The Echo (2008 film)

Infobox Film
name = The Echo


caption =
writer = Eric Bernt
Shintaro Shimosawa
starring = Jesse Bradford
Kevin Durand
Amelia Warner
director = Yam Laranas
producer = Roy Lee
Doug Davison
music = tomandandy
cinematography = Matthew Irving
editing = John Coniglio
distributor =
released =
runtime =
language =
budget =
amg_id =
imdb_id = 0897347

"The Echo" is a remake of the acclaimed Filipino thriller "Sigaw". Yam Laranas, who co-wrote and directed "Sigaw", will direct the movie, being written by Eric Bernt.

Plot Summary

The story revolves around a young ex-con who moves into an old apartment building, only to learn his neighbor is an abusive police officer who savagely beats his wife and daughter. When the ex-con tries to intervene, he becomes trapped in a curse.

Cast

*Kevin Durand - Walter
*Jesse Bradford - Bobby
*Amelia Warner - Alyssa
*Pruitt Taylor Vince - Joseph
*Jayne Eastwood - Lucille Jiminez
*Carlos Leon - Hector
*Iza Calzado - Gina
*Stacey LaBerge - Student
*Hrant Alianak - Max
*Louise Linton - Katie
*Courtenay J. Stevens - Older Cop
*Vanessa Petronelli - Waitress
*Bathsheba Garnett - Old Russian Woman
*Jamie Bloch - Carly
*Paulette Sinclair - Helen Davis
*George Santino - Manager
*Martin Hinz - Detective
*Brendan Carmody - University student

Trivia

*Vertigo plans to move quickly with the film, eyeing a March 19 start date.

*Vertigo's Roy Lee and Doug Davison will produce with Shintaro Shimosawa, Tyler Mitchell and Will Wright.

*The rights were acquired from Regal Films of the Philippines.

*The film is being fully financed by venture capitalist Robert Hoff and Will Wright through there new company RightOff Entertainment. Hoff, who fully finances the U.S. Olympic ski team, has been a general partner at Crosspoint Venture Partners since 1983, and was honored this year by the Los Angeles Venture Assn. with a Lifetime Achievement award. He serves as exec producer.

*Bernt, repped by Endeavor, recently wrote "The Hitcher" remake for Rogue and Platinum Dunes. He also will serve as an exec producer.

*Laranas is repped by ICM.

Vertigo, behind the remake franchises of "The Ring" and "The Grudge" film series, is basking in the glow of the success of Martin Scorsese's "The Departed". The company is in production on "The Strangers" for Universal, "Sassy Girl" for Gold Circle and "Addicted" for the Yari Film Group. Vertigo's next release will be the Nicole Kidman-starrer "The Invasion", scheduled to open August 17.

VERTIGO TO REPLAY "ECHO"Story involves an ex-con who becomes trapped in a cursed apartment

Vertigo Entertainment will produce thriller "The Echo," a remake of Filipino title "Sigaw."Helmer-director Yam Laranas will reprise his role behind the camera and shoot from an English-language screenplay by Eric Bernt ("The Hitcher"). Lensing begins in March in Gotham.

Story involves an ex-con who becomes trapped in a cursed apartment when he tries to intervene in an abusive situation with the neighbors.

Pic will be produced by Vertigo's Roy Lee and Doug Davison with Shintaro Shimosawa and Tyler Mitchell. The $5 million budget is fully financed by Robert Hoff, a leading venture capitalist with Crosspoint Venture Partners, who puts up coin through his new company RightOff Entertainment. Hoff and Bernt both take exec producer credits.

"We love the Stanley Kubrick style that Yam Laranas achieved on such a small budget and with almost no special effects," Mitchell said. "'Sigaw' is a really tight, contained psychological thriller. We want to give him a bigger stage on which to perform."

Original pic was made in the Tagalog language on a budget of $300,000. It preemed in the Metro Manila Festival and screened at the Fantasporto fest in Portugal and last year's Screamfest in L.A.

Vertigo acquired the rights from Regal Entertainment. Vertigo previously was behind successful remakes including "The Ring" and "The Grudge." Company recently ruled the U.S. box office when "The Departed" and "Grudge 2" topped the charts.

References

* [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0897347/ IMDB The Echo 2008]

External links

* [http://www.yamlaranas.blogspot.com Director's Official Blog]