Storytelling (2001)

Director:

Todd Solondz

Writer (WGA):

Todd Solondz (written by)

Release Date:

8 November 2001 (Russia)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Plot:

College and high school serve as the backdrop for two stories about dysfunction and personal turmoil.

Plot Keywords:

High School | College | Sex | Celebrity | Documentary Filmmaker

Cast

Selma Blair	...	Vi ('Fiction')
Leo Fitzpatrick	...	Marcus ('Fiction')
Robert Wisdom	...	Mr. Scott ('Fiction')
Maria Thayer	...	Amy ('Fiction')
Angela Goethals	...	Elli ('Fiction')
Devorah Rose	...	Lucy ('Fiction')
Nancy Anne Ridder	...	Joyce ('Fiction')
Steve Rosen	...	Ethan ('Fiction') (as Steven Rosen)
Aleksa Palladino	...	Catherine ('Fiction')
Mary Lynn Rajskub	...	Melinda ('Fiction')
Tina Holmes	...	Sue ('Fiction')
Paul Giamatti	...	Toby Oxman ('Non-fiction')
Mike Schank	...	Mike the Cameraman ('Non-fiction')
Xander Berkeley	...	Mr. DeMarco ('Non-fiction')
Mark Webber	...	Scooby Livingston ('Non-fiction')
John Goodman	...	Marty Livingston ('Non-fiction')
Julie Hagerty	...	Fern Livingston ('Non-fiction')
Jonathan Osser	...	Mikey Livingston ('Non-fiction')
Noah Fleiss	...	Brady Livingston ('Non-fiction')
Lupe Ontiveros	...	Consuelo ('Non-fiction')
Jessica Dunphy	...	Cheryl ('Non-fiction')
Nick Maltes	...	Esposito ('Non-fiction')
Steve Railsback	...	Mr. Kirk ('Non-fiction')
Crista Moore	...	Elizabeth St. Clair ('Non-fiction')
Franka Potente	...	Toby's Editor ('Non-fiction')
Andrew Marantz	...	Stanley ('Non-fiction')
Conan O'Brien	...	Himself ('Non-fiction')
Frederick B. Owens	...	Football Coach ('Non-fiction') (as Frederick Owens)
Barry Jordan	...	Himself ('Non-fiction') (as Dr. Barry Jordan)
Robin Goodman	...	Herself ('Non-fiction') (as Dr. Robin Goodman)
Eric Nieves	...	Dave ('Non-fiction')
Marisa Redanty	...	Onlooker #1 ('Non-fiction')
Ilana Levine	...	Onlooker #2 ('Non-fiction')
Pat Kiernan	...	TV News Announcer (voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jennifer Elise Cox	...	Musical Theatre Actress - Fiction
Tom Schimmels	...	Man in Toby's Apartment (segment "Non-fiction") (uncredited)
Jim Titus	...	Football Player (uncredited)

Directed by
Todd Solondz

Writing credits (WGA)
Todd Solondz		(written by)

Produced by
Declan Baldwin	....	line producer
Michael De Luca	....	executive producer (as Mike De Luca)
Amy Henkels	....	executive producer
Ted Hope	....	producer
David Linde	....	executive producer
Christine Vachon	....	producer

Original Music by
Nathan Larson

Cinematography by
Frederick Elmes

Film Editing by
Alan Oxman

Casting by
Ann Goulder

Production Design by
James Chinlund

Art Direction by
Judy Rhee

Set Decoration by
Jennifer Alex Nickason

Costume Design by
John A. Dunn		(as John Dunn)

Makeup Department
Quentin Harris	....	key hair stylist
Evelyne Noraz	....	additional makeup artist
Kyra Panchenko	....	key makeup artist
Kerrie Smith	....	first hair stylist
Taurance F. Williams	....	hair stylist (uncredited)

Production Management
Paul Leonardo Jr.	....	post-production supervisor
Jeff Roth	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Timothy Bird	....	first assistant director
Leslie Garvin	....	second assistant director
Victoria Lang	....	second second assistant director
Alan Oxman	....	second unit director

Art Department
Bruce W. Arcieri	....	carpenter
Ann Marie Auricchio	....	scenic artist
Russell Bullock	....	scenic artist
Brian Buteau	....	lead dresser
Thomas Costabile	....	construction coordinator (as Tom Costabile)
Nicholas Decaneas	....	art department assistant
Heather Dunbar	....	assistant to production designer
William Egan	....	construction grip
Deborah Greene	....	set dresser
Roman Greller	....	set dresser
Michael Herlihy	....	construction foreman
Dierdre Kane	....	prop assistant (as Dierdre L. Kane)
Ruth Katz	....	set dresser
Robin Koenig	....	lead man
Byron K. Lovelace	....	set dresser (as Byran Lovelace)
Gala Magrina	....	art department intern
Ron Miller	....	carpenter
Monique Mitchell	....	construction grip foreman
Dana Neuwirth	....	set dresser (as Dana C. Neuwirth)
Tim Oravetz	....	property master
Kevin C. Reidy	....	construction grip
Paul Roer	....	set dresser
Jeffrey Rollins	....	on-set dresser (as Jeffrey S. Rollins)
Steven T. Scarphilla	....	construction grip
Connie Schlier	....	scenic artist
Steven Shellooe	....	camera scenic artist (as Stephen Shellooe)
Robert W. Smith	....	key construction grip
Jonathan Stein	....	carpenter (as Jon Stein)
Greg Sullivan	....	charge scenic
Frankie Tonkin	....	construction grip
Harriet Zucker	....	assistant set decorator
Anthony Baldasare	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Brick Mason	....	storyboard artist (uncredited)

Sound Department
Nancy Cabrera	....	foley artist
Matthew Fleece	....	foley mixer
Thomas Kodros	....	stereo sound engineer: Dolby
Andrew Kris	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Andy Kris)
Andrew Kris	....	supervising sound editor (as Andy Kris)
Drew Kunin	....	production sound mixer
Lisa J. Levine	....	adr editor
David Novack	....	sound re-recording consultant (as David Novak)
Mary Ellen Porto	....	dialogue editor
Michael Primmer	....	boom operator
Jerry Yuen	....	utility sound technician

Special Effects by
Mark Bero	....	special effects (as Mark Boro)
Drew Jiritano	....	special effects coordinator
Andrew Mortelliti	....	special effects
Robert J. Scupp	....	special effects
John Stifanich	....	special effects (as John R. Stikanch)
Thomas Viviano	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Randall Balsmeyer	....	visual effects supervisor/designer: Balsmeyer & Everett, Inc.
Don Canfield	....	motion control operator
J. John Corbett	....	digital animator/compositor: Balsmeyer & Everett, Inc.
Kathy Kelehan	....	titles/effects producer: Balsmeyer & Everett, Inc.
Alex MacDonald	....	motion control assistant
Matt McDonald	....	digital animator/compositor: Balsmeyer & Everett, Inc.
Amit Sethi	....	digital animator/compositor: Balsmeyer & Everett, Inc.
Fabian Tejada	....	digital animator/compositor: Balsmeyer & Everett, Inc.
Dan Trezise	....	digital animator/compositor: Balsmeyer & Everett, Inc.

Stunts
Peter Bucossi	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Bill Almeida	....	electrician (as William Almeida)
Robert M. Andres	....	key grip (as Robert Andres)
Tony Arnaud	....	grip
Mel Cannon	....	grip
Patrick Capone	....	camera operator (as Pat Capone)
Brian Carmichael	....	24 frame video operator
John Clifford	....	still photographer
Jack Coffen	....	rigging gaffer
Ray Collins	....	Steadicam operator
John Corso	....	Steadicam operator
Lamont Crawford	....	dolly grip
Ralph G. Crowley	....	best boy electric (as Ralph Crowley)
Joe Cuzan	....	crane operator: Technocrane
Carlos Omar Guerra	....	first assistant camera (as Carlos Guerra)
Jonathan Lumley	....	gaffer
John Panuccio	....	grip
Robert T. Prate	....	grip (as Robert Prate)
Leigh Rathner	....	second assistant camera
Chris Skutch	....	best boy grip
Patrick Taistra	....	grip
Dylan Verrechia	....	camera apprentice
Rick Whitfield	....	video technician (as Richard Allen Whitfield)
Moira Demos	....	electrician (uncredited)
Gerard Sava	....	additional camera operator: "a" camera (uncredited)
Regis Trigano	....	grip: video segments (uncredited)
Dylan Verrechia	....	cinematographer: video segments (uncredited)
Mark Walpole	....	assistant camera: Washington D.C. (uncredited)

Casting Department
Elizabeth Baird	....	casting assistant
John Barba	....	additional casting assistant
Lori Eastside	....	extras casting
Benny Flay	....	extras casting assistant
Johanna Hosking	....	additional casting assistant
Aimee Howard	....	additional casting assistant
Brian Pitt	....	extras casting assistant (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Susan Carrano	....	assistant costume designer
David Davenport	....	wardrobe supervisor
Amy Habacker	....	wardrobe supervisor (as Amy S. Habacker)
Stacey Havens	....	wardrobe assistant
Mary Jo McGrath	....	additional costumer (as M.J. McGrath)
Jessica T. Sinoway	....	costume assistant
Niki Strippoli	....	costumer

Editorial Department
Janell Fletcher	....	post-production facilities
Alfredo Frasson	....	color timer
Tim Streeto	....	first assistant editor
Jay Van Hoy	....	post-production coordinator
Matt Nash	....	post-production intern (uncredited)

Music Department
Geoff Allen	....	music engineer: "The State I Am In"
Willie Deans	....	assistant music engineer
Tony Doogan	....	music engineer: Belle & Sebastian
Juan García del Tocado	....	assistant music engineer (as Juan Garcia)
Susan Jacobs	....	music supervisor
Robin Rankine	....	assistant music engineer
Gregory Reid	....	music engineer: "The State I Am In"
Tom Unish	....	assistant music engineer

Transportation Department
Henry S. Avelin	....	transportation captain
Matthew Callagy	....	driver
Michael D. Canale	....	driver
David Chacon	....	driver
Mark A. Chomow	....	driver
Walter Chomow	....	driver
Ernie Clemens	....	driver
Paul Coscia	....	driver
Carlos Covian	....	driver
Thomas Crehan	....	transportation co-captain (as Tom Crehan)
Sean Leahy	....	driver
Paul Massey	....	driver
David M. Salisbury	....	driver
Alessio Giorgetti	....	driver: video segments (uncredited)

Other crew
Sean Ackerman	....	office production assistant
Kimberly Acosta	....	stock footage provider
Laird Adamson	....	assistant: Christine Vachon
Eric Agopian	....	production assistant
Alan Aguilar	....	chef
Crystal Bahmaie	....	on-set assistant: Christine Vachon
Craig Bankey	....	unit publicist
Michael Bederman	....	production accountant
Sarah Bicknell	....	office intern
Susan H. Bodine	....	legal counsel: Epstein, Levinsohn, Bodine, Hurwitz & Weinstein, L.L.P. (as Sue Bodine)
Kevin Breznahan	....	adr loop group
Shannon Burkett	....	adr loop group
David Chambers	....	location assistant
Cory Chew	....	completion bond: Film Finances Inc.
Alison S. Cohen	....	legal counsel: Epstein, Levinsohn, Bodine, Hurwitz & Weinstein, L.L.P. (as Alison Cohen)
Joan Devilla	....	payroll accountant (as Joan De Villa)
Maureen Duffy	....	completion bond: Film Finances Inc.
Chris Ekstein	....	office intern (as Chris Eckstein)
Joe Facey	....	craft service
David L. Feinberg	....	office intern
Alexis Fish	....	product placement and clearances
Maryann C. Fondulas	....	first assistant accountant
Jamie Gannon	....	production assistant
Becky Goldberg	....	office intern
Greg Gordon	....	production assistant
Krista Haimovitch	....	location coordinator
Sharyn Hauck	....	animal handler
Sharyn Hauck	....	animal trainer
Sid Hauck	....	animal handler (as Sig Hauck)
Sid Hauck	....	animal trainer (as Sig Hauck)
Jesse Hove	....	location assistant
Robert Kahoud	....	consultant: cerebral palsy
Jeremy Konner	....	location assistant
Jane Kelly Kosek	....	assistant: Declan Baldwin
James Lepow	....	production assistant
Erica Levy	....	product placement and clearances
Rafael Lima	....	production secretary
Cathryn Long	....	animal handler
Cathryn Long	....	animal trainer
Jennifer Lyne	....	assistant location manager
Spike McClure	....	adr loop group
Ross Miller	....	insurance: D.R. Reiff & Associates
Kristal D. Moseley	....	key set production assistant (as Kristal Mosley)
Jordan Moussouros	....	office intern
Carlos Oliva	....	office intern
Sean Oliver	....	adr loop group
Chris Parsons	....	office intern
Jennifer Perito	....	adr loop group
Jason Rogers	....	office intern
Dana Rudys	....	office intern
Mike S. Ryan	....	location manager
Michael Jason Schiff	....	office intern (as Michael Schiff)
Paula Schmit	....	completion bond: Film Finances Inc.
Keith Schofield	....	office intern
Timothy Shea	....	chef
Frank Slaten	....	production assistant
Julie Slotnik	....	production assistant
Karen Koula Sossiadis	....	production coordinator (as Koula Sossiadis)
Daniel Steinhart	....	office intern
Katie Stern	....	office intern
Michael Taylor	....	script supervisor
José Tejada	....	coordinator: parking and security (as Jose Tejada)
Melinka Thompson-Godoy	....	assistant: Ted Hope
Steven W. Thrasher	....	office production assistant
Jenelle Troxell	....	research assistant
Jon Vachon	....	office intern
Peter Brogna	....	office intern (uncredited)
Katherine Dorrer	....	assistant location manager: Washington D.C. (uncredited)
Damon Michael Gordon	....	location scout (uncredited)
Jeff Maksym	....	pre-production office intern (uncredited)

Thanks
Keith Addis	....	special thanks
Mark Borchardt	....	special thanks
Thomas R. Burman	....	special thanks (as Tom Burman)
Stef D'Andrea	....	special thanks
Bari Dreiband-Burman	....	special thanks (as Bari Burman)
Lyle Hysen	....	special thanks
Todd Interland	....	special thanks
Eytan Mirsky	....	special thanks
Neil Robertson	....	special thanks
Eric Rosner	....	special thanks
Roger Schwarzschild	....	special thanks
Ben Slatkin	....	special thanks
Don Steele	....	special thanks
Walter Teller	....	special thanks
Nick Wechsler	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• New Line Cinema (presents)
• Killer Films
• Good Machine

Distributors

• Atalanta Filmes (2002) (Portugal) (theatrical)
• Cine Qua Non Films (2002) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Diaphana Films (2001) (France) (theatrical)
• Entertainment Film Distributors (2001) (UK) (theatrical)
• Eurocine (2002) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Filmcoopi Zürich (2002) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Fine Line Features (2002) (USA) (theatrical)
• Keyfilms Roma (2001) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Paradiso Entertainment (2002) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Triangelfilm (2002) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Alliance Atlantis Home Video (2002) (Canada) (DVD)
• Laurus Entertainment (2002) (Netherlands) (DVD) (rental)
• Laurus Entertainment (2002) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• New Line Cinema (2002) (USA) (all media)
• New Line Home Video (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• New Line Home Video (2002) (USA) (VHS)
• Paradiso Home Entertainment (2003) (Netherlands) (DVD) (retail)
• Universum Film (UFA) (2004) (Germany) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (Brazil) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Balsmeyer and Everett

Also Known As:

Story Telling (USA) (trailer title)
Untitled Todd Solondz Project (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong sexual content, language and some drug use.

Runtime:

87 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Hungary:16 | Iceland:14 (original rating) | Iceland:16 (video rating) | Denmark:11 | New Zealand:R18 | Argentina:18 | Australia:MA | Brazil:18 | Canada:18A | Finland:K-15 | France:U | Netherlands:16 | Peru:18 | Portugal:M/16 | Spain:13 | Sweden:11 | Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | UK:18 | USA:R (certificate #38271) | USA:Unrated | Malaysia:(Banned)

Filming Locations:

Adelphi University, Garden City, Long Island, New York, USA

Company:

New Line Cinema

Trivia:

There was a third story with James Van Der Beek as a college student realizing his sexuality, which was subsequently cut out of the film.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Consuelo was cleaning the floor while Mikey was asking her about her family, the amount of dirt on the floor changes twice when the camera is turned away.

Quotes:

Mikey Livingston: Mom, it's not fair if Brady can say the F-word and I can't.
Marty Livingston: Well Mikey, listen up 'cause here's a lesson: Life's...not...fair!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Mark Borchardt Was in 'The One' with Jet Li (2002) (V)

Soundtrack:

Island Girl

Some of the best writing you will ever see.

Writer/director Todd Solondz last rocked my world with Happiness, which was the sharpest, most unflinching black comedy I'd ever seen. He does it again with Storytelling, keeping his impeccable edge while exploring some intriguing new turf. No doubt wary after his previous ventures, Solondz attempts to circumvent some of the criticisms that less savvy viewers are bound to make. Sure enough, they go ahead and make them; the reviews are polarized. But the film is a masterpiece.

The film has two parts. The first part, titled Fiction, focuses on a creative writing student Vi (Selma Blair), her Cerebral Palsy-stricken boyfriend Marcus (Leo Fitzpatrick) and their professor Mr. Scott (Robert Wisdom).

The classroom setting provides an unusual venue: a story writing workshop within a story. Solondz puts one of the characters through a perversely traumatic experience, which we witness as viewers of the movie. Before we have a chance to pass judgment on Solondz, his character writes about the event in the 3rd person and reads the story in class. All accusations one might level against Solondz (namely: bad taste, plus every "ism" in the book) get made by the fellow students, who detest the story. But in the context of the movie, they're condemning an account of an event that actually happened! Very clever...

In spite of some of the grotesque twists, I found myself laughing out loud fairly often. Solondz has a gift for rendering subtle ironies that become overwhelmingly funny.

The lead characters are fascinating and multi-layered. Vi seems innocent, but if you pay close attention, you'll notice she's not particularly sincere. One would like to root for Marcus, but his condition doesn't excuse him for being a lousy writer and a self-absorbed a**hole. The professor may be a monster, but he is also very frank.

The second part Nonfiction is also highly self-aware. It covers the making of a two-bit documentary. In the process, the dialog once again anticipates many of the charges some will make against Solondz (that he exploits his subjects and creates a sensational freak show for us to snicker at). There's a cameo role with Mike Schank, who was featured in real life in American Movie. The similarities between the documentary American Movie, the fiction Storytelling and the documentary within a fiction (tentatively titled American Scooby) are uncanny.

Scooby (Mark Weber) is the ultimate apathetic suburban slacker teen. While very much spoiled and sheltered, he is also alienated from, and resentful of, his elders. He perks up a bit when there are no grownups around, but most of the time the "stupid" barrier is up and his eyes are half-closed and red from smoking pot. He's such a lost cause, he attracts the attention of an aspiring documentarian (Paul Giamatti).

As you might expect, the rest of Scooby's family is a real piece of work. Scooby's dad (John Goodman) is loud and domineering. His mom (Julie Hagerty) is idiotic. His younger brother Brady (Noah Fleiss) is a jock, perhaps the closest to what we'd like to consider "normal".

The brainy youngest brother, Mikey (Jonathan Osser) is a real standout. He tags around with the overworked El Salvadorian housemaid Consuelo (Lupe Ontiveros) and asks her lots of questions. His curiosity is cute, but his conceited insensitivity truly boggles the mind.

Solondz definitely favors the sordid, but I'm not sure he does so gratuitously. I think he simply refuses to pretend, as so many other do, that the world is a tidy, simple place. (Those who seek to preserve such a notion are guaranteed to abhor his work.) But is it fair to berate Solondz just because he dares to present what others systematically avoid? Whose vision is more skewed: Solondz for pointing out the dog***t on our shoes, or the mainstream for ignoring it?

I wish I could agree that his writings are contrived and distorted, but I don't think they are. Through the media, through the grapevine and sometimes with my own eyes, I've seen events that are every bit as twisted and "wrong" as those Solondz creates. Everywhere I look, I encounter people who could easily be incorporated into a Solondz script.

Every storyteller recreates the world according to his/her own vision. Todd Solondz just happens to be vastly more perceptive and talented than most. Storytelling is one of the most insightful, clever and thought-provoking films I've ever seen. Watch it multiple times for maximum yield.