCO Embassy Pictures (1980) (USA) (theatrical)
• Astral Video (1982) (Canada) (VHS)
• Cannon Video (1987) (UK) (VHS)
• Embassy Home Entertainment (video)
• New Line Home Video (video)
• Nucleus Films (2006) (UK) (DVD)
• Roadshow Home Video (video)

Other Companies

• Anvil Studios  music recording
• Films Opticals (Quebec) Ltee  opticals
• Michael Dalling Co.  unit publicity
• Pathé Sound and Post Production Center  sound facilities

Runtime:

91 min

Country:

UK | Canada

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Norway:18 (video premiere) | Germany:18 | France:-12 | Finland:(Banned) (1980) | Australia:M | Finland:K-18 (1988) | UK:18 (video rating) (1987) | UK:X (original rating) | USA:R | Norway:(Banned) (1980-2003) (cinema release)

Filming Locations:

Dauphin Island, Alabama, USA

Company:

Artemis Films

Trivia:

The footage showing the movement of the Death Ship was the result of filming from a small boat moving around the Death Ship. The crew shot for about an hour before the 'Death Ship' broke down. The rest of the required shots were achieved by faking movement, as the broken vessel was anchored and stationary.

Quotes:

Trevor Marshall): Where do you plan to sail her?
Ashland: Into eternity, Marshall. Eternity.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Svengoolie: Death Ship" (2000)

Nazi-boat ride!

Once again, the charm of movies like "Death Ship" passes by on many people. Sure it's trashy and shot ugly, but it's FUN! It's got a freaky plot (Nazi-ghosts floating around the oceans and torturing survivors of a horrible shipping disaster), and an amazingly chilling atmosphere. The images of the abandoned ship, guided by unsettling noises really chills you. The isolated setting is elaborated rather professional by director Alvin Rakoff. The undertones and references towards the Nazi reign are eerie and photographed in viciously black and white. George Kennedy and Richard Crenna definitely are decent actors, although they're not really showing it here. Doesn't matter... a film like Death Ship doesn't depend on great acting. It already has got the things it really needs: tension, a fair amount of effective horror and great music. Oh, and one of the coolest original movie posters ever designed! Just ask the guys who developed the campaign for "Ghost Ship" They obviously thought so too! Don't expect logic, just a bunch of fun.