Deadly Cargo or Dark Chamber (Spanish: Cámara oscura) is a 2003 Spanish psychological horror thriller film directed by Pau Freixas [es] from a screenplay by Freixas and Héctor Claramunt [ca] which stars Silke and Unax Ugalde.

Deadly Cargo
Theatrical release poster
SpanishCámara oscura
Directed byPau Freixas
Screenplay by
  • Pau Freixas
  • Héctor Claramunt
Produced byJoan Bosch
Starring
CinematographyJulián Elizalde
Edited byJaume Martí
Music by
  • Manel Gil
  • Rudy Gnutti
Production
companies
Distributed byManga Films
Release dates
  • 27 November 2003 (2003-11-27) (Sitges)
  • 27 August 2004 (2004-08-27) (Spain)
CountrySpain
LanguageSpanish
Budget3.5 million

Plot

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The plot follows the members of an underwater diving expedition (including freelance photographer Sara and instructor Iván) hiding on a gloomy hulk used for people trafficking after being left afloat for a while in the wake of their vessel enduring a wreck off the West African coast.[1][2]

Cast

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Production

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The film is an Iris Star, Manga Films, and Estudios Picasso production and it had the participation of Telecinco and TVC.[2][1] It boasted a €3.5 million budget.[2] Shooting locations included Vilanova i la Geltrú.[4]

Release

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Deadly Cargo screened out of competition as the opening film of the 36th Sitges Film Festival on 27 November 2003.[5][6] Distributed by Manga Films,[1] it was released theatrically in Spain on 27 August 2004.[7]

Reception

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Jonathan Holland of Variety considered that "far the best of a recent crop of Spanish teen thrillers", the "stylish" film manages to exploit "a decent budget, good perfs and self-assured helming".[1]

Alberto Bermejo of El Mundo rated the film 2 out of 5 stars, praising the "steady pace and believability of the characters' harrowing wanderings on the boat" but also writing about the sailors' characters exposing "the lack of entity" of a script and a mise-en-scène both lacking the necessary depth.[8]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e Holland, Jonathan (2 September 2004). "Dark Chamber". Variety.
  2. ^ a b c Mateo Ruiz-Gálvez, Juan José (27 August 2004). "Unax Ugalde y Silke se unen para sobrevivir". El País.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h "Cámara oscura" (PDF). ICAA. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
  4. ^ Ramos Martín, Manuel (23 May 2003). "Silke y Unax Ugalde se embarcan en una pesadilla en alta mar". El País.
  5. ^ ""Cámara oscura" y un frío aterrador abrieron ayer el Festival de Cine de Sitges". ABC. 28 November 2003.
  6. ^ Torreiro, Casimiro (28 November 2003). "Sitges inicia con un irregular 'thriller' su edición más terrorífica". El País.
  7. ^ "Cámara oscura". Fotogramas. 29 May 2008.
  8. ^ Bermejo, Alberto (8 September 2004). "Turistas en peligro". El Mundo.