Storyville (1992)

User Rating:

5.8/10   

Director:

Mark Frost

Writers (WGA):

Frank Galbally (novel) and
Robert Macklin (novel) ...
(more)

Release Date:

30 September 1992 (France)

Genre:

Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

One woman's passion can hurt you. One man's power can kill you.

Plot:

A young candidate for the senate is filmed with a hooker as blackmail. As he investigates, he discovers...

Plot Keywords:

Political | Blackmail | Family Secret | Southern Gothic | Ex Wife

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

James Spader	...	Cray Fowler
Joanne Whalley	...	Natalie Tate (as Joanne Whalley-Kilmer)
Jason Robards	...	Clifford Fowler
Charlotte Lewis	...	Lee
Michael Warren	...	Nathan LeFleur
Piper Laurie	...	Constance Fowler
Michael Parks	...	Michael Trevallian
Chuck McCann	...	Pudge Herman
Charles Haid	...	Abe Choate
Chino 'Fats' Williams	...	Theotis Washington
Woody Strode	...	Charlie Sumpter
Jeff Perry	...	Peter Dandridge
Galyn Görg	...	Spice
Justine Shapiro	...	Melanie Fowler (as Justine Arlin)
George Cheung	...	Xang
Phillip Carter	...	Avner Hollister
Ron Gural	...	Librarian
Fred Lewis	...	Bennett Jones
Graham Timbes	...	Sam Honess
Steve Forrest	...	Judge Quentin Murdoch
Lionel Ferbos	...	St. Alban's Father
Bernard Zette	...	Tom Plunkett
Sally Ann Roberts	...	Commentator
Jim Gleason	...	Lawyer (as Jim Gleeson)

Directed by
Mark Frost

Writing credits (WGA)
Frank Galbally		(novel "Juryman") and
Robert Macklin		(novel "Juryman")
Mark Frost		(screenplay) and
Lee Reynolds		(screenplay)

Produced by
John Davis	....	executive producer
John Flock	....	executive producer
Chappy Hardy	....	associate producer
Evzen Kolar	....	co-producer
Les Lithgow	....	co-executive producer
Edward R. Pressman	....	producer
David Roe	....	producer
George Zecevic	....	co-executive producer

Original Music by
Carter Burwell

Cinematography by
Ronald Víctor García

Film Editing by
B.J. Sears

Casting by
Johanna Ray

Production Design by
Richard Hoover

Art Direction by
Kathleen M. McKernin

Set Decoration by
Brian Kasch

Costume Design by
Louise Frogley

Makeup Department
Allison Gordin	....	key makeup artist
Lori Guidroz	....	key hair stylist
Stacy Kelly	....	makeup artist (as Stacy Stewart Kelly)
Melanie Verkins	....	assistant hair stylist
Melanie Verkins	....	assistant makeup artist

Production Management
M. Cevin Cathell	....	unit manager (as Cevin Cathell)
Frank Salvino	....	post-production supervisor
Robert D. Simon	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Randy N. Barbee	....	second assistant director
William Jennings	....	dga trainee
Deepak Nayar	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Jenny Baum	....	set dresser
Jack Blanchard	....	assistant carpenter (as Walter Blanchard Jr.)
Mary Buri	....	lead person
D. Chris Campbell	....	carpenter
Randall S. Coe	....	carpenter
Keith Cox	....	construction coordinator
Marlene Dermer	....	art department coordinator
Morgan Flaherty	....	carpenter
James 'Bud' Hays	....	assistant carpenter
John Herbert	....	painter
W.S. Hickey	....	construction foreman: New Orleans
Dale Janni	....	set dresser
Jon Kazunaga	....	carpenter
Ken Larson	....	construction foreman: Los Angeles
David Lux	....	storyboard artist
Patrick McGuire	....	set dresser
Jacqueline Miro	....	draftsman
Jeffrey Moore	....	property master
James D. Riewer	....	on-set dresser
Rich Robinson	....	property assistant
Joanne Schmidt	....	assistant set decorator
Larry Spurlock	....	lead painter
Kent State	....	props
Amy Vanderbeck	....	set dresser
Eric Whitaker	....	set dresser

Sound Department
Mark S. Andrew	....	assistant sound editor
James Beshears	....	supervising sound editor
Tom Gonta	....	foley mixer
David Halbert	....	boom operator
Stephen Halbert	....	production sound mixer
Alan Holly	....	adr mixer
Trevor Jolly	....	sound editor
Fred Judkins	....	sound editor
David Kern	....	sound editor
Robert Martel	....	assistant sound editor
Mark Ormandy	....	sound editor
Philip Rogers	....	sound recordist
Robert R. Rutledge	....	foley walker
Kirk Schuler	....	sound editor
Leslie Shatz	....	sound re-recording mixer
Dean St. John	....	adr recordist
Marian Wallace	....	sound re-recording mixer

Special Effects by
Lyn Caudle	....	special effects coordinator
Steve Krieger	....	special effects

Stunts
Kurt Bryant	....	stunts
Joe Dunne	....	stunts
Howard M. Gaude	....	stunts
Dennis Madalone	....	stunts
Jerry Spicer	....	stunt coordinator
Jerry Spicer	....	stunts
Phillip L. Tomalin Jr.	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Steve Boldruff	....	key grip (as Steve Boldroff)
John Britt	....	camera loader (as John Golden Britt)
Stephen Buckingham	....	camera loader
John Buckley	....	gaffer
Buzzy Burwell	....	lighting technician
Salvador Camacho	....	second assistant camera
Thomas E. Conrad	....	camera operator: video camera
Thomas C. Cook	....	best boy grip (as Thomas Cook)
Anthony Dalferes	....	camera intern
Sean Doyle	....	camera operator
Bruce Alan Greene	....	Steadicam operator (as Bruce Greene)
Alvin Henry	....	electrician
Louis Jones Jr.	....	electrician
Tommy Klines	....	first assistant camera
Kyle T. MacDowell	....	electrician
Patti Perret	....	still photographer
David Richardson	....	dolly grip
Gihan 'Sandy' Seneviratne	....	best boy electric
Gregory W. Smith	....	first assistant camera (as Gregory Smith)
Ricki R. Sylvester	....	grip
Rafael Valdes	....	electrician
Wendi Van Dyke	....	second assistant camera

Casting Department
Elaine J. Huzzar	....	casting assistant: Los Angeles (as Elaine Huzzar)
Rick Landry	....	extras casting
Anne Massey	....	casting: New Orleans

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Morgan Clevinger	....	set costumer
Mae Easterling	....	seamstress
Deborah Latham	....	costume supervisor
Amy Lilley	....	set costumer (as Amy Lynne Lilley)

Editorial Department
Peter Amundson	....	additional editor
Rick Downey	....	negative cutter
Carol Gniady	....	editorial intern
P.S. Holmes	....	second assistant editor
Dan Muscarella	....	color timer
Rachel Shaw-Bayon	....	first assistant editor
Dorre Street	....	assistant editor: New Orleans
Stas Tagios	....	apprentice editor

Music Department
Scott Ansell	....	music recording engineer
Jolene Cherry	....	music supervisor
Ann Kinney	....	assistant to music supervisor
Adam Milo Smalley	....	music editor (as Adam Smalley)

Transportation Department
Earl R. Hurst Sr.	....	transportation captain: New Orleans
Rudy Limauro	....	transportation captain: Los Angeles
Greg Van Dyke	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Brooke Brooks	....	assistant: John Davis
Ann Burgard	....	assistant: Mark Frost
Barbara Coston	....	assistant production auditor
Paddy Cullen	....	production coordinator
Tony Dominici	....	location assistant
Sean Finnegan	....	office production assistant
Charlie French	....	medic
Stan L. Friedman	....	unit publicist
Matthew Gayne	....	assistant: Evzen Kolar
Alan Gershenfeld	....	delivery supervisor
M.K. Gleason	....	production auditor
Ann Greenberg	....	production assistant: Los Angeles
Grace Griffith	....	post-production auditor
Dana A. Hanby	....	location manager (as Dana Hanby)
Chappy Hardy	....	unit publicist
Liz Landers	....	craft service
Michele Lilley	....	assistant production coordinator
Trey Marion	....	assistant craft service
Robert W. Morgenroth	....	24 frame video supervisor
Christopher Otto	....	assistant: Edward R. Pressman
Denise Perrin	....	set production assistant
Michael Radiloff	....	assistant: Edward R. Pressman
David Rome	....	set production assistant
Meagan Shapiro	....	set production assistant
Sara Shieds	....	set production assistant
Samantha Taylor	....	production assistant: Los Angeles
Larry Tero	....	set production assistant
Neal Thompson	....	title designer
Peggy Tison	....	production secretary (as Peggy Anne Tison)
Michael Toay	....	production assistant: Los Angeles
Phillip L. Tomalin Jr.	....	assistant: James Spader
William Towne	....	production assistant: Los Angeles
Brenda K. Wachel	....	script supervisor
Peter Wilson	....	location manager
David Margulis	....	set production assistant (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Davis Entertainment
• Grand Bay Films International Pty. (in association with)

Distributors

• Cipa (France)
• Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• LK-TEL Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• Laurenfilm (Spain)
• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Other Companies

• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  cranes and dollies
• Cinema Research  titles and opticals
• E=mc²  cranes and dollies
• Meridian Studios  adr provided by
• Saul Zaentz Film Center  sound re-recording

Runtime:

113 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Australia:M | Iceland:16 | Spain:18 | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

Company:

Davis Entertainment

Trivia:

Mark Frost first started writing the screenplay in 1987.

Quotes:

Cray: The past isn't dead. In fact, it isn't even past.

Soundtrack:

When It's Sleepy Time Down South

Plot Leaves One to Be Desired

A rampant fan of James Spader or not, this film is awful. The acting is brutally contrived, and I'm sick of seeing Spader in those pointlessly sexual situations, as has been his claim to fame, as it were. The fact that Spader is a decent actor doesn't do justice to the unremitting bouts of horridity.

A beautiful and "mysterious" Japanese maid seduces James Spader by way of leaving him a note on a napkin. "Meet Me At Storyville" sayeth aforementioned note. Storyville is some kind of neo-classical, über-Gothic club replete with with all-too-gothy foot-watching shuffle dance and one random couple making out as the only rapid action I'd venture to guess that club ever saw. He meets the sultry and readily available Charlotte Lewis (Lee); she takes him back to her swanky Japanese-motifed apartment (and makes him take off his shoes) where she then changes into kung-fu garb and pulls the pancake roll from hell. Long story short, he winds up sleeping with her in her bathtub while the camera pans around to a hidden room that is filming their love-making.

I also failed to mention Spader's character is a candidate in the senate, thereby making this recording of their sudsy festivities (I say "sudsy", but there were no suds) blackmail. Spader discovers this the hard way as he also discovers random things about his father, their past, et al.

I personally wouldn't spend two licks on this movie. It's horrid. Save your money, save your time, seriously.

...Though, I wouldn't mind having the soundtrack.

But still.