Free Enterprise (1998)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

Robert Meyer Burnett

Writers:

Mark A. Altman (writer) &
Robert Meyer Burnett (writer)

Release Date:

4 June 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

The Shat hits the fan

Plot:

Young filmmakers (Rafer Weigel, Eric McCormack) trying to hawk a movie titled "Bradykillers" about a serial killer who goes after victims Marcia...

Plot Keywords:

Satire | X Men | Answering Machine | Ménage À Trois | Actor Playing Himself

Awards:

4 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Eric McCormack	...	Mark
Carl Bressler	...	Mort Berg
Ethan Glazer	...	Young Mark
Phyllis Franklin	...	Ticket Taker
Brandon Kleyla	...	Young Kevin
Thomas Hobson	...	Richard
Marilyn Kentz	...	Gail - Mark's Mom
Spencer Klein	...	Young Robert
Mickey Cassidy	...	Bully
Rafer Weigel	...	Robert
Jennifer Sommerfield	...	Tricia
Tricia Cruz	...	Mexican Waitress (as Latricia Cruz)
Annika Brindley	...	Astrid
William Shatner	...	Bill
Michael Altman	...	Eden Waiter
Jonathan Slavin	...	Dan
Phil LaMarr	...	Eric
Spencer 'J.J.' Bates	...	Toys R' Us Kid
E.C. Burke	...	Eden Manager (as Eric Burke)
Patrick Van Horn	...	Sean
Lori Lively	...	Leila
Amanda Ingber	...	Munchkin Beth (as Mandy Ingber)
Diane Guthman	...	Bistro Waitress
Ellie Cornell	...	Suzanne Crawford
Dick Burnett	...	Dick - The Bartender
Diana Cignoni	...	Illa
Sharon Leibowitz	...	Sharon
Audie England	...	Claire
Andrea Evers	...	Cartoonsville Waitress
Austin Bates	...	Cartoonsville Boy
Mirta Bates	...	Cartoonsville Mom
Stacy Rosman	...	Beach Babe Bimbo
Daniel Schweiger	...	Schweiger
Dave Parker	...	Parker
Shawn Pelofsky	...	Jerry's Waitress
David Starzyk	...	Brian
Keira De Anda	...	Menage Girl
Mark A. Altman	...	Cousin Ira (as Mark Altman)
The Rated R	...	Rated R
Mark Gottwald	...	Groover
Michelle Meyer	...	Outraged Patroness
Deborah Van Valkenburgh	...	Marlena (as Deborah Van Valkenberg)
Meika Cooper	...	Café Hostess
Joey D. Vieira	...	Hal Pittman
Harry Werksman	...	Harry
Gabrielle G. Stanton	...	Gabrielle (as Gabrielle Stanton)
Holly Gagnier	...	Laura Hafermann
Randy Callahan	...	George
Alan Spencer	...	Obsessed Fan
Daren Dochterman	...	Tiberius
Natalie Joy	...	Space Age Waitress
Dan Madsen	...	Alexander
John Baker	...	Rated's Back-Up Singer
Frank Parker	...	Jamaican Singer (also as Frankie Culture)
Freddie Rhone	...	Rated's Posse
Lionel Randolph	...	Rated's Posse
Lawrence Perteet	...	Rated's Posse
Keith Lawson	...	Rated's Posse
Orlando Myrick	...	Rated's Posse (also as Dulow)
Lamont Kelly	...	Rated's Posse (also as Mont'e)
Rodey McKnight	...	Rated's Posse
Lashunda Williams	...	Rated's Posse
John John	...	Rated's Posse (also as Hit 'Em)
Jag	...	Rated's Posse
Dreamer	...	Rated's Posse
Tia	...	Rated's Posse
Deandre Tadlock	...	Rated's Posse
Norman Tadlock	...	Rated's Posse
Blue	...	Rated's Posse
Russell Young	...	Andrew
Tyler Binkley	...	Curly Blonde Kid
Michael Everett Anderson	...	Young Movie Robert
Jeff Bond	...	Additional Voices (voice)
Lukas Kendall	...	Additional Voices (voice)
Steven Melching	...	Additional Voices (voice) (as Steve Melching)
Melissa Pokorski	...	Additional Voices (voice)
Paul Salamoff	...	Additional Voices (voice)
Brooke Vimtrup	...	Additional Voices (voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
David de Vos	...	Bar Patron (uncredited)
Chase Masterson	...	Herself (uncredited)

Directed by
Robert Meyer Burnett

Writing credits
Mark A. Altman		(writer) &
Robert Meyer Burnett		(writer)

Produced by
Mark A. Altman	....	producer
Dan Bates	....	producer
Ellie Cornell	....	executive producer (as Ellie Gottwald)
Mark Gottwald	....	executive producer
Allan Kaufman	....	producer
Ron Singer	....	line producer

Original Music by
Scott Spock

Cinematography by
Charles L. Barbee

Film Editing by
Robert Meyer Burnett

Casting by
Linda Francis

Production Design by
Cynthia Halligan

Art Direction by
Brent Mason

Set Decoration by
Laurel Hitchin

Costume Design by
Ann Gray Lambert		(as Ann Lambert)

Makeup Department
Lily Girning	....	hair assistant
Lily Girning	....	makeup assistant
Darlene Lawrence	....	hair stylist: William Shatner
Amanda Llewellyn	....	hair stylist
Amanda Llewellyn	....	makeup artist
Michele Lewis	....	assistant makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Cynthia Huffman	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Randy Callahan	....	second assistant director
James Grayford	....	first assistant director
Carlos Rodríguez Álvarez	....	second second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Michael Bowen	....	swing gang
Devin Clark	....	swing gang (as Devon Clark)
Sean Fanning	....	graphic designer
Larry Grossman	....	property master
Trevor Moynihan	....	art department assistant

Sound Department
Robert Backus	....	boom operator
John Baker	....	dialog editor
Alex Blatt	....	foley artist
John Bogosian	....	sound effects editor
Keith Burhans	....	dialogue editor (as Keith Burhan)
James H. Coburn IV	....	production sound mixer (as James Harrison Coburn IV)
Jeremy Hoenack	....	sound re-recording mixer
Janet McCabe	....	foley artist
Chris Roy	....	foley artist
Jeff Sawyer	....	sound consultant: Dolby
Jussi Tegelman	....	supervising sound editor
Galen Walker	....	dialogue conforming editor
Art Wood	....	adr recordist
Jussi Tegelman	....	sound effects editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Mike Chisman	....	special effects assistant
George Phillips	....	special effects coordinator

Visual Effects by
Christopher Dusendschon	....	in-show optical process and effects compositor: THDX (uncredited)
Christopher Dusendschon	....	optical element Hazeltine colorist: THDX (uncredited)

Stunts
Mark De Alessandro	....	stunts (as Mark DeAllassandro)
Jim Hardy	....	stunts
Will Leong	....	stunts
Lisa McCullough	....	stunts
Gary Morgan	....	stunts
Sam Sargent	....	stunts
Tim Sargent	....	stunts
Charles A. Tam	....	stunt coordinator (as Chuck Tam)

Camera and Electrical Department
Dave Bone	....	grip (as David Bone)
Craig Delaney	....	key grip
Jon Delaney	....	grip
Manny Duran	....	grip
Anthony Gregory	....	electrician
Jay Holben	....	chief lighting technician
Harry Hope	....	grip
Jeffrey G. Hunt	....	steadicam operator (as Jeffrey Hunt)
Ryan S. Jackson	....	assistant camera (as Ryan Jackson)
Craig Lerner	....	electrician
Luke Louderback	....	electrician (as Luke Lauderbach)
Dave May	....	camera operator: second unit
Rob McPeters	....	best boy grip
Tom Muscatine	....	clapper loader
Kjell Nilsson	....	rigging grip
Jeff O'Cello	....	electrician
Al Ortega	....	still photographer (as Albert Ortega Jr.)
Jeff Rane	....	assistant still photographer
Darryl Rue	....	grip
Peter Shultz	....	electrician (as Peter Schultz)
Aaron Steffens	....	best boy electric
Tony Thomas	....	dolly grip (as Tony 'T-Bone' Thomas)
Tom Van Otteren	....	jib operator
Sean Weber-Small	....	second assistant camera
Tom Muscatine	....	assistant camera: "b" camera (uncredited)

Animation Department
Scott Christian Sava	....	animator: title animation (as Scott Sava)

Casting Department
Meg Bloom	....	casting consultant
Sara Neshat	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Clare MacCarley	....	wardrobe supervisor
Michelle Meyer	....	wardrobe assistant
Heather Small	....	wardrobe assistant

Editorial Department
Matt Mischel	....	negative cutter
J.F. Kinyon	....	additional post-production services (uncredited)

Music Department
Spring Aspers	....	music supervisor
Allan Kaufman	....	music supervisor

Transportation Department
Tim Best	....	driver
Rocky Croquette	....	transportation captain (as Rocky Choquette)
'Buffalo Bill' Freeman	....	transportation coordinator
Roger Greer	....	driver: honeywagon
Gary Nielsen	....	driver (as Gary Neilson)

Other crew
John Arbogast	....	park ranger
Rudy Arellanes	....	set security coordinator
Glenn Arnold	....	consultant
Rafael Aumente	....	title sequence (as Rafa Aumente)
Carolyn Ceglia	....	caterer
Jan Citron	....	teacher
Hernan Drago	....	production assistant
Andrew R. Gardiner	....	location assistant (as Andrew Gardiner)
Tony Giron	....	production assistant
David Graf	....	fire safety officer
Kim Marie Hayes	....	production coordinator
Anna Hurtado	....	craft service
Craig Hyland	....	technical complicity
Steven Johnson	....	insurance
Dan Katzman	....	production consultant
Brandon Krisch	....	production intern
Jeremy Levy	....	park ranger
Jessica Claire Mandlebaum	....	talent coordinator: youth
Brian McGhie	....	caterer
Pablo Ortiz	....	set security
Samantha Pearson	....	stand-in
Jonathan Persky	....	location manager
Javier Pimentel	....	park ranger
Pegeen Quinn	....	location assistant
Carlos Rodríguez Álvarez	....	key production assistant (as Carlos Rodriguez)
Carlos Rodriguez	....	key production assistant
Kip Rolfe	....	set security
Steve Salters	....	production assistant
Michael Schraner	....	police officer
Mike Scolaro	....	park ranger
Will Smith	....	production assistant
Ryan Tower	....	utility stand-in
Erneston Ybara	....	park ranger
Joshua Zeller	....	post production intern
Tracy Zigler	....	script supervisor

Thanks
Victoria Adrian	....	grateful acknowledgment: International Promotions
Maria Alonte	....	special thanks
Greg Aronowitz	....	grateful acknowledgment
Suzanne Bennett	....	special thanks
Paul Colichman	....	special thanks
Gene L. Coon	....	acknowledgement: the forgotten Gene
Tony Curtis	....	grateful acknowledgment
Lorenzo di Bonaventura	....	special thanks
Diane Eisenberg	....	grateful acknowledgment
Danny Elu	....	grateful acknowlegement: Upp Entertainment (as Dan Elu)
Randolf S. Mendelsohn Esq.	....	special thanks (as Randolph S. Mendelshon)
Jenny Grimm	....	grateful acknowledgment: International Promotions
Laura Hafermann	....	grateful acknowledgment
Mark Harris	....	special thanks
Rebecca Isserson	....	dedicatee
David Judaken	....	grateful acknowlegement: Garden of Eden
Stephen King	....	grateful acknowledgment
John Lambert	....	special thanks
Fran MacCarley	....	special thanks
John MacCarley	....	special thanks
Melissa Madden	....	grateful acknowledgment: Kiss
Chase Masterson	....	special thanks
Doc McGhee	....	grateful acknowledgment: Kiss
Nigel Pearson	....	special thanks
Barbara Rich	....	grateful acknowlegement: DC Comics
Stephanie Riggs	....	special thanks
Gene Roddenberry	....	special thanks
Chip Rosetti	....	grateful acknowledgment
Carole Salkind	....	special thanks
Morton Salkind	....	special thanks
Gene Simmons	....	special thanks
Gary Simon	....	grateful acknowlegement: Warner Brothers
Chuck Speed	....	special thanks
Alan Spencer	....	special thanks
David Stern	....	grateful acknowledgment: Universisal Studios
Carl Stubner	....	special thanks
Linda Swick	....	grateful acknowledgment: International Promotions
Dan Vebber	....	grateful acknowledgment
Cynthia Von Suhr	....	grateful acknowledgment
Jolie Von Suhr	....	grateful acknowledgment
Mary Wagstaff	....	special thanks
Chris Walker	....	grateful acknowlegement: Pioneer Electronics
Eric Wallace	....	grateful acknowledgment
Selesa Webster	....	grateful acknowlegement: Photoflex
Kim Wilkenson	....	grateful acknowledgment: Burt Lancaster Trust
David Willis	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Mindfire Entertainment
• Triad Studios

Distributors

• Fluid Entertainment (2008) (USA) (theatrical)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• M.I.B. (2007) (Germany) (DVD)
• Motion International (Canada)
• Regent Entertainment (1999) (USA)

Other Companies

• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera dollies

MPAA:

Rated R for sexuality and language.

Runtime:

113 min | 121 min (extended version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

Germany:6 | Australia:M | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Culver City, California, USA

Company:

Mindfire Entertainment

Trivia:

William Shatner wears the bomber jacket and flight cap he wore as the U.S. Air Force colonel from _"Twelve O'Clock High" (1964)_ after overhearing Mark and Robert's discussion about him.

Goofs:

Plot holes: The movie takes place in 1998 just before Mark's 30th birthday party, putting his birthday in 1968. However, in the flashback scene of Mark trying to get into Star Trek: The Motion Picture Mark says his age is 12 when asked by the women in the ticket stand, despite the fact that Star Trek: The Motion Picture was released in 1979 and the movie itself says 19 years earlier. This would make Mark already 30 by the time the film is taking place in 1998.

Quotes:

Mark: You're losing it. A year ago you'd already be re-enacting the kitchen scene from "9 1/2 Weeks". 'Course, my own sex life's more like 8 1/2 Weeks - Fellini meets Psycho. Scary.

Movie Connections:

References Freaks (1932)

Soundtrack:

Metaphysical

Giddy, goofy fun

"Free Enterprise" is so giddily goofy in its charm and appeal that you just can't help but love it. The plotline concerns the trials and tribulations of two friends, bonded together by science fiction and "Star Trek" inparticular, having a chance meeting with their idol; William Shatner. This chance meeting develops into a business relationship for one and a friendship for the other.

Eric McCormack (TV's Will and Grace) stars as Mark, the slightly older and far and away more mature of the two friends. He will be 30 in a couple days and is having panicked "Logan's Run" flashbacks in his head as he wonders what his life had been worth so far. Mr. McCormack plays this role so well, the "I'm better than you" attitude just drips off the screen.

Rafer Weigel is Robert, the other half of this friendship tandem. He is more "damn the torpedoes" and lives life by a thread. Losing girlfriend after girlfriend because a rare collectible action figure is more important than rent or utilities, his character is constantly falling in and out of love. Nice role here as well, played with almost maddening indifference. You get the impression that's the way this guy is in reality as well. All that means of course, is that he really sold the part.

William Shatner is himself, clearly poking holes in his "Star Trek" facade. Shatner reveals "himself" to be a heavy drinking, porn reading but sincere guy. He plans to do a musical production of "Julius Caesar" with himself playing all the parts. The ending sequence concerns this,and has to be seen to be truly appreciated.

Several faces from the past dot the background, Deborah Van Valkenburg ("The Warriors", "Too Close For Comfort"), Ellie Cornell ("Halloween 4" & 5). Nice to see Ellie is still acting. I liked her "Halloween" performances.

"Free Enterprise" shows that indie films have a life beyond "My Life As a Bar of Soap". That indie filmmakers have a wonderful sense of humor and direction, and that they can churn out "mass-pleasing" films.

4 out of 5