Creator (1985)

Director:

Ivan Passer

Writers:

Jeremy Leven (novel)
Jeremy Leven (screenplay)

Release Date:

20 September 1985 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

It's potentially dangerous, probably illegal and definitely crazy.

Plot:

An eccentric scientist teaches a student in his own manner while he looks for a way to clone his deceased wife.

Plot Keywords:

Scientist | Male Nudity | Shower Scene | Female Nudity | Coma

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Peter O'Toole	...	Dr. Harry Wolper
Mariel Hemingway	...	Meli
Vincent Spano	...	Boris Lafkin
Virginia Madsen	...	Barbara Spencer
David Ogden Stiers	...	Dr. Sid Kullenbeck
John Dehner	...	Paul
Karen Kopins	...	Lucy Wolper
Kenneth Tigar	...	Pavlo
Elsa Raven	...	Mrs. Mallory
Lee Kessler	...	Mrs. Pruitt
Rance Howard	...	Mr. Spencer
Ellen Geer	...	Mrs. Spencer
Ian Wolfe	...	Prof. Brauer
Mike Jolly	...	Boom-Boom
Burton Collins	...	Lyman

Also Known As:

The Big Picture (USA) (alternative title)

Runtime:

107 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Iceland:12 | West Germany:12 | Finland:K-15 (new rating: 2001) | Spain:T | Australia:M | Finland:K-14 | Sweden:11 | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Alexian Bros. Hospital, San Jose, California, USA

Company:

Kings Road Entertainment

Trivia:

Several "flashback" scenes were filmed at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, but they were cut from the final print.

Goofs:

Factual errors: At one point Harry and Boris steal Syd's sequencer to "get her [Lucy's] amino acids in the right sequence". This is most likely a case of literary license on behalf of the script writers. Protein sequencers are used to determine the amino acid sequences of constituent peptides and invariably destroy the samples being analyzed.

Quotes:

Boris: That's it? One course in "The Big Picture". 12 credits.
Dr Harry Wolper: It's very big. 12 credits probably isn't enough, it's so big.
Boris: I think I'll go back down to registration.
Dr Harry Wolper: There are no exams. Grades are based on interest and participation.
Boris: It's ok with me, I like exams.
Dr Harry Wolper: MY assistantships pay $3,500.
Boris: So do everybody else's.
Dr Harry Wolper: Also, I know the name of the girl you followed into the lab.
[pause]
Boris: I need to think.
[...]

Soundtrack:

I'm a Woman

An Overlooked Film That Deserves A Spot In Your Collection

Have you ever seen a movie that made a quiet yet profound impact on your view of life? Have you ever seen a powerful performance from one of the world's best actors go so completely unnoticed in the process? Have you ever looked back on a film nearly 20 years later and think, "I hope I can find this on DVD?" Creator is one such movie.

Peter O'Toole's performance is one of his better efforts (Come to think of it, even a BAD effort by O'Toole would be head and shoulders above some of today's stars). As Harry, you quickly learn (and, more importantly, FEEL) his pain and loss of his beloved wife Lucy, years after her loss. But he has what he feels is a perfect plan to clone her and recreate the love of his life. Mariel Hemingway's character (Meli) is the LAST person you would expect a scholar such as Harry would choose to be the host to carry the new Lucy to term. Hemingway's performance was a hoot.

The story takes some twists and turns that include a side story that nearly supersedes the principal one. But the beauty, ultimately, is how the two complement each other.

Getting through this movie is an emotional roller-coaster, the kind where when the ride is over you go, "WHEW!" But then again, you don't want it to end. The gift of this film is that when the lights came up at the end, it sent me back to reality with a different perspective that truly IS a gift.

Did the movie "change my life?" Perhaps not, but it gave me a message that enabled me to change it myself.

I think one of the reasons the movie came off so well (in addition, of course, to a brilliant performance by the cast) was that the script was written by the "creator" of the novel... so it stayed as true to the story as any adaptation can.

Kudos to O'Toole, and the entire cast. But Kudos too, to writer Jeremy Leven, "Creator's" creator and director Ivan Passer who brought the story to the screen so lovingly... and entertainingly. Yes, this is one I want on my DVD shelf! If you've not seen it, do yourself a favor: Rent it and watch it with someone special.

To paraphrase Leven, "Movies Can Be Wonderful..." and "Creator" shows you how.