Real Life (1979)

Director:

Albert Brooks

Writers:

Albert Brooks (written by)
Monica Mcgowan Johnson (written by)
(more)

Release Date:

23 March 1979 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

A pushy, narcissistic filmmaker persuades a Phoenix family to let him and his crew film their everyday lives...

Plot Keywords:

Documentary Crew | Husband Wife Relationship | Actor Playing Himself | Family Relationships | Spoof

Cast

Dick Haynes	...	Councilman Harris
Albert Brooks	...	Albert Brooks
Matthew Tobin	...	Dr. Howard Hill
J.A. Preston	...	Dr. Ted Cleary
Joseph Schaffler	...	Paul Lowell
Phyllis Quinn	...	Donna Stanley
James Ritz	...	Jack from Cincinnati
Clifford Einstein	...	Role Reversal Family Member
Harry Einstein	...	Role Reversal Family Member
Mandy Einstein	...	Role Reversal Family Member
Karen Einstein	...	Role Reversal Family Member
James L. Brooks	...	Driving Evaluator
Zeke Manners	...	Driver
Charles Grodin	...	Warren Yeager
Frances Lee McCain	...	Jeannette Yeager
Lisa Urette	...	Lisa Yeager
Robert Stirrat	...	Eric Yeager
Dudley DeZonia	...	Felton Family Member
Barbara DeZonia	...	Felton Family Member
Carolyn Silas	...	Felton Family Member
Adam Grant	...	Felton Family Member
Belle Richter	...	Jeannette's Mother
Jerry Jensen	...	Jeannette's Father
Michele Grace	...	Nurse
Thelma Leeds	...	Margaret (as Thelma Bernstein)
Johnny Haymer	...	Dr. Maxwell Rennert
Nudie	...	Horse Owner
Charles H. Reid	...	Assistant Surgeon
Susan Clark	...	Nurse
Ward Rodgers	...	Minister
David Spielberg	...	Dr. Jeremy Nolan
Julie Payne	...	Dr. Anne Kramer
Jennings Lang	...	Martin Brand
Leo McElroy	...	Jim Sanders
Carlos Jurado	...	Reporter
S.W. Smith	...	Second Reporter
Fred Wolfson	...	Third Reporter
Norman Bartold	...	Dr. Isaac Steven Hayward
Harry Shearer	...	Pete
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Mort Lindsey	...	Himself

Directed by
Albert Brooks

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Albert Brooks		written by
Monica Mcgowan Johnson		written by
Harry Shearer		written by

Produced by
Norman Epstein	....	executive producer
Jonathan Kovler	....	executive producer
Penelope Spheeris	....	producer

Original Music by
Mort Lindsey

Cinematography by
Eric Saarinen

Film Editing by
David Finfer

Art Direction by
Linda Marder
Linda Spheeris

Makeup Department
Kathryn Fenton	....	makeup artist (as Kathryn Logan)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Rafael Elortegui	....	second assistant director
David McGiffert	....	first assistant director

Art Department
John Crawford	....	special props

Sound Department
Crew Chamberlain	....	boom operator
Robert Knudson	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Robert Knudsen)
Michael C. Moore	....	sound

Special Effects by
Richard Albain	....	special effects (as Dick Albain)

Visual Effects by
Mark Jaffe	....	computer graphics artist

Camera and Electrical Department
Dennis Bishop	....	gaffer
Michael Bowe	....	best boy
Frederick Elmes	....	additional photographer
Kit Kalionzes	....	assistant camera
Michael Katz	....	key grip
Larry Snodgrass	....	second assistant camera
Andy Spheeris	....	additional grip
Kevin Williams	....	additional grip

Casting Department
Norman Knight	....	extras casting

Editorial Department
Barbara Bloom	....	post-production secretary
Eric Jenkins	....	associate editor
Mary Nelson-Duerrstein	....	negative cutter

Music Department
Ken Johnson	....	music editor

Other crew
Terry Carr	....	pre-production secretary
Don Cirillo	....	unspecified assistant
Robert Furst	....	production assistant
Betty Goldberg	....	script supervisor
Tom Mickel	....	location assistant
Diane Quinn	....	production assistant
Ky Richards III	....	location assistant
Lois Stirrat	....	production accountant

Production Companies

• Paramount Pictures

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1979) (USA) (theatrical)
• Paramount Home Video (????) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Pacific Title  titles and opticals
• Ryder Sound Services  transfer services
• Todd-AO Studios  mixing services

Also Known As:

Runtime:

99 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:PG | Australia:M

Filming Locations:

Phoenix, Arizona, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

One of the reasons Albert Brooks wanted to cast Charles Grodin as the father was because of Grodin's work on "Candid Camera" (1972). Brooks felt that Grodin would look like he wasn't acting, because on the TV show he had to fool ordinary people into believing that he wasn't acting.

Quotes:

Albert Brooks:Our research was so thorough the computers actually coughed up two perfect families. If I were a liar, I could tell you that we chose one over the other for complicated psychological reasons. But I'm a comedian, not a liar. I can afford the luxury of honesty. The Feltons lived in Wisconsin; the Yeagers lived in Arizona. YOU spend the winter in Wisconsin...
[Albert and the researchers all laugh]

Movie Connections:

Spoofs "An American Family" (1973)

Soundtrack:

Jump Into The Fire

YOU spend the winter in Wisconsin!

In _Real Life_, Albert Brooks makes fun of just about anything: the movie industry, the 'nuclear family', intellectuals, horse owners, furniture refinishing, urine testing, technology, Wisconsin ...

This film is a gem. Every character is played so transparently that someone could be fooled into thinking Charles Grodin really is a disoriented and bumbling father and husband. Albert Brooks plays 'himself' to the point where he must have needed therapy after making this film.

Vanity projects are usually tedious. This turns the 'vanity' genre (yeah, there is one!) on its ear. And it's probably one of the most 'American' films I've ever seen. Great stuff!