Creator (1985)

User Rating:

5.4/10   

Director:

Ivan Passer

Writers:

Jeremy Leven (novel)
Jeremy Leven (screenplay)

Release Date:

20 September 1985 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

It's potentially dangerous, probably illegal and definitely crazy.

Plot:

An eccentric scientist teaches a student in his own manner while he looks for a way to clone his deceased wife.

Plot Keywords:

Scientist | Male Nudity | Shower Scene | Female Nudity | Coma

Cast

Peter O'Toole	...	Dr. Harry Wolper
Mariel Hemingway	...	Meli
Vincent Spano	...	Boris Lafkin
Virginia Madsen	...	Barbara Spencer
David Ogden Stiers	...	Dr. Sid Kullenbeck
John Dehner	...	Paul
Karen Kopins	...	Lucy Wolper
Kenneth Tigar	...	Pavlo
Elsa Raven	...	Mrs. Mallory
Lee Kessler	...	Mrs. Pruitt
Rance Howard	...	Mr. Spencer
Ellen Geer	...	Mrs. Spencer
Ian Wolfe	...	Prof. Brauer
Mike Jolly	...	Boom-Boom
Burton Collins	...	Lyman

Also Known As:

The Big Picture (USA)

Runtime:

107 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Iceland:12 | West Germany:12 | Finland:K-15 (new rating: 2001) | Spain:T | Australia:M | Finland:K-14 | Sweden:11 | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Alexian Bros. Hospital, San Jose, California, USA

Company:

Kings Road Entertainment

Trivia:

At the beach house, Harry tells Boris that Lucy was a former Miss New Jersey. Karen Kopins, who plays Lucy, was a former Miss Connecticut.

Goofs:

Factual errors: At one point Harry and Boris steal Syd's sequencer to "get her [Lucy's] amino acids in the right sequence". This is most likely a case of literary license on behalf of the script writers. Protein sequencers are used to determine the amino acid sequences of constituent peptides and invariably destroy the samples being analyzed.

Quotes:

Boris: Love is dead, Harry.
Dr Harry Wolper: How depressing. Never mind, Boris. Women's liberation will run its course and we will prevail.

Soundtrack:

String Trio Rock

Peter O"Toole at his best

I don't rate films often, but the rating (5.8) seemed so low to me that I had to offer a comment or two. This film is a true gem, and one of the best films I have ever seen Peter O'Toole act in. David Ogden Stiers is great as a "bad guy" who isn't bad at all. Virginia Madsen is absolutely gorgeous (it has been years since I last saw this film but I still remember that shower scene). Even Hemmingway, who I don't usually like, puts in a good performance. This is a very touching romance story, that also deals a lot with letting go, but not giving up. It also doesn't get too preachy about the morals of genetic engineering. I did keep thinking through the film that even if he could bring his wife back it still wouldn't be the person he loved so much, no matter how much he wanted that. A great film that deserves a better rating.