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Graveyard Shift 1990

Seeking stability, drifter John Hall takes a job at a textile mill in rural Maine, working the night shift. He and his colleagues soon discover a horrifying secret hidden within the mill – a monstrous entity that thrives on fear. As the terror escalates, the workers must confront the unholy force and fight to survive the chilling events unfolding beneath the mill.

Seeking stability, drifter John Hall takes a job at a textile mill in rural Maine, working the night shift. He and his colleagues soon discover a horrifying secret hidden within the mill – a monstrous entity that thrives on fear. As the terror escalates, the workers must confront the unholy force and fight to survive the chilling events unfolding beneath the mill.

Does Graveyard Shift have end credit scenes?

No!

Graveyard Shift does not have end credit scenes. You can leave when the credits roll.

Meet the Full Cast and Actors of Graveyard Shift

Explore the complete cast of Graveyard Shift, including both lead and supporting actors. Learn who plays each character, discover their past roles and achievements, and find out what makes this ensemble cast stand out in the world of film and television.


Ratings and Reviews for Graveyard Shift

See how Graveyard Shift is rated across major platforms like IMDb, Metacritic, and TMDb. Compare audience scores and critic reviews to understand where Graveyard Shift stands among top-rated movies in its genre.


Metacritic

28

Metascore

4.9

User Score

Rotten Tomatoes
review

0%

TOMATOMETER

review

23%

User Score

IMDb

5.0 /10

IMDb Rating

TMDB

53

%

User Score

Take the Ultimate Graveyard Shift Movie Quiz

Challenge your knowledge of Graveyard Shift with this fun and interactive movie quiz. Test yourself on key plot points, iconic characters, hidden details, and memorable moments to see how well you really know the film.


Graveyard Shift Quiz: Test your knowledge of the 1990 horror film 'Graveyard Shift' and its chilling events.

What is the main setting of the movie?

Full Plot Summary and Ending Explained for Graveyard Shift

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Read the complete plot summary of Graveyard Shift, including all major events, twists, and the full ending explained in detail. Explore key characters, themes, hidden meanings, and everything you need to understand the story from beginning to end.


The film begins with a late-shift worker laboring in the dimly lit basement of a textile factory, where he is seen feeding bales of cotton into a large industrial machine. During a moment of frustration sparked by the sweltering heat—revealed by a thermometer reading over 100 degrees—he slams his fist against a support beam. This careless action drives a rusty nail into his hand, prompting him to treat the injury with anti-bacterial ointment and gauze from a nearby medical cabinet. As he finds solace in his break, he notices a gathering of rats observing him. Driven by a mix of anger and bravado, he begins to taunt the rodents, ultimately throwing one into the industrial machine. The gruesome scene unfolds as we witness the rat being shredded, leaving a scarlet stain on the cotton. With the rats watching intently, a looming shadow brings terror; the worker stumbles backward into the machine, meeting a horrific end as his remains are consumed by the very rats he had tormented.

The following day, an exterminator, played by Brad Dourif, ascends to the roof of an industrial building with a fire hose in tow. He inserts the end of the hose into the ventilation pipe while a man beneath waits by a pump motor, eager for the exterminator to prepare. Once set up, the exterminator signals his partner, who cranks the pump motor, initiating a flow of water into the building that vacuums out the rats infesting the premises, releasing them into the nearby stream.

Amidst these events, a drifter named John Hall, portrayed by David Andrews, arrives in a small town in search of work. He applies at the local textile company, the town’s primary employer, where foreman Warwick, played by Stephen Macht, begrudgingly agrees to hire him after making degrading comments about his drifter lifestyle and college education. John is coerced into accepting minimum wage for the initial four weeks and is assigned the dreaded “Graveyard Shift” from 11 PM to 7 AM.

As Warwick navigates his own troubles with a building inspector threatening to shut down operations due to a rampant rat issue, he resorts to bribery, offering the inspector $200 to postpone his report until after the 4th of July. The foreman hastily sends employees to the basement to string lights before the clean-up, but one by one, they fall prey to an unknown creature lurking in the dark, with a tide of rats heralding each gruesome encounter. Their disappearance goes unnoticed, and a “Now Hiring” sign is posted.

With the holiday approaching, Warwick informs employees of the closure. Union workers will receive holiday pay while non-union workers face a week-long layoff unless they opt to help with the clean-up and earn double pay. This leads to six workers, including John, being assigned to the task. One fateful night, John discovers a trap door leading deeper beneath the building. As they venture down, the stairs collapse, trapping the group with the menacing creature. Panic ensues as the monster picks them off one by one, leading to escalating tension among the survivors. In a final confrontation, Warwick’s desperation to maintain his façade culminates in his demise, leaving only John and Warwick struggling against the beast.

In a dramatic showdown at the industrial machine, John faces the monstrous bat that has haunted them, culminating in a fierce battle that sees him turning on the machine, resulting in its grisly end. The tension finally breaks as John breathes a sigh of relief, escaping the nightmare.

The film concludes with a scene showcasing the textile mill now operating “under new management,” leaving viewers with a chilling hint of the dark events that transpired. As the credits roll, the haunting story of survival and the consequences of neglect come to an unsettling close.

Uncover the Details: Timeline, Characters, Themes, and Beyond!

Watch Trailers, Clips & Behind-the-Scenes for Graveyard Shift

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Watch official trailers, exclusive clips, cast interviews, and behind-the-scenes footage from Graveyard Shift. Dive deeper into the making of the film, its standout moments, and key production insights.


Stephen King's Graveyard Shift - Trailer

Graveyard Shift (1990) - Official Trailer (HD)

Cars Featured in Graveyard Shift

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Explore all cars featured in Graveyard Shift, including their makes, models, scenes they appear in, and their significance to the plot. A must-read for car enthusiasts and movie buffs alike.


Cadillac

1960

Coupe DeVille

Chevrolet

1983

K-10

Chevrolet

1979

K-20

Ford

1966

Mustang

Ford

1983

Mustang

Ford

1983

Ranger

GM

unknown

Toyota

1979

Celica

Movie Themes and Keywords

Discover the central themes, ideas, and keywords that define the movie’s story, tone, and message. Analyze the film’s deeper meanings, genre influences, and recurring concepts.


drifterratforemanbased on short storybased on the works of stephen kingdiet pepsirat infestationboss subordinate relationshipnight shiftmonstersmall townbasementmutantsexual harassmentproduct placementmoving one's lips while readingdiet pepsi cantextile millreference to bruce dernexterminatoreaten alivetitle spoken by characterinsanityjob interviewdogaxebarbribeflashlightcorruptioncoffinfalling down stairsmanagermisogynistskeletonskulltwo word titlepun in titlegoregrindhouse filmcreature featurenature horrorsupernatural powerlight bulbnew englandmainebonesbatjumpsuithose

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