Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead (1990)

User Rating:

7.5/10   

Director:

Tom Stoppard

Writer:

Tom Stoppard (written by)
(more)

Release Date:

8 February 1991 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Plot:

Two minor characters from the play, "Hamlet" stumble around unaware of their scripted lives and unable to deviate from them.

Plot Keywords:

Coin | Destiny | Existentialism | Towel | Tennis

Awards:

3 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Gary Oldman	...	Rosencrantz
Tim Roth	...	Guildenstern
Richard Dreyfuss	...	The Player
Livio Badurina	...	Tragedian
Tomislav Maretic	...	Tragedian
Mare Mlacnik	...	Tragedian
Serge Soric	...	Tragedian (as Srdjan Soric)
Mladen Vasary	...	Tragedian
Zeljko Vukmirica	...	Tragedian
Branko Zavrsan	...	Tragedian
Joanna Roth	...	Ophelia
Iain Glen	...	Hamlet
Donald Sumpter	...	Claudius
Joanna Miles	...	Gertrude
Ljubo Zecevic	...	Osric
Ian Richardson	...	Polonius
Sven Medvesek	...	Laertes (as Sven Medvesck)
Vili Matula	...	Horatio
John Burgess	...	Ambassador from England

Directed by
Tom Stoppard

Writing credits
William Shakespeare		(play "The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark") uncredited
Tom Stoppard		(play) uncredited
Tom Stoppard		(written by)

Produced by
Emanuel Azenberg	....	producer
Michael Brandman	....	producer
Iris Merlis	....	co-producer
Thomas J. Rizzo	....	executive producer
Louise Stephens	....	executive producer
Patrick Whitley	....	co-producer

Original Music by
Stanley Myers

Cinematography by
Peter Biziou		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Nicolas Gaster

Casting by
Doreen Jones

Production Design by
Vaughan Edwards

Art Direction by
Ivo Husnjak

Costume Design by
Andreane Neofitou

Makeup Department
Maria Dziewulska	....	makeup artist: Yugoslav crew
Magdalene Gaffney	....	makeup artist (as Magdalen Gaffney)
Susan V. Kalinowski	....	hair stylist: Mr. Dreyfuss (as Susan Kalinowski)
Ivana Primorac	....	makeup artist: Yugoslav crew
Stephen Rose	....	hair stylist
Stephania Rosso	....	hair stylist: Yugoslav crew

Production Management
Boris Dmitrovic	....	production supervisor
Igor Nola	....	unit manager: Yugoslav crew

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Zoran Blazevic	....	assistant director: Yugoslavia
Zoran Budak	....	first assistant director: Yugoslavia
Peter Cotton	....	second assistant director
Dubravko Scherr	....	second assistant director: Yugoslavia
Bill Westley	....	first assistant director
Zoran Budak	....	second unit director (uncredited)
Denis Cviticanin	....	trainee assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Vlado Buzolic	....	draftsman: Yugoslavia
Joe Curtin	....	construction manager
Nenad Drljaca	....	swing gang: Yugoslavia
Patricia Johnson	....	draughtsman
Sabri Lariani	....	assistant construction manager
Marko Lasic	....	prop buyer: Yugoslavia
Kreso Ljubic	....	stagehand: Yugoslavia
Tomica Ljubic	....	stagehand: Yugoslavia
Zeljko Luter	....	prop buyer: Yugoslavia
Mladen Ozbolt	....	set dresser: Yugoslavia
Nenad Pecur	....	construction coordinator: Yugoslavia
Ivica Siprak	....	propman: Yugoslavia
Boris Tadej	....	propman: Yugoslavia
Ferid Terzic	....	construction buyer: Yugoslavia
Zdravko Zorman	....	swing gang: Yugoslavia

Sound Department
Michael A. Carter	....	sound re-recording mixer
Richard Dunford	....	dialogue editor
Sarah Ellis	....	assistant dialogue editor
Tomislav Fogec	....	boom man: Yugoslav crew
Louis Kramer	....	sound recordist
Jupiter Sen	....	dubbing editor
Otto Snel	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Otto R. Snel)
Kevin Tayler	....	sound re-recording mixer
Bronwyn Wolfe	....	assistant dubbing editor
Sandy Buchanan	....	post-production sound assistant (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Ricky Farns	....	special effects
Marijan Karoglan	....	special effects: Yugoslav crew
David McCall	....	special effects
Drago Poldrugac	....	special effects assistant: Yugoslav crew

Visual Effects by
Djuro Roic	....	puppet animator (uncredited)

Stunts
Aldo Toncic	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Roderick Barron	....	camera operator
Peter Bloor	....	gaffer
Dean Brkic	....	rigging electrician
Peter Casey	....	generator operator
Branko Knez	....	focus puller: Yugoslavia
Eddie Knight	....	best boy
Rolf Konow	....	still photographer
Drago Ljubic	....	key grip: Yugoslavia
Colin Manning	....	grip
Tihomir Marcius	....	gaffer: Yugoslavia (as Tihomir Marcijus)
Tomislav Marcius	....	grip: Yugoslavia (as Tomica Marcijus)
Josip Marsic	....	electrician: Yugoslavia
Josip Matausic	....	grip: Yugoslavia
Goran Mecava	....	focus puller: Yugoslavia
Eamonn O'Keeffe	....	focus puller (as Eamonn O' Keeffe)
Stuart Reid	....	generator operator
Sasha Rendulic	....	clapper loader: Yugoslavia (as Sasa Rendulic)
Mike Roberts	....	camera operator
Ante Rozic	....	clapper loader: Yugoslavia
Nenad Teresak	....	best boy: Yugoslavia
Dubravko Topol	....	electrician: Yugoslavia
Vlado Ceh	....	electrician (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Tonka Duplancic	....	wardrobe assistant: Yugoslavia
Drago Habazin	....	wardrobe master: Yugoslavia
Yelena Mihalic	....	costume supervisor: Yugoslavia
Helen Smith	....	assistant to costume designer
Zeljko Zebec	....	wardrobe master: Yugoslavia

Editorial Department
Marina Barac	....	assistant editor: Yugoslavia
Simon Cowper	....	assistant film editor
Charles Ireland	....	assistant film editor
Dubravka Premar	....	assistant editor: Yugoslavia
Anne Sopel	....	first assistant film editor
Goranka Trgovec-Greif	....	assistant editor: Yugoslavia

Music Department
Nick Glennie-Smith	....	musician: synthesizers
Brian Gulland	....	composer: additional music
Austin Ince	....	music engineer
Graham Preskett	....	composer: additional music

Transportation Department
Danijel Bjondic	....	driver: Yugoslavia
Vedran Derek	....	driver: Yugoslavia (as Vedran Djerek)
Goran Filipovic	....	assistant transportation manager: Yugoslavia
Ante Gaspar	....	driver: Yugoslavia
Miro Pogelsek	....	driver: Yugoslavia
Mario Scherr	....	transportation manager: Yugoslavia
Zdenko Sertic	....	driver: Yugoslavia
Igor Sestric	....	driver: Yugoslavia
Zeljko Stimac	....	driver: Yugoslavia
Mladen Vragovic	....	driver: Yugoslavia

Other crew
Zorislav Augustic	....	production accountant: Yugoslavia
Zoran Blazevic	....	location manager: Yugoslavia
Ivica Boban	....	mime choreographer
Josip Boljkovac	....	auditor: Yugoslavia
Zlatko Bourek	....	puppet master
Marsha S. Brooks	....	legal counsel for Michael Brandman and Emanuel Azenberg: Colton, Hartnick, Yamin and Sheresky
Antun Cackovic	....	crowd marshall: Yugoslavia
Peter Cotton	....	production consultant: London
Vicki Deason	....	production coordinator: London (as Vicki Manning)
Scott Dewees	....	production accountant: Los Angeles
Diana Dill	....	script supervisor
Thomas R. Distler	....	legal counsel for Michael Brandman and Emanuel Azenberg: Colton, Hartnick, Yamin and Sheresky
Tanja Dragojlov	....	production secretary: Yugoslavia
Velinka Ficor	....	production coordinator: Yugoslavia
Goran Filipovic	....	production runner: Yugoslavia
Zeljko Hren	....	caterer: Yugoslavia
Mark Kaplan	....	production staff: Los Angeles
Sveto Madzarevic	....	customs coordinator: Yugoslavia
Jacky Matthews	....	assistant to director
Ross Patton	....	production staff: Los Angeles
Nina Zeckovic	....	production secretary: Yugoslavia
Denis Cviticanin	....	stand-in (uncredited)
Mark Sheffield	....	cutting room engineer (uncredited)

Thanks
Howard Brownstein	....	thanks
Peter Dally	....	thanks
Jorge Gallegos	....	thanks
Zdravko Mihalic	....	thanks
Buckley Norris	....	thanks
Peter Rawley	....	thanks
Adrian Scrope	....	thanks
Dean Stolber	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Brandenberg
• WNET Channel 13 New York

Distributors

• Cinecom Pictures (1991) (USA) (theatrical)
• Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) (1992) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Hobo Film Enterprises (1991) (UK) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista Home Video (1992) (UK) (VHS)
• Buena Vista Home Video (1996) (USA) (video)
• Second Sight Films (2000) (UK) (VHS)
• Second Sight Films (2003) (UK) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Effects Associates (uncredited)

Other Companies

• British & Commonwealth Merchant Bank PLC  production financing
• Completion Bond Company  completion guarantee
• Jadran Film  filmed with the cooperation of
• Lee Lighting  grip and lighting equipment (uncredited)
• Mayflower Recording  adr recording (uncredited)
• Panavision Europe  camera equipment provided by
• Peter Watson Associates  titles and opticals
• Pinewood Studios  sound re-recorded at
• Snake Ranch Studios  music recorded at

Runtime:

117 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:L | South Korea:12 | Australia:PG | Finland:K-8 | Germany:12 | UK:PG | USA:PG (certificate #30638)

Filming Locations:

Brezice, Slovenia

Company:

Brandenberg

Trivia:

The pieces of paper blowing around throughout the course of the movie are actually the pages of the Latin Vulgate Bible, as can be seen on the close-up of Rosencrantz's apple pinwheel (specifically, The Prophecy of Zacharias, chapter 8).

Goofs:

Incorrectly regarded as goofs: When Rosencrantz and Guildenstern first encounter The Player, it is day, and then suddenly changes to night. At times, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are in a night-time setting, but when the shot changes to show the The Player and his Tragedians, the sky is blue/grey. However, this is probably intentional. Absurdist drama often features a vague or ill-defined setting, including time of day. Tom Stoppard also wrote the stage play on which his screenplay is based, which features several such apparent jumps in time continuity as a means of promoting or maintaining a sense of confusion in the audience.

Quotes:

[first lines]
[Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are riding horses down a path - they pause]
Rosencrantz: [to Guildenstern] Umm, uh...
[Guildenstern rides away, and Rosencrantz follows. Rosencrantz spots a gold coin on the ground]
Rosencrantz: [to horse] Whoa - whoa, whoa.
[Gets off horse and starts flipping the coin]
Rosencrantz: Hmmm. Heads. Heads. Heads. Heads. Heads. Heads. Heads. Heads. Heads. Heads. Heads. Heads. Heads. Heads. Heads. Heads. Heads. Heads.
[Guildenstern grabs the coin, checks both sides, then tosses it back to Rosencrantz]
Rosencrantz: Heads.
[Guildenstern pulls a coin out of his own pocket and flips it]
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Virgin Suicides (1999)

Soundtrack:

Echoes

plot within a plot within a plot...

This clever screenplay by Tom Stoppard challenges the viewer to listen and watch closely as the Shakespeare tragedy Hamlet is turned on its ear via taking the perspective of the oblivious rhetorics, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. There are multiple 'plot within plot' twists which intersect and skew at will, sometimes creating a surreal experience for the observer. The script is brilliant, full of double-entendres and mixed reactions executed superbly by Tim Roth and Gary Oldman, along with a solid supporting cast (including American actor Richard Dreyfus). Stoppard felt that the title characters, messengers in the original play, were under represented and so examines their possible perspectives in the tale by way of exploring their destiny and their lack-of-awareness of it. Stunning and hilarious wordplay with excellent repartee between Oldman and Roth. Refreshing and creative spin of the tale of Denmark's 'melancholy prince'.