The Dead (1987)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Director:

John Huston

Writers:

Tony Huston (writer)
James Joyce (story)

Release Date:

17 December 1987 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

A vast, merry, and uncommon tale of love.

Plot:

John Huston's last film is a labor of love at several levels: an adaptation of perhaps one of the greatest...

Plot Keywords:

Ireland | Memory | Based On Short Story | Singer | Snow

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 8 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Anjelica Huston	...	Gretta Conroy
Donal McCann	...	Gabriel Conroy
Dan O'Herlihy	...	Mr. Browne
Donal Donnelly	...	Freddy Malins
Helena Carroll	...	Aunt Kate
Cathleen Delany	...	Aunt Julia
Ingrid Craigie	...	Mary Jane
Rachael Dowling	...	Lily
Marie Kean	...	Mrs. Malins
Frank Patterson	...	Bartell D'Arcy
Maria McDermottroe	...	Molly Ivors
Sean McClory	...	Mr. Grace
Kate O'Toole	...	Miss Furlong (as Katherine O'Toole)
Maria Hayden	...	Miss O'Callaghan
Bairbre Dowling	...	Miss Higgins
Lyda Anderson	...	Miss Daly
Colm Meaney	...	Mr. Bergin
Cormac O'Herlihy	...	Mr. Kerrigan
Paul Grant	...	Mr. Duffy
Paul Carroll	...	Young Gentleman
Patrick Gallagher	...	Mr. Egan
Dara Clarke	...	Miss Power
Brendan Dillon	...	Cabman
Redmond Gleeson	...	Nightporter
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Amanda Baird	...	Young Lady (uncredited)

Directed by
John Huston

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Tony Huston		writer
James Joyce		story "Dubliners"

Produced by
William J. Quigley	....	executive producer
Wieland Schulz-Keil	....	producer
Chris Sievernich	....	producer

Original Music by
Alex North

Cinematography by
Fred Murphy

Film Editing by
Roberto Silvi

Casting by
Nuala Moiselle

Production Design by
Stephen B. Grimes		(as Stephen Grimes)
J. Dennis Washington		(as Dennis Washington)

Set Decoration by
Josie MacAvin

Costume Design by
Dorothy Jeakins

Makeup Department
Fern Buchner	....	makeup designer
Anthony Cortino	....	hair designer
Louise Dowling	....	hair stylist
Anne Dunne	....	hair stylist: second unit
Keis Maes	....	makeup artist
Christopher Shihar	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Tom Shaw	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Gay Brabazon	....	second assistant director: second unit
John 'Joe' Brooks	....	second assistant director
Seamus Byrne	....	first assistant director: second unit
John Halpin	....	trainee assistant director: second unit
Hugh Linehan	....	trainee assistant director: second unit
Rosemary Morton	....	trainee assistant director: second unit
Tom Shaw	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Tommy Bassett	....	construction manager: second unit
Maurice G. Beaudoin	....	laborer
Robert A. Blackburn	....	carpenter foreman
Robert Calvert	....	property maker
Richard Cramer	....	carpenter
Paddy Dunne	....	painter
Cos Egan	....	props: second unit
Lee E. Ewing Jr.	....	property maker
Candy Flanagin	....	construction coordinator
Scott Hall	....	set painter
Jaymes Hinkle	....	sign painter
Joseph E. Hubbard	....	assistant art director (as Joe Hubbard)
Phil Hurst	....	property assistant
Philip C. Hurst	....	greensman
George Joyce	....	carpenter: second unit
Robert Kramer	....	plasterer
Sam Mendoza	....	property maker
Wayne Moseley	....	propmaker foreman
Sunny Mulligan	....	property buyer: second unit
Barbara Murphy	....	key set painter
William Powley	....	paint foreman
Clayton Reynolds	....	property maker
Roberto Ruiz	....	laborer
Bobby Scott	....	painter
Alex Scutti Jr.	....	plaster foreman (as Alexander Scotti III)
Tom Shaw Jr.	....	property master
Edward Terry	....	carpenter
Robert Winiger	....	carpenter

Sound Department
John Asman	....	sound re-recording mixer
Gregg Barbanell	....	foley artist
Chuck Blecka	....	assistant sound editor
Margaret Duke	....	sound: documentary crew
Robert W. Glass Jr.	....	sound re-recording mixer
Marvin I. Kosberg	....	sound editor
Marvin I. Kosberg	....	supervising sound editor
Walt Martin	....	sound: documentary crew
James E. Nownes	....	sound editor
Anthony Palk	....	foley editor
Ken S. Polk	....	sound re-recording mixer
Bill Randall Jr.	....	second boom operator
William Randall	....	sound mixer (as Bill Randall)
Don Sanders	....	sound: documentary crew
David Stafford	....	first boom operator

Special Effects by
Candy Flanagin	....	special effects
Maurice Foley	....	special effects supervisor: second unit
Robert Calvert	....	special effects (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Alan Butler	....	clapper loader: second unit
Grant Cameron	....	assistant camera: Ireland
Louis Conroy	....	gaffer: second unit
Paddy Corcoran	....	rigger: second unit
Michael Coulter	....	camera operator: Ireland
Stuart E. Cropley	....	electrician
Noel Cullen	....	electrician: second unit
David Dubois	....	best boy
David Dubois	....	electrician
François Duhamel	....	still photographer
Brad Edmiston	....	first assistant camera
Todd Griffith	....	best boy grip
Derek Hate	....	generator operator
Rick Herres	....	grip
Pascal Jones	....	rigger: second unit
Ian Kincaid	....	gaffer
Kim Kono	....	electrician
Bill Levins	....	electrician: second unit
Walt Martin	....	camera operator: documentary crew
John Murphy	....	camera grip: second unit
Randy Nolen	....	camera operator
Paul Prince	....	second assistant camera
Lisa Rinzler	....	camera operator: documentary crew
Philip Sloan	....	key grip
Des Whelan	....	focus puller: second unit

Casting Department
Peggy Weber	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Jennifer Butler	....	costumer: women
Delbert Grant	....	costumes: in-house
Marilyn Matthews	....	ladies' costumer
John McDonald	....	costumer: men
Jennifer L. Parsons	....	costume supervisor
Maeve Paterson	....	wardrobe mistress
Robert Pecina	....	costumer: men
Nava R. Sadan	....	costumes: in-house

Editorial Department
Ray Morfino	....	color timer

Music Department
Richard Bronskill	....	orchestrator
Leonard A. Engel	....	music recording engineer (as Len Engel)
Ann Stockton	....	musician: solo harp
Dan Wallin	....	score mixer
Kenneth Wannberg	....	music engineer

Transportation Department
Ronnie Baker	....	transportation coordinator
Robert D. Benton	....	driver
Tom Brodie	....	construction driver: second unit
Colin Duffin	....	unit driver

Other crew
Nestor Alban	....	head tailor
Sheila Barr	....	publicist
Joan Bennett	....	production secretary
Mary Carroll	....	production secretary
Vicky Dennison	....	cutter-fitter: ladies
Bruce Feldman	....	publicist
Ciara J. Fenton	....	film accountant
Judy Flanagan	....	craft service
Tzetzi Ganev	....	cutter-fitter: ladies
Paul Gleason	....	choreographer
Karen Golden	....	script supervisor
Clive Hart	....	literary advisor: James Joyce estate
Kathy Knapton	....	assistant accountant
Marilyn La Salandra	....	assistant: Mr. Huston
Ben Levy	....	publicist
Niall McQuillan	....	film accountant
Paul Myler	....	film accountant: second unit
Eily O'Grady	....	piano coach
Ann Shaw	....	production coordinator
Molly Shaw	....	office assistant
Lilyan Sievernich	....	director: documentary crew
Garrison Singer	....	production accountant
Ian Abercrombie	....	adr loop group (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Liffey Films
• Zenith Entertainment

Distributors

• AMLF (1988) (France) (theatrical)
• Delta (1987) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Park Circus (2006) (UK) (theatrical)
• Vestron Pictures (1987) (USA) (theatrical)
• Vestron UK (1987) (UK) (theatrical)
• Look Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• Manga Films (2003) (Spain) (DVD)
• Vestron Video (1988) (West Germany) (VHS)
• Vestron Video (1989) (UK) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Alter Image  negative cutting
• Clein & Feldman Associates  publicity
• Compact Sound Services  sound post-production
• Contempo Recording & Lorimar  music recording
• Entertainment Completions Inc.  completion bond
• Howard A. Anderson Company  titles and opticals
• Moviecam  camera equipment
• PPI  payroll services
• Western Costume Company  costumes

Runtime:

83 min | Spain:79 min (DVD edition)

Country:

UK | Ireland | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:L | Argentina:Atp | West Germany:6 (f) | Australia:PG | Finland:S | Spain:T | Sweden:Btl | UK:U | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

15 Usher's Island, Dublin, County Dublin, Ireland

Company:

Liffey Films

Trivia:

The final shot is not of Ireland, but of snow falling in Joshua Tree National Forest, California.

Quotes:

Molly Ivors: I didn't think you were a West Briton!
Gabriel Conroy: And what do you mean, a West Briton?
Molly Ivors: Someone who looks to England for our salvation instead of depending on ourselves alone.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Zomergasten: (#7.5)" (1994)

They just don't make them like this anymore!

An exquisite film. They just don't make them like this any more! We eavesdrop on an upper middle class family in Dublin in the early part of the 20th century. They are hosting an after Christmas dinner for their friends and relatives. Their table talk is just idle chatter but it is so well written that one is engrossed. Away from the dinner table some fine piano playing helps to create an intimate atmosphere as if one were there as one of the guests. Perhaps a bit too perfect for an amateur player, the odd mistake here and there would have added to the magic of this film. No real story but real entertainment and an object lesson for up and coming film makers.