The Postman (1997)

User Rating:

5.4/10   

Director:

Kevin Costner

Writers (WGA):

David Brin (novel)
Eric Roth (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

25 December 1997 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Adventure | Action | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

It is 2013. War has crippled the Earth. Technology has been erased. Our only hope is an unlikely hero.

Plot:

Post-apocalyptic America. What begins as a con game becomes one man's quest to rebuild civilization by resuming postal service.

Plot Keywords:

Directed By Star | Box Office Flop | Fight | Snow | Pregnant

Awards:

5 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

Kevin Costner	...	The Postman
Will Patton	...	General Bethlehem
Larenz Tate	...	Ford Lincoln Mercury
Olivia Williams	...	Abby
James Russo	...	Idaho
Daniel von Bargen	...	Pineview Sheriff Briscoe
Tom Petty	...	Bridge City Mayor
Scott Bairstow	...	Luke
Giovanni Ribisi	...	Bandit 20
Roberta Maxwell	...	Irene March
Joe Santos	...	Colonel Getty
Ron McLarty	...	Old George
Peggy Lipton	...	Ellen March
Brian Anthony Wilson	...	Woody
Todd Allen	...	Gibbs

Runtime:

177 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | SDDS | DTS

Certification:

Iceland:14 | Iceland:16 (video rating) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:14A (Alberta/British Columbia) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Australia:M | Canada:PG (Manitoba) | Singapore:M18 (re-rating) | Singapore:PG (cut) | Philippines:PG-13 | Finland:K-14 | France:U | Germany:12 | Hong Kong:IIA | Netherlands:16 | Norway:15 | Portugal:M/12 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | USA:R | South Korea:18 | Brazil:Livre

Filming Locations:

Anacortes, Washington, USA

Company:

Tig Productions

Trivia:

The cities of Pineview and Benning where both filmed in the small town of Metaline Falls, WA. Tons of dirt was brought in to turn the paved roads into dirt roads and a lot of work was put into to make the buildings look old and distressed. The only building that was constructed on site was the post office in Pineview that was later burned down.

Goofs:

Factual errors: When the Postman finds the old Zippo that was owned by the now deceased postman, he flicks the flint, and is surprised to find that it lights. Seeing as how that the deceased postman is now a skeleton, he has been there for quite a while. The Zippo fuel (naphtha) evaporates quite quickly, and after a few days the lighter will be useless unless he came across a bottle of naphtha.

Quotes:

General Bethlehem: I know what your problem is. Do you know why you won't fight? Because you have nothing to fight for! You don't care about anything! You don't value anything! You don't believe in anything! That's what makes me better!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Simpsons: Monty Can't Buy Me Love (#10.21)" (1999)

Soundtrack:

You Didn't Have To Be So Nice

See it, then decide

It's a depressing fact that the moviegoing public is being brainwashed by critics to hate everything involving Kevin Costner. When released in 1997 this breathtaking, thought-provoking epic was largely ignored and limped to a box office gross of $14 million, thanks to some vicious reviews.

Lest we forget, Costner made the magnificent Dances With Wolves, but that was in the days when we were told it was okay to like him. His directorial follow up is every bit as good. He knows about directing. He coaxes great performances from his casts. He has real vision and takes chances. Like Michael Cimino, his efforts are belittled and mocked while directors with clearly less talent are applauded.

So to all those people who stayed away in droves and screw their faces up at the mention of this film, I say watch it before you criticise it. Don't rely on some magazine writer to tell you who's good and who's not. Your brain is there for a reason.