Exploited workers face off against much more than the man and rats in the adaptation of Stephen King’s short story Graveyard Shift. New to 4K UHD from Kino Lorber.
The Film
By the end of Graveyard Shift (the film), you’re unsure what’s worse; the mutated rat beast that has eaten most of the factory workers over the long July Night or Bachman the faceless owner of Bachman Mills that put them there in the first place. The interesting adaptation of Stephen King’s short of the same name finds a way to fill out the gaps in the short story while retaining what makes King’s stories so entertaining.
Told over a few weeks as the factory employees (both new and old) must contend with an upcoming 4th of July clean-up of the bowels of their decrepit place of employment. It would not be so bad if the basement floors weren’t overrun with rodents that crafty exterminator Tucker Cleveland (scene-stealing Brad Dourif) can’t seem to get rid of. No matter to Middle Management the sweaty creep Warwick (Stephen Macht) who by hook or crook will have his employees clean out the bowels for government inspection. This puts all employees including new mill operator John Hall (David Andrews) at risk. The risk… controls the rodents of Bachman Mills.
There’s a lean economical approach to Graveyard Shift that any horror fan can appreciate. Though it deals with themes of worker’s rights, corporate greed, and small-town politics it deals with them in such slight terms one can take them or leave them at will. The film is essentially a build-up to a fight for survival story. One that faces not only human against creature but in the best of this subgenre, human against human.
The cast is filled with a surprising amount of genre favorites that only add to the enjoyment of the film. Dourif, Macht, and Andrews have already been mentioned and each rises to the occasion though it is Dourif who steals the show with his Vietnam monologue that Chris Morgan stole for his 2 Fast 2 Furious script (you’ll know … ). Macht and Andrews acquit themselves well as the sweaty heavy and hero of the piece. Character actors like Andrew Divoff, Vic Polizos, Robert Alan Beuth, and Jimmy Woodward all show up and do excellent work. Even voice actor Supreme Frank Welker shows up in a surprising role.
Graveyard Shift is one of those examples of an early 90s horror entry that isn’t solely a nostalgia bomb. Its lean and mean story of a factory under siege by more than a rodent plague is surprisingly effective in its horror and gore.
The Transfer
The all-new HDR/Dolby Vision Master – From a 4K Scan of the 35mm Original Camera Negative is a huge upgrade even from the prior Blu-ray edition. The image is a healthy sharp affair throughout. There isn’t a scratch or blemish present throughout the runtime. The transfer is gorgeously luminous showcasing the wonderful dark-lit photography. The Dolby Vision allows for the retaining all the beautiful black and contrast levels without a hint of artifacting or crushing of the blacks making the 35mm shot film look beautifully representative of its origins.
The Extras
They include the following;
DISC 1 (4KUHD):
NEW Audio Commentary by Film Historians Howard S. Berger and Marc Edward Heuck
DISC 2 (BLU-RAY):
NEW Audio Commentary by Film Historians Howard S. Berger and Marc Edward Heuck
Interview with Director Ralph S. Singleton
Interview with Actor Stephen Macht
Interview with Actress Kelly Wolf
Interview with Actor Robert Alan Beuth
Theatrical Trailer
The all-new Audio Commentary by Film Historians Howard S. Berger and Marc Edward Heuck begins with their bonafides before diving into the fact this is a very different King Adaptation and how they veered away from the source material. Some of the details include how the film and source material is a homage to Willard/Ben; a discussion of the various Rat subgenre and where this film lines up; a discussion of how the film was cast without true stars but rather great character actors; the work of Brad Douriff – including his wonderful monologue; the unspoken themes that play throughout the film – including Vietnam PTSD, workers’ rights, capitalism, and more; the film being a horror movie and does not making any qualms about it; the work of director Ralph Singleton – who was a production manager in NYC on some of the more impressive productions during the 1970s and 1980s; Singleton’s career after this film as a producer – including Pet Semetery; the work of cinematographer Peter Stein; the films on location shoot including some that King lived around; a larger discussion throughout of the King story including some quotes directly from the material; a larger discussion throughout of the actors that appear in this film; and much more.
Interview with Director Ralph S. Singleton (26:05) – the archival interview begins with Singleton discusses how he got his start in the industry first as a production manager in NYC and eventually moving to Los Angeles. Some of the other details include his time at Universal Studios that eventually led to the TV series Cagney and Lacey – for over 100 episodes; his transition over to Paramount as a producer and director – directing Graveyard Shift, producing Pet Sematary and Pet Sematary II; how he came to direct Graveyard Shift; a great discussion of the rats that appear in the film; how they came to build the monster in the film and other various VFX that appear in the film; how they came to cast the various actors in the film including David Andrews, Stephen Macht, Kelly Wolf, Brad Dourif, and others; and much more.
Interview with Actor Stephen Macht (13:39) – the archival interview begins with his early days taking an interest in theater because his college roommate Michael Moriarty (yes, the legendary actor) wrote a play he starred in. Some of the details include how Graveyard Shift is like all good horror films are morality plays; his life as an actor playing mostly villains during his career; why he took the role; his method-like approach he took to the role; his work with a dialect coach – the fun time he had with the coach and the dialog, including the song that appears at the end of the film; and much more.
Interview with Actress Kelly Wolf (13:11) – the archival interview begins with her time as a ballet dancer which eventually led to acting at 18 years old and her work in New York until she was cast in Graveyard Shift (one of his first roles) moving to LA. Some of the details include her audition/casting process and working with director Ralph Singleton; her feelings of the character Jane were more progressive than most of the female characters in horror; working in Bangor, Maine; working with Brad Dourif; and much more.
Interview with Actor Robert Alan Beuth (14:10) – the archival interview begins with his early days in the theater (at twelve years old) and eventually moving to New York at nineteen. Some of the details include working at the Groundling which led to a friendship with Ralph Singleton; his friendship that led to Graveyard Shift; his admission that he did not read King before being cast in this film – his first King being Misery; working on location Bango, Maine – and how it was a wonderful time after a dark personal period; meeting Stephen King on set; and much more.
Rounding out the special features are trailers for Graveyard Shift (1:37); Cujo (1:47); Misery (2:22); Needful Things (2:01); Body Parts (2:34); Death Machine (1:35); Cherry 2000 (2:26); The Monster Squad (1:57)
The Final Thought
Graveyard Shift continues Kino Lorber’s curation of excellent 4K UHD upgrades. Highly Recommended!
Exploited workers face off against much more than the man and rats in the adaptation of Stephen King’s short story Graveyard Shift. New to 4K UHD from Kino Lorber.
The Film
By the end of Graveyard Shift (the film), you’re unsure what’s worse; the mutated rat beast that has eaten most of the factory workers over the long July Night or Bachman the faceless owner of Bachman Mills that put them there in the first place. The interesting adaptation of Stephen King’s short of the same name finds a way to fill out the gaps in the short story while retaining what makes King’s stories so entertaining.
Told over a few weeks as the factory employees (both new and old) must contend with an upcoming 4th of July clean-up of the bowels of their decrepit place of employment. It would not be so bad if the basement floors weren’t overrun with rodents that crafty exterminator Tucker Cleveland (scene-stealing Brad Dourif) can’t seem to get rid of. No matter to Middle Management the sweaty creep Warwick (Stephen Macht) who by hook or crook will have his employees clean out the bowels for government inspection. This puts all employees including new mill operator John Hall (David Andrews) at risk. The risk… controls the rodents of Bachman Mills.
There’s a lean economical approach to Graveyard Shift that any horror fan can appreciate. Though it deals with themes of worker’s rights, corporate greed, and small-town politics it deals with them in such slight terms one can take them or leave them at will. The film is essentially a build-up to a fight for survival story. One that faces not only human against creature but in the best of this subgenre, human against human.
The cast is filled with a surprising amount of genre favorites that only add to the enjoyment of the film. Dourif, Macht, and Andrews have already been mentioned and each rises to the occasion though it is Dourif who steals the show with his Vietnam monologue that Chris Morgan stole for his 2 Fast 2 Furious script (you’ll know … ). Macht and Andrews acquit themselves well as the sweaty heavy and hero of the piece. Character actors like Andrew Divoff, Vic Polizos, Robert Alan Beuth, and Jimmy Woodward all show up and do excellent work. Even voice actor Supreme Frank Welker shows up in a surprising role.
Graveyard Shift is one of those examples of an early 90s horror entry that isn’t solely a nostalgia bomb. Its lean and mean story of a factory under siege by more than a rodent plague is surprisingly effective in its horror and gore.
The Transfer
The all-new HDR/Dolby Vision Master – From a 4K Scan of the 35mm Original Camera Negative is a huge upgrade even from the prior Blu-ray edition. The image is a healthy sharp affair throughout. There isn’t a scratch or blemish present throughout the runtime. The transfer is gorgeously luminous showcasing the wonderful dark-lit photography. The Dolby Vision allows for the retaining all the beautiful black and contrast levels without a hint of artifacting or crushing of the blacks making the 35mm shot film look beautifully representative of its origins.
The Extras
They include the following;
DISC 1 (4KUHD):
DISC 2 (BLU-RAY):
The all-new Audio Commentary by Film Historians Howard S. Berger and Marc Edward Heuck begins with their bonafides before diving into the fact this is a very different King Adaptation and how they veered away from the source material. Some of the details include how the film and source material is a homage to Willard/Ben; a discussion of the various Rat subgenre and where this film lines up; a discussion of how the film was cast without true stars but rather great character actors; the work of Brad Douriff – including his wonderful monologue; the unspoken themes that play throughout the film – including Vietnam PTSD, workers’ rights, capitalism, and more; the film being a horror movie and does not making any qualms about it; the work of director Ralph Singleton – who was a production manager in NYC on some of the more impressive productions during the 1970s and 1980s; Singleton’s career after this film as a producer – including Pet Semetery; the work of cinematographer Peter Stein; the films on location shoot including some that King lived around; a larger discussion throughout of the King story including some quotes directly from the material; a larger discussion throughout of the actors that appear in this film; and much more.
Interview with Director Ralph S. Singleton (26:05) – the archival interview begins with Singleton discusses how he got his start in the industry first as a production manager in NYC and eventually moving to Los Angeles. Some of the other details include his time at Universal Studios that eventually led to the TV series Cagney and Lacey – for over 100 episodes; his transition over to Paramount as a producer and director – directing Graveyard Shift, producing Pet Sematary and Pet Sematary II; how he came to direct Graveyard Shift; a great discussion of the rats that appear in the film; how they came to build the monster in the film and other various VFX that appear in the film; how they came to cast the various actors in the film including David Andrews, Stephen Macht, Kelly Wolf, Brad Dourif, and others; and much more.
Interview with Actor Stephen Macht (13:39) – the archival interview begins with his early days taking an interest in theater because his college roommate Michael Moriarty (yes, the legendary actor) wrote a play he starred in. Some of the details include how Graveyard Shift is like all good horror films are morality plays; his life as an actor playing mostly villains during his career; why he took the role; his method-like approach he took to the role; his work with a dialect coach – the fun time he had with the coach and the dialog, including the song that appears at the end of the film; and much more.
Interview with Actress Kelly Wolf (13:11) – the archival interview begins with her time as a ballet dancer which eventually led to acting at 18 years old and her work in New York until she was cast in Graveyard Shift (one of his first roles) moving to LA. Some of the details include her audition/casting process and working with director Ralph Singleton; her feelings of the character Jane were more progressive than most of the female characters in horror; working in Bangor, Maine; working with Brad Dourif; and much more.
Interview with Actor Robert Alan Beuth (14:10) – the archival interview begins with his early days in the theater (at twelve years old) and eventually moving to New York at nineteen. Some of the details include working at the Groundling which led to a friendship with Ralph Singleton; his friendship that led to Graveyard Shift; his admission that he did not read King before being cast in this film – his first King being Misery; working on location Bango, Maine – and how it was a wonderful time after a dark personal period; meeting Stephen King on set; and much more.
Rounding out the special features are trailers for Graveyard Shift (1:37); Cujo (1:47); Misery (2:22); Needful Things (2:01); Body Parts (2:34); Death Machine (1:35); Cherry 2000 (2:26); The Monster Squad (1:57)
The Final Thought
Graveyard Shift continues Kino Lorber’s curation of excellent 4K UHD upgrades. Highly Recommended!
Kino Lorber’s 4K UHD Edition of Stephen King’s Graveyard Shift is out February 25th
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