The Pickle (1993)

Director:

Paul Mazursky

Writer (WGA):

Paul Mazursky (written by)

Release Date:

30 April 1993 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Plot:

Harry Stone (Danny Aiello), a formerly top notch director, has had three disastrous movies in a row...

Plot Keywords:

Manic Depression | Humor | Ego | Girlfriend | Hollywood

Cast

Danny Aiello	...	Harry Stone
Dyan Cannon	...	Ellen Stone
Clotilde Courau	...	Françoise
Shelley Winters	...	Yetta
Barry Miller	...	Ronnie Liebowitz
Jerry Stiller	...	Phil Hirsch
Chris Penn	...	Gregory Stone
Little Richard	...	President
Jodi Long	...	Yakimoto Yakimura
Rebecca Miller	...	Carrie
Stephen Tobolowsky	...	Mike Krakower
Caroline Aaron	...	Nancy Osborne
Rita Karin	...	Grandmother
Linda Carlson	...	Bernadette
Kimiko Gelman	...	Patti Wong (as Kimiko Cazanov)
Ally Sheedy	...	Molly-Girl / Herself
J.D. Daniels	...	Young Harry
Spalding Gray	...	Doctor
Elya Baskin	...	Russian Cab Driver
Michael Greene	...	Mission Control Farmer
Robert Cicchini	...	Electronics Store Clerk
John Rothman	...	Chauffeur
Castulo Guerra	...	Jose Martinez
Caris Corfman	...	Young Yetta
Arthur Taxier	...	Father
Sol Frieder	...	Grandfather
Paul Mazursky	...	Butch Levine
Michael Shulman	...	Young Butch
Brandon Danziger	...	Pinnie
Louis Falk	...	Irwin
Ben Diskin	...	Little Boy 1945
Geoffrey Blake	...	Clem
Brent Hinkley	...	Farm Boy
Eric Edwards	...	Farm Boy
Richmond Arquette	...	Farm Boy
Stephen Polk	...	Farm Boy
Paul Bates	...	Kareem
Marcus Naylor	...	Concierge
Joe Pecoraro	...	Doorman
Betsy Mazursky	...	Pharmacy Clerk
Michael Harris	...	David
Anna Maria Clark	...	Molly
Caroline Clark	...	Molly
Arthur French	...	Car Man
Erik King	...	Man with Beer
Davenia McFadden	...	Woman in Window
Larry Gilliard Jr.	...	Boy Who Stopped (as Lawrence Gilliard Jr.)
Sharrieff Pugh	...	Boy Who Also Stopped
Billy Jaye	...	FX Man
Sergio Premoli	...	Alberto
Mark Deakins	...	Clapper Boy
Brooke Smith	...	1st A.D.
Chuck Flores	...	Drummer
Bob Harrison	...	Bassist
Michael Asher	...	Piano Player
Andre Philippe	...	Mr. Aronowitz
Fyvush Finkel	...	Mr. Shacknoff
Nathaniel Katzman	...	Uncle Morris
Waldemar Kalinowski	...	Crying Man
Twink Caplan	...	Crying Woman
Tony Conforti	...	Crying Man in Candy Store (as Tony Conferti)
Steve Cody	...	Tractor Man
Jill Mazursky	...	Tractor Woman
Zeljko Negovetic	...	Wagon Driver
Chris Vecchione	...	Farm Girl
Randall Wulff	...	Adam (as Scott Wulff)
Jacklynn Jill Evans	...	Eve
Hap Lawrence	...	Gothic Man
Patricia Place	...	Gothic Woman
Michael Ashe	...	Elegant Man
Tiffany Salerno	...	Elegant Woman
Richard Coate	...	Plaza Hotel Waiter
Josif Shikhil	...	Russian Man Coney Island
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
John Brennan	...	Downtown Man (uncredited)
Griffin Dunne	...	Planet Cleveland Man (uncredited)
Dudley Moore	...	Dudley Moore as Planet Cleveland Man (uncredited)
Isabella Rossellini	...	Planet Cleveland Woman (uncredited)
Donald Trump	...	Himself (uncredited)

Directed by
Paul Mazursky

Writing credits (WGA)
Paul Mazursky		(written by)

Produced by
Paul Mazursky	....	producer
Patrick McCormick	....	executive producer
Stuart H. Pappé	....	co-producer (as Stuart Pappé)

Original Music by
Michel Legrand

Cinematography by
Fred Murphy

Film Editing by
Stuart H. Pappé		(as Stuart Pappé)

Casting by
Carrie Frazier
Shani Ginsberg

Production Design by
James D. Bissell		(as James Bissell)

Art Direction by
Christopher Burian-Mohr

Set Decoration by
Dorree Cooper

Costume Design by
Albert Wolsky

Makeup Department
Wayne Massarelli	....	makeup artist: Ms. Canon
Valli O'Reilly	....	makeup artist
Gigi Williams	....	makeup artist
Joy Zapata	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Patrick McCormick	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Henry Bronchtein	....	first assistant director
Jane Paul	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Joseph Alfieri	....	construction coordinator
Christopher Amy	....	first assistant property master
Mark Bachman	....	scenic charge
John Berger	....	art director: New York
Guido DeCurtis	....	leadman
Majid Falamaki	....	assistant art director
David L. Glazer	....	property master

Sound Department
David Behle	....	sound recordist
Patrick Bietz	....	sound editor
Michael Herbick	....	sound re-recording mixer
Randall L. Johnson	....	boom operator (as Randall Johnson)
Robert J. Litt	....	sound re-recording mixer
Norman B. Schwartz	....	adr supervisor (as Norman Schwartz)
Elliot Tyson	....	sound re-recording mixer
James E. Webb	....	production sound mixer
John Roesch	....	foley artist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Tom Martinek	....	motion control assistant: Apogee
Hans Metz	....	special effects technician
Michael Wood	....	special effects coordinator

Visual Effects by
Mike Chambers	....	visual effects producer
David Stump	....	effects director of photography

Camera and Electrical Department
Michael Burke	....	gaffer: New York
Bruce Byall	....	best boy grip
Tim Collins	....	grip
Mitch Dubin	....	camera operator
Brian Hamill	....	still photographer
Nils Johnson	....	key video assist: New York
Brett Laumann	....	electrical best boy
Steve Mathis	....	gaffer
Matthew Morrissey	....	assistant camera
David Norris	....	camera operator: Wescam camera
Steve Smith	....	key grip
Patricia Van Over	....	first assistant camera (as Pattie Vanover)

Music Department
Dan Wallin	....	score mixer

Transportation Department
Tom Briggs	....	transportation coordinator
Michael Hyde	....	local transportation captain

Other crew
Corey Burton	....	adr loop group
Al Cerullo	....	helicopter pilot
Maureen 'Mo' Crutchfield	....	first assistant accountant
Anne C. Ford	....	assistant accountant
Michelle Morrissey	....	production coordinator (as Michelle Weinberg)
Phil Smith	....	animal trainer
Randy Unger	....	location manager

Distributors

• Columbia Home Video (video)
• Columbia Pictures
• Columbia TriStar Film Distributors International (1993) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (USA) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (USA) (laserdisc)
• Filmayer (Spain)
• LK-TEL (1993) (Argentina) (VHS)

Also Known As:

The Adventures of the Flying Pickle (UK) (video title)

Runtime:

Spain:103 min | USA:103 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Argentina:Atp | Singapore:NC-16 | Iceland:L | Spain:18 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA

Movie Connections:

References Citizen Kane (1941)

Not totally bad...

It's hard to decide what to say about this one. It isn't totally, one hundred percent bad. Although the movie-in-a-movie is unspeakably bad, meant to be campy, but missing by a mile. I'm pretty sure that this is intentional, however. Danny Aiello is perfectly adequate here, and more or less nails his pathetic character. Dyan Cannon was good in a small role. Clotilde Courau was impressive as the latest twenty-something girlfriend. And Linda Carlson had a brave topless scene that she pulled off very well.

So, it's not totally bad, but I don't believe that this one accomplishes its goals. All in all, it's probably worth passing on.