Dead Again (1991)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

Kenneth Branagh

Writer (WGA):

Scott Frank (written by)

Release Date:

23 August 1991 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Mystery | Romance | Thriller

Tagline:

How many times can you die for love?

Plot:

Mike Church is a Los Angeles private detective who specialises in finding missing persons. He takes on the case of a mystery woman who he calls Grace...

Plot Keywords:

Church | Murder | Strauss | Hypnosis | Private

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 4 nominations

Cast

Kenneth Branagh	...	Roman Strauss / Mike Church
Andy Garcia	...	Gray Baker
Emma Thompson	...	Grace / Margaret Strauss
Lois Hall	...	Sister Constance
Richard Easton	...	Father Timothy
Jo Anderson	...	Sister Madeleine / Starlet
Patrick Montes	...	Pickup Driver
Raymond Cruz	...	Clerk
Robin Williams	...	Doctor Cozy Carlisle
Wayne Knight	...	'Piccolo' Pete Dugan
Patrick Doyle	...	Policeman in lift
Erik Kilpatrick	...	Cop #2
Gordana Rashovich	...	Handcuffed Woman
Derek Jacobi	...	Franklyn Madson
Obba Babatundé	...	Syd (as Obba Babatunde)
Christine Ebersole	...	Lydia Larsen
Vasek Simek	...	Otto (as Vasek C. Simek)
Hanna Schygulla	...	Inga
Gregor Hesse	...	Frankie
John Gould Rubin	...	Cafe Owner
Campbell Scott	...	Doug
Steven Culp	...	Party Guest #1
Yvette Freeman	...	Nurse
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Miriam Margolyes	...	Lady (uncredited)
Ralph Morse	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Peter Riga	...	Waiter at House Party (uncredited)

Directed by
Kenneth Branagh

Writing credits (WGA)
Scott Frank		(written by)

Produced by
Lindsay Doran	....	producer
Dennis Feldman	....	co-producer
Charles H. Maguire	....	producer
Sydney Pollack	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Patrick Doyle

Cinematography by
Matthew F. Leonetti		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Peter E. Berger

Casting by
Gail Levin

Production Design by
Tim Harvey

Art Direction by
Sydney Z. Litwack

Set Decoration by
Jerry Adams

Costume Design by
Phyllis Dalton

Makeup Department
Kathryn Blondell	....	hair stylist
Thomas R. Burman	....	special makeup effects (as Tom Burman)
Bari Dreiband-Burman	....	special makeup effects (as Bari Burman)
Leonard Engelman	....	second makeup artist
Virginia G. Hadfield	....	second hair stylist (as Virginia Hadfield)
Daniel C. Striepeke	....	makeup artist (as Dan Striepeke)
Audrey L. Anzures	....	hair stylist (uncredited)

Production Management
William C. Gerrity	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Steve Danton	....	first assistant director
Tracy Rosenthal-Newsom	....	second assistant director (as Tracy Rosenthal)
Kate Yurka	....	dga trainee

Art Department
Henry Alberti	....	set designer
Gary Daspit	....	property person
Glen R. Feldman	....	assistant property master (as Glen Feldman)
Frank Flores	....	property person
Joseph E. Hubbard	....	set designer (as Joseph Hubbard)
Jim Husbands	....	lead person (as James Husbands)
Dennis Ivanjack	....	production painter
Robert Krume	....	construction coordinator
Eric Orbom	....	set designer
George Stuart Jr.	....	paint supervisor (as George Stuart)
Robert A. Sturtevant	....	general supervisor (as Bob Sturtevant)
Edward Staten Vance	....	construction supervisor (as Ed Vance)
Dean Wilson	....	assistant property master
John Zemansky	....	property master
Jim Husbands	....	leadman (uncredited)

Sound Department
Bobbi Banks	....	adr editor
Bob Baron	....	adr mixer
Denis Blackerby	....	dubbing recordist
Fred Burke	....	foley editor
Larry Carow	....	sound editor
Marty Church	....	foley mixer
Midge Costin	....	sound editor
Greg Curda	....	foley mixer
Ken Dufva	....	foley artist
Thom 'Coach' Ehle	....	stereo sound consultant: Dolby (as Thom Ehle)
David Lee Fein	....	foley artist
Frank Howard	....	sound editor
David J. Hudson	....	sound re-recording mixer
Joseph A. Ippolito	....	sound editor
Jerry Jost	....	sound mixer (as Gerald G. Jost)
Victoria Martin	....	foley editor
Mel Metcalfe	....	sound re-recording mixer
Donald Ortiz	....	assistant sound editor
Maggie Ostroff	....	assistant sound editor
Terry Porter	....	sound re-recording mixer
Joan Rowe	....	foley artist
Christopher C. Schiavo	....	apprentice sound editor
Fred Stafford	....	adr editor
Pat Suraci	....	boom operator
James Thompson	....	cable person
George Watters II	....	supervising sound editor
Gary Wright	....	sound editor

Special Effects by
Steven C. Foster	....	special effects (as Steve Foster)
Greg Hendrickson	....	special effects (as Gregg Hendrickson)
Frank Toro	....	special effects

Stunts
Gregory J. Barnett	....	stunt coordinator (as Greg Barnett)
Steve Boyum	....	stunt coordinator
Clarke Coleman	....	stunts
Doug Coleman	....	stunts
Kenny Endoso	....	stunts (as Ken Endoso)
Jeannie Epper	....	stunts (as Jean Epper)
Kelly Malone	....	stunts
John Meier	....	stunts
Chad Randall	....	stunts
Jayleen Sun	....	stunts
Mickey White	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Keith Baber	....	assistant lighting technician
Pat Blymyer	....	chief lighting technician (as Patrick Blymyer)
Tim Dunford	....	second assistant camera
Mark Figueroa	....	second assistant camera
Bob Fillis	....	assistant lighting technician (as Robert Fillis)
Antonio V. Garrido	....	dolly grip (as Antonio Garrido)
Lloyd Gowdy	....	electrician
Burton Lindemoen	....	second company grip (as Burt Lindemoen)
Don Linsley	....	grip
Kurt Marshall	....	electrician
Patrick Marshall	....	electrician
Robert D. McBride	....	camera operator (as Robert McBride)
Terry H. Neville	....	electrician (as Terry Neville)
Thomas A. Pendell	....	video assist operator
Dan Reilly	....	first company grip (as Daniel Reilly)
Russell Reilly	....	second company grip
Peter Sorel	....	still photographer
Stephen J. Ullman	....	first assistant camera (as Steve Ullman)
Michael D. Weldon	....	first assistant camera (as Mike Weldon)

Casting Department
Barbara Harris	....	voice casting
Elisabeth Jereski	....	casting assistant (as Liz Jereski)
Kim Hardin	....	casting associate (uncredited)
Franklyn Warren	....	extras casting (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Ann Culotta	....	costumer
Sandra Culotta	....	costume supervisor
Deborah Hopper	....	costumer
Daniel Weinberg	....	costumer

Editorial Department
John Coniglio	....	apprentice film editor (as John Robert Coniglio)
Bob Kaiser	....	color timer
Karen Marmer	....	post-production associate (as Karen Marmer Allen)
Theresa Repola Mohammed	....	negative cutter
George C. Villaseñor	....	assistant film editor

Music Department
Lawrence Ashmore	....	orchestrator
William Kraft	....	conductor
Roy Prendergast	....	music editor
John Richards	....	score mixer
Bob Beecher	....	apprentice music editor (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Anthony C. Steere	....	transportation captain (as A.C. Steere)
James Thornsberry	....	transportation coordinator (as Jim Thornsberry)

Other crew
Scott W. Anderson	....	assistant: Mr. Maguire
Serena Baker	....	assistant location manager
Vartan Chakarian	....	craft service (as Vartan Chakirian)
Hugh Cruttwell	....	production consultant (as Hugh Crutwell)
Dana Delfs	....	production office assistant
Susan Hegarty	....	dialect coach
Jana Karas	....	accounting assistant
Carol King	....	assistant to producer
Barbara Lortie	....	first aid (as Barbra Lortie)
John McDonald	....	assistant: Mr. Maguire
Kathleen Melton	....	production secretary
Carla Meyer	....	dialect coach (as Carla Myer)
Phill Norman	....	title designer
Eileen Peterson	....	unit publicist
Michael Roberts	....	production accountant (as Michael D. Roberts)
Marshall Schlom	....	script supervisor (as Marshall I. Schlom)
S.W. Schuster	....	assistant: Mr. Branagh
Ned R. Shapiro	....	location manager (as Ned Shapiro)
Mindy Sheldon	....	assistant accountant
Barbara Spitz	....	production coordinator
David M. Rodriguez	....	production accountant: additional photography (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Mirage
• Paramount Pictures (presents)

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1991) (USA) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1992) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Paramount Home Video (1992) (USA) (VHS)
• Paramount Home Video (1992) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1994) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Paramount Filmes do Brasil (2002) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (2002) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (Argentina) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (Argentina) (VHS)
• CIC Vídeo (199?) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (199?) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (Spain)

Other Companies

• Central Casting  extras casting
• Cinema Research  titles and opticals
• Evergreen Recording Studios  music recording
• F-Stop Film & Video  titles and opticals
• Leonetti Company  camera equipment provided by
• Michaelson Food Service  catering (as Michaelson's)
• Renaissance Theatre Company  special thanks

Runtime:

107 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White | Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Germany:12 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R | Argentina:13 | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

380 South San Rafael Avenue, Pasadena, California, USA

Company:

Mirage

Trivia:

Hanna Schygulla played Derek Jacobi's mother, even though she was five years younger than him in real life.

Goofs:

Errors in geography: The address on the driver's license Pete gives "Grace" has one street number on Hightower, then later, when Mike Church kicks in her door, the *real* address of the actual Hightower residence is on the exterior wall beside the door.

Quotes:

Franklyn Madson: Actually, I'm a hypnotist.
Mike Church: OK, here's the water, there's the door, sorry about the stairs.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Saturday Night Live: Jeff Goldblum/Aerosmith (#19.3)" (1993)

Soundtrack:

Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini

oh, I really like this movie!

I just finished watching "Dead Again" for the second time, and I really dig it. It's a well-made thriller, and Kenneth Branagh and Emma Thompson were always great together. It has an interesting story, a couple of good jump moments, and good supporting performances from Robin Williams and whatshisname who played Newman on "Seinfeld". The Hitchcock homage isn't overdone, and there are some nicely-placed visual clues (although one of them is far too obvious, the others are more subtle), as well as little references to other films the actors have been in before. Derek Jacobi is soooo good at being slimy, and the entire end sequence is tense and well-edited. That said, the big twist toward the end of the movie does poke a couple of plot holes, and causes some real loss of tension at the end of the movie- placing the big revelation much closer to the end might have made a big difference in the division of opinions about this movie. Either way, it's pretty enjoyable- well worth renting on a rainy night.