Hurlyburly (1998)

User Rating:

5.5/10   

Director:

Anthony Drazan

Writers (WGA):

David Rabe (play)
David Rabe (screenplay)

Release Date:

25 December 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Plot:

Hollywood movers and shakers dissect their own personal lives when everything seems to clash together.

Plot Keywords:

Hollywood | Baby | Suicide | Hollywood California | Brunette

Awards:

1 win & 2 nominations

Cast

Sean Penn	...	Eddie
Kevin Spacey	...	Mickey
Robin Wright Penn	...	Darlene
Chazz Palminteri	...	Phil
Garry Shandling	...	Artie
Anna Paquin	...	Donna
Meg Ryan	...	Bonnie
Gianna Ranaudo	...	Susie (as Gianna Renaudo)
David Fabrizio	...	Store Manager
Kenny Vance	...	Singer
Michaline Babich	...	Receptionist
Elaine Corral Kendall	...	TV Anchor (as Elaine Corral)
Sharon Tay	...	TV Reporter
Frank Somerville	...	TV Anchor
Bob Jimenez	...	Newscaster
Piers Mackenzie	...	Dry Cleaner
Penelope Allen	...	Dry Cleaner
Lisa Ristorucci	...	Cashier
Igor Hiller	...	Little Billy
Curt Skaggs	...	Cowboy
Nathalie Canessa-White	...	Miranda (as Nathalie Lake)
Bud Cox	...	Priest
Peter Siteri	...	Poet
Laura Brownson	...	Vicki

Directed by
Anthony Drazan

Writing credits (WGA)
David Rabe		(play)
David Rabe		(screenplay)

Produced by
Carl Colpaert	....	executive producer
Anthony Drazan	....	producer
Richard N. Gladstein	....	producer
David Hamburger	....	producer (as David S. Hamburger)
H. Michael Heuser	....	executive producer
Nicholas Paleologos	....	executive producer
Lila Yacoub	....	production executive: FilmColony
Frederick Zollo	....	executive producer

Original Music by
David Baerwald
Steve Lindsey

Cinematography by
Changwei Gu

Film Editing by
Dylan Tichenor

Casting by
David Rubin

Production Design by
Michael D. Haller

Art Direction by
Derek R. Hill

Costume Design by
Mary Claire Hannan

Makeup Department
Marta Camer	....	makeup artist
Catherine Childers	....	hair stylist
Sid Curry	....	hair stylist: Ms. Ryan
Denise Dellavalle	....	makeup artist (as Denise Della Valle)
Kimberly Greene	....	makeup department head
Barbara Olvera	....	key hair stylist
Lutz Wesemann	....	makeup artist: Ms. Ryan

Production Management
Debbie Hayn-Cass	....	production manager
Peter Mavromates	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Marco Londoner	....	second assistant director
David 'Wex' Wechsler	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Emilio R. Aramendia	....	assistant property master (as Emilio Armendia)
Eric J. Bates	....	property master
Andy Friend	....	storyboard artist
Rick Kyker	....	assistant property master
John Micheletos	....	swing person
Helen Gene Nichols	....	assistant art director
Mark Palmer	....	swing gang: Los Angeles
Joe Pfaltzgraf	....	lead man: Los Angeles
Charles Swenson	....	storyboard artist (as Chuck Swenson)
Benton E. Tedlie	....	swing gang: Los Angeles (as Benton Tedlie)
Elizabeth Tullis	....	scenic artist
Don Watson	....	lead man

Sound Department
Christopher Boatwright	....	cable person
Frank Canonica	....	supervising sound recordist: mix stage
David A. Cohen	....	dialogue editor
Don Coufal	....	boom operator
Steve Fontana	....	foley recordist
Gary Holland	....	cable person
Michael Kirchberger	....	supervising sound editor
Edward McCloud	....	sound intern
Jeremy Molod	....	assistant sound editor
Marnie Moore	....	foley walker
Margie O'Malley	....	foley walker
David Parker	....	sound re-recording mixer
Jim Pasque	....	machine room operator (as James Pasque)
Frank Rinella	....	foley recordist
Larry Schalit	....	assistant sound effects editor
Michael Semanick	....	sound re-recording mixer
Daniel Sperry	....	stereo sound consultant: Dolby
Hamilton Sterling	....	sound effects recordist
Dianna Stirpe	....	adr editor
Dianna Stirpe	....	dialogue editor
Roy Waldspurger	....	assistant sound editor
Jennifer L. Ware	....	sound effects editor
Jeff Wexler	....	sound mixer

Stunts
Robin Lynn Bonaccorsi	....	stunt double: Meg Ryan
Rocky Capella	....	stunt coordinator
Lisa Dempsey	....	stunts
Jeff Mosley	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Mitch Boyze	....	playback operator
Phil Bray	....	still photographer
Marty Brenneis	....	video playback operator
Michael Butler	....	camera operator
Philippe Butler	....	second assistant camera
Michael P. Catanzarite	....	best boy grip: Los Angeles
Dave Childers	....	dolly grip
Scott Ferry	....	electrician
Patrick Figueroa	....	best boy grip (as Pat Figueroa)
Craig Heffern	....	grip: Los Angeles
Clark Higgins	....	film speed video engineer
Lucky Ishman	....	grip: Los Angeles
Eugene B. Kerry	....	key grip (as Geno Kerry)
Michael Listorti	....	dolly grip: Los Angeles
Dave Lujan	....	electrician: Los Angeles
Starrs McBurney	....	camera loader: Los Angeles
Gary McClendon	....	best boy electric
Darren Michaels	....	still photographer: Los Angeles
Glen H. Narimatsu	....	electrician: Los Angeles (as Glen Narimatsu)
Mark Natahara	....	electrician
Charles Newhart	....	electrician: Los Angeles
Kate O'Neill	....	second assistant camera
Orlando Orona	....	grip
Dino Parks	....	gaffer
Medel Ramos	....	electrician
Dan Riffel	....	best boy electric
Patrick Ryan	....	electrician
Paul Sanchez	....	first assistant camera
Ron Santoyo	....	grip: Los Angeles (as Ronnie Santoyo)
Sandy Stanton	....	grip
Terry Sullivan	....	electrician
Paige Thomas	....	additional camera operator: second unit
Paul Wilkowsky	....	grip

Casting Department
Beau Bonneau	....	extras casting
Beau Bonneau	....	location casting
Rachel Flanagan	....	casting assistant (as Rachel Schadt)
Scott French	....	casting assistant
Barbara Harris	....	adr voice casting
Ronna Kress	....	casting associate
Melanie Miller	....	casting assistant
Jeff Olan	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Gloria Iglesias	....	wardrobe production assistant (as Gloria A. Iglesias)
Michael Nielsen	....	wardrobe supervisor
Mary Elizabeth Still	....	on-set costumer

Editorial Department
Lawson Brown	....	post-production assistant
Chris Maybach	....	assistant editor: avid
Mike Mertens	....	color timer
Danny Miller	....	second assistant editor
Fred Raskin	....	assistant film editor
Tatiana S. Riegel	....	second editor
Joan Sobel	....	first assistant editor

Music Department
Bunny Andrews	....	music editor
Eric Anest	....	music programmer
Eric Anest	....	musician: keyboards
David Baerwald	....	musician: guitar, keyboards and electric bass
Jim Cox	....	musician: organ and piano
John Ferraro	....	musician: drums
David Goldblatt	....	musician: piano
Smokey Hormel	....	musician: guitars
Mark Isham	....	musician: trumpet
Kris Kellow	....	musician: keyboards
Larry Klein	....	musician: bass
Steve Lindsey	....	musician: keyboards
Steve Lindsey	....	score producer
Eric Persing	....	music programmer
John Pierce	....	musician: electric bass
David Raven	....	musician: drums
Amanda Scheer-Demme	....	music supervisor
David Torn	....	musician: guitars
Waddy Wachtel	....	musician: guitars

Transportation Department
Jim Chesney	....	transportation coordinator
J. Armin Garza II	....	driver: camera car
Scotty Goudreau	....	driver captain
John R. Lopez	....	driver
Brian Joseph Moore	....	driver

Other crew
Sophie Addie	....	assistant to producer (as Sophie McMenamin)
Leslie Adler	....	assistant: Ms. Ryan
Maria Arago	....	assistant: Mr. Palminteri
Saundra Marie Ardito	....	payroll accountant
Lynell Bangs	....	production accountant
Howard Baral	....	post-production accountant
Michael Barnes	....	financial legal services
Lee J. Bognar	....	assistant location manager: Los Angeles (as Lee Bognar)
Valerie Bremier	....	set production assistant
Laura Brownson	....	assistant: Mr. Hamburger
Douglas Dresser	....	location manager: Los Angeles
J.J. Geary	....	craft service: Los Angeles
Kelley Graham	....	assistant: Mr. Shandling
Michael Greggans	....	stand-in: Chas Palminteri
Leelee Groome	....	key set production assistant: Los Angeles
Mark Hager	....	office production assistant
Christopher James Hall	....	set production assistant: Los Angeles (as Christopher J. Hall)
Bret Haller	....	director: news reporter scenes
Bret Haller	....	video research
Kathy Ilach	....	location assistant
Harriet Isaac	....	accounting assistant
Michel Jackson	....	assistant production coordinator
Tom Judt	....	craft service
Kit Jung	....	video research assistant
Brian King	....	title designer
Michael Lawson	....	unit publicist
Jennifer Jay Levin	....	set production assistant
Rebecca Long	....	script supervisor
Sandra Louie	....	assistant location manager
Joseph Maar	....	director: newscast scenes
Sato Masuzawa	....	assistant: Mr. Penn
Dorine Maze	....	set production assistant: Los Angeles
Douglas W. McHenry	....	post-production accountant
Andrea Mitchell	....	key set production assistant: Los Angeles
Kendall Moore	....	set production assistant
Don Phillips	....	creative consultant
Jess Platt	....	dialect coach
Stefanie Pleet	....	location manager
Aida Rodgers	....	key set production assistant: Los Angeles
Rocco Salata	....	photo double: Chazz Palminteri
Rocco Salata	....	stand-in: Chazz Palminteri
Barbara Spitz	....	production coordinator
Kim Steinert	....	assistant production coordinator
Nancy A. Terriberry	....	assistant coordinator
Sara E. Tower	....	accounting assistant (as Sara Tower)
Kenneth R. Turner	....	misc crew
Ken Twohy	....	key set production assistant
Adam Wallace	....	set production assistant: Los Angeles
Kristen Watson	....	assistant: Mr. Heusser (as Kristen L. Watson)
Michael Welch	....	assistant: Mr. Spacey
Lila Yacoub	....	production executive
Paul E. Yap	....	location scout (as Paul Yap)
Amy Younger	....	production assistant

Thanks
Michael D. Haller	....	dedicatee (as Michael Haller)
Avram 'Butch' Kaplan	....	special thanks
Denis Leary	....	thanks

Production Companies

• FilmColony
• Storm Entertainment

Distributors

• Fine Line Features (North America)
• Kinowelt Home Entertainment (2006) (Germany) (DVD)
• Manga Films (1999) (Spain) (all media)
• Opening Distribution (France)
• Sherlock Media S.L. (Spain)
• Storm Entertainment
• Xanadeux Company

Other Companies

• Beau Bonneau Casting  extras casting
• Beau Bonneau Casting  location casting
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera dollies
• Giorgio Armani  wardrobe: Kevin Spacey
• J.L. Fisher  dollies
• Pacific Title/Mirage  titles and opticals
• Panavision  cameras and lenses
• R.C. Baral & Co.  post-production accounting
• Saul Zaentz Film Center  sound re-recording
• Sound, San Francisco  sound editorial facilities
• Sunrise Films  negative cutting
• The Pogachefsky Company  publicity

MPAA:

Rated R for constant drug use, pervasive strong language and sexual material.

Runtime:

122 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | Iceland:16 | USA:R (certificate #36014) | Australia:MA | France:U | Hong Kong:III | South Korea:18 | Spain:18 | UK:18 | Germany:16 | Netherlands:16

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

FilmColony

Trivia:

Kevin Spacey asked the director for call sheets when Garry Shandling was going to be doing his scenes so that he could be there to watch. Spacey gave Shandling acting advice between takes, and at one point was even Garry's focal point behind the camera to mimic a facial expression, which the director used in the film since it captured the moment perfectly.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Eddie lies under the glass table while Mickey and Artie talk to him, the location (and amount) of cocaine changes between shots.

Quotes:

Bonnie: If your manner of speech is in any way a reflection of what goes on inside your head, you are lucky you can tie your shoes.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Game K N B: (2007-03-03)" (2007)

Soundtrack:

There Goes the Neighborhood

You'll either love it or hate it

This is definitely not a movie for everyone. Heavy drug use, discomfiting sexual situations, bad language, violence, a talky, "stagey" atmosphere, and generally despicable characters. Even if you like the actors involved, this may still not be the movie for you (my aunt rented it for my uncle and herself on the strength of Kevin Spacey's name, and he still hasn't forgiven her).

Having said that, I really liked this movie. I never saw the play, but when I read through it, I thought it was the most misogynistic piece of garbage I had ever encountered. Seeing it on screen, though, was a completely different experience. I felt that I understood what the playwright was trying to get at: namely, that this is a piece about how "Eddie, through the death of Phil, is saved from being Mickey." In short, a spiritual redemption of sorts.

Performances are uniformly strong. I have never been a big Sean Penn fan, but I thought he did a more than competent job with Eddie, particularly in the later scenes where he veers between arrogance and pathos. Kevin Spacey seemed uncomfortable with some aspects of the dialogue (i.e. "blah blah blah" etc.), but otherwise did his usual masterful job, in a role which raises the same questions that many of us would like to ask of him.

The role of Donna was, I felt, disfigured by the many cuts in the script--she is more of a victim than a wanton, IMHO--thus, the best thing I can say about Anna Paquin's performance is that she did well with what she was given. I had no strong objections to any of the other casting choices, except for Meg Ryan as Bonnie, who apparently cannot even play a stripper without resorting to her usual cutesy mannerisms.

FWIW, I liked the director's technical choice of "opening" the scenes by putting the conversations on cell phones, etc. However, I would have willingly sacrificed some of the added dialogue for some of the original lines that got cut. Final analysis: I thoroughly enjoyed this movie, and plan to buy it when it comes out on video,