Here's a real weirdo for you. It starts out with another take-off on the PSYCHO shower scene, on campus, then gets crazier when several coeds and their doofy boyfriends head south for Spring Break. The trouble starts when they drive into the redneck county ruled by homicidal Sheriff Dean. One of the college cuties wanders into the woods, witnesses a murder by the sheriff and has her head blown open. Then it's lets-rip-off MACON COUNTY LINE-time as Dean stalks, traps and slaughters the witless witnesses one by one. Tony March is on-target as the evil, shotgun-happy Dean. The movie's overall tone is truly disturbing. The ending is so abrupt you almost think the director ran out of film; it's also a study in despair. SHALLOW GRAVE is a must for misanthropes, misogynists and nihilists the world over.
26 Reviews
Relentlessly downbeat Southern survival slasher ................
merklekranz5 September 2011
In what seems like a totally gratuitous nude shower scene, the film opens as a "Psycho" clone. This prank by four college coeds, sets in motion a relentlessly downbeat tale involving a psycho Southern sheriff. On their way to Florida, a fateful blowout strands the four students in Medley Georgia, where the sheriff, Tony March, has just strangled his mistress. When he discovers that one of the girls has witnessed the killing, March begins a methodical murder spree, eliminating the girls one by one. A frustratingly dimwitted deputy looks the other way, while the sheriff does his deadly deeds. The film is lively, has decent character development, memorable nudity, and a controversial ending. Good of it's type, and recommended. - MERK
Decent slasher thriller about murderous sheriff.
HumanoidOfFlesh14 April 2008
Four teenage girlfriends drive to Fort Laurdale for spring break.Unfortunately they get a flat tire in Medley,Georgia and one of the girls witnesses a brutal murder deep in the woods.The local sheriff is behind the crime and the nightmare begins..."Shallow Grave" is a pleasant low-budget surprise.The cast is likable enough,the direction is steady and the violence is particularly nasty and misogynistic.Especially the second murder is pretty grim.The murderous sheriff isn't one-dimensional character-in a couple of scenes it seems that he feels remorse for what he's done.The subplot involving the two boys they meet in the diner goes nowhere,but the stalking scenes in the woods are tense and exciting.7 out of 10.
Justice? Not in Medley, Georgia
Cujo10819 May 2010
Warning: Spoilers
Three annoying girls and their more tolerable friend are on their way to Ft. Lauderdale when they have a blowout that strands them on the side of a rural Georgia road. One of the girls needs to use the restroom, but with nothing in sight, she heads into the woods to do the deed. She wanders too far for her own good, as she winds up seeing a man murder his lover. One thing leads to another as the killer, who happens to be the local sheriff, looks to eliminate all witnesses.
I originally saw this film many years ago. Figuring it was about time I reacquainted myself with it, I bought an old VHS copy off of the web. I probably enjoyed it even more this time around. While it's not exactly a full-blooded slasher, I'd say it's close enough, and as such, it's certainly one of the more effective entries in the sub-genre. Acting is stronger than the norm, and the authentic southern atmosphere lends the film an added boost in flavor. Tony March is solid as the murderous sheriff. His mental slide from self-conflict to warped mania manages to unnerve. You're left just waiting for him to explode. He also has the trust that being sheriff brings to a person, so the girls have virtually no one to help them.
Now, I admittedly didn't care about most of these girls from the get-go. Only Carol Cadby as Patty is likable. She's far more grounded than the others, and it helps that she's quite stunning to boot. The remaining three girls are airheads with grating personalities. Color me surprised when somehow, as the film went on, I actually managed to warm up to Sue Ellen as well. This is important, as there needs to be some emotional weight for one to be invested in their attempts to get Deputy Tom Law to believe them. And emotional weight there is... I wanted to reach into the screen and knock some sense into Law when he left Patty alone and helpless in the jail cell despite her pleading with him not to. The resulting murder scene is the film's strongest moment.
Shallow Grave is a winner, slasher or not. Immersed in rural, small town atmosphere and containing a real sense of futility, I'm glad to have this sitting on my VHS shelf. Having said that, a DVD or Blu-ray sure would be nice.
I originally saw this film many years ago. Figuring it was about time I reacquainted myself with it, I bought an old VHS copy off of the web. I probably enjoyed it even more this time around. While it's not exactly a full-blooded slasher, I'd say it's close enough, and as such, it's certainly one of the more effective entries in the sub-genre. Acting is stronger than the norm, and the authentic southern atmosphere lends the film an added boost in flavor. Tony March is solid as the murderous sheriff. His mental slide from self-conflict to warped mania manages to unnerve. You're left just waiting for him to explode. He also has the trust that being sheriff brings to a person, so the girls have virtually no one to help them.
Now, I admittedly didn't care about most of these girls from the get-go. Only Carol Cadby as Patty is likable. She's far more grounded than the others, and it helps that she's quite stunning to boot. The remaining three girls are airheads with grating personalities. Color me surprised when somehow, as the film went on, I actually managed to warm up to Sue Ellen as well. This is important, as there needs to be some emotional weight for one to be invested in their attempts to get Deputy Tom Law to believe them. And emotional weight there is... I wanted to reach into the screen and knock some sense into Law when he left Patty alone and helpless in the jail cell despite her pleading with him not to. The resulting murder scene is the film's strongest moment.
Shallow Grave is a winner, slasher or not. Immersed in rural, small town atmosphere and containing a real sense of futility, I'm glad to have this sitting on my VHS shelf. Having said that, a DVD or Blu-ray sure would be nice.
Pretty Decent
Steve_Nyland6 July 2009
Good to see that the opinions here about SHALLOW GRAVE are consistent: It's a better movie than it probably had to be. An opening teaser segment with a co-ed being butchered in a shower is a dead end, or rather an attempt to mollify audience members who expect films with such titles to feature such content. Once that's out of the way and the misleading "bimbos off to party on spring break" setup is complete what you are left with is indeed one mean movie.
It's actually more of a hicksploitation thriller than an outright horror film though the central character is indeed a psychopath. He's a small town sheriff who's used to getting his way and has no scruples against planting incriminating evidence, violating people's Constitutional rights, or resorting to outright murder when convenient for his needs. Four young ladies on a road trip happen upon him murdering a local squeeze and find themselves powerless to escape his clutches. The film is mean spirited, unforgiving, knows that the scenario being presented is chillingly possible & has fun playing with our fear of ending up in a similar jam. Check it out.
It's actually more of a hicksploitation thriller than an outright horror film though the central character is indeed a psychopath. He's a small town sheriff who's used to getting his way and has no scruples against planting incriminating evidence, violating people's Constitutional rights, or resorting to outright murder when convenient for his needs. Four young ladies on a road trip happen upon him murdering a local squeeze and find themselves powerless to escape his clutches. The film is mean spirited, unforgiving, knows that the scenario being presented is chillingly possible & has fun playing with our fear of ending up in a similar jam. Check it out.
Intense Backwoods Suspense
mindyannfraizer18 December 2021
Thought it might seem to be a routine slasher film on the surface, Shallow Grave has a lot more than meets the eye and moments are bone-chillingly effective as a crooked cop goes after college girls who witnesses him kill a woman. You might be surprised how involving and intense this one gets.
Rough but good
BandSAboutMovies23 October 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Four college coeds are on their way to Florida for vacation and pass through a small Georgia town where one of their number watches a couple have sex in the woods, argue and then the man kills the woman. It just so happens that he's the town's sherriff, which means that they're trapped in the town overnight and perhaps headed to an early demise.
This is the kind of movie that starts like a comedy and progressively gets meaner, nastier and much sleazier as time goes on and any hope of a happy ending starts running out.
Director Richard Styles has going to be the film's producer and never intended to actually be directing, but he did and turned out something unique in the slasher genre; the killer shows signs of remorse, but he knows that if he wants to keep his position in town, everyone in his way must die.
This is the kind of movie that starts like a comedy and progressively gets meaner, nastier and much sleazier as time goes on and any hope of a happy ending starts running out.
Director Richard Styles has going to be the film's producer and never intended to actually be directing, but he did and turned out something unique in the slasher genre; the killer shows signs of remorse, but he knows that if he wants to keep his position in town, everyone in his way must die.
Surprisingly compelling
hmservant19 November 2021
Warning: Spoilers
This movie could have been tighter and overall better. It begins with a deceptive scene, then turns silly as it veers into danger of becoming seriously bad. Fortunately, it gets progressively better from there and even compelling. There are some missteps along the way, such as a subplot involving would-be hookups from the University of Michigan. Still, I didn't know how this would end and I wanted to find out. That made watching this worth it to me, even if "Shallow Grave" didn't quite turn into "Deep Grave." If you enjoy movies such as "Macon County Line" or "Jackson County Jail," where innocents run afoul of southern law officers who abuse their power, you will likely find this right up your alley. There is some nudity, courtesy of Carol Cadby, Merry Rozelle and Kimberly Johnston. There is some violence as well, though nothing gruesome.
Better than you'd expect
dinky-421 December 2001
The beginning's not too promising -- a bit of college hi-jinks involving a quartet of over-aged sorority girls -- but then the girls head for spring-break in Florida and things improve. They become entangled in murder in a small Georgia town and while the plot turns are fairly predictable, they are carried out more efficiently than in many other movies boasting "name" casts and big budgets. True, the subplot featuring two young men, (also heading for Florida), goes nowhere, and the ending is abrupt and unsatisfying, but all in all this is one of those items found on the dusty back shelves of a video store which is actually worth watching. Acting honors go to Tony March's bare chest which is shown to splendid advantage in several hot and sweaty close-ups.
Sort of Scary
briandwillis-8382512 March 2022
Going in with no expectations, I was taken by surprise by how well made and suspenseful this movie turned out to be. The stakes are high, the characters are mostly interesting and/or relatable, and you're never sure where the story will go next. Makes me not want to take any road trips through the south.
I need to remind my girlfriend to buy a new spare tire...
Vomitron_G22 May 2006
Warning: Spoilers
Now, everyone knows how bad 80's movies can get and this movie is no exception when it comes to girls with bad hairdo's & clothes and bad 80's pop-songs. And the first half hour is pretty tedious in displaying all that. Four girl-students get going on a road-trip towards sunny Florida. At some roadhouse, they briefly meet two boys (also with a stupid 80's outfit) and make a rendez-vous with them at the next truck-stop, the next day. Of course, when being back on the road, their car breaks down because of a flat tire. Naturally, one of the stupidest girls took out the spare tire before they left, in order to make room for the baggage. Then one girl has to pee, goes in the woods and... is witness to a murder. At this point we are half an hour in the movie. But after that, the movie turns into a pretty misogynistic violence-movie set in some backwoods-town. We immediately know who the killer is (we see him commit the murder), but it still is a nice surprise when we (very soon) learn a bit more about his identity. He instantly (and secretly) turns into a serial killer determined to kill off all the girls. And when he becomes aware of the fact that the girls are on to him, he becomes an even more cunning bastard.
Now, this isn't exactly a slasher movie and there isn't much gore in the movie. Mostly, the girls are being strangled or just shot dead (there's a nice head-shot in it). The acting is barely tolerable, but that doesn't matter. Even the pretty bad directing and editing doesn't matter. And the soundtrack or cinematography aren't gaining any points either. The subplot with the two boys at the truck-stop leads to nowhere. That blond deputy Scott is a complete moron. And those repeated close-ups of Tony March naked, sweaty, hairy chest didn't do me any good either. But here are the cool things: on many occasions it seems like one girl is gonna make it, but she doesn't. And sometimes help is on the way, but they always arrive too late. Yep, you got it, it goes from bad to worse for our poor girls. And the writer did good by not drawing out a protagonist amongst the girls. That way you have absolutely no idea who's going to die next. And just when you think you know who might make it 'til the end of the movie, you can think again. Also cause for applause is the fact that a lot of boobies are displayed here on several occasions (even right away in the opening-scene during a pretty senile shower-scene-spoof reminiscent of the one in PSYCHO, only this one is better for only one reason: the afore-mentioned boobies!). And probably the best thing (something which I didn't expect): the ending is really good. Abrupt, but good, including a typical 70's & 80's freeze-frame-shot. And we all know what that means, don't we? It's because of those few cool things, that SHALLOW GRAVE receives that extra point it so desperately needs.
Now, this isn't exactly a slasher movie and there isn't much gore in the movie. Mostly, the girls are being strangled or just shot dead (there's a nice head-shot in it). The acting is barely tolerable, but that doesn't matter. Even the pretty bad directing and editing doesn't matter. And the soundtrack or cinematography aren't gaining any points either. The subplot with the two boys at the truck-stop leads to nowhere. That blond deputy Scott is a complete moron. And those repeated close-ups of Tony March naked, sweaty, hairy chest didn't do me any good either. But here are the cool things: on many occasions it seems like one girl is gonna make it, but she doesn't. And sometimes help is on the way, but they always arrive too late. Yep, you got it, it goes from bad to worse for our poor girls. And the writer did good by not drawing out a protagonist amongst the girls. That way you have absolutely no idea who's going to die next. And just when you think you know who might make it 'til the end of the movie, you can think again. Also cause for applause is the fact that a lot of boobies are displayed here on several occasions (even right away in the opening-scene during a pretty senile shower-scene-spoof reminiscent of the one in PSYCHO, only this one is better for only one reason: the afore-mentioned boobies!). And probably the best thing (something which I didn't expect): the ending is really good. Abrupt, but good, including a typical 70's & 80's freeze-frame-shot. And we all know what that means, don't we? It's because of those few cool things, that SHALLOW GRAVE receives that extra point it so desperately needs.
One mean movie.
Ben-Brooks2 June 2005
Warning: Spoilers
I really enjoyed this one, and although the ending made me angry, I still give it 10 out of 10.
Four college girls (Baltron, Kelly, Stahl and Cadby) are driving down to Florida, on their way they meet 2 guys (Turner, Davis), they really add nothing to the plot, but are at least somewhat likable. The girls agree to meet the guys in Florida for some fun, but they have car problems and never make it. One of the girls decides to go to a nearby gas station for help, the other three stay by the car.
Soon one of the girls has to use the bathroom, being in the middle of nowhere she has no choice but to go in the bushes. Soon she witnesses as a man (March) strangles a woman, in terror the girl flees the area, she doesn't get very far, but manages to get lost.
Her friends by the car go looking for her, they too go into the woods and run into the same man, one of them sees the dead woman, the man responds by shooting the girls head off, the other girl runs away, manages to make it back to the car where she is also killed.
Eventually the two remaining girls find each other and because they break into the gas station get arrested. This is when I started getting mad, these poor girls are afraid for their lives and the redneck cops don't believe them.
They are treated badly and one of them is left alone for the madman to kill her in the cell, the remaining friend manages to escape, but not without getting in dangerous situations.
This movie has nudity, good actresses, a shower scene imitating Psycho, graphic violence towards women and solid story. Some women will probably find it offensive and sensitive individuals will NOT like the ending, but over all, this is a great little unknown movie.
Four college girls (Baltron, Kelly, Stahl and Cadby) are driving down to Florida, on their way they meet 2 guys (Turner, Davis), they really add nothing to the plot, but are at least somewhat likable. The girls agree to meet the guys in Florida for some fun, but they have car problems and never make it. One of the girls decides to go to a nearby gas station for help, the other three stay by the car.
Soon one of the girls has to use the bathroom, being in the middle of nowhere she has no choice but to go in the bushes. Soon she witnesses as a man (March) strangles a woman, in terror the girl flees the area, she doesn't get very far, but manages to get lost.
Her friends by the car go looking for her, they too go into the woods and run into the same man, one of them sees the dead woman, the man responds by shooting the girls head off, the other girl runs away, manages to make it back to the car where she is also killed.
Eventually the two remaining girls find each other and because they break into the gas station get arrested. This is when I started getting mad, these poor girls are afraid for their lives and the redneck cops don't believe them.
They are treated badly and one of them is left alone for the madman to kill her in the cell, the remaining friend manages to escape, but not without getting in dangerous situations.
This movie has nudity, good actresses, a shower scene imitating Psycho, graphic violence towards women and solid story. Some women will probably find it offensive and sensitive individuals will NOT like the ending, but over all, this is a great little unknown movie.
A worth addition
acidburn-1015 February 2010
Warning: Spoilers
Not to be confused with the British black comedy of the same name that came out in 1994. But this Shallow Grave is a worthy addition to the 80's backwoods slasher.
The plot goes = 4 sorority girls from a convent are planning the spring break of a lifetime in Florida, but they're plans are put on hold when one of them witness a man murdering a local woman, and when he realizes that he was seen, well let's just say it becomes a deadly game of cat and mouse and things get even worse when he turns out to be the local sheriff.
Shallow Grave in my opinion is one of the more enjoyable slashers that came out in the 80's, especially the late 80's which was when the slashers kinda went downhill, this was one of the few that didn't and this movie should be more well known, it's a pity it isn't. this is one film that actually confounds stereotypes (just try guessing who the final girl is going to be - I got it totally wrong). The principle cast are all likable and it's one of those movies that you kinda hope they all get away, which of course they don't. This, coupled with the fluffiness of the film's first half-an-hour jars (in a good way) with some flashes of real nastiness (the second murder provides a real jolt) and some unexpected sleaziness (even though this isn't a high budget thriller I didn't expect the topless scene where a woman is strangled with her own bra (accompanied by a hysterical religious radio broadcast), in a film from this late in the 80's).
There are one or two bad things about this movie, well not bad just minor, like the sub plot with the two teenage boys which doesn't go anywhere and the ending which was stupid and plus the Deputy inability to follow logic. There aren't any sharp implements in SHALLOW GRAVE but, to my mind at least, it's a slasher flick through and through. The scenes where the girls are hunted through the woods by the malevolent Sheriff are tense and exciting.
All in all a very enjoyable and worthwhile slasher, with great performances from all four of the main girls and that psycho sheriff.
The plot goes = 4 sorority girls from a convent are planning the spring break of a lifetime in Florida, but they're plans are put on hold when one of them witness a man murdering a local woman, and when he realizes that he was seen, well let's just say it becomes a deadly game of cat and mouse and things get even worse when he turns out to be the local sheriff.
Shallow Grave in my opinion is one of the more enjoyable slashers that came out in the 80's, especially the late 80's which was when the slashers kinda went downhill, this was one of the few that didn't and this movie should be more well known, it's a pity it isn't. this is one film that actually confounds stereotypes (just try guessing who the final girl is going to be - I got it totally wrong). The principle cast are all likable and it's one of those movies that you kinda hope they all get away, which of course they don't. This, coupled with the fluffiness of the film's first half-an-hour jars (in a good way) with some flashes of real nastiness (the second murder provides a real jolt) and some unexpected sleaziness (even though this isn't a high budget thriller I didn't expect the topless scene where a woman is strangled with her own bra (accompanied by a hysterical religious radio broadcast), in a film from this late in the 80's).
There are one or two bad things about this movie, well not bad just minor, like the sub plot with the two teenage boys which doesn't go anywhere and the ending which was stupid and plus the Deputy inability to follow logic. There aren't any sharp implements in SHALLOW GRAVE but, to my mind at least, it's a slasher flick through and through. The scenes where the girls are hunted through the woods by the malevolent Sheriff are tense and exciting.
All in all a very enjoyable and worthwhile slasher, with great performances from all four of the main girls and that psycho sheriff.
SHALLOW GRAVE starts bad, gets worse, and then surprisingly gets better.
jerjerrod01310 March 2005
Warning: Spoilers
SHALLOW GRAVE begins with either a tribute or a rip off of the shower scene in PSYCHO. (I'm leaning toward rip off.) After that it gets worse and then surprisingly gets better, almost to the point of being original. Bad acting and amateurish directing bog down a fairly interesting little story, but the film already surpasses many in the "Yankee comes down South to get killed by a bunch of rednecks" genre because it is actually shot in the South.
A group of college girls head to Ft. Lauderdale for summer vacation and are waylaid in Georgia by a flat tire after getting off the main road. (Note to Yankees: stay on the highway when you go to Florida.) Sue Ellen (Lisa Stahl) has to pee so she heads into the woods. When she finally finds a good spot to do her business she witnesses the local sheriff (Tony March) strangle his mistress (Merry Rozelle) to death. (Note to Yankees: do not wander off into the woods when in the South; not because you might witness a murder, but you may run across a marijuana plantation.) This is the point where the story, not the movie, actually comes close to being good.
While Tony March will never have to practice his Oscar speech, his Sheriff Dean becomes a creepy facsimile of a normal guy torn by what he has done and what he must do. Tom Law is likable as Deputy Scott and is as authentic a Southern deputy as I've seen since Walton Goggins (Deputy Steve Naish) in HOUSE OF 1000 CORPSES.
A few scenes in the movie are worth the mention. The girls stop at a BBQ in South Carolina and display their racism when a big black guy checks them out. Sue Ellen runs into a barn to hide behind some hay bales and in a shockingly realistic moment a large snake is hiding in the hay with her.
And in the strangest scene, Sheriff Dean makes like he's about to rape Patty (Carol Cadby) and tells her to take off her clothes. Dean has turned the radio up to drown out the noise of what he's about to do. The preacher on the radio needs to go back and read his Bible. His sermon is about how Jezebel is saved by the blood of Jesus Christ. I feel sorry for this preacher's flock. Jezebel was in the Old Testament a few thousand years before Christ was born and by no means is she one of the five people you are going to meet in Heaven.
A group of college girls head to Ft. Lauderdale for summer vacation and are waylaid in Georgia by a flat tire after getting off the main road. (Note to Yankees: stay on the highway when you go to Florida.) Sue Ellen (Lisa Stahl) has to pee so she heads into the woods. When she finally finds a good spot to do her business she witnesses the local sheriff (Tony March) strangle his mistress (Merry Rozelle) to death. (Note to Yankees: do not wander off into the woods when in the South; not because you might witness a murder, but you may run across a marijuana plantation.) This is the point where the story, not the movie, actually comes close to being good.
While Tony March will never have to practice his Oscar speech, his Sheriff Dean becomes a creepy facsimile of a normal guy torn by what he has done and what he must do. Tom Law is likable as Deputy Scott and is as authentic a Southern deputy as I've seen since Walton Goggins (Deputy Steve Naish) in HOUSE OF 1000 CORPSES.
A few scenes in the movie are worth the mention. The girls stop at a BBQ in South Carolina and display their racism when a big black guy checks them out. Sue Ellen runs into a barn to hide behind some hay bales and in a shockingly realistic moment a large snake is hiding in the hay with her.
And in the strangest scene, Sheriff Dean makes like he's about to rape Patty (Carol Cadby) and tells her to take off her clothes. Dean has turned the radio up to drown out the noise of what he's about to do. The preacher on the radio needs to go back and read his Bible. His sermon is about how Jezebel is saved by the blood of Jesus Christ. I feel sorry for this preacher's flock. Jezebel was in the Old Testament a few thousand years before Christ was born and by no means is she one of the five people you are going to meet in Heaven.
Don't give up on this one after its lousy start...it gets much better!
paulclaassen21 August 2023
Four young women go on a road trip. They meet two guys at a restaurant and after a bit of flirting, invite them to travel with them. I found the set-up unrealistic, the acting bad, and the dialogue rather silly. I also found the girls so annoying that I didn't think I would ever root for them.
During the first few minutes of 'Shallow Grave', I thought "oh boy, I've stumbled upon a really bad 80's horror movie". Another few minutes later I thought "hey, this is getting interesting", and into the second act I was hooked! Starting off as a badly acted, poorly scripted B-movie, this film surprisingly got better and better as it developed!
The story became more interesting and suspenseful, the acting got better as the girls found themselves running for their lives, and I became fascinated by the events. I thought Tony March did a great job as antagonist Sheriff Dean (oh, and that manly body!!). Towards the end the suspense is so well crafted, I was on the edge of my seat. I don't want to do spoilers on this one, so I'm not going into specifics. From the synopsis you already know the girls are witness to a murder, and now the killer is after them. Yes, this is a familiar premise, but 'Shallow Grave' is very unpredictable.
I prematurely thought 'Shallow Grave' was going to be a forgettable slasher movie. Now, this will be a memorable one. And the film ends on a fantastic cliffhanger ending! Wow, this was actually darn good!
During the first few minutes of 'Shallow Grave', I thought "oh boy, I've stumbled upon a really bad 80's horror movie". Another few minutes later I thought "hey, this is getting interesting", and into the second act I was hooked! Starting off as a badly acted, poorly scripted B-movie, this film surprisingly got better and better as it developed!
The story became more interesting and suspenseful, the acting got better as the girls found themselves running for their lives, and I became fascinated by the events. I thought Tony March did a great job as antagonist Sheriff Dean (oh, and that manly body!!). Towards the end the suspense is so well crafted, I was on the edge of my seat. I don't want to do spoilers on this one, so I'm not going into specifics. From the synopsis you already know the girls are witness to a murder, and now the killer is after them. Yes, this is a familiar premise, but 'Shallow Grave' is very unpredictable.
I prematurely thought 'Shallow Grave' was going to be a forgettable slasher movie. Now, this will be a memorable one. And the film ends on a fantastic cliffhanger ending! Wow, this was actually darn good!
A compelling down south thriller!!
brandonw-9624529 June 2022
A dirty sheriff, decent kills, and a headshot! This above average thriller gem is totally worth your time. The abuse of power in this movie is more relevant than ever! Truly a film that will give you angst and anxiety!
Oh yeah, I fell asleep the first time I tried watching
selfdestructo15 October 2022
And I was fighting it this time. Hmmmmm, where have I seen this opening voyeuristic scene? Cut to, THE SHOWER SCENE FROM PSYCHO! (with admittedly a very fetching full-frontal involved). So, these three Catholic University girls... and their MOM prank another student who dared to try to poach one of their dates. The ladies escape their nun's wrath, and promptly head out on a road trip to Ft. Lauderdale. Cue the bargain-basement soundtrack!
They meet two "hunks" at a roadside BBQ, make plans to meet the next day, and one of them steals an ID as insurance. Next day, precisely in Medley, Georgia, they blow a tire in their K-car, and the dingy-est broad had gotten rid of the spare to make room for more luggage. So another goes into the woods to pee (sorry, learning their names was asking too much of me for a "5"), and witnesses a man kill his mistress. Turns out he's exactly the wrong guy in town to witness murdering someone. The rest of the film is this kind of downward spiral into crooked, corrupt sheriffs and their slow-witted deputies. Yup, they even round up an armed redneck posse to hunt and kill the girls.
Frankly, I didn't find this thrilling, exciting, intriguing, or particularly horrific (though I did like the "doomed" scenario). Actually, a few things to like about this rather bland manhunt. Like I said, this storyline does not seem to go the ladies' way, and when you've got law enforcement (NATURALLY) against you, well, let's say if you're a fan of downbeat endings, you'll appreciate this. There's a subplot of the two guys trying to find out what happened to their supposed meeting, and they are entertainingly SOL on multiple occasions. I dunno, great shower scene, and a De Palma rip.
I think if they made it to Ft. Lauderdale, then the murderous shenanigans began... and not to be "sexist" (for shame!), but maybe this wouldn't have been such a sausage fest. Like, how many times do I need to see the sheriff's hairy, sweaty chest? Ok, now I'm really reaching. I was bored for the bulk of this.
They meet two "hunks" at a roadside BBQ, make plans to meet the next day, and one of them steals an ID as insurance. Next day, precisely in Medley, Georgia, they blow a tire in their K-car, and the dingy-est broad had gotten rid of the spare to make room for more luggage. So another goes into the woods to pee (sorry, learning their names was asking too much of me for a "5"), and witnesses a man kill his mistress. Turns out he's exactly the wrong guy in town to witness murdering someone. The rest of the film is this kind of downward spiral into crooked, corrupt sheriffs and their slow-witted deputies. Yup, they even round up an armed redneck posse to hunt and kill the girls.
Frankly, I didn't find this thrilling, exciting, intriguing, or particularly horrific (though I did like the "doomed" scenario). Actually, a few things to like about this rather bland manhunt. Like I said, this storyline does not seem to go the ladies' way, and when you've got law enforcement (NATURALLY) against you, well, let's say if you're a fan of downbeat endings, you'll appreciate this. There's a subplot of the two guys trying to find out what happened to their supposed meeting, and they are entertainingly SOL on multiple occasions. I dunno, great shower scene, and a De Palma rip.
I think if they made it to Ft. Lauderdale, then the murderous shenanigans began... and not to be "sexist" (for shame!), but maybe this wouldn't have been such a sausage fest. Like, how many times do I need to see the sheriff's hairy, sweaty chest? Ok, now I'm really reaching. I was bored for the bulk of this.
A trip of a lifetime.
bombersflyup19 December 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Shallow Grave is an engaging solid film and a unique mix of genres.
Unexpected, but it surprisingly had more potential after all said and done. Could've been tighter, with choices good and bad. The deputy not acting on his suspicion's a flaw, but it isn't that simple of a choice. It's lose lose for him, it's only the two of them, there isn't anyone he can approach with it. Any sort of defiance or confrontation will result in his death, he has to be willing to kill the sheriff to proceed. It also shouldn't of been so difficult to get away from the sheriff on foot, he was walking slow while they ran or had the option to. Especially Cindy who just stops and sits in the car, sees her friends walking in the distance and opts to yell and not run after them. The film ends without conclusion too... Does the sheriff kill her and then the deputy and why did the two guys not follow the ambulance heading in the direction they were looking for the girls either.
Unexpected, but it surprisingly had more potential after all said and done. Could've been tighter, with choices good and bad. The deputy not acting on his suspicion's a flaw, but it isn't that simple of a choice. It's lose lose for him, it's only the two of them, there isn't anyone he can approach with it. Any sort of defiance or confrontation will result in his death, he has to be willing to kill the sheriff to proceed. It also shouldn't of been so difficult to get away from the sheriff on foot, he was walking slow while they ran or had the option to. Especially Cindy who just stops and sits in the car, sees her friends walking in the distance and opts to yell and not run after them. The film ends without conclusion too... Does the sheriff kill her and then the deputy and why did the two guys not follow the ambulance heading in the direction they were looking for the girls either.
Unsatisfying ending with an unsatisfying film (SPOILERS)
lthseldy125 March 2004
Warning: Spoilers
This movie is basically about some girls in a Catholic school that end up getting into trouble because of putting red dye in one in one of their school mates shampoo and after being reprimanded for this act they decide to take off to Florida for a vacation. On their way there they meet up with some guys in a local diner and decide that they would both meet up with each other in another location later on. The girls end up on a road side near the woods and stop for awhile and while one of the girls decides to walk around a bit she sees a murder happen in which the local sheriff himself is involved. She becomes scared and runs to tell the others what happened. The other girls decide to go take a look with her and two of them get killed by the killer. Then the two remaining girls are caught by the killer and are placed in local jail cell. The deputy sheriff meanwhile is keeping watch over the girls and despite their insistence that the sheriff is the killer he ignores them both and acts as ignorant and everybody else in this movie who just can't put two and two together much less some lousy detective work at that. The best part was the rape scene between the killer and one of the girls where he decides to rape her in her jail cell and it seems that the girl actually WANTS to be raped by this man and the bare chest scene I admit was good but before their lips meet he has other things in mind. This movie reminds me of the low-budget thriller "Blood Song" with Frankie Avalon staring in it, the same motive just a different character part. It's not a movie worth renting not even for an 80's low-budget movie and the ending was the worst ending I have ever seen in a movie and it left me wanting my money back!
These chicks don't dig men in uniforms
Coventry2 July 2006
Warning: Spoilers
Shallow Grave: not really a typical and brainless 80's slasher movie, yet not really an obscure exploitation gem, neither. This movie is merely a totally forgotten but nevertheless worthwhile thriller with a handful of genuine scares and fairly likable acting performances. It deserves to be a little more known, actually, since it definitely does contain more suspense than the majority of 80's horror films and because the plot is also rather convincing and compelling. The film opens with a pointless and pretty stupid homage/spoof to Alfred Hitchcock's classic horror film "Psycho", as a (gorgeous) girl gets assaulted in the shower by a knife-wielding figure. Then we learn that this whole set-up actually is a prank of a quartet of naughty catholic schoolgirls on the evening before spring break. The next morning, these same girls head for a beach vacation in Florida, totally unaware that they'll end up in redneck hell. After a very banal car trouble incident, one of the sweethearts witnesses how the local sheriff of a little Southern village kills his mistress and buries her body in the woods. Whilst on the run, two of the other girls get killed when they fatally encounter the sheriff themselves. Now, the two remaining girls are stuck in a strange environment and facing a relentless killer who doesn't want to keep any witnesses alive. The few murders in "Shallow Grave" are pretty disturbing and shocking without showing too much gore. One poor girl is shot in the head from close range and two others are strangled, yet the true horror lies in the fact that the survivors can't convince the deputy that his boss is a wild animal. The unknown actresses perform well enough for you to care about their fades and Tony March (with an awful lot of hair on his chest) makes a pretty impressive villain... Especially wearing his police uniform. There are also some nifty wood-settings, some gratuitous nudity and we better NOT mention the completely stupid sub-plot of two frat boys that fruitlessly search for the missing girls, simply because they didn't show up for a breakfast appointment.
Incomplete
saint_brett5 March 2024
Warning: Spoilers
I went to watch 'Vendetta' tonight, but for some reason 'Shallow Grave' has been placed in its casing.
When did I buy this movie?
It starts out with two deaf chicks using sign language, and I don't need to hear anything to understand what they're implying with their padded bras.
Oh, it's one of those frat house movies where twenty-somethings portray teens.
An unpopular girl has been singled out and had her shampoo bottle manipulated to squirt either Mausers super glue or hair dye. She lathers up her accessories with soap, and her body is two-toned.
The shampoo bottle is a decoy, as Norman Bates busts in draped in a rain slicker from 'I Know What You Did Last Summer.' The scene steals 'Psycho' right down to the shower curtain and rods being ripped off, and the movie gets no credit whatsoever for blatant stealing. They even use the same music.
Some Go-Go Girl extras from a Cyndi Lauper music video leave a convent for nuns and head south, thinking it's still the MTV era.
This chick thinks she's 'Desperately Seeking Susan.'
The fact that they're using Polaroid cameras lets you know that Dahmer was probably in his prime at the time.
Two beefcakes show up and woo the girls, but where are they the next morning when they blow a tire and everything goes wrong?
Seeking Susan witnesses another beefcake murder a mistress out in the woods. He could be the Marlboro Man, for all I know.
A major head shot occurs around the 32-minute mark.
In her desperation to escape, Seeking Susan sprains her ankle and becomes a liability.
Two other Go-Go Girls stumble across the Marlboro Man digging a shallow grave, and he blows one to Hades.
Why don't they just drive on the flat tire and hightail it out of Dodge? Some sparks will fly, but so what?
The Marlboro Man puts a choke hold on another victim, and the kill is lame. He's our baddy in this? That pretty boy?
Seeking Susan, tries to break into a gas station and is mauled by a guide dog. The break-in is reported, and Bo Duke shows up.
It turns out that The Marlboro Man, a murderer, is a local sheriff as well. Yup, a cop killer and a pretty boy to boot.
The girls are framed, and the Marlboro Man's only concern on his day shift is to cover his tracks.
Some of the locals in town look like Mormon doorknockers. Remember when they used to harass you with their little recycled paper Castle books?
In this town, "perfect" is pronounced par-fact.
How far from Savannah are we?
The local radio station around these parts only plays one song on air 24/7, as it doesn't have the rights to big city tunes.
The Marlboro Man further covers his tracks and frames others.
Again, the only song in town plays again, and I'm sure the DJ is itching to flip the record to play the B-side track.
Jesse from 'Dukes of Hazzard' and his dog, not Flash, unearth the corpses in the shallow grave, and Seeking Susan has her Sean Mullen 'Ransom' moment as she detects the voice of The Marlboro Man and realizes they're in deep.
After the few murders at the start, the movie kind of gets swamped down in this drama talkfest with little action.
A jailbreak sees the two Go-Go Girls flee like in the 1996 movie 'Fled,' where they're shackled together and on the run.
The white boom mic drops in at the one-hour, seven-minute mark and implicates itself as a suspect.
Uh oh, my disc has frozen and refuses to play.
This is going to be an inconclusive review.
Yep, like my 'Ninja 3: The Domination" DVD, this disc has melted plastic on the outer edges, and I can proceed no further.
I take it the two beefcakes searching for the Go-Go Girls save the day at the end and show up just in time to be heroes?
When did I buy this movie?
It starts out with two deaf chicks using sign language, and I don't need to hear anything to understand what they're implying with their padded bras.
Oh, it's one of those frat house movies where twenty-somethings portray teens.
An unpopular girl has been singled out and had her shampoo bottle manipulated to squirt either Mausers super glue or hair dye. She lathers up her accessories with soap, and her body is two-toned.
The shampoo bottle is a decoy, as Norman Bates busts in draped in a rain slicker from 'I Know What You Did Last Summer.' The scene steals 'Psycho' right down to the shower curtain and rods being ripped off, and the movie gets no credit whatsoever for blatant stealing. They even use the same music.
Some Go-Go Girl extras from a Cyndi Lauper music video leave a convent for nuns and head south, thinking it's still the MTV era.
This chick thinks she's 'Desperately Seeking Susan.'
The fact that they're using Polaroid cameras lets you know that Dahmer was probably in his prime at the time.
Two beefcakes show up and woo the girls, but where are they the next morning when they blow a tire and everything goes wrong?
Seeking Susan witnesses another beefcake murder a mistress out in the woods. He could be the Marlboro Man, for all I know.
A major head shot occurs around the 32-minute mark.
In her desperation to escape, Seeking Susan sprains her ankle and becomes a liability.
Two other Go-Go Girls stumble across the Marlboro Man digging a shallow grave, and he blows one to Hades.
Why don't they just drive on the flat tire and hightail it out of Dodge? Some sparks will fly, but so what?
The Marlboro Man puts a choke hold on another victim, and the kill is lame. He's our baddy in this? That pretty boy?
Seeking Susan, tries to break into a gas station and is mauled by a guide dog. The break-in is reported, and Bo Duke shows up.
It turns out that The Marlboro Man, a murderer, is a local sheriff as well. Yup, a cop killer and a pretty boy to boot.
The girls are framed, and the Marlboro Man's only concern on his day shift is to cover his tracks.
Some of the locals in town look like Mormon doorknockers. Remember when they used to harass you with their little recycled paper Castle books?
In this town, "perfect" is pronounced par-fact.
How far from Savannah are we?
The local radio station around these parts only plays one song on air 24/7, as it doesn't have the rights to big city tunes.
The Marlboro Man further covers his tracks and frames others.
Again, the only song in town plays again, and I'm sure the DJ is itching to flip the record to play the B-side track.
Jesse from 'Dukes of Hazzard' and his dog, not Flash, unearth the corpses in the shallow grave, and Seeking Susan has her Sean Mullen 'Ransom' moment as she detects the voice of The Marlboro Man and realizes they're in deep.
After the few murders at the start, the movie kind of gets swamped down in this drama talkfest with little action.
A jailbreak sees the two Go-Go Girls flee like in the 1996 movie 'Fled,' where they're shackled together and on the run.
The white boom mic drops in at the one-hour, seven-minute mark and implicates itself as a suspect.
Uh oh, my disc has frozen and refuses to play.
This is going to be an inconclusive review.
Yep, like my 'Ninja 3: The Domination" DVD, this disc has melted plastic on the outer edges, and I can proceed no further.
I take it the two beefcakes searching for the Go-Go Girls save the day at the end and show up just in time to be heroes?
Unpredicatable, Dowbeat Suspense
jacobconnelly-4768123 February 2022
Four friends head off to spring break in Florida, but get a flat tire in the middle of Medley, Georgia where one of them witnesses the local sheriff murder a woman. Now, they're on the run and who will take their word for it over the sheriff.
Shallow Grave rarely takes the traditional way out and you're never sure where it's headed. From the first scene of the movie that calls to mind both Psycho and the corny opening movie-within-a-movie moment from Blow Out, the filmmakers are playing with our expectations in a way that would make Hitchcock proud. It takes a traditional slasher film set up of party-loving teens breaking down in the middle of nowhere and makes it frighteningly realistic and plausible.
Shallow Grave doesn't have a franchise-ready iconic killer, but it's all the more frightening for it. It also has a main foursome of likable young women who don't go out of their way to grate our nerves or make unrealistic choices to drive the plot forward.
Shallow Grave rarely takes the traditional way out and you're never sure where it's headed. From the first scene of the movie that calls to mind both Psycho and the corny opening movie-within-a-movie moment from Blow Out, the filmmakers are playing with our expectations in a way that would make Hitchcock proud. It takes a traditional slasher film set up of party-loving teens breaking down in the middle of nowhere and makes it frighteningly realistic and plausible.
Shallow Grave doesn't have a franchise-ready iconic killer, but it's all the more frightening for it. It also has a main foursome of likable young women who don't go out of their way to grate our nerves or make unrealistic choices to drive the plot forward.
Engaging and Compelling Thriller
annablair-1919116 April 2022
A car load of gal pals take a trip to Florida for spring break and accidentally witness a murder along the way which sends them running for their lives.
Obviously shot for little money and featuring a no-name cast, it's surprising how much this film can get under your skin. While you might not recognize many of the actors, they mostly all do a credible job selling the situations they've found themselves in. There's just the right amount of sleaze and gore, but it's more about the suspense which is well orchestrated and the story goes to some interesting and unpredictable places.
Obviously shot for little money and featuring a no-name cast, it's surprising how much this film can get under your skin. While you might not recognize many of the actors, they mostly all do a credible job selling the situations they've found themselves in. There's just the right amount of sleaze and gore, but it's more about the suspense which is well orchestrated and the story goes to some interesting and unpredictable places.
Cleverly written down-home slasher
drownsoda9018 December 2022
"Shallow Grave" follows four female college students who take a drive to Florida for spring break. All is well at first, until they suffer a tire blowout in rural Georgia. Unfortunately, the only help to be found is from a homicidal and misogynistic town sheriff, fresh off a murder.
This under-seen quasi-slasher flick seems to have gotten lost in the home video market of the late '80s, but despite its low budget, it is a much more elegant and effective thriller than one might expect. While it plays into familiar Southern psycho law enforcement tropes (ala "Nightmare in Badham County"), what makes "Shallow Grave" stand out is the clever (and fairly realistic) plot turns, happenstances, and misfortunes that lead these characters toward a world of hurt.
The film is well-shot and features the rural Southern landscape quite nicely, lending for a notable amount of atmosphere. The four female leads are solid in their roles, as is the threatening sheriff who, despite his sex appeal, emits a palpable and unpredictable danger burning beneath the surface. The film's final act does get a bit hokey at moments, but it concludes on a dark and disturbing note that falls in line with its overall blunt edge.
All in all, the film is very much worth viewing for fans of '80s horror and thriller films. "Shallow Grave" is a capably-made and effective odyssey through down-home terror. 8/10.
This under-seen quasi-slasher flick seems to have gotten lost in the home video market of the late '80s, but despite its low budget, it is a much more elegant and effective thriller than one might expect. While it plays into familiar Southern psycho law enforcement tropes (ala "Nightmare in Badham County"), what makes "Shallow Grave" stand out is the clever (and fairly realistic) plot turns, happenstances, and misfortunes that lead these characters toward a world of hurt.
The film is well-shot and features the rural Southern landscape quite nicely, lending for a notable amount of atmosphere. The four female leads are solid in their roles, as is the threatening sheriff who, despite his sex appeal, emits a palpable and unpredictable danger burning beneath the surface. The film's final act does get a bit hokey at moments, but it concludes on a dark and disturbing note that falls in line with its overall blunt edge.
All in all, the film is very much worth viewing for fans of '80s horror and thriller films. "Shallow Grave" is a capably-made and effective odyssey through down-home terror. 8/10.
Above average but with its fair share of faults
abduktionsphanomen9 April 2023
Shallow Grave - 1987
(This Film Rates a B- )
This film doesnt waste any time getting to the nude shower scene. A college student gets murdered in the shower in dramatic fashion ie the ripping of the shower curtain. Flash forward to a group of dumb blone girls who go to a Catholic School and think they have scored a spring break vacation to Fort Lauderdale over a nun's stearn discipline. They drive all the way from Virginia to Florida getting pulled over a few times along the way. Eventually stopping at a diner where they meet two college aged men who are also going to the same city. The girls continue on before suffering a backwoods blow out. Of course its a good idea to all split up and try and find help, a story line that makes zero sense. After witnessing a local sheriff murder his wife in the woods the stalking and killing begins. Amongst all of the absurdidness there is some intensity and the overall direction goes above and beyond the typical slasher. However, it is total late 80's cheese. Everything about this screams low budget gold. That whole gas station sequence at the 19 minute mark, being stood up at the 30:30 min mark, the dog attack at the 40 min mark or "she must have dropped it" at the 1 hour 9 mark. And of course that snake scene at the 1 hour 14 min mark. The script has some fun moments but overall is just total trash. The acting is crap but the nostaglic cheese makes me laugh often. The sound is shotty and poorly done. The set and setting are soooo local looking especially the extras in the bar scene at the 50 min mark. The soundtrack isnt that great but is on point when it matters (1 hour 14 min mark). The ending is a WTF moment but you will love every minute of it. "Ive never been more scared in my life".
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