Pig Hunt (2008)

User Rating:

5.0/10   

Director:

James Isaac

Writers:

Robert Mailer Anderson (writer)
Zack Anderson (writer)

Release Date:

31 July 2008 (UK)

Genre:

Action | Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

Don't Be Scared!

Plot:

When John takes his San Francisco friends to his deceased uncle's remote ranch to hunt wild pigs, it seems like a typical guys weekend with guns...

Plot Keywords:

Pig | Marijuana | Cult | Emus | Animal In Title

Awards:

4 wins

Cast

Travis Aaron Wade	...	John Hickman
Tina Huang	...	Brooks
Howard Johnson Jr.	...	Ben
Trevor Bullock	...	Quincy
Rajiv Shah	...	Wayne
Jason Foster	...	Jake
Nick Tagas	...	Ricky
Phillip K. Torretto	...	Beer Belly Redneck
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Cimi Ahluwalia	...	Cimi
Robert Mailer Anderson	...	Big Train
Bryonn Bain	...	Hippie Stranger
Vince Ballew	...	Gas Mask
Max Barnett	...	ZZ Driver
Leanne Borghesi	...	Darlene
Ty Brenneman	...	Sexy Cult Girl
Cara Cameron	...	Cult Girl
Les Claypool	...	Preacher
Lane Foard	...	Lex Wockenfuss
Lanie Grainger	...	Poppy
Marissa Ingrasci	...	Sage
India Isaac	...	India
Joe Lucas	...	Homeless Vet
Christina McKay	...	Crystal
Charlie Musselwhite	...	Charlie
Henrietta 'Henri' Musselwhite	...	Woman shelving cans of creamed corn
Chris Paxton	...	Billy Stankbud
Michelle Redwine	...	Willow
Luis Saguar	...	Tj
Karen Viola	...	Cult Girl

Directed by
James Isaac

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Robert Mailer Anderson		writer
Zack Anderson		writer

Produced by
Robert Mailer Anderson	....	executive producer
Rory Enke	....	line producer
James Isaac	....	co-producer
Nicola Miner	....	executive producer

Original Music by
David E. Russo

Cinematography by
Adam Kane

Film Editing by
Graham Willcox

Casting by
Nancy Hayes

Production Design by
Geoffrey Kirkland

Art Direction by
Garrett Lowe

Set Decoration by
Kris Boxell

Costume Design by
Aggie Guerard Rodgers

Makeup Department
Aurora Bergere	....	special makeup effects artist
Nancy J. Hvasta Leonardi	....	key hair stylist
Sara Irving	....	key makeup artist

Production Management
Jason Black	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Alexander H. Gayner	....	first assistant director: second unit
Alexander H. Gayner	....	second unit director
Mitch Kelleher	....	second second assistant director
Michael McCue	....	second assistant director
Gregory Kent Simmons	....	first assistant director
Justin Sundquist	....	second unit director

Art Department
Dale Haugo	....	lead scenic artist
Richard Hunt	....	greens person
Patrick Ludden	....	prop master
Doni McMillan	....	lead man
Anna Rogers	....	assistant property master
Jona Tochet	....	assistant art director
Natalie Tyler	....	assistant art director

Sound Department
Todd Beckett	....	sound re-recording mixer
Jon Caxton	....	dialogue editor
Jon Caxton	....	sound effects editor
Michael Elliott	....	sound assistant
Paul Germann	....	sound editor
Mark Gingras	....	sound effects editor
Robin Harlan	....	foley artist
Andy Newell	....	sound designer
Andy Newell	....	supervising sound editor
Dan Olmsted	....	sound mixer
Jason Perreira	....	sound re-recording mixer
Kyiakhalid Ruiz	....	sound utility
Fred Runner	....	sound mixer
Conrad Slater	....	boom operator
Andrew Tay	....	sound re-recording mixer
Mike Woroniuk	....	sound re-recording mixer

Special Effects by
Thomas A. Barone	....	special effects
Carol Bauman	....	lead creature fabricator
Lisa Franklin	....	special effects
Jeff Gillam	....	special effects
Kimberley Anne Miller	....	special effects
Justin Sindicich	....	special effects
Tom Sindicich	....	special effects coordinator
Peter Stolz	....	pyrotechnician
I.J. Van Perre	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Mathieu Archambault	....	digital compositor
Barb Benoit	....	digital compositor
Dennis Berardi	....	visual effects producer
Anna Bies	....	creature modeler
Andy Chan	....	visual effects compositor: Mr. X Inc.
Ian Chriss	....	visual effects electrician: Kerner Optical
Matt Daly	....	visual effects coordinator: Mr. X Inc.
Thai Son Doan	....	paint & roto artist
Anand Dorairaj	....	digital compositor
David Fix	....	senior systems administrator: Mr. X Inc
Andrei Gheorghiu	....	digital compositor
Erik Jensen	....	creature effects supervisor
Sarah McMurdo	....	visual effects producer
Mila Patriki	....	digital intermediate colourist
Sebastien Proulx	....	visual effects production assistant
Kevin Quatman	....	digital compositor
Matt Schofield	....	digital artist
Carolyn Shelby	....	digital compositor
Danny Wagner	....	creature designer
Kevin Wallace	....	production manager: Kerner Optical

Stunts
Paul M. Lane	....	utility stunts
Shawn Lane	....	stunt double: Phillip Torretto
Vernon Lewis	....	stunt double
Rex Reddick	....	stunt double
Justin Sundquist	....	stunt coordinator
Michael Owen	....	utility stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
John Critchfield	....	electrician
Matt Fortlage	....	second assistant camera
Mark Gutterud	....	first assistant camera: second unit
James Laxton	....	camera loader
Mark A. Lewis	....	electrician
Robert 'Boomer' McCann	....	key grip
Igor Meglic	....	director of photography: second unit
David Mong	....	grip
Tony Olivieri	....	camera operator
Bobby Powell	....	gaffer
Ryan Schubert	....	still photographer
Terry Sullivan	....	best boy electric
Jeremy Wong	....	second assistant camera

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Judy Feil	....	assistant costume designer
Chris Proctor	....	set costumer
Deirdre Scully	....	key costumer

Editorial Department
Dave Muscat	....	digital intermediate editor

Music Department
Jonathan Beard	....	musician
Mark Willsher	....	music editor

Transportation Department
Gene Alford	....	transportation captain
John Proctor	....	transportation coordinator
Jose Reynoso	....	driver

Other crew
James F. Adams	....	production assistant
Mark Bosia	....	set medic coordinator
Eduardo Carbajal	....	assistant chef
Jose Carrillo	....	head chef
James Chandler	....	craft service
Gabriel DellaVecchia	....	clerk
Jenna Duale	....	production assistant
Sharlene Duale	....	production coordinator
Ami Francis	....	production accountant
Jessie Francis	....	production assistant
Antonio Grana	....	set production assistant
Erica Headley	....	script supervisor
Jennifer Henderson	....	animal trainer
Bob Henningsen	....	production assistant
Patrick Kack-Brice	....	assistant to producer
John Karlovich	....	armorer
Mary Ladd	....	clearances and product placement
Daniel Lee	....	production secretary
Dionne Lotivio	....	assistant production coordinator
April Mackin	....	animal trainer
Larry Madrid	....	head animal trainer
Rachel McIntyre	....	set production assistant
Bruce McLeod	....	armor coordinator
Bruce McLeod	....	armor coordinator
Dave Moorer	....	set medic
Holly Nelson	....	set medic
Sandy Reed	....	craft service
Ryan Schubert	....	epk producer
Yovel Schwartz	....	director: behind-the-scenes/epk
L. La Mar Stewart	....	office production assistant
Paul Tiu	....	armorer
David Trujillo	....	first assistant chef
Paul Wood	....	set production assistant
Ryan Young	....	key set production assistant

Production Companies

• Pig Hunt Productions

Distributors

• Epic Pictures Group (2009) (worldwide) (all media)
• 21st Century Pictures (2009) (Australia) (DVD)
• Splendid Film (2009) (Austria) (all media)
• Splendid Film (2009) (Germany) (all media)
• Splendid Film (2009) (Switzerland) (all media) (German-speaking Switzerland)

Special Effects

• Industrial Light & Magic (ILM)
• Kerner Optical
• Mr. X

Other Companies

• Birds & Animals Unlimited  animal trainers
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  dollies
• Deluxe Post-Production  post-production facilities

MPAA:

Rated R for strong bloody violence and gore, drug content, sexuality, nudity and language.

Runtime:

100 min | Germany:101 min (European Film Market)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR | Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:R (certificate #45392) | Australia:R (2009)

Filming Locations:

Boonville, California, USA

Company:

Pig Hunt Productions

Trivia:

Travis Aaron Wade replaced the lead actor in the film playing John Hickman just two days before filming.

Soundtrack:

Boonville Crossroads

Variety review from Dennis Harvey

A mashup of elements from "Razorback," "Deliverance" and other rural-peril faves, "Pig Hunt" proves an enjoyably offbeat hybrid horror exercise. Helmer Jim Isaac's first indie production, following several compromised studio efforts including sci-fi slasher "Jason X," amplifies the quirkiness of Robert and Zach Anderson's screenplay by unpredictably mixing disparate pacing, tones, humor and brute action. Sum isn't entirely satisfying, and the current marketplace preference for formulaic scare pics won't help B.O. But fans tired of rote remakes and ripoffs will appreciate the pic's idiosyncrasy. It's currently playing limited theatrical gigs while in search of a wider distribution deal.

Four twentysomething buds, led by John (Travis Aaron Wade), leave San Francisco for a weekend of game hunting in rural Mendocino County, though the guys-only plan goes south when John's g.f. Brooks (Tina Huang) -- who turns out to be the group's sharpest shooter -- insists on coming along.

After being warned about an improbable 3,000-lb. "Pigfoot" (aka "the Ripper") roaming wild, they acquire uninvited company in the form of two local yokels who have an apparent score to settle with John.

City-slicks-vs.-hicks tension soon gets ugly, resulting in full-on war waged by the large, inbred Tibbs clan against the panicked visitors. Meanwhile, carnivorous Hogzilla turns out to be no mythical beastie.

A local "hippie commune" consisting of one charismatic male (Bryonn Bain) and his sizable harem of Amazonian babes further adds to the eventual mayhem, which doesn't explode until halfway through the pic's runtime.

Slow start has its own rewards in atmosphere and slyly offbeat rhythms; when the porcine stool finally hits the fan, the action (especially that taking place chez Tibbs) is no-holds-barred muscular. Given the welcome sense that the story might lunge in any direction at any time, however, the final payoff (which involves some not-very-convincing creature effects) is a little less kicky than one might have hoped.

Perfs are enthusiastic, tech and design contribs above-average.

Score by Les Claypool of Primus adds to hipster cachet; he and blues mouth harpist Charlie Musselwhite contribute cameo roles.