"Masters of Horror" The Washingtonians (2007)

User Rating:

5.8/10   

Director:

Peter Medak

Writers:

Mick Garris (creator)
Richard Chizmar (teleplay) ...
(more)

TV Series:

"Masters of Horror" (2005)

Original Air Date:

26 January 2007 (Season 2, Episode 12)

Genre:

Horror

Plot:

A man finds a letter behind a painting of George Washington that is supposedly written by George Washington. The painting was at the estate of his late Grandmother. The letter discusses eating children and using their bones to make tools for eating, and is later judged authentic by an expert.

Plot Keywords:

George Washington | Painting | Cannibal | Old Photograph | Stabbed In Stomach

Cast

Johnathon Schaech	...	Mike Franks
Venus Terzo	...	Pam Franks
Myron Natwick	...	Samuel Madison III
Duncan Fraser	...	Bearded Washingtonian
Julia Tortolano	...	Amy Franks
Saul Rubinek	...	Professor Harkinson
Caroline Carter	...	Hitch Hiker
Esme Lambert	...	Nancy Arnold
Abraham Jedidiah	...	Jared Barkish
Patrick Keating	...	Minister
Wendy Morrow Donaldson	...	Chubby Waitress (as Wendy Donaldson)
Nathan Clark	...	Deputy #1
Daniel Cudmore	...	Deputy #2
Brian Jensen	...	George Washington
Joel Wirkkunen	...	Washingtonian #1
Chris Kalhoon	...	Washingtonian #2
Ian Carter	...	Washingtonian #3
Richard Stroh	...	Van Washingtonian #1
Gardiner Millar	...	Van Washingtonian #2 (as Gardiner Miller)
Alan Legros	...	Fat Washingtonian
Chris Davis	...	Thomas Jefferson
Chi Lam	...	Delivery Man

Directed by
Peter Medak

Writing credits
Mick Garris		(creator)
Richard Chizmar		(teleplay) &
Johnathon Schaech		(teleplay)
Bentley Little		(short story)

Produced by
Keith Addis	....	executive producer
Morris Berger	....	executive producer
Steve Best	....	associate producer
Ben Browning	....	co-producer
Stephen R. Brown	....	executive producer (as Steve Brown)
Andrew Deane	....	executive producer
Mick Garris	....	executive producer
Adam Goldworm	....	co-producer
John W. Hyde	....	executive producer
Lisa Richardson	....	producer
Tom Rowe	....	producer
Pascal Verschooris	....	line producer

Original Music by
Richard Band

Cinematography by
Attila Szalay		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Mark L. Levine

Casting by
Stuart Aikins
Sean Cossey
Lindsey Hayes Kroeger
David Rapaport		(as David H. Rapaport)

Production Design by
Don Macaulay

Art Direction by
Teresa Weston

Set Decoration by
Ide Foyle

Costume Design by
Lyn Kelly

Makeup Department
Howard Berger	....	special effects makeup
Lyne Denomme	....	first assistant makeup
Mike Fields	....	on-set key makeup artist (as Michael Fields)
Sarah Graham	....	on-set key makeup artist
Marcy Hodel	....	first assistant hair stylist
Debi Lelievre	....	key makeup (as Deb Lelievre)
Gregory Nicotero	....	special effects makeup
Adina Shore	....	key hair stylist

Production Management
Margo Coughlin Zimmerman	....	production manager: Starz Productions (as Margo Zimmerman)
Sally Dixon	....	post-production supervisor
Sheri Mayervich	....	unit production manager
Stacey Jade Smart	....	executive in charge of production: Starz Productions
Pascal Verschooris	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Brian Giddens	....	first assistant director
Ania Musiatowicz	....	second assistant director
Trevor Ralph	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Andrei Andrianko	....	assistant art director
Nick Dibley	....	property master (as Nicholas Dibley)
Jim Geddes	....	construction coordinator
John McIntosh	....	greens
Jake Miller	....	assistant property master
Nathalie Morin	....	assistant set decorator (as Natalie Morin)
Zbibgniew Scheller	....	construction foreman (as Zbish Scheller)
John Wilcox	....	paint coordinator
Jean Brophey	....	on-set dresser (uncredited)
Doris Deutschmann	....	graphic designer (uncredited)
Rowena O'Connor	....	assistant on-set props (uncredited)

Sound Department
Anke Bakker	....	sound supervisor
Brian Campbell	....	dialogue editor
Jay Cheetham	....	background sound editor
Jacqueline Cristianini	....	adr supervisor
Jacqueline Cristianini	....	dialogue supervisor
Kris Fenske	....	sound designer
Graeme Hughes	....	re-recording mixer
Devan Kraushar	....	sound effects editor
Jason Mauza	....	foley editor
Laurie Melhus	....	audio post-production coordinator
Glen Noseworthy	....	adr mixer
Iain Pattison	....	re-recording mixer
Sebastian Salm	....	sound mixer
Paul A. Sharpe	....	re-recording mixer (as Paul Sharpe)
Shane Shemko	....	foley artist
Colin Smith	....	boom operator
Cam Wagner	....	foley artist
Matthew Wilson	....	sound effects editor
Todd R. Mason	....	sound effects recordist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Jaremy Aiello	....	effects crew: K.N.B. EFX Group
Randy Ball	....	effects crew: K.N.B. EFX Group
Mark Boley	....	effects crew: K.N.B. EFX Group
Steve Hartman	....	effects crew: K.N.B. EFX Group
Derek Heselton	....	best boy special effects
Grady Holder	....	effects crew: K.N.B. EFX Group
Wayne Szybunka	....	special effects coordinator
Veronica Torres	....	effects crew: K.N.B. EFX Group
Mike Hyrman	....	special effects technician (uncredited)
Chris Sturges	....	special effects technician (uncredited)
Attila Vaski	....	lead/fab/asst (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Matt Belbin	....	digital effects editor (as Matthew Belbin)
Sébastien Bergeron	....	digital effects supervisor
Lionel Lim	....	digital compositor
Bryce Rieger	....	digital compositor
Lisa K. Sepp	....	visual effects producer (as Lisa Sepp-Wilson)
Lee Wilson	....	visual effects supervisor
Jayson Castro	....	visual effects production assistant (uncredited)
Stephen Paschke	....	cg artist (uncredited)

Stunts
Jim Dunn	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Sandy Cooper	....	first assistant camera
Lane Koch	....	first assistant camera
Mike Kolafa	....	gaffer (as Michael Kolafa)
Brock Miller	....	best boy grip
Steve Sherlock	....	key grip
Jared Smith	....	best boy lighting
Peter Wilke	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Richard Wilson	....	camera operator: "a" camera
Ian Gariepy	....	key grip: second unit (uncredited)
Aaron Haesler	....	second assistant camera (uncredited)
Marc Nolet	....	grip (uncredited)

Casting Department
Sandra-Ken Freeman	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Glenna Owen	....	assistant costume designer
Tyler Tone	....	set costume supervisor
Jessica Milligan	....	costumer (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Richard Cordes	....	color timer
Andrea Dixon	....	color timer
Asim Matin	....	assistant editor
Troy Sitter	....	post-production assistant
Matt Venables	....	post-production coordinator
Mike Williamson	....	editorial coordinator

Music Department
Mike Beckett	....	music editor
Jennifer Ross	....	music supervisor
Ed Shearmur	....	composer: main title music (as Edward Shearmur)

Transportation Department
Louie Hausner	....	transportation captain
John Swetlikoe	....	transportation coordinator
Duane Shearer	....	office driver (uncredited)
Jovan Vujatovic	....	picture car coordinator (uncredited)

Other crew
Christine Barrie	....	stand-in
Laura Collini	....	script supervisor (as Laura June Colini)
Genessa Davis	....	assistant production coordinator
Jim Desroches	....	production coordinator (as James Desroches)
Annie Doyon	....	assistant accountant
Scott 'Big Dog' Franklin	....	assistant location manager (as Scott Franklin)
Cameron Grierson	....	assistant to producer
Cameron Grierson	....	script coordinator
Richter Hartig	....	production auditor: Starz Productions (as Richter Q. Hartig)
Dave Harvey	....	assistant accountant
Elissa Howarth	....	production administration manager: Starz Productions
Andrea Kaufman	....	production coordinator: Starz Productions (as Andrea M. Kaufman)
Katy Lew	....	executive administrator
Susan Nestibo	....	location manager
Ross Redhead	....	assistant to producer
Adrian Salpeter	....	producers assistant: Lisa Richardson
Stephen Tibbetts	....	stand-in (as Stephen Tibbets)
Bill Vigars	....	unit publicist
Beverly Wiens	....	production accountant
Gary Stamford	....	set wireman (uncredited)

Thanks
Dan Walton	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Starz Productions
• Nice Guy Productions
• Industry Entertainment

Distributors

• Kadokawa Entertainment (2008) (Japan) (DVD)
• Premiere (2009) (Germany) (TV)
• Showtime Networks (2007) (USA) (TV)
• Splendid Film (2008) (Germany) (DVD)
• Starz Home Entertainment (2007) (Australia) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Anthem Visual Effects

Runtime:

57 min

Country:

USA | Canada

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

USA:TV-MA | Australia:MA (2007) | Italy:VM14 | Germany:16

Company:

Starz Productions

Movie Connections:

References A Few Good Men (1992)

A Monumental Letdown

"The Changeling" is one of the most effective haunted-house films ever made; paradoxically, 'The Washingtonians' is one of the weakest entries in the "Masters of Horror" series. However, I do not think Peter Medak (the director of both) is entirely to blame for this--what begins as a very cool concept rife with horrific potential (the notion that our concept of 'history' has glossed over the transgressions of our forefathers, including George Washington's penchant for dining on virgins) disintegrates into a tug-of-war between seriousness and camp. While Medak exhibits the same skilled use of light, shadow, fog, and flourishing camera moves that made "The Changeling" so endearing, 'The Washingtonians' script (by Johnathon Schaech and Richard Chizmar) is clunkily paced and tonally unfocused, shooting for satire, straight horror, or broad comedy at any given moment. The result is simply too uneven to be satisfying on any level. And possibly the biggest detriment is co-writer Schaech's performance in the lead role--unable to emote or recite dialog convincingly, his presence leaves us rooting for the cannibals all the way (Saul Rubinek--looking a lot like George Wendt--fares slightly better with his comedic bits). And while there is some suspense, and the wigs, makeup, and costumes are superb (including some of the most imposing orthodontics ever filmed), 'The Washingtonians' comes off as coldly as a corpse in winter.

4.5 out of 10