Careful (1992)

Director:

Guy Maddin

Writers:

Guy Maddin (screenplay)
George Toles (screenplay)
(more)

Release Date:

26 December 1994 (Australia)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Plot:

In the remote Alpine village of Tolzbad at the turn of the century, people talk quietly and restrain...

Plot Keywords:

Butler | Duel | Village | Count | Avalanche

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Kyle McCulloch	...	Grigorss
Gosia Dobrowolska	...	Zenaida
Sarah Neville	...	Klara
Brent Neale	...	Johann
Paul Cox	...	Count Knotkers
Victor Cowie	...	Herr Trotta
Michael O'Sullivan	...	Blind Ghost
Vince Rimmer	...	Franz
Katya Gardner	...	Sigleinde
Jackie Burroughs	...	Frau Teacher
Ross McMillan	...	Chief Steward
Leith Clark	...	Butler Blore
Glen Hubich	...	Butler Schrammel
Brendan Carruthers	...	Mortician
George Toles	...	Countess Knotkers
Greg Klymkiw	...	Shower Meister
Kelli Shinfield	...	Gerda the Mountain Girl
Andrea Von Wichert	...	Townsperson (as Andrea Wichert)
Carol McQuarrie	...	Townsperson
Barbara Green	...	Townsperson
Kathryn Martin	...	Townsperson
Lisa Skrypichako	...	Townsperson
Soffia Cooney	...	Townsperson
Dora Sigurdson	...	Townsperson
Hrund	...	Townsperson
Daisy	...	Townsperson
Tina Douvris	...	Townsperson
Arlea Ashcroft	...	Townsperson
Jennifer Harris	...	Townsperson
Rebecca Gibson	...	Townsperson
Julia Brown	...	Townsperson
Stacy Shore	...	Townsperson
Jilian Maddin	...	Townsperson (as Jillian Maddin)
Alana Van Buren	...	Townsperson
Amanda Bourdon	...	Townsperson
Alexandra Rachey	...	Townsperson
Tanya Brown	...	Townsperson
Jessica Brown	...	Townsperson (as Jessica Brown)
Avril Maister	...	Townsperson
Tracy Gemmell	...	Townsperson
Ron Eyolfson	...	Townsperson
Roy Norton	...	Townsperson
Graham Bicq	...	Townsperson
Randy Kray	...	Townsperson
Sean Hanson	...	Townsperson
Robert Lunn	...	Townsperson
Peter Lunn	...	Townsperson
Don Hewak	...	Townsperson
Stu Lavitt	...	Townsperson
Jim Keller	...	Townsperson
Matt Holm	...	Butler Student
Conrad Percheson	...	Butler Student
Hans Ter Horst	...	Butler Student
Kurt Moritz	...	Butler Student
Jeff Solylo	...	Butler Student
Ian Handford	...	Butler Student
Caelum Vatnsdal	...	Butler Student
Mark Yuill	...	Butler Student
Jonas Chernick	...	Butler Student

Directed by
Guy Maddin

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Guy Maddin		screenplay
George Toles		screenplay
George Toles		story

Produced by
Andre Bennett	....	executive producer
Greg Klymkiw	....	producer
Tracy Traeger	....	producer

Original Music by
John McCulloch

Cinematography by
Guy Maddin		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Guy Maddin

Casting by
Greg Klymkiw

Production Design by
Guy Maddin

Art Direction by
Jeff Solylo

Costume Design by
Donna Szöke

Makeup Department
Pamela M. Athayde	....	makeup designer/artist (as Pamela Athayde)
Kim Forrest	....	makeup dailies
Karri Moffat	....	makeup dailies
Donna Szöke	....	makeup designer/artist
Bill Sciak	....	barber (uncredited)

Production Management
Tracy Traeger	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Elizabeth Jarvis	....	first assistant director (as Liz Jarvis)
Richard O'Brien-Moran	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Larry Clark	....	carpenter
Ron Gorsline	....	painter
Ian Handford	....	property master
Karen Harvich	....	construction dailies
Matt Holm	....	art department dailies
Ray Impey	....	construction dailies
Randy Kray	....	carpenter
Campbell Martin	....	construction dailies
Joachim Martin	....	construction dailies (as Jock Martin)
Darren Mills	....	construction dailies
Neil Minuk	....	property buyer and maker
Karri Moffat	....	painter
Conrad Percheson	....	property buyer and maker
Marlowe Phillips	....	construction dailies
Michael Powell	....	property buyer and maker
Dean Smallwood	....	construction coordinator
Dean Smallwood	....	set designer
Sherry Starkell	....	property buyer and maker (as Sherri Starkell)
Mary Sylwester	....	art department dailies (as Mary Sylvester)
Hans Ter Horst	....	first assistant art director
Gerrie Van Heck	....	property buyer and maker
Larry Van Went	....	painter
Caelum Vatnsdal	....	property buyer and maker
Craig Walls	....	construction coordinator
Craig Walls	....	set designer
Keith Walls	....	carpenter

Sound Department
Russ Dyck	....	adr editor
Russ Dyck	....	adr recordist
Russ Dyck	....	sound
Linda Madden	....	assistant adr editor
Guy Maddin	....	sound editor
Andy Malcolm	....	foley artist
Don Melnyk	....	adr recordist
Daniel Pellerin	....	sound engineer
Gerrie Van Heck	....	assistant sound

Camera and Electrical Department
Tim Bewcyk	....	gaffer
Michael Drabot	....	electrician: dailies
Steve Madden	....	grip
Michael Marshall	....	camera operator (as Mike Marshall)
Pierre Naday	....	electrician: dailies
Deanne Rohde	....	best girl
Brian Sanders	....	first assistant camera (as Bryan Sanders)
Jeff Solylo	....	still photographer
Caelum Vatnsdal	....	second assistant camera

Casting Department
Shelagh Carter	....	casting coordinator

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Carolyn Bradshaw	....	seamstress
Carolyn Bradshaw	....	wardrobe mistress
Marion Degraves	....	wardrobe dailies
Deanna Desrosiers	....	wardrobe dailies
Leona Harvich	....	seamstress
Angela Heck	....	seamstress
Sandra Seaman	....	seamstress

Editorial Department
Lorne Bailey	....	daily rushes
Ian Handford	....	second assistant editor
Lorri Millan	....	third assistant editor
Hans Ter Horst	....	first assistant editor

Other crew
Alex Dobrowolski	....	legal services
Claude Forest	....	insurance broker
Gloria Gibb	....	production accountant
Stewart Hayek	....	animal wrangler
Sasha Iwanick	....	production coordinator
Greg Klymkiw	....	unit publicist
Brad Linden	....	caterer
Susan Lisoway	....	animal wrangler
Geoff Pevere	....	script editor
Kelli Shinfield	....	assistant: Mr. Maddin
Kelli Shinfield	....	production assistant
Stephen Snyder	....	assistant: Mr. Klymkiw (as Steve Snyder)
Stephen Snyder	....	diary (as Steve Snyder)
Mary Sylwester	....	production assistant (as Mary Sylvester)
Hans Ter Horst	....	continuity
Gerrie Van Heck	....	assistant: Ms. Traeger

Thanks
Alexander Bohr	....	special thanks
Dennis Jakob	....	dedicatee

Production Companies

• Canada Council, The
• The Canada Manitoba Cultural Industries Development Office (CIDO)
• The Greg & Tracy Film Ministry
• The Manitoba Arts Council
• Téléfilm Canada

Distributors

• E.D. Distribution (1996) (France) (theatrical)
• Kino Video (1992-????) (USA) (DVD)
• Kino Video (1992-????) (USA) (VHS)
• Zeitgeist Films (1993) (USA) (all media)

Other Companies

• Film House  sound re-recording studio
• Film Opticals  titles

Also Known As:

Runtime:

100 min

Country:

Canada

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Australia:M

Filming Locations:

Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

Company:

Canada Council, The

Quotes:

Klara:Look at this, Grigorss, my mountain hideaway. The two of us can be outcasts here together. We need never see anyone but each other. We can live on berries and grasses, and small animals we can kill with sharp sticks.

Movie Connections:

References The Blue Light (1932)

A rare treat on DVD! Thanks, Kino

Will wonders never cease? Here is a DVD that I never thought I'd see. Guy Maddin's brilliant and hilarious (particularly for early film buffs) `Careful.' The plot and style of this film have been well explained by other commentaries on this page and elsewhere, so there's no need to go over it again. My favorite comment about it is that it is like a Ricola ad gone horribly, horribly wrong. Suffice it to say that the DVD is an improvement in image quality. While many of the images are intentionally vague, grainy or indistinct by the choice of the filmmakers, I get the impression that these effects are more clearly conveyed in the DVD. In a spoken commentary track with Maddin and screenwriter George Toles (new to this DVD, and obviously not possible on the VHS edition), Maddin admits that he wanted to add an effect through use of the color controls during the digital transfer, but resisted that temptation in order to let this DVD stand as a faithful representation of the film. While the effect he had in mind might have been interesting, I'm still grateful to him for his restraint.

Maddin claims in his commentary that people often obliquely criticize the performances of the actors in this film while, at the same time, telling him how much they like it, placing him in the position of defending those performances. Maddin states that he absolutely stands by the performances in this film, and that the actors gave him precisely what he asked for. This should dispel any doubts among people who see this film about the unusual, stiff delivery of lines, which might lead people who know nothing about the cast to suspect they are amateurs, which they are definitely not. This sort of line reading can be seen in some of the very earliest talkies. The antiquated sound of this film, along with its look, is all of a piece, and completely intentional, right down to the fake patina of noise added to the mono soundtrack. Maddin does regret some of the props and effects which had to be done on the cheap, due to budget restraints. Who knows how much more bizarre and fantastic it might have looked with a larger budget? On the other hand, it might have lost some of its unique charm. As it is, it's a wonderful piece of work that I find unforgettable, and that has remained vivid in my memory years after first seeing it. Copies of this DVD aren't to be found in abundance, and I don't know how long it will stay in print. If you like this film, do get this DVD now, and tell anyone you know who likes unusual films about it.

Near the end of the film, which hints at a continuation of the story, Maddin says that he may make that sequel some day. I don't know if he was serious about it or not, but I'd sure love to see it.