CQ (2001)

Director:

Roman Coppola

Writer (WGA):

Roman Coppola (written by)

Release Date:

29 January 2003 (France)

Genre:

Drama | Comedy | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Every picture tells a story

Plot:

A story of a young film maker who moves to Paris to make Sci-fi films.

Plot Keywords:

Director | Secret Agent | Film Industry | Sabotage | Movie Producer

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Jeremy Davies	...	Paul
Angela Lindvall	...	Dragonfly / Valentine
Élodie Bouchez	...	Marlene
Gérard Depardieu	...	Andrezej
Giancarlo Giannini	...	Enzo
Massimo Ghini	...	Fabrizio
Jason Schwartzman	...	Felix DeMarco
Billy Zane	...	Mr. E
John Phillip Law	...	Chairman
Silvio Muccino	...	Pippo
Dean Stockwell	...	Dr. Ballard
Natalia Vodianova	...	Brigit
Bernard Verley	...	Trailer Voiceover Actor
L.M. Kit Carson	...	Fantasy Critic
Chris Bearne	...	Fantasy Critic
Jean-Paul Scarpitta	...	Fantasy Critic
Nicolas Saada	...	Fantasy Critic
Remi Fourquin	...	Fantasy Critic
Jean-Claude Schlim	...	Fantasy Critic
Sascha Ley	...	Fantasy Critic
Jacques Deglas	...	Fantasy Critic
Gilles Soeder	...	Fantasy Critic
Julian Nest	...	Festival Critic
Greta Seacat	...	Festival Critic (as Greta Seacat Kaufman)
Barbara Sarafian	...	Festival Critic
Leslie Woodhall	...	Board Member (as Les Woodhall)
Jean-Baptiste Kremer	...	Board Member
Franck Sasonoff	...	Angry Man at Riots
Jean-François Wolff	...	Party Man
Eric Connor	...	Long Haired Actor at Party
Diana Gartner	...	Cute Model at Party
Stéphanie Gesnel	...	Actress at Party
Frédéric de Brabant	...	Steward
Shawn Mortensen	...	Revolutionary Guard
Matthieu Tonetti	...	Revolutionary Guard
Ann Maes	...	Vampire Actress
Gintare Parulyte	...	Vampire Actress
Caroline Lies	...	Vampire Actress
Stoyanka Tanya Gospodinova	...	Vampire Actress
Magali Dahan	...	Vampire Actress
Nathalie Brocker	...	Vampire Actress
Wanda Perdelwitz	...	Vampire Actress
Mark Thompson-Ashworth	...	Lead Ghoul (as Mark Ashworth)
Pieter Riemens	...	Assistant Director
Federica Citarella	...	Talkative Girl (as Frederica Citarella)
Andrea Cormaci	...	Soldier Boy
Corinne Terenzi	...	Teen Lover
Sofia Coppola	...	Enzo's Mistress
Emidio La Vella	...	Italian Actor
Massimo Schina	...	Friendly Guy at Party
Caroline Colombini	...	Girl in Miniskirt
Rosa Pianeta	...	Woman in Fiat
Christophe Chrompin	...	Jealous Boyfriend
Romain Duris	...	Hippie Filmmaker
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Chris Anthony	...	2nd Assistant Director (uncredited)
Dean Tavoularis	...	Man at Screening (uncredited)

Directed by
Roman Coppola

Writing credits (WGA)
Roman Coppola		(written by)

Produced by
Willi Bär	....	executive producer
Francis Ford Coppola	....	executive producer
Jimmy de Brabant	....	co-producer
Georgia Kacandes	....	executive producer
Gary Marcus	....	producer
Michael Polaire	....	co-producer
Jean-Claude Schlim	....	line producer

Cinematography by
Robert D. Yeoman

Film Editing by
Leslie Jones

Casting by
Blythe Cappello
Béatrice Kruger
Juliette Ménager

Production Design by
Dean Tavoularis

Art Direction by
Luc Chalon
Oshin Yeghiazariantz

Set Decoration by
Philippe Turlure

Costume Design by
Judy Shrewsbury

Makeup Department
Jacques Clemente	....	makeup designer
Aurélie Elich	....	makeup artist
Catherine Leblanc	....	key hair stylist
Vivian Nowak	....	assistant hair stylist (as Vivian Nowack)
Jean-Christophe Roger	....	assistant makeup artist
Joël Seiller	....	assistant hair stylist
Julia Silva	....	additional hair artist
Evelyne Sittig	....	makeup artist
Carla Vicenzino	....	hair stylist: Italy

Production Management
Julie Alford	....	production supervisor: Rome
Romano Caldarozzi	....	production manager: Rome
Laurent Dumas	....	assistant production manager
Nancy Kirhoffer	....	post-production supervisor
Jean-Claude Schlim	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Emilie Cherpitel	....	third assistant director
Laurent Herbiet	....	first assistant director
Christopher Neil	....	second unit director
Beatrice Pettovich	....	second assistant director
Francesca Polic Greco	....	second assistant director: Rome
Iris Wong	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Nicolas de Maere	....	construction manager
François Dickes	....	assistant property master
Betty Durst	....	assistant property master
Jeffrey Paul Johnson	....	property master
Edouard Pallardy	....	head painter
Barbara Prati	....	art department trainee
Christina Schaffer	....	assistant art director
Josh Sheppard	....	storyboard artist
Patrick Tombette	....	construction manager
Bernard Warnas	....	set dresser

Sound Department
Richard Beggs	....	sound designer
Richard Beggs	....	sound re-recording mixer
Leslie Bloom	....	foley artist (as Les Bloome)
Dirk Bombey	....	boom operator
David A. Cohen	....	adr supervisor
Ethan Derner	....	sound recordist
Steven Ghouti	....	adr mixer
Michael Kirchberger	....	supervising sound editor
Philippe Kohn	....	sound utility
James Levine	....	mix facility coordinator
Jeremy Molod	....	first assistant sound editor
Everett Moore	....	apprentice sound editor
Nick Peck	....	foley supervisor
Jory K. Prum	....	foley assistant
Gene Radzik	....	stereo sound consultant: Dolby
Julia Shirar	....	assistant sound editor
Kent Sparling	....	sound re-recording mixer
Peter Staubli	....	sound effects editor
William Storkson	....	foley editor
Carlo Thoss	....	production sound mixer

Special Effects by
Olivier de Laveleye	....	special effects coordinator

Visual Effects by
Michael Backauskas	....	optical digital lineup
Reid Burns	....	optical producer/supervisor
David Emerson	....	optical lineup
Bret Mixon	....	rotoscope supervisor
Bill Rowohlt	....	optical camera
Kevin Shawley	....	digital artist
Andrew Shuford	....	visual effects model shop
Martha Soehendra	....	digital artist
Gene Warren III	....	model supervisor
Gene Warren III	....	visual effects coordinator

Stunts
Delphine Anais	....	stunts
Gil Demurger	....	stunt coordinator
Frédéric Dessains	....	stunts (as Fred Dessains)
Christophe Marsaud	....	stunt driver (as Christopher Marsaud)
Michel Norman	....	stunt driving coordinator
Patrick Robineau	....	stunt driver
Aurore Vallee	....	stunt driver
Jean-Pierre Vallee	....	stunt driver
Frédéric Vallet	....	stunt rigger
Frédéric Vallet	....	stunts (as Fred Vallet)

Camera and Electrical Department
Alex Aach	....	camera loader
Özkan Arslan	....	assistant electrician
Douglas Boswell	....	second assistant camera
Alessio Bramucci	....	best boy electric: Rome
Bernard Brégier	....	key grip
Gerard Buffard	....	best boy grip
Carlos Carrera	....	grip
Wim Cloots	....	best boy electric
Bruno Colanzi	....	best boy grip: Rome
Pascal Delaunay	....	grip
Antoine Ducep	....	electrician
Dirk Favere	....	chief lighting technician
Emmanuel Frideritzi	....	electrician
Ernst Holtsch	....	electrician
Paul In	....	additional still photographer
Graham Johnston	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera
Jean-Paul Kieffer	....	still photographer
Jean-Yves Le Poulain	....	first assistant camera
Jako Raybaut	....	director of photography: second unit
Olivier Servais	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Christophe Vanhoutte	....	electrician

Casting Department
Béatrice Kruger	....	casting: Rome
Carrie O'Brien	....	casting: Luxembourg

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Magdalena Marczynska	....	wardrobe assistant

Editorial Department
Kim Aubry	....	post-production executive: Zoetrope
Jamie Burris	....	post-production coordinator
Rick Downey	....	negative cutter
Michael Matsumoto	....	post-production assistant
Sandra Montiel	....	first assistant editor
Dana Ross	....	color timer
Scott Warren	....	assistant editor
Louise Rubacky	....	re-editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Tod Holcomb	....	music editor
Debra MacCulloch	....	music legal
Roger Neill	....	composer: additional score
Roger Neill	....	conductor
Roger Neill	....	orchestrator
Brian Reitzell	....	music supervisor

Transportation Department
Guy Hebeler	....	transportation manager
Joe Kotroczo	....	driver
Karin Marié	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Susan Paley Abramson	....	assistant to producers
Dawn Angel	....	production assistant
Bob Bellion	....	financial manager: Delux Productions
Carmen Berardini	....	talent coordinator: Rome
Ernesto Cimbalo	....	location manager: Rome
Francesco Colicigno	....	location manager: Rome
Simon di Principe	....	assistant script supervisor
Edna Do Nascimento Silva	....	office coordinator
Sébastien Fernandes Tasch	....	assistant location manager
Jacqueline Gamard	....	script supervisor
Norm Harnois	....	assistant accountant: Delux
Guy Heinen	....	location assistant
Bénédicte Humbel	....	production coordinator
Radica Jovicic	....	double: "Dragonfly"
Radica Jovicic	....	stand-in: "Dragonfly"
Elizabeth Kirkscey	....	assistant: Georgia Kacandes
Beryl Koltz	....	location assistant
Joe Kotroczo	....	production assistant
Patricia Kretschmer	....	assistant to producer
Shannon Lail	....	production executive: Zoetrope
Ragna Arny Larusdottir	....	production coordinator
Roberto Longobardi	....	assistant accountant: Delux
Claude Ludovicy	....	location manager
Christopher Neil	....	acting coach (as Chris Neil)
Sébastien Peiffer	....	production assistant
Massimo Raschella	....	assistant accountant: Delux
Carole Reding	....	assistant accountant: Delux
Joanne Reichling	....	production assistant
David Morais Rocas	....	location trainee
Frederic Roeser	....	assistant location manager (as Fredo Roeser)
George Sheanshang	....	legal counsel (as The Law Offices of George Sheanshang)
George Sweney	....	accountant
Estelle Tourscher	....	assistant rushes coordinator

Thanks
Spike Jonze	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• United Artists
• American Zoetrope
• Delux Productions (in association with)
• Luxembourg Film Fund (in association with) (as Film Fund Luxembourg)
• CQ Productions
• Sawyer Productions (Rome)

Distributors

• United Artists (2002) (USA) (theatrical)
• Pretty Pictures (2003) (France) (theatrical)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Studio Canal (2003) (France) (DVD)
• Tohokushinsha Film (2002) (Japan)

Special Effects

• Fantasy II Film Effects
• Image Resolution, The

Other Companies

• ARRI Rental  camera equipment provided by
• ARRI Rental  grip equipment (as ARRI Grip Rental)
• ARRI Rental  lighting equipment (as ARRI Light Rental)
• Antipod  production services: Paris
• Armstrong, Hirsch, Jackoway, Tyreman & Wertheimer  legal services
• Buena Vista Sound  optical sound negatives
• Cerruti  wardrobe
• Cinésyl  grip equipment
• Deutsche Genossenschaftsbank AG (DG Bank)  production financing
• Emperor Norton Records  soundtrack
• Falco Ink.  public relations
• Fauna Films  animal handlers
• Favere Film Lighting  lighting equipment
• Film Auditors  post-production accountant
• Film Cuisine  catering
• Film Finance  bond
• Great Northern Corp.  insurance
• Hotel Inside  accommodations
• Hotel Le Royal  accommodations
• Hotel Ponte Vecchio  accommodations
• Image Resolution, The  titles and opticals
• Law Offices of George Sheanshang  financing legal services
• MM Media Capital Partners  production financing
• Morrison & Foerster  legal services
• Richards Butler International Law Firms  legal advisors to production fiancier
• Sawyer Productions  production services: Rome
• Studio West  music recording facility
• Synchronicity Looping  adr loop group
• Travel Pro  travel arrangements

Also Known As:

CQ (France)

MPAA:

Rated R for some nudity and language.

Runtime:

88 min | France:91 min (Cannes Film Festival)

Country:

USA | Luxembourg | France | Italy

Language:

English | French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Canada:14A | France:U | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Luxembourg

Company:

United Artists

Trivia:

Sofia Coppola suggested Angela Lindvall for the role of Valentine/Dragonfly.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Dragonfly swerves her car in reverse in the tunnel, there are skid marks already on the ground along the path her tires take.

Quotes:

Felix DeMarco: Okay, I want two cameras! I know it sounds risky, but we're gonna do two!

Movie Connections:

References Le mépris (1963)

Soundtrack:

Le Responsable

The Creative Process of Howard The Duck

The creative process should boggle anyone's mind. I mean if you took one look at the time and energy exerted on one motion picture you'd probably scream. Sure some movies deserve the time spent on them. Nobody is going to begrudge the creative team behind 2001: A SPACE ODYESSY or CITIZEN KANE. But what about the creative team behind HOWARD THE DUCK. Did not talented people put just as much time and energy into that film? CG is a film about the creative process thru the director working on a film just a stupid and banal as HOWARD THE DUCK.

It tells the story of a young and talented film editor named Paul (Jeremey Davies, Spanking the Monkey) and his short stint as director on a B grade science fiction film in 1969. The film about a secret agent named Dragonfly (Anglea Lindvall, New York Stories). It's Moonraker meets Charles Angels. This film is directed by a creative visionary named Andrezej (Gérard Depardieu, The Closet). After months of editing the end still needs to be reworked, and Andrezej has been thrown off the picture because his producer (Giancarlo Giannini, Hannibal) he taking for to long to finish.

Andrezej is replaced by a snotty kid named Felix DeMarco (Jason Schwartzman, Rushmore), he's the kind of guy who doesn't deserve to be where he is and everybody knows it. When tragedy strikes the new director. Paul is called in to finish the picture.

First time director Roman Coppola, has crafted a disjointed but still overly satisfying film. Making movies is a game of luck and CQ (The Morse Code phrase for Seek You) has some real moments of brilliance. It's about the lengths money men will go to make a picture, it's about compromise, and it's also about the creative quest to make an audience happy all while keeping yourself from going crazy.

Jeremy Davies is one of the most underused actor's in Hollywood. He does so well with each and every performance, even if the films suck (See Million Dollar Hotel, for example). His Paul is both nervous and yet calculated. He hides in the shadows only to jump out and surprise you. Like any number of craftsman and artisans he's the real talent and he props up those around him.

I loved how Coppola, counterpoints the silly B movie with Paul's other black and white art film. Paul is making this drippy and disjointed film at his house. It's this surreal black and white film that features disjointed takes, and exists for arts sake more than anything else. Of course it's silly and pretentious, but in the end it's all about creating your own film, and moving on with your life. Plus it's really an excuse to p*ss off his live in lover Marlene (Elodie Bouchez, Dreams of Trespas).

Marlene is a good counterpoint to Dragonfly or Valentine whom is the lead in the movie. She's the woman Paul truly lusts after. Each women stars in one of his movies and you can tell which on he thinks is a hero and which is a villain. This gives Paul a flawed dimension and these women bring out the two faces of this talented man.

Overall CQ is a tad vague. I liked it that way; something tells me if I knew what Coppola was truly trying to say it would be quite a letdown. Thankfully I will take my interpretation and leave it at that.

I also loved the B-picture itself. It was campy and silly. Like Austin Powers without the laughs, and tons more style. Lindvall was the perfect choice for Dragonfly because she looks like a Model in the Sixties. Like a Breck girl from the 60's.Plus, Billy Zane's (Titanic) small roll as Mr. E, is so goofy and yet so suave you can't help but be pulled in.

CQ is not for everyone and a nominal understanding of the creative process of film will enhance it. But if you're looking for something a little different, a little out of the ordinary, and a little weird, give CQ a try.

**** out of 5