Nine 1/2 Weeks (1986)

User Rating:

5.3/10   

Director:

Adrian Lyne

Writers:

Sarah Kernochan (writer)
Zalman King (writer)
(more)

Release Date:

21 February 1986 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

They Broke Every Rule

Plot:

An erotic story about a woman, the assistant of an art gallery, who gets involved in an impersonal affair with a man...

Plot Keywords:

Erotic | Sex Game | Art Gallery | Sex | Balloon

Awards:

3 nominations

Cast

Mickey Rourke	...	John
Kim Basinger	...	Elizabeth
Margaret Whitton	...	Molly
David Margulies	...	Harvey
Christine Baranski	...	Thea
Karen Young	...	Sue
William De Acutis	...	Ted (as William DeAcutis)
Dwight Weist	...	Farnsworth
Roderick Cook	...	Sinclair - the Critic
Victor Truro	...	Gallery Client
Justine Johnston	...	Bedding Saleswoman
Cintia Cruz	...	Whore
Kim Chan	...	Chinatown Butcher
Lee Lai Sing	...	Angry Chinese Customer
Rudolph Willrich	...	Chinatown Shopper
Helen Hanft	...	Flea Market Shawl Seller
Michael P. Moran	...	Flea Market Chicken Seller
Raynor Scheine	...	Flower Delivery Boy
Olek Krupa	...	Bruce
Michael Margotta	...	Michael
Julian Beck	...	Dinner Guest
John P. Connolly	...	Dinner Guest
Cassandra Danz	...	Dinner Guest
Beata Jachulski	...	Dinner Guest
Peter Pagan	...	Riding Crop Salesman
Terri Perri	...	Italian Singer
Charles Malota	...	Coney Island Boy
Daniel E. Amrich	...	Coney Island Boy
Salvatore Sciangula	...	Coney Island Boy
Kim Michel	...	Soap Opera Woman
Jeff Severson	...	Soap Opera Man
Dan Lauria	...	Janitor
Corey Parker	...	Janitor
Joe Maruzzo	...	Garbageman
Tom Traino	...	Garbageman
Corvova Choy Lee	...	Clothing Saleswoman
Ellen Barber	...	John's Secretary
Ethel Ayler	...	Jewelry Saleswoman
Elisabeth Senn	...	Perfume Lady
Gittan Goding	...	Dancer at Porno House
David M. Everard	...	Bearded Man at Porno House
Luther Rucker	...	Barker at Porno House
Joey Silvera	...	Man on Stage at Porno House
Petina Cole	...	Woman on Stage at Porno House
Merry Clayton	...	Background Vocal at Porno House
Kim Isaacson	...	Gallery Guest
Sarah Kernochan	...	Gallery Guest
David Tabor	...	Leon Berger
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
George Coutoupis	...	Punk Rocker (uncredited)

Directed by
Adrian Lyne

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Sarah Kernochan		writer
Zalman King		writer
Patricia Louisianna Knop		writer
Elizabeth McNeill		novel

Produced by
Keith Barish	....	executive producer
Mark Damon	....	producer
Sidney Kimmel	....	producer
Zalman King	....	producer
Frank Konigsberg	....	executive producer
Richard Northcott	....	co-executive producer
Steven Reuther	....	associate producer (as Steven D. Reuther)
Renzo Rossellini	....	co-producer
Stephen J. Ross	....	associate producer
Antony Rufus-Isaacs	....	producer

Original Music by
Jack Nitzsche

Cinematography by
Peter Biziou

Film Editing by
Caroline Biggerstaff
Ed Hansen
Tom Rolf
Mark Winitsky

Casting by
Nan Dutton
Vicki Huff
Mary Jo Slater
Lynn Stalmaster

Production Design by
Ken Davis

Art Direction by
Linda Conaway-Parsloe

Set Decoration by
Christian Kelly

Costume Design by
Bobbie Read

Makeup Department
David Forrest	....	makeup artist
Marie-Ange Ripka	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Randall Badger	....	unit manager
John W. Hyde	....	executive in charge of production
Roger Paradiso	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Stephen A. Glanzrock	....	second assistant director
Kyle McCarthy	....	second assistant director
Benjamin Rosenberg	....	first assistant director (as Benjy Rosenberg)

Art Department
John M. Dwyer	....	set dresser (as John Dwyer)
Christine Gardyasz	....	set dresser (as Chris Gardyasz)
Otto Jacoby	....	construction coordinator
Ben Oshman	....	set builder
Jonathan Stein	....	set builder
Ron Stone	....	property master

Sound Department
Marty Church	....	adr mixer
Marko A. Costanzo	....	foley artist
Bill Daly	....	sound
John Duffy	....	sound editor
Jay M. Harding	....	sound re-recordist
Joseph Holsen	....	sound editor
Dessie Markovsky	....	sound supervisor
William L. McCaughey	....	sound re-recordist
Glenn T. Morgan	....	assistant adr editor
Ray O'Reilly	....	sound re-recordist
Aaron Rochin	....	sound re-recordist
Lori Slomka	....	sound apprentice
Jeffrey Perkins	....	sound editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Dan Kirshoff	....	special effects

Stunts
Sandy Alexander	....	stunts
Leslie Arnett	....	stunts
Peter Bucossi	....	stunts
Steve Dash	....	stunts
Frank Ferrara	....	stunt coordinator
Sandy Richman	....	stunts
Webster Whinery	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Edward Cohen	....	electrician
David J. Frederick	....	second assistant camera (as David Fredrick)
Craig Haagensen	....	camera operator
Holly Heinzmann	....	second assistant camera (as Holly Heinzman)
Larry Huston	....	assistant camera
Richard C. Kerekes	....	dolly grip
Mitchell Andrew Lillian	....	key grip (as Mitch Lillian)
Jonathan Lumley	....	chief lighting technician
Darryl Peck	....	electrician
Bob Rudis	....	second assistant camera
John Seakwood	....	still photographer
Barry Wetcher	....	still photographer

Casting Department
Riccardo Bertoni	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
John M. Dwyer	....	costumer
Christine Gardyasz	....	costumer (as Chris Gardyasz)

Music Department
Tom Carlin	....	music editor
Michael Hoenig	....	composer: additional music
Becky Mancuso-Winding	....	music supervisor (as Becky Mancuso)
George A. Martin	....	assistant music editor

Other crew
Denis Blouin	....	production consultant
René Simon Cruz Jr.	....	assistant to director
Adrienne Hamalian-Mangine	....	script supervisor (as Adrienne Hamalian)
Adrienne Hamalian-Mangine	....	script supervisor
Dan Isaacson	....	consultant: physical fitness
Ron Jeremy	....	special consultant (as Ron Jeremy Hyatt)
Ooty Moorehead	....	production coordinator
Dan Perri	....	title designer
Sydney Pollack	....	consultant
J. Peter Robinson	....	synthesizer programmer
Lucille Smith	....	production auditor
Brett Botula	....	assistant location manager (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Galactic Films
• Jonesfilm
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)
• Producers Sales Organization
• Triple Ajaxxx

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1986) (USA) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2002) (Brazil) (DVD)
• A-Film Home Entertainment (2009) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Abril Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• CBS/Fox (laserdisc)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1992) (USA) (VHS)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1994) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• Odyssey (laserdisc)
• Warner Home Video (2000) (USA) (DVD)

Also Known As:

9 ½ Weeks (USA) (alternative spelling)
9 1/2 Weeks (USA) (alternative spelling)
9-1/2 Weeks (USA) (alternative spelling)
Nine ½ Weeks (USA) (alternative spelling)

Runtime:

112 min | Argentina:102 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Italy:VM14 | Iceland:16 | Germany:16 (re-rating) | West Germany:18 (original rating) | Argentina:18 | Australia:R | Chile:18 | Finland:K-16 | France:-12 | Norway:15 | Norway:16 (1986) | Portugal:M/18 | Singapore:R21 | South Korea:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R | Philippines:R-18

Filming Locations:

Chelsea Hotel - 222 West 23rd Street, Chelsea, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Galactic Films

Trivia:

Art by Sarah Charlesworth appears in Elizabeth (Kim Basinger)'s gallery.

Goofs:

Continuity: When John feeds Elizabeth in front of his refrigerator, he grabs a long green chili, but when he brings it to Elizabeth's mouth, it's a short, green chili.

Quotes:

John: Every time I see you, you're buying a chicken.
Elizabeth: Every time I see you, you're smiling at me.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "20 to 1: Adults Only 20 to 01: Saucy Songs (#8.8)" (2009)

Soundtrack:

The Best Is Yet To Come

An ignored and Marginalized Film

Except perhaps in Paris where, until recently, it played in a cinema just off the Champs Elysee. This film has been condemned from just about every possible, so I will not try and defend it blow by blow. There is much to appreciate here, particularly when the film is looked at in the context of it being the '80's "Last Tango In Paris" - perhaps even self consciously so. The opening shot of "Nine 1/2 Weeks" echoes the famous opening of "Last Tango In Paris" and there are many parallels, but never to the point of it becoming overt.

If one accepts that form is to mirror content and apply that here it becomes clear that efforts were made to do so. The visual 'look' of both films not only mirror their content (for 'Tango': a muted color pallette, yet somehow lush, there is a layer over everything) but also their era. Both films deal with similar subject matter, in the context of the time in which they were made.

"Nine 1/2 Weeks" IS the '80's in much the way that "Last Tango..." is the '70's - the obsessions of an era are embodied in the struggle of two human bodies. Motions, touches are imbued with something beyond what is happening in the here and now. Very much in question here is the internal landscape of the characters involved - something one, as a filmmaker, would rather expose in a visual way as opposed to having characters pontificate about it (though Brando TALKS in "Last Tango..." it is very often what he doesn't say, the silence between two lines of dialogue, that SAY more) - in "Nine 1/2 Weeks" there are many visual cues/pointers as to the characters' states of mind, i.e. their apartments, the manner in which they are decorated stark, all straight lines (John) vs. cluttered and dusty (Liz). Elements like that make a film work.

The only moments of relief that Liz experiences in the film are when she is away from the city, away from John, amidst nature with the painter - in fact, one almost never sees John outside, just like Paul in "Last Tango..." - all these little cues about character should raise the questions in the viewer's mind - what sort of person would?...