What Planet Are You From? (2000)

Director:

Mike Nichols

Writers (WGA):

Garry Shandling (story) &
Michael Leeson (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

3 March 2000 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

To save his planet, an alien must find a woman on Earth to have his baby. There's just one problem.

Plot:

A highly-evolved planet, whose denizens feel no emotion and reproduce by cloning, plans to take over Earth from the inside by sending an operative...

Plot Keywords:

Alien | Banker | Baby | Alien Invasion | Restroom

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Garry Shandling	...	Harold Anderson
Annette Bening	...	Susan Anderson
John Goodman	...	Roland Jones
Greg Kinnear	...	Perry Gordon
Ben Kingsley	...	Graydon
Judy Greer	...	Rebecca
Danny Zorn	...	Randy
Harmony Smith	...	Rita
Richard Jenkins	...	Don Fisk
Linda Fiorentino	...	Helen Gordon
Caroline Aaron	...	Nadine Jones
Nora Dunn	...	Madeline
Cricky Long	...	Janice
Camryn Manheim	...	Alison
Ann Cusack	...	Liz
Jane Lynch	...	Doreen
Richard Minchenberg	...	Dr. Weitzman
Drinda Lalumia	...	Drunken Lady
J.C. MacKenzie	...	John
Willie Garson	...	Brett
Marjorie Lovett	...	Neighbor Woman
Bil Dwyer	...	Husband
Cathy Ladman	...	Wife
Alexander Lyras	...	Male AA
Anastasia Sakelaris	...	Cheryl
Jane Morris	...	Charity Woman
Michael Dempsey	...	Baggage Handler
Stacey Travis	...	Woman
Walter Addison	...	Pilot
Brian Markinson	...	Co-Pilot
Octavia Spencer	...	Baby Nurse (as Octavia L. Spencer)
Ana Mercedes	...	Older Nurse
Samantha Smith	...	Flight Attendant
Tom Dahlgren	...	Minister
Tammy Tavares	...	Hologram Woman
Wade Williams	...	Planet Man (as Wade Andrew Williams)
Phill Lewis	...	Other MD
Minerva García	...	Nurse
Jack Sydow	...	Minister
Rick Hoffman	...	Doctor
Tom Dorfmeister	...	Heavy Man
Neil A. Machlis	...	Dr. Tom (as Neil Machlis)
Mitchell Greenberg	...	Robotic Voice (voice)
Mike Gottfried	...	Football Announcer
Jerry Punch	...	Football Announcer
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
David C. Fisher	...	Alien (as David Cotton Fisher)
Dennis Moore	...	Bank customer
Jason Wozny	...	Flight attendant
Erik Adams	...	Orderly (uncredited)
Michael Jason Allen	...	Bank Customer (uncredited)
Tori Bridges	...	Airport Clerk (uncredited)
Tasha Dixon	...	Girl in Yellow Dress (uncredited)
Janeane Garofalo	...	Nervous Woman (uncredited)
Phil Hawn	...	Alien Student (uncredited)
Bob Huff	...	Bank Employee (uncredited)
Elaine Huff	...	Bank Receptionist (uncredited)
Leah Jediny	...	Weeping Woman (uncredited)
Carl Kocis	...	Alien (uncredited)
George M. Kostuch	...	Bank Employee (uncredited)
Mario Lara	...	Alien (uncredited)
Apryl Lauren	...	Wedding Guest (uncredited)
Daren Palacio	...	Alien (uncredited)
Jose Rosete	...	Soldier in Airport (uncredited)
Edward Schofield	...	Alien Official (uncredited)
Sarah Silverman	...	Woman on Plane (uncredited)
Tiffany Taylor	...	Playboy Playmate (uncredited)
Glenn Troncali	...	Alien (uncredited)
Gene Wolande	...	Kalcheim (uncredited)

Directed by
Mike Nichols

Writing credits (WGA)
Garry Shandling		(story) &
Michael Leeson		(story)
Garry Shandling		(screenplay) &
Michael Leeson		(screenplay) and
Ed Solomon		(screenplay) and
Peter Tolan		(screenplay)

Produced by
Bernie Brillstein	....	executive producer
Brad Grey	....	executive producer
Michael Haley	....	associate producer
Michele Imperato	....	co-producer (as Michele Imperato-Stabile)
Neil A. Machlis	....	producer
Mike Nichols	....	producer
Garry Shandling	....	producer

Original Music by
Carter Burwell

Cinematography by
Michael Ballhaus

Film Editing by
Richard Marks

Casting by
Ellen Lewis

Production Design by
Bo Welch

Art Direction by
Tom Duffield

Set Decoration by
Cheryl Carasik

Costume Design by
Ann Roth

Makeup Department
Cydney Cornell	....	hair stylist: Ms. Bening
J. Roy Helland	....	hair designer
J. Roy Helland	....	makeup designer
Steven R. Soussanna	....	key hair stylist
Alicia M. Tripi	....	hair stylist
Vera Yurtchuk	....	makeup department head
Loretta James-Demasi	....	additional makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Michele Imperato	....	unit production manager (as Michele Imperato-Stabile)
Paul A. Levin	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Michael Haley	....	first assistant director (as Mike Haley)
John Pontrelli	....	additional second assistant director
Paul Schneider	....	dga trainee
Mark Tobey	....	second assistant director
John Moio	....	second unit director (uncredited)

Art Department
François Audouy	....	illustrator
Jeff Brown	....	greens coordinator
Christopher Casey	....	set dresser
John Dexter	....	set designer
Michael Diersing	....	construction coordinator
Scott E. Handt	....	construction foreman
Sean Haworth	....	assistant art director
Chris Johnson	....	art department assistant
Tegan Jones	....	art department coordinator
John Kelso	....	metal fabricator
Steven Light-Orr	....	set dresser
Simon Murton	....	concept illustrator
Edward V. Pannozzo	....	set estimator
Brent Regan	....	construction foreman
Ernest M. Sanchez	....	lead man
Jeff Shewbert	....	propmaker
Gregg Singer	....	set dresser
Keith Stalker	....	gang boss propmaker
Patrick M. Sullivan Jr.	....	set designer
Wendy Weaver	....	buyer
Clyde Zimmerman	....	paint supervisor
Ryan Handt	....	construction propmaker (uncredited)

Sound Department
Ron Bochar	....	sound re-recording mixer
Ron Bochar	....	supervising sound editor
Marko A. Costanzo	....	foley artist
Lee Dichter	....	sound re-recording mixer
Kenna Doeringer	....	assistant adr editor
Lewis Goldstein	....	sound effects editor
David MacMillan	....	sound
Jennifer Ralston	....	foley editor
Nicholas Renbeck	....	dialogue editor
Wyatt Sprague	....	first assistant sound editor
Philip Stockton	....	sound editor
Allan Zaleski	....	sound effects assistant
Heather Gross	....	apprentice sound editor (uncredited)
Jay Peck	....	foley artist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Steven D. Jensen	....	special effects technician
Alan E. Lorimer	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Alfredo R. Barcia	....	film scanning and recording technician: SPI
James Battersby	....	previs lead: PLF
Bela Brozsek	....	digital artist
Bill Coffin	....	digital compositor
Daniel Aristoteles Collins	....	systems/operations: Rhythm & Hues
Rafael Colon	....	digital artist
David Crawford	....	compositor
Lisa Deaner	....	Inferno artist: SPI
Andy Gauvreau	....	digital effects: Rhythm & Hues
Colin Green	....	previsualization supervisor
Anthony Harris	....	assistant color timer
Chris Hebert	....	visual effects research
Phil Holland	....	scanning & recording operator
Uel Hormann	....	2D supervisor: Rhythm & Hues
Caleb J. Howard	....	technical director
Arthur Jeppe	....	digital artist: Rhythm & Hues
Kevin J. Jolly	....	visual effects editor: SPI
Tex Kadonaga	....	visual effects art director: Rhythm & Hues
Daniel Kuehn	....	visual effects coordinator
Raymond K.L. Liu	....	technical director: light
Sascha Luderer	....	digital compositor
James Marbas	....	visual effects
Pat McClung	....	visual effects supervisor
L. Patrick McCormack	....	visual effects coordinator
Michele Moen	....	matte painter
Felix Ojeda	....	digital effects artist
Richard Sandoval	....	technical assistant: SPI
Joe Strasser	....	texture painter
David Taritero	....	visual effects producer
Andrew Titcomb	....	digital artist: SPI
Renée Tymn	....	Inferno artist: SPI (as Renee Chamblin)
Guy Wiedmann	....	visual effects editor
Toby Wilkins	....	Inferno artist: title sequence, New Wave Entertainment
Xye	....	visual effects
Tsz 'Gee' Yeung	....	digital effects artist
Brandon Craig	....	render supervisor (uncredited)
Thomas F. Ford IV	....	interactive compositing digital production manager (uncredited)
Ron Frankel	....	previsualization animator (uncredited)
Angela Giannoni	....	rotoscope artist (uncredited)
Paul McGhee	....	film scanning and recording (uncredited)
Viviana Palacios	....	roto artist: Rhythm & Hues (uncredited)
Kevin Tengan	....	systems administrator (uncredited)
Antonio Torres	....	rotoscope artist: Rhythm & Hues (uncredited)

Stunts
Michael Adams	....	stunts (as Mike Adams)
Rick Avery	....	stunts
Eddie Braun	....	stunts
Jennifer Caputo	....	stunts
Phil Culotta	....	stunts
Kelly Erin	....	stunts
Corey Michael Eubanks	....	stunts (as Corey Eubanks)
Steve Hart	....	stunts
Bret Kiene	....	stunt double: Garry Shandling
Bret Kiene	....	stunts
Barbara Anne Klein	....	stunts
Steven Lambert	....	stunts (as Steve Lambert)
Brian Lotierzo	....	stunts
Buck McDancer	....	stunts
Hamilton Meadows	....	stunts
John Moio	....	stunt coordinator
George Palmiero	....	stunts
Darrin Prescott	....	stunts
Glenn Randall Jr.	....	stunts (as Glenn Randall)
Scott Rogers	....	stunts
John-Clay Scott	....	stunts
George P. Wilbur	....	stunts
Al Wyatt Jr.	....	stunts
Marla Casey	....	stunts (uncredited)
Scott Duthie	....	stunt driver (uncredited)
Charles Grisham	....	stunts (uncredited)
Eric M. Miller	....	utility stunts (uncredited)
Gloria O'Brien	....	stunt stewardess (uncredited)
Steve Rizzo	....	stunts (uncredited)
John-Clay Scott	....	stunt double: John Goodman (uncredited)
Mike Smith	....	stunts (uncredited)
Dave Thompson	....	utility stunts (uncredited)
Jim Vickers	....	stunts (uncredited)
Mark Aaron Wagner	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Amy H. Abrams	....	assistant camera
Colin Anderson	....	Steadicam operator
Ismael Araujo Jr.	....	grip
Florian Ballhaus	....	cinematographer: second unit
Adam Barth	....	video assist operator
Lisa Bonaccorso	....	camera loader
Derek Bruyere	....	second assistant camera: second unit
George M. Chappell	....	rigging best boy
George M. Chappell	....	rigging foreman
Trey Clinesmith	....	first assistant camera:second unit
J. Patrick Daily	....	key grip
François Duhamel	....	still photographer
Jenifer Galvez	....	set lighting technician
Lamarr Gray	....	rigging electrician
Greg Harris	....	lighting technician
Wayne Kosky	....	best boy: second unit
Thomas Lappin	....	assistant camera
Dwight Joseph Lavers	....	dolly grip
Colin Mayo	....	lighting technician
Michael McGuire	....	rigging key grip
Charlie McIntyre	....	rigging gaffer (as Charles H. McIntyre III)
Kevin McNeil	....	grip
Marty Miller	....	rigging grip: Arizona
Charles 'Chaz' Norcross	....	grip
Bradford Ralston	....	video assist operator
John 'Fest' Sandau	....	assistant chief lighting technician
Paul Santoni	....	second assistant camera
Cricket Sloat	....	dimmer board operator
Steve Suveg	....	rigging grip
James R. Tynes	....	chief lighting technician
Michael D. Weldon	....	first assistant camera
Eric Whitehead	....	key grip: second unit
Jerald L. Wilson	....	rigging electrician

Casting Department
Patrice Farner	....	extras casting assistant
Barbara Klein	....	extras casting
Amanda Koblin	....	casting associate
John Laccetti	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Cheryl Beasley Blackwell	....	costume supervisor
Sabrina Calley	....	costumer
Amanda Blythe Linder	....	costume production assistant
Monique Perez	....	wardrobe assistant
Candice Sabbah	....	costumer
Mary Elizabeth Still	....	costumer: Annette Bening
Tim Wilson	....	costumer

Editorial Department
Matt Boatright-Simon	....	editorial assistant
Ann Gray	....	post-production coordinator
Marisa Morabito	....	apprentice editor
Tia Nolan	....	associate editor
Eric Rigney	....	avid technician
Renannah Weinstein	....	assistant editor (as Renannah Seliger)
Shelly Westerman	....	first assistant editor
Kathleen Woolery	....	digital color timing coordinator
Dale Jones	....	avid technician (uncredited)

Music Department
Sandy DeCrescent	....	orchestra contractor
Thomas S. Drescher	....	music editor: temp
Todd Kasow	....	music editor
Karyn Rachtman	....	music supervisor
John Moses	....	musician: clarinetist (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Jeff Kidman	....	transportation office manager
Neil Marshall	....	driver

Other crew
Mary Bailey	....	script supervisor
Craig Bankey	....	unit publicist
Patricia L. DeShields	....	production accountant
Jason Dudek	....	production assistant
Mathieu Ferel	....	production assistant
Jennifer Zolten Freed	....	post-production accountant
Robbie Goldstein	....	location manager
Lora Hingst	....	production assistant
Peter Hollocker	....	production assistant
Justin Howell	....	production assistant
Sean Ilnseher	....	production assistant
Brian Lotierzo	....	production assistant
Scott Mahoney	....	production assistant
Karon May	....	script supervisor: second unit
Catherine A. McCabe	....	production assistant
Scott Schaeffer	....	production assistant
Jennifer Stephens	....	assistant production coordinator
Colleen Sturtevant	....	photo double: Janeane Garofalo
Colleen Sturtevant	....	stand-in: Janeane Garofalo
Tony Swatton	....	armorer
Frank G. Turner	....	stand-in: John Goodman
Bobbin Bergstrom	....	medical technical advisor (uncredited)
William Bolander	....	stand-in: Greg Kinnear (uncredited)
Justin Haut	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Teresa Jaime	....	payroll accountant (uncredited)
S. Quinn	....	pre-visualization coordinator (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Brillstein-Grey Entertainment
• Columbia Pictures Corporation
• What Planet Are You From? Productions

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures (2000) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Films AB (2000) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Film (Germany)
• Columbia TriStar Films (France)
• Columbia TriStar Films de Argentina (Argentina)
• Columbia TriStar Films de España (Spain)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2001) (USA) (VHS)
• Egmont Entertainment (2000) (Finland) (video)
• LK-TEL (2000) (Argentina) (DVD)
• LK-TEL (2000) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE)
• Sony Pictures Video

Special Effects

• Rhythm and Hues
• Sony Pictures Imageworks (SPI)

Other Companies

• C5  post-production sound services
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  cranes
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  dollies
• Custom Film Effects  titles and opticals
• Phoenix Film Office  special thanks
• Tony's Food Service  catering
• Trevanna Post  post-production accounting

MPAA:

Rated R for sexuality and language.

Runtime:

105 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Peru:14 | Finland:K-12 | Iceland:L | Argentina:16 | Chile:18 | France:U | Germany:12 | Ireland:18 | South Korea:18 | Spain:7 | Sweden:7 | UK:15 | USA:R | Australia:M

Filming Locations:

Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

Company:

Brillstein-Grey Entertainment

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): One character mentions that he lives in Phoenix AZ, but also adds he has a weekend get-away house in Scottsdale - a Phoenix suburb just ten miles away.

Quotes:

Perry Gordon: You're marrying a woman you've never had sex with? Are you insane? Didn't you see The Crying Game? You think she's got the goods under her skirt, you lift it up, it's Oscar Meyer time!

Movie Connections:

References The Crying Game (1992)

Soundtrack:

Lady Marmalade

More Shandling than Mike Nichols

You have to be a fan of Garry Shandling's type of cynical-neutral emotion humour to like/appreciate this film. A little too uncomfortable for many adults who can recognise many of the aspects of the procreation process that is one of the main drives of human life, it uses the vehicle of a non-emotional alien master race that sends a procreation scout to impregnate a human while studying the notion of emotion.

Light, intelligent humour that is easy to follow without being an Adam Sandler torturefest... unfortunately meaning that it is rather dilute light comedy. Fine for dates or discussion over a post-viewing diner without fear of big arguments.