Brain Donors (1992)

Director:

Dennis Dugan

Writers (WGA):

Pat Proft (screenplay)
George S. Kaufman (screenplay) (suggestion) ...
(more)

Release Date:

17 April 1992 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

The producers of Airplane! and The Naked Gun invite you to a night of ballet. Fasten your seat belts.

Plot:

Three manic idiots; a lawyer, cab driver and a handyman team up to run a ballet company to fulfill the will of a millionaire...

Plot Keywords:

Stop Motion | Slapstick | Remake | Vaudeville | Beautiful Woman

Cast

John Turturro	...	Roland T. Flakfizer
Bob Nelson	...	Jacques
Mel Smith	...	Rocco Melonchek
George De La Pena	...	Roberto Volare
John Savident	...	Edmund Lazlo
Spike Alexander	...	Alan Grant
Juliana Donald	...	Lisa Le Baron (as Juli Donald)
Nancy Marchand	...	Lillian Oglethorpe
Teri Copley	...	Tina
Irene Olga López	...	Pedestrian
Warren Thomas	...	Paramedic
Dick Monday	...	Rob
Katherine Heard	...	Laura
Michael Ciotti	...	Kid
Gary Grossman	...	Father
Anita Dangler	...	Usherette
Charlotte Zucker	...	Woman with Program
Max Alexander	...	L.A. Stage Manager
John C. Anders	...	Security Guard Amundson
Billy Beck	...	Janitor
Dick Corman	...	Theatre Janitor
Marion Dugan	...	Good Morning Usher
Jim Smith	...	Stage Hand
Ricky Lee La Pietre	...	Stage Hand
Eddie Griffin	...	Messenger
Louisa Abernathy	...	Nurse
Corki Grazer	...	Nurse
Kathleen Doyle	...	Nurse
Franklin Cover	...	Doctor
Richardson Morse	...	Jailor
Jason Ross-Azikiwe	...	Precinct Cop
Thomas Mikal Ford	...	Cop
Matthew Sussman	...	Cop
Charles Dugan	...	N.Y. Stage Manager
Mark Pitta	...	Singing Lobster Gram
Barbara Schillaci	...	Stuffy Patron
Katherine LaNasa	...	Dancer #1
Michael Dansicker	...	N.Y. Conductor
Sam Krachmalnick	...	L.A. Conductor
Eric Poppick	...	Chauffeur
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jessica Biscardi	...	Ballet dancer (uncredited)

Directed by
Dennis Dugan

Writing credits (WGA)
Pat Proft		(screenplay)
George S. Kaufman		(screenplay "A Night At the Opera") (suggestion) and
Morrie Ryskind		(screenplay "A Night At the Opera") (suggestion)
James Kevin McGuinness		(story) (suggestion)

Produced by
James D. Brubaker	....	producer
Steven Hirsch	....	second assistant producer
Gil Netter	....	producer
David Zucker	....	executive producer
Jerry Zucker	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Ira Newborn

Cinematography by
David M. Walsh

Film Editing by
Malcolm Campbell

Production Design by
William J. Cassidy

Art Direction by
Frank Richwood
William Ladd Skinner

Set Decoration by
Jeanette M. Gunn

Costume Design by
Robert Turturice

Makeup Department
Carrie Angland	....	assistant makeup artist (as Carrie Anglund)
Carol Borden	....	body makeup
Janis Clark	....	hair stylist
Francisco X. Pérez	....	makeup artist (as Frank Carrisosa)
Evelyn Trimmer	....	assistant makeup artist

Production Management
James D. Brubaker	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
James Simons	....	first assistant director
Jeffrey W. Stacey	....	second second assistant director

Art Department
Jeff Ackerman	....	assistant property master
Ray Anthony	....	prop person
Martin G. Beazell	....	second assistant propmaster
Guy Douglass	....	assistant property master
Steven Jarrard	....	lead person
Gary A. Lee	....	set designer
Robert Maddy	....	set designer
Jim McDermott	....	prop person
James J. Murakami	....	set designer
Steev J. Pears	....	first assistant property master
Paul Prince	....	first assistant property master (as Paul Rene Prince)
Gayle Simon	....	assistant art director
Robert D. Stout	....	drapery
Douglas M. Vaughn	....	prop person
Gregory R. Wolf	....	property master
Maurice Zuiseranu	....	illustrator

Sound Department
Rachel Bayon	....	assistant sound editor
Clayton Collins	....	sound effects editor
William B. Kaplan	....	sound mixer
Chuck Michael	....	foley editor
Jaqueline Reisman	....	assistant sound editor
Earl Sampson	....	boom operator
Leslie Shatz	....	sound effects supervisor
Jules Strasser	....	cable person
Jennifer L. Ware	....	sound effects editor
Josie Wechsler	....	assistant sound editor
Ken Dufva	....	foley artist (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Steve Grumette	....	computer effects supervisor

Stunts
Max Balchowsky	....	stunts
Stan Barrett	....	stunts
Stanton Barrett	....	stunts
Simone Boisseree	....	stunts
May Boss	....	stunts (as Mary R. Boss)
Joe Finnegan	....	stunts
Lance Gilbert	....	stunts
Mickey Gilbert	....	stunt coordinator
Troy Gilbert	....	stunts
James C. Lewis	....	stunts (as Jimmy Lewis)
Clint Lilley	....	stunts (as Clint Lilly)
Matt McColm	....	stunts
Gary McLarty	....	stunts
Gregg Sargeant	....	stunts
Paul Stader	....	stunts
Chuck Waters	....	stunts
Fred M. Waugh	....	stunts
Ric Roman Waugh	....	stunts
Jim Wilkey	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Richard Alarian	....	chief lighting technician
Jean M. Beazell	....	film loader
Martin G. Beazell	....	second assistant camera
Stephen E. Bridge	....	camera operator
Marty Carrillo	....	lighting technician
Dick Colean	....	camera operator
Ed Cooper Cowie	....	assistant lighting technician
Sammy Davis	....	grip
Brad Edmiston	....	first assistant camera
Carlos M. Gallardo	....	dolly grip
Brad M. Hazen	....	lighting technician
Steven A. Hughes	....	lighting technician
Mike James	....	grip
Simon Jayes	....	crane operator: Technocrane
Hugh Langtry	....	second company grip (as Hugh Lantry)
Robert Miller Jr.	....	grip
Thomas R. Miller	....	grip
Richard Moran	....	first company grip
Michael Nash	....	camera operator
Steev J. Pears	....	first assistant camera
Víctor Pérez	....	lighting technician
Paul Prince	....	first assistant camera
Allen Shelley	....	lighting technician
Michael J. Spehar	....	assistant lighting technician
Andrew R. Tepper	....	still photographer
Neil Toussaint	....	second assistant camera
Patrick J. Vitolla	....	second company grip
Rick Wilhoit	....	chief rigging electrician

Animation Department
Douglas Aberle	....	animator: closing animation
John Ashlee Prat	....	animator: opening animation
Larry Bafia	....	animator: closing animation
Paul Diener	....	animation producer
Chuck Duke	....	animator: opening animation
William Fiesterman	....	animator: opening animation (as William C. Fiesterman)
Tom K. Gurney	....	animator: opening animation (as Thomas Gurney)
Mark Gustafson	....	animator: opening animation
Mark Gustafson	....	director: opening animation
Hal T. Hickel	....	animator: closing animation
Skeets McGrew	....	director: closing animation
Ray Nelson Jr.	....	animator: opening animation
Jean G. Poulot	....	animator: opening animation
Matt Isakson	....	assistant animator (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Jody Berke	....	set costumer
Melissa Franz	....	set costumer
Dawn J. Jackson	....	costume supervisor
Sarah Shawe	....	set costumer
Kenn Smiley	....	set costumer

Editorial Department
James Andrykowski	....	assistant film editor
Alan Geik	....	additional film editor
Brion McIntosh	....	assistant film editor (as Bryon McIntosh)
Markus Schaub	....	apprentice film editor
Ralph O. Sepulveda Jr.	....	assistant film editor

Music Department
Jeff Carson	....	supervising music editor
Gary Ladinsky	....	score mixer
Bruce Miller	....	conductor
Bruce Miller	....	music arranger

Transportation Department
Tim Abbatoye	....	transportation captain (uncredited)

Other crew
Paul F. Brinkman Jr.	....	location man
John Carrafa	....	choreographer
Megan Murphy Matheson	....	assistant choreographer
Warren L. Shaffer	....	on-set prop person
Deborah Simmrin	....	publicist (as Deborah Ruth Simmrin)
P.R. Tooke	....	script supervisor
Gary Watt	....	key location manager
Vail Romeyn	....	production coordinator: re-shoots (uncredited)
Jeffrey D. Stevens	....	medic (uncredited)
Terrance Ottis Williams	....	accounting assistant (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Paramount Pictures
• Zucker Brothers Productions

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1992) (USA) (theatrical)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (199?) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Paramount Home Video (1993) (USA) (VHS)
• Paramount Home Video (2002) (USA) (DVD)

Also Known As:

Lame Ducks

Runtime:

Spain:76 min | USA:80 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:L | Germany:6 | Canada:PG | Netherlands:AL (video rating) | UK:PG | USA:PG

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

Although is not said in the official description of the movie, the screenplay and characters are based on the classic comedy masterpiece by the Marx Brothers - A Night at the Opera (1935).

Goofs:

Continuity: When Flakfizer and the guys are going to the hospital, as they leave the townhouse, Flakfizer is wearing a purple suit. As he exits the car at the hospital, his suit is black/gray, but as he walks into the hospital, the suit is purple again. This has been fixed on the DVD.

Quotes:

Roland T. Flakfizer: So, do you enjoy being a cab driver?
Rocco Melonchek: Nah. As soon as I get my driver's license, I'm quitting.

Movie Connections:

Spoofs A Night at the Opera (1935)

Soundtrack:

THEME FROM 'NEW YORK, NEW YORK'

The funniest one-liners since Groucho.

A lot of critics moaned when this movie came out that its characters were pale imitations of the Marx Brothers. Fine, that might be true. But this movie is still hilarious. On the surface, it appears to be a very dumb comedy, but if you listen to John Turturro's constant string of dialogue, you'll realize that his insults are the most sharp-edged one-liners since Groucho died. Obviously it's not as good as any Marx Brothers comedies, but it's not bad either.