“Haunted
by the death of his rock star
brother from a drug overdose, a grieving
teenager finds himself at Driftwood, an
‘attitude adjustment’
centre for troubled
youths — where he is visited by the
disturbed ghost of a missing boy...” WORRIED BY THEIR TEENAGED SON'S apparent obsession with the death
of his older brother Dean (Russell Sams), Rich (Mark McClure: Superman series)
and Nancy Forrester (Lin Shaye: Snakes On A Plane) agree to send David
(Raviv 'Ricky' Ullman: Phil Of The Future, Prom Wars) to
Driftwood, a US juvenile detention centre — where he will stay until
he is eighteen. His misguided parents believe he is obsessed with death and
darkness and fear he may harm himself.
Set in the dark and desperate confines of an institution, Driftwood is
a superb ghost story that explores the psychology of and the relationship between
the young men cut off from the outside world, enduring cruelty and injustice
as they try to come to terms with the often brutal regime.
Already traumatised, withdrawn and guilt-ridden, 16-year-old David is haunted
by Dean's ghost. But at Driftwood he is spookily contacted by the shadowy figure
of Jonathan (Connor Ross: Palo Alto) — a former inmate of the prison-like
attitude adjustment camp, who disappeared under suspicious circumstances and
who wants David to uncover the dreadful secret surrounding his death so that
he can be laid to rest.
Run by the sadistic, self-serving Captain Doug Kennedy (former WCW and WWF champion
wrestler Diamond Dallas Page), Driftwood isn't all it seems to be and David
doesn't fit in, antagonising the obsessive Kennedy, homophobic Psychology tutor
Quails (John Walcutt) and the vicious Yates (Talan Torriero: Laguna Beach),
who runs Level One, where David is billeted.
Only Dr John Roberts (Lou Beatty Jr) has any concern for the boys or the terrible
injustice that has taken place. But even he has no explanation for the 'double
exposure' on the photograph of David — which clearly shows another face
looking over his shoulder.
Among the other youngsters in David's dormitory is Noah (Jeremy Lelliott) who
has a secret of his own, the streetwise Darryl (Cory Hardrict) and the crazy
KC (David Skyler). Completing the up-and-coming twenty-something pin-ups is
David Eigenberg (Sex And The City) as Norris. Driftwood also features
Shahine Ezell as Cobey and Frankie Levangie as the cold-hearted Boyle. The acting
is first class.
As David tries to uncover the murder mystery surrounding Driftwood, he places
his life in danger — but the amoral Kennedy has not reckoned on David receiving
help from beyond the grave. What he discovers is even more frightening that
it at first appears. And it is beginning to look as if helping Jonathan is the
only way he is going to get out of Driftwood before his eighteenth birthday.
What is the truth behind Jonathan's disappearance and why is Driftwood so important
to Kennedy — and is his daughter Myra (Baelyn Neff) really as innocent
as she seems? How does Mrs Sherman (Kim Morgan Green) fit in? And will David
finally lay his ghosts to rest and escape from Driftwood unscathed?
This excellent film from Tim Sullivan — director of the cult horror-comedy
2001 Maniacs — is a contemporary, unpredictable and atmospheric
ghost story wrapped up in a murder mystery against a cruel and unremitting background.
Recalling Guillermo del Toro's The Devil's Backbone, Driftwood
effectively communicates the real-life horrors of bullying, homophobia and exclusion
experienced by many young people who have spent time in US juvenile detention
centres.
Driftwood is written by Chris Kobin and Tim Sullivan; Produced by Mike
Richardson, Bob Engelman, Barry Levine, Chris Kobin and Bud Smith; Music Supervisor
is Jonathan McHugh; Music is Composed and Conducted by William Ross; Director
of Photography is Steve Adcock; Special Make-Up Effects Designed and Created
by Vincent Guastini; Director is Tim Sullivan.
• Driftwood is released on 30 March
(2009), courtesy of Anchor Bay Entertainment. Certificate: 15 (contains some
language that may be offensive).
Special Features include: Audio Commentary by Director Tim Sullivan and Producer
Chris Kobin | Audio Commentary by Director Tim Sullivan, Producer Chris Kobin
and Actor Diamond Dallas Page | Photo Gallery | Bloopers | Deleted and Extended
Scenes | Audition Reel | Alternate Ending | Doing Time On The Set of Driftwood
Featurette | Through The Gauntlet: Inside The Walls Of Driftwood Featurette
| Trailer.
"Driftwood is a superb ghost story that explores the psychology of and
the relationship between the young men cut off from the outside world, enduring
cruelty and injustice as they try to come to terms with the often brutal regime"
— Maggie Woods, MotorBar
“Haunted
by the death of his rock star