Left for Dead (2004 film)

"Left for Dead" Infobox Film
name = Left For Dead


image_size =
caption =
director = Ross Boyask
producer = Phil Hobden
writer = Adrian Foiadelli
narrator =
starring = Glenn Salvage, Adam Chapman, Andy Prior, Brendan Carr
music = Pinda Dhanoya
cinematography = Ross Boyask
editing = Ross Boyask
distributor = IFM Worldwide Releasing LLC
released = 2007
runtime = 115 min.
country = UK
language = English
budget = $20k USD
preceded_by =
followed_by = Ten Dead Men
website = http://www.left4dead.co.uk
amg_id =
imdb_id = 0378238(2004) is the UK's first ever independent action martial arts feature film. Directed by Ross Boyask and produced by Phil Hobden, it set the benchmark for a series of independent action films to follow, including "Soul Searcher", "The Silencer" and "The Purifiers" (starring "Lost's" Dominic Monaghan).

Plot

Left For Dead is a revenge thriller set in a city called Hope, where a crimelord called Kincaid rules with an iron fist. Williams, a former hitman for Kincaid is attacked and left for dead when he tries to leave the organisation. He teams up with Kelso, a kickboxer who had his hands smashed by Kincaid, and together, they seek revenge. Together they must fight to take revenge on the criminal empire that holds their city in an iron grasp.

Cast

Mostly the filmmakers cast unknowns in the film. Original Kincaid actor Gordon Alexander left the production after 2 months due to 'creative differences'. He later went to star in the critically hammered Brit art house action film The Purifiers.

Left for Dead also features the first on screen performance from Bourne Ultimatum star Joey Ansah in a very small 'random fighting' role. The film also boasts appreances by actors from films such as Charlie & The Chocolate Factory, Batman Begins, Sleepy Hollow, Gladiator, The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy, The Purifiers, The Silencer, John Woo’s A Better Tomorrow 2 and the award winning Love Struck.

Production

‘LEFT FOR DEAD’ was shot over 18 months in Brighton and Eastbourne, East Sussex and debuted at Cannes 2004 with a packed market screening in the Riviera building. It was quickly picked up by sales agent Barbara Mudge and her Beverly Hills based company Worldwide Filmed Entertainment LLC.

Self-funded, the film was the work of UK filmmaking director-producer team Ross Boyask & Phil Hobden. Starring Glenn ("Take Three Girls, The Silencer") Salvage, Andy Prior, Adam Chapman and a host of the UK's most talented action martial arts stars 'Left For Dead' has action choreographed by Gordon Alexander ("Accidental Spy") & Independent Stunts ("Blood Myth"; "The Silencer")

The film was shot for under £10k UKP and has been released in over 15 countries to date, including the UK, Canada, USA, Thailand and others.

Box Office

On Release in the US on Region 1 DVD, the film was rated as the 9th Best Seller through import store Store4DVD, placed above new releases "Sin City" & "Lost". It also outsold all of distributor York Entertainments DVD titles listed on Amazon!

Critical reaction

'John Woo Styled action in a UK Setting'
"Kim Newman" - Empire Magazine

'If this film had been made in the 70's Tarantino would cite it as an infulance'
"Mike Leeder" - Impact (action entertainment magazine)

“Taking low budget action cinema to new levels of delirium and viciousness, Left For Dead happens to be an amazing adrenaline rush of a film” "Matthew Sanderson", Rumourmachine.com

“Left for Dead is one hell of an action movie… pushing the action to extremes while maintaining an engaging plot” 4/5 "Mark Pollard", Kungfucinema.com

“bloody and violent martial arts action… the fights come at you furiously… Left For Dead, thankfully, differs from the norm” -6.5/10 "Gregory Conley", yourvideostoreshelf.com

‘Sets a whole new standard for digital video production… the UK movie scene just got its butt kicked!’ 4.5/5 D"ean Meadows", VENGEANCE Magazine

External links

*imdb title|0378238

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name = Ross Boyask
title = Films directed by Ross Boyask
list1 = "Ten dead men" • "Left for Dead (2004 film)"