Nell (1994)

Director:

Michael Apted

Writers (WGA):

Mark Handley (play)
William Nicholson (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

23 December 1994 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

Her heart. Her soul. Her language are a mystery...A mystery called Nell.

Plot:

Nell is a girl who's been brought up in an isolated world. The only people she knew were her mother and twin sister...

Plot Keywords:

Mother | Twins | Psychology | Sisters | Forest

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 3 wins & 4 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Thur. Dec. 17

6:30 AM

MAX

Cast

Jodie Foster	...	Nell
Liam Neeson	...	Jerome Lovell
Natasha Richardson	...	Paula Olsen
Richard Libertini	...	Alexander Paley
Nick Searcy	...	Todd Peterson
Robin Mullins	...	Mary Peterson
Jeremy Davies	...	Billy Fisher
O'Neal Compton	...	Don Fontana
Heather M. Bomba	...	Twin #1
Marianne E. Bomba	...	Twin #2
Sean Bridgers	...	Mike Ibarra
Joe Inscoe	...	Judge
Stephanie Dawn Wood	...	Ruthie Lovell
Mary Lynn Riner	...	Janet Baring
Lucile McIntyre	...	Sally
Al Wiggins	...	Harry Goppel
Beth Bostic	...	Jean Malinowski
Rob Buren III	...	Stevie
Chris T. Hill	...	Jed
Tim Mehaffey	...	Shane
Dana Stevens	...	Rachel Weiss
Nicole Adair	...	Autistic Child
Robin Rochelle	...	Teacher
Susan Correll Hickerson	...	Administrator
Marlon Jackson	...	Male Nurse
Danny Millsaps	...	Deputy

Directed by
Michael Apted

Writing credits (WGA)
Mark Handley		(play "Idioglossia")
William Nicholson		(screenplay) and
Mark Handley		(screenplay)

Produced by
Jodie Foster	....	producer
Renée Missel	....	producer
Graham Place	....	co-producer

Original Music by
Mark Isham

Cinematography by
Dante Spinotti		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Jim Clark

Casting by
Linda Lowy

Production Design by
Jon Hutman

Art Direction by
Tim Galvin

Set Decoration by
Samara Hutman

Costume Design by
Susan Lyall

Makeup Department
Jean Ann Black	....	key makeup artist (as Jean A. Black)
Frances Mathias	....	key hair stylist (as Francis Mathias)
Jaren Millard	....	makeup artist
Rita Troy	....	hair stylist
Sandra S. Orsolyak	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Pamela Hochschartner	....	production supervisor
Graham Place	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Richard Brodsky	....	second second assistant director
Jill Maxcy	....	additional second second assistant director
Martha L. Mericka	....	second assistant director (as Marty Mericka)
David Sardi	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Joseph F. Beeco	....	carpenter
John Bromell	....	set dresser (as John T. Bromell)
Dennis M. Brown	....	art department coordinator
John Ceniceros	....	on-set dresser
Peter Durand	....	lead scenic
Tony Fanning	....	assistant art director
Ellen Freund	....	property master
Patrick Fulton	....	scenic artist
Donald Gilmer Jr.	....	lead carpenter (as Don Gilmer Jr.)
Barry Grafton	....	carpenter
William Happ	....	carpenter
Paul Huggins	....	construction coordinator
Mark Hutman	....	props
J. Luther Jones III	....	carpenter
Joseph Kearney	....	carpenter
Brian Kontz	....	scenic artist
Alton McClellan	....	scenic artist
Larry Misselhorn	....	greensman
David E. Moore	....	carpenter
Jeffrey Nelson	....	labor foreman
James F. Oñate	....	stand-by camera scenic (as James Frank Onate)
Steve Palenske	....	carpenter
David Pruett	....	lead carpenter
Simon Reynolds	....	carpenter
Roger Scruggs	....	carpenter
Lisa K. Sessions	....	set dresser
Michael Shapiro	....	set dresser
'Polar Bear' Shaw	....	lead man
Brian Stultz	....	master scenic artist
Drew Sywanyk	....	set dresser
Ken Tabor	....	general construction foreman
Denny Walley	....	carpenter
Cheree Welsh	....	assistant art department coordinator
Tim Y. Wetzel	....	assistant property master (as Timothy Yorke Wetzel)
J. Todd Anderson	....	storyboard artist (uncredited)
Kenneth Bryant	....	set dresser: Charlotte, North Carolina (uncredited)
General Fermon Judd Jr.	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Merritt Newman	....	assistant to set decorator (uncredited)

Sound Department
Paul Apted	....	assistant sound editor
John Bateman	....	foley mixer
Tim Cavagin	....	sound re-recording mixer
Diane Greaves	....	foley artist (as Dianne Greaves)
Nina Hartstone	....	assistant sound editor
Dean Humphreys	....	sound re-recording mixer
Eddy Joseph	....	supervising sound editor
Vanessa Lapato	....	assistant adr editor (as Vanessa A. Lapato)
Nigel Mills	....	dialogue editor
Christopher Newman	....	sound mixer (as Chris Newman)
Bob Risk	....	foley editor
Jack Stew	....	foley artist
Marc-Jon Sullivan	....	boom operator
Graham Sutton	....	assistant sound editor
Renee Tondelli	....	adr supervisor
Ronald L. Wright	....	cable person
Michael Minkler	....	sound re-recording mixer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
André Freitas	....	special effects props: AFX Studios
Gary Pilkinton	....	special effects assistant (as Gary Pilkington)
Kathleen Tonkin	....	assistant special effects coordinator
Robert Vasquez	....	special effects coordinator (as Bob Vasquez)
Robert Vazquez	....	special effects supervisor

Stunts
Danny Aiello III	....	stunt coordinator
Danny Downey	....	stunt double: Jeremy Davies
Don Hewitt	....	stunts
Jery Hewitt	....	stunt coordinator
Jennifer Lamb	....	stunts
Janet Paparazzo	....	stunts
Jill Stokesberry	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Tim Beumler	....	grip
Michael Bonsignore	....	grip
Eddie Bowlin	....	electrician
Pam Connor	....	grip
Andrew Cooper	....	still photographer
Joe D'Alessandro	....	additional first assistant camera (as Joseph C. D'Alessandro)
Lisa J. Feitelberg	....	camera loader
David Galbraith	....	second assistant camera
Gerrit Garretsen	....	dolly grip
Bob Gorelick	....	Steadicam operator
Mark Graves	....	rigging electrician
Daniel R. Haizlip	....	best boy grip (as Daniel 'D.J.' Haizlip)
Russell Hardee	....	rigging grip
Glen Holland	....	electrician
W.C. 'Chunky' Huse	....	key grip (as Chunky Huse)
Robert Jason	....	gaffer
Gary Jay	....	camera operator
Chris Joehnk	....	electrician
Eric Jones	....	grip
Duane Manwiller	....	first assistant camera (as Duane C. Manwiller)
Stan McClain	....	camera operator: Wescam camera
Jason Newton	....	company grip
Thomas C. Nisbet	....	electrician (as Tom Nisbet)
Rod Robertson	....	best boy
Bruce Robinson	....	camera production assistant (as Bruce A. Robinson)
Kyle Rudolph	....	Steadicam operator
Frank Ryan	....	grip
Mike Smallwood	....	rigging electrician
Tommy Ray Sullivan	....	rigging electrician
Jack Vollers	....	rigging electrician
Larry Wood	....	video playback operator
David Norris	....	camera technician: Wescam camera (uncredited)
Howard Richardson	....	rigging grip (uncredited)

Casting Department
John Brace	....	casting associate
Barbara Harris	....	voice casting
Craig Fincannon	....	extras casting (uncredited)
Craig Fincannon	....	local casting (uncredited)
Mark Fincannon	....	extras casting (uncredited)
Mark Fincannon	....	location casting (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Frank L. Fleming	....	assistant costume designer
Laura Goldsmith	....	costume supervisor
Taryn Weaver	....	costumer (as Taryn Walsh)

Editorial Department
Gary Burritt	....	negative cutter
Janice Campion	....	second assistant editor
Charlie Holden	....	apprentice editor
Skip MacDonald	....	assistant editor: lightworks
Eric O. Schusterman	....	first assistant editor
Mike Stainer	....	color timer

Music Department
Sandy DeCrescent	....	music contractor
Stephen Krause	....	music recordist
Steve Krause	....	music mixer
Ken Kugler	....	conductor
Ken Kugler	....	orchestrator
Paul Wertheimer	....	score recordist (uncredited)

Transportation Department
William 'Fleet' Eakland	....	transportation coordinator (as Fleet Eakland)
Bart Heimburger	....	transportation co-captain
Connie Sauer	....	transportation production assistant
Eric Solmonson	....	assistant transportation coordinator
Pat Stubbs	....	transportation captain (as Pat Ellis Stubbs)
Karman Graham	....	driver: cast (uncredited)

Other crew
Julie Adams	....	dialect coach
Susan Bonawitz-Collard	....	movement instructor
Billy Brashier	....	projectionist (as Billy Ray Brashier)
Jenifer J. Dickerman	....	second assistant accountant
Jyllel Syage Dickerman	....	production accountant
Dianne Dreyer	....	script supervisor
Scott Elias	....	location manager
James S. Grotstein	....	technical advisor (as James S. Grotstein, M.D.)
Erica Hamilton	....	set production assistant
Lance Holland	....	location assistant
Cress Horne	....	aerial coordinator
Jimmy Humphreys	....	marine coordinator
Stephanie Kemp	....	set production assistant
Jeanney Hyunkyung Kim	....	assistant: Michael Apted
Michael Kuhn	....	big cheese
Patricia LaMagna	....	production secretary
Diana E. Latham	....	assistant production coordinator
Wm. 'Billy' Martin	....	set production assistant
Emily McGovern	....	set production assistant
Clint Menacof	....	medic
Anna Mewbourne	....	assistant location manager
Tim Monich	....	dialect coach
Merritt Newman	....	craft service
Phill Norman	....	title designer
Pam Plummer	....	extras coordinator
Angela Quiles	....	production coordinator
Wayne Schmitz	....	helicopter technician
Joshua A. Sipe	....	office production assistant (as Joshua Adrian Sipe)
Rozanne Stark	....	teacher
Rebecca Stefan	....	craft service (as Rebecca A. Stefan)
Susan Steinlauf-Pascal	....	unit publicist (as Susan Steinlauf)
Kelly Stultz	....	first assistant accountant (as Kelly Brett Stultz)
Mark Turner	....	assistant to producers (as Mark Nicholas Turner)
Doug Weaver	....	assistant: Ms. Foster
Gary West	....	security officer
Karman Graham	....	assistant to actors (uncredited)
Peter Minor	....	location assistant (uncredited)

Thanks
Jeff Rona	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Egg Pictures
• PolyGram Filmed Entertainment
• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Distributors

• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation (1994) (USA) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox de Argentina (1995) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Ascot Elite Entertainment Group (1995) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Concorde-Castle Rock/Turner (1995) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Pan Européenne Distribution (1995) (France) (theatrical)
• Sogepaq Distribución (1995) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (Australia) (VHS)
• Gativideo (Argentina) (video)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2003) (Germany) (DVD)
• REP Distribution (Australia)

Special Effects

• East Coast Films

Other Companies

• Film Unit @ The Post Group, The  post-production facilities
• Fincannon & Associates  extras
• Fincannon & Associates  local casting
• Hollywood Rental Company  lighting equipment
• Matthews Group  lighting equipment
• Pacific Title  titles and opticals
• Tomkats Catering  catering
• Twickenham Film Studios  post-production facilities
• Twickenham Sound Station  digital sound editing services
• Wescam USA  aerials

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for nudity.

Runtime:

113 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Canada:14A (Ontario) | Iceland:L | South Korea:15 | Philippines:PG-13 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Belgium:KT | Chile:14 | Finland:K-12 | Germany:12 (w) | Netherlands:AL | Peru:14 | Singapore:PG | Spain:T | Sweden:11 | UK:12 | USA:PG-13

Filming Locations:

Angel Medical Center, Franklin, North Carolina, USA

Company:

Egg Pictures

Trivia:

As part of her preparation for the role, Jodie Foster read the same books that François Truffaut read when he was prepping his similarly themed film L'enfant sauvage (1970). Foster, being fluent in French, read them in their original language.

Quotes:

Paula: We shouldn't be watching this.
Jerry: Why not? I think she's beautiful.
Paula: Mmm-hmmm...
Jerry: You think I'm planning to abuse the doctor-patient relationship.
Paula: Are you?
Jerry: No. Just because I think she's beautiful doesn't mean I want to have sex with her. I mean, I think you're beautiful, but...
Paula: Thanks!
Jerry: No, wait. I didn't mean... I'm sorry...
Paula: It's ok, I'm a big girl!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Saturday Night Live: Jeff Daniels/Luscious Jackson (#20.10)" (1995)

Soundtrack:

CRAZY

What a charming movie

This film really surprised me, because it was really good. But it mostly surprised me, because I read here that this would be a drama and I must say I disagree. Drama stands for sadness and melancholy, whereas this film stood for humanism. I mean Nell is basically as happy as can be and who are we (the people in the film) to tell her that her way of life is not good? I know this might sound strange, but I see this film as a metaphor for human behavior. We reject what is not like us (race, religion, gender, sexual preference, skin color and so on) and think those people ought to be like us, because they are not ‘normal'. Well you tell me who is more normal: Nell or the people who want to put her away; Nell or the journalists; Nell or the boys in the bar? I will tell you: Nell, Nell and Nell. I can recommend this film to everyone and I hereby want to thank all people involved and especially Jodie Foster for her great performance.

7,5 out of 10