Graveyard Shift Synopsis & Review: Plot Summary

🎯 Quick Overview

😅 Plot Summary – Badly Explained

A drifter takes a job cleaning a basement full of rats only to discover that the rats are the *least* of his problems… and also, maybe the biggest?

🍿 Graveyard Shift: Detailed Plot Synopsis

Trouble at Bachman Mills

In the oppressive heat of a Maine summer, Bachman Mills reopens, its basement riddled with rats. A worker meets a gruesome end in the mill’s machinery, setting a dark tone. The mill owner, Warwick, driven by profit, hires an exterminator and brings in new workers for the ‘graveyard shift.’

A Drifter’s Dilemma

John Hall, a drifter seeking work, arrives in town and accepts a job at Bachman Mills. He quickly learns of the harsh working conditions and Warwick’s tyrannical management. The exterminator, Tucker Cleveland, hints at the severity of the rat problem, setting the stage for the horrors to come.

The Basement Clean-Up

Warwick, facing pressure from a mill inspector, recruits a team, including John, for a double-pay clean-up of the rat-infested basement. As they descend, the workers discover a hidden trapdoor, leading to a labyrinthine network beneath the mill. The atmosphere grows increasingly tense, foreshadowing the dangers lurking below.

⚠️ Spoilers and Ending Explained

🎬 Cast & Characters

• John Hall (David Andrews): A drifter looking for work who takes a job at a textile mill and discovers a terrifying secret.
• Warwick (Stephen Macht): The corrupt and ruthless manager of the textile mill, willing to exploit his workers for profit.
• Jane Wisconsky (Kelly Wolf): A tough and resourceful mill worker who becomes an ally to John Hall.
• Danson (Andrew Divoff): One of the mill workers, often antagonizing John Hall along with Brogan.
• Brogan (Vic Polizos): Another mill worker who bullies John Hall and accompanies Danson.
• The Exterminator (Brad Dourif): An eccentric exterminator hired to deal with the mill’s rat problem, who has a dark past.

💬 Memorable Quotes

• Warwick: “Time is money, Hall. And I’m fresh out of both.” – Warwick emphasizes his ruthlessness and the pressure he puts on his workers.
• Tucker Cleveland: “Rats in the walls, rats in the floor, rats in the cellar, rats at the door!” – Tucker Cleveland, the exterminator, chants this while inspecting the mill, foreshadowing the extent of the infestation.
• Tucker Cleveland: “Let me tell you about the Cong. They’d take a prisoner and they’d cut a hole in his stomach…” – The Exterminator delivers a disturbing anecdote about Vietnamese torture methods involving rats.
• Warwick: “We’re going to hell… TOGETHUUUHHH!!!” – Warwick yells this as he throws himself towards the giant rat-bat hybrid.

💰Box Office

• Budget: $10.5M
• Domestic Gross: $11.58M
• Worldwide Gross: $11.58M

💥 Graveyard Shift Reviews

Personal Review

Okay, so ‘Graveyard Shift’ isn’t winning any awards, but I love it! There’s something so deliciously grimy about the whole thing. The mill is disgusting and those rats? Ugh, the stuff of nightmares! Brad Dourif is absolutely bonkers, and that’s exactly what the movie needs. That ending sequence in the textile machine… intense! Honestly, this movie isn’t a masterpiece, but it’s a fun, gross, and slightly unsettling way to spend an evening.

• Who would enjoy:
  • “Fans of creature features”
  • “Stephen King enthusiasts”
  • “Viewers who enjoy B-movies”
  • “Those looking for a gory and atmospheric horror film”
• Content warnings ⚠:
  • “Graphic violence and gore”
  • “Intense scenes of creature attacks”
  • “Disturbing imagery”
  • “Strong language”

Professional Reviews

• Fangoria: “Graveyard Shift delivers a grim, claustrophobic atmosphere that makes the rat-infested mill a character in itself. Brad Dourif’s manic performance as the exterminator is a highlight, though the creature design leaves something to be desired. Overall, a solid B-movie experience.
• The Horror News: “While ‘Graveyard Shift’ doesn’t break any new ground in the creature feature genre, it provides a decent amount of gruesome fun. The setting is suitably creepy, and the practical effects are well-executed. Dourif steals the show
• AllMovie: “Graveyard Shift is an acceptable Stephen King adaptation that really relies on the tension and atmosphere of the textile mill to scare the audience. The third act is where the tension falls apart because what’s lurking in the mill isn’t nearly as scary as what the audience’s imagination can come up with.

Audience Reactions

Brad Dourif’s performance as the exterminator is legendary!: Viewers rave about the film’s creepy atmosphere, despite its flaws.

The setting is absolutely disgusting but awesome!: Fans praise the film for practical gore.

Overall Consensus: While ‘Graveyard Shift’ has its flaws, the atmosphere, gore, and Brad Dourif’s performance make it a cult classic for fans of creature features.

Awards

🛠️ Behind the Scenes

• “The mill in the film is named Bachman Mills, a nod to Stephen King’s pseudonym Richard Bachman.”
• “Director Ralph S. Singleton never directed another feature film after ‘Graveyard Shift’.”
• “The film was shot in Bangor, Maine, the same town where Stephen King lives.”

🖥️ How to Watch Graveyard Shift?

As of October 2024, “Graveyard Shift” is available for purchase or rental on various digital platforms, including Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, and Vudu. Check your preferred streaming service for availability, as options may vary by region. Physical copies (DVD, Blu-ray) can also be found through online retailers like Amazon.

🎥 Similar Movies

If you enjoyed Graveyard Shift, you might like these similar films:

• Crawl (2019): Features humans trapped in a confined space battling predatory creatures (alligators) during a natural disaster, similar to the claustrophobic, creature-feature aspect of ‘Graveyard Shift’.
• Willard (1971): Centers around a social misfit who develops a disturbing relationship with rats, ultimately using them for revenge, a theme present in the rat-infested setting of ‘Graveyard Shift’.
• Of Unknown Origin (1983): A man becomes obsessed with hunting a large, intelligent rat that is terrorizing his home, mirroring the escalating battle against the creature in ‘Graveyard Shift’.
• Mimic (1997): Scientists genetically engineer an insect to kill cockroaches, but the insects evolve into large, human-mimicking monsters that infest the subway system, creating a similar sense of urban horror and creature threat.

🛒 Graveyard Shift Related Products

• Stephen King’s Night Shift: Experience the chilling short story that inspired the movie. This collection showcases King’s mastery of horror and suspense.
• Funko Pop! Horror Classics: Pennywise: Add the terrifying Pennywise from ‘It’ to your collection. Part of the Horror Classics line, a must-have for fans.
• Rats Movie Poster: Add the terrifying Rats poster to your horror collection.

🎧 Soundtrack

Graveyard Shift features a captivating soundtrack that enhances the movie’s atmosphere and emotional impact. Here are some notable tracks:

• “BAD BOYS” – performed by The Charlie Daniels Band

You can find the complete soundtrack on Amazon Music and Apple Music.

🤨 FAQ

🔥 Bonus Content

The Inspiration for The Changeling

Did you know ‘The Changeling’ was based on a real haunted house? This video dives into the chilling true story, and honestly, it’s even creepier than the movie! I was blown away by the details.

A Critical Look at Nosferatu in SpongeBob SquarePants

Ever notice the similarities between ‘The Changeling’ and that spooky ‘Graveyard Shift’ episode of Spongebob with Nosferatu? This video breaks down why that episode is so iconic, and honestly, it’s a really interesting take!

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