Holes (2003)

Director:

Andrew Davis

Writers (WGA):

Louis Sachar (novel)
Louis Sachar (screenplay)

Release Date:

18 April 2003 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Comedy | Family | Mystery

Tagline:

The book is now the movie.

Plot:

A wrongfully convicted boy is sent to a brutal desert detention camp where he joins the job of digging holes for some mysterious reason.

Plot Keywords:

Lake | Digging | Desert | Jail | Curse

Awards:

3 wins & 9 nominations

Cast

Sigourney Weaver	...	Warden Walker
Jon Voight	...	Marion Sevillo / 'Mr. Sir'
Tim Blake Nelson	...	Dr. Pendanski
Shia LaBeouf	...	Stanley Yelnats IV / 'Caveman'
Khleo Thomas	...	Hector Zeroni / 'Zero'
Jake M. Smith	...	Alan / 'Squid'
Byron Cotton	...	Theodore / 'Armpit'
Brenden Jefferson	...	Rex / 'X-Ray'
Miguel Castro	...	José / 'Magnet'
Max Kasch	...	Ricky / 'Zigzag'
Noah Poletiek	...	Brian / 'Twitch'
Zane Holtz	...	Lewis / 'Barfbag'
Steven Kozlowski	...	Lump (as Steve Kozlowski)
Ski Carr	...	Guard
Roma Maffia	...	Atty. Carla Morengo
Ray Baker	...	Asst. Attorney General
Alex Daniels	...	Texas Ranger #1
Tom Brainard	...	Texas Ranger #2
Haleigh Ann Trickett	...	Young Warden
Siobhan Fallon	...	Stanley's Mom (as Siobhan Fallon Hogan)
Henry Winkler	...	Stanley Yelnats III
Nathan Davis	...	Grandfather Stanley Yelnats II
Rick Worthy	...	Male Officer
Mary Jo Mecca	...	Female Officer
Shelley Malil	...	Nosy Landlord
Rick Fox	...	Clyde 'Sweetfeet' Livingston
Nicole Pulliam	...	Mrs. Sweetfeet
Michael Cavanaugh	...	Judge
Bruce Ramsay	...	Prosecutor
Shirley Butler	...	Mrs. Zeroni
Conrad E. Palmisano	...	Private Investigator (as Conrad Palmisano)
Eartha Kitt	...	Madame Zeroni
Damien Luvara	...	Elya Yelnats
Sanya Mateyas	...	Myra Menke
Ravil Isyanov	...	Morris Menke
Ken Davitian	...	Igor Barkov
Patricia Arquette	...	Miss Kathryn 'Kissin' Kate' Barlow
Scott Plank	...	Charles 'Trout' Walker
Dulé Hill	...	Sam the Onion Man
Allan Kolman	...	Stanley Yelnats I
Louis Sachar	...	Mr. Collingwood
Eric Pierpoint	...	Sheriff (as Eric Peirpoint)
Brian Peck	...	Townsman in Classroom
Melissa Mitchell	...	Young Linda Miller
Allison Smith	...	Linda Miller Walker
Brooke Eby	...	School Kid
Gary Bullock	...	Prospector
Jeff Ricketts	...	Partner
Paul Norwood	...	Doc
Benny Manning	...	Stage Coach Driver
Jim Wilkey	...	Kissed Stage Coach Driver
Julian Reed Davis	...	Prisoner in Green Lake Jail
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Talula Holt	...	Various (voice)
Ricardo Alaniz	...	Kate's Gang #2 (uncredited)
Alex Castillo	...	Mexican Farmer (uncredited)
Greg Cipes	...	Various (voice) (uncredited)
Richard L. Duran	...	Kate's Gang #1 (uncredited)
Edwin Garcia II	...	Raymond / 'Bones' (uncredited)
Clifford Happy	...	Kate's Gang #4 (uncredited)
Ty Hodges	...	Food Server (uncredited)
Steven Lambert	...	Trout Gang #2 (uncredited)
Clay M. Lilley	...	Kate's Gang #5 (uncredited)
Eddie Matthews	...	Trout Gang #1 (uncredited)
Gilbert Rosales	...	Kate's Gang #3 (uncredited)
Lola Sanchez	...	Student (uncredited)
Dynette Streich	...	Teacher (uncredited)
Brian J. Williams	...	Trout Gang #3 (uncredited)

Directed by
Andrew Davis

Writing credits (WGA)
Louis Sachar		(novel)
Louis Sachar		(screenplay)

Produced by
Lowell D. Blank	....	producer
Andrew Davis	....	producer
Marty P. Ewing	....	executive producer
Clark Henderson	....	associate producer
Mike Medavoy	....	producer
Louis Phillips	....	executive producer
Teresa Tucker-Davies	....	producer

Original Music by
Joel McNeely

Cinematography by
Stephen St. John

Film Editing by
Thomas J. Nordberg
Jeffrey Wolf

Casting by
Amanda Mackey Johnson
Cathy Sandrich

Production Design by
Maher Ahmad

Art Direction by
Andrew Max Cahn

Set Decoration by
Gene Serdena

Costume Design by
Aggie Guerard Rodgers		(as Aggie Rodgers)

Makeup Department
David Atherton	....	key makeup artist
Matt Danon	....	hair department head
Matt Danon	....	key hair stylist
Linda DeVetta	....	makeup artist: Ms. Weaver
Bryan Ewing	....	assistant hair stylist
Art Harding	....	makeup artist
Isabel Harkins	....	makeup artist: Patricia Arquette
Mark Landon	....	makeup artist
Lucia Mace	....	assistant hair stylist
Jacklin Masteran	....	hair stylist
Gilbert A. Mosko	....	assistant makeup artist
Lyndell Quiyou	....	hair stylist: Ms. Weaver
Randy Westgate	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Clark Henderson	....	post-production supervisor
Michael Sammaciccia	....	executive in charge of production
David Siegel	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
James A. Dennett II	....	second second assistant director
Carolyn Esposito	....	dga trainee
Vincent Lascoumes	....	first assistant director
Christophe Le Chanu	....	second second assistant director
William Mesa	....	second unit director
David Ticotin	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Tom Acosta	....	greensman
Jory Alvarado	....	swing gang
Tighe Barry	....	property master
Bryan Belair	....	construction coordinator
Michelle R. Belair	....	assistant to Bryan Belair
Mike Boudreau	....	swing gang
David B. Brenner	....	propmaker
Jeff Brown	....	greens gang boss (as Jeffrey S. Brown)
Don Cooke	....	labor foreman
Kurt Corbitt	....	props
Antonio Corillo	....	swing gang
Jack Cornelius	....	swing gang
Dimitri Denne	....	propmaker
Tim Durrell	....	propmaker location foreman
Randall C. Engle	....	propmaker
Ernesto Felix	....	swing gang
Andy Flores	....	stand-by painter
Mark Foley	....	greensman
Stephanie Gilliam	....	set designer
J. Michael Glynn	....	swing gang
Austin Gorg	....	assistant art director
Erik Grasteit	....	assistant property master
Ted Harms	....	propmaker gang boss
T.J. Harms	....	propmaker
Russel Harvey	....	propmaker
Kenny Hayes	....	location foreman
Tim Jackson	....	general foreman
Alan James	....	painter
Patrick Janicke	....	illustrator: designing lizards
Brian Jewell	....	set designer
Tom Jung	....	storyboard artist
Chris Langevin	....	assistant property master
Ubaldo Marquez	....	propmaker
T.J. Martin	....	art department production assistant
Frank McEldowney	....	greens foreman
Augustine Mendez Jr.	....	toolman/foreman
Michael Mikita Jr.	....	paint foreman
Don Miloyevich	....	property master
Todd Morris	....	on-set dresser
Joaquin Navarro	....	set designer
Jose Ochoa	....	laborer
Scott Reiber	....	painter
Scott Reiber	....	propmaker
Steve Rice	....	greens stand-by
Ingred Rofkar	....	propmaker
Tom Safron	....	greensman
Grant Samson	....	lead man
Ed Sher	....	paint foreman
Thomas Spencer	....	swing gang (as Tom Spencer)
Robert Stover	....	buyer (as Robert L. Stover)
Holly Sudduth	....	swing gang
Tom Tollefson	....	propmaker
Joseph J. Virdone	....	art department coordinator
Scott Vollmer	....	propmaker location foreman
Rod Walton	....	propmaker
Mike Wiley	....	labor foreman
David Forline	....	custom props (uncredited)
Dylan Martens	....	props (uncredited)

Sound Department
Paul Aulicino	....	first assistant sound editor
Frank Bradley	....	sound utility
Kevin E. Carpenter	....	sound re-recording mixer
Michael C. Casper	....	sound re-recording mixer
Paul Curtis	....	supervising dialogue editor
Marc Deschaine	....	adr assistant
Michael Dressel	....	supervising foley editor
Jason Freidman	....	cable person
Angela Hackner	....	sound recordist
Hilda Hodges	....	foley artist
Shawn Kennelly	....	foley mixer
Steve Mann	....	sound effects editor
Steve Nelson	....	sound mixer
Steve Nelson	....	sound effects editor
Bruce Stambler	....	supervising sound editor
Becky Sullivan	....	supervising adr editor
Shawn Sykora	....	foley editor
Jerry Trent	....	foley artist
Robert Troy	....	dialogue editor
Tim Walston	....	sound designer
Ian Wright	....	boom operator
Richard E. Yawn	....	sound editor
Carl D. Ware	....	sound engineer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Dan Crawley	....	special effects technician
Larry Fioritto	....	special effects coordinator
Virgil Sanchez	....	special effects
Doyle Smiley	....	special effects technician
Bryan Wohlers	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Dave Bailey	....	3D character animator
Tatjana Bozinovski	....	rotoscope artist
Trisha Burton	....	visual effects plate unit script supervisor
Robert Camargo	....	visual effects storyboard artist
John Coats	....	digital artist
Michael Colin	....	pre-visualization editor
Richard Eberhardt	....	digital lineup
Tim Everitt	....	holes and lizards supervisor
Steven Fagerquist	....	digital artist (as Steve Fagerquist)
David Feinner	....	digital artist
Dave Fiske	....	digital effects coordinator
David Fogg	....	digital compositor
Christopher Grandel	....	digital artist (as Christopher Grandell)
Michael L. Griffin	....	digital lineup (as Mike Griffin)
Shauna M. Hirdler	....	rotoscope artist
Jeff Hutchison	....	digital effects producer
Dave Jacobs	....	visual effects production assistant
Patrick Janicke	....	visual effects storyboard artist
Pete Kleinow	....	3D animation
Mark Kochinski	....	pre-visualization artist
Peter Koczera	....	digital artist
Peter Koczera	....	senior digital artist
Lincoln Kupchak	....	visual effects editor
Derek Ledbetter	....	digital artist
Dave Lockwood	....	digital compositor
Dawn Brooks Macleod	....	digital compositor (as Dawn Brooks)
John P. Mesa	....	co-visual effects supervisor
William Mesa	....	visual effects supervisor
Don Myers	....	3D modeling & animation
Shannon Noble	....	digital artist
Dan Novy	....	visual effects technical supervisor
Bruce Pearson	....	3D animation
Jerad Pitts	....	3D pre-visualization artist
Matt Seckman	....	pre-visualization artist
Brian Smallwood	....	digital artist
Ken D. Smith	....	digital effects supervisor
Ken Stranahan	....	3D modeling & animation
Tammy Sutton	....	digital compositor
Etienne Terblanche	....	digital artist
Don Waller	....	3D animator
Don Waller	....	character animation supervisor
Jeffrey White	....	visual effects producer
Johnny Wilson	....	digital compositor
Darrell Abney	....	visual effects intern (uncredited)
John Attard	....	digital effects artist (uncredited)
Chia Evers	....	rotoscope artist (uncredited)
Lisa Yoshisato	....	rotoscope artist (uncredited)
Erik Zimmermann	....	visual effects: HDRI Acquisition (uncredited)

Stunts
Gregory J. Barnett	....	utility stunts (as Gregg Barnett)
Zane Cassidy	....	stunt double
Alex Daniels	....	stunt coordinator
Christopher Doyle	....	stunts
Tad Griffith	....	stunts
Zach Hudson	....	stunt double: Jacob Merten Smith
Terry James	....	stunt double: Jon Voight
Svetla Krasteva	....	stunt double
Jasmine Martin	....	stunt driver
Eddie Matthews	....	stunt player
Julie Michaels	....	stunt double: Kate
Bob Minor	....	stunt double
Gary Morgan	....	stunt double
Pee Wee Piemonte	....	utility stunts
Ben Scott	....	stunts
Neil Summers	....	utility stunts
Banzai Vitale	....	utility stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Dave Amberik	....	generator operator
Andy Bertelson	....	grip
Terry Bowen	....	camera operator
Eddie Bowlin	....	rigging gaffer
Phil Bray	....	still photographer
Jeff Burrage	....	video assist operator
Jerry G. Callaway	....	camera operator
Robert C. Carlson	....	director of photography: additional photography
Robert C. Carlson	....	first assistant camera
Ray D. Chase	....	best boy grip (as Ray Chase)
Cheli Clayton	....	second assistant camera: additional camera
Eric Cochran	....	rigging electrician
Alex Cruz	....	dolly grip
Javier Ferrer	....	rigging electrician
Jason C. Fitzgerald	....	rigging best boy
James Frederick	....	rigging electrician
David Golia	....	camera operator
Rick Gowing	....	assistant camera
Jim Grce	....	gaffer
Hector Gutierrez	....	dolly grip
Charles Hart	....	set grip
Chip Hart	....	grip
Sean Higgins	....	rigging electrician
Richard Jones	....	grip
Ronald Kline	....	best boy
Kelly Krotine	....	camera loader
Joseph LaStrape III	....	electrician (as Joey Lastrape)
Karl Linde	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera
Greg Luntzel	....	first assistant camera
Amber Maahs	....	grip
James M. McClure	....	rigging electrician
Geary McLeod	....	camera operator
Mark Meyers	....	dolly grip
John D. Miller	....	grip
Sean Hunter Moe	....	assistant camera
Max Neal	....	assistant camera
David O'Brien	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera
J. Michael Popovich	....	key grip (as Michael Popovich)
Eugene Rivera	....	grip
Chad Rivetti	....	technician: libra head
Scott Romsos	....	rigging electrician
Jerry Sandager	....	key rigging grip
Jake Sarfaty	....	lamp operator
John Scott	....	assistant camera
Steve Serna	....	grip
David W. Slodki	....	lamp operator
Ueli Steiger	....	director of photography: splinter unit
Baird Steptoe	....	assistant camera
Ken Sylvester	....	electrician
Rick Tschudin	....	assistant camera
Robert Ulland	....	camera operator
Makiko Watanabe	....	second assistant camera
Rick Whitfield	....	24 frame video operator
Scott C. Williman	....	lamp operator
Vincent Wrenn	....	lamp operator

Animation Department
Dave Bailey	....	character animator

Casting Department
Sig De Miguel	....	casting associate
Sandy Holt	....	adr voice casting
Jennifer Madeloff	....	extras casting associate
Marshall Peck	....	extras casting
Wendy Weidman	....	casting associate

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Fran Allgood	....	costumer: Ms. Weaver
Deborah Myles Davis	....	costumer
Bruce Ericksen	....	costume supervisor
Scott R. Hankins	....	set costumer
Lorenzo Hearns Jr.	....	costumer
Mathew Hooey	....	key costumer
Hope Johnson	....	costume production assistant
Candice Sabbah	....	key costumer
Tim Wilson	....	costumer

Editorial Department
Laura Behary	....	assistant editor
Mike Bellamy	....	final colorist
Peter Fandetti	....	assistant editor
Mo Henry	....	negative cutter
Sean Thompson	....	assistant editor
Lee Wimer	....	color timer
Calvin Wimmer	....	first assistant editor

Music Department
Michael Atwell	....	score recordist
Sandy DeCrescent	....	music contractor
Latashia DeVeaux	....	music coordinator
Lindsay Fellows	....	executive in charge of music
Tanya Noel Hill	....	assistant music editor (as Tanya Hill)
Charles Martin Inouye	....	supervising music editor (as Chuck Martin Inouye)
Charles Martin Inouye	....	temp score designer (as Chuck Martin Inouye)
Joel McNeely	....	orchestrator
Shawn Murphy	....	scoring mixer
Karyn Rachtman	....	music supervisor
Angela Reid	....	assistant to music supervisor
David Slonaker	....	orchestrator
Lisa Stone	....	music coordinator
Booker White	....	music preparation
Peter Erskine	....	musician (uncredited)

Transportation Department
J. Wesley Adams	....	driver
Norma Allard	....	driver
John Anderson	....	driver
Gene Biernot	....	driver
Jesse Cartwright	....	driver
Lyle Christensen	....	shotmaker driver
Linda Cipperley	....	driver
Michael Coady	....	driver
Vashti Desire	....	driver
Scotty Goudreau	....	driver
Carl E. Hodge	....	driver
Mike Kulisch	....	driver
Joel Larson	....	driver
Jeff Lira	....	driver
Ernie Lueras	....	driver
Patrick McCombs	....	driver
Don Newman	....	driver
John Pierce	....	driver
Rick Purdy	....	driver
Christopher Rigby	....	transportation co-captain (as Chris Rigby)
Jonathan A. Rosenfeld	....	transportation coordinator
Robert Santoro	....	driver
Gary Schorr	....	driver
Brian Steagall	....	driver
Howard Taft	....	driver
Brian Taylor	....	driver
David Teasley	....	driver
Dave Tellez	....	driver
Jim Tornero	....	driver
David Urich	....	driver
Jeff Verdick	....	transportation captain
Richard Vincent	....	driver
Mike Westra	....	driver

Other crew
Drew Aveling	....	accounting production assistant
Bob Beltz	....	special advisor
Alasdair Boyd	....	assistant location manager
Eddie Brega	....	production assistant
Mark Brooks	....	wrangler
Francie Brown	....	dialect coach: Ms. Weaver
Kimmie Brown-Graehl	....	stand-in: Ms. Weaver
Roberta Brown	....	bullwhip trainer
Trisha Burton	....	script supervisor: additional photography
Drucilla Ann Carlson	....	script supervisor
Mike Cook	....	chef
W. Ty Crawford	....	production assistant
Jesús Crespo	....	assistant to cast
James A. Dennett II	....	technical advisor (as Jamey Dennett)
Rhonda DeVictor	....	production coordinator
Maureen Duffy	....	completion guarantor: Film Finances
Sean Duhame	....	interactive designer
Adam Emperor	....	photo double: "Stanley"
Adam Emperor	....	stand-in: "Stanley"
Corinne Fixmer	....	second assistant accountant
Brian Kula Fung	....	trainer: Ms. Weaver
Elise Ganz	....	teacher
Sharon Gardner	....	assistant accountant
Jeff Geoffray	....	production executive
Jeffrey Gladu	....	payroll accountant
David Gutiérrez	....	stand-in: Squid
Michael Heithaus	....	stand-in: D. Luvara
Elizabeth Himelstein	....	dialect coach: Ms. Weaver
Mandy Hoke	....	set medic
Brandon Hollyer	....	first assistant accountant
Pat Jackson	....	teacher
April A. Janow	....	production accountant
Jasmine Johnson	....	photo double: "Zero"
Jasmine Johnson	....	stand-in: "Zero"
Mark Benton Johnson	....	location manager (as Mark B. Johnson)
Earl Jones	....	stand-in: X-Ray
Mark Joseph	....	lead marketing
Walter Josten	....	production executive
Catherine Kagan	....	assistant location manager
Kevin LaRosa	....	pilot
Kiosha Lee	....	stand-in: Armpit
Josh Leith	....	assistant: Tucker-Davies and Blank
Clay M. Lilley	....	horse wrangler
Jack Lilley	....	horse wrangler
Larry Madrid	....	animal wrangler
John W. McCammon	....	stand-in: Mr. Sir
Carol McConnaughey	....	unit publicist
Michael J. McKelvey	....	construction medic
Aaron Merrell	....	assistant: Louis Phillips
Aaron Merrell	....	production coordinator: Phoenix Pictures
Christine Miller	....	teacher: Shia LaBeauf
Judd Miller	....	synthesizer
Michael Neipris	....	marine coordinator
Mark Neth	....	production assistant
Steven T. Nolan	....	technician: HotHead
David B. Nowell	....	aerial coordinator
Randy Offer	....	projectionist
Brian Peck	....	acting coach
Mike Phillips	....	senior consultant: film production, Anschutz Corp.
Mike Phillips	....	vice president: physical production/production finance
Nicholas Plasschaert	....	safety coordinator
Jeff 'Doc' Porter	....	construction medic
John H. Price	....	on-set interviews
Lois Radcliff	....	craft service assistant
Willie Radcliff	....	craft service
Bill Ramirez	....	craft service assistant
William Ramirez Jr.	....	second craft service
N. Sandberg	....	senior consultant: film production
N.L. Sandberg	....	senior consultant: film production
Nina Saxon	....	title designer
Thomas M. Seber	....	production assistant
Frederick Shear	....	production assistant
Tom Sieber	....	production assistant
Deborah Simmrin	....	unit publicist
Linda Stanley	....	studio teacher
Jeff Steele	....	assistant: Mike Medavoy
Anthea Strangis	....	assistant production coordinator
Tony Swatton	....	knife maker
Dawn Todd	....	location accountant
Carrie Tyson	....	production secretary
Daniel Veluzat	....	stage manager
Gerald A. Vitatoe Jr.	....	accounting clerk
Daniel Williams	....	stand-in: Pendanski
Lisa Zambri	....	production assistant
Bob Zamudio	....	assistant: Andrew Davis
Anne Lockhart	....	adr group (uncredited)
Christopher Tin	....	synthesizer programmer (uncredited)
Daniel Veluzat	....	location liaison (uncredited)

Thanks
Cindy Falcone	....	special thanks
Chip Schofield	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Walt Disney Pictures (presents)
• Walden Media (in association with)
• Chicago Pacific Entertainment (as Chicago Pictures Entertainment)
• Phoenix Pictures (as Phoenix Pictures Entertainment)

Distributors

• Buena Vista Pictures (2003) (USA) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International (Austria) GmbH (2003) (Austria) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International Italia (2003) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International Spain (2003) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International (2003) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International (2003) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Central Partnership (2003) (Russia) (theatrical)
• Pinema (2002) (Turkey) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (2004) (Brazil) (all media)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (2004) (Japan) (DVD)
• Buena Vista International (2004) (Argentina) (all media)
• Gativideo (2004) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Gativideo (2004) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Tien (2006) (Netherlands) (TV) (first national airing)
• Universal Pictures Benelux (2004) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Walt Disney Home Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Flash Film Works

Other Companies

• Birds & Animals Unlimited  animal wrangling
• Birds & Animals Unlimited  animals provided by
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  cranes and dollies
• Chicago Pacific Entertainment  additional sound re-recording
• Digital Filmworks  digital film scanning and recording
• Howard Anderson Digital  digital titles & opticals
• Limelight Catering  catering
• Mackey/Sandrich Casting  casting
• Mind Your Music  music clearances
• Nina Saxon Film Design  titles designed by
• Pivotal Post  Avid editing equipment provided by
• SoundStorm  sound post-production
• Warner Bros. Studio Services  sound re-recording

MPAA:

Rated PG for violence, mild language and some thematic elements.

Runtime:

117 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White | Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Netherlands:MG6 | Iceland:10 | Iceland:LH (video rating) | Brazil:Livre | Argentina:Atp | Australia:PG | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG | Denmark:11 | Germany:6 | New Zealand:PG | Philippines:PG-13 | Singapore:PG | Spain:7 | Sweden:7 | UK:PG | USA:PG (certificate #39623)

Filming Locations:

Anderson Street Overpass, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Walt Disney Pictures

Trivia:

Frankie Muniz was originally cast as Stanley. Alex D. Linz was also offered the same role.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Zero and Stanley are digging their last hole, they go in a hole that is of equal height on all sides. When they are digging, in the background you can see a ramp that has been dug with steps going up to ground level. There is no way two boys could have carved those steps out of the dirt in that amount of time.

Quotes:

[first lines]
[Barfbag walks towards a rattlesnake]
X-Ray: Hey, Barfbag. What are you doing?
[Barfbag takes his shoe and sock off and steps on the snake, which bites him]
Barfbag: [yells] Aaaaaah!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Jay Leno Show: (#1.84)" (2010)

Soundtrack:

Just Like You

The Secret to Sucessful Kid's Movie

Its not often one sees a movie that really seems to understand what its like to be a kid. Too often, children are portrayed as precocious twenty-somethings trapped in the bodies of fifth graders: children whose wisdom and goodness would make Socrates look like Homer Simpson. (For further study see Jerry Maguire and Contact). On the other hand, movies made for the ten and under crowd often take place in a world free from violence and pain, where the worst thing that could happen to a kid is a stolen bike or a serious grounding. Holes makes neither of these mistakes. The kids and teens are just as dumb as I was, and the world they live in, while not being seriously naturalistic, is, at least, properly serious.

The movie gets going as Stanley Yelnats (Shia LaBeouf) is mistakenly accused of stealing a pair of valuable shoes, and is sent to a boy's correctional facility. Except, this juvenile camp feels like Boy's Town if it was run by the guards from The Shawshank Redemption. There Stanley is indoctrinated by the gruff Mr. Sir (John Voight with crazy hair and a brilliant performance).

The only activity this camp provides for these wayward youth is digging holes. The camp's philosophy on this matter is `You take a bad boy, make him dig holes all day, and it turns him into a good boy.' Whether or not this theory works is doubtful, because Stanley soon experiences many cruelties and humiliations at the hands of his fellow reprobates. Don't let the cutesy nicknames fool you (X-Ray, Zig Zag, Armpit, Zero), these kids are just like your friends in the sixth grade, or to quote Rushmore, `With friends like you who needs friends?' Not that the other campers are as bad as all that, nor does the movie focus on the cruelties of youth. The kids come around, but never completely, and the movie (like Stanley himself) doesn't worry about them too much. Both of them have bigger things on their mind.

The story of Holes switches back and forth between the present and the past. Like the palindromic name Stanley Yelnats it begins at opposite ends chronologically and works toward the center. Where the end of the past story and the beginning of the present story are explained. The transitions are gentle enough that the viewer does not feel jerked around too much. Even though the transitions are entirely organic, I can excuse the random transitions because, like I said earlier. The filmmakers actually have something on their mind. They really do have a story to tell. Furthermore, Louis Sachar, the writer of the book and the screenplay seems to have gotten the tone just right for a movie for kids - just enough silliness and just enough bitterness. Stanley's father job is unreal (he is seeking to find the cure for foot odor), but Stanley's emotions are very real. As someone in the movie says (see the movie to find out why), `Peaches and Onions! That's the secret.' Holes isn't the most brilliant movie of the year, but it is funny without being offensive, and sweet without being maudlin. Most of all, it goes further in capturing what it is like to be young without portraying it as too horrible or too saccharine. The bitter and the sweet together is the secret of Holes' success.