Schizopolis (1996)

User Rating:

7.2/10   

Writers:

Release Date:

9 April 1997 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

Come early! Come often!

Plot:

Fletcher Munson is a lethargic, passive worker for a Scientology-like self-help corporation called Eventualism...

Plot Keywords:

Exterminator | Dentist | Doppelganger | Assassination | Human Potential Movement

Cast

Scott Allen	...	Right Hand Man (uncredited)
Betsy Brantley	...	Mrs. Munson / Attractive Woman #2 (uncredited)
Marcus Lyle Brown	...	Corporate Mole (uncredited)
Silas Cooper	...	The Mysterious Couple (uncredited)
C.C. Courtney	...	Man Being Interviewed (uncredited)
Sonny Cranch	...	Pastor (uncredited)
Ann Dalrymple	...	Secretary (uncredited)
Darrin Dickerson	...	Photo Store Customer (uncredited)
Andre Dubroc	...	Corporate Drone (uncredited)
Ann Hamilton	...	Mrs. Schwitters (uncredited)
John Hardy	...	Talkshow Host (uncredited)
Coleman Hough	...	(uncredited)
Lori Jefferson	...	Dental Patient (uncredited)
Eddie Jemison	...	Nameless Numberhead Man (uncredited)
David Jensen	...	Elmo Oxygen (uncredited)
Rodger Kamenetz	...	Cardiologist (uncredited)
Katherine LaNasa	...	Diane (uncredited)
Margaret Lawhon	...	TV Newscaster (uncredited)
Mike Malone	...	T. Azimuth Schwitters (uncredited)
John Mese	...	Depressed Guy (uncredited)
L. Christian Mixon	...	Bad Guy (uncredited)
Linda Mixon	...	Schwitters Fanatic (uncredited)
Liann Pattison	...	The Mysterious Couple (uncredited)
Steven Soderbergh	...	Fletcher Munson / Dr. Jeffrey Korchek (uncredited)
Ronnie Stutes	...	Lawyer (uncredited)

Also Known As:

Steven Soderbergh's Schizopolis (USA) (video box title)

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Japanese | Italian | French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby (Mono)

Certification:

Italy:T | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA

Company:

.406 Production

Trivia:

Was released without beginning or end credits, except for a single frame of copyright information at the end of the film.

Quotes:

Right Hand Man: Who's that... that moron, the one who used to work in your sector. The one who wears the brown shirt all the time?
Fletcher Munson: Oh, Nameless Numberhead Man?

Movie Connections:

References "Sesame Street" (1969)

It's like, um....

Well, it's different, that's for sure.

I took this movie out on video because I was in the mood for something different, and on that front it certainly fulfilled my expectations. On the other hand, I was also after something entertaining, and on that front it - unfortunately - didn't, except in fragments.

The film starts with Steven Soderbergh blowing a metaphorical rasberry at the audience, standing in front of the movie screen advising (not an exact quote, just a paraphrase) - "This is the most important movie you will ever see. If you do not understand it, the fault is yours, not ours, and you should see it again and again until you do understand it, and at full price too."

It then follows a small cast of characters (some of whom can't act... or maybe that's the point?) in a series of intersecting stories... though if you can articulate the plotlines you're a better person that I! There's some sort of satire on Scientology, though as I know almost nothing about that particular cult/religion the allusions unfortunately pass me by. I guess, though, that John Travolta is unlikely to make a movie with Soderbergh anytime soon.

I did enjoy a few bits, particularly when Soderbergh is playing with the conventions of film making (like deliberately having the boom mike "accidentally" drop into shot). Favourite among these is when he has his characters talking in a kind of meta dialogue, a cinematic shorthand which comes across like the actors are reading off the film's treatment rather than script. Ie, instead of saying things like "Hi Honey, I'm home. How are the kids?" they say something along the lines of "Banal greeting to wife. Obligatory inquiry after offspring."

Unfortunately these moments are too few. This would have made an interesting short subject, but at over an hour and a half it really didn't sustain my interest.

Guess I'm a traditionalist at heart.