Amateur (1994)

Director:

Hal Hartley

Writer:

Hal Hartley

Release Date:

19 May 1995 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

Accountancy, Murder, Amnesia, Torture, Ecstasy, Understanding, Redemption

Plot:

Isabelle is an ex-nun waiting for her special mission from God. In the meantime, she is making a living writing pornography...

Plot Keywords:

Pornographer | Torture | Amnesia | Female Nudity | New York City

Awards:

1 win & 2 nominations

Cast

Isabelle Huppert	...	Isabelle
Martin Donovan	...	Thomas Ludens
Elina Löwensohn	...	Sofia Ludens
Damian Young	...	Edward, Jaque's Accountant
Chuck Montgomery	...	Jan, Jaque's Goon
Dave Simonds	...	Kurt, Jaque's Goon
Pamela Stewart	...	Officer Patsy Melville
Erica Gimpel	...	Irate Woman
Jan Leslie Harding	...	Waitress
Terry Alexander	...	Frank, the Cook
Holt McCallany	...	Usher
Hugh Palmer	...	Warren
Michael Imperioli	...	Doorman at Club
Angel Caban	...	Detective
Emmanuel Xuereb	...	Bartender
Lennie Loftin	...	Taxi Driver
David Greenspan	...	George, the Pornographer
Adria Tennor	...	Kid reading 'The Odyssey'
Parker Posey	...	Girl Squatter
Dwight Ewell	...	Boy Squatter
Currie Graham	...	Video Store Clerk
Jamie Harrold	...	Pizza Guy
Patricia Scanlon	...	Young Irate Mother
James McCauley	...	Policeman
Benny Nieves	...	Policeman
David Troup	...	Guard
Tim Blake Nelson	...	Young Detective
Marissa Copeland	...	Sister at Door
Dael Oriandersmith	...	Mother Superior
Michael Gaston	...	Sharpshooter
Paul Schulze	...	Cop Who Shoots Thomas
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jason Fisher	...	David (uncredited)

Directed by
Hal Hartley

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Hal Hartley

Produced by
Jerome Brownstein	....	executive producer
Hal Hartley	....	producer
Ted Hope	....	producer
Lindsay Law	....	executive producer
Yves Marmion	....	executive producer
Scott Meek	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Hal Hartley		(as Ned Rifle)
Jeffrey Taylor

Cinematography by
Michael Spiller

Film Editing by
Steve Hamilton

Casting by
Billy Hopkins
Suzanne Smith

Production Design by
Steve Rosenzweig

Art Direction by
Ginger Tougas

Set Decoration by
Jennifer Baime
Amy Tapper

Costume Design by
Alexandra Welker

Makeup Department
Judy Chin	....	makeup artist
Marjorie Durand	....	key makeup artist

Production Management
Christopher Goode	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Robert C. Albertell	....	third assistant director
Gregory Jacobs	....	first assistant director
Allen Kupetsky	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Susan Blume	....	scenic artist
Laurie F. Cohen	....	scenic charge
Robert Cosentino	....	art production assistant
David Doernberg	....	property master (as Dave Doernberg)
Linda Harvey	....	construction coordinator
Sarah Lavery	....	assistant props
Joyce M. Pierpoline	....	art department coordinator
Neda Pourang	....	art intern
Constance Van Flandern	....	set property master

Sound Department
Marko A. Costanzo	....	foley artist
Jeanne Gilliland	....	second boom operator
Paul Koronkiewicz	....	boom operator
Susan Littenberg	....	sound editor
Jeff Pullman	....	sound mixer
Steve Silkensen	....	sound editor
Reilly Steele	....	sound re-recording mixer

Special Effects by
Drew Jiritano	....	special effects
Ron Petruccione	....	special effects

Stunts
Phil Neilson	....	stunt coordinator
Ron Petruccione	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Bart Blaise	....	second assistant camera
Richard Breen	....	best boy electric
Paul Candrilli	....	key grip
Leonard Freed	....	additional still photographer
Eric M. Klein	....	best boy grip
Richard Ludwig	....	still photographer
Paul Nickason	....	dolly grip
Storn Peterson	....	first assistant camera
Linda Phillips	....	electrician
Danya Reich	....	second second assistant camera
Frank Stubblefield	....	gaffer (as W. Stubblefield)
Joe Stubblefield	....	electrician

Casting Department
Kerry Barden	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Elana C. Fisher	....	costume production assistant
Marina Marit	....	wardrobe supervisor
Kathryn Nixon	....	assistant costume designer

Editorial Department
Alex Albanese	....	first assistant editor
Susan Littenberg	....	assistant editor
Patricia Sztaba	....	negative matcher
Stan Sztaba	....	negative matcher

Transportation Department
Brian Maxwell	....	transportation captain

Other crew
Joan Altman	....	production auditor
Paul C. Arianas	....	assistant production coordinator
Randall Balsmeyer	....	title designer
Eddy Collyns	....	location manager
Fliss Coombs	....	unit publicist
Joyce Hsieh	....	assistant auditor
Jocelyn Jansons	....	location assistant
Roger Kass	....	legal services
Lilene Mansell	....	dialect coach
James McCauley	....	fight director (as James Michael McCauley)
Victoria McGarry	....	production coordinator
Alexa D. O'Brien	....	production office intern
Andrew Saxe	....	assistant location manager
Rick Washburn	....	weapons coordinator
Greg White	....	production assistant

Production Companies

• American Playhouse
• Channel Four Films
• La Sept Cinéma
• True Fiction Pictures
• Union Générale Cinématographique (UGC)
• Zenith Entertainment

Distributors

• Sony Pictures Classics (1995) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (1995) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Encore Entertainment (1996) (UK) (video) (laserdisc)
• Alta Films (Spain) (theatrical)
• Diaphana Films (1994) (France) (theatrical)
• Artificial Eye
• Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD)

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for violence and language

Runtime:

105 min

Country:

USA | UK | France

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby | Dolby SR

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | Norway:15 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R | Iceland:12 (original rating) | Iceland:16 (re-rating) | Australia:M | Portugal:M/12 | Argentina:16

Filming Locations:

19th Street, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

American Playhouse

Trivia:

Isabelle Huppert got the lead role by writing to the director and begging for a part in his next film.

Quotes:

Isabelle:What are you doing?
Warren:I'm molesting you.
Isabelle:Am I supposed to like it?
Warren:You could beg me to stop.
Isabelle:And would you?
Warren:No.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Waiter (1997)

One of those movies after which you shake your head and say bemusedly, "Wow."

Hal Hartley where have you been all my movie-loving life? This was the sort of movie-watching experience which required my calling my best friend and telling her about it, as I would any noteworthy experience.

Yes, the ending was dismal... yet perfect! So much about redemption: This was clear if one remembers Thomas's feet at the beginning of the movie, and then Thomas's feet at the end. At that point, I saw the (one of) point to the story. I enjoyed the clipped dialogue, the clarity, AND the ironic absurdity. The story was not meant to be reality-driven, but limited to the raison d'etre of Thomas and the other characters: as in a dream, but not. Discovering it was a marvelous channel-surfing accident.

Now I must do a search on Hal Hartley. Check out his portfolio, so to speak. Rating 9/10.