Flatliners (1990)

Director:

Joel Schumacher

Writer (WGA):

Peter Filardi (written by)

Release Date:

10 August 1990 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Thriller | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Some lines shouldn't be crossed.

Plot:

Medical students bring themselves near death; their experiment begins to go awry.

Plot Keywords:

Death | Medical | Medical Student | Afterlife | Nightmare

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 2 nominations

Cast

Kiefer Sutherland	...	Nelson
Julia Roberts	...	Dr. Rachel Mannus
Kevin Bacon	...	David Labraccio
William Baldwin	...	Dr. Joe Hurley
Oliver Platt	...	Randy Steckle
Kimberly Scott	...	Winnie Hicks
Joshua Rudoy	...	Billy Mahoney
Benjamin Mouton	...	Rachel's Father
Aeryk Egan	...	Young Nelson
Kesha Reed	...	Young Winnie
Hope Davis	...	Anne Coldren
Jim Ortlieb	...	Uncle Dave
John Duda	...	Young David (as John Joseph Duda)
Megan Stewart	...	Playground Kid
Tressa Thomas	...	Playground Kid
Gonzo Gonzalez	...	Playground Kid
Afram Bill Williams	...	Ben Hicks
Deborah Thompson Duda	...	Terry (as Deborah Thompson)
Elinore O'Connell	...	Rachel's Mother
Marilyn Dodds Frank	...	Bag Lady
Sanna Vraa	...	Bridget
Nicole Niblack	...	Joe's Woman
Cynthia Bassham	...	Joe's Woman
Sarabeth Tucek	...	Joe's Woman
Ilona Margolis	...	Joe's Woman
Julie Warner	...	Joe's Woman
Iilana B'tiste	...	Joe's Woman
Deborah Torchio	...	Joe's Woman
Deborah Goomas	...	Joe's Woman
Michelle McKee	...	Joe's Woman
Nancy Moran	...	Joe's Woman
Dede Latinopoulos	...	Joe's Woman
Patricia Belcher	...	Edna, Ward Nurse
Susan French	...	Terminal Woman
Beth Grant	...	Housewife
Cage S. Johnson	...	Near Death Patient
Jared Milmeister	...	Young Nelson's Friend
Patrick Gleeson	...	Young Nelson's Friend
John Benjamin Martin	...	Man on Crack
Lyne Odums	...	Nurse
John Fink	...	Doctor
Angela Paton	...	Doctor
Evelina Fernández	...	Latin Woman (as Evelina Fernandez)
Miguel Delgado	...	Latin Husband
Ingrid Oliu	...	Latin Wife
Raymond Hanis	...	Latin Orderly
Zoaunne LeRoy	...	Waitress
Tom Kurlander	...	Medical Student
Nili Levi	...	Little Girl
Anne James	...	Beth
K.K. Dodds	...	Jill
Natsuko Ohama	...	Professor
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Shauna O'Brien	...	One of Joe's Women (uncredited)
Amy Rochelle	...	(uncredited)

Directed by
Joel Schumacher

Writing credits (WGA)
Peter Filardi		(written by)

Produced by
Rick Bieber	....	producer
Michael Douglas	....	producer
Peter Filardi	....	executive producer
Michael I. Rachmil	....	executive producer (as Michael Rachmil)
Scott Rudin	....	executive producer

Original Music by
James Newton Howard

Cinematography by
Jan de Bont		(director of photography) (as Jan De Bont)

Film Editing by
Robert Brown

Casting by
Mali Finn

Production Design by
Eugenio Zanetti

Art Direction by
Jim Dultz

Set Decoration by
Anne Kuljian		(as Anne L. Kuljian)

Costume Design by
Susan Becker

Makeup Department
Ve Neill	....	makeup artist
Yolanda Toussieng	....	hair stylist
Michael Burnett	....	special makeup effects artist: dissection cadaver (uncredited)
Greg Cannom	....	special makeup effects artist (uncredited)
Vance Hartwell	....	special makeup effects artist (uncredited)
Dominic Mango	....	hair stylist (uncredited)
Larry Odien	....	special makeup effects artist (uncredited)
Colin Penman	....	special makeup effects artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Stephen McEveety	....	unit production manager (as Steve McEveety)
Chantal Feghali	....	post-production supervisor (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
John T. Kretchmer	....	first assistant director (as John Kretchmer)
Judith Moore	....	dga trainee (as Judith A. Moore)
Jeff Rafner	....	first assistant director
Gary Schilz	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Greg John Callas	....	construction coordinator (as Greg Callas)
Michael R. Gannon	....	assistant property master
Richard Hoffenberg	....	construction foreman
Stephen Homsy	....	set designer
William A. Petrotta	....	property master
Paul Sonski	....	set designer
Laurence Byrne	....	art department assistant (uncredited)

Sound Department
Petra Bach	....	adr editor
Anna Behlmer	....	sound recordist
Gary C. Bourgeois	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Gary Bourgeois)
Charles L. Campbell	....	supervising sound editor
Paul Timothy Carden	....	sound editor
Chris Carpenter	....	sound re-recording mixer
Louis L. Edemann	....	sound editor
Richard C. Franklin	....	supervising sound editor (as Richard Franklin)
Rick Hart	....	sound re-recording mixer
Nils C. Jensen	....	sound editor (as Nils Jensen)
Angie Luckey	....	assistant sound editor
David MacMillan	....	production sound mixer (as David Macmillan)
Gary Mundheim	....	sound editor
Richard Oswald	....	sound editor
Fred Stafford	....	adr editor (as Frederick Stafford)
Derek Casari	....	dubbing engineer (uncredited)
John Roesch	....	foley artist (uncredited)
Carolyn Tapp	....	foley recordist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Sam Barkin	....	special effects: Chicago
Phil Cory	....	special effects (as Philip Cory)
Hans Metz	....	special effects
Timothy W. Tiedje	....	special effects (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Peter Donen	....	visual effects supervisor
Jim Danforth	....	matte artist (uncredited)
Peter Juneau	....	visual effects projection (uncredited)
Mike Leben	....	motion control operator (uncredited)

Stunts
Bill Erickson	....	stunt coordinator
Rick Le Fevour	....	stunt double (as Rick LeFevour)
Larry Nicholas	....	stunt double
Bobby Porter	....	stunt double

Camera and Electrical Department
Steve Adcock	....	second assistant camera
Edward A. Ayer	....	chief lighting technician
Nathaniel James Dunn	....	best boy grip (as Nathaniel 'Jim' Dunn)
Gene Kearney	....	key grip
Ted J. Kredo	....	best boy electric
Christine M. Loss	....	still photographer (as Christine Loss)
Calmar Roberts	....	first assistant camera (as Calmar K. Roberts Jr.)
Michael Scott	....	camera operator
Thomas Enright	....	electrician (uncredited)
Adam Glick	....	set lighting technician (uncredited)
Gregory Lundsgaard	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Stan McClain	....	camera operator: Wescam camera (uncredited)
Michael Shanman	....	lighting board operator (uncredited)
Lou Weinert	....	assistant camera (uncredited)

Casting Department
Barbara Harris	....	voice casting
Megan McConnell	....	casting assistant
Catherine Holzer-Ballowe	....	extras casting (uncredited)
Mark A. Ridge	....	extras casting (uncredited)
Franklyn Warren	....	extras casting (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Kirsten Everberg	....	assistant to costume designer
Rosemarie Fall	....	costume supervisor: women
Nick Scarano	....	costume supervisor: men
Steve Shubin	....	costume supervisor: men
Barbara Marko Friedman	....	costumer (uncredited)
Marlene Hajdu	....	set costumer (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Dean Beville	....	apprentice editor
David E. Blewitt	....	additional editor (as Dave Blewitt)
Gary Burritt	....	negative cutter
Phil Hetos	....	color timer
Jim Prior	....	additional editor
Pattye Rogers	....	assistant editor
James Seidelman	....	assistant editor
Rick Sparr	....	assistant editor
Fred C. Vitale	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Chris Boardman	....	additional orchestrator
Brad Dechter	....	additional orchestrator (as Brad Decter)
Shawn Murphy	....	scoring mixer
Marty Paich	....	conductor
Dick Rudolph	....	music supervisor
Paul Salamunovich	....	conductor: St. Charles Borromeo Choir
Jon Wattenbarger	....	conductor: boys choir
Jim Weidman	....	music editor

Transportation Department
Martin T. Hill	....	transportation captain
William F. Hogan	....	transportation co-captain: Chicago (as Billy Hogan Jr.)
Armand Paoletti	....	transportation coordinator: Chicago
James C. Taylor	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Pamela Alch	....	script supervisor
Jacolyn Baker	....	location manager: Chicago
Steph Benseman	....	location manager (as Stephan Benseman)
Rocky Buzzini	....	production assistant (as Rocky A. Buzzini)
Peter DePalma	....	assistant: Mr. Douglas (as Peter De Palma)
Guy Ferland	....	assistant: Mr. Schumacher
Lynette Graves	....	production assistant
Erica Heider	....	assistant: Mr. Rachmil
Patricia Jeffers	....	production assistant
Tammy Karabas	....	assistant production coordinator: Chicago
Shari Leibowitz	....	production coordinator
Boone Narr	....	animal trainer
Ramon Pahoyo	....	craft service (as Ramon B. Pahoya)
Tim Pedegana	....	assistant production coordinator
Barbara Shane	....	assistant: Mr. Bieber
Susan Trembly	....	publicist
Robin Vail	....	assistant: Mr. Rachmil
Gaston Vidou	....	production assistant
Julie Yarrish	....	assistant: Mr. Schumacher
Ray Zimmerman	....	production accountant (as Raymond G. Zimmerman)
Ursula Brauner	....	animal trainer (uncredited)
Bob Corff	....	voice teacher (uncredited)
Steve Kraus	....	dailies projectionist (uncredited)
Heather Pollock	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Robert 'Bobby Z' Zajonc	....	helicopter pilot (uncredited)
Marsha Zvonkin	....	assistant accountant (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Columbia Pictures Corporation (presents) (as Columbia Pictures)
• Stonebridge Entertainment (producer)

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures (1990) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1993) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Columbia TriStar Films (1991) (France) (theatrical)
• Interama (1991) (Czechoslovakia) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Film (Germany)
• Encore Avenue (2009) (Canada) (TV)
• LK-TEL (Argentina) (video)
• Prooptiki (Greece)
• RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video (USA) (VHS)
• RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video (USA) (laserdisc)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2007) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-Ray Disc)
• Videosonic Arts (Greece) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Cinema Research  titles and opticals
• DeLuxe Laboratories  color (as Deluxe)
• Holzer Roche Casting  extras casting: Chicago
• Panavision  filmed in
• TAJ Soundworks  foley
• Technicolor  prints
• Todd-AO/Glen Glenn Studios  sound re-recording

Runtime:

115 min | Finland:110 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | CDS (digital 35 mm prints) | Dolby (analog 35 mm prints)

Certification:

West Germany:16 | Iceland:14 | Iceland:16 (video rating) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14A (Manitoba) (TV rating) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:R (Nova Scotia) | Brazil:16 | Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Chile:14 | Finland:K-16 | France:-12 | Netherlands:12 | Norway:15 | Singapore:M18 | South Korea:15 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R (certificate #30218)

Filming Locations:

Bensenville, Illinois, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

Hope Davis's film debut.

Goofs:

Factual errors: When everyone is preparing to put Nelson under for the first time, Nelson squeezes the syringe squirting fluid out of the needle then taps on the syringe to force any bubbles to the top of the syringe. This is the opposite of the way you actually get all of the air out of a syringe.

Quotes:

Nelson Wright: You bring the equipment, I'll bring my balls.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Saturday Night Live: Jeff Goldblum/Aerosmith (#19.3)" (1993)

Soundtrack:

PARTY TOWN

Good premise into well-told story

Flatliners has all the ingredients of a good Joel Schumacher film - intelligent, youthful characters, stunning cinematography, a gripping story, and excellent performances. It's escapist fun but it's done very well and resonates with a positive spiritual message despite the unnerving precedings.

Schumacher has a knack for spotting talented young actors, and all of the main five here have gone on to greater things (see the cast list). Their believable performances help to raise this movie well above average. Kiefer Sutherland shines in his egotistical med-student role.

The cinematography really stimulates the right side of the brain, which is what I love about Schumacher; his use of light and location create images that stick. A disturbing nightmarish atmosphere is created which unsettles you while you watch the film and haunts you when you go to bed - reminded me of The Lost Boys.

This is a film that takes an awesome premise - curious students want to find out what's after death, and successfully follows it through into a scary, gripping tale of redemption. One of Schumacher's best; highly recommended.