The Specials (2000)

Director:

Craig Mazin

Writer:

James Gunn (writer)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

They're Not Incredible, They're Just Special

Plot:

The sixth or seventh best superhero team in the world pursue their rightful place in the harshly competitive world of toy tie-ins and fighting evil.

Plot Keywords:

Superhero | Superhero Team | Action Figure | Toy | Press Conference

Cast

Jordan Ladd	...	Nightbird
Rob Lowe	...	The Weevil
Jamie Kennedy	...	Amok
Mike Schwartz	...	U.S. Bill
Thomas Haden Church	...	The Strobe
Paget Brewster	...	Ms. Indestructible
Kelly Coffield Park	...	Power Chick (as Kelly Coffield)
Sean Gunn	...	Alien Orphan
Judy Greer	...	Deadly Girl
James Gunn	...	Minute Man
Jim Zulevic	...	Mr. Smart
Johnny Mountain	...	News Anchor
John Doe	...	Eight
Abdul Salaam El Razzac	...	Eight
Lauren Cohn	...	Eight
Tom Dorfmeister	...	Eight
Chuti Tiu	...	Eight
Johann Stauf	...	Eight
Brian Gunn	...	Eight
Samantha Cannon	...	Eight
Barry Del Sherman	...	Zip Boy
Mark A. Altman	...	Hazmat Recovery Team
Robert Meyer Burnett	...	Hazmat Recovery Team
Mark Gottwald	...	Groover Busboy
Matt Champagne	...	Joel Tippin
Taryn Manning	...	Autograph Hound
Beau Weaver	...	Toy Commercial Announcer
Jordan Warkol	...	Toy Commercial Kid (as Jordan Blake Warkol)
Austin Bates	...	Toy Commercial Kid
Louis Martin Braga III	...	Toy Commercial Kid
Valerie Long	...	Reporter
Lee Kirk	...	Reporter
Caren Saiet	...	Reporter
Christopher Shea	...	Reporter
Jenna Fischer	...	College Girl
Patricia Gaul	...	U.S. Bill's Mother
Dana Wieluns	...	Cocktail Waitress
Scott Torrence	...	Pinball Wizard
Lisa Steinmetz	...	Mr. Smart's Squeeze
Frank Medrano	...	Orestes
Melissa Joan Hart	...	Sunlight Grrrll
Judith Drake	...	Verdict's Secretary
Michael Weatherly	...	Verdict
Chase Masterson	...	Moira Murphy
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Ellie Cornell	...	Linda (uncredited)
Greg Erb	...	Man (uncredited)
Kate Lily Souza	...	Hotel Manager (uncredited)

Directed by
Craig Mazin

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
James Gunn		writer

Produced by
Mark A. Altman	....	producer
Dan Bates	....	producer
Ellie Cornell	....	executive producer (as Ellie Gottwald)
Mark Gottwald	....	executive producer
James Gunn	....	co-producer
Sean Gunn	....	co-producer
Jamie Kennedy	....	co-producer
Craig Mazin	....	co-producer
Robert Meyer Burnett	....	associate producer
Rick Mischel	....	producer
Braxton Pope	....	associate producer
Peter Safran	....	co-executive producer
Ron Singer	....	line producer

Original Music by
Brian Langsbard

Cinematography by
Eliot Rockett

Film Editing by
Stephen Garrett
Jeremy Kasten

Casting by
Christine Sheaks

Production Design by
Dorian Vernacchio

Set Decoration by
Greta Grigorian

Costume Design by
Nickolaus Brown

Makeup Department
Lucy Fleetwood	....	makeup artist
Akiko Matsumoto	....	key makeup artist
Charles Porlier	....	special makeup effects artist
Karen Toole-Rentrop	....	makeup artist (as Karen D. Toole)
Teresa Vest	....	makeup supervisor
Kentaro Yano	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Jonathan Persky	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Matt James	....	first assistant director
Cecily Jordan	....	second second assistant director
Anthony J. Nahar	....	additional second second assistant director
Josh Oliver	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Thomas Bodmer	....	prop master (as Tommy 'Flash' Bodmer)
Jamie Boyce	....	art swing gang
Chris Davis	....	art swing gang (as Chris Davis)
Bryce Holtshousen	....	lead man
Terrell Lewis	....	assistant property master
Whitney Maxson	....	set dresser
Patrick Russo	....	art swing gang (as Patrick Ruso)
Tony Dale Russo	....	art swing gang
Foster Vick	....	art swing gang

Sound Department
James H. Coburn IV	....	sound mixer
Gary Day	....	boom operator
John DiLuigi	....	boom operator (as John Di Luigi)
Caleb Duffy	....	boom operator
Brandon Elsey	....	boom operator
Eric Justen	....	sound re-recording mixer
Sean Keegan	....	foley mixer
Jennifer Nabors	....	boom operator
Chris Rudland	....	sound intern
Jussi Tegelman	....	sound effects editor

Visual Effects by
John Allardice	....	on-set digital effects supervisor
Adam Buckner	....	digital compositor
Sherry Hitch	....	supervising visual effects compositor
Adam 'Mojo' Lebowitz	....	visual effects supervisor
Brandon MacDougall	....	visual effects
Scott Christian Sava	....	title animation
Pam Vick	....	digital effects artist
Dave A. West	....	visual effects animator
Christopher Dusendschon	....	hazeltine optical element timing: THDX (uncredited)
Christopher Dusendschon	....	in-show optical compositor: THDX (uncredited)

Stunts
Eliza Coleman	....	stunt double: Ms. Coffield
Charles A. Tam	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Steve Austin	....	24 frame video operator
Kevin Boyle	....	assistant camera: second unit
Jeremiah Crowell	....	camera loader
Michele De Lorimier	....	first assistant camera
Jeremy Graham	....	grip
Sheri Lane	....	still photographer
Patrick McGraw	....	camera loader
Rob Monroy	....	camera loader
Chris Nardone	....	second assistant camera
Al Ortega	....	still photographer (as Albert Ortega Jr.)
Christopher Probst	....	director of photography: second unit
Jorge A. Quiñonez	....	best boy
Jorge A. Quiñonez	....	grip
Mark Scott	....	24 frame video operator
Lilith Simcox	....	second assistant camera
Brett Skinner	....	second assistant camera
Melissa St. Hilaire	....	additional grip
Tom Van Otteren	....	jimmy jib operator

Casting Department
John Barba	....	casting associate

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Carol H. Beule	....	costume supervisor (as Carol Beule)
Sarah Bucy	....	costume assistant
Ellen Sedor	....	costumer

Editorial Department
J.F. Kinyon	....	additional post-production services (uncredited)

Music Department
Spring Aspers	....	music supervisor

Other crew
M.C. 'Max' Berryhill	....	production assistant
Brent Burpee	....	systems engineer
Crystal Connell	....	craft service
Eric Harbert	....	assistant production coordinator
Gillian Luera	....	assistant location manager (as Gillian Evans)
Mary Shellogg	....	script supervisor
Lynn M. van Kuilenburg	....	location manager
Katie Whittemore	....	script supervisor

Production Companies

• Brillstein-Grey Entertainment
• Mindfire Entertainment

Distributors

• Fluid Entertainment (2008) (USA) (theatrical)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Regent Entertainment
• Starmedia Home Entertainment (2006) (Germany) (DVD)
• Transformer (2002) (Japan) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera dollies

MPAA:

Rated R for strong language.

Runtime:

82 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Australia:M | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Brillstein-Grey Entertainment

Trivia:

Filmed in 18 days.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Nightbird: I've been a humongous fan of the Specials since I was knee-high to... something for sure. All my friends would make fun of me because the Specials were not a "cool" group like the Amazing Trio or the Crusaders. But, you know, screw that. I also liked Winger better than Bon Jovi. I still do. I don't care what the critics say.

Movie Connections:

References "Hogan's Heroes" (1965)

Soundtrack:

Warning (Soul Hooligan 7)

(One way that) a superhero film just oughta be

One way a superhero film ought to be is Blade. Or maybe X-Men. Where it's pretty much animation, but they shell out the money for Halle Berry's body as well as her voice. And most of it is just watching Wesley Snipes put on sunglasses and then hit people. It's nifty, and, frankly, worth the $8 to see.

The Specials is the other way. Nobody paid $8 to see it, but now, we all ought to be shelling out $20 for a DVD (or $16.99, and spend the change on some fried chicken. And a can of beer).

A mockumentary on a mediocre superhero team, the Specials is great 'cause the fight scenes are verbal. And there aren't any sunglasses. Good soundtrack through. It's absolutely cheeky and self-deprecatory, and shows that superheros are like ordinary people. But crazier.

Just a pleasure to watch. Very clever, with absolutely genius performances by The Weevil (Rob Lowe) and Deadly Girl (someone I don't know, but really ought to. She was fantastic). I even teared up a tiny bit. Kinda. In a manly way.