Masked and Anonymous (2003)

Director:

Larry Charles

Writers:

Bob Dylan (written by) &
Larry Charles (written by)

Release Date:

8 August 2003 (Canada)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Music

Tagline:

Would you reach out your hand to save a drowning man if you thought he might pull you in?

Plot:

A singer (Dylan), whose career has gone on a downward spiral, is forced to make a comeback to the performance stage for a benefit concert.

Plot Keywords:

Concert | Benefit | Journalist | Assault | Bandit

Cast

Bob Dylan	...	Jack Fate
Jeff Bridges	...	Tom Friend
Penélope Cruz	...	Pagan Lace
John Goodman	...	Uncle Sweetheart
Jessica Lange	...	Nina Veronica
Luke Wilson	...	Bobby Cupid
Angela Bassett	...	Mistress
Steven Bauer	...	Edgar
Michael Paul Chan	...	Guard
Bruce Dern	...	Editor
Ed Harris	...	Oscar Vogel
Val Kilmer	...	Animal Wrangler
Cheech Marin	...	Prospero
Chris Penn	...	Crew Guy #2
Giovanni Ribisi	...	Soldier
Mickey Rourke	...	Edmund
Richard C. Sarafian	...	President (as Richard Sarafian)
Christian Slater	...	Crew Guy #1
Susan Tyrrell	...	Ella the Fortune Teller
Fred Ward	...	Drunk
Robert Wisdom	...	Lucius
Tony Garnier	...	Bass (Simple Twist of Fate)
Larry Campbell	...	Guitar (Simple Twist of Fate)
Charlie Sexton	...	Guitar (Simple Twist of Fate)
Fred Cooper	...	Chicken Man
Alex Désert	...	Valentine
Richard Dorton	...	Government Soldier #2
Treva Etienne	...	Percy
Dan Frischman	...	Eddie Quicksand
Eddie Gorodetsky	...	Bacchus
Noel Gugliemi	...	Inmate #1
Shawn Michael Howard	...	Nestor
Tinashe Kachingwe	...	Mrs. Brown's Daughter
Ken Kells	...	Bodyguard #2
Bruce Kirschbaum	...	Dion
Reggie Lee	...	Armed Man
George Receli	...	Drums (Simple Twist of Fate)
Antonio David Lyons	...	Government Soldier
Tom McComas	...	Bodyguard #1
Davenia McFadden	...	Bus Driver
Sam Sarpong	...	Blunt
Jon Sklaroff	...	Young Jack
Fred Toma	...	Van Driver
Susan Traylor	...	Mrs. Brown
Perla Walter	...	Caretaker
Tracey Walter	...	Desk Clerk
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Darin Fujimori	...	Street Protestor (uncredited)
Laura Renault	...	Jack Fate's Mother (uncredited)

Directed by
Larry Charles

Writing credits
Bob Dylan		(written by) (as Sergei Petrov) &
Larry Charles		(written by) (as Rene Fontaine)

Produced by
Marie Cantin	....	executive producer
Joseph Newton Cohen	....	executive producer (as Joseph Cohen)
Vladimir Dostal	....	executive producer (as Vladmir Dostal)
Guy East	....	executive producer
Anatoly Fradis	....	executive producer
David Gaines	....	co-producer
Nikolai Makarov	....	co-producer
Jeff Rosen	....	producer
Pietro Scalia	....	executive producer
Nigel Sinclair	....	producer
David M. Thompson	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Bob Dylan

Cinematography by
Rogier Stoffers		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Luis Alvarez y Alvarez
Pietro Scalia

Casting by
Irene Cagen
Meg Liberman		(as Liberman/Patton)
Camille H. Patton		(as Liberman/Patton)

Production Design by
Bob Ziembicki

Art Direction by
Kristan Andrews

Set Decoration by
Bob Kensinger		(as Robert Kensinger)

Costume Design by
Abigail Murray

Makeup Department
Tarra D. Day	....	makeup department head (as Tarra Day)
Linda De Andrea	....	hair stylist: Jessica Lange (as Linda DeAndrea)
Amy L. Disarro	....	assistant makeup artist (as Amy DiSarro)
Romy Fleming	....	hair stylist
Roxanna Floyd	....	makeup artist: Angela Bassett
Desne J. Holland	....	makeup artist (as Desne Holland)
Whitney James	....	makeup artist: Penelope Cruz (as Whitney L. James)
Moni Mansano	....	hair stylist: Mickey Rourke (as Monet Mansano)
Moni Mansano	....	makeup artist: Mickey Rourke (as Monet Mansano)
Candace Neal	....	hair department head (as Candace E. Neal)
Dorothy J. Pearl	....	makeup artist: Jessica Lange (as Dorothy Pearl)
Mark Townsend	....	hair stylist: Penelope Cruz
Kristina Vogel	....	makeup artist
Kym Williams	....	hair stylist: Angela Bassett
Nichelle 'Nikki' Young	....	hair stylist: Angela Bassett

Production Management
Marie Cantin	....	unit production manager
David Gaines	....	post-production supervisor
Robert Lansing Parker	....	assistant unit production manager (as Lansing Parker)
Tobin Armbrust	....	production manager (uncredited)
Basil Iwanyk	....	production manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Keri Bruno	....	second second assistant director
Gary Romolo Fiorelli	....	second assistant director
Michael Zimbrich	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Alan Baptiste	....	set dresser
Julie Beattie Iiams	....	assistant props
Michael Cutler	....	set dresser
Paul Duchemin	....	set dresser
Mark Gall	....	set dresser
Kevin Hughes	....	property master
Charles Kern	....	paint foreman
Thierry Labbe	....	lead man
David Lavker	....	on-set dresser
Luz	....	stand-by painter
Caryn Marcus	....	set dressing buyer
Jon Moberg	....	assistant props
Aimee Rousey	....	art department coordinator (as Aimee I. Rousey)
Rhachel Shaw	....	art department assistant
Glenn Strauss	....	set dresser
William Swartz	....	set dresser
Ryan J. Beyer	....	set dresser (uncredited)
D.H. Covey	....	storyboard artist (uncredited)
Clint Schultz	....	graphic designer (uncredited)

Sound Department
Jeremy Ayers	....	sound re-recording engineer
David Bach	....	adr editor
David Bach	....	dialogue editor
David Esparza	....	supervising sound editor
Carl Fischer	....	boom operator
Shawn Kennelly	....	foley mixer
Michael A. Morongell	....	sound re-recording engineer (as Mike Morongell)
Chris Navarro	....	adr recordist
Vince Nicastro	....	foley artist
Rocky Quiroz	....	cableperson
Paul Rodriguez	....	representative: sound re-recording studio, The Wilshire Stages
Sean Rowe	....	foley artist
Victoria Rose Sampson	....	adr editor
Victoria Rose Sampson	....	dialogue editor
Martin Schloemer	....	sound recordist
Dan Scolnik	....	foley editor
Leslie Shatz	....	sound designer
Leslie Shatz	....	sound re-recording mixer
Cameron Steenhagen	....	assistant sound editor
Eric Thompson	....	adr mixer
Susumu Tokunow	....	sound mixer
Amy Hammer	....	mix facility coordinator (uncredited)
Andy Peach	....	sound re-recordist (uncredited)
Derek Vanderhorst	....	additional foley mixer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
John S. Baker	....	special effects supervisor
Josh Neugass	....	assistant special effects
Joshua Pinney	....	assistant special effects (as Joshua R. Pinney)

Visual Effects by
Richard Malzahn	....	digital visual effects

Stunts
Jeff Jensen	....	stunt coordinator
Tom McComas	....	stunt performer
Rick Miller	....	stunt performer
Sven-Ole Thorsen	....	stunt performer (as Sven Thorsen)
Loyd Catlett	....	stunts (uncredited)
Frank G. Turner	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Jennifer Bell	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera (as Jennifer K. Bell)
Paul Bode	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Brad Boyer	....	grip
J.A. Byerly	....	rigging electric best boy
John F. Cassidy	....	grip
Fred Cooper	....	dolly grip
Jon 'Scooter' Cousins	....	rigging best boy grip (as Jon Cousins)
Willie E. Dawkins	....	lamp operator (as Willie Dawkins)
Shawn Ensign	....	grip (as R. Shawn Ensign)
Greg Etherridge	....	lamp operator (as Greg Etheredge)
Steve Galloway	....	24 frame video operator
David Garden	....	second assistant camera
Ken Glassing	....	camera operator: "c" camera
Edward A. Gutentag	....	Steadicam operator (as Edward Gutentag)
Christopher Guyer	....	video assist operator
Patrick Hoeschen	....	lamp operator
Toulouse Holliday	....	best boy grip (as S. Toulouse Holliday)
Keith A. Jones	....	second camera assistant: "b" camera
Douglas Kieffer	....	lamp operator (as Douglas Keiffer)
Bruce McCleery	....	chief lighting technician (as Robert Bruce McCleery)
Thomas Nead	....	rigging gaffer (as Tom Nead)
Jason Newton	....	grip
Christopher Prampin	....	assistant chief lighting technician
Joe-Joe Presson	....	grip (as Joseph Presson)
Rainy Rau	....	camera department assistant
Brian H. Reynolds	....	key grip
Arnold Sampson	....	camera department assistant (as Arnold H. Sampson III)
Paul Sanchez	....	first assistant camera
Lorey Sebastian	....	still photographer
Mark Smith	....	rigging key grip (as Mark R. Smith)
Rodney Taylor	....	camera operator
Kirk Tedeski	....	24 frame video playback coordinator
Scott R. Todd	....	dimmer board operator
Hootly Weedn	....	lamp operator
Marek Wojciechowski	....	grip (as Mark Wojciechowski)
Tom Yatsko	....	camera operator: "b" camera (as Thomas Yatsko)
Brad Zerbst	....	Steadicam operator
Brad Zerbst	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Joe Hill	....	rigging grip (uncredited)
Victor Macias	....	rigging grip (uncredited)
Paul Maletich	....	first assistant camera (uncredited)
Matthew J. Siegel	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Robert Stillman	....	rigging grip (uncredited)

Casting Department
Leigh French	....	adr voice casting
Kelly Hunt	....	extras casting
Rich King	....	extras casting
Lisa Ystrom	....	casting associate
Elizabeth Barnes	....	casting assistant (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
David Dietch	....	set costumer
Michelle M. Pershing	....	costume supervisor (as Michelle Pershing)
Mary Beth Ramsey	....	set costumer
Jennifer Day Young	....	set costumer

Editorial Department
Jon Corn	....	additional editor (as Jonathon Scott Corn)
Anthony Durazzo	....	apprentice editor (as Anthony F. Durazzo)
Scott Inbody	....	first assistant editor
Theresa Jones	....	post-production coordinator
Billy Rich	....	first assistant editor
Mike Sowa	....	color timer
Randy L. Anderson	....	color timer (uncredited)
Abby Gail Palanker	....	post-production consultant (uncredited)
Chisako Yokoyama	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Jules Aerts	....	music monitor engineer
Chris Beyer	....	music engineer
Christopher Brooks	....	executive music producer
Biff Dawes	....	live music recordist: Westwood One
Doug Field	....	music tape assistant
Bruce Kaphan	....	underscore adaptation
Philip Kneebone	....	music tape assistant (as Phil Kneebone)
Tom Morrongiello	....	music technician: guitar
Kevin O'Connor	....	music technician: drums
Alan Santos	....	music production manager
Chris Shaw	....	live music mix down
Joel Sill	....	executive music producer
Billy Youdelman	....	music tape operator (as Billy Yodelman)

Transportation Department
David Blair	....	driver
Mike Bolin	....	driver
Al Boone	....	driver
Jeff Bova	....	driver (as Jeffrey P. Bova)
Alberto Coto	....	driver
John De Troia	....	driver (as John Detroia)
Wayne Flowers Jr.	....	driver: honeywagon
Orlando Garcia	....	driver
Troy Gould	....	driver
Tom Hallowell	....	transportation captain (as Tom Halowell)
Dave Hannah	....	driver (as David Hannah)
John Hitchcock	....	driver
Marc Johnson	....	driver
John Martinez	....	driver (as John Martinez Jr.)
Eric Miller	....	transportation coordinator
Jeffrey L. Moore	....	driver
Victor Moore	....	driver
Luis Mussenden	....	driver
Chris Walden	....	driver
Dave Walden Jr.	....	driver (as David L. Walden II)

Other crew
Philip Abatecola	....	production assistant
Roland Almaguer	....	first assistant chef: Eclipse Catering Inc.
Sheri Apap	....	animal trainer
R.C. Baral	....	post-production accountant: East Coast Post
Robert Bower	....	staff: Grey Water Park Productions
Rocky Brooks	....	assistant location manager
Alexander Yves Brunner	....	executive: Spitfire Pictures (as Alex Brunner)
Loyd Catlett	....	stand-in
Matt DiFranco	....	production coordinator
Guin Dill	....	animal trainer (as Guin Noland)
Daniel Divita	....	production assistant
Howard Fabrick	....	labor relations: Akin, Gump, Strauss, hauer & Feld (as Howard D. Fabrick)
Brad Fisher	....	stand-in: Bob Dylan
Marc C. Geschwind	....	extras coordinator
Jennifer Gillespie	....	assistant production coordinator
Eric Glasser	....	production assistant
Manuel Gonzales	....	cook assistant: Eckipse catering Inc.
Vanessa Grayson	....	stand-in: Penelope Cruz
Mary Jasionowski	....	production accountant
Lonnie Johnson	....	first aid
Theresa Jones	....	assistant: Marie Cantin
Ken Kells	....	stand-in
Diane Lapson	....	staff: Grey Water Park Productions
Jim Lau	....	voice
Laurent Marchand	....	caterer: Eclipse Catering Inc.
Christie Mattull	....	insurance: Near North Insurance Brokerage Inc, .
Joe May	....	production assistant (as Joseph May)
Lauren McClard	....	assistant: Nigel Sinclair
Stephanie McDonald	....	post-production accountant
Thomas McEnery	....	studio teacher
Bill McLellan	....	key assistant location manager
Jeremy Meyer	....	production assistant
Ralph B. Meyer	....	location manager
Ron Mitchell	....	production assistant
Harry Monroe	....	production assistant
Katherine Ann Moore	....	unit publicist (as Katherine Moore)
Cheryl Nelson	....	legal services: Wyman & Isaacs
Diane H. Newman	....	script supervisor (as Diane Hassinger Newman)
Lynne Okin	....	staff: Grey Water Park Productions
Tanya Oskanian	....	assistant: Larry Charles
Abby Gail Palanker	....	title designer
Jesse James Parker	....	production assistant
Keith Popely	....	production assistant
Stephanie Portnoy Porter	....	production assistant (as Stephanie Portnoy)
Susan Pullen	....	assistant: Bob Dylan
Stephanie A. Purdy	....	animal trainer
Alfonso F. Ruiz	....	assistant location manager
Nick Savva	....	production finance coordinator
Chad Saxton	....	production assistant
Donna Silverberg	....	stand-in
Diana Smith	....	animal trainer (as Diana C. Smith)
Christopher Starr	....	craft service
Debbie Sweeney	....	staff: Grey Water Park Productions
Frank G. Turner	....	stand-in: John Goodman (as Frank Turner)
Kenny Vasquez	....	production assistant
Michael Vasquez	....	assistant accountant: Scotland
Margarita McClenon Velona	....	first aid (as Margarita McClenon)
Stephanie Weier	....	clearances: Clearance Domain
Michael Wood	....	executive: BBC Films
Leah Wright	....	production assistant
Winter Zemans	....	production assistant (as Winter Lynn Zemans)
Robert Ziolo	....	production assistant
Steve Zukowski	....	craft service (as Steven Zukowski)
Michael J. Harker	....	completion bond company representative (uncredited)
Travis Hills	....	set production assistant (uncredited)
Sharre Jacoby	....	producer: main and end titles (uncredited)
James E. Maddux	....	set medic (uncredited)
Janell M. Sammelman	....	additional set production assistant (uncredited)

Production Companies

• BBC Films
• Destiny Productions
• George Square Holdings (in association with)
• Grey Water Park Productions
• Intermedia Films
• Marching Band Productions
• Spitfire Pictures

Distributors

• Warner Bros. (2003) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (2005) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (2005) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Fateful Productions
• Hannibal Pictures
• IPA Asia Pacific (2005) (Thailand) (all media)
• IPA Asia Pacific (2005) (Vietnam) (all media)
• Mongrel Media (Canada)
• Monolith (2004) (Poland) (all media)
• Premium Cine (Spain)
• Sony Pictures Classics (USA)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2005) (Argentina) (all media)
• Universal Pictures (Spain) (Spain)

Special Effects

• PMP (digital visual effects)

Other Companies

• Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld  labor relations
• C.A.S.T. Security  security services
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  cranes and dollies
• Clearance Domain  clearances
• Cogswell Video Services  video playback equipment (as Cogswell Video)
• Columbia Records  soundtrack
• DeLuxe Laboratories  laboratory services
• E=mc²  24 frame video playback
• EFilm  24p film conversion (as E-Film)
• Eclipse Catering  catering
• Entertainment Partners  payroll services
• International Film Guarantors  completion guarantor
• J. Dolan Communications  walkie talkies
• Liberman/Patton Casting  casting (as Liberman/Patton)
• Near North Insurance Brokerage  production insurance
• Paws for Effect  animals provided by
• Pivotal Post  Avid editing equipment provided by
• Scarlet Letters  titles
• Sony Music Soundtrax  soundtrack
• Upstaging Lighting Transport  equipment transportation (as Upstaging Inc.)
• Westwood One  live music recording
• William F. White International  production equipment
• Wilshire Stages, The  sound re-recording studio
• Wyman & Isaacs  legal services

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for some language and brief violence.

Runtime:

112 min (Sundance Film Festival)

Country:

USA | UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Finland:K-11 | Germany:12 (DVD rating) | Australia:M | Canada:14A | USA:PG-13 | UK:12

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

BBC Films

Trivia:

In the Midas Judas building where Uncle Sweetheart works, the listing of offices in that building includes Dr. Benway, the doctor from William Burrough's Naked Lunch.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Nina Veronica meets the TV executives at the television studio, the liquor bottles in the center of the table change position and number in almost every shot where they are visible.

Quotes:

Jack Fate: Some of us pursue perfection and virtue and if we're lucky, we catch up to it. But happiness can't be pursued. It either comes to your or it don't. You can always say, "if only this and if only that", but if only is a state of mind that we get into when we feel deprived.

Movie Connections:

References Uncle Meat (1987)

Soundtrack:

Down in the Flood

Johnny's in the Basement

What could go wrong with a movie that features Bob Dylan playing some fun tunes, leading actors John Goodman, Jessica Lange, Luke Wilson, Jeff Bridges and Penelope Cruz, and bit parts by Christian Slater, Ed Harris, Angela Basset, Mickey Rourke and Val Kilmer? Well, let's start with a script penned by Bob Dylan that is easily as ineffable as, say, Subterranean Homesick Blues. If you know why the man in the coonskin cap wants eleven dollar bills (and you only got ten) then maybe you understood this movie. The rest of us struggled with mundane dialogue, disjointed vignettes, thinly veiled allusions to Dylan's life, some sort of statement on revolution, and perhaps an admission by Dylan himself that even he doesn't have a clue as to what most of his songs mean. Maybe if I saw this film another 2-3 times I would unravel the deeper meaning, peel back the layers of symbolism, and better grasp the metaphors that give deeper significance to the movie. On the other hand, it's been 35 years and I still don't know why I should hang around an ink well or watch the parking meters.

I wish I could say that I enjoyed this movie. But the fact is, I rarely laughed, certainly didn't cry, and I didn't really care about any of the characters. I could barely follow the plot line. And I didn't understand most of what was lurking under the surface. None of the actors appeared to have clue as to what was going on either. But then, maybe that's what Dylan meant all along . Maybe, but you shouldn't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows.