Zero Effect (1998)

Director:

Jake Kasdan

Writer (WGA):

Jake Kasdan (written by)

Release Date:

30 January 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Thriller | Mystery

Tagline:

The world's most private detective.

Plot:

The world's greatest detective Daryl Zero aided by his associate Steve Arlo investigates a complex and mysterious case of blackmail and missing keys for shady tycoon Gregory Stark who is less than forthcoming about what is really happening!

Plot Keywords:

Blackmail | Private Detective | Investigation | Paranoia | Fire Alarm

Cast

Bill Pullman	...	Daryl Zero
Ben Stiller	...	Steve Arlo
Ryan O'Neal	...	Gregory Stark
Kim Dickens	...	Gloria Sullivan
Angela Featherstone	...	Jess
Hugh Ross	...	Bill
Sarah DeVincentis	...	Daisy
Matt O'Toole	...	Kragan Vincent
Michele Mariana	...	Maid
Robert Katims	...	Gerald Auerbach
Tyrone Henry	...	Staffer #1
Aleta Barthell	...	Staffer #2
Tapp Watkins	...	Firefighter
Wendy Westerwelle	...	Motel Clerk
Lauren Hasson	...	Little Kid
Daniel Pershing	...	Rahim
David Doty	...	Officer Hagans
J.W. Crawford	...	Convention Employee
Fred Parnes	...	Chuck
Luisa Sermol	...	Waitress
Marvin LaRoy Sanders	...	Astronomer #1 (as Marvin L. Sanders)
Doug Baldwin	...	Astronomer #2
Robert Blanche	...	Paramedic #1
Margot Demeter	...	Clarissa Devereau
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jake Kasdan	...	Bank Teller (voice) (uncredited)
Bill Kelley	...	Man in bathroom (uncredited)
Geno Romo	...	Basketball Player (uncredited)
Galen Schrick	...	Man with Bag (uncredited)

Directed by
Jake Kasdan

Writing credits (WGA)
Jake Kasdan		(written by)

Produced by
Jim Behnke	....	executive producer
Naomi Despres	....	co-producer
Lisa Henson	....	producer
Jake Kasdan	....	producer
Janet Yang	....	producer

Original Music by
The Greyboy Allstars

Cinematography by
Bill Pope		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Tara Timpone

Casting by
Mary Vernieu

Production Design by
Gary Frutkoff

Art Direction by
Philip Messina		(as Philip J. Messina)

Set Decoration by
Maggie Martin

Costume Design by
Kym Barrett

Makeup Department
John Blake	....	makeup artist: Los Angeles
John Caglione Jr.	....	key makeup artist
Nina Paskowitz	....	key hair stylist
Perri Sorel	....	makeup artist
Nancy Tong	....	hair stylist (as Nanxy Tong-Heater)

Production Management
Jim Behnke	....	production manager
James K. Jensen	....	post-production supervisor
Linda Pallin	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Carey Dietrich	....	first assistant director
Louis Hagney	....	second second assistant director (as Louis W. Hagney)
Peter E. Hirsch	....	key second assistant director
Kathy Krause	....	second second assistant director (as Kathy M. Krause)
Jill Southern	....	second second assistant director: Los Angeles (as Jill Musser)

Art Department
Philip Blackburn	....	set dresser (as Philip S. Blackburn)
Nina Bradford	....	set dressing buyer
Darren Brieher	....	construction medic
Jeff Cach	....	set dresser
Bruce Di Valerio	....	construction coordinator
Joel Elmson	....	set dresser (as Joel Elson)
Ken Erck	....	stand-by painter
Kirk Essiambre	....	assistant property master: Los Angeles
Michael Fine	....	construction medic
Sean Fong	....	set dresser
Kelly Hannafin	....	set designer
Anne Hyvarinen	....	paint supervisor
Patrick Lees	....	lead person
Alberto Christiano Lombardo	....	property master: Los Angeles
Chris McFadden	....	assistant property master (as Christopher McFadden)
John Pearson-Denning	....	property master
Nicholas Starin	....	set dresser (as Nicholas T. Starin)
Brad Turner	....	assistant property master (as Bradford H. Turner)
Alun Vick	....	propmaker toolman
Edward Wouters	....	general foreman (as Ed Wouters)
Naomi Yospe	....	art department coordinator (as Naomi M. Yospe)
Todd Young	....	propmaker toolman
Charles A. Carlsen	....	greens person (uncredited)
Thomas Christianson	....	scenic artist (uncredited)

Sound Department
George Baetz	....	boom operator
Glenn E. Berkovitz	....	production sound mixer (as Glenn Berkovitz)
Andrew Bracken	....	sound production assistant
Joan Chamberlain	....	foley recordist
Yann Delpuech	....	supervising sound effects editor
Don Digirolamo	....	sound re-recording mixer
Dean Drabin	....	adr mixer
David E. Fluhr	....	sound re-recording mixer
Robert Grieve	....	supervising sound editor
Adam Jenkins	....	sound re-recording mixer
Larry Keating	....	sound production assistant (as Lawrence Keating)
Darren King	....	dialogue editor
Gregory King	....	supervising sound editor (as Greg King)
E. Niles Klein	....	sound production assistant
Aaron Levy	....	sound recordist
Rob Nokes	....	sound technical supporter
Nancy Parker	....	foley artist
Michele Perrone	....	adr editor
Brian Ruberg	....	foley mixer
Alison Sanford	....	foley artist
Joel Shryack	....	foley editor
Cary Stratton	....	adr recordist
Bruce Stubblefield	....	dialogue editor
Meg Taylor	....	first assistant sound editor
Corey Woods	....	utility sound

Special Effects by
Bob Riggs	....	special effects coordinator

Stunts
Diamond Farnsworth	....	stunt coordinator
Steve Kelso	....	stunt driver

Camera and Electrical Department
Bob Anderson	....	grip: Los Angeles
Stuart Campbell	....	camera loader (as Stuart D. Campbell)
Tom Derose	....	electrician: Los Angeles
Sean Fine	....	electrician: Los Angeles
Bob Finley III	....	gaffer (as Robert Finley III)
Mark Freeman	....	electrician: Los Angeles (as Mark P. Freeman)
Mike Hanauska	....	grip (as Michael Hanauska)
Derek Jensen	....	best boy grip
Gemma La Mana	....	still photographer
Brian C. Lawson	....	grip
Danny Linnik	....	best boy electric
Greg Luntzel	....	first assistant camera
Matthew May	....	electrician
Tony Mazzucchi	....	key grip
Daniel Pershing	....	dolly grip
Tim Pershing	....	grip: Los Angeles
Bill Pierson	....	grip: Los Angeles
Scott Richmond	....	electrician
William Robinson	....	second assistant camera
Michael A. Savage	....	grip: Los Angeles
Doug Schwartz	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera (as Douglas Schwartz)
Kurt Sturgis	....	best boy electric: Los Angeles
Albert Tablanza	....	electrician
Scott A. Walters	....	grip
Mark Watson	....	electrician
William G. Webb	....	camera operator (as Billy Webb)
James WilderHancock	....	grip (as James Wilder Hancock)
Mitch Wood	....	24 frame video operator
Mark Watson	....	rigging gaffer (uncredited)

Animation Department
Johannes Gamble	....	computer animator

Casting Department
Anne McCarthy	....	casting associate
Danny Stoltz	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Carol Dobrovolny	....	set costumer
Leslie Gilbertson	....	set costumer
Grace Tara	....	assistant to costume designer
Lois DeArmond	....	costume illustrator (uncredited)
Mark Peterson	....	costume supervisor (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Angela Barton	....	second assistant editor
Trevor Cable	....	apprentice editor
Susan Chernus	....	first assistant editor
Linda DeMarco	....	color timer
Michael Dooley	....	editorial production assistant
Mo Henry	....	negative cutter
Hugh Ross	....	apprentice editor
Ed Stabile	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Spring Aspers	....	music coordinator
Todd Burke	....	score mixer
Tass Filipos	....	assistant music editor
Arlene Fishbach	....	music consultant
Jonathan Karp	....	music editor
Manish Raval	....	music supervisor
Happy Walters	....	music supervisor
Tom Wolfe	....	music coordinator

Transportation Department
Jennifer Addington	....	transportation office assistant
Joe Baker	....	production driver
William A. Benedict	....	transportation co-captain
Benjamin Brewer III	....	production driver
Nick Edgerton	....	production driver (as Nik Edgerton)
Edward I. Fiese	....	production driver
Tony Greasley	....	production driver
Robert Hunter Jr.	....	transportation coordinator
Don Levinski	....	production driver
Johnny Liepins	....	production driver (as Maris 'Johnny' Liepins)
Steve H. Pape	....	production driver
Harold Peacock	....	production driver
Scott W. Ramsey	....	transportation co-captain
Eric Ruland	....	production driver
Katrina L. Sanders	....	production driver
Marvin LaRoy Sanders	....	production driver (as Marvin L. Sanders)
Paul Schwanke	....	picture car coordinator (as Paul A. Schwanke)
Paul Schwanke	....	transportation captain (as Paul A. Schwanke)
Cesar Solis	....	production driver
Merrill Steckler	....	production driver
Bret Stewart	....	production driver
Wayne Stone	....	production driver

Other crew
Don Baldwin	....	assistant location manager
Matthew T. Beidel	....	set production assistant
Timothy Blackton	....	office production assistant
Linda Bloom-Hedine	....	craft service
Linda Bloom-Hedine	....	studio teacher (as Linda Hedine)
Peter A. Braun	....	office production assistant
Kristin Burke	....	assistant: Ben Stiller
Adrian Cannon	....	location liaison
Alison Cannon	....	production accountant
Jacqueline R. Clay	....	script supervisor (as Jacqueline Clay)
Iris Cole-Hayworth	....	location intern
Ruth Ann Crudup-Brown	....	studio teacher: Los Angeles (as Ruth Crudup-Brown)
Mitchell El Mahdy	....	set medic: Los Angeles (as Mitchel El-Mahdy)
Lori Evans	....	assistant post-production accountant
Ruth Fainberg	....	assistant: Bill Pullman
John Patrick Flanery	....	set medic
Tony Garrett	....	assistant craft service (as Tony R. Garrett)
David Greene	....	stand-in
Joanna Guzzetta	....	location manager
Margaret Heald	....	set production assistant
Kathy Hicks	....	assistant: Lisa Henson
Hayley H. Hsu	....	assistant: Janet Yang (as Hayley Hsu)
Peter Kim	....	consultant: graphics
Jim Laird	....	stand-in
Steven D. Levine	....	location manager: Los Angeles (as Steven Levine)
Robert J. Lyons	....	key set production assistant (as Robert Lyons)
Amy Maxwell	....	stand-in
Monica Rose Maynard	....	assistant: Jake Kasdan
Geoff McFetridge	....	title designer
Charissa McLain	....	office production assistant
Eric Moore	....	projectionist
Andrea Netze	....	set production assistant: Los Angeles
Bettina Tendler O'Mara	....	product promotion coordinator (as Bettina Tendler-O'Mara)
Joshua Ornstein	....	assistant production accountant (as Josh Ornstein)
Oscar Orona	....	craft service: Los Angeles
Sandra Roach	....	assistant production coordinator
Anne Scott	....	post-production accountant
John Semedik	....	assistant production accountant
Kerby L. Verley	....	set medic
Jill Wakeman	....	assistant: Naomi Despres
Tapp Watkins	....	assistant: Ryan O'Neal
Philip Wood	....	travel services
Jaime Fowler	....	consultant: avid (uncredited)
Jeff Groth	....	consultant: avid (uncredited)
Shari LaFranchi Blakney	....	production coordinator (uncredited)

Thanks
Veronica Rinard	....	thanks
David Woolson	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Castle Rock Entertainment
• Columbia Pictures Corporation
• Manifest Film Company

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures
• LK-TEL (1999) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE)
• Warner Bros. Pictures (USA) (TV)
• Warner Bros. (France)

Special Effects

• Lebensfeld Productions

Other Companies

• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera dollies
• Coast to Coast Event Services  security provided by
• Continental Catering  catering
• DeLuxe Laboratories  dailies
• Extras Only  extras casting
• Gala Catering  catering: los angeles
• Grinberg Film Libraries  stock footage supplier
• Pacific Title/Mirage  titles and opticals
• Panavision  cameras and lenses
• Technicolor  color and prints
• Technocrane Ltd.  remote cranes
• The Greyboy Allstars  music composed and performed by
• Todd-AO Studios  re-recording
• Work Records  soundtrack
• World Travel Partners  travel services provided by

MPAA:

Rated R for language.

Runtime:

116 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Norway:15 (TV rating) | Germany:12 | Netherlands:16 (video premiere) | Portugal:M/12 (video premiere) | UK:15 | USA:R | Argentina:16 | Singapore:PG | Australia:M

Filming Locations:

Crown Point, Columbia River Gorge, Oregon, USA

Company:

Castle Rock Entertainment

Trivia:

The blackmailer uses a computer running OpenStep (NeXT OS) to type the blackmail letter.

Goofs:

Boom mic visible: A shadow of the boom mic is visible in the early kitchen scene.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Steve Arlo: It's an uncompromising standard of his practice. He never meets any of his clients. He doesn't speak with them, or, for that matter, communicate in any direct fashion. That's his policy. But I am his sole representative and he is my only employer; and as such...

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Film Geek (2005)

Soundtrack:

Lounge

One of the best "detective comedies" ever.

As soon as the "Zero Effect" finished, my wife and I turned to each other and said, "that's one of the best movies we've seen." Bill Pullman shows why he is one of the best, if often overlooked, actors. He plays the very private detective Daryl Zero who is uncannily insightful on the job, but otherwise is a mess. We laughed so hard at times that we had tears in our eyes. And it isn't just funny - there is a very well-woven story involving murder and blackmail.

For its cleerness, acting, story, and directing, I give it a solid "9" of "10", and one of my all-time favorites.