Julien Donkey-Boy (1999)

User Rating:

5.7/10   

Writers:

(more)

Release Date:

13 September 2000 (France)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

A portrait of the effects of schizophrenia on family life is the central focus.

Plot Keywords:

Schizophrenia | Doctor | Love | Blind Man | Store

Awards:

3 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Ewen Bremner	...	Julien
Brian Fisk	...	Pond Boy
Chloë Sevigny	...	Pearl (as Chloe Sevigny)
Werner Herzog	...	Father
Joyce Korine	...	Grandma
Evan Neumann	...	Chris
Miriam Martínez	...	Teenage Girl (as Miriam Martinez)
Edgar Erikkson	...	Bearded Man
James Moix	...	Dancing Man
Victor Varnado	...	Rapper
Oliver A. Bueno	...	Bowler
Roger Harris	...	Bowler
Josseph Padilla	...	Bowler
Olivia Pérez	...	Bowler (as Olivia Perez)
Freddie Perez	...	Bowler
Carmelo Rodriguez	...	Bowler
Chrissy Kobylak	...	Chrissy
Carmel Gayle	...	Clothing Store Cashier
Herman Reimmer	...	Man in Clothing Store
Virginia Reath	...	Gynecologist
Mary O'Hara	...	Nun
Alvin Law	...	Card-Playing Neighbor
Donna Smith	...	Dancing Woman
Gary Bergman	...	Piano Player
Tom Mullica	...	Magician
Johnie Mae Allen	...	Partygoer (as Johnny Mae Allen)
Timothy Allen	...	Partygoer
George Ashiotis	...	Partygoer
Benjamin Butler	...	Partygoer
Joneiry Delarosa	...	Partygoer
Eternal Divine	...	Partygoer
Edery Herrera	...	Partygoer
Ruby Rodriguez	...	Partygoer
Xenophon A. Theophall	...	Partygoer
Archie MacGregor	...	Amnesiac Patient
Jeanmarie Evans	...	Amnesiac Patient
Ricky Ashley	...	Hasidic Boy
Courtney DeBlis	...	Skater
Marybeth Grunstra	...	Skater
Heidi Vanderhoof	...	Skater
Hy Richards	...	Doctor
Barry Wernick	...	Doctor
Clinton Wright	...	Doctor
Carmela García	...	Nurse
Punky	...	Himself
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Will Oldham	...	(uncredited)

Directed by
Harmony Korine		(uncredited)

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Harmony Korine		uncredited

Produced by
Jim Czarnecki	....	line producer
Scott Macaulay	....	producer
Robin O'Hara	....	producer
Cary Woods	....	producer

Cinematography by
Anthony Dod Mantle

Film Editing by
Valdís Óskarsdóttir		(as Valdis Oskarsdottir)

Casting by
Kerry Barden
Lori Eastside
Billy Hopkins
Suzanne Smith

Production Management
Carrie Fix	....	production manager
Jill Goldstein	....	technical production manager

Art Department
Stephen Beatrice	....	set coordinator

Sound Department
Tom Efinger	....	sound conform
Tom Efinger	....	sound re-recording mixer
Brian Miksis	....	sound
Michael Primmer	....	boom operator
Aaron J. Rudelson	....	boom operator

Stunts
Manny Siverio	....	stunt coordinator
Jeff Ward	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Alejandro Castillo	....	additional camera operator
Henry Corra	....	additional camera operator
Michael Ginsburg	....	still photographer
Thomas LeGoff	....	still photographer
Lisa Leone	....	still photographer
John Perez	....	additional camera operator
Richard Rutkowski	....	additional camera operator
Mitchell Wagenberg	....	supplier: cameras

Casting Department
Mark Bennett	....	casting associate

Editorial Department
Jeffrey Levy-Hinte	....	post-production advisor
Paul Zucker	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Tracy McKnight	....	music supervisor
David Pajo	....	musician (uncredited)

Other crew
Tevin Adelman	....	production assistant
Diane Bellino	....	assistant to director
Christine Brown	....	post-production office consultant
Jeffrey A. Brown	....	intern
Jeff Brown	....	intern
Kathy Ciric	....	location manager
Donna Daniels	....	publicist
Mark Deener	....	additional legal services
Jonas Drehn	....	on-line engineer
Jason Dungan	....	intern
Brian Enright	....	production assistant
Julie Farol	....	intern
Michelle Michael Graves	....	intern
Jason K. Grey	....	production assistant (as Jason Grey)
Elisa Haradon	....	intern (as Elisa Deutsch)
Michael Kuhn	....	key production assistant
Rosalind Lawton	....	legal consultant
Patrick Lindenmaier	....	tape-to-film supervisor (as Patrick Lindenmeyer)
Melissa Lintinger	....	production accountant
Paul Mantel	....	consultant
Andrea Martin	....	intern
Ross Miller	....	insurance
Frank Park	....	production assistant
Emily Pritchard	....	intern
May Redding	....	intern
John Reyburger	....	on-line engineer
Jason Rothenberg	....	production office coordinator
Steven Rubin	....	intern
Bear Schmidt	....	location coordinator (as Brian 'Bear' Schmidt)
Dan Seligman	....	production assistant
Howard Shapiro	....	additional legal services
Natasha C. Smith	....	intern
Michael Taylor	....	continuity
Thuy Tham	....	consultant
Neal Usatin	....	production assistant

Production Companies

• 391 Productions
• Forensic Films
• Independent Pictures (III)

Distributors

• Independent Pictures (III) (????) (USA) (theatrical)
• An Independent Pictures Release
• E.D. Distribution (France)
• Fine Line Features (USA)
• Primer Plano Film Group (Argentina)
• Tohokushinsha Film

Other Companies

• Dig-It Audio  sound conforming
• Post 391  post-production services
• REI Media Group  titles and opticals
• Sound One Corporation  print master
• Swiss Effects  tape-to-film transfer
• Tape House  titles and opticals

Also Known As:

Dogme # 6 - Julien Donkey-Boy (USA) (series title)

MPAA:

Rated R for language, some sexuality and disturbing images.

Runtime:

94 min | 101 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Canada:14A | France:U | UK:15 | USA:R | Portugal:M/12 (DVD rating)

Filming Locations:

Yonkers, New York, USA

Company:

391 Productions

Trivia:

Harmony Korine originally took on the role of Chris. Later, the role was given to Evan Neumann.

Quotes:

Father: I don't want this escaping. All this moody brooding; I just don't like that.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Beautiful Losers (2008)

Soundtrack:

Frère Jacques

It inspires more discord than harmony (sorry about that)

This is one of those divisive films. I don't consider myself an expert on the Dogma school of film-making, or avant garde technique in general, but I must say I found this more watchable, cohesive and engaging that Korine's `Gummo.' Some people will invariably find a film `pretentious' if it challenges their expectations in any way, and I'm surprised that the P-word hasn't occurred more in the comments on this page.

Regarding the look of this film, I think an earlier commentator's analogy to Van Gogh is interesting. Unconventional techniques and points-of-view in art always inspire animosity, and the work of the Dutch painter Van Gogh was severely criticized in his time (incompetent, grotesque, vulgar, etc.). How many people find his work inscrutable today?

When German director Werner Herzog, in the role of Julien's father, contemptuously disparages an `artsy-fartsy' poem, and goes on to describe a scene from a `Dirty Harry' film in glowing terms, you've got to wonder what is being said. The apparent reaction of some commentators here seems to be that they, the viewers suckered into watching this film, are the butt of some joke, but I'm not so sure. The line may well have been unscripted improv, and Herzog makes the `artsy-fartsy' remark in the character of a particularly abusive, overbearing, and aggressively unsympathetic person. It is a bit reminiscent of a remark he makes in the commentary to his own film `Heart of Glass,' but in that case he is disparaging `new age crap.' I can't help wondering -- does he consider himself an artsy-fartsy director? Would he consider that an insult? I can't be sure if he actually identified with the character he portrayed. So is this remark a joke on the nature of `Julien Donkey Boy,' or just meant to be typical of the abusive ass portrayed by Herzog? My first impression was the latter, and I still favor it. In any event, I enjoyed hearing the voice so familiar to me from those commentary tracks delivering the same sort of strange anecdotes and strong opinions in this film, even in the guise of this repulsive character. Inspired casting, but then, Korine seems to admire Herzog as much as I do.

Even amongst art-house goons, this film is divisive. What can I say? I liked it, found the look and technique visually stimulating and sometimes quite beautiful, the characterizations interesting, and the whole thing cohesive. For me it has a `stick to the ribs' quality that keeps me thinking about it long after having seen it. I'll gladly watch another Harmony Korine film, when it appears.