MovieChat Forums > Shallow Grave (1995) Discussion > So SPOILERS ALERT - Christopher Ecclesto...

So SPOILERS ALERT - Christopher Ecclestone's character basically...

posted a year ago by TheMan18 (13184)
16 replies | jump to latest

... SPOILERS - started out as the good guy hero, with how he defeated single handedly those two thugs in the loft and saved his and the lives of his two friends. BUT... SPOILERS ALERT...

LATER, he became almost like a brutal serial killer, heavily mutilating their dead bodies but even MORE than that... TURNED AGAINST HIS TWO FRIENDS... OR at least, one of them anyway, in a highly immoral way and...

Basically became a cold hearted VILLAIN at the end no better than those thugs.

Did he become psychotic? Or did he become heavily greedy or BOTH? Was he almost always on the dark side? Or did he suddenly turn especially when financial opportunity known as the large sum of money turned up?

What do we think, thanks.

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[–] Kowalski (78914) a year ago

SHALLOW GRAVE IS BASICALLY TREASURE OF THE SIERRA MADRE IN A HOUSE...THEY WERE ALL MAD...HE JUST SHOWED IT THE MOST.

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[–] TheMan18 (13184) a year ago

But he was at least a hero at the start with how he defeated those two thugs.

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[–] Kowalski (78914) a year ago

THAT'S ONE WAY TO VIEW IT...ANOTHER IS THEY WERE KILLED FOR VIOLATING THE TERRITORY OF AN ANGRY ANIMAL.

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[–] TheMan18 (13184) a year ago

Haha, true, sort of. :)

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[–] TheMan18 (13184) a year ago

If you appreciated this movie, I also recommend The Debt Collector (1999) with Billy Connolly. The actor Ken Stott who plays the detective here basically plays a mad and BAD policeman THERE. :) And the movie does have a similar vibe to it in certain scenes and areas although its generally a different movie.

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[–] sslssg (35143) a year ago

That's what I was going to say. I don't really think his character changed that much more than any of the other's. He was violent protecting himself. I mean it is a story about how bad choices can become disastrous, but I wouldn't really call any of them great people to begin with. I mean David doesn't really stand up to how Alex treated Cameron.

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[–] TheMan18 (13184) a year ago

And there's a heavy influence also from the likes of "Blood Simple" (1984) by The Coen Brothers and John Dahl's "Red Rock West" (1993) with a little of Quentin Tarantino and David Lynch around it as well.

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[–] sslssg (35143) a year ago

I think Eccelston is such a fantastic underrated actor. He was brilliant in this.

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[–] TheMan18 (13184) a year ago

Yeah, he also played that corrupt lead soldier in another Danny Boyle film - the apocalyptic sci-fi horror action drama "28 Days Later" (2002).

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[–] sslssg (35143) a year ago

This is my favourite Danny Boyle film.

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[–] TheMan18 (13184) a year ago

Shallow Grave? Your favourite Boyle film?

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[–] sslssg (35143) a year ago

Yeppers.

In order my top 3 are:
Shallow Grave
28 Days Later
Trainspotting

Honourable mention to Sunshine.

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[–] TheMan18 (13184) a year ago

He did Slumdog Millionaire too. And The Beach, and Trance and T2: Trainspotting.

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[–] sslssg (35143) a year ago

Yeppers.

Those are my favourites.

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[–] TheMan18 (13184) a year ago

P.S. Nice to see you hear sslssg. :) And yeah I'm a bit of a movie digger even these general days too. :)

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[–] sslssg (35143) a year ago

Thanks!

I think we only had this in the theatre that I worked in for like a week, but I saw it twice.

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