The Indian in the Cupboard (1995)

User Rating:

5.7/10   

Director:

Frank Oz

Writers (WGA):

Lynne Reid Banks (novel)
Melissa Mathison (screenplay)

Release Date:

14 July 1995 (USA)

Genre:

Family | Adventure | Fantasy

Tagline:

Adventure comes to life

Plot:

On his ninth birthday a boy receives many presents. Two of them first seem to be less important: an...

Plot Keywords:

Magic | Indian | Birthday | Cupboard | Best Friend

Awards:

6 nominations

Cast

Hal Scardino	...	Omri
Litefoot	...	Little Bear
Lindsay Crouse	...	Jane
Richard Jenkins	...	Victor
Rishi Bhat	...	Patrick
Steve Coogan	...	Tommy Atkins (British medic)
David Keith	...	Boo-hoo Boone
Sakina Jaffrey	...	Lucy
Vincent Kartheiser	...	Gillon
Nestor Serrano	...	Teacher
Ryan Olson	...	Adiel
Leon Tejwani	...	Baby Martin
Lucas Tejwani	...	Baby Martin
Christopher Conte	...	Purple Mohawk
Cassandra Brown	...	Emily (girl in Omri's class)
Christopher Moritz	...	Sam (boy in Omri's class)
Beni Malkin	...	Ramon
Juliet Berman	...	Tina
Stephen Morales	...	Kiron
George Randall	...	Indian chief
Gia Galeano	...	Yard teacher
Kevin Malaro	...	Schoolkid
Tom Bewley	...	Darth Vader
Keii Johnston	...	G.I. Joe
J.R. Horsting	...	Robocop
Michael Papajohn	...	Cardassian
Erik Stabenau	...	Ferengi (as Eric Stabenau)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Frank Welker	...	Special Vocal Effects (voice)
Christopher Gilman	...	Knight in armor (uncredited)

Directed by
Frank Oz

Writing credits (WGA)
Lynne Reid Banks		(novel)
Melissa Mathison		(screenplay)

Produced by
Robert Harris	....	executive producer
Marty Keltz	....	executive producer
Kathleen Kennedy	....	producer
Frank Marshall	....	producer
Arthur F. Repola	....	associate producer
Jane Startz	....	producer
Bernard Williams	....	executive producer (as Bernie Williams)
Michelle Wright	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Randy Edelman

Cinematography by
Russell Carpenter		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Ian Crafford

Casting by
Kate Kennedy
Margery Simkin

Production Design by
Leslie McDonald

Art Direction by
Tony Fanning

Set Decoration by
Chris L. Spellman

Costume Design by
Deborah Lynn Scott		(as Deborah L. Scott)

Makeup Department
Felicity Bowring	....	makeup artist
Kelcey Fry	....	makeup artist
Jane Galli	....	makeup artist
Larry Waggoner	....	key hair stylist

Production Management
Donald J. Lee Jr.	....	unit production manager
Bernard Williams	....	unit production manager (as Bernie Williams)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Eric Brevig	....	second unit director
J. David Brightbill	....	DGA trainee: New York
David Fudge	....	second assistant director
Michele Panelli-Venetis	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Tom Altobello	....	assistant property master
Fred Apolito	....	propmaker
Craig B. Ayers Sr.	....	greensman
Marc Baird	....	storyboard artist
Bonnie J. Brinkley	....	assistant art director
Thomas E. Brown	....	paint supervisor
Lisa A. Corbin	....	on-set dresser
Larry A. Cornick	....	set dresser
James M. Davis	....	general foreman
John Davis	....	storyboard artist
Cosmas A. Demetriou	....	set designer
John Dexter	....	set designer
Jenny R. Evans	....	art department coordinator: New York
James C. Feng	....	art director: New York (as Jim Feng)
Richard Fernandez	....	set designer
Jeff Frost	....	sculptor
Sandy Hamilton	....	props
J. Bryan Holloway	....	sculptor
Travis Huffman	....	propmaker
Barbara Ann Jaeckel	....	set designer (as Barbara Ann Jaeckel Jr.)
Erin Kemp	....	set designer
Peter Lamppu	....	construction supervisor
Byron K. Lovelace	....	props
Timothy Main	....	carpenter
Nick Miller	....	construction coordinator: New York
Robin L. Miller	....	property master (as Robin Miller)
Len Morganti	....	storyboard artist
Tomas Mulrooney	....	sculptor
Jeff Passanante	....	construction coordinator
Gretchen Rau	....	set decorator: New York
Wendy Richardson	....	art coordinator
Fred Seibly	....	sign supervisor
Paul Sonski	....	assistant art director
Jim Stubblefield	....	props
Terryl Whitlach	....	storyboard artist (as Terry Whitlatch)
Helen Wilson	....	props
Jeffrey Whitman	....	carpenter (uncredited)

Sound Department
Ron Bochar	....	supervising sound editor
Benjamin Cheah	....	sound effects recordist
Marko A. Costanzo	....	foley artist
Chris Fielder	....	assistant sound editor
Tom Fleischman	....	sound re-recording mixer
Lewis Goldstein	....	sound effects editor
Randall L. Johnson	....	boom operator (as Randy Johnson)
Skip Lievsay	....	supervising sound editor
Glenfield Payne	....	assistant sound editor
Nicholas Renbeck	....	assistant sound editor
Art Rochester	....	production sound mixer
Fred Rosenberg	....	dialogue editor
Douglas J. Schulman	....	second sound mixer
Philip Stockton	....	sound editor

Special Effects by
David Blitstein	....	special effects coordinator
Randy Cabral	....	special effects foreman
Michael Lantieri	....	special effects
Jerry Macaluso	....	additional animatronics: animatronic deer
Harish Mandyam	....	special effects (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Jon Alexander	....	computer graphics artist
Leah Anton	....	computer graphics artist
Okan Ataman	....	technical assistant
Al Bailey	....	digital plate restoration (as Alan Bailey)
Scott Balcerek	....	assistant visual effects editor
Randall K. Bean	....	senior scanning operator
Kathleen Beeler	....	computer graphics artist
Ken Beyer	....	computer system engineer
Patricia Blau	....	senior staff: ILM
Rod G. Bogart	....	software development (as Rod Bogart)
Scott Bonnenfant	....	digital plate restoration
Eric Brevig	....	visual effects supervisor
Anne Calanchini	....	visual effects coordinator
Christian Clarke	....	visual effects assistant
Charlie Clavadetscher	....	computer graphics plate supervisor
Rob Coleman	....	computer graphics artist
Michael Conte	....	computer graphics artist: ILM
Caitlin Content	....	sabre artist
Gail Currey	....	senior computer graphics production manager
Sheena Duggal	....	Inferno artist: ILM
Sheena Duggal	....	flame artist: ILM
Timothy Eaton	....	visual effects editor
John Ellis	....	digital operations manager
Mike Ellis	....	scanner operator (as Michael Ellis)
Chrissie England	....	producer: visual effects
Aaron Ferguson	....	CG technical assistant
Debbie Fought	....	computer graphics production assistant
Scott Frankel	....	computer graphics artist: ILM
Alex Funke	....	background plate director of photography
George Gambetta	....	senior scanning operator
Tim Geideman	....	negative line-up (as Timothy Geideman)
Howard Gersh	....	computer graphics artist
Bart Giovanetti	....	computer graphics supervisor (as Bart Giovannetti)
Daniel Graff	....	gaffer: visual effects photography
Grant Guenin	....	technical assistant
Indira Guerrieri	....	computer graphics artist
Joanne Hafner	....	computer graphics artist
Scott Harper	....	computer graphics artist
Andy Hendrickson	....	computer system engineer
Wendy Hendrickson	....	CG technical assistant
Robert Hill	....	motion control camera assembly (as Bob Hill)
Edward Hirsh	....	blue screen stage manager (as Ed Hirsh)
Mark Holmes	....	sabre artist
Peg Hunter	....	computer graphics artist
Brian Knep	....	software development
Cynthia Lane	....	computer graphics artist
Jean-Claude Langer	....	computer graphics artist
Don Lee	....	digital compositor
James Lim	....	negative line-up (as James C. Lim)
Nancy Luckoff	....	computer graphics resource coordinator (as Nancy Jill Luckoff)
Jeff Mann	....	senior staff: ILM
Jim May	....	visual effects editor
Mary McCulloch	....	computer graphics artist
Dan McNamara	....	sabre effect supervisor (as Daniel McNamara)
Marty Luigi Miramontez	....	computer system engineer
Terry Molatore	....	computer graphics artist
Mark Moore	....	art director: visual effects
David Manos Morris	....	CG technical assistant
Jim Morris	....	senior staff: ILM
Patrick T. Myers	....	computer graphics supervisor
Kerry Nordquist	....	computer graphics artist
Michael Olague	....	visual effects gaffer
Josh Pines	....	digital scanning supervisor (as Jose Pines)
Sandy Ritts	....	CG technical assistant
Stephen Rosenbaum	....	computer graphics supervisor
Corey Rosen	....	digital plate restoration
Thomas Rosseter	....	computer graphics artist (as Tom Rosseter)
Michael Shanman	....	rigging gaffer: visual effects unit
Chuck Shuman	....	visual effects director of photography
Linda Siegel	....	computer graphics artist
Pat Sweeney	....	motion control camera operator (as Patrick Sweeney)
Sylte	....	production support
Chad Taylor	....	Sabre artist: ILM
Ginger Theisen	....	visual effects coordinator
Suzie Vissitzky Tooley	....	CGI production manager
Allison Torres	....	computer graphics technical coordinator
John Torrijos	....	CG technical assistant
Laurence Treweek	....	computer graphics artist
R. Gern Trowbridge	....	visual effects electrician
Lam Van To	....	CG technical assistant
Lisa Vaughn	....	sabre coordinator
Bruce Vecchitto	....	digital color timing supervisor
John Whisnant	....	scanner operator
Tom Williams	....	senior staff: ILM
Heidi Zabit	....	computer graphics artist (as Heidi Bauman Zabit)
Rita E. Zimmerman	....	sabre artist (as Rita Zimmerman)
Marc Chu	....	digital effects animator: ILM (uncredited)

Stunts
Pete Antico	....	stunts
Sandy Berumen	....	stunts
Joey Box	....	stunt double: Boone
William H. Burton Jr.	....	stunts (as Billy Burton)
William H. Burton	....	stunts
Jay Caputo	....	stunts
James M. Halty	....	stunts (as Jim Halty)
Clifford Happy	....	stunt double: Boone
Lynn Salvatori	....	stunt coordinator
Dennis Scott	....	stunt coordinator (as Dennis R. Scott)

Camera and Electrical Department
Erik Bernstein	....	electrician
Marty Brenneis	....	camera engineer
Doug Chartier	....	dolly grip (as Douglas Chartier)
Steven A. Cohogan	....	assistant chief lighting technician
Vincent Contarino	....	gaffer: second unit
Doug Dole	....	grip
Jim Duggan	....	best boy grip: bluescreen unit (as James M. Duggan)
Erik A. Erichsen	....	electrician
Daniel Galiardi	....	assistant camera
Raymond Gonzales	....	electrician
Ron Goodman	....	camera operator: SpaceCam
Jeffrey A. Johnson	....	grip
Amy La Licata	....	camera loader
Jerry L. Marshall	....	grip
Gary Meyer	....	video engineer
Fred Meyers	....	video engineer
Lloyd Moriarity	....	key grip
Dan Owen	....	grip (as Daniel R. Owen)
Debb Lee Phillips	....	electrician
Bill Roe	....	camera operator
Zade Rosenthal	....	still photographer (as Zade A. Rosenthal)
Michael Shanman	....	lighting board operator
Sean Smith	....	electrician
Glenn Wade	....	grip (as Glenn H. Wade)
Rick A. West	....	gaffer
Scott Whitemore	....	grip
Steven J. Winslow	....	camera technician
Rick Fee	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Steven J. Winslow	....	assistant camera: Wescam camera (uncredited)

Casting Department
Kate Kennedy	....	extras casting
Lara Spotts	....	casting assistant (as Lara E. Spotts)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Fran Allgood	....	costumer
Marsha Bozeman	....	wardrobe
Mari Grimaud	....	costume supervisor
David Le Vey	....	assistant costume designer
Matt Reitsma	....	costume ager/dyer

Editorial Department
Scott Balcerek	....	assistant editor
Lee Grubin	....	associate editor
Greg Hyman	....	assistant editor
Doug Jones	....	negative cutter (as Doug Jones Jr.)
Janet Ogletree	....	assistant editor
Carrie Shepard	....	assistant editor
Sean T. Stratton	....	post-production coordinator
Dave Tanaka	....	assistant editor
Debra L. Tennant	....	first assistant editor

Music Department
Elton Ahi	....	score mixer
Elton Ahi	....	score recordist
Bob Badami	....	music editor
Dick Bernstein	....	supervising music editor
Bob Bornstein	....	music preparation
Sandy DeCrescent	....	orchestra contractor
John Finklea	....	music editor
Frank Welker	....	special vocal effects

Transportation Department
Steve Brodsky	....	transportation captain
Craig Fehrman	....	transportation co-captain

Other crew
Shirley Abrams	....	talent searcher
Hilary Adahms	....	stand-in
Susan Ahulii	....	craft service
Justin Escher Alpert	....	production assistant
Debra Amador	....	department coordinator
Amanda Ansarge	....	assistant: Ms. Startz
John Blausey	....	courier coordinator
Judith M. Brown	....	studio teacher
Lori Connolly	....	assistant: Ms. Kennedy
Leslie J. Converse	....	assistant: Mr. Oz
Diana Crozier	....	production supporter
Jamie Daddio	....	assistant production coordinator (as Jamie H. Fishman)
Carolyn M. Dahm	....	assistant: Mr. Williams
Jackie Evanochick	....	department coordinator
Wayne Fitzgerald	....	title designer
Matt Freeman	....	assistant: Ms. Kennedy (as Matthew Freeman)
Dana Friedman	....	resource management
Maria Gilan	....	assistant: Ms. Startz
Timothy Greenwood	....	projectionist
Anna E. Hayward	....	assistant: Mr. Marshall
Shelley Houis	....	production coordinator
Jody Hummer	....	location manager
JoAnn Fregalette Jansen	....	acting coach
Paula Karsh	....	production supporter
Pam Kaye	....	production supporter
Jeanmarie King	....	production assistant
Luca Kouimelis	....	script supervisor
Lori McAdams	....	resource management
Roberto McGrath	....	projectionist
Suzy McLaughlin	....	department coordinator
Ellen Pasternack	....	resource management
Tim L. Pearson	....	production accountant
Billy Pittard	....	title designer (as Pittard Sullivan Fitzgerald)
Bill Pugin	....	on-set interpreter
Bill Pugin	....	sign language coach
Mary T. Radford	....	assistant: Mr. Marshall
Denise Ream	....	production supporter
Thell Reed	....	gun coach
Anne S. Reilly	....	unit publicist (as Anne Reilly)
Mike Scanlan	....	animatronic supervisor
Gillan Stephenson	....	production assistant
Daniel Strol	....	location manager
Debbie Tieman	....	first assistant accountant
Lisa Todd	....	production assistant
Cynthia Upstill	....	script supervisor: second unit
Lisa Van Cott	....	film group coordinator
Erika Wangberg Burton	....	plate/bluescreen photography coordinator (as Erika Wangberg)
Dawna Weichel	....	department coordinator
Cris Welisch	....	department coordinator
Dana Williams	....	production coordinator
Deborah Devgan	....	assistant production office coordinator (uncredited)
Jack E. Herman	....	extras set coordinator (uncredited)

Thanks
George Lucas	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Columbia Pictures Corporation
• Kennedy/Marshall Company, The
• Paramount Pictures
• Reliable Pictures Corporation (II)
• Scholastic Productions

Distributors

• Columbia TriStar Films (1995) (France) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (UK) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1998) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Argentina Video Home (Argentina) (video)
• CIC Vídeo (199?) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Columbia Pictures (USA) (video)
• Columbia TriStar Films de España (Spain)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (USA) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (USA) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (USA) (laserdisc)
• Paramount Filmes do Brasil (2002) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Paramount Filmes do Brasil (Brazil) (VHS)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (1998) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Paramount Pictures

Special Effects

• Industrial Light & Magic (ILM)

Other Companies

• Bill Dance Casting  extras casting
• Boston Light & Sound  dailies projection system
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera cranes and dollies
• Clairmont Camera  additional cameras
• Columbia Records  soundtrack
• Home on the Range  catering
• Industrial Light & Magic (ILM)  animation
• J.L. Fisher  camera dollies
• Pacific Titles & Optical  opticals
• Pittard Sullivan Fitzgerald  titles
• Sony Classical  soundtrack
• Spacecam Systems  aerial camera
• Wescam USA  camera equipment provided by
• Wow & Flutter  ADR recording

MPAA:

Rated PG for mild language and brief video images of violence and sexy dancing.

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Australia:PG | Iceland:L | South Korea:All | Philippines:G | New Zealand:G | Argentina:Atp | Chile:TE | Finland:S | Germany:o.Al. | Portugal:M/6 | Spain:T | Sweden:7 | UK:PG | USA:PG | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

On the DVD commentary, Frank Oz stated he was reluctant to direct this movie, as he doesn't think he's a children's director.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: In the scene right before Little Bear and Boone are sent back, Little Bear is sitting in front of a tiny fire, and he hands some fuel to Omri. Omri reaches over the fire for it, and we clearly see his fingers go through the flame. And yet, he doesn't flinch at all. Of course, the fire may be too small to do any damage.

Quotes:

Boone: Where may I ask, is my coffee? I always start my day with a cup of coffee.
Omri: Okay, if you're good, I'll make you breakfast.
Little Bear: Cook? Like a woman! You are a woman!
Omri: Oh please, you guys are so old fashioned.
Boone: I'll have you know I'm a civilized man.
[looks at Little Bear]
Boone: Unlike some!
Little Bear: Where do you come from?
Boone: I come from TEXAS, Mr. Half-a-brain!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "A Touch of Frost: Penny for the Guy (#5.1)" (1997)

'Omri" One Of The Most Likable Kids Ever On Film

I'm a sucker for nice kids, not those snotty ones seen so often in films from the '60s to the present. In here is a wonderful neat-looking little kid, Hal Sardino, who is unusual in that this is the only movie he ever starred in. To his credit, Scardino went on to live a "normal" life after this film, eventually going to college as a regular student like you and me with no celebrity status.

The film is anything but "normal," a fantasy about a young boy who receives a cupboard that transforms little toy figurines - in this case, an Indian and then a cowboy. - into miniature real-life people. Each time he opens or closes the box with the figures in them, they change to either real or back to plastic.

Scardino, who plays Omri," is fun to watch, if for no other reason than the great expressions on his face. He has to be one of the most likable children I've ever seen on film. Meanwhile, his best friend "Patrick" is the only villain, so to speak, only because he's a bit "defiant," as his mother labels him and he almost spoils everything for "Omri."

It's a solid family film that is fun for both the parents and kids to watch at the same time. Both will get a lot of entertainment out of it. With just a bit of profanity early on and a bit of obvious political correctness, there is nothing in here which should offend viewers. Critics didn't seem to care for it, so you know it truly was a nice, wholesome film....and fun to watch.