The Real Blonde (1997)

User Rating:

5.9/10   

Director:

Tom DiCillo

Writer:

Tom DiCillo (written by)

Release Date:

27 February 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

What you see isn't always what you get.

Plot:

Joe and Mary have been living together in Manhattan for six years. Joe is an actor, who has no agent and no thesping credits...

Plot Keywords:

Waiter | Soap | Photographer | Actor | Conspiracy Theory

Cast

Matthew Modine	...	Joe
Catherine Keener	...	Mary
Daryl Hannah	...	Kelly
Maxwell Caulfield	...	Bob
Elizabeth Berkley	...	Tina
Marlo Thomas	...	Blair
Bridgette Wilson	...	Sahara
Buck Henry	...	Dr. Leuter
Christopher Lloyd	...	Ernst
Kathleen Turner	...	Dee Dee Taylor
Denis Leary	...	Doug
Beatrice Winde	...	Wilma
Schecter Lee	...	Chang
John Tormey	...	Harassing Man
Wayne Parent	...	Blair's Assistant
Peter Rex	...	Biker Boy Pete
Kendall Knights	...	Biker Boy Ken
Daniela Olivieri	...	Kiki
Bronson Picket	...	Rubio
Arturo Fresolone	...	Javier
Ray Trail	...	Dirty Old Man
Joe D'Angerio	...	Porno Clerk
Kedar Brown	...	Playful Waiter
David Thornton	...	Alex
Alexandra Wentworth	...	Raina
Sheila Hewlett	...	Waitress in Restaurant
Timm Zemanek	...	Man in Restaurant
Joan Heney	...	Wife in Restaurant
Jonathan Wilson	...	Young Man in Restaurant
Deborah Swanson	...	Young Woman in Restaurant
Moynan King	...	Biker Chick
Gloria Slade	...	Biker Chick
Kathryn Haggis	...	Biker Chick
Dawn Roach	...	Biker Chick
Debra McGrath	...	Cis (as Debra Mcgrath)
Tony Hendra	...	Soap Director
Jim Fyfe	...	Roy
Sean Orr	...	Stagehand
Tom Harvey	...	Whipped Cream Man
Nahanni Johnstone	...	Young Woman
Alex Appel	...	Sheila
Djanet Sears	...	Chantal
Steve Buscemi	...	Nick
Dave Chappelle	...	Zee
Landy Cannon	...	Beach Boy
Katie Griffin	...	Empty V Interviewer
Brian Frank	...	Chet
Vincent Laresca	...	Trey
Missy Yager	...	Lisa
Karen Woolridge	...	Nadia
Peter Keleghan	...	Successful Actor
Daniel von Bargen	...	Devon (as Daniel Von Bargen)
Colin Mochrie	...	Renny

Directed by
Tom DiCillo

Writing credits
Tom DiCillo		(written by)

Produced by
Terry McKay	....	executive producer
Tom Rosenberg	....	producer
Sigurjon Sighvatsson	....	executive producer
Ted Tannebaum	....	executive producer
Marcus Viscidi	....	producer
Meredith Zamsky	....	co-producer
Richard S. Wright	....	executive producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Jim Farmer

Cinematography by
Frank Prinzi		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Keiko Deguchi
Camilla Toniolo

Casting by
Avy Kaufman

Production Design by
Christopher Nowak

Art Direction by
Paul D. Austerberry

Set Decoration by
Gordon Sim

Costume Design by
Jennifer von Mayrhauser

Makeup Department
Beverly Carr	....	makeup artist
Reeve Cuerrier	....	hair stylist
Lori Hicks	....	key makeup artist
Michele Paris	....	makeup artist (as Michele Paris-Catanzarite)
Marie-Ange Ripka	....	key hair stylist

Production Management
Armand Leo	....	unit production manager
Melissa Marr	....	production supervisor: Lemonsky Productions
Diana Schmidt	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Al Buchok	....	third assistant director
Jeffrey Lazar	....	first assistant director: New York
Linda Perkins	....	second second assistant director: New York
Marek Posival	....	second assistant director
Bruce Speyer	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Nigel Churcher	....	second assistant art director
James Crouch	....	art department coordinator
David G. Fremlin	....	assistant art director
Matthew Lammerich	....	key scenic artist
Jeffrey A. Melvin	....	assistant property master
William F. Reynolds	....	property master: New York
David Ritchie	....	on-set dresser

Sound Department
Colin Jones	....	boom operator
Bruce Kitzmeyer	....	foley editor
Hal Levinsohn	....	adr editor
Tony Martinez	....	dialogue editor
Tom Mather	....	sound
Michael W. Mitchell	....	sound effects editor
Eliza Paley	....	supervising sound editor
Mathew Price	....	sound
Joe Romano	....	boom operator
Dominick Tavella	....	sound re-recordist

Visual Effects by
Jennifer Basnyat	....	title designer

Camera and Electrical Department
Chris Alexander	....	focus puller
Christopher Dean	....	key grip
Mark Egyud	....	electrician
Leonard Mitalas	....	camera trainee
Douglas W. Shannon	....	best boy electric: New York
Jeremy Tabarrok	....	second assistant camera
Kenneth J. Withers	....	camera operator
Alan Wolfe	....	first assistant camera

Casting Department
Byron Crystal	....	extras casting
Aric Dupere	....	extras casting assistant
Donna Dupere	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Loreen Lightfoot	....	costume cutter/stitcher
Marcia Scott	....	costume set supervisor

Editorial Department
Sandra Nash	....	assistant editor
Ricardo Olivero	....	color timer
David Tarnawsky	....	second assistant editor

Music Department
Gary Chester	....	music score engineer
Gary Chester	....	music score mixer
Robin Urdang	....	music supervisor

Transportation Department
John Coles	....	driver
Nick Sweetman	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Michael Blecher	....	assistant location manager
Kathy Ciric	....	assistant to production executive
Cliff Dempster	....	production assistant
Mark McFadden	....	assistant location manager
Michael Mendelsohn	....	production financing
Kool Moe Dee	....	misc crew
John Parker	....	production accountant
Jim Powers	....	location manager
Daniel Projansky	....	location manager: New York
Michael Ventresco	....	title designer: main titles
Elizabeth Zagrany	....	assistant accountant: second unit
Bill Timoney	....	adr voice group (uncredited)

Thanks
Arthur Miller	....	enormous gratitude and respect
Bill Nisselson	....	special thanks
Man Ray	....	special thanks (as The Estate of Man Ray)

Production Companies

• Lakeshore Entertainment

Distributors

• Cinema Service
• Diaphana Films (France)
• Filmes Lusomundo (Portugal)
• Paramount Pictures (1998) (USA)
• RCV Film Distribution (Belgium)
• RCV Film Distribution (Luxembourg)
• RCV Film Distribution (Netherlands)
• Real Blonde Productions Corp.

Other Companies

• The Estate of Man Ray  special thanks

MPAA:

Rated R for sexuality and language.

Runtime:

105 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Italian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:L | Australia:M | Canada:14A (Ontario) | Belgium:KT | France:U | Germany:12 (w) | Netherlands:AL | Portugal:M/12 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Lakeshore Entertainment

Trivia:

Buck Henry's character's name, Dr. Leuter, means "Dr. Dick" in Dutch.

Movie Connections:

References The Little Mermaid (1989)

Soundtrack:

Inhaller

a delight

Tom DiCillo is a young director with a strong personal style much reminiscent of some of Hollywood's great directors of the 40's such as Lubitch, Leisen and Sturgess.

Like them his films are light, socially critical and above all reveal a genuine affection for his characters so often lacking in the films of his contemporaries.

This is a world of ruthless superficiality. Appearance is

everything and hence the ultimate prize, a real blonde.

In this world we find Joe (Matthew Modine) and Mary (Catherine Keener), he a somewhat gawky 35 year old struggling actor waiting tables while waiting for his big chance for a real acting role, preferably "Death of a Salesman". But instead there's a role in a Madonna video, the chance of a soap opera part, and maybe a serial killer in the offering.

Mary is a makeup artist for photographic models needing constant attention as well as emotional support in their delusional lives. By night she attends a self defence class to deal with men on the street who see her as a female for their pleasure.

The problems of their survival in such a world, both as individuals as well as a relationship in danger, are dealt with insight and above all affection. In true Hollywood tradition the true values prevail.

Both Matthew Modine and Catherine Keener give marvellous performances and their are some fine cameos from Marlo Thomas, Dennis Leary and Steve Buscemi.

DiCillo is a director to watch and hopefully he will continue to develope and make movies as charming as this one.