Twister (1989)

Director:

Michael Almereyda

Writers:

Mary Robison (novel)
Michael Almereyda (writer)

Release Date:

June 1989 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

There's a natural disaster in the heartland of America. It's called the Cleveland family.

Plot:

An oddball family on a Kansas farm are trapped in their farmhouse by an impending storm. The patriarch of the clan is a retired soda pop tycoon...

Plot Keywords:

Dysfunctional | Dysfunctional Family | One Word Title | Based On Novel

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Harry Dean Stanton	...	Cleveland
Suzy Amis	...	Maureen Cleveland
Crispin Glover	...	Howdy
Dylan McDermott	...	Chris
Jenny Wright	...	Stephanie
Lindsay Christman	...	Violet
Charlayne Woodard	...	Lola (as Charlaine Woodard)
Lois Chiles	...	Virginia
David Brown	...	Bob Breevort
William S. Burroughs	...	Man in Barn (as William Burroughs)
Joyce Cavarozzi	...	Woman in Bathroom
Sarah Cochran	...	Tomboy Girl
Donal Donnelly	...	Doctor
Raleigh Lackey	...	Stan Manley
Ralfe D. Reber	...	Golfer
Tim Robbins	...	Jeff
Theresa Trainor	...	Girl in Studio
Ron Vawter	...	Man in Bar
Travis Waldschmidt	...	Boy in Bathroom

Directed by
Michael Almereyda

Writing credits
Mary Robison		(novel "Oh")
Michael Almereyda		(writer)

Produced by
Dan Ireland	....	executive producer
William J. Quigley	....	executive producer
Wieland Schulz-Keil	....	producer

Original Music by
Hans Zimmer

Cinematography by
Renato Berta

Film Editing by
Roberto Silvi

Production Design by
David Wasco

Art Direction by
Dan Bishop

Set Decoration by
Dianna Freas

Costume Design by
Carol Wood

Makeup Department
Angela Nogaro	....	hair stylist
Angela Nogaro	....	makeup artist
Joanna Robinson	....	makeup/supervising hair stylist

Production Management
Benjamin Allanoff	....	post-production supervisor
Aron Warner	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Eric Heffron	....	first assistant director
Steven Pearl	....	second assistant director
Greg Penner	....	second assistant director

Art Department
J. Todd Anderson	....	storyboard artist
Jamie Bishop	....	on-set dresser
Michael A. Cruz	....	plaster foreman
Leigh Johnson	....	property master
Brian Markey	....	construction coordinator
Kevin Mitchael	....	assistant: production designer
Tom Mittlestadt	....	property assistant

Sound Department
Jeff Gomillion	....	adr mixer
Jeff Gomillion	....	sound re-recording mixer
Mark Goodermote	....	boom operator
Kitty Malone	....	foley artist
T.A. Moore Jr.	....	sound re-recording mixer
Ed Novick	....	sound recordist
Anthony Palk	....	supervising sound editor
Ross Taylor	....	foley artist
David M. Weishaar	....	foley mixer

Special Effects by
Fred Cramer	....	special effects supervisor
G. Lynn Maughan	....	special effects

Stunts
Jerry Spicer	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Jack Cochran	....	gaffer
Mike Connors	....	dolly grip
Mario Davis	....	key grip
Suzanne Tenner	....	still photographer

Editorial Department
David Pultz	....	color timer

Music Department
Erica Flaum	....	music editor
Graham Preskett	....	orchestrator

Transportation Department
Joe Cosentino	....	transportation co-captain
Dennis Jorgenson	....	transportation captain

Other crew
Buddy Enright	....	location manager
Veronica Flynn	....	script supervisor
Glenn Gaylord	....	production accountant
Susan Gee	....	production financing
Laura Greenlee	....	production coordinator
Tim McGill	....	armorer
Michael Neal	....	assistant production coordinator

Thanks
David Brothers	....	thanks
Trent Harris	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Vestron Pictures

Distributors

• Vestron Pictures (1989) (USA)

Other Companies

• Albert G. Ruben and Company  insurance
• Cinelease  grip and lighting equipment
• Completion Bond Company  completion bond
• Gomillion Studios  post-production sound
• Inter Video  24-frame transfer
• Inter Video  video edition
• J.G. Films  negative cutting
• Lightin' Trucks  honey wagons
• Payments Plus  payroll services
• Restaurant Olive Tree  catering
• Sound One Corporation  daily sound transfer
• f-Stop  titles

Also Known As:

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

USA:PG-13

Filming Locations:

Wichita, Kansas, USA

Company:

Vestron Pictures

Goofs:

Boom mic visible: When everyone is in the basement and discussing what they would do during their "last hour", a boom mic comes down in front of the painting just behind Howdy (Crispin Glover) right after Stephanie's answer.

Soundtrack:

DANCE ETIQUETTE

One of the very best comedies of all time

This film is on my top 20 comedies list. This is a truly unique film. To the reviewer who said "I must be really missing something."--you are correct. You are missing something. If you don't have the kind of sense of humor this film requires, that's one thing. But don't give it a bad review because you think it's "looney" but isn't intended to be. Loony is an apt description of both what it intends to be and what it succeeds in being. I laughed much more often and much more intensely at this film than I do at most other funny films.

Michael Almereyda brought out the best in his cast in this, his first big film, for which he was nominated for an Independent Spirit award for Best First Feature. Crispin Glover, as usual, is absolutely brilliant in some perfectly inexplicable way, and some of his very funniest lines ever were said in this film. Glover is clearly the best comic actor working right now. Harry Dean Stanton puts in an excellent comic performance. William Burroughs is incredible in a small role. Dylan McDermott was ideally cast, and Lois Chiles is completely excellent.

All of the above are perfectly funny in their own perfect way, but this is one of Crispin's finest performances--up there with his performances in River's Edge and Willard. If you are a Crispin Glover fan, but have somehow overlooked this film, you need to stop whatever it is you're doing and see this immediately.

But just remember to relax first, and maybe have a beer or something. This is a great film, but it is very unusual, and I recommend being in or inducing an appropriately silly state of mind before viewing.