Idle Hands (1999)

User Rating:

5.7/10   

Director:

Rodman Flender

Writers (WGA):

Terri Hughes (written by) &
Ron Milbauer (written by)

Release Date:

30 April 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Fantasy | Horror | Mystery | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

The touching story of a boy and his right hand.

Plot:

Lazy Anton's right hand becomes possessed with murderous intent.

Plot Keywords:

Hand | Halloween | Friends | Killing Spree | Truck

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Devon Sawa	...	Anton Tobias
Seth Green	...	Mick
Elden Henson	...	Pnub
Jessica Alba	...	Molly
Vivica A. Fox	...	Debi LeCure
Christopher Hart	...	The Hand
Jack Noseworthy	...	Randy
Katie Wright	...	Tanya
Sean Whalen	...	McMacy
Nicholas Sadler	...	Ruck (as Nick Sadler)
Fred Willard	...	Dad Tobias
Connie Ray	...	Mom Tobias
Steve Van Wormer	...	Curtis
Kelly Monaco	...	Tiffany
Timothy Stack	...	Principal Tidwell
Joey Slotnick	...	Burger Jungle Manager
Sabrina Lu	...	News Reporter
Kyle Gass	...	Burger Jungle Guy
Mindy Sterling	...	Lady Bowler
Donna W. Scott	...	Nurse (as Donna Scott)
Randy Oglesby	...	Sheriff Buchanan
Molly Maslin	...	Chaperone
Carl Gabriel Yorke	...	Chaperone
Dexter Holland	...	Band Lead Singer
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Thomas DeLonge	...	Window server at Burger Jungle (as Tom DeLonge)
Greg K	...	Band Bass Guitar Player
Noodles	...	Band Guitar Player
Ron Welty	...	Band Drummer
Rodman Flender	...	Silhouette outside front window (uncredited)
Bree Michael Warner	...	Party Girl (uncredited)

Directed by
Rodman Flender

Writing credits (WGA)
Terri Hughes		(written by) &
Ron Milbauer		(written by)

Produced by
Andrew Licht	....	producer
Jeffrey A. Mueller	....	producer
Jeffrey Sudzin	....	executive producer
Jennifer Todd	....	producer
Suzanne Todd	....	producer

Original Music by
Graeme Revell

Cinematography by
Christopher Baffa

Film Editing by
Stephen E. Rivkin

Casting by
John Papsidera

Production Design by
Gregory Melton		(as Greg Melton)

Art Direction by
Roland Rosenkranz		(as Roland G. Rosenkranz)

Set Decoration by
Evette Knight

Makeup Department
Janice Alexander	....	hair styles supervisor
Audrey L. Anzures	....	hair stylist (as Audrey Anzures)
Greg Cannom	....	special makeup effects artist
Scott H. Eddo	....	makeup supervisor
Barry R. Koper	....	prosthetic makeup artist
Robert Maverick	....	hair department supervisor: Cannom Creations
Rea Ann Silva	....	makeup artist: Ms. Fox
Sean Smith	....	hair stylist: Ms. Fox
Keith VanderLaan	....	makeup effects producer: Captive Audience Productions
Mark Nieman	....	illustration designer: Cannom Creations (uncredited)
Brian Wade	....	special makeup effects artist: Captive Audience (uncredited)

Production Management
Roger Joseph Pugliese	....	unit production manager (as Roger Pugliese)
Jeffrey Sudzin	....	unit production manager
Jennifer Teves	....	production supervisor: Cannom Creations

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Maria K. Battle	....	second second assistant director (as Maria Battle Campbell)
Christian P. Della Penna	....	first assistant director
Deanna Stadler	....	second assistant director
Sharon Swab	....	second second assistant director
Ted Rae	....	second unit director (uncredited)

Art Department
John L. Chaldu	....	on-set dresser
Joe Del Monte	....	construction coordinator (as Joseph T. Del Monte)
Darrin Denlinger	....	storyboard artist
Scott Herbertson	....	set designer
Ritchie Kremer	....	property master
Jefferson Murff	....	lead man
Ron Patterson	....	assistant property master (as Ron E. Patterson)
Cheryl Williams	....	art department assistant
Anthony Zierhut	....	storyboard artist
Thierry Labbe	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Chris Nakayama	....	construction foreman (uncredited)
Eric Reichardt	....	painter gang boss (uncredited)
Jim Wallis	....	set designer (uncredited)

Sound Department
Greg Agalsoff	....	boom operator (as Gregory A. Agalsoff)
Bill W. Benton	....	sound re-recording mixer
Michael J. Broomberg	....	foley artist
Bill Burns	....	first assistant sound editor
Simon Coke	....	sound editor
Richard Duarte	....	foley mixer
Alison Fisher	....	sound editor
Joseph Geisinger	....	production sound mixer
Jeffrey J. Haboush	....	sound re-recording mixer
Michael Haight	....	adr supervisor
Gary A. Hecker	....	foley artist (as Gary Hecker)
Jonathan Klein	....	foley supervisor
Andy Kopetzky	....	foley editor
Mark Lanza	....	sound editor (as Mark A. Lanza)
James Matheny	....	sound editor (as Jim Matheny)
Karen Minahan	....	adr assistant
Peggy Names	....	cable person
Bruce Nyznik	....	sound editor
Michael O'Farrell	....	supervising sound editor
Greg Orloff	....	sound re-recording mixer
D. Chris Smith	....	sound editor
Raul A. Bruce	....	boom operator (uncredited)
Hanson Hsu	....	sound engineer (uncredited)
Fred Peck III	....	sound re-recordist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Peter Abrahamson	....	effects crew: Cannom Creations
Linda Benevente-Notaro	....	specialty costume supervisor: Cannom Creations
Rick Bongiovanni	....	effects crew: Cannom Creations
Lou Carlucci	....	special effects coordinator
Shea Clayton	....	effects crew: Cannom Creations
Jeff L. Deist	....	effects crew: Cannom Creations (as Jeff Deist)
Jill Fischer	....	production coordinator: Cannom Creations
Ken Grassi	....	effects crew: Cannom Creations
Jason Hamer	....	effects technician: Cannom Creations
Glen Hanz	....	effects crew: Cannom Creations
Walter Harris	....	effects crew: Cannom Creations
Mary Kim	....	effects crew: Cannom Creations
Tim Larsen	....	painter: Cannom Creations
Harvey Lowry	....	operations manager: Cannom Creations
Michael Measimer	....	effects crew: Cannom Creations
James Ochoa	....	special effects
Larry Odien	....	mechanical effects supervisor: Cannom Creations
Mike Ott	....	effects crew: Cannom Creations
Ron Petruccione	....	special effects
Sam Sainz	....	effects crew: Cannom Creations
Terry Sandin	....	effects crew: Cannom Creations
Brian Sipe	....	effects supervisor: Cannom Creations
Steven Stewart	....	effects crew: Cannom Creations (as Steve Stewart)
Ken Tarallo	....	special effects
Miles Teves	....	conceptual designer: Cannom Creations
Todd Tucker	....	effects supervisor: Cannom Creations
Brian Wade	....	sculptor: Cannom Creations
Steve Wang	....	effects crew: Cannom Creations
Lynne Watson	....	effects crew: Cannom Creations
Wesley Wofford	....	sculptor: Cannom Creations (as Wes Wofford)
Gary Yee	....	effects crew: Cannom Creations

Visual Effects by
Robert Capps	....	production assistant: VCE
Phil Carbonaro	....	digital compositor: VCE
Bryan Cooke	....	digital compositor: VCE
Portia Digiovanni	....	motion control photography: VCE
Tom Gleason	....	effects photographer: VCE
Brian Griffin	....	digital supervisor: VCE
Val Keller	....	digital systems administrator: VCE
Mark Kochinski	....	3D CGI animation: VCE
Peter Kuran	....	visual effects supervisor
Peter Kuran	....	visual effects: VCE
Jo Martin	....	editorial: VCE
David McCue	....	optical effects: VCE
Sean Mullen	....	digital compositor: VCE
Marilyn Nave	....	production manager: VCE
Ellen Ortega	....	production assistant: VCE
Chris Paxson	....	motion control photography: VCE
Ted Rae	....	visual effects supervisor
Jeff Roe	....	digital systems administrator: VCE
Jerry Stanley	....	production assistant: VCE
Susan Tomasheski	....	production assistant: VCE
Kurt Wiley	....	digital animator
Kurt Wiley	....	digital compositor: VCE
Jacqueline Zietlow	....	administrator: VCE

Stunts
David Barrett	....	stunts
Catherine Campion	....	utility stunts
Cinda-Lin James	....	utility stunts
Johnny Martin	....	stunts
Chuck Picerni Jr.	....	stunt coordinator (as Charles Picerni Jr.)
Jimmy N. Roberts	....	stunts
Wendi Bromley	....	utility stunts (uncredited)
Janine Mitchell	....	stunt performer (uncredited)
Charlie Picerni	....	stunts (uncredited)
Nancy Young	....	stunt double: Connie Ray (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Dan Ayers	....	Steadicam operator
Dan Ayers	....	camera operator
Cheli Clayton	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera
Nicholas Cochiolo	....	second grip (as Nick Cochiolo)
David Deever	....	video assist operator (as Dave Deever)
Michael Dronge	....	grip
Robert L. Ferguson	....	assistant chief lighting technician
Tom Feucht	....	key rigging grip
Coby Garfield	....	camera loader
Andrew Glover	....	chief lighting technician (as Andrew S. Glover)
Greg Hewett	....	key grip (as Greg Hewitt)
Richard Maxey	....	dolly grip
John Scott	....	first assistant camera
Mike Shaheen	....	video assist operator
R. Michael Stringer	....	rigging key grip: stage unit
Michael Tolochko	....	rigging best boy electric
Kimberly Wright	....	still photographer
Miguel Benavides	....	grip (uncredited)
John Crimins	....	dimmer board operator (uncredited)
Pat Dames	....	rigging grip (uncredited)
Greg Hewett	....	key grip (uncredited)
Michael Lyon	....	rigging electrician (uncredited)
Ted Rae	....	director of photography: second unit (uncredited)
Alvin Simmons	....	additional grip (uncredited)

Casting Department
Wendy O'Brien	....	casting associate

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Susi Campos	....	wardrobe
Julia Caston	....	wardrobe supervisor
Christina Mongini	....	wardrobe
Brenda M. Ware	....	wardrobe (as Brenda Ware)

Editorial Department
Christopher S. Capp	....	additional editor
Mo Henry	....	negative cutter
Jim Passon	....	color timer
Jonny Winograd	....	first assistant editor: avid
Ewa Zbroniec	....	second assistant film editor
Dale Jones	....	avid technician (uncredited)
Eric Rigney	....	avid technician (uncredited)

Music Department
John Houlihan	....	music supervisor
Ashley Revell	....	music editor
Tim Simonec	....	orchestrator
Brian Williams	....	music designer

Transportation Department
Donald Arnold Jr.	....	transportation co-captain
Tim Hill	....	transportation captain
Gina August	....	driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Philip Andelman	....	assistant: Ms. Suzanne Todd
Patricia L. DeShields	....	production accountant (as Patsy Deshields)
Mark Dobkousky	....	production assistant
Nancy A. Flint	....	studio teacher
Joyce Green	....	production assistant
Suzanne Gundlach	....	script supervisor
Erika Hemmerle	....	assistant: Ms. Jennifer Todd
Christopher Hoffman	....	assistant: Ms. Suzanne Todd
Thomas W. Leidner	....	production secretary
Pearl A. Lucero	....	production coordinator
Jennifer Lung	....	assistant location manager
George McDowell Agnew	....	location manager (as George Agnew)
Staci Newman	....	unit publicist
Burton Sharp	....	adr group supervisor (as Burt Sharp)
Carmen Tabanyi	....	production assistant
Yumiko Takeya	....	production assistant
Beth Theriac	....	assistant: Mr. Flender
Vicki Thornton	....	assistant production coordinator
Marianne E. Titiriga	....	assistant: Ms. Jennifer Todd (as Marianne Titiriga)
Sophia N. von Bülow	....	assistant accountant
Zachary Walter	....	production assistant
Steve Zukowski	....	craft service
Erin Bilderback	....	animal trainer (uncredited)
Rennie Cowan	....	assistant avid technician (uncredited)
Ginger Holman	....	animal trainer (uncredited)
Alex Kivlen	....	key assistant location manager (uncredited)
Joel Silverman	....	animal trainer (uncredited)
Jeffrey D. Stevens	....	key medic (uncredited)
Bennie Zura	....	production assistant (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Columbia Pictures Corporation
• Licht/Mueller Film Corporation
• Team Todd
• TriStar Pictures

Distributors

• Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) (1999-) (worldwide) (all media)
• Columbia Pictures (1999) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Film (1999) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Films (1999) (France) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Films de Argentina (1999) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Films de España (1999) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment (2000) (Germany) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment (2000) (UK) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment (2000) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2000) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (1999) (USA) (DVD) (special edition)
• LK-TEL (Argentina) (DVD)
• LK-TEL (Argentina) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Cannom Creations
• F/X Concepts
• Visual Concept Engineering (VCE)

Other Companies

• Attik  main titles design
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera cranes
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera dollies
• Cinema Research  titles and opticals
• Drs. Greenspoon, Silver & Sumner  contact lenses
• MKR Group  "Dawn of the Dead" courtesy of
• Michelson Food Services  catering
• Sony Pictures Studios  sound services
• Steve Martin's Working Wildlife  animals provided by
• The Offspring  group cast members

MPAA:

Rated R for horror violence and gore, pervasive teen drug use, language and sexuality.

Runtime:

90 min | 92 min | Argentina:92 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | DTS | SDDS

Certification:

Singapore:M18 | Iceland:16 | USA:R (certificate #36158) | Greece:K-13 | Netherlands:16 | Argentina:16 | Australia:MA | Canada:16+ (Quebec) | Canada:R (Ontario) | Finland:K-16 (re-rating) | Finland:K-18 (original rating) | France:-12 | Germany:16 | Norway:18 | Portugal:M/16 (video premiere) | South Korea:18 | UK:18 | Philippines:R-18

Filming Locations:

Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

Anton is watching Night of the Living Dead (1968) on TV.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Anton microwaves the hand and blood spatters on the inside of the microwave, the position and pattern of the blood on the microwave window changes between shots.

Quotes:

Mick: [to 911 operator] There is something wrong with my friend, I think he smoked some nutmeg or something.

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in "Robot Chicken: Dragon Nuts (#2.5)" (2006)

Soundtrack:

I Wanna Be Sedated

Fun story, much blood and – oh yeah – a very yummy Jessica Alba

"Idle Hands" isn't priority viewing for horror fans but it's a very entertaining little gem, nevertheless. Cast and crew were smart enough to put the whole horror genre into perspective a bit and therefore this feels a lot more like a light-headed spoof than a sickening gore flick. Ever since that dreadful "Scream", the teen-slasher flicks are going through a revival and "Idle Hands" picks into this in a funny way with a very exaggerated plot, eccentric characters and outrageous situations. Devon Sawa (Final Destination) stars as an offbeat teenager whose goal in life is too sleep late and smoke dope. It takes him quite some time to realize that his right hand is possessed by evil forces that force him to kill. With the help of his stoner-friends (killed as well, but too lazy to reach for the light at the end of the tunnel), he has got to prevent that the beautiful muse across the street gets killed by the bloodthirsty hand. The storyline is ultra-thin but don't let that keep you from having a good time watching the well-elaborated gore effects and funny one-liners. Very creative (but especially comic) butchering in this film, as it for example contains one of the potheads getting stabbed in the head with a beer bottle! That same bottle than remains embedded in his skull for the rest of the movie, which is a pretty cool sight. There are terrific tributes to horror titles that featured the same idea of a murderous hand earlier (like "Evil Dead 2" or Oliver Stone's "The Hand") and an excellent soundtrack with songs from Mötley Crüe, Rob Zombie and The Ramones. The best acting performance is given by Seth Green who has an undeniable talent for comedy roles. And then there's Jessica Alba who portrays one of the most gorgeous horror-heroines ever! I've seen a few episodes of her "Dark Angel" TV-show but she definitely didn't this good there! "Idle Hands" is an overall okay film...not good enough to be named among the better horror-comedies but surely a lot better than the so many other pretentious spoofs.