Running with Scissors (2006)

Director:

Ryan Murphy

Writers (WGA):

Ryan Murphy (screenplay)
Augusten Burroughs (book)

Release Date:

27 October 2006 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

Ever have one of those lives?

Plot:

Young Augusten Burroughs absorbs experiences that could make for a shocking memoir: the son of an alcoholic father and an unstable mother, he's handed off to his mother's therapist, Dr. Finch, and spends his adolescent years as a member of Finch's bizarre extended family.

Plot Keywords:

Divorce | Therapist | Memoir | Racist Comment | Kitchen

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 1 win & 3 nominations

Cast

Annette Bening	...	Deirdre Burroughs
Brian Cox	...	Dr. Finch
Joseph Fiennes	...	Neil Bookman
Evan Rachel Wood	...	Natalie Finch
Alec Baldwin	...	Norman Burroughs
Joseph Cross	...	Augusten Burroughs
Jill Clayburgh	...	Agnes Finch
Gwyneth Paltrow	...	Hope Finch
Gabrielle Union	...	Dorothy
Patrick Wilson	...	Michael Shephard
Kristin Chenoweth	...	Fern Stewart
Dagmara Dominczyk	...	Suzanne
Colleen Camp	...	Joan
Jack Kaeding	...	Six-Year-Old Augusten Burroughs
Gabriel Guedj	...	Poo
Nancy Cassaro	...	Christy - 1978 Poetry Club
Omid Abtahi	...	Restaurant Manager
Julie Remala	...	Restaurant Waitress
Will Carter	...	Officer Button
Bonnie Weis	...	Cocktail Waitress
Dakotah Masset	...	Waitress
Marianne Muellerleile	...	Nurse
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Augusten Burroughs	...	Himself (uncredited)
Leslie Grossman	...	Sue (uncredited)
Lindsay Huff	...	Co-Ed (uncredited)
Janis Jones	...	Lesbian Poet (uncredited)
Joshua Levine	...	Chris (uncredited)
Devanny Pinn	...	Poetry Club Member (uncredited)
Gary Sievers	...	Jewish Rabbi (uncredited)
Scott Slifer	...	Audience Member (uncredited)
Cole Volmer	...	College student (uncredited)
Rachel Zeskind	...	Deirdre Obsessed Fan (uncredited)

Directed by
Ryan Murphy

Writing credits (WGA)
Ryan Murphy		(screenplay)
Augusten Burroughs		(book "Running with Scissors: A Memoir")

Produced by
Augusten Burroughs	....	co-producer
Dede Gardner	....	producer
Brad Grey	....	producer
Ryan Murphy	....	producer
Brad Pitt	....	producer
Steve Samuels	....	executive producer (as Steven Samuels)
Bonnie Weis	....	co-producer

Original Music by
James S. Levine

Cinematography by
Christopher Baffa

Film Editing by
Byron Smith

Casting by
Mali Finn

Production Design by
Richard Sherman

Art Direction by
Lorin Flemming

Set Decoration by
Matthew 'Flood' Ferguson

Costume Design by
Lou Eyrich

Makeup Department
Stacey K. Black	....	key hair stylist
Cydney Cornell	....	hair stylist: Ms. Bening
Stephanie A. Fowler	....	makeup artist (as Stephanie Fowler)
Zoe Hay	....	makeup artist
Julie Hewett	....	makeup artist: Ms. Bening
Laurel Kelly	....	hair stylist (as Laurel E. Kelly)
Eryn Krueger Mekash	....	key makeup artist (as Eryn Krueger)
Elisa Marsh	....	hair stylist
Michele Tyminski	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Tim Pedegana	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Dirk Craft	....	first assistant director
Elenie Mansalis	....	second assistant director
Maura McKeown	....	second second assistant director (as Maura Redmond)

Art Department
Chris Clark	....	set dresser
Brendon Crigler	....	set dresser
Ian Kay	....	assistant property master
Mark David Kersey	....	head greensman
Jim Motyl	....	lead man
Missy Parker	....	buyer
Christopher Redmond	....	property master
Marissa Zajack	....	art department coordinator

Sound Department
Rick Ash	....	sound re-recording mixer
Rickley W. Dumm	....	sound effects editor
Russell Farmarco	....	adr dialogue supervisor
Frank Gaeta	....	supervising sound editor
Luis Galdames	....	assistant sound editor
Marc A. Gilmartin	....	sound mixer
Patrick Giraudi	....	sound re-recording mixer
Catherine Harper	....	foley artist
Darrin Mann	....	foley mixer
Christopher Moriana	....	foley artist
Chris Navarro	....	adr recordist
Todd Niesen	....	dialogue denoising
Sarah Payan	....	sound editor
Terry Rodman	....	sound re-recording mixer
Gabriel J. Serrano	....	sound recordist
Eric Thompson	....	adr mixer
Carl D. Ware	....	sound engineer

Visual Effects by
Saeed Faridzadeh	....	digital compositor
Ntana Key	....	second digital colorist: EFILM
Jennifer Law-Stump	....	digital effects artist: Pacific Title Digital
Robert E. Phillips	....	digital intermediate assistant producer: EFILM
Steven J. Scott	....	supervising digital colorist: EFilm

Stunts
Thomas M. Ficke	....	stunt coordinator
Noon Orsatti	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Clyde E. Bryan	....	first assistant camera
J.A. Byerly	....	rigging gaffer
Mitch Byerly	....	electrician
Charles Crivier	....	dolly grip
Christopher Duskin	....	camera operator
Andrew Glover	....	chief lighting technician
Greg Hewett	....	key grip
Dan Kneece	....	Steadicam operator
Mark Mele	....	rigging electrician
Haydn Pazanti	....	camera loader
John Scott	....	camera operator
Ryan Shopay	....	lighting technician
Justin Stroh	....	electrician
Suzanne Tenner	....	still photographer
Henry Tirl	....	Steadicam operator
Suzanne Trucks	....	second assistant camera
Earl C. Williman	....	rigging best boy
Matt Zschoche	....	additional lighting technician

Casting Department
Deanna Brigidi	....	casting assistant
David Rapaport	....	casting associate
Pete Sutton	....	extras casting
Sean Kevin Sweeney	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Bethany Bernhard	....	costumer
Anita Louise Brown	....	set costumer
Jenny Eagan	....	costumer
Suzanne Flores	....	additional costumer
Delia Hauser	....	wardrobe production assistant
Jennifer Morrison Holyfield	....	costumer: Ms. Bening (as Jennifer M. Holyfield)
Jude Christian Orlando	....	costume illustrator
Christine Wada	....	key costumer
Julie Yang	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
Christopher Grizey	....	post-production assistant
Jennifer Hatton	....	first assistant editor
Mo Henry	....	negative cutter
Jim Passon	....	color timer
Robert E. Phillips	....	digital intermediate assistant producer: EFILM
Faust Pierfederici	....	digital preview colorist
Fulvio Valsangiacomo	....	assistant editor

Music Department
P.J. Bloom	....	music supervisor
Tom Trafalski	....	music editor
Josh Klein	....	assistant to composer (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Bruce Callahan	....	driver
Eddie Santana	....	driver
Gary 'Little G' Williams	....	driver: Ms. Bening

Other crew
Crisoforo Aguilar	....	key set production assistant
Beth Bargas	....	first assistant accountant
Judith M. Brown	....	studio teacher
Chelsey Cardon	....	production assistant
Cory Cate	....	production assistant
Matt Clifford	....	accounting clerk
Ashley Contino	....	assistant to cast
Dante	....	warm-up comic
Antony Diamond	....	remote head technician
Melissa Engle	....	production assistant
Robert Foulkes	....	location manager
Terri Greening	....	accountant
Christopher Grizey	....	production assistant
Chris Gutierrez	....	location scout
Daniel Hall	....	craft service
David Henke	....	key assistant location manager
Thomas Kearney	....	production assistant
Tilu Khalayi	....	second assistant accountant
Ron Landry	....	production assistant
Susanne Lariviere	....	post-production accountant
Alexis Martin	....	assistant: Mr. Murphy
Joe May	....	production assistant
Meredith Mohr	....	assistant: Ms. Bening
Alba Morera-Vallverdu	....	production assistant
Angela Randazzo	....	payroll accountant
David Showers	....	assistant: Ms. Gardner
Jessie Sieben	....	production assistant
Spooky Stevens	....	unit publicist
Diana Valentine	....	script supervisor
Rorie D. Van Klaveren	....	assistant production coordinator
Eve Watterson	....	production coordinator
Anne Lockhart	....	adr voice group (uncredited)
Richard M. Newkirk	....	stand-in (uncredited)
Andre Panossian	....	technical advisor (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Plan B Entertainment
• Sound for Film

Distributors

• Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) (2006) (USA) (theatrical)
• TriStar Pictures (2006) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia Pictures (2006) (Philippines) (theatrical)
• Sony Pictures Releasing (2007) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Sony Pictures Releasing (2007) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International (2007) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Films de Argentina (2007) (Argentina) (all media)
• LK-TEL (2007) (Argentina) (DVD)
• LK-TEL (2007) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2007) (Greece) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2007) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Pacific Title (opticals)

Other Companies

• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  cranes and dollies
• EMI Records  soundtrack (as EMI America Records)
• Pivotal Post  Avid editing equipment provided by
• Scarlet Letters  end titles
• Wildfire Studios  ADR Recording Facility
• Wilshire Stages, The  ADR recording facility

MPAA:

Rated R for strong language and elements of sexuality, violence and substance abuse.

Runtime:

USA:116 min | USA:122 min (DVD) | Argentina:116 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:R | Finland:K-15 | UK:15 | Ireland:16 | Malaysia:(Banned) | Singapore:M18 | Germany:12 | Canada:14A (Ontario) | Argentina:13 | New Zealand:R16 | Netherlands:6 | Australia:MA | South Korea:15

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Plan B Entertainment

Trivia:

Julianne Moore was originally attached to play Deirdre Burroughs.

Goofs:

Continuity: The amount of damage to the ceiling changes between shots when Natalie and Augusten are making a skylight.

Quotes:

Dr. Finch: My turd is a direct communication from the Holy Father.

Movie Connections:

References Frankenstein (1931)

Soundtrack:

O Tannenbaum

Running with Scissors is strange and psychotically contagious

Running with Scissors reviewed by Sam Osborn

I've become all too wary of memoirs lately. Not because of the James Frey debacle, but because they've become the literary equivalent of the biopic at the movies. Just as I've grown tired of seeing the rise and inevitable fall of infamous icons during Oscar season, I've grown tired of plowing through the literary lives of men and women compelled to account their abusive childhoods, sexual deviancy, problems with drugs and alcohol, and, the real must, their harebrained families. The books sell well because readers love gossip, scandal, and melodrama. Running with Scissors has no shortage of such pulpy details, as its hero, Augusten Burroughs, has all the makings of memoir sentimentality. He was born into a selfish, dysfunctional family, adopted by his mother's psychiatrist, attempted suicide, turned out to be gay, and was exposed to sex at a young age under the hands of a man much past his age. His life was, if nothing else, screwed up enough to put into a book. But while I'm a pessimist to the genre, Running with Scissors is strange and psychotically contagious.

To oversimplify the matter, the film is a collection of people dealing with their issues. Heading up the Burroughs family is Norman Burroughs (Alec Baldwin), a business man with the sedated lick of alcoholism whose only wish seems to be to sidestep his wife's raging narcissism. Dierdre (Annete Bening), his wife, is a selfish would-be writing starlet whose lack of talent is constantly at odds with the confidence that she deserves a Nobel Prize. Her failure she blames on the supposed acts of sabotage by Norman, of which she confides in her only son Augusten. The family begins counseling with Doctor Finch (Brian Cox), the man who eventually adopts Augusten when Norman walks out and Dierdre begins popping Valium like prescription Skittles. The Finch family seems to be no upgrade though, as Agnes (Jill Clayburgh), the mother, is first seen munching on dog kibble, Hope (Gwyneth Paltrow), the favored daughter, is known to talk to her cat Freud, and Natalie (Evan Rachel Wood), the second daughter, tries to open Augusten up by using electro-shock therapy. Their home is an old-money palace painted blazing pink, with various lawn furniture, cobbled windows, and a Christmas tree that's been erect for over two years.

My Mother happens to be mildly obsessed with Augusten Burroughs. She speaks of his stories and literary adventures as though they're the loopy reveries of a second son she birthed into paperback. So several months ago I took her to our hometown bookshop, The Boulder Bookstore, to see Mr. Burroughs speak on his most recent book, Magical Thinking. I'd read a few of his stories at my Mom's urgent requests and flipped through a couple chapters of his first memoir (the film's source), Running with Scissors, in preparation. I knew enough, I felt, to hold my own in a book signing. But as the first hand was raised during the Q&A segment of the presentation, a woman asked how Augusten's dog was doing, how his partner was holding up, if they'd purchased that house he mentioned, and if those shoes were still in mint condition. I was obviously behind the curve. Mr. Burroughs has entrusted so much of his intimate life with his writing. It's organic and swelling with humor drawn from a frank self-awareness that doesn't embarrass him or his readers. His audience isn't a third-party to his life, they're all his closest friends; quite a job for rookie feature Writer/Director Ryan Murphy.

Murphy approaches the material very cinematically, using every magic trick offered to him by his technicians. This is no shaky, documentary-style memoir that shreds cinema to the tatters of the broken characters on screen. Murphy's characters are heightened to hyperbolic altitude, but are anchored to a reality only gotten from the pages of non-fiction accounting. His film is tightly-knit, too, with every line of dialogue truly used and with characters' stories intertwined into a family of glowing psychosis. It makes for a film constructed from quirk and color, but Murphy's characters can't seem to escape from being so human. They deal with their issues, but like humans, rarely manage to solve them. It can be appalling and sometimes painful, but Burroughs and Murphy's stories are just too lovely to turn your back to.

Rating: 3.5 out of 4

Sam Osborn