THE CAST
Patrick Bateman CHRISTIAN BALE
Donald Kimball WILLEM DAFOE
Paul Allen JARED LETO
Evelyn Williams REESE WITHERSPOON
Courtney Rawlinson SAMANTHA MATHIS
Jean CHLOE SEVIGNY
Timothy Bryce JUSTIN THEROUX
Craig McDermott JOSH LUCAS
Elizabeth GUINEVERE TURNER
Luis Carruthers MATT ROSS
David Van Patten BILL SAGE
Christie CARA SEYMOUR
Stash PARK BENCH
Vanden CATHERINE BLACK
THE FILMMAKERS
Writer/Director MARY HARRON
Writer GUINEVERE TURNER
Producers EDWARD R. PRESSMAN
CHRIS HANLEY
CHRISTIAN HALSEY SOLOMON
Co-producers ERNIE BARBARESH
CIFFORD STREIT
JOSEPH DRAKE
Executive Producers MICHAEL PASEORNEK
JEFF SACKMAN
JOE DRAKE
Director of Photography ANDRZEJ SEKULA
Production Designer GIDEON PONTE
Art Director ANDREW STEARN
Costume Designer ISIS MUSSENDEN
Editor ANDREW MARCUS
Casting BILLY HOPKINS
SUZANNE SMITH
KERRY BARDEN
Music Supervisor RANDALL POSTER
Original Music Composed by JOHN CALE
About the Production
Bret Easton Ellis’ "American Psycho" was perhaps the most controversial and hotly-debated novel of the last decade. Inciting all manner of protests for its graphic violence, its intensely dark tone made both the book and its author the subject of intense criticism. But the novel was not without its defenders. Christopher Lehmann-Haupt of The New York Times noted that "it’s as if ‘American Psycho’ had returned us to some bygone age when books were still a matter of life and death instead of something to distract us on a flight between JFK and LAX." And, Lehmann-Haupt may have best conveyed the essence of the book in his description of its central character: "Patrick Bateman lives in a morally flat world in which clothes have more value than skin, objects are worth more than bones, and the human soul is something to be sought with knives and hatchets and drills."
Few characters have personified an era as disturbingly as Patrick Bateman. In the same way that FRANKENSTEIN gave us a monster for its time, AMERICAN PSYCHO gives us a monster for the late 20th century. Showing contemporary urban life through the eyes of a serial killer -- forcing readers to enter his mind and understand his motives -- the book sets forth a vision that is both terrifying and chilling.
A superbly wrought specimen who has all the accoutrements of a young "master of the universe," from designer wardrobe to designer pharmaceuticals, Bateman is seemingly perfect -- just like everyone else in his crowd. He desperately wants to fit in yet, the terrible irony is, the more he tries to be like every other money-drenched man on Wall Street, the more faceless he becomes -- and the less control he has over the terrible urges that, ironically, make him feel like an individual. Bateman is a paragon of conformity in an amoral society where to conform is to be amoral.
But, more than other fictional criminals, the character of Patrick Bateman seemed to strike a particularly raw cultural nerve. Woven inextricably into his bloodlust was his lust for things, a kind of material fetishism for well known brand name, products, and places, that seemed almost as gruesome as his crimes. Relentlessly, he reminded us of our culture’s insatiable greed during the extraordinary economic boom of the late 1980s. By implicating us into Bateman’s nightmarish world through the very clothes we wore and things we owned, by linking every trend we followed and every pop icon we worshipped to such a morally bankrupt murderer, AMERICAN PSYCHO might have struck too close to home -- but what a beautifully decorated home it was!
Now, nearly a decade after the book’s publication, benefiting from the distance and sharpened perspective that come with time, "American Psycho’s" provocative social commentary can be re-evaluated and appreciated. Looking back from the cusp of the new millennium, we realize it operates metaphorically and that its content is not as emotionally charged nor as literal as it once seemed. It can finally be confronted -- this time in the form of a stunning social satire for the screen.
Lions Gate Films and Edward R. Pressman Film Corp. present "American Psycho." Directed by Mary Harron, AMERICAN PSYCHO was adapted for the screen by Harron and Guinevere Turner based on the novel by Bret Easton Ellis. The film stars Christian Bale, as Patrick Bateman. Rounding out the ensemble are Willem Dafoe, Jared Leto, Reese Witherspoon, Samantha Mathis, Chloe Sevigny, Justin Theroux, Matt Ross, Bill Sage and Cara Seymour. Produced by Edward Pressman, Chris Hanley and Christian Halsey Solomon, the film is executive produced by Michael Paseornek, Jeff Sackman and Joe Drake.
* * *
Unfazed by the controversy that AMERICAN PSYCHO stirred up, director/screenwriter Mary Harron looked past the book’s graphic violence and recognized a valid vision of our culture. She also saw that the intervening years would allow a new perspective on the material. When both the era and the book are viewed from the distance of nearly a decade, she explains, AMERICAN PSYCHO comes into focus as "a brilliant social satire and a devastating portrait of the 1980s. The book captures the insanity of that period like nothing else."
In the hands of Harron and co-writer Guinevere Turner, the story was transformed into a screenplay that Harron describes as "a kind of fable rather than a realistic drama, because on a literal level, Bateman would never have gotten away with it. But that is precisely the point of the novel -- and the film -- that might have become lost in the controversy. The fact is, no one suspects Bateman of being a monster because his externals fit so perfectly into his social landscape. ‘AMERICAN PSYCHO’ is not a ‘message’ movie -- we’re not preaching -- but I hope that the film does reveal something about our society," Harron says.
The result is a scathing, almost Swiftian social commentary that uses a particularly compelling criminal as a barometer for his times. On screen, Bale’s Bateman has such disparate and disturbing antecedents as the creepiness that Peter Lorre pathetic compulsive killer in Fritz Lang’s classic, "M," the stylish and superficially charming Joseph Cotton in Hitchcock’s SHADOW OF A DOUBT, and the gleefully amoral Malcolm McDowell in Kubrick’s A CLOCKWORK ORANGE.
And, even though AMERICAN PSYCHO is presented as a period piece, albeit a not-too-distant past, it has contemporary resonance and, like its predecessors, it aspires to timelessness. "When I first thought about doing the movie, I was looking at it as a period piece," Harron notes, "because in 1996 we were looking back at an era that I thought was long gone. As it turns out, today’s stock market is wilder than ever, and people are once again obsessed with consumption. It’s just less shameless than it was ten years ago. Everything in the 80s was over the top – think about Christian Lacroix and the fact that ‘beggars purses’ filled with caviar appeared on menus. Today the money is back, and while the spending is a little less flagrant than it was ten years ago, people seem just as unconcerned with the plight of those less fortunate."
While the book’s notoriety sprang from its depictions of violence, the film has taken a different tack. To draw out the tale’s satirical essence, Harron and Turner pared down the original story and selected pivotal moments, capitalizing on the humor in characters’ behavior and retaining key elements of Ellis’ "brilliant and very funny dialogue," says Turner. In addition, most of the violence takes place off-screen. "We knew from the start," Turner continues, "that if done incorrectly, this screenplay could translate into an exploitative slasher film. That was the last thing we wanted. Instead, what isn’t seen is far more terrifying." Harron’s production designer Gideon Ponte calls their philosophy "a form of ‘less is more.’ The approach is minimalist, relying on a few creepy details here and there. Then it’s up to viewers to use their imaginations and fill in what happened."
The violence in the film is purposely oblique and stylized because, as Bateman descends deeper into the indulgence of his dark urges, and as his frenzies become more out of control, he begins to lose touch with reality. "The last third of the film becomes more surreal, to the point where we are no longer sure whether what we are watching is reality or Bateman’s hallucinations," says Harron. One such scene has Bateman returning to Paul Allen’s apartment, which he has turned Into his own personal morgue, only to find the walls freshly painted and an ice-cold real estate Lady standing guard. Is it a joke about protecting New York real estate values at any cost? A hint that Allen’s family discovered the victims, and is covering up for him? Is the realtor the embodiment of Bateman’s mounting fear and paranoia? Did Bateman actually kill Allen, or did he just desperately want to?
"Sometimes we veer abruptly from a comic scene to a very unsettling one," Harron adds. "I wanted all of the violence to be disturbing, except perhaps the murder of Paul Allen, which is more like black comedy, and only then because Paul is Bateman’s doppelganger. It’s comic because its as if Bateman were killing himself, yet he is careful to do it without messing up his apartment. The other murders are intended to be upsetting; they are not played for laughs, but for true terror. I wanted to make sure that Bateman’s victims were not anonymous people. In the film, we get to know them enough to feel for them – especially Christie the prostitute."
* * *
The idea to bring "American Psycho" to the screen came to producer Edward R. Pressman when he read the novel during the summer of 1992. Within days the Los Angeles riots erupted and Pressman recalls, "on television were images of poor people looting and running through the streets. At the same time, I was reading this book about prosperity and people obsessed with objects. The contrast had a big impact on me."
In the following months, art dealers in London were buzzing about the book, which is how producer Chris Hanley heard of it. Pressman, his associate Christian Halsey Solomon, along with Hanley passed the book around at the Cannes Film Festival, where Hanley recalls flipping to the scene in which Bateman murders Paul Allen with an axe ("This would be great fun," Hanley remembers thinking). The following winter, he saw Harron’s film "I Shot Andy Warhol," and was impressed with her ability to re-create period, atmosphere, and detail. A former New York art dealer, Hanley had known Warhol and thought Jared Harris’ portrayal under Harron’s direction was completely authentic. Says Hanley, "I heard that Mary had done documentaries in the ‘80s and thought she might be the perfect person to do ‘American Psycho.’"
That spring Harron met with Pressman and Hanley in New York to talk about the screenplay. Before she arrived on the project, three separate drafts had been attempted without success. Harron wanted to try creating a new version in collaboration with writing partner Guinevere Turner, with whom Harron was already at work on another script. Says Hanley: "Mary and Guin’s version was the best of all possible worlds."
The book had already stirred up controversy on several fronts, mostly because of its graphic violence. Simon & Schuster had originally contracted for the rights, but the company stunned the publishing world by refusing to publish the manuscript Ellis delivered. Vintage Books, a division of Random House Inc., then picked it up. The novel’s depiction of violence against women was soon the subject of protests by the Los Angeles chapter of the National Organization for Women. Booksellers responded with caution; supporting the author’s right of expression, they agreed to sell the book, but they also chose not to display it prominently.
Protesters seized upon the fact that most of Bateman’s hostility is directed toward women. However, Harron points out that she and Turner were actually struck by what an anti-male document AMERICAN PSYCHO was. "We both tend to engage more with female characters," Harron says, "and in this story, the only sympathetic characters are women. That interested us. Then, there’s the fact that Bateman and his friends are definitely not admirable. Though he’s the ‘ideal’ -- such a perfect macho, young lion, an alpha male for our time, that no one even notices he’s psychotic. He takes the culture’s obsessions to the nth degree. Whereas most of these young men despise the poor, Bateman kills them. Where the others devastate their rivals -- he kills them. Where they treat women with contempt -- he kills them."
"I think ‘American Psycho’ is very feminist," Turner stresses. "It’s easy to believe that because the character is misogynist, the story is too. But, it was obvious to me there was something going on beneath the horror. For instance, the book shows how the excesses of the 1980s were manifested in warped relations, not only between men and women but also among men. That’s where a lot of the humor lies, in poking fun at these peacocks who are so strangely preoccupied with one another. It ends up being an indictment of machismo and misogyny."
While Turner saw this script as a chance to craft a complex story with multiple levels, she also admits that it borrows elements from "one of my favorite genres -- the funny horror film. There are so few, and they’re rarely done well." Harron even likens Patrick Bateman to Frankenstein or a vampire leading a double life. "Bateman is also kind of monster," she says, "but in his case the disfigurement is inside. He cannot feel any normal emotion, he was born emotionally deformed. So here is this talented creature, playing at being human, trying to ‘pass’ as a normal person, while he prowls among them. It’s the classic monster story, with the same hint of tragedy since Bateman cannot change what he is."
The writers note, too, that in a strange way Bateman verges on becoming a sympathetic character because he cannot help himself -- just like Dr. Frankenstein’s creation. "He’s compelled to do what he does," says Turner. "He even tries desperately to get caught, as if being branded for his brutality will distinguish him from everyone else. But it doesn’t work. He always blends in perfectly. Not even his lawyer remembers who he is."
The unfolding cinematic fable suggests a series of themes about the 1980s: the obsession with outer perfection, even when it masks inner emptiness; the amoral insistence on conformity at all costs; the desire for stimulation that keeps raising the threshold higher -- more drugs, money, sex, sound, color, action; and the emotional isolation, expressed by Bateman’s videotape addiction, and the fact that he has no back-story, no family, no real characteristics apart from the labels on his clothes. Bateman, Turner concludes, is "less a person and more a phenomenon. He is the personification of his environment."
* * *
Though the character is archetypal and iconographic, Harron stresses the importance of playing it naturalistically, using understatement to heighten the satire. For Bateman, Harron’s first choice was Christian Bale, a British actor in his mid 20s who was good looking enough to embody the era’s cosmetic ideal, but who had the emotional depth, technical acting skills, and experience to carry the film. Bale prepared for months, transforming himself physically through diet and a heavy exercise regimen. He trained with a voice coach to perfect the right preppy, Wall Street accent. Says Harron, "Christian worked so rigorously that he arrived on set the first day with a fully realized performance that was worked out to almost every detail. He needed very little direction. We used to call him robo-actor on the set because his continuity was flawless and he never forgot his lines."
Harron continues, "Although Bateman is the centerpiece for the film, I was lucky to get such a brilliant group of actors for the other roles, from Willem Dafoe who is wonderfully disconcerting as a detective; to Bill Sage, Josh Lucas, Matt Ross, and Justin Theroux as the pack Bateman runs with; and to Jared Leto as his nemesis, Paul Allen.
"The women’s parts, of course, were crucial – I wanted actors with the depth and power to shine through and even dominate their scenes with Christian. While Bateman’s fiancée Evelyn, played by Reese Witherspoon, is a kind of splendid monster, you admire her ability to boss Bateman around. Samantha Mathis gives the drugged out Courtney, Bateman’s mistress, a poignant, tragic vulnerability. As Jean, Chloe Sevigny brings an innocence and humanity to a character with whom the audience can perhaps most identify -- Bateman’s secretary who is "in love with the boss" -- by demonstrating a range of normal human emotion in an otherwise cold and shallow world. And for Christie, the prostitute, I was very keen to cast Cara Seymour, a great stage actress who was able to convey a whole drama through facial expression alone. Although she has relatively few lines, Christie brings a lot of suspense to the film as she figures out exactly the kind of person Bateman really is."
Harron also recruited an impressive production team to give the film a subtly stylized look. The goal: to recreate the 1980s without becoming either too literal or too much of caricature. Operating on the premise that "there’s nothing stranger than real life," production designer Gideon Ponte undertook extensive research. "The only problem," he says, "is that when it comes to set design, this film falls somewhere between a period piece and the present day. No one’s collecting memorabilia from the ‘80s yet."
In addition to gathering superannuated VHS video machines, Beta cameras and original Walkmans, Ponte collaborated with several artists who first won recognition in the late 1980s, among them Cindy Sherman, Ross Bleckner, Jeff Koons, Robert Longo and Richard Prince, featuring their art in a number of scenes. "Many of their works even explore the same ideas as AMERICAN PSYCHO," Ponte notes. "There is a slightly artificial quality to the sets," he adds, "since the characters all have interior designers. There’s a sense of things being thought out just a bit too much, a little overconceptualized. After all, these are people who paid someone to decide who they are."
Many will take note of the music that Bateman plays on his brand-new CD player and clunky graphic equalizer: Genesis’ "In Too Deep," Phil Collins’ "Susudio" and Huey Lewis and the News’ "Hip to Be Square" are all part of his complex frame of reference and seem to resonate for him in a very profound way. "I found that the music that worked best in the film is very glossy, bright, upbeat pop music that symbolized the spirit of the age which was ‘be rich, be happy, have fun,’" says Harron. "Bateman finds profundity in what he sees as a reflection of his inner self in the music of the time. But through him, the songs also take on a sinister quality because it is clear they are the inspiration for -- and the soundtrack for -- his murderous frenzies. For this reason, the happier the songs, the better they worked for the kind of humor we were going for. In a lot of ways it was hard to find the right music, since much of what came out in the late ‘80s was either too alternative or too techno. As Bateman himself points out, even Huey Lewis’ early stuff ‘was a little too New Wave for my taste’."
Apart from the source music, the rest of the soundtrack is by acclaimed composer John Cale. "Cale was going for a soulful, even melancholy sound to compliment the soundtrack’s poppy brightness," says Harron. The composer, who also contributed the score for her "I Shot Andy Warhol," "at times had to write the soundtrack playing in Bateman’s head," continues Harron. For example, "John had to write in a more Hollywood style to match Bateman’s surreal, overblown shootout scene. In a way, Bateman is living his own movie, especially towards the end. We needed a score to mirror Bateman living out his fantasy."
The characters in AMERICAN PSYCHO are also captive to 1987 fashion, which costume designer Isis Mussenden describes as "much bigger than now -- shoulders with lots of pads, big glasses, big earrings and necklaces, and clothes that used large quantities of fabric. It’s a general rule of thumb that when times are affluent, the clothing becomes voluminous." Mussenden’s challenge was threefold. "As a costume designer, my first job is to interpret the script and build characters off the clothes," she says. "Clothing not only conveys character and mood visually, it also tells the story. When Bateman is feeling powerful, he wears a red tie, a shirt with bold stripes. But in weaker moments he appears in a lighter suit and a less flattering yellow tie.
"Secondly, this film is unusual because so much revolves around mistaken identity. The challenge is to make the actors look alike and, at the same time, individual. Finally, it’s also important to recreate the persistent name-dropping found in the book," Mussenden adds. To that end, she received loans of actual 1980s clothing from an assortment of prominent designers. For "the downtown, edgy, Soho style," Vivienne Westwood, Gaultier, Versace and Betsy Johnson are represented, while the era’s Asian influences are reflected in fashions by Issey Miyaki, Yohji Yamamoto and Kenzo.
Most importantly, Mussenden worked closely with the house of designer Nino Cerruti, who was and remains one of the defining designers for men (and women) who, like Bateman, aspire to a look of prosperity and elegance without veering too far from center. "They pulled some of their archived patterns and we used them to, essentially, design a 1980s Cerruti line for the film. They even made us several suits and coats from ‘80s patterns. Cerruti truly understands the subtle difference between simply creating beautiful designer clothes and creating costumes that convey character and plot. His house was wonderful to work with."
When thinking about the look of AMERICAN PSYCHO, Harron had in mind the films of Kubrick and Hitchcock, who created worlds that looked as bright and clear as their stories they were telling within them were dark. "I love the way Hitchcock’s films can seem even more sinister by using bright light and sunny surfaces, and how Kubrick’s use of deep focus give his films a sharp, unsettling look," says Harron. "I also thought about how Polanski, in movies like "The Tenant" and "Rosemary’s Baby," could make the rooms of an apartment as sinister as the actors in the film. I was looking for a style of cinematography that was hyper-real and incredibly clear."
Harron found the ideal Director of Photography in Andrzej Sekula, best known for his collaboration with Quentin Tarantino Sekula contributed just such a style to the look of AMERICAN PSYCHO and his working philosophy, he explains, is "to make the film look as real, as three-dimensional as possible. When there is no imperfection in the filmmaking -- when it’s sharp and grainless --then it even seems more than real." He used only the highest quality lenses and film stock, shooting the film in super 35mm to achieve a clarity that he believes is particularly important for a film like "American Psycho," where the violence is often implied, not seen: "The quality heightens the impact. It’s much easier for the viewer to become involved." In fact, Sekula’s technique is designed to more fully communicate Bateman’s strange inner world.
"You could describe AMERICAN PSYCHO as a film about perfect surfaces and what might be lurking beneath," says Harron. "Inside, Bateman might want it all to stop, but for him it’s a compulsion," Harron concludes. "He’s like the serial killer in M, who says: ‘You have a choice, but I can’t help what I am.’"
The Cast
Christian Bale (Patrick Bateman) is one of the finest -- and busiest -- young actors working today. Currently on location in New York shooting the Paramount Pictures re-make of SHAFT, directed by John Singleton and starring Samuel L. Jackson (in which Bale plays the villain), his recent starring roles were opposite Ewan McGregor in Todd Haynes’ VELVET GOLDMINE; opposite Emily Watson in METROLAND; and opposite John Hurt in Jeremy Thomas’ ALL THE LITTLE ANIMALS. He also appeared in A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM with Kevin Kline, Michele Pfeiffer, and Calista Flockhart.
Born in Wales, Bale made his major film debut starring in Steven Spielberg’s
epic EMPIRE OF THE SUN, then followed with Kenneth Branagh’s HENRY V, the
cult musical NEWSIES and TREASURE ISLAND, opposite Charlton Heston and
Oliver Reed. Bale co-starred with Mel Gibson in the Disney animated feature
POCAHONTAS, then broke hearts around the world when he starred with Winona
Ryder in LITTLE WOMEN, and opposite Nicole Kidman in Jane Campion’s THE PORTRAIT OF A LADY. Bale continued to garner critical kudos for his work in "Christopher Hampton’s THE SECRET AGENT and other credits include SWING KIDS with Barbara Hershey and Kenneth Branagh, A MURDER OF QUALITY and HEART OF THE COUNTRY for the BBC, "Anastasia: The Mystery of Anna" for NBC and the recent holiday special, "Mary, Mother of Jesus."
Willem Dafoe (Donald Kimball) has delivered powerful performances in a surprising array of motion pictures and plays, most recently Paul Schrader’s AFFLICTION, David Cronenberg’s eXistenZ, Paul Auster’s LULU ON THE BRIDGE and the Wooster Group’s production of Eugene O’Neill’s "The Hairy Ape."
Dafoe is well known for his acclaimed work in such films as THE ENGLISH PATIENT, THE LAST TEMPTATION OF CHRIST, WILD AT HEART, FAR AWAY, SO CLOSE and MISSISSIPPI BURNING. Other credits include SPEED 2: CRUISE CONTROL, TOM & VIV, CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER, LIGHT SLEEPER, BORN ON THE FOURTH OF JULY, TO LIVE AND DIE IN L.A, TRIUMPH OF THE SPIRIT, WHITE SANDS, BODY OF EVIDENCE and OFF LIMITS. He received an Academy Award nomination for his work in PLATOON.
Jared Leto (Paul Owen) recently appeared in Terrence Malick’s epic drama THE THIN RED LINE and starred in the thriller URBAN LEGEND. However, his first major role -- in the critically acclaimed "My So-Called Life" -- came shortly after he left his filmmaking studies at New York’s School of Visual Arts to pursue an acting career. Since then, Leto’s credits include a role in HOW TO MAKE AN AMERICAN QUILT, followed by starring roles in PREFONTAINE and SWITCHBACK. He also portrayed the title character in BASIL and co-starred in David Fincher’s FIGHT CLUB. Curreb. Currently, he can be seen in GIRL, INTERRUPTED with Wynona Ryder.
Reese Witherspoon (Evelyn Williams) recently starred in the widely acclaimed hit films ELECTION and PLEASANTVILLE. Prior to that she drew attention for her roles in the teen drama CRUEL INTENTIONS and the dramatic thriller TWILIGHT. Witherspoon first attracted attention with her roles in THE MAN IN THE MOON and A FAR OFF PLACE, followed by the Lifetime feature "Wildflower." She also starred in the thriller FEAR and the independent feature FREEWAY.
Samantha Mathis (Courtney Rawlinson) recently completed the films THE SIMIAN LINE, directed by Linda Yellin, and the Showtime feature FREAK CITY. Mathis also starred in BROKEN ARROW, JACK AND SARAH, THE AMERICAN PRESIDENT and HOW TO MAKE AN AMERICAN QUILT. Additional film credits include LITTLE WOMEN, THIS IS MY LIFE, PUMP UP THE VOLUME, THE THING CALLED LOVE, SUPER MARIO BROS. and THE MUSIC OF CHANCE . On television, she co-starred in the series "Aaron’s Way" and "Knightwatch," and appeared in the movies "Cold Sassy Tree," "Extreme Closeup," "83 Hours ‘Til Dawn" and "To My Daughter." Mathis will soon star in "Collected Stories" for the Geffen Theater.
Chloe Sevigny (Jean) made her film debut in Larry Clark’s highly acclaimed hit, KIDS, and has since been seen in PALMETTO, by Volker Schlondorff, Whit Stillman’s THE LAST DAYS OF DISCO, Harmony Korine’s GUMMO, and Stebe Buscemi’s TREES LOUNGE. Most recently she appeared in A MAP OF THE WORLD, Korine’s JULIEN DONKEY BOY, and has reaped extraordinary acclaim for her starring performance alongside Hillary Swank in BOYS DON’T CRY.
Justin Theroux (Timothy Price) has appeared in ROMY & MICHELLE’S HIGH SCHOOL REUNION and a variety of independent films, including I SHOT ANDY WARHOL, BACKWARD LOOKS, FAR CORNERS, DEAD BROKE, FROGS FOR SNAKES and BELOW UTOPIA. On television, he guest appeared on "Spin City," "Ally McBeal" and "Sex and the City," starred in the Showtime feature "Sirens," and had a recurring role in "NY Undercover." Theroux has also worked in a number of theatrical productions at the New York Theatre Workshop, Broadway’s Roundabout Theatre, the Actor’s Playhouse and others.
Matt Ross’ (Luis Carruthers) most recent film is Disney’s THE VISITORS. He has also appeared in COMPANY MAN, WONDER BOYS, PUSHING TIN, THE LAST DAYS OF DISCO, FACE OFF, HOMEGROWN, TWELVE MONKEYS, ED’S NEXT MOVE, P.C.U. and YOU ARE HERE. In television, his credits include HBO’s "OZ," "Buffalo Soldiers," "Love Kills" and a guest lead role on "Party of Five." A graduate of The Juilliard School, Ross has appeared in stage productions ranging from Broadway’s "The Rise and Fall of Little Voice" to Off-Broadway’s "Mojo," "Twelve Dreams" and "The Merchant of Venice."
Bill Sage (David Van Patten) is a New York stage actor who has also appeared in such films as the critically acclaimed HIGH ART, I SHOT ANDY WARHOL, FLIRT, SIMPLE MEN, IF LUCY FELL, THE PEREZ FAMILY and most recently, THE BOILER ROOM. On stage, he recently starred in the New Jersey Shakespeare Festival’s production of "Sweet Bird of Youth."
Cara Seymour (Christie), like Christian Bale, is one of the foremost up and coming young British actors working today. She will next be seen in Lars Von Trier’s new film, DANCER IN THE DARK, opposite Bjork and Catherine Deneuve. Seymour has appeared in productions for both stage and screen, among them the films A GOOD BABY, YOU’VE GOT MAIL, A FURTHER GESTURE and UNDERSTANDING YOUR CHANCES OF SUCCESS. In theatre, she won an Obie Award for her work in Mike Leigh’s acclaimed "Ecstasy" and a Drama Desk nomination for "Goose Pimples," and in Britain she won a Time Out Award for "Now and at the Hour of our Death" as well as a Fringe First Award for "Present Continuous." Other credits include "Present Laughter," "The Monogamist," "Essex Girls," "Next to You I Lie," "Never Had It So Good," "Othello," "The Winter’s Tale" and "The Bell Jar."
The Filmmakers
Mary Harron (Writer/Director) made her debut as a feature-film writer/director in 1996 with I SHOT ANDY WARHOL. The film received wide critical acclaim, won star Lili Taylor a Special Jury Award at the Sundance Film Festival, and garnered an Independent Spirit Award nomination for best feature film. It was also chosen to open the "Un Certain Regard" section of the 1996 Cannes Film Festival.
Harron began her filmmaking career creating documentaries for British television. She directed many short films for the BBC 2 art series THE LATE SHOW, and co-produced a four-part series about American elections entitled "Campaign!" For the BBC / PBS co-production "Edge" she made six short films about popular culture including HOW TO MAKE AN OLIVER STONE MOVIE. She also made several documentary films for Channel Four, including WINDS OF CHANGE, an hour-long film about South Africa in the 1950s.
Before working in film, Harron was a rock journalist. She helped start "Punk," the first punk magazine, and was the first writer from an American publication to interview the Sex Pistols when they were a hot new London group. Harron wrote a history of the Velvet Underground for "New Musical Express" magazine as well as a history of Andy Warhol and the Factory for the music publication Melody Maker. She was music critic for The Guardian, a theatre critic for The Observer, and a television and rock critic for The New Statesman, and she collaborated with Elizabeth Lecompte of the Wooster Group on a screenplay about artist Jackson Pollack.
A native of Canada and graduate of Oxford University, Harron is the daughter of Don Harron, the much-loved Canadian actor and comedian. She is married to filmmaker John C. Walsh who directed ED’S NEXT MOVE, which debuted at the 1996 Sundance Film Festival. The couple has a three-year-old daughter, Ruby.
Edward R. Pressman (Producer) has more than 50 diverse motion pictures to his credit, including the acclaimed REVERSAL OF FORTUNE, Oliver Stone’s WALL STREET and TALK RADIO and Terrence Malick’s BADLANDS. American Film magazine named Pressman the Best Producer of the 1980s in a poll reflecting the opinions of 54 American film critics, and in 1991 he received the John Cassavetes Award from the Independent Feature Project/West for his outstanding work and contributions to independent filmmaking. He has received tributes from New York’s Museum of Modern Art, the Pacific Film Archive, the Walker Art Center, London’s National Film Theatre and the French Cinematheque, which gave him the esteemed Chevalier des Arts et Lettres medal.
Pressman’s most recent films range from TWO GIRLS AND A GUY to THE WINTER GUEST, which won the Grand Prix at the Chicago Film Festival, and Abel Ferrara’s THE BLACKOUT, featured as a midnight screening at the 50th Cannes Film Festival.
Other recent projects include ENDURANCE and NEW ROSE HOTEL, both of which premiered at the 1998 Venice Film Festival, and LEGIONNAIRE. His television series "The Crow: Stairway to Heaven" recently debuted and a third CROW feature film -- THE CROW: SALVATION -- is in post production. Among Pressman’s upcoming projects are: ARBUS, the story of photographer Diane Arbus; MUTANT CHRONICLES, a major science fiction fantasy/adventure; and the eco-environmental classic novel THE MONKEY WRENCH GANG.
Chris Hanley’s (Producer) independent production company, Muse Productions, founded in 1991, made its feature debut with writer-director Matthew Bright’s FREEWAY, executive produced by Oliver Stone and starring Reese Witherspoon.
Hanley followed up his initial success with two indie favorites, Steve Buscemi’s directorial debut TREES LOUNGE, which garnered an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Director and THIS WORLD, THEN THE FIREWORKS, based on the Jim Thompson novel, which made its international premiere at the Cannes Film Festival.
Recent films include: TWO GIRLS AND A GUY, written and directed by Academy Award nominee James Toback, on which Muse served as co-producer; Vincent Gallo’s stunning directorial debut, BUFFALO ‘66; and I WOKE UP EARLY THE DAY I DIED, based on an Ed Wood screenplay, which premiered at last year’s Toronto International Film Festival. Hanley’s company has also completed Roberta Hanley’s directorial debut WOUNDINGS, an adaptation of Blake Nelson’s coming of age novel GIRL, Richard Elfman’s MODERN VAMPIRES, director Sofia Coppola’s adaptation of Jeffrey Eugenides’ novel THE VIRGIN SUICIDES (which debuted debuted at Cannes’ Directors Fortinght and will have its North American Premiere at the Sundance Film Festival), and Matthew Bright’s twist on Hansel and Gretel, "CONFESSIONS OF A TRICK BABY."
Christian Halsey Solomon (Producer) began his career in foreign television distribution in 1979 with Telepictures Corporation. As vice president of foreign distribution for Kodak Films, Halsey Solomon entered the world of theatrical distribution, then joined New World Pictures as vice president of international sales. Halsey Solomon later created Filmtrust, which ultimately represented over 60 feature films in the worldwide arena. Between 1990 and 1994, Halsey Solomon was an assistant director, a screenwriter and an editor and also produced a number of feature films, including MONKEY TROUBLE, co-produced with Ridley Scott for New Line Cinema.
In 1996, Halsey Solomon formed Quadra Entertainment to develop, license, finance and distribute independent feature films for worldwide exhibition. Producer Edward R. Pressman appointed Halsey Solomon COO of the Edward R. Pressman Film Corporation the following year. He has served as executive producer on the Pressman produced films LEGIONNAIRE, and Abel Ferrara’s NEW ROSE HOTEL.
Guinevere Turner (Writer; Elizabeth) started her film career in 1992 as writer, producer and star of GO FISH, which was executive produced by Christine Vachon and Tom Kalin and premiered in dramatic competition at the 1994 Sundance Film Festival. Turner’s next project was a role in the controversial independent THE WATERMELON WOMAN, which Alec Baldwin defended in his much-publicized fight to protect funding for the NEA.
Turner has appeared in films as diverse as Kevin Smith’s CHASING AMY and DOGMA, as well as in LATIN BOYS GO TO HELL and KISS ME, GUIDO. In 1996, she portrayed an American dominatrix in PREACHING TO THE PERVERTED with BAFTA-winning director Stuart Urban. More recently, her credits include Scott King’s TREASURE ISLAND --which was honored for distinctive creative vision at 1999’s Sundance -- and director Steve Adelson’s first feature, DANTE’S VIEW.
As a writer, Turner recently collaborated with Mary Harron on a script about pin-up legend Betty Page, to be directed by Harron, produced by Christine Vachon and starring Turner. She is also working on the adaptation of Jerzy Kosinski’s novel "Pinball," to be directed by Gary Fleder.
Andrzej Sekula’s (Director of Photography) feature credits include Quentin Tarantino’s influential independent hits PULP FICTION -- which earned a BAFTA nomination -- and RESERVOIR DOGS and David Mamet’s OLEANA. Among his other films are NEW JERSEY TURNPIKES, STAND-INS, COUSIN BETTE, A FURTHER GESTURE, HACKERS, SLEEP WITH ME, BANK ROBBER, THREE OF HEARTS and Tarantino’s omnibus film, FOUR ROOMS. Among Sekula’s credits in American television are BODY LANGUAGE, ORIGINAL SINS, BEST LAID PLANS and THE JAMES GANG, while his British television credits include THE GRIMLLIES and productions for the BBC and Channel 4. In addition, Sekula has worked extensively in music videos and commercials and also served as a camera operator on such projects as ROBIN HOOD and POIROT.
Gideon Ponte (Production Designer) has served as production designer for Michael Almereyda’s feature-film adaptation of HAMLET, Vincent Gallo’s directorial debut and 1998 Sundance Film Festival hit BUFFALO 66, BONGWATER for director Richard Sears, and IT’S AN ARTFUL LIFE, directed by Takuo Yasuda, as well as several short films. Ponte has designed music videos for artists including Lauryn Hill, Shania Twain and Morphine, garnering a Grammy nomination for best video in 1998. Commercial credits include Polaroid and Sony Play Station, among others. Ponte’s fashion credits include the 1999 Gucci campaign, a Madonna album and feature pieces for Vogue, American Vogue and Interview.
Andrew Stearn (Art Director) has been in charge of art direction for the films THE BIG HIT and THE THIRD MRIACLE. He has also been set designer or first assistant art director for THE MIGHTY, MIMIC, EXTREME MEASURES, CRASH, MRS. WINTERBOURNE, TOMMY BOY, JOHNNY MNEMONIC, GETTING AWAY WITH MURDER, THE REF and the hit Stephen King miniseries "The Storm of the Century."
Isis Mussenden (Costume Designer) has designed costumes for KRIPPENDORF’S TRIBE, HI-LIFE, SOME GIRLS, DANTE’S PEAK, DAYLIGHT, ALBINO ALLIGATOR, WHITE MAN’S BURDEN, SLEEP WITH ME, BODIES, REST AND MOTION, THE WATERDANCE and THE ASTRONAUT’S WIFE, among many other films. Her television credits include the pilot for "Arli$$" and the films "A Private Matter" and "Memphis," which garnered a Cable Ace nomination. A graduate of Parsons School of Design, Mussenden has costumed numerous theatrical productions at Lincoln Center and Ensemble Studio Theatre, including David Mamet’s "Five Unrelated Pieces" and the stage production of "Bodies, Rest and Motion."
John Cale (Composer) first worked with Mary Harron on the score for Harron’s debut feature I SHOT ANDY WARHOL. Cale secured his place in rock history by co-founding The Velvet Underground with Lou Reed in 1965. Cale’s contributions as violist/keyboardist/bassist/arranger were essential to that seminal band’s avant-garde vision. If Lou Reed was the Velvet’s songwriting voice, Cale was their sonic mastermind. The Velvet Underground was only the opening chapter in the John Cale story, however. Since embarking on a solo career in 1970, this intense, erudite Welshman has released music that runs the gamut from classical recitals to screeching rock rave-ups, from lyrical ballads to homicidal tirades. His creativity has thrived on paradox, and confrontation, taking his listeners to the extremes of experience. Cale has recorded 16 albums over the last 20 years. His work in film also includes composing the scores BASQUIAT, directed by Julian Shnabel, and SOMETHING WILD, directed by Jonathan Demme.
Michael Paseornek (Executive Producer), president of Lions Gate Productions, is a key member of the team that greenlit a series of acclaimed films, including three that premiered at the 1998 Sundance Film Festival: BUFFALO ‘66, JERRY AND TOM and JOHNNY SKIDMARKS. His production division made STAG, I’M LOSING YOU, DOG PARK, HI-LIFE and VIG (aka THE MONEY KINGS). Previously, Paseornek was a writer and humorist-speechwriter. He went on to develop the sequel to the comedy hit MEATBALLS, created the award-winning AIDS documentary, SAFE, and made his directorial debut with VIBRATIONS.
Jeff Sackman (Executive Producer), president of Lions Gate Films, has been involved with the Canadian distribution scene since 1985. At Lions Gate, he oversees the company’s distribution, production, international, and home entertainment divisions. He spearheaded the development and growth of Lions Gate Releasing, the U.S. distribution division, which won two Academy Awards in 1999, and has become one of the leading independent distributors in the industry, with recent successes including THE RED VIOLIN, THE DINNER GAME, and DOGMA. Prior to joining Lions Gate Films, Sackman was vice president of Cineplex Odeon Films from 1988 to 1991. He joined Cineplex Film Properties (CFP) in 1991 and was instrumental in orchestrating the sale of the company to Lions Gate.
Joe Drake (Executive Producer) was appointed president of Lions Gate International in 1998. In addition to establishing Lions Gate Films’ international division headquarters in Los Angeles, he oversees the worldwide sales and licensing of the company’s programming and properties. Prior to joining Lions Gate, Drake was senior vice president of international theatrical sales for Rysher Entertainment. Before that, he spent six years with Moviestore Entertainment, where he was an acquisitions executive, held various production responsibilities, and established an international sales division for the company.