The Rapture (1991)

Director:

Michael Tolkin

Writer (WGA):

Michael Tolkin (written by)

Release Date:

4 October 1991 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Mystery

Tagline:

Rapture (rap'chur) 1. ecstatic joy or delight. 2. a state of extreme sexual ecstasy. 3. the feeling of being transported to another sphere of existence. 4. the experience of being spirited away to Heaven just before the Apocalypse.

Plot:

A telephone operator living an empty, amoral life finds God and loses him again.

Plot Keywords:

Telephone Operator | Sex | Tattoo | Group Sex | Faith

Awards:

4 nominations

Cast

Mimi Rogers	...	Sharon
Darwyn Carson	...	Maggie
Patrick Bauchau	...	Vic
Marvin Elkins	...	Bartender
David Duchovny	...	Randy
Stephanie Menuez	...	Diana
Sam Vlahos	...	Wayne
Rustam Branaman	...	Conrad
Scott Burkholder	...	Evangelist
Vince Grant	...	2nd Evangelist
Carole Davis	...	Angie
Patrick Dollaghan	...	Executive
James LeGros	...	Tommy
Dick Anthony Williams	...	Henry
DeVaughn Nixon	...	First Boy
Christian Benz Belnavis	...	Older Boy (as Christian Belnavis)
Kimberly Cullum	...	Mary
Victoria Williams	...	Faithful
Terri Hanauer	...	Paula
Douglas Roberts	...	Louis
Denney Pierce	...	Rock Climber
Will Patton	...	Deputy Foster
Joshua Farrell	...	Cashier
Andrew Pressman	...	Manager
Kerry Leigh Michaels	...	Guard
Henry Kingi	...	Angel
Linda Albertano	...	Angel
Michael David Lally	...	Man on Television
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Bojan Bazelli	...	(uncredited)
James Ent	...	Camper 2 (uncredited)
Kane Hodder	...	Security Guard (uncredited)
Josh Hutchinson	...	Cashier (uncredited)
Bill A. Jones	...	Presidential Press Secretary (uncredited)

Directed by
Michael Tolkin

Writing credits (WGA)
Michael Tolkin		(written by)

Produced by
Karen Koch	....	producer
Laurie Parker	....	executive producer
Nancy Tenenbaum	....	producer
Nick Wechsler	....	producer

Original Music by
Thomas Newman

Cinematography by
Bojan Bazelli

Film Editing by
Suzanne Fenn

Casting by
Deborah Aquila

Production Design by
Robin Standefer

Art Direction by
Kathleen M. McKernin

Set Decoration by
Susan Benjamin
Daniel J. Bernard
Thomas R. Wagner

Costume Design by
Giovanna Ottobre-Melton

Makeup Department
Deanne Kari Barba	....	tattoo artist
Diana Brown	....	swing hair stylist
Diana Brown	....	swing makeup artist
Deborah K. Larsen	....	key makeup artist
Jacklin Masteran	....	hair stylist
Rockwood	....	tattoo artist
Sandra J. Rubin	....	makeup artist (as Sandra Jill Rubin)
Scott Williams	....	key hair stylist

Production Management
Leslie A. Leitner	....	post-production supervisor
Eric McLeod	....	unit production manager
Deborah Moore	....	executive in charge of production

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Marcei A. Brown	....	second assistant director (as Marcei A. Brubaker)
Josh King	....	first assistant director
Douglas A. Raine	....	second assistant director

Art Department
William Xavier Acedo	....	lead man
Ella St. John Blakey	....	carpenter
Melany Brant	....	set painter
Paul J. Buckley	....	carpenter
Russell Bullock	....	scenic artist
Bill Cancienne	....	property master
Jose Ramirez Castanon	....	carpenter
Harry Conrad Chitwood	....	construction coordinator
Robert Consing	....	production illustrator
Aldo De Cicco	....	set painter
Rosemary De Cicco	....	set painter
Joe Del Monte	....	carpenter
Stephane Denizot	....	carpenter
Christopher Douglass	....	carpenter
Helmut Dusek	....	swing gang
Beth Elliott	....	lead scenic artist
Steven Lane Ewing	....	carpenter
Gordon Germaine	....	set painter
A. Eric Haynes	....	swing gang
Michael Anthony Jackson	....	storyboard artist
Humberto Jimenez	....	propmaker
Jose Jimenez	....	carpenter (as Jose Jiminez)
Rutilo Jimenez	....	carpenter
Allan F. Johnson	....	carpenter
Mark Benton Johnson	....	set dresser
Diane Laskin	....	set painter
Monique Limery	....	assistant props (as Monique Limery-Lewis)
Leane Ruth Little	....	art department coordinator
Marik 'Travis' Little	....	key set dresser
Kent W. Luttrell	....	carpenter
Douglas McKay	....	key swing (as Douglas J. McKay)
Anne Spilling Morris	....	set painter
Robert Newman	....	lead scenic artist
Brett Osborn	....	lead set painter
Randy Pepprock	....	set painter
Edmund C. Quintero	....	lead carpenter
Chris Rafalowski	....	carpenter
Stephen Reece	....	carpenter
Kevin Anders Rosenquist	....	set dresser
David H. Shields	....	carpenter
Linette Forbes Shorr	....	key set dresser
Chris L. Spellman	....	assistant property master
Caroline Stover	....	swing gang
Carolyn W. West	....	lead set painter
Paul Wilson	....	swing gang
David Weller	....	set designer (uncredited)

Sound Department
Brad Blake	....	post-production sound supervisor
Lynn Bopeley	....	boom operator
Brent Brewington	....	additional boom operator
Craig Clark	....	dialogue editor
Harry Cohen	....	digital sound effects editor
Todd Field	....	additional boom operator
Brian Geer	....	foley recordist
Lewis Goldstein	....	dialogue editor
Tommy Goodwin	....	foley mixer
David Kelson	....	sound mixer
Ossama Khuluki	....	foley artist
Terry O'Bright	....	adr engineer
Preston Oliver	....	dubbing recordist
Melissa Peabody	....	dialogue editor
Ken S. Polk	....	sound re-recording mixer
Joan Rowe	....	foley artist
Tony Sereno	....	sound editor
Steve F.B. Smith	....	stereo sound engineer: Dolby
Ken Teaney	....	sound re-recording mixer
Jeff Vaughn	....	adr engineer (as Jeffrey A. Vaughn)
Jeff Vaughn	....	foley mixer (as Jeffrey A. Vaughn)

Special Effects by
Lou Carlucci	....	special effects
John P. Cazin	....	special effects assistant
William D. Harrison	....	special effects
Steve Johnson	....	special effects
Dean W. Miller	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Chuck Shuman	....	blue screen consultant (uncredited)

Stunts
BJ Davis	....	utility stunts
Kane Hodder	....	stunt coordinator
Kane Hodder	....	stunts
Candy Hoskins	....	utility stunts
Steve Hulin	....	stunt coordinator
Steve Hulin	....	utility stunts
Henry Kingi	....	utility stunts
Barbara Anne Klein	....	utility stunts
Karen Laine	....	utility stunts
Alan Marcus	....	utility stunts
Lisa McCullough	....	utility stunts
Jimmy Medearis	....	utility stunts
Danny Rogers	....	utility stunts (as Daniel Rogers)
Jennifer Watson-Johnston	....	utility stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Mark Abel	....	second assistant camera
Roban Bieber	....	additional electrician
Douglas Blagg	....	additional electrician
Steven 'Jeeda' Bryant	....	electrician
David Carbon	....	grip
Richard Clarkson	....	additional first assistant camera
Susan A. Cohen	....	additional electrician (as Sean P. Cohen)
James A. Earley	....	grip
Erik A. Erichsen	....	electrician
Kenneth Estes	....	video playback operator
Kevin Fahey	....	additional grip
Michael James Fahey	....	best boy grip
Deric Farrell	....	additional electrician
Rudy M. Fenenga Jr.	....	first assistant camera
David Gasperik	....	additional electrician
Keith Gorman	....	electrician (as Keith A.F. Gorman)
Mitch Gulbin	....	best boy grip
Rick Hamilton	....	electrician
Roze Hanks	....	additional second assistant camera
Kurt Johnstad	....	additional grip
Rory Robert Knepp	....	additional second assistant camera
Didier Koskas	....	grip
Christopher Lyons	....	additional electrician
Anthony T. Marra II	....	key grip
Jeff Mart	....	Steadicam operator
Patrick Maxwell	....	additional grip (as Patrick N. Maxwell)
George Mooradian	....	camera operator
Wendell Morris	....	film loader
Anthony G. Nakonechnyj	....	gaffer
Luc G. Nicknair	....	additional first assistant camera
Christopher Prampin	....	additional electrician
Anthony Ragonese	....	additional grip
Joseph Ressa	....	best boy electric
Jackson W. Saunders	....	additional first assistant camera
Stephen Sharp	....	best boy electric
Wayne Stroud	....	dolly grip
Andy Sydney	....	additional first assistant camera
Abigayle Tarsches	....	still photographer
Paul Taylor	....	Steadicam assistant
Stephen Thorp	....	additional grip
Mookie Wilson	....	additional grip

Casting Department
Barbara Harris	....	adr voice casting
Jane Shannon-Smith	....	casting associate

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Kristen Anacker	....	costumer
Karyn Wagner	....	wardrobe supervisor
Taffye Wallace	....	wardrobe assistant

Editorial Department
Gary Burritt	....	negative cutter
Jared Cairns	....	assistant editor (as Jarred C. Cairns)
Travis Cowsill	....	assistant editor (as Travis T. Locke)
Joe Fineman	....	executive in charge of post-production
Gina Gallo	....	additional editor
Thalia Harithas	....	post-production assistant
Donna A. Jackloski	....	assistant editor
Eric A. Lewy	....	apprentice editor
Mike Milliken	....	color timer
Jean Marie Offenbacher	....	first assistant editor
Stuart Sperling	....	assistant editor
Josie Wechsler	....	second assistant editor

Music Department
Bill Bernstein	....	music editor

Transportation Department
Sheldon Cowan	....	driver
Debbie Garcia	....	driver
A. Eric Hayes	....	driver
Buddy Karroll	....	driver
Gil Martínez	....	driver
Hector Noriega	....	driver
Bruce W. Ringenbach	....	driver
Bruce W. Ringenbach	....	transportation coordinator
Armando Rowell	....	driver
Jay E. Vigil	....	driver
Roland Wilson	....	driver (as Roland W. Wilson)

Other crew
Alison Balian	....	assistant to producers
Trey Batchelor	....	on-set production assistant
John Peter Bernardo	....	production assistant
Rebecca Boss	....	production coordinator
John O. Brown III	....	key set production assistant
Bundy Chanock	....	set medic
Cynhia Cohn	....	assistant: Michael Tolkin
Margaret M. Dillen	....	assistant production accountant
Mark Feeza	....	assistant to producers
Mitch Gettleman	....	craft service (as Mitchell C. Gettleman)
Gigi Giraudo	....	assistant production coordinator
Joseph M. Gonzales	....	park ranger
Greg Grant	....	production assistant
Sandi Gross	....	craft service
David Haldiman	....	location manager
Geoff Harding	....	assistant location manager (as Geoffrey Harding)
Cindy Hornickel	....	production executive
Gary Jacobson	....	title designer
Cindy Litman	....	contract supervisor
Stella Pacifi Lomonaco	....	on-set teacher
Ted McLaughlin	....	stand-in
Sally Morton	....	legal assistant
Paul K. Moulor	....	assistant location manager
Michelle Parillo	....	medic
Leslie Park	....	script supervisor
Jib H. Polhemus	....	craft service
Gail Rodono	....	production controller
Phillip L. Rosen	....	production attorney
James A. Shugart	....	wrangler
Miriam Spickler	....	troubleshooter
Brad Stephens	....	publicist
Elizabeth Tobis	....	stand-in
Jenno Topping	....	assistant location manager
Jay E. Vigil	....	horse hauler
Sharon Waring	....	assistant: Mimi Rogers
Brian Scott Weber	....	craft service
Julia Zane	....	production accountant (as Julia Guild)
Michael Zieper	....	production assistant

Thanks
Keith Addis	....	special thanks
Rick Dobbs	....	special thanks
Sarah Gilkeson	....	special thanks
Janet Grillo	....	special thanks
Michael Harpster	....	special thanks
Marjorie Lewis	....	special thanks
Wendy Mogel	....	special thanks
Sara Risher	....	special thanks
Rachel Rosenthal	....	special thanks
Davitt Sigerson	....	special thanks
Emma Tolkin	....	special thanks
Susanna Tolkin	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• New Line Cinema

Distributors

• Fine Line Features (1991) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (USA) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (USA) (laserdisc)
• LK-TEL (199?) (Argentina) (VHS)
• New Line Home Video (1998) (USA) (VHS)
• New Line Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• A.P. Services  payroll services
• Albert G. Ruben and Company  insurance
• BTS Payroll Services Inc.  payroll services
• Cinema Research  opticals
• Clairmont Camera  cameras equipment provided by
• Cottrell & Lindeman Associates  unit publicity
• Entertainment Casting Company  extras casting
• Filmtrucks  location equipment
• Hollywood Caterers  catering
• Inter Video  special thanks
• L.A. Permit Office  special thanks
• Production Caterers  catering
• San Bernadino Sheriff's Department  special thanks
• Star Casting Service  extras casting
• Title House  main and end titles
• Yonamine Pearls Co.  special thanks

Runtime:

100 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Canada:R (Ontario) | Germany:16 | Iceland:12 | South Korea:18 | UK:18 | Australia:M | Argentina:18 | Chile:18 | Finland:K-16 | France:-16 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

New Line Cinema

Trivia:

In the DVD commentary, David Duchovny and Michael Tolkin remind Mimi Rogers that Brad Pitt read for the role of Tommy. She even read with him, they said; but she responds that she doesn't remember him. James LeGros got the role. Rogers persuaded Tolkin to cast him, even though his audition was not very good.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Sharon: Please hold for the number. Operator 134. What city please? Is that a business or residence?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Saturday Night Live: David Duchovny/Rod Stewart (#20.20)" (1995)

Soundtrack:

WELL ENOUGH

Kick Ass Film

I like many different kinds of movies, but this is one of my very favorites because it's among the rare few that really touched me. The film takes on a HUGE subject (the price of devotion) in a very direct and simple way, and truly brought me inside the heroine's world.

I think a lot of us can identify with Sharon's yearning to get something more out of life; I mean, who can claim this is really the best of all possible worlds? (Look around!) The scene where Sharon breaks down after showering in scalding water, weeping that she's tired of all the pain and emptiness, is unforgettable. Mimi Rogers plays the part with complete conviction, and I especially like her glowing serenity in the middle section in which she's saved. (The actress' delivery is occasionally a bit flat, but I actually think that's brilliant. Roger's isn't playing a rocket scientist, just a lost, ordinary woman.) As for the poster who made the brilliant observation that the character "looks just as bored and unfulfilled by random group sex as she is by answering telephones all day," um, that's the point. In the first group sex scene Sharon enjoys herself, yet she eventually leaves the swingers scene when she feels unfulfilled.

I also love the sequence where the born-again Sharon is at work, proselytizing The Word to people who've only called Directory Assistance for phone numbers. ("Well I'm sure you're in a hurry, but don't you think you could take time out to get to know your Lord and Savior?") The scene where Sharon tells her old party pal that she's met a really great guy (Jesus) is priceless as well, and the scene where she's pulled over by a cop near the end and breaks down is extremely powerful.

The film does look a little low budget, especially near the end, but it's a movie about ideas and emotion, not spectacle. It's a thoughtful and thorough film, with an articulate point of view that doesn't judge its characters who enjoy evangelical faith...which is rather unlike the judgmental view of the God we're usually presented with.