Death to Smoochy (2002)

Director:

Danny DeVito

Writer (WGA):

Adam Resnick (written by)

Release Date:

29 March 2002 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Crime | Musical | Thriller

Tagline:

Get ready for an unexpected hit.

Plot:

When he is fired for taking payola, the host for a children's television show plots revenge against his replacement, a rhino named Smoochy.

Plot Keywords:

Television | Revenge | Rating | Network Executive | Scandal

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Robin Williams	...	Rainbow Randolph
Edward Norton	...	Sheldon Mopes / Smoochy the Rhino
Catherine Keener	...	Nora Wells
Danny DeVito	...	Burke Bennett
Jon Stewart	...	Marion Frank Stokes
Pam Ferris	...	Tommy Cotter
Danny Woodburn	...	Angelo Pike
Michael Rispoli	...	Spinner Dunn
Harvey Fierstein	...	Merv Green
Vincent Schiavelli	...	Buggy Ding Dong
Craig Eldridge	...	Husband
Judy White	...	Wife
Tim MacMenamin	...	Danny
Bruce McFee	...	Roy
Glen Cross	...	Jimmy
Bill Lake	...	Bartender
Nick Taylor	...	Henry the Thug
Richard Cocchiaro	...	Mitch the Thug (as Richard A. Cocchiaro Jr.)
Tracey Walter	...	Ben Franks
Louis Giambalvo	...	Sonny Gordon
Colin Moult	...	Rhinette / Krinkle Kid #1
Nikolai Tichtchenko	...	Rhinette / Krinkle Kid #2
Martin Klebba	...	Rhinette / Krinkle Kid #3
Tonya Reneé Banks	...	Rhinette / Krinkle Kid #4
Christy Artran	...	Rhinette / Krinkle Kid #5
Philip Craig	...	Senator
Natasha Kinne	...	Smoochy's Secretary
Richard Hamilton	...	Old Vagrant
Shawn Byfield	...	Rickets
Todd Graff	...	Skip Kleinman
Melissa DiMarco	...	Tara
Dan Duran	...	Hunter
Michael Copeman	...	Reporter #1
James Carroll	...	Reporter #2
Phillip Jarrett	...	Reporter #3 (as Philip Jarrett)
Suzanne Leonard Feliz	...	Reporter #4
Thomas Lyons	...	Reporter #5
Angela Bullock	...	Reporter #6
Robert M. Sussman	...	Reporter #7
George Blumenthal	...	Reporter #8
Matthew Arkin	...	Save the Rhino Man
Hugo Jansuzian	...	Hispanic Dad
Silvia Rojas	...	Hispanic Mom
Mario Andres Torres	...	Hispanic Boy
Sabrina Jansuzian	...	Hispanic Girl
John 'Cha Cha' Ciarcia	...	Autograph Man
Fred Scialla	...	Man in Crowd (as Fred Peter Scialla)
Adam Bryant	...	Man in Crowd #2
Richard Ziman	...	Man in Crowd #3
Frank Anello	...	NYPD
Samantha Cordero	...	Little Girl
Peter Keleghan	...	News Anchor
Rothaford Gray	...	Ellis
David Brown	...	McCall (as Dave Brown)
Gerry Quigley	...	Ian
James Binkley	...	Cop #1
Dylan Roberts	...	Stagehand
Vito Rezza	...	Lead Cop
Lou Cantres	...	Little Girl's Dad
John Cleland	...	John
Lauren Flanigan	...	Opera Diva
Cara Wakelin	...	Princess
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jonah Falcon	...	Man (uncredited)
Katie Finneran	...	Woman in Crowd (uncredited)
Edie Inksetter	...	Molly (uncredited)
Greg Korin	...	Smoochy fan (uncredited)
Peter Kosaka	...	Takeshi Yamashita (uncredited)
Danny LeGare	...	News stand clerk (uncredited)
Richard D. Leko	...	Smoochy Land Band Member (Purple & White Monkey Keyboard Player) (uncredited)
Robert Prosky	...	Network chairman (uncredited)
Marc Yarrish	...	Street Vendor (uncredited)

Directed by
Danny DeVito

Writing credits (WGA)
Adam Resnick		(written by)

Produced by
Jill Besnoy	....	co-producer
Doug Davison	....	co-producer
Jody Hedien	....	co-producer
John Kreidman	....	associate producer
Andrew Lazar	....	producer
Joshua Levinson	....	associate producer
Peter Macgregor-Scott	....	producer
Lisa Reardon	....	associate producer

Original Music by
David Newman

Cinematography by
Anastas N. Michos

Film Editing by
Jon Poll

Casting by
Margery Simkin

Production Design by
Howard Cummings

Art Direction by
Tamara Deverell

Set Decoration by
Enrico Campana

Costume Design by
Jane Ruhm

Makeup Department
Marlene Aarons	....	key makeup artist
Pipsan Ayotte	....	assistant makeup artist
Jerry DeCarlo	....	assistant department head hair stylist: New York
Patricia Medina	....	hair stylist
Cheri Minns	....	hair stylist: Robin Williams
Cheri Minns	....	makeup artist: Robin Williams
Tim Mogg	....	makeup artist
Ve Neill	....	creative makeup
Ve Neill	....	hair consultant
Jennifer Bower O'Halloran	....	key hair stylist

Production Management
Joe Barzo	....	unit manager
Jan Foster	....	unit production manager
Joshua Levinson	....	post-production supervisor
Nan Skiba	....	production manager
Bill Draper	....	executive in charge of production (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Bruno Bryniarski	....	second assistant director
Agnieszka Kroskowska	....	assistant director (as Agnieszka Poninska)
Murphy Occhino	....	second second assistant director
Michael Risoli	....	first assistant director: US
David J. Webb	....	first assistant director (as David Webb)
Eric Yellin	....	second assistant director: New York

Art Department
Daniel Boxer	....	property master: New York
Brenton Brown	....	on-set dresser
Lauren Buckley	....	art department coordinator: New York
Tim Campbell	....	head painter
Ellen Christiansen	....	set decorator: New York
Janet Cormack	....	key scenic artist
Robert Currie	....	assistant property master
Joe Curtin	....	construction coordinator
Joshu de Cartier	....	first assistant art director (as Joshu De Cartier)
Frank Didio	....	co-construction coordinator
Alex DiGerlando	....	art department assistant
Catherine Doherty	....	set designer
Peter K. Dunbar	....	lead: New York (as Peter Dunbar)
Jay Durrwachter	....	production illustrator: New York (as Jay Durrwacher)
Brad Francis	....	stand-by painter
Jason Graham	....	second assistant art director
Paul Greenberg	....	graphic artist
Donna Hamilton	....	set dresser: New York
Gary Harmer	....	lead person
Michael Kall	....	carpenter
Daniel Kenney	....	assistant property master: New York
Hinju Kim	....	assistant art director: New York
Mayumi Konishi	....	second assistant art director
Jonathan Kovacs	....	assistant property master
Marc Kuitenbrouwer	....	head carpenter (as Mark Kuitenbrouwer)
Edward Lipscombe	....	construction labor
Walter Lipscombe	....	construction labor
Glenn Locke	....	scenic artist
Byron K. Lovelace	....	set dresser
Meaghan Lynch	....	art department researcher (as Meg Lynch)
Jeffrey D. McDonald	....	art director: New York
Harold Michelson	....	visual consultant
Joseph S. Patire	....	shop craftsman
Ron Petagna	....	construction coordinator: New York (as Ronald J. Petagna)
Ronnie Petagna	....	carpenter
Morgan Pitts	....	on-set dresser: New York
Aeschylus Poulos	....	art department coordinator
Barton Rendulic	....	illustrator (as Bartol Rendulic)
Vic Rigler	....	property master
David Ritchie	....	property master: second unit
Grant Shaffer	....	storyboard artist
James Sorice	....	master charge scenic: New York
Margot Therre	....	lead scenic: New York (as Margo Therre)
Grant Van Der Slagt	....	key set designer
Tom Warren	....	assistant art director: New York
Martin Weinryb	....	set decoration buyer
Joan Winters	....	graphic designer
Shannon Hart	....	set decorator: reshoots (uncredited)

Sound Department
Ron Bartlett	....	sound re-recording mixer
Craig Berkey	....	sound effects designer
Kerry P. Brown	....	temp mixer
Benjamin Cheah	....	sound effects editor
Matt Cluett	....	sound transferer
Mark Cookson	....	sound effects editor
Marko A. Costanzo	....	foley artist
Sean Garnhart	....	sound effects editor
David Kelson	....	sound mixer
David Knauer	....	sound recording engineer
George A. Lara	....	foley mixer
Skip Lievsay	....	supervising sound editor
Norm MacLeod	....	dialogue editor
Jason McFarling	....	boom operator
Igor Nikolic	....	first assistant sound editor
Anthony Ortiz	....	boom operator
Jeremy Peirson	....	sound recordist
Jason Perreira	....	sound dailies
Erika Schengili-Roberts	....	boom operator
Mark Smith	....	sound re-recording mixer
Greg Steele	....	adr mixer
Roland N. Thai	....	sound effects editor
Renee Tondelli	....	supervising adr editor

Special Effects by
Aaron Dinsmore	....	special effects technician
Walter Klassen	....	special effects
David Loveday	....	special effects prop builder
Jim McGillivary	....	special effects supervisor
Laird McMurray	....	special effects supervisor
David Reaume	....	special effects technician
John Stifanich	....	special effects technician
Richard Redlefsen	....	lab technician/sculptor (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Krista Benson	....	digital compositor
Kerry P. Brown	....	opening animation
John Coats	....	visual effects storyboard artist
Chris Dawson	....	encoding
Tim Everitt	....	digital compositor
Kelly Fischl	....	Visual Effects Production Assistant
David Fogg	....	digital compositor
Shaina Holmes	....	digital compositor
Dave Jacobs	....	Visual Effects Production Assistant
Mark Kochinski	....	digital compositor
Lincoln Kupchak	....	visual effects coordinator
Lincoln Kupchak	....	visual effects editor
Chad Lewis	....	rotoscope artist
John P. Mesa	....	visual effects co-supervisor
Penny A. Mesa	....	visual effects production manager
William Mesa	....	visual effects supervisor
Dan Novy	....	visual effects technical supervisor
Jeffrey A. Okun	....	visual effects supervisor
Laurie Powers	....	digital art director
Liz Radley	....	computer and video graphics (as Elizabeth Radley)
Mark Sawicki	....	optical camera
Matt Seckman	....	Visual Effects Production Assistant
Andrew Somers	....	digital effects artist: opening animation
Ken Stranahan	....	visual effects compositing supervisor
Tammy Sutton	....	digital compositor
Georgiana Tarjan	....	Visual Effects Production Assistant
James D. Tittle	....	digital visual effects coordinator: Pacific Title
Bryan Whitaker	....	pre-visualisation artist
Jeffrey White	....	visual effects producer
Edward Helmers	....	digital compositor (uncredited)
Robbi Hinds	....	director of photography: timelapse (uncredited)

Stunts
Shelley Cook	....	stunt performer
Suzanne Cunliffe-Brown	....	stunts
Jim Dunn	....	stunts
Peter Epstein	....	stunts
Tom Farr	....	stunt rigger
Tom Farr	....	stunts
Jeffrey Lee Gibson	....	stunt coordinator
Jason Guja	....	stunts
Brayden Jones	....	stunt performer
Dana Jones	....	stunt performer
Jamie Jones	....	stunt coordinator
Kelly Jones	....	stunts
Blair Koski-Klein	....	stunts
Kent W. Luttrell	....	stunt double: Danny Devito (as Kent Luttrell)
Christopher McGuire	....	stunts
Regan Moore	....	stunt performer
Rick Parker	....	stunts
Paul Rutledge	....	stunts
Keith Siglinger	....	stunts
Brian Smyj	....	safety
Bryan Thomas	....	stunt double
Dave Van Zeyl	....	stunts
Matt Birman	....	stunt performer (uncredited)
Brad Bunn	....	stunt rigger (uncredited)
Blaise Corrigan	....	stunts (uncredited)
Duncan McLeod	....	stunt performer (uncredited)
Layton Morrison	....	stunt performer (uncredited)
Edward A. Queffelec	....	stunts (uncredited)
Kevin Rushton	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Bill Almeida	....	best boy electric: New York
K.C. Bailey	....	still photographer: New York
Denise Bailie	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera, second unit
Timothy R. Boyce Jr.	....	additional video assist operator
Craig Bulmer	....	electrician
Thomas Care	....	dolly grip
Andrew Cheung	....	grip: New York
Angelo Colavecchia	....	camera operator: "a" camera
John Colavecchia	....	assistant camera: "a" camera
Alisa M. Colley	....	camera loader: New York
Yvonne Collins	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Tim Davis	....	video assist operator
Gary Deneault	....	co-gaffer
Cylvan Desrouleaux	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera
James Edmiston	....	grip: New York
Morris Flam	....	gaffer
Beck Hoehn	....	assistant camera: New York
Joel Holland	....	video assist operator: New York
Lee Kazista	....	assistant camera: New York
David Larue	....	grip
Doug Lawrance	....	daily camera operator
Rick Leger	....	crane operator: Technocrane
Toomas Loo	....	best boy lighting
Peter Luxford	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Peter Masterson	....	assistant camera: New York
Jason Micallef	....	electrician
Beth Nobes	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera
David Norris	....	camera operator: Wescam camera
Marcus Paletta	....	grip
John Panuccio	....	key rigging grip
Jesse Wayne Parker	....	key grip
Matthew Pill	....	rigging grip
Tom Prate	....	key grip
Takashi Seida	....	still photographer
Chris Silano	....	assistant camera: New York
Tom Weston	....	camera operator
Tom Weston	....	director of photography: second unit
Ken Wiebe	....	lighting board operator

Casting Department
Ross Clydesdale	....	casting: Canada
Aric Dupere	....	extras casting assistant
Donna Dupere	....	extras casting
Brad Gerstl	....	extras casting representative
Juli-Ann Kay	....	casting associate
Ali Merhi	....	extras casting assistant
Michele Short	....	casting associate
Aaron Unrau	....	extras casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Joanna Brett	....	wardrobe supervisor
Jay Du Boisson	....	associate costume designer
Sandi Figueroa	....	costumer: Edward Norton
Joseph La Corte	....	set costumer
Loreen Lightfoot	....	costume cutter
Monica Ruiz-Ziegler	....	costume shopper: New York
Anita Simard	....	wardrobe truck supervisor
Tom Soluri	....	costumer: Catherine Keener
Mia Sturup	....	assistant costume designer

Editorial Department
Robert Doyle	....	assistant editor
Mo Henry	....	negative cutter
Lara Johnston	....	first assistant editor
Warren Paeff	....	associate editor
Carrie Puchkoff	....	assistant editor
David Tarnawsky	....	second assistant editor
Bill Daly	....	post-production executive (uncredited)

Music Department
Bruce Botnick	....	music mixer
Bruce Botnick	....	music recordist
Mark Eshelman	....	scoring crew
Marty Frasu	....	scoring sound supervisor
Thomas Graham II	....	music programmer
J.J. Holiday	....	musician
Gregory Jamrok	....	orchestrator
Rebecca R. Liddle	....	orchestrator
Jason Lloyd	....	scoring crew
David Newman	....	orchestrator
Krystyna Newman	....	scoring consultant
John Rodd	....	orchestral scoring recordist
Scott Rouse	....	assistant music editor
Steven L. Smith	....	music preparation
Tom Villano	....	supervising music editor
Pat Weber	....	scoring crew

Transportation Department
Bill Boyd	....	picture car mechanic
Norm Henderson	....	transportation coordinator
John Ozlins	....	transportation captain
Sean Shepherd	....	driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Amanda Alden	....	production secretary
Kathleen Beall	....	location scout
Will Beekman	....	location assistant
John 'Frenchie' Berger	....	armorer
Stephanie Lee Berger	....	weapons handler
Shelley A. Boylen	....	production coordinator
Sally Ann Brooks	....	adr voice
Shelbie Bruce	....	ADR loop group
Al Cerullo	....	helicopter pilot
Anouska Chydzik	....	assistant: Andrew Lazar
Patricia Hanley Cumming	....	on-set supervisor
Carey DePalma	....	assistant location manager
Michael Dobbin	....	accounting staff assistant
Greg Eby	....	first assistant accountant
Ashley Edner	....	adr artist
Bobby Edner	....	adr voice
Joe Everett	....	unit publicist
David L. Feinberg	....	production office assistant: New York
Jordan Brendan Finnegan	....	production assistant
Justin Fleury	....	production assistant
Wilma Garscadden-Gahret	....	script supervisor (as Wilma Garscadden Gahret)
Heather Gauntt	....	location assistant
Kelly Gilbert	....	accounting trainee
Julianne Gillies	....	tutor
Brad Gratkowski	....	assistant location manager
Joe Guest	....	second assistant location manager
Ian Guns	....	remote head technician
Ian Harrington	....	assistant: Danny DeVito
Andreas Hass	....	assistant production coordinator
Gym Hinderer	....	assistant: A. Lazar
Dennis Jacobson	....	payroll accountant
Matthew Kania	....	location production assistant
Steve Kolodziej	....	24 frame video and computer playback operator
Agnieszka Kroskowska	....	hand double: Catherine Keener
Barry Lather	....	choreographer
Rafael Lima	....	production secretary
Jeff Lomaglio	....	shop craftsmen
Michael McElroy	....	adr loop group
Sandra Mikki	....	location manager
Joshua Miller	....	adr loop group
Jeffrey Noah	....	adr loop group
Emily Palmer	....	production assistant
Deborah Parker	....	location manager (as Deb Parker)
Mayda Renizzi-Holt	....	first assistant accountant
Olimpia T. Rinaldi	....	assistant production accountant
Lauren Schaffel	....	adr artist
Michael L. Schmidt	....	production assistant
Carly Sorscher	....	production assistant
Karen Koula Sossiadis	....	production coordinator
Rebecca Erwin Spencer	....	assistant: Robin Williams
Elvis Stojko	....	choreographer: Rainbow Randolph Ice Dance
Elvis Stojko	....	dancer: Rainbow Randolph Ice Dance
William Chad Strug	....	production assistant
Amanda Uber	....	staff coordinator
Derek Ursacki	....	daily accounting assistant
Nick Veziris	....	gun wrangler
Scott Clevely	....	daily production assistant (uncredited)
Chris Laker	....	accounting clerk (uncredited)
Anthony Reynolds	....	stand-in: Edward Norton (uncredited)
Dana Rudys	....	production assistant (uncredited)

Thanks
Nikki Allyn Grosso	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Warner Bros. Pictures (presents)
• FilmFour (in association with)
• Senator Film Produktion (in association with)
• Mad Chance

Distributors

• Warner Bros. Pictures (2002) (USA) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (2002) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (2003) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (2003) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Channel Four Films (UK)
• Cinema Club (2005) (UK) (DVD)
• Veronica (2006) (Netherlands) (TV) (first national airing)
• Warner Bros. (2003) (Argentina) (all media)
• Warner Home Video (2003) (Germany) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2003) (Netherlands) (DVD) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2002) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Vídeo (Brazil) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Custom Film Effects
• Flash Film Works

Other Companies

• Custom Film Effects  titles and opticals
• Sylvia Fay/Lee Genick & Associates Casting  extras casting
• Toronto Film Studios  movie studio

Also Known As:

Tötet Smoochy (Germany)

MPAA:

Rated R for language and sexual references.

Runtime:

109 min

Country:

USA | UK | Germany

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

USA:R (certificate #38779) | Iceland:LH (video rating) | South Korea:12 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Canada:14A | Finland:K-11 (DVD rating) | Germany:16 | Norway:7 | Philippines:PG-13 | Spain:13 | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

In the original script, the Smoochy costume was orange.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Rainbow grabs the light to smash the TV there is a bulb in it. But when we see him hitting it, there is no bulb inside the light.

Quotes:

[Randolph mentions his long-ago affair with Nora]
Nora: That was a long time ago. I was young and stupid.
Randolph: And limber.

Movie Connections:

References American Psycho (2000)

Soundtrack:

The Cookie Chant

Hilariously intelligent and original satire.

With a brilliant cast, well written script and precise direction, this black comedy is well worth watching.

I can understand that some people didn't like it, as black comedy isn't for everyone; especially black comedy set around the business of children's television. But Death to Smoochy is an intelligent and well written film that is completely original.

Edward Norton is spot on as the moralistic Sheldon Mopes and Robin Williams is absolutely hilarious as the off the rails Rainbow Randolph. This doesn't however, take away from the rest of the cast, who are also all perfect.

The story line is tight and entertaining to the very last second. I've looked very hard to find fault with this film - and I can't find any. Even the ending, which could be construed as sugary sweet, fits into the fantasy type world of the film.

The important thing to remember about this film is that it's a satire, and taking a satire seriously is a big mistake. A funny and interesting satire is very hard to do, but in this instance it's something that Adam Resnick and Danny Danny DeVito have achieved brilliantly.