Dummy (2002)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

Greg Pritikin

Writer:

Greg Pritikin (written by)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

The story of a dummy and his man.

Plot:

An ex-office worker becomes a ventriloquist, leading to a date with his unemployment counselor; but his quirky family and a gauche female friend may thwart his new career and love life.

Plot Keywords:

Puppet Master | Shyness | Ventriloquist's Dummy | Ventriloquist | Wedding

Cast

Adrien Brody	...	Steven
Milla Jovovich	...	Fangora
Illeana Douglas	...	Heidi
Vera Farmiga	...	Lorena
Jessica Walter	...	Fern
Ron Leibman	...	Lou
Jared Harris	...	Michael
Mirabella Pisani	...	Bonnie
Helen Hanft	...	Mrs. Gurkel
Richmond Hoxie	...	Sorensen
Adam LeFevre	...	Theater Director
Joanne Bayes	...	Actress
Lou Martini Jr.	...	Unemployed Italian (as Lou Marini Jr.)
Gabor Morea	...	Unemployed Frottager (as Gabor Mobea)
Edward Hibbert	...	Unemployed Actor
Robert Larkin	...	Pharmacist
Alan Semok	...	Professor Parlepancia - Ventriloquism Teacher
John Elsen	...	Cop
Debbie Ross	...	Le Bagel Waitress
Tom Plotkin	...	Magic Store Clerk
Paul Wallfisch	...	Elmo - Fangora's Band Member
Andy Senor	...	Arab Caterer
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jason Batchko	...	Tardy Vent Student (uncredited)
Alan Demovsky	...	Talking Mime (uncredited)
Mary Ann Hannon	...	Diner Waitress (uncredited)
Oren Kaplan	...	Fangora's Band Member (uncredited)
Alix Korey	...	Mrs. Freed (uncredited)
Poppi Kramer	...	Jen freed (uncredited)
Lawrence R. Leritz	...	Groom (uncredited)
C.J. Marsini	...	Joey (uncredited)
Billy Nolan	...	Vent Student (uncredited)
Tim Otto	...	Fangora's Band Member (uncredited)
David Wm. Sims	...	Fangora's Band Member (uncredited)

Directed by
Greg Pritikin

Writing credits
Greg Pritikin		(written by)

Produced by
Jellybean Benítez	....	associate producer
Bob Fagan	....	producer
Jose Gilberto Molinari-Rosaly	....	associate producer (as Jose Gilberto Molinari)
Valerie Romer	....	line producer
Richard Temtchine	....	producer

Original Music by
Paul Wallfisch

Cinematography by
Horacio Marquínez		(director of photography) (as Horacio Marquinez)

Film Editing by
William Henry		(as Bill Henry)
Michael Palmerio

Casting by
Amanda Mackey Johnson
Cathy Sandrich		(as Cathy Sandrich Gelfond)

Production Design by
Charlotte Bourke

Art Direction by
Amanda Carroll		(as Amanda Caroll)

Set Decoration by
Jon Nissenbaum		(uncredited)

Costume Design by
Marie Abma

Makeup Department
Lorrie Ann Dobbins	....	additional hair stylist (as Lorie Anne Dobbins)
Lorrie Ann Dobbins	....	additional makeup artist (as Lorie Anne Dobbins)
Persefone Karakosta	....	assistant hair stylist
Persefone Karakosta	....	assistant makeup artist
Julia Lallas	....	additional hair stylist
Julia Lallas	....	additional makeup artist
Sanna Riley	....	hair stylist
Sanna Riley	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Taylor Lawrence	....	production manager
Valerie Romer	....	unit production manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Karen Kane	....	second assistant director
B.J. Owens	....	second second assistant director
Tom Self	....	additional second second assistant director

Art Department
Christi Catalpa	....	graphic designer
Gonzalo Cordoba	....	additional set dresser
Gimili Glavin	....	scenic artist
Gimili Glavin	....	set dresser
Mary Hawkins	....	art department production assistant
Jason Kadlec	....	set dresser
Nick Marden	....	additional scenic
Jon Nissenbaum	....	set dresser
Jose Pavon	....	set dresser
Diana Puntar	....	prop master
Alan Semok	....	builder: Steven's dummy (as Alan 'The Dummy Doctor' Semok)
Alan Semok	....	designer: Steven's dummy (as Alan 'The Dummy Doctor' Semok)

Sound Department
Kentaro Abe	....	foley artist
Mitthun Dalal	....	sound intern
Jesse Ehredt	....	sound recordist
Sean Garnhart	....	sound effects editor
Seth Granger	....	boom operator
Lisa Gabriella Keppler	....	assistant foley artist
George A. Lara	....	foley mixer
George A. Lara	....	foley supervisor
Skip Lievsay	....	sound supervisor (as Skips Lievsay)
Joe Mendelson	....	sound designer
Chris Navarro	....	adr recordist
Theresa Radka	....	sound mixer
Fred Rosenberg	....	supervising sound editor
Joram Schwartz	....	additional boom operator
Rick Van Benschoten	....	additional sound designer
Katharyn Yew	....	additional adr artist
Marko A. Costanzo	....	foley artist (uncredited)
Tom Efinger	....	sound re-recording mixer (uncredited)
Sean Huff	....	assistant sound editor (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Jim Rider	....	optical supervisor

Stunts
Roy Farfel	....	stunts
Roy Farrel	....	stunt department

Camera and Electrical Department
Hashim Al-Mashat	....	additional electrician
George Bianchini	....	Steadicam operator
Ariel Boles	....	best boy electric
Jared Boles	....	electric intern
Herb Brooks	....	company electrician
Greg Canicio	....	additional grip
Philippe Casseus	....	additional key grip
Pierrot Colonna	....	second assistant camera
Cat Crosby	....	third grip
Jonathan Cupina	....	additional key grip
Ben D'Andrea	....	additional key grip
Christine DeSavino	....	still photographer (as Christine De Savino)
Burke Grantham	....	camera production assistant
Tom Guiney	....	additional grip (as Thomas Guiney)
David Harges	....	gaffer
Susan Heller	....	company electrician
Dan Keane	....	best boy grip
Deb Krahulec	....	grip intern
Ted LeHane	....	key grip (as Ted Le Hane)
Vincent Mangano	....	additional key grip
Pete McGill	....	additional electrician (as Pete Mcgill)
Chris Neff	....	key grip
Rick Pierson	....	camera loader
Ron Travisano	....	assistant camera
Ezra Venetos	....	additional key grip

Casting Department
Sig De Miguel	....	casting associate
Jaime Jacobs	....	extras casting
Karen Meisels	....	casting associate (uncredited)
Wendy Weidman	....	casting associate (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Justine Jones	....	wardrobe intern
Rachel Leek	....	additional wardrobe supervisor (as Rachel J. Leek)
Zairi Malcolm	....	wardrobe intern
Rachel L. Medina	....	wardrobe supervisor
Sherri Kohl Owles	....	wardrobe supervisor
Amy Renstein	....	additional wardrobe
Elizabeth Roles	....	wardrobe supervisor
Abigail Stowe	....	additional wardrobe
Susan Wachsler	....	additional wardrobe

Editorial Department
Elizabeth Kling	....	supervising editor
Katie Mcquerrey	....	assistant film editor
Terel Gibson	....	assistant film editor (uncredited)
Stuart Macphee	....	post-production coordinator (uncredited)

Music Department
Jellybean Benítez	....	executive music supervisor (as Jellybean Benitez)
Catherine Bent	....	musician
Chris Berger	....	musician
Christian Bongers	....	musician
Matt Flynn	....	musician
Steve Haas	....	musician
Alex Kadran	....	musician
Oren Kaplan	....	musician
Tamir Muskat	....	musician
Tamir Muskat	....	score mixer
Tamir Muskat	....	score recordist
Tim Otto	....	musician
James Parker	....	musician
Charlie Rafalides	....	musician
Dom Richards	....	musician
Danny Schotsky	....	score mixer
Danny Schotsky	....	score recordist
Antoine Silverman	....	musician
David Wm. Sims	....	musician
Paul Wallfisch	....	score arranger
Paul Wallfisch	....	score producer

Other crew
Kentaro Abe	....	production associate
Roni Armstrong	....	craft service assistant (as Ronnie Armstrong)
Alice Bertay	....	assistant: Mr. Pritikin
Daniel Bronstein	....	production assistant
Marcus Cano	....	intern
Beatriz Cardenas	....	intern
Christi Catalpa	....	titles
Kim Marie Cicione	....	location scout (as Kim Cicione)
Eric Cohen	....	location scout
Cortney Cooper	....	intern
Tobias Core	....	production assistant
Roni Deitz	....	location scout
Tony Didonato	....	intern
Ben Dotson	....	additional production assistant
Allyson Drucker	....	intern
Beverley Ellar	....	production assistant
Jesse Fellus	....	production assistant
Dave Ginsberg	....	production assistant
Maura Griffin	....	intern
Thomas Hanna	....	location manager
Brad Huddleston	....	assistant location manager
John Kaufmann	....	production assistant
Janice Kay	....	intern
Julie Kuehndorf	....	publicist
Lili Lambert	....	intern
Nick Lorden	....	intern
Pamela Morejon	....	title designer
Tracey Moulton	....	intern
Veronica Mulero	....	additional script supervisor (as Veronica Molero)
Eric Oden	....	accountant
Joe Parvis	....	teamster
Anthony Pettine	....	script supervisor (as Tony Pettine)
Jack Rizzo	....	prints: Metropolis Film Labs
Nom Ruminstein	....	additional production assistant
Ariel Enriquez Saulog	....	digital supervisor
Jonathan Schwartz	....	additional production assistant
Robert L. Seigel	....	legal services (as Robert L. Seigel Esq.)
Yann Sobezynski	....	assistant production coordinator (as Yan Sobezinsky)
Greg Spencer	....	additional production assistant
Greg Stillman	....	additional production assistant
April Taylor	....	key set production assistant
Ian Tenenebaum	....	intern
Stephan Ursu	....	production assistant
Jan Luc Van Damme	....	additional production assistant (as Jean Luc Van Damme)
Verna Vittles	....	craft service
Brad Waskewich	....	intern
Paul Winchell	....	special technical advisor
Joseph Zolfo	....	location supervising consultant (as Joseph N. Zolfo)
Jonathan Dana	....	producer's representative (uncredited)
Taylor Lawrence	....	production coordinator (uncredited)
Pete Michaels	....	ventriloquism instructor: Mr Brody (uncredited)
Timothy Scott Ralston	....	studio projectionist (uncredited)

Thanks
Paul Anka	....	special thanks
Barbara Avnet	....	special thanks
Jon Avnet	....	special thanks
Al Bardin	....	special thanks
Burt Batchko	....	special thanks
Fern Batchko	....	special thanks
Jason Batchko	....	special thanks
Wendy Becker	....	special thanks
Neal Bellet	....	special thanks: Wayne Township
John Bernstein	....	special thanks
Silvia Black	....	special thanks: Fed Ex, for saving our lives!
Botanica	....	special thanks: Band musicians
Debbie Brennan	....	special thanks: Wayne Township
Jillisa Brittan	....	special thanks
Rudolph Callegari	....	special thanks
Frank Carari	....	special thanks
Coralina Cataldi-Tassoni	....	special thanks
Christi Catalpa	....	special thanks
Joel Chestler	....	special thanks
Lynn Chestler	....	special thanks
Genevieve Coleman	....	special thanks
JoAnne Colonna	....	special thanks
Betty Comden	....	special thanks
Coralina	....	special thanks: Band musicians
Charles Cusumano Jr.	....	special thanks
Rex Daisy	....	special thanks: Band musicians
Peter Dante	....	special thanks
Robert Davies	....	special thanks
Betty Demovsky	....	special thanks
John Diaz	....	special thanks
Charmagne Nicholas Feuillette	....	special thanks
Jon Fields	....	special thanks
Lisa Fishman	....	special thanks: Band musicians
Arnie Frank	....	special thanks: art contributions
The Girls	....	special thanks: Band musicians
Mary Glucksman	....	special thanks
Shirley Grady	....	special thanks: New York Department of Citywide Administrative Services (as Shirley Ann Grady)
Adolph Green	....	in memory of
Adolph Green	....	special thanks
William Harris	....	special thanks
Ginger Hege	....	special thanks
Steven Heliotes	....	special thanks
Paul Hendrickson	....	special thanks
The Highland Park High School Band	....	special thanks: Band musicians
Jim Hile	....	special thanks
Regina Hopkins	....	special thanks
Annette Insdorf	....	special thanks
Bill Jenkins	....	special thanks
The Joy Poppers	....	special thanks: Band musicians
Adam Kallish	....	special thanks
Elizabeth Kallish	....	special thanks
Steven M. Karras	....	special thanks
Luisa Kazanas	....	special thanks
Chris Keefe	....	special thanks
Lisa Gabriella Keppler	....	special thanks
Peter Keppler	....	special thanks (as Pete Keppler)
Aleen Keshishian	....	special thanks
Jerry Lane	....	special thanks: art contributions
Julia Lane	....	special thanks
Barbara Lavin	....	special thanks
Michel Legrand	....	special thanks
Diane Levitt	....	special thanks
Mickey Levitt	....	special thanks
Allan Loeb	....	special thanks
Keith Markinson	....	special thanks
The Maxwell Street Klezmer Band	....	special thanks: Band musicians
Jennifer McGarigle	....	special thanks
Kevin McKleod	....	special thanks
Enrico Mirabelli	....	special thanks
Robert H. Montgomery Jr.	....	in memory of
Pamela Morejon	....	special thanks (as Pam Morejon)
Sean Mulroney	....	special thanks
Melissa Nusbaum	....	special thanks
Marsha Oglesby	....	special thanks
Reed Paget	....	special thanks
Linda Palham	....	special thanks
Steven Pearl	....	special thanks
Carrie Polonsky	....	special thanks
Jonny Polonsky	....	special thanks
Timothy D. Popularum	....	special thanks
David Pritikin	....	special thanks
Jim Pritikin	....	special thanks
Mary Pritikin	....	special thanks
Alan Quasha	....	special thanks
Jill Quasha	....	special thanks
Jim Rider	....	special thanks
Jack Rizzo	....	special thanks
Gary Rosen	....	special thanks
Ben Rosenstein	....	special thanks
David Rothstein	....	special thanks
Brad Ruben	....	special thanks
Mike Ruekberg	....	special thanks
David W. Schoner Jr.	....	special thanks: New Jersey Motion Pictures/Television Commission (as David Schoner)
Alan Semok	....	special thanks: art contributions
Meyer Shwarzstein	....	special thanks (as Meyer Schwartzstein)
Diana Silvius-Gits	....	special thanks
Shawn Simon	....	special thanks (as Shawn Hopkins)
Marc Skolnik	....	special thanks
Chris Smith	....	special thanks
Jerry Stoeffhaas	....	special thanks: New York State Governor's Office for Motion Picture and TV Development (as Jerry Stoeffhaaf)
Bill Swartz	....	special thanks
Sabrina Swartz	....	special thanks
Tom Szidon	....	special thanks
John Tottenham	....	special thanks
Doris Toumarkine	....	special thanks
Jason Watkins	....	special thanks
Thomas Weeks	....	special thanks
Jordan Weisman	....	special thanks
Señor Wences	....	special thanks (as Senor Wences)
Paul Winchell	....	special thanks
Dave Winslow	....	thanks
Debra Yates	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Dummy Productions LLC
• Quadrant Entertainment

Distributors

• Be Best in DVD (BBI-DVD) (2004) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Curb Entertainment
• Lions Gate Films Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (2004) (Finland) (TV)

Other Companies

• Mackey/Sandrich Casting  casting
• 7th Floor, The  production space provided by
• A.B.S.  wardrobe
• AMG/The Firm  special thanks
• Agatha  wardrobe
• All Payments Services Inc.  payroll services (as All Payments)
• American Foliage  artwork
• Antenna  sound mixed at
• Asics  wardrobe
• Atomic Pictures  special thanks
• BCBG  wardrobe
• Bisou Bisou  wardrobe
• Bright Pictures  special thanks
• C-5  additional sound (as C5)
• Camera Service Center  camera equipment provided by
• Cineric  titles and opticals (uncredited)
• Classy Tuxedos  wardrobe
• Coast to Coast Catering  catering (as Coast to Coast)
• Cynthia Rowley  wardrobe
• D.R. Reiff & Associates  insurance
• Daniel, Seigel & Bimbler LLP  legal services
• Dessy Creations  wardrobe
• Doc Martens  wardrobe
• Echo Post  special thanks
• FedEx  thanks for saving our lives (as Fed Ex)
• Film East  titles and opticals (as Film East)
• Halloween Adventure  special thanks
• Hamilton Beach/Proctor Silex  special thanks
• Heller  special thanks
• Howard Johnson  special thanks
• Impact Product Placement  product placement
• International Fireworks Mfg. Co.  special thanks
• Julia Santos  wardrobe
• KMS Hair Care  special thanks
• Laura Mercier Cosmetics  special thanks
• Lenox  artwork
• Looking Glass Studios  additional music recorded at (as The Looking Glass, Manhattan)
• MAC Cosmetics  special thanks
• Mario & Luigi's, Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn  special thanks
• Massive and Associates  parking
• Max Incorporated  special thanks
• Mayor's Office for Film, Theater and Broadcasting  permits
• Mazur's Bakery, Lynhurst, NJ  artwork
• Mini Jive  additional music recorded at
• Nanette Lepore  wardrobe
• New Jersey Motion Picture and Television Commission  special thanks
• New York City Mayor's Office of Film, Theater & Broadcasting, The  special thanks (as City of New York, Mayor's Office for Film, Theater and Broadcasting)
• New York Department of Citywide Administrative Services  special thanks
• New York State Governor's Office for Motion Picture & Television Development  special thanks
• Paris Film Productions  grip and electric equipment (as Paris Film Production)
• Pottery Barn Kids  artwork (as Pottery Barn)
• Pottery Barn Kids  special thanks
• Reebok  wardrobe
• Revell-Monogram  special thanks (as Revell)
• Specialty Retail Enterprises  special thanks
• St. Supery Wine  special thanks
• Stage Shows International  artwork
• Target  special thanks (as Target Stores)
• The 13th Street Repertory Theater  special thanks
• The New York Department of Labor  special thanks
• The Town of Kearny  special thanks
• U-Save  vehicles
• UPP  wardrobe
• Universal Studios Licensing  "You Can't Cheat an Honest Man" film clips © 1939 Universal Pictures Co.
• Vibromonk Studios, Brooklyn  score recorded and mixed at
• Victory Diner  special thanks
• Wayne Manor  special thanks
• Wayne Police Athletic Club  special thanks
• Wayne Police Department  special thanks
• Wayne Township  special thanks

MPAA:

Rated R for language.

Runtime:

USA:91 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Yiddish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Canada:14A (Ontario) | Iceland:L | South Korea:15 | UK:15 | Australia:M | Italy:T | Singapore:PG | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Commack, Long Island, New York, USA

Company:

Dummy Productions LLC

Trivia:

The store that Steven buys his dummy at is called "Halloween Adventure". It is located in New York City.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Stephen brings home the dummy for the first time, he only opens the latch on the left side of the suitcase first. In the next shot, he opens both of the latches, even though the left would have already been unlatched.

Quotes:

Heidi: Steven?
[Enters Steven's room and sees him in his underwear, with his dummy dressed as a child]
Heidi: ... Gross! You look like a child molester!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Bad Santa (2003)

Soundtrack:

Yo Slut

Odd,gentle comedy with heart

Adrien Brody's next movie,after his Oscar-winning turn in "The Pianist" is this film which is beautifully odd and full of quirk and sweetness. Brody is Steven, a lonely,shy working mensch who lives at home and senses his life slipping away from him. One night,he discovers the art of ventriloquy is the venting of his trapped spirit. Spurred along by his friend,a Gothic,wild-child girl rocker named Fanny(Milla Jovovich,kinetic here),Steven pursues his dream,much to the utter amazement of his painfully neurotic family(Jessica Walter,Ron Leibmann and Ileana Douglas). Meanwhile,he harbors a crush on an employment counselor(Vera Farmigia),a sweet woman with a difficult past.

Meanwhile,the dummy Steven has worked with has nearly developed a personality of its own,goading Steven to become bolder and braver mensch.

Brody's acuity at ventriloquy further enhances this film,which has nothing particularly fancy or breathtaking to it. The love story at play here is...well,it's different. It's neither sentimental nor cynical,sweet but not syrupy. Kind of rare in the world of light romantic comedy.

The show is spare but that,I feel,enhances this pic. To me,this is one of the more unique films I've sen in quite a while. Kudos to director/writer Greg Pritkin for his deft touch. The cast is well placed and make this film both awkward and warm. I recommend this film for anyone who likes either/or both their comedies or romances odd and true.