House of Sand and Fog (2003)

User Rating:

7.8/10   

Director:

Vadim Perelman

Writers (WGA):

Andre Dubus III (novel)
Vadim Perelman (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

26 December 2003 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

Some dreams can't be shared.

Plot:

An abandoned wife is evicted from her house and starts a tragic conflict with her home's new owners.

Plot Keywords:

House | Auction | Fog | Home | Marriage

Awards:

Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 7 wins & 16 nominations

Cast

Jennifer Connelly	...	Kathy
Ben Kingsley	...	Behrani
Ron Eldard	...	Lester
Frances Fisher	...	Connie Walsh
Kim Dickens	...	Carol Burdon
Shohreh Aghdashloo	...	Nadi
Jonathan Ahdout	...	Esmail
Navi Rawat	...	Soraya
Carlos Gómez	...	Lt. Alvarez
Kia Jam	...	Ali
Jaleh Modjallal	...	Yasmin
Samira Damavandi	...	Little Soraya
Matthew Simonian	...	Little Esmail
Namrata Singh Gujral	...	Wedding Guest (as Namrata S. Gurjal-Cooper)
Nasser Faris	...	Wedding Guest (as Al Faris)
Mark Chaet	...	Wedding Guest
Marco Rodríguez	...	Mendez (as Marco Rodriguez)
Al Rodrigo	...	Torez
Aki Aleong	...	Tran
Joyce Kurtz	...	Kathy's Mom
Scott N. Stevens	...	County Official
Ken Kerman	...	Locksmith
Scott Kinworthy	...	Deputy Trainee
Tom Benick	...	Hotel Security
Samuel Hart	...	Elevator Man
Jackie Adhout	...	Elevator Woman
Spencer Garrett	...	Auctioneer
Cooper Thornton	...	Gary
Isabelle James	...	Teenage Girl
Bonita Friedericy	...	Motel Manager
David Carrera	...	Carpenter
Michael Papajohn	...	Carpenter
Joe Howard	...	Appraiser
Aaron Frazier	...	Courier
Dan Brinkle	...	Husband Buyer
Yan Lin	...	Wife Buyer
Andre Dubus III	...	Myers
Max Jansen Weinstein	...	Nate
Ashley Edner	...	Bethany (as Ashley Louise Edner)
Ray Abruzzo	...	Frank
Tom Reynolds	...	Gas Station Worker
Jose L. Vasquez	...	Arresting Officer (as Jose Vasquez)
Matthew Waite	...	Arresting Officer (as Matt Waite)
Pamela Shaddock	...	Nurse
Frank Gallegos	...	Prison Guard (as Frank Gallego)
Karl Makinen	...	Officer at End
Zoran Radanovich	...	Sergei
Markus Baldwin	...	Young Husband
Brian Reed Garvin	...	Fat Man
Dennison Samaroo	...	Doctor
Elton Ahi	...	Wedding Singer
Shani Rigsbee	...	Wedding Singer
Andy Madadian	...	Wedding Singer
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Leslie Yeransian	...	Bridesmaid (uncredited)

Directed by
Vadim Perelman

Writing credits (WGA)
Andre Dubus III		(novel)
Vadim Perelman		(screenplay) and
Shawn Lawrence Otto		(screenplay)

Produced by
Michael London	....	producer
Shawn Lawrence Otto	....	co-producer
Vadim Perelman	....	producer
Nina R. Sadowsky	....	executive producer
Jeremiah Samuels	....	co-producer
Chris Soldo	....	associate producer
Stewart Till	....	executive producer

Original Music by
James Horner

Cinematography by
Roger Deakins

Film Editing by
Lisa Zeno Churgin

Casting by
Deborah Aquila
Mary Tricia Wood		(as Tricia Wood)

Production Design by
Maia Javan

Art Direction by
Drew Boughton

Set Decoration by
Gene Serdena

Costume Design by
Hala Bahmet

Makeup Department
Judy Chin	....	key makeup artist
Kris Evans	....	makeup artist: Mr. Kingsley
Kathrine Gordon	....	key hair stylist
Lori Rozman	....	assistant hair stylist
Betty Lou Skinner	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Sven E. Fahlgren	....	post-production supervisor
Gina Fortunato	....	production supervisor
Kevin Halloran	....	production supervisor
Jeremiah Samuels	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Greg Hale	....	second assistant director
Stephanie Kime	....	second second assistant director
Cliff T.E. Roseman	....	first assistant director
Chris Soldo	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Ron Ashmore	....	paint supervisor
Peter Bankins	....	property master
J. Michael Glynn	....	set dresser
Lance Gunnin	....	general foreman
Steve A. Hagberg	....	construction coordinator (as Steve Hagberg)
Sarah Harwich	....	construction purchaser
Sean Lyons	....	on-set paint
Jonah Markowitz	....	art department
Christopher Morente	....	greensperson
Todd Morris	....	on-set dresser
Dan Ondrejko	....	greens coordinator
Stuart Rankine	....	assistant property master
Grant Samson	....	lead man
Nithya Shrinivasan	....	assistant art director
Thomas Spencer	....	set dresser
Robert Stover	....	buyer
Rick C. Taplin	....	art department assistant
Cheree Welsh	....	art department coordinator

Sound Department
James Ashwill	....	foley mixer
George Berndt	....	adr supervisor
Colin Cooper	....	adr recordist
Susan Dudeck	....	sound editor
Christopher Eakins	....	sound assistant
Robert Jackson	....	boom operator
William B. Kaplan	....	production sound mixer (as Bill Kaplan)
Tateum Kohut	....	sound re-recording mixer
Skip Lievsay	....	supervising sound editor
Peggy Names	....	sound utility
Kevin O'Connell	....	supervising sound mixer
Jeremy Peirson	....	sound editor
Jerry Ross	....	supervising sound editor
Greg P. Russell	....	sound re-recording mixer
Dan Sharp	....	sound re-recordist
Greg ten Bosch	....	foley supervisor
Ron Vignone	....	assistant sound editor
Cary Weitz	....	boom operator
Susan Dawes	....	dialogue editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Richard O. Helmer	....	special effects director
Michael Lantieri	....	special effects coordinator
Brandon K. McLaughlin	....	special effects
Christopher A. Suarez	....	special effects technician

Visual Effects by
Ozzie Carmona	....	digital compositor
Brad Kalinoski	....	digital compositor

Stunts
Greg Anthony	....	stunt double: Esmail
Craig Branham	....	stunts
Wendi Bromley	....	stunt double: Jennifer Connelly
Bud Davis	....	stunts
Jewel Donohue	....	stunt double: Kathy
Diana R. Lupo	....	stunt double: Jennifer Connelly (as Diana Lupo)
Chris Monberg	....	stunts
Chris O'Hara	....	stunts
David D. Renaud	....	stunt double: Behrani (as David Renaud)
Russell Solberg	....	stunts
Scott Sproule	....	stunt coordinator
Sonny Tipton	....	stunts
Jose L. Vasquez	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
James Barrett	....	electrician
Bruce Birmelin	....	still photographer
Josh Blakeslee	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera
Earl R. Cantrell	....	electrician
Will Dearborn	....	camera loader
Julian de la Pena	....	electrician
Seong Dilg	....	dolly grip
Clinton Dougherty	....	camera operator
Andrew Dumas	....	additional second assistant camera
Nersi Elahi	....	camera production assistant
Kenn Ferro	....	camera operator: "a" camera (as Ken Ferro)
Robert Gray	....	key grip (as Bob Gray)
Quinn Grove	....	best boy grip
Rick Grover	....	grip
Bruce Hamme	....	dolly grip
Jimmy Harritos	....	rigging electrician
Paul Janossy	....	first assistant camera: second unit
Jesse Kaplan	....	video assistant
Mako Koiwai	....	assistant camera: second unit
Chris Napolitano	....	chief lighting technician
Matthew A. Petrosky	....	assistant camera: time-lapse photography, second unit
Sean Smith	....	electrician
David Stockton	....	director of photography: second unit
Chuck Weiss	....	video assist operator
Scott C. Williman	....	rigging
Andi Ruane	....	rigging grip (uncredited)

Casting Department
Tracy Dixon	....	extras casting
Jennifer L. Smith	....	casting associate

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Marisa Aboitiz	....	assistant costume designer
Virginia Burton	....	costume supervisor
Jill Korengold	....	set costumer

Editorial Department
Phillip J. Bartell	....	assistant editor
Kenny Becker	....	color timer
Mike Bellamy	....	final colorist
Gary Burritt	....	negative cutter
Martin Cohen	....	post-production executive
Kevin Du Toit	....	assistant post-production
Helen Hand	....	first assistant editor
Jeffrey C. Price	....	editorial production assistant
Shannyn Riba	....	apprentice editor
Dana E. Glauberman	....	additional editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Elton Ahi	....	composer: songs
Ramiro Belgardt	....	music editor
Bob Bornstein	....	music preparation
Sandy DeCrescent	....	orchestra contractor
Jim Henrikson	....	supervising music editor
Todd Homme	....	executive music supervisor
James Horner	....	conductor
James Horner	....	orchestrator
Joe Lisanti	....	music editor: temp music
Jason Lloyd	....	scoring assistant
Andy Madadian	....	song music
Julyce Monbleaux	....	music supervisor
Jen Monnar	....	assistant music editor
Simon Rhodes	....	music scoring mixer
Shani Rigsbee	....	song music
Jay Selvester	....	scoring assistant

Transportation Department
Randy Burke	....	driver
Daniel Davis	....	driver: base camp generator
John Lybrand	....	transportation
Bill McCance	....	driver
Chad Moore	....	production driver
Jack Jay Reece	....	driver (as Jay Reece)
Don Violett	....	transportation captain

Other crew
Derek Avila	....	location scout
Luke Bishop	....	assistant: Mr. Kingsley
Jean Costello	....	assistant production coordinator
Maria DeVane	....	post-production accountant
Marty Elfalan	....	assistant accountant (as Martin Elfalan)
Arash Esfandi	....	production assistant
Timothy Falconer	....	location manager (as Tim Falconer)
Robert Foulkes	....	location manager
Jesec Griffin	....	production assistant
Jill Hahn	....	payroll accountant
Marc W. Havener	....	set production assistant
Judy Heinzen	....	key assistant location manager
Doris Hellmann	....	production accountant
Travis Hills	....	set production assistant
Jennifer Hilton	....	assistant: Mr. London
Jay Johnson	....	main title design
Andrew C. Keeter	....	location manager (as Andy Keeter)
Jay Y. Lee	....	production assistant
Steven Maines	....	stand-in
Lisa Markou	....	digital coordinator
Randy McKenney	....	stand-in
Matthew Michaud	....	assistant: Mr. Perelman
Steven R. Molen	....	production executive
Shelly Morita	....	assistant: Ms. Connelly
Tien Nguyen	....	assistant: Mr. Samuels
Scott Peterson	....	script supervisor
Jim Roberts	....	medic
Peter Robinson	....	assistant: Mr. Perelman
Chad Saxton	....	set production assistant
Sara Scarritt	....	production coordinator (as Sarah Scarritt)
Yovel Schwartz	....	production assistant: San Francisco
Christina Sibul	....	production executive
Emre Sonmez	....	location scout
Louise Spencer	....	unit publicist
Gail Stempler	....	location scout: San Francisco
Pavel Sterba	....	key assistant location manager
Jack Stern	....	studio teacher
Leif Tilden	....	assistant location manager
Gerald A. Vitatoe Jr.	....	second assistant accountant
Steven Jetton	....	layout board (uncredited)
Val Tasso	....	stand-in: Esmail (uncredited)

Production Companies

• DreamWorks SKG
• Bisgrove Entertainment
• Cobalt Media Group

Distributors

• DreamWorks Distribution
• Ascot Elite Entertainment Group (2004) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• GAGA (2004) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Humax Pictures (2004) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (200?) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Bioscop (Czech Republic)
• FS Film Oy (2004) (Finland) (DVD) (VHS)
• Filmax S.A. (Spain)
• Mediasoft Films (2005) (South Korea) (all media)
• Miramax Films (UK)
• Nexo
• Paradiso Home Entertainment (2004) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Pinema (2003) (Turkey) (all media)
• Prorom Media-Trade (2004) (Romania) (all media)
• Universum Film (UFA) (2006) (Germany) (DVD)
• Warner Bros. (Argentina)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (2008) (Finland) (TV)

Special Effects

• Pacific Title and Art Studio (visual effects)

Other Companies

• Boone's Animals for Hollywood  animal handlers
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  cranes and dollies
• L.A. Mad Dogs  adr group
• Mario's Catering  catering
• Otto Nemenz International  camera equipment provided by
• Pacific Title  titles and opticals
• Sony Pictures Studios  post sound services provided by
• Sony, Cary Grant Theatre  sound mixed at
• Todd-AO Scoring Stage  score recorded and mixed at
• Varèse Sarabande  soundtrack published by (uncredited)

MPAA:

Rated R for some violence/disturbing images, language and a scene of sexuality.

Runtime:

USA:126 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Persian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Iceland:12 (video rating) | Iceland:14 | USA:R (certificate #40189) | South Korea:15 | Portugal:M/12 | Argentina:16 | Australia:MA | Canada:14A | Chile:14 | Czech Republic:15 | Finland:K-15 | Germany:12 | Netherlands:12 | New Zealand:R16 | Norway:15 | Singapore:M18 (re-rating) (uncut) | Singapore:NC-16 (edited for re-rating) | Singapore:R(A) (original rating) | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:16 (canton of the Grisons) | UK:15

Filming Locations:

San Francisco, California, USA

Company:

DreamWorks SKG

Trivia:

Numerous location shots in Northern California establish the action as occurring in the San Francisco Bay Area. The actual house was over 400 miles away, in Malibu.

Goofs:

Continuity: The morning after Lester and Kathy arrive at the cabin, Kathy emerges from the front door and her long hair is tucked into the back of her shirt. A moment later, it is loose.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Officer at End: Are you Kathy Nicolo?
Kathy: Yeah.
Officer at End: Is this your house?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Simpsons: Wedding for Disaster (#20.15)" (2009)

Soundtrack:

Soghati

An unfailingly beautiful piece of work

"House of Sand and Fog" is by far the finest film I've seen this year, and probably the best I've seen since the dial turned from the 1990's into the new millennium.

Vadim Perelman makes a movie so astoundingly beautiful that one has to think he's been doing this for years, but this is his first film. Set in a fog-drenched Southern California community, Perelman sets two immoveable forces apart from each other -- Cathy, a recovering alcoholic burdened by the memory of her late father, still trying to prove that she is a responsible person in his eyes, and Behrani, a colonel driven out of Iran with his family and desperately trying to maintain a life of stability and promise. In these two roles, Jennifer Connelly and Ben Kingsley give steely performances, each presenting troubled souls trapped within stubborn facades. Connelly once again gives a masterful performance, balancing a reckless sensuality with the desire to find acceptance and love within anything, even a house where the memories have become so painful that the mail becomes too much to take.

Kingsley, of course, is perfect. The subtleties of his facial expressions when presented with moments of joy and frustration are masterfully restrained. This is his best performance of his illustrious career.

When Kingsley and Connelly finally clash, halfway through the movie, the movie, having until then been a paean to silence and unspoken loyalties, becomes a terrifying thriller, riveting everyone with whom I saw the picture. Perelman moves from a mood piece to a suspenseful drama effortlessly. A jaw-dropping conclusion completes a powerful, unbelievably sad piece of work.

After a couple years of not finding a movie that stirred me, this is it, what we all look for in movies -- a harrowing story, beautifully filmed, cathartic and elegant. Joy is very difficult to spot in the film, but "House of Sand and Fog" provides the joy we get when being moved to powerful emotions by a wonderful symphony.

My best film of 2003 -- unquestionably 10/10.