How to Kill Your Neighbor's Dog (2000)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

Michael Kalesniko

Writer (WGA):

Michael Kalesniko (written by)

Release Date:

5 March 2003 (France)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

One man's pet is another man's peeve.

Plot:

Shy, chain-smoking, insomniac Peter McGowan is an L.A. playwright with a string of hits that preceded his current ten years of failed productions...

Plot Keywords:

Dog | Neighbor | Play | Playwright | Comedy Of Manners

Awards:

6 wins

Cast

Kenneth Branagh	...	Peter McGowen
Robin Wright Penn	...	Melanie McGowen
Suzi Hofrichter	...	Amy Walsh
Lynn Redgrave	...	Edna
Jared Harris	...	False Peter
Peter Riegert	...	Larry
David Krumholtz	...	Brian Sellars
Johnathon Schaech	...	Adam
Kaitlin Hopkins	...	Victoria
Suzy Joachim	...	Allana
Brett Rickaby	...	Janitor
Lucinda Jenney	...	Trina Walsh
Derek Kellock	...	Amy's Father
Stacy Hogue	...	Babysitter
Peri Gilpin	...	Debra Salhany
Tamala Jones	...	Laura Leeton
Benita Ha	...	Female Anchor
Mark Brandon	...	Male Anchor
Brent Chapman	...	Cop #1
Markus Redmond	...	Cop #2
Mark Schooley	...	Cop #3
Mark D. Currie	...	Cop #4 (as Mark Currie)
Doug Abrahams	...	Cop #5 - Detective
Ty Olsson	...	Cop #6 - Detective
Fred Ewanuick	...	Man #1
Anthony Ingram	...	Man #2 (as Anthony F. Ingram)
Robert Saunders	...	Gynecologist (as Robert C. Saunders)
Jay Brazeau	...	Proctologist
Merrilyn Gann	...	Nurse #1
Enuka Okuma	...	Nurse #2
Haig Sutherland	...	Young Man
Michael Benyaer	...	Father Neighbor
Sarah Cole Burnett	...	Teenage Neighbor
Michael Roberds	...	Fry Cook
Michael Kalesniko	...	Passerby
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Banjo	...	Baby the Dog
Daniel Stern	...	Guest at costume party (uncredited)

Directed by
Michael Kalesniko

Writing credits (WGA)
Michael Kalesniko		(written by)

Produced by
Willi Bär	....	co-executive producer
Lisa Bellomo	....	associate producer
Rainer Bienger	....	associate producer
Tani Cohen	....	co-producer
Danny Dimbort	....	co-executive producer
Avi Lerner	....	co-executive producer
Amanda Nelligan	....	co-producer
Michael Nozik	....	producer
Michael Potkins	....	line producer
Robert Redford	....	executive producer
Nancy M. Ruff	....	producer
Trevor Short	....	co-executive producer
John Thompson	....	co-executive producer
Brad Weston	....	producer

Original Music by
David Robbins

Cinematography by
Hubert Taczanowski

Film Editing by
Pamela Martin

Casting by
Michelle Allen
John Brace
Linda Lowy

Production Design by
Stephen J. Lineweaver

Art Direction by
Doug Byggdin

Set Decoration by
Mary-Lou Storey

Costume Design by
Mary Claire Hannan

Production Management
Todd Gilbert	....	post-production supervisor
Greg Milton	....	assistant production manager
Michael Potkins	....	production manager
Ritch Renaud	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Mark D. Currie	....	second assistant director
Katherine Keizer	....	third assistant director
Kevin J. Moore	....	assistant director
Lance Peverley	....	trainee assistant director

Art Department
Frank Haddad	....	head greensman
Barry Kootchin	....	head scenic artist
Michael Love	....	assistant property master
Mark Molina	....	assistant art director
Janet Pett Davies	....	art department researcher
Kimberley Regent	....	property master
Tonya Soules	....	assistant decorator
Barbara Wilson	....	assistant art director
Stephen Wright	....	construction coordinator

Sound Department
Eva Madden	....	sound assistant
Steven Morrow	....	sound mixer: helicopter unit
Vince Nicastro	....	foley artist
Phillip Seretti	....	sound re-recording mixer
Phillip Seretti	....	sound supervisor
Larry Sutton	....	production sound mixer
Janja Vujovich	....	post-production sound coordinator

Visual Effects by
Richard Chuang	....	visual effects supervisor: PDI
Jesh Murthy	....	visual effects supervisor: Toybox
Chris Trimble	....	digital compositor: PDI

Stunts
Lauro Chartrand	....	assistant stunt coordinator
Jacob Rupp	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Drew Davidson	....	gaffer
Carol Macdonald	....	second assistant camera
W. James Meagher	....	camera trainee
Hugh Meikle	....	generator operator
Larry Portmann	....	focus puller: "a" camera
Jim Van Dijk	....	Steadicam operator
Jim Van Dijk	....	camera operator: "a" camera

Casting Department
Sandra-Ken Freeman	....	casting associate
Scout Masterson	....	casting assistant (as Mike Wallock)
Tami Nasu	....	casting associate
Audrey Skalbania	....	extras casting
Jared Valentine	....	extras casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Karin Nosella	....	assistant costume designer

Editorial Department
Kirsty Kalkhoven	....	first assistant editor
Jessica Landaw	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Chris McGeary	....	music editor
Steven A. Saltzman	....	music editor (as Steven Saltzman)
Robin Urdang	....	music supervisor

Transportation Department
David Halliday	....	transportation captain
Ian Thompson	....	driver: Mr Branagh

Other crew
Tsila Adler	....	post-production accountant
Donald Bruce	....	production controller
Barbara Chomos	....	unit publicist
Karen M. Cockrell	....	post-production accounting manager
Keith E. Cooper	....	legal
Peter Cummings	....	clearance/product placement coordinator
Ian Doig	....	deer trainer
Mark Dumas	....	deer supplier
Mark Dumas	....	deer trainer
Mark Dumas	....	dog supplier
Mark Dumas	....	dog trainer
Joel Hurley	....	location scout
Phil Kieran	....	location manager
Cort Kristensen	....	production coordinator: helicopter unit
Viktoria Langton	....	choreographer
Louisa Main	....	production coordinator
Kenneth Meisenbacher	....	location scout
Barbra Richardsen	....	production accountant
Joanne Rubino	....	assistant to director
Connie Rusgen	....	animal trainer
Steve Simko	....	assistant production coordinator
Brad Simonsen	....	assistant to producer
David Sitzman	....	contracts administrator
Jared Valentine	....	extras wrangler
Darcy Wild	....	assistant location manager

Thanks
Petula Clark	....	thanks
Billy Crystal	....	thanks
Gleb Klioner	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Cinerenta Medienbeteiligungs KG
• Lonsdale Productions
• Millennium Films
• South Fork Pictures

Distributors

• Artistic License (USA)
• Kinetique (2004) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Millennium Films
• Starz! Movie Channel (USA)
• Steward

Other Companies

• Barab, Kline & Coate  production legal
• CPI  titles and opticals
• L.A. East Studios  score recorded and mixed at (as L.A. East Studios, Salt Lake City Utah)
• Sound Services  cassettes and dubs
• Twentieth Century Fox  courtesy of: scenes from "Planet of the Apes"

Also Known As:

Mad Dogs and Englishmen (Australia) (video title)

MPAA:

Rated R for language.

Runtime:

France:107 min

Country:

Germany | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:L | France:U | USA:R | UK:15 | Australia:M

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Cinerenta Medienbeteiligungs KG

Quotes:

Melanie McGowan: Maybe you should see a therapist about your anxiety.
Peter McGowan: That's exactly what I'm afraid of. What if he cures me? Then, I'll have nothing to write about. Nobody wants to know about how happy you are.
Melanie McGowan: Oh, I don't think you ever have to worry about an over-abundance of happiness, dear.

Movie Connections:

References "Jeopardy!" (1984)

Soundtrack:

A Groovy Kind of Love

We have all faced some of the same problems.

I really had little idea as to what this was going to be, but being a fan of Kenneth Branagh's work, and hearing that is was a bit comedic, I gave it a shot. From the very first minutes of the movie, you know that you are in for "something special". As always, his timing when delivering a humorous line and his adroit methods of playing off a co-star, are in full force here. Robin Wright does an excellent job as his usually ignored wife, and the remainder of the cast, as you will see, was well directed.

The "real" standout in this film is the dialogue. The writing is superb...so much so, that I am going to watch it again, to pick up the lines I missed while I was either laughing or savoring an exquisite film moment.

He is totally in charge of the role given him here and really does hate the neighbor's dog ( as you would too), but the dog is only a segment of what is a bigger picture of a man fighting his personal torments, and all the while, doing it with a smile.

Why there wasn't more publicity about this film is beyond me. If it is to become a "cult" classic, then so be it, but it will definitely become some kind of classic. I have written other comments on this site for movies, and consider myself an "excellent" judge of what entertains and what does not, no matter who is in it, and I heartily recommend that you get a glass of your favorite whatever, and sit back and watch a great movie unfold. I would suggest that you are older than thirty to REALLY have fun with this vehicle.

Oh yes, let the credits role after the movie ends....in a few moments there is a scene that you WILL need to see. It's just one...but it's important. Get the popcorn and turn it on. You can thank me later.