Brooklyn 45

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Ted Geoghegan directs. Robert Patrick Stern behind the camera. Martin Macphail scores. Lisa Hendricks cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

• 1Released 3 years ago.
• 2Directed by Ted Geoghegan, shot by Robert Patrick Stern. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
• 3Original score by Martin Macphail. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
• 4Editor Lisa Hendricks shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
• 5Anne Ramsay and Ezra Buzzington and Jeremy Holm carry the top of the cast.
• 6Marketing tagline: "The ghosts of your past would like to have a word with you.".
• 7IMDB entry: tt16431882 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
• 8Only 64 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

The technical file

Cinematography

Robert Patrick Stern

Original score

Martin Macphail

Editing

Lisa Hendricks

Production design

Sarah Sharp

Makeup / hair

Whitney Roue

Sound

Matthew Harrold

Runtime

93 min · 1h 33m

Status

Released

Original language

EN

IMDB

Brooklyn 45 (2023) ↗

Also by

Ted Geoghegan

• 
  We Are Still Here

  2015 · ★ 5.6
• 
  Mohawk

  2018 · ★ 5.1

Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

• 

  ▶
  Trailer

  Trailer · Official
• 

  ▶
  SXSW Clip

  Clip · Official

Community reviews

What people are saying

• Louisa Moore - Screen Zealots2023-04-23
  ★ 8/10

  I was enamored by the sophisticated complexity of “Brooklyn 45,” writer-director Ted Geoghegan‘s supernatural period piece about a frightening séance in post-World War II America and the equally disturbing aftermath. This dialogue-driven supernatural drama about being haunted by the metaphorical (and literal) ghosts of the past has a wildly unpredictable story and substantial themes that make it a thinking person’s thriller. Set within the confines of a first-floor parlor room in a Brooklyn brownstone, the film takes place over the evening of December 27, 1945. Recently widowed Clive (Larry Fessenden) has invited his best friends (and fellow wartime veterans) Archie (Jeremy Holm), Paul (Ezra Buzzington), Marla (Anne Ramsay), and Bob (Ron E. Rains) over for cocktails. Motivated by the grief of losing his wife, Clive asks his pals to participate in an impromptu séance to humor his curiosity. They balk at first, but then relent. What happens next is a supernatural event that finds them trapped with no means of escape, turns friends into enemies, and leaves the group in a predicament where violence may be the only option. This is a sophisticated idea for a script, and the story is original and compelling. The screenplay has an intellectual slant that’s critical of everything from the military to religion, and it’s a narrative that turns friends into mortal enemies. The themes are complex and seem carefully chosen to accurately reflect the horrors of war, the trauma experienced by veterans, and the anti-German sentiment of the time. There’s a lot of depth to this story of xenophobia, agony, sins, and redemption, and it’s engaging from start to finish. This is the kind of film that could be adapted into a stage play. Since it’s set in one location, the movie’s success relies heavily on the strength of its story and the lead performances. With an over-50 cast, it’s great to see a film give older actors such substantial roles, each perfectly suited to their character. The one-room setting is given a deeper richness from the excellent production design. The attention to detail in everything from the books on the shelves to the artwork on the wall seems to have been carefully chosen to complement the story. The film’s terror lies in the talky, psychological horror of it all rather than the traditional shock and awe some may expect (there are moments that feature ghosts and blood, including some gruesome practical effects that will delight genre fans). The unexpected surprises really make the movie tick, so avoiding spoilers is highly recommended. “Brooklyn 45” combines a great premise, strong performances, and an intellectually-minded script to create a deeply thoughtful historical thriller. By: Louisa Moore / www.ScreenZealots.com

  Read full review ↓

Production companies

Who made it

• 

  Shudder

  US

• 

  Hangar 18 Media

  CA

• TH

  The Line Film Company

• 

  Divide / Conquer

  US

• PU

  PurpleDOG

• 

  Raven Banner Entertainment

  CA

Key crew

• ProducerPasha Patriki
• Executive ProducerJames Fler
• ProducerSeth Caplan
• ProducerSarah Sharp
• ProducerMichael Paszt
• Executive ProducerAndrew Thomas Hunt
• Special Effects SupervisorBrian Zurek
• HairstylistWhitney Roue
• Production DesignSarah Sharp
• EditorLisa Hendricks
• Sound MixerNick Caza
• Assistant EditorHansjeet Duggal
• Sound Effects EditorTom Murray
• Assistant Sound EditorMike Jones
• Special Effects Makeup ArtistCyle Williamson
• Sound Re-Recording MixerMatthew Harrold
• Supervising Sound EditorMatthew Harrold
• Concept ArtistRichard Raaphorst
• First Assistant DirectorMichele B. McGraw

Release history · US

When it landed

• Premiere2023-03-12· Austin, Texas (South by Southwest Film Festival)
• Digital2023-06-09· Shudder; AMC+
• Physical2024-05-01· Blu-ray, including alternate black-and-white version of the film