Mousehunt (1997)

User Rating:

6.0/10   

Director:

Gore Verbinski

Writer (WGA):

Adam Rifkin (written by)

Release Date:

19 December 1997 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Comedy | Family

Tagline:

The funniest movie of the year!

Plot:

Two stumblebum inheritors are determined to rid their antique house of a mouse who is equally determined to stay where he is.

Plot Keywords:

Mouse | Factory | String Factory | Auction | Jacuzzi

Awards:

2 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Nathan Lane	...	Ernest "Ernie" Smuntz
Lee Evans	...	Lars Smuntz
Vicki Lewis	...	April Smuntz
Maury Chaykin	...	Alexander Falko
Eric Christmas	...	Ernie and Lars' Lawyer
Michael Jeter	...	Quincy Thorpe
Debra Christofferson	...	Ingrid
Camilla Søeberg	...	Hilde, the Bench Lady (as Camilla Soeberg)
Ian Abercrombie	...	Auctioneer
Annabelle Gurwitch	...	Roxanne Atkins
Eric Poppick	...	The Banker
Ernie Sabella	...	Maury, the Cat Care Society Owner
William Hickey	...	Rudolph Smuntz
Christopher Walken	...	Caeser, the Exterminator
Cliff Emmich	...	Mayor McKringle
Melanie MacQueen	...	Mrs. McKringle, the mayor's Wife
Brianna Shebby	...	Becky
Danielle Shebby	...	Betty
Leslie Upson	...	Leslie Reinhart
Mario Cantone	...	Zeppco Suit #1
Peter Anthony Rocca	...	Zeppco Suit #2
Steve Bean	...	Lester Dinkus
Suzanne Krull	...	Waitress #1
William Frankfather	...	Mr. Texas
Patrick Thomas	...	Construction Worker #1 (as Pat Thomas)
Peter Gregory	...	Doctor
E.J. Callahan	...	Historical Clerk
Susan Blommaert	...	Ms. Park Avenue
Valorie Armstrong	...	Franklin's Wife
Michael X. Sommers	...	Paramedic
Michael Ross	...	Cop
José Rey	...	Cuban Postal Worker
Carmen Filpi	...	Pallbearer #4
Harper Roisman	...	Factory Worker #1
David Fresco	...	Factory Worker #2
Scott Alan Smith	...	City Paramedic (as Scott Smith)
Sarah Dampf	...	Crying Child
Orville Stoeber	...	Expert #1
David Weisenberg	...	Expert #2
Fred Pierce	...	Large Nosed Man
Clement Blake	...	Homeless Man (as Clement E. Blake)
Saverio Carubia	...	Photographer
Pep Torres	...	Bus Boy
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jack Angeles	...	Kennel Employee (uncredited)
Michael Laren	...	Drowning waiter (uncredited)

Directed by
Gore Verbinski

Writing credits (WGA)
Adam Rifkin		(written by)

Produced by
Bart Brown	....	associate producer
Bruce Cohen	....	producer
Tony Ludwig	....	producer
Alan Riche	....	producer

Original Music by
Alan Silvestri

Cinematography by
Phedon Papamichael		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Craig Wood

Casting by
Denise Chamian

Production Design by
Linda DeScenna		(as Linda Descenna)

Art Direction by
James Nedza		(as Jim Nedza)

Set Decoration by
Ric McElvin

Costume Design by
Jill M. Ohanneson		(as Jill Ohanneson)

Makeup Department
Stacey K. Black	....	additional assistant hair stylist
Carrey Gibbons	....	makeup artist
Julie Hewett	....	key makeup artist
Candace Neal	....	hair department head

Production Management
Herb Gains	....	unit production manager (as Herbert W. Gains)
Brad Goodman	....	post-production supervisor
Vicki Niemi	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Benita Allen	....	first assistant director (as Benita Allen-Honess)
Jessy Melowicz	....	dga trainee
Frederic Roth	....	second assistant director (as Fred Roth)
Alan Steinman	....	second second assistant director

Art Department
John J. Bradley	....	set dresser
James Ward Byrkit	....	storyboard artist
John Ceniceros	....	set dresser
Kevin Considine	....	set dresser
Alan Easley	....	key set dresser
Kirk Essiambre	....	set dresser
Ashley Fardys	....	art department coordinator (as Ashley Cook)
Bruce J. Gfeller	....	construction coordinator
Nancy Gilmore	....	lead person
Michael Goss	....	labor
Al Hobbs	....	set designer
John R. Jensen	....	assistant art director
Justin J. LaPresle	....	propmaker
Fireball Tim Lawrence	....	concept artist (as Tim Lawrence)
Ed Lee	....	concept artist
Mary Locatell	....	illustrator
Kris Peck	....	assistant property master
David Storm	....	set dresser
Sally Thornton	....	assistant art director
Tommy 'Tom' Tomlinson	....	property master
Stan Tropp	....	set designer
Walter Zieska	....	propmaker gangboss

Sound Department
David W. Alstadter	....	foley mixer
John S. Coffey	....	sound mixer: second unit
Dino Dimuro	....	sound effects editor
Richard Dwan Jr.	....	adr editor
Richard Dwan Jr.	....	dialogue editor
Arthur Farkas	....	foley editor
Gregg Frazier	....	boom operator: second unit
Scott Martin Gershin	....	supervising sound editor
Gregory Hainer	....	sound designer
Catherine Harper	....	foley artist
Larry Kemp	....	supervising sound editor
Gregg Landaker	....	sound mixer
Linda Lew	....	foley recordist
Martin Lopez	....	sound effects editor
Steve Maslow	....	sound mixer
Philip D. Morrill	....	assistant sound editor
Tony Negrete	....	adr assistant sound editor
Mark Ormandy	....	additional sound
Timothy P. Salmon	....	boom operator
Mary Ruth Smith	....	sound editor
Jon Title	....	sound effects editor
Keith A. Wester	....	production sound mixer
Douglas J. Schulman	....	production sound mixer: re-shoots (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Jim Charmatz	....	key artist (puppeteer)
Kathie Clark	....	creature designer
Christian Colquhoun	....	special mechanical effects
Chris Cowan	....	special mechanical effects (as Christian Colquhoun)
Jon Dawe	....	mechanical designer: Stan Winston Studio
Glenn Derry	....	electronics designer: Stan Winston Studio
David Dulac	....	technical director: Animal Logic
Lynette Eklund	....	key fabricator: Stan Winston Studio
Lance Gilmer	....	special effects technician
Jason Gustafson	....	special effects technician
Thomas R. Homsher	....	special effects foreman
Michael Lantieri	....	special effects
Joe Love	....	special effects technician
Lindsay MacGowan	....	art department: Stan Winston Studio
Keith Marbory	....	special effects supervisor
Matt McDonnell	....	special effects technician
Kevin McTurk	....	special effects technician
Paul Mejias	....	special effects supervisor
Tom Pahk	....	special effects foreman
Chris Perry	....	technical director: preproduction R&D
Alan Scott	....	mechanical effects supervisor: Stan Winston Studio
Brian Tipton	....	special effects: first and second unit
Brian Daniel Young	....	effects artist
Chris L. Ward	....	special effects technician (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Lisa Atkinson	....	digital production manager
Tony Barraza	....	I/O Inferno
Andy Barrios	....	digital artist: Rainmaker Digital Los Angeles
Bill Black	....	visual effects editor
Brigitte Bourque	....	digital effects compositor: Rainmaker Digital
Andy Brown	....	visual effects art director animal logic
Megan Bryant	....	digital camera supervisor
Tom Capizzi	....	digital artist
Lynne Cartwright	....	senior animator
Shannon Casey	....	visual effects producer: Rhythm & Hues
Jeffrey Castel De Oro	....	digital artist
Raymond Chen	....	CG lead lighter
Fiona Chilton	....	visual effects coordinator: Animal Logic
Jim Davidson	....	model maker: visual effects rigger
John Dietz	....	CG lead lighter
Brian Dowrick	....	3D lead animator
Alex Drought	....	digital nonlinear engineer
Peter Farson	....	special effects animator
Michael Feder	....	digital effects coordinator
Raffaella Filipponi	....	3D lead animator
Lindsay Fleay	....	CG animator: Animal Logic
Mark Franco	....	visual effects executive producer: Rainmaker Digital
Jenny Fulle	....	visual effects producer
Doug Gallery	....	3D animator
Charles Gibson	....	visual effects supervisor
Bryan Greenberg	....	visual effects
Royce Hager	....	motion control rigger
Mark Hamilton	....	digital artist
Albert Hastings	....	digital artist
Karl Herbst	....	CG lighter
Jesse Hollander	....	digital effects artist
Sharon Smith Holley	....	visual effects editor
Cheryl A. Jones	....	visual effects coordinator
Jongo	....	CG lighter (as Jongo Yuk)
Jongo	....	lighting technical director
Michael Joyce	....	model shop supervisor
Perry Kass	....	software
Nancy Kato	....	3D lead animator
Mitch Kopelman	....	digital effects supervisor
Jennifer Law-Stump	....	digital effects artist: Pacific Title Digital
Tom Leeser	....	digital compositing supervisor: Rhythm & Hues
John Lockwood	....	digital artist: Rhythm & Hues
Mark Alan Loso	....	compositor
Mary Lynn Machado	....	CG supervisor
Paul Maples	....	motion control operator
Mark 'Crash' McCreery	....	art director
Chad Merriam	....	visual effects coordinator
Justin Mettam	....	animation
Justin Mettam	....	visual effects
Kirsty Millar	....	digital compositor
Steven Moder	....	digital non-linear engineer
Betsy Paterson	....	lead compositor
Brian Peterson	....	senior systems engineer
Patrick Phillips	....	visual effects
Glenn Ramos	....	3D animator
Marc-Andre Samson	....	CG lighter
Juan-Luis Sanchez	....	technical support: Rhythm & Hues
Robin Saxen	....	visual effects coordinator
Christopher Scollard	....	digital effects producer
Mark A. Shelton	....	visual effects director of photography
Mark A. Shelton	....	visual effects supervisor
Todd Shifflett	....	CG lead lighter
John Siczewicz	....	senior digital artist: Blue Sky Studios
Chris Sjoholm	....	special effects animator
Robert Skotak	....	visual effects supervisor: 4-ward productions
Scott Suess	....	Flame artist
Scott Suess	....	compositor
Stephanie Taylor	....	plate coordinator
Randy Wei	....	CG lighter
Jeff Wells	....	digital effects artist: Pacific Title Digital
Sylvia Wong	....	animation & lighting supervisor
Julius Yang	....	computer graphics match mover
Tsz 'Gee' Yeung	....	digital effects artist
Kent Yoshida	....	3D animator
Charlie Armstrong	....	digital artist (uncredited)
Chris DeAngelis	....	visual effects editor: EFilm (uncredited)
Todd Fellows	....	model maker: Acme Model Shop (uncredited)
Phillip Giles	....	digital compositor (uncredited)
Ben Gunsberger	....	CG animator: Animal Logic (uncredited)
Josh R. Jaggars	....	visual effects producer: VIFX (uncredited)
John Joyce	....	model maker (uncredited)
Mike Leben	....	motion control operator (uncredited)
Justen Marshall	....	software developer (uncredited)
Daryl Munton	....	digital effects artist (uncredited)
Justin Robson	....	CG modeller: Animal Logic (uncredited)
Olivier Sarda	....	digital compositor (uncredited)
Kevin Tengan	....	systems administrator (uncredited)

Stunts
M. James Arnett	....	stunt coordinator
Keith Campbell	....	stunts
Jay Caputo	....	stunts
Eliza Coleman	....	utility stunts
John DePasquale	....	stunts
Annie Ellis	....	stunts
Cinda-Lin James	....	stunt double
Charlie Picerni	....	stunts
Walter Robles	....	stunts
Jimmy Romano	....	stunts
Pat Romano	....	assistant stunt coordinator
Lee Waddell	....	stunts
Randy Johnson	....	stunts (uncredited)
Nancy Young	....	stunt double: Susan Bloommaert (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Larry J. Aube	....	rigging key grip
Nico Bally	....	grip
Michael J. Coo	....	key grip
Kenneth Estes	....	video playback operator
Bob Hall	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera
D.J. Harder	....	second assistant camera
Casey Jones	....	key grip
Daniel C. McFadden	....	camera loader
Michael A. Mendez	....	grip
Steven J. Mikolas	....	video assist operator (as Steven Mikolas)
Wally Pfister	....	camera operator
Michael Santoro	....	rigging best boy grip
Lorey Sebastian	....	still photographer
David A. Seekins	....	camera intern
Philip Shanahan	....	second assistant camera
Mark Vargo	....	director of photography: second unit
Doug Weinmann	....	rigging electric best boy
Robert J. Reilly	....	grip (uncredited)

Animation Department
Henry F. Anderson III	....	animation director: Blue Sky Studios
Jeffrey Joe	....	computer animator (uncredited)

Casting Department
Susan Maas	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Christopher Lawrence	....	costume supervisor
Janet Stirner Ingram	....	costumer

Editorial Department
Tony Bacigalupi	....	assistant editor
Martin Cohen	....	post-production executive
Richard Currie	....	assistant editor
Chris Jackson	....	assistant editor
Alan Z. McCurdy	....	first assistant editor
Simon Morgan	....	assistant editor
Bob Putynkowski	....	color timer
David Reale	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Sandy DeCrescent	....	orchestra contractor
Dan DiPrima	....	music editor
Bruce Fowler	....	additional orchestrator
Daniel Gaber	....	additional music editor: temp tracking
Laurie Higgins Tobias	....	music editor: temp music
Todd Homme	....	executive in charge of music
Buck Ram	....	composer: song "I'll Be Home For Christmas"
William Ross	....	orchestrator
Lee Scott	....	additional music editor
Steven L. Smith	....	music preparation
Jacqueline Tager	....	music editor

Transportation Department
Denny Caira	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Brad Arnold	....	key set production assistant
Joshua Stephen Buckner	....	production assistant
Jeffrey Castel De Oro	....	recording technician
S. Todd Christensen	....	assistant location manager
Christian Colquhoun	....	puppeteer
Chris Cowan	....	puppeteer (as Christian Colquhoun)
Jon Dawe	....	puppeteer
Lynette Eklund	....	puppeteer
Loren Elkins	....	assistant: Nathan Lane
Erin Engman	....	assistant production coordinator
Kurt Herbel	....	electronics
Michael Kehoe	....	craft service
Tracy Kelly	....	mouse wrangler
Adrienne King	....	looping voices
Peter Martorano	....	assistant location manager
Liz Matthews	....	location manager
Peter McManus	....	assistant accountant
Steven R. Molen	....	production executive
Boone Narr	....	animal trainer
Julius 'Butch' Naveira	....	assistant production accountant
Peter J. Novak	....	location scout
Lisa Perkins	....	assistant: Adam Rifkin
Michael Riley	....	title designer
Paul Ripple	....	production assistant
Daniel A. Rosenthal	....	production accountant
Lora Somoza	....	assistant to director
Todd Stone	....	assistant: Lee Evans
Mike Sudrow	....	weapons specialist
Mitch Sutton	....	production assistant
Shawn Weber	....	cat trainer
Stan Winston	....	animatronic creature design and effects
Alex L. Worman	....	unit publicist
Wade Beckett	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Rich Pence	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Marshal Silverman	....	photo double (uncredited)
Marshal Silverman	....	stand-in (uncredited)
Marcel Valcarce	....	artist: main titles (uncredited)

Thanks
William Hickey	....	dedicatee

Production Companies

• DreamWorks SKG

Distributors

• DreamWorks Distribution (1997) (USA) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1998) (theatrical) (non-USA)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (2002) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1998) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1998) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1998) (Germany) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1998) (Finland) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1998) (France) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1998) (UK) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (Argentina) (video)
• CIC Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• Filmes Lusomundo (Portugal)
• Red Feather Photoplays

Special Effects

• Animal Logic
• Cinema Production Services
• Rhythm and Hues (special visual effects and animation)
• Stan Winston Studio (animatronic effects)

Other Companies

• Boone's Animals for Hollywood  mouse and cat training
• Kona Cutting  negative cutting
• Universal Sound Studios  sound post-production
• Varèse Sarabande  soundtrack

Also Known As:

Mouse Hunt (International: English title) (alternative spelling)
Mouse Trap (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated PG for language, comic sensuality and mayhem.

Runtime:

98 min | Germany:93 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Brazil:Livre | Iceland:L | South Korea:All | Philippines:G | Argentina:Atp | Australia:G (TV rating) | Australia:PG (original rating) | Belgium:KT | Chile:TE | Finland:K-8/5 | France:U | Germany:6 (w) | Netherlands:AL | Norway:7 | Portugal:M/6 | Singapore:PG | Sweden:7 | UK:PG | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Bass Lake, California, USA

Company:

DreamWorks SKG

Trivia:

Eric Christmas' last film.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When the vacuum cleaner is attached to the sewage line, the mouse watches from outside. He sits on top of the upper ("outer") window panel which has been pulled down to the bottom position of its track (for easier cleaning - consistent with the boys housecleaning). Based on interior and exterior shots in the scene, the lower ("inner") window panel appears to run the entire length of the window. In addition, the position of the curtains change from framing the window to pulled back.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Lars: [at their father's funeral, they carry his coffin down the steps of a cathedral] Hold your end up higher, you're not holding it.
Ernie: I am too.
Lars: You are not.
Ernie: Don't worry about me. Hey, isn't that suit charcoal?
Lars: No.
Ernie: Looks charcoal gray to me, some gray polyester blend. Couldn't even find a black suit for your own father's funeral.
Lars: It's black.
Ernie: No, I'm sure it's gray.
Lars: It's black.
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "HBO First Look: The Making of 'The Mexican' (#8.1)" (2001)

Soundtrack:

We're In The Money

Funny and touching

When their father dies, brothers Ernie and Lars inherit a rundown string factory and a run down house. When they find the house may be worth millions they set about renovating it to auction it. However they don't reckon on the house's one inhabitant – a small mouse – who has no intention of going anywhere.

In the wrong hands this could easily have turned into a cruel slapstick and nothing else. It's easy to see this sort of thing turning into a Home Alone type thing with the mouse dishing out cruel punishment after cruel punishment. However it's more than that, although it has elements of those films. The film is witty – mixing the slapstick with a more adult humour and, although the slapstick is cartoony, it is also clever and imaginative in most cases.

The strength of the film is in three performances. First and second is Lane and Evans, both have an air of Laurel and Hardy (especially Lane) and they make for a good double act. Lane gets to do his usual stuff while the more goofy antics of Lars suit Evans' stand-up routine background to the ground. However the main success is the mouse. In other hands he would have been a mere excuse for destruction, however here he has `humanity' – a character if you will. This is perfectly demonstrated by the unintentional chase with a nail gun – how dramatic! How tense! But also how touching – the mouse is given intelligence and has a motivation for what happens.

Of course at heart this is a kids film and it is a very good one at that. However these other points give it the feel that it was made for adults too. Certainly the inclusion of Walken as a pest controller is one no child will get.

Overall this is well made and is more that just a crude slapstick affair. It can be enjoyed on that level but it just feels that little more mature. To illustrate what I mean – can you imagine the difference if Chris Columbus had directed it? Now you've got me!