Hustle & Flow (2005)

Director:

Craig Brewer

Writer (WGA):

Craig Brewer (written by)

Release Date:

22 July 2005 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Music

Tagline:

Everybody gotta have a dream.

Plot:

With help from his friends, a Memphis pimp in a mid-life crisis attempts to become a successful hip-hop emcee.

Plot Keywords:

Hip Hop | Breasts | Violence | Love | Dream

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 17 wins & 34 nominations

Cast

Terrence Howard	...	Djay
Anthony Anderson	...	Key
Taryn Manning	...	Nola
Taraji P. Henson	...	Shug
DJ Qualls	...	Shelby (as D.J. Qualls)
Ludacris	...	Skinny Black
Paula Jai Parker	...	Lexus
Elise Neal	...	Yevette
Isaac Hayes	...	Arnel
Jordan Houston	...	Tigga (as Juicy J)
William Engram	...	Slobs (as William 'Poon' Engram)
Bobby Sandimanie	...	Yellow Jacket (as Bobby 'I-20' Sandimanie)
Haystak	...	Mickey
Claude Phillips	...	Harold
Josey Scott	...	Elroy
John Still	...	Shop Owner
Jay Munn	...	Prison Guard
Michael Hooks	...	Block Manager (as Michael Hooks Jr.)
Jerome Toles	...	Police Officer
Paul Beauregard	...	R.L. (as DJ Paul)
Al Kapone	...	Kateezy
Jennifer Bynum Green	...	Choir Lead Singer
Kelvin Birrus	...	Choir Singer #1
Tiran D. Boyland	...	Choir Singer #2
H. Renee Cogar	...	Choir Singer #3
Brandon Seiferth	...	Choir Singer #4
Deborah Manning Thomas	...	Choir Singer #5
Terrence Brown	...	Piano Player
T.C. Sharpe	...	Arnel's Drunk
Lindsey Roberts	...	Harper
Free Sol	...	Bathroom Kid
Clarence Mabon	...	Police Officer #2
Mark Goodfellow	...	Pawn Shop Owner
Latasha Texas	...	Stripper #1
Tracy Davis	...	Stripper #2
Erica Miller	...	God Bless America Girl
Helen Bowman	...	Defendant
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jeff Pope	...	Trick #1
Dennis Phillippi	...	Himself (voice) (uncredited)

Directed by
Craig Brewer

Writing credits (WGA)
Craig Brewer		(written by)

Produced by
Stephanie Allain	....	producer
Preston L. Holmes	....	associate producer (as Preston Holmes)
John Singleton	....	producer
Dwight Williams	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Scott Bomar

Cinematography by
Amy Vincent

Film Editing by
Billy Fox

Casting by
Chris Gray
Kim Hardin		(as Kimberly R. Hardin)

Production Design by
Keith Brian Burns

Art Direction by
Alexa Marino

Set Decoration by
Joni Wheeler

Costume Design by
Paul Simmons

Makeup Department
Bert Reo Anderson	....	assistant hair stylist
Camille Chambers	....	makeup artist
Ted Long	....	key hair stylist (as Theodore Long)
Kellie Robinson	....	assistant makeup artist
Linda Thompson	....	assistant hair stylist
Denise Tunnell	....	key makeup artist (as Denise Tunnel)

Production Management
Terra Abroms	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Chris Hayden	....	second assistant director
Van Hayden	....	first assistant director
Zac Jackson	....	second second assistant director
Wayne Witherspoon	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Darian Corley	....	property master
Frank Gray III	....	assistant property master
Spencer Pharr	....	set dresser

Sound Department
Bobbi Banks	....	supervising adr editor
Gregg Barbanell	....	foley artist
Nancy Barker	....	first assistant sound editor
Andy Black	....	sound mixer
Nathan Black	....	boom operator
Michael Camello	....	sound effects editor (as Michael Z. Camello)
Michael C. Casper	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Michael Casper)
Ezra Dweck	....	additional sound re-recording mixer
Stephanie Flack	....	dialogue editor
Paul Hackner	....	dialogue editor
Greg Hedgepath	....	supervising sound editor
Brian W. Jennings	....	sound designer
Brian W. Jennings	....	sound effects editor
Susan Kurtz	....	dialogue editor
Daniel J. Leahy	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Daniel Leahy)
Chris Navarro	....	adr recordist
James Azizi Penny	....	sound effects editor
Jason Piatt	....	foley mixer
Jacob Riehle	....	assistant sound editor (as Jacob Franklin Riehle)
Will Riley	....	additional sound re-recording mixer
Brad Sherman	....	additional re-recording mixer
Frank Smathers	....	supervising sound editor
Fred Stafford	....	adr editor
Eric Thompson	....	adr mixer
Donald L. Warner Jr.	....	foley editor (as Donald L. Warner)
Zahari Schtonov	....	sound recording engineer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Jim Eikner	....	special effects assistant (as Jim Eichner)
Stephen Hall	....	special effects assistant
Ben Ishmael	....	special effects assistant
Jesse Moorefield	....	special effects assistant
Jason Thomas	....	special effects foreman
Steve Wolf	....	special effects supervisor

Visual Effects by
David Booth	....	scanning & recording
John Daro	....	digital intermediate editor
Rick Lopez	....	digital film technician: Fotokem Film & Video
David Rosenthal	....	digital film I/O supervisor: Fotokem Film & Video

Stunts
Max Maxwell	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Peter Budd	....	grip
Alisa M. Colley	....	second assistant camera
David A. Cook	....	gaffer: Los Angeles
Dan Cornwall	....	gaffer
Tracy Facelli	....	film loader
Chris Friebus	....	second assistant camera
Richard C. Kerekes	....	dolly grip (as Rick Kerekes)
Tommy Maddox-Upshaw	....	electrician: Los Angeles (as Tommy Upshaw)
Jonathan Stoll	....	grip
Tom Weston	....	camera operator
Matt Zschoche	....	best boy electric: Los Angeles

Casting Department
Cameron Deaver	....	casting associate
Benjamin Gerry	....	casting associate
Barbara Harris	....	voice casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Meriwether Nichols	....	key costumer
Christy Hebert Crouch	....	seamstress (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Kenny Becker	....	color timer
Thanadoul Khunngam	....	post-production intern
John Nicolard	....	digital intermediate producer
David Rosenblatt	....	assistant editor
Bill Schultz	....	digital intermediate executive
Walter Volpatto	....	digital intermediate artist
Walter Volpatto	....	digital intermediate colorist
Charise E. Angone	....	post-production coordinator (uncredited)

Music Department
Scott Bomar	....	music arranger
Marc Franklin	....	music arranger
Christiaan Gordon	....	music clearances
Marvin R. Morris	....	music editor
Shie Rozow	....	music editor
Julie Sessing	....	music clearance
Paul Stewart	....	music supervisor
Mary Unobsky	....	music consultant

Other crew
Cassandra Barbour	....	rights and clearances
Cassandra Butcher	....	publicity consultant
Cassandra Butcher	....	unit publicist
Betty Chin	....	production coordinator
Tyrone D. Dixon	....	assistant: Ms. Allain
Bennett Fidlow	....	production legal
Aquil Fudge	....	accountant
Donna T. Giles	....	location manager
Hailey Giles	....	assistant location manager
Erin Hagee	....	assistant: Mr. Brewer
Sueann Han	....	production secretary
Steven Hines	....	production assistant
Michelle L. Johnson	....	assistant to producers
Sims Lawson	....	production assistant
DeAara L. Lewis	....	intern
Christopher A. Malone	....	set production assistant
Khanya Mkhize	....	adr loop group
Ilene Pickus	....	script supervisor
Erik Proveaux	....	caterer
Michael Rapaport	....	business manager
Maya Robinson	....	intern
Shaun S. Sanghani	....	set production assistant
Laura Sevier	....	rights and clearances
Mark Van Horne	....	laboratory liaison
Dalton Cole Young	....	location assistant

Thanks
Jennifer Kuwabara	....	special thanks
Sam Phillips	....	dedicatee

Production Companies

• Crunk Pictures
• Homegrown Pictures
• MTV Films
• New Deal Productions

Distributors

• Paramount Classics (2005) (USA) (theatrical)
• MTV Films (2005) (USA) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (2006) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (2006) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (2006) (Finland) (VHS)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (2006) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2006) (Argentina) (all media)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2005) (Germany) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2005) (France) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2005) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2006) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2006) (Singapore) (theatrical)

Other Companies

• Ardent Studios  score recorded at
• Atlantic Records  soundtrack released by
• Badabing Badaboom Productions  foley
• Danetracks  sound design & editorial
• Danetracks  sound post-production
• Electraphonic Recording  score recorded at
• Entertainment Clearances  rights and clearances
• Eyes of Mohr Ltd.  grip equipment
• FotoKem Film and Video  digital intermediate
• FotoKem Laboratory  color (as Fotokem)
• Jeremy Walker + Associates  publicity
• Music Resources  music clearances
• Panavision  camera and lenses
• Panavision  camera equipment (as Panavision Dallas)
• Paskal Lighting  lighting equipment (as Paskal Miami)
• Sonora Recorders  score mixed at
• Widget Post Production  temp print master
• Wilshire Stages, The  adr recorded at

MPAA:

Rated R for sex and drug content, pervasive language and some violence.

Runtime:

116 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:16 | USA:R (certificate #41196) | Singapore:M18 | Japan:PG-12 | Argentina:16 | Canada:14A | Malaysia:(Banned) | Sweden:11 | Germany:12 | Ireland:16 | Finland:K-15 (VHS rating) (2006) | Brazil:18 | South Korea:15 | Australia:M | Netherlands:12 | UK:15 | Canada:13+ (Quebec)

Filming Locations:

Memphis, Tennessee, USA

Company:

Crunk Pictures

Trivia:

Although there are numerous references to famous Memphis-based musicians in the film, Craig Brewer deliberately avoided any direct references to Elvis Presley. In an interview, Brewer said: "That was a rule. No Elvis."

Goofs:

Continuity: When Djay is recording "It's Hard out here for a Pimp," Nola's hands jump to her headphones between shots.

Quotes:

DJay: Who's this niggah?
Key: That's Shelby, he plays piano in my church. I thought he could help us develop your sound.
DJay: You know he's white, right?
Key: Naw, he just light-skinned.

Movie Connections:

References The Poor and Hungry (2000)

Soundtrack:

Edwin's Lament

Pleasantly Surprised

I recently had the pleasure of viewing a local Hustle & Flow screening. I referred to this site beforehand to look at the technical details of the movie and to gain a general understanding of the buzz from the message boards. All I seem to recall reading were negative comments about the movie saying that it was such a cliché. Well, maybe I haven't seen as many movies in the hip hop coming of age genre, but the only movie I recall being remotely close to this one was 8 Mile (which I liked btw). Anyways, I saw the movie and I really don't think it was that cliché. The dialog is definitely original, the characters are original, the location is original, and there is a lot of depth within the character of DJay, the pimp trying to become a rapper. I thought the acting in the movie was excellent and I am glad that there is a wide release movie out this summer that isn't a sequel and didn't cost $200 million to make. This movie is bound to do very well, it only cost $3 million to make and it is a pretty good movie. The only problems I had with this movie were with some of the logic and character motivation. I don't think the movie explained very well WHY DJay (the pimp) wanted to become a rapper all of a sudden. They make the entire music making process seem like a piece of cake, but hey it is a movie and there are ultimately time constraints. I thought DJ Qualls was gonna be just a really lame piece of comic relief, but he actually adds depth to the film. I found Hustle & Flow to be very enjoyable and much more memorable than Batman Begins (which I saw last night!). This movie is definitely worth seeing this summer.