Exotica (1994)

Director:

Atom Egoyan

Writer:

Atom Egoyan

Release Date:

3 March 1995 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Mystery

Tagline:

In a world of temptation, obsession is the deadliest desire.

Plot:

The 'Exotica' is a nightclub on the outskirts of Toronto, where Eric, DJ and MC, watches nightly as his ex-girlfriend Christina performs...

Plot Keywords:

Egg | Bird | Nightclub | Pet Shop | Eel

Awards:

13 wins & 9 nominations

Cast

David Hemblen	...	Customs inspector
Mia Kirshner	...	Christina
Calvin Green	...	Customs officer
Elias Koteas	...	Eric
Bruce Greenwood	...	Francis Brown
Peter Krantz	...	Man in taxi
Don McKellar	...	Thomas Pinto
Arsinée Khanjian	...	Zoe
Sarah Polley	...	Tracey Brown
Victor Garber	...	Harold Brown
Damon D'Oliveira	...	Man at opera
Jack Blum	...	Scalper
Billy Merasty	...	Man at opera
Ken McDougall	...	Doorman
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Maury Chaykin	...	Exotica Club Client (uncredited)
C.J. Fidler	...	Exotica Club dancer (uncredited)
Nadine Ramkisson	...	Exotica Club dancer (uncredited)

Directed by
Atom Egoyan

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Atom Egoyan

Produced by
Atom Egoyan	....	producer
Camelia Frieberg	....	producer
Robert Lantos	....	executive producer
Robert Lantos	....	producer
David J. Webb	....	associate producer (as David Webb)

Original Music by
Mychael Danna

Cinematography by
Paul Sarossy

Film Editing by
Susan Shipton

Production Design by
Linda Del Rosario
Richard Paris

Art Direction by
Linda Del Rosario		(uncredited)
Richard Paris		(uncredited)

Costume Design by
Linda Muir

Makeup Department
Sylvain Cournoyer	....	assistant makeup artist (as Sylvain Cornouyer)
Nicole Demers	....	makeup artist
Allison Ethner	....	tattoo artist
David Harron	....	assistant makeup artist (as David Harrison)
Debra Johnson	....	key hair stylist
Neville Ling	....	assistant hair stylist
Mary Monforte	....	assistant makeup artist
Tony Ouellette	....	assistant hair stylist

Production Management
Sandra Cunningham	....	production manager
Robert Pazdro	....	assistant production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Fergus Barnes	....	second assistant director
Michele Rakich	....	third assistant director
Mary Sylwester	....	trainee assistant director
David J. Webb	....	first assistant director (as David Webb)

Art Department
Robert Allistar Brown	....	set laborer
Garth Brunt	....	set dresser
Kathleen Climie	....	assistant art director
Peter Emmink	....	carpenter
Alison Ethier	....	tattoo artist
Terry Hess	....	constructor
Mark Hunter	....	propsman
Anthony A. Ianni	....	art department trainee
Brent Kelly	....	lead set dresser
Zachery Kelly	....	set laborer
Bill Koon	....	scenic painter
Doug McCullough	....	lead set dresser
Peter Miskimmin	....	propsman
Ian Nothnagel	....	set laborer
Richard Paris	....	set dresser
Paul Potvin	....	property assistant
Keith Reaume	....	set laborer
Art Verhoeven	....	constructor
Stephen Willetts	....	scenic painter

Sound Department
Tyler Allen	....	sound trainee
Gaurav Chopra	....	sound recording engineer: Bombay (as Gaurav Chopin)
Sue Conley	....	dialogue editor
Keith Elliott	....	sound re-recording mixer
James A. Gore	....	foley assistant
Paul Intson	....	digital editor
Peter Kelly	....	sound re-recording mixer
Andy Malcolm	....	foley artist
Peter Melnychuk	....	boom operator
Steve Munro	....	sound designer
Daniel Pellerin	....	sound re-recording mixer
Ross Redfern	....	sound recordist
Paul Shikata	....	assistant sound editor
Tony Van den Akker	....	foley recordist
Peter Winninger	....	adr editor

Special Effects by
Michael Kavanagh	....	special effects supervisor (as Michael Kavonaugh)

Visual Effects by
Jason Giberson	....	digital restoration artist
Paul Intson	....	digital editor

Stunts
Ted Hanlan	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Cynthia Barlow	....	key grip
Paul Boucher	....	focus puller
John Crockford	....	electric
David Crone	....	Steadicam operator
Johnnie Eisen	....	still photographer
Irwin Figueira	....	best boy grip
Harper Forbes	....	fourth grip
Reni Hoz	....	clapper loader
George Kerr	....	electrician
Roscoe Kerr	....	best boy electric
Michael Kulas	....	third grip (as Mike Kulas)
Joseph Micomonaco	....	camera trainee
David Owen	....	gaffer
David Patrick	....	electrician
David Plank	....	focus puller
Anthony Ramsey	....	electrician (as Tony Ramsey)
Franco Tata	....	electrician
Mark Willis	....	camera operator: "b" camera, second unit

Casting Department
Scott Mansfield	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Cori Burchell	....	wardrobe assistant
Sidney Sproule	....	wardrobe mistress

Editorial Department
Chris Hinton	....	film timer
Margaret Malandruccolo	....	editor trainee
Jamie Phelan	....	editor trainee
Paul Shikata	....	first assistant editor
Wiebke von Carolsfeld	....	second assistant editor (as Wiebke Von Carollsfeld)

Music Department
David Bottrill	....	music mixer
David Bottrill	....	music track engineer
Paul Intson	....	musician: bass guitar
Ron Korb	....	musician: flute
Adel Saab	....	musician: tamobourine
Kamil Saab	....	musician: darabukha (as Kamal Saab)
Nabil Saab	....	musician: oud
Sambhagi	....	musician: shehnai (as Sambhaji)
Paul Shikata	....	music editor
Ameene Shishakly	....	musician: clarinet
Hovhanness Tarpinian	....	musician

Transportation Department
Al MacNeil	....	driver
Evan Siegel	....	transportation coordinator
Andres Vosu	....	driver

Other crew
Hussain Amarsshi	....	assistant to producers
Carolynne Bell	....	assistant coordinator
Carolynne Bell	....	craft service
Paul Germann	....	trackworks assistant
Shirley Granger	....	production accountant
Victoria Harding	....	location manager
Joanne T. Harwood	....	script supervisor (as Joanne Harwood)
James Howard	....	production assistant
Martyn Krys	....	production lawyer
Helen Lee	....	director's observer
Claudia Moore	....	choreographer
Jeff Nelson	....	location production assistant (as Jeffrey Nelson)
Rebecca Ruddle	....	office production assistant
Celeste Sansreget	....	craft service
Roland Schlimme	....	production coordinator (as Roland W. Schlimme)
Pam Simons	....	office production assistant
Virginia Smart	....	production assistant
Simone Urdl	....	assistant to director
Simone Urdl	....	unit publicist
Greg Van Alstyne	....	title designer
Eardley Wilmot	....	assistant location manager

Production Companies

• Alliance Entertainment
• Ego Film Arts
• Miramax Films
• Ontario Film Development Corporation, The
• Téléfilm Canada

Distributors

• ARP Sélection (1994) (France) (theatrical)
• Kulturföreningen Kedjan (1994) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Triangelfilm (1994) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• UGC Distribution (1994) (France) (theatrical)
• Alpha Filmes (Brazil) (video)
• Alta Films (Spain)
• Artificial Eye
• Föreningen FilmCentrum (1996) (Sweden) (VHS)
• Lume Filmes (2008) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Miramax Films (1995) (USA)
• Miramax Home Entertainment (USA) (DVD)
• Miramax Home Entertainment (USA) (VHS)
• Miramax Home Entertainment (USA) (laserdisc)
• Sandrew Film & Teater (1996) (Sweden) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Capers on Location  catering
• Casa Mama  music recorded at
• Film House  sound re-recording
• Francont Film  negative cutting
• Grant Avenue Studio  music mixed at
• Mosaic (II)  catering
• Ottilie Mason Catering  catering
• Trackworks Inc.  music recorded at

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for some sexuality and language

Runtime:

103 min

Country:

Canada

Language:

English | Hebrew

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby | Dolby SR

Certification:

Canada:18A | Chile:18 | Finland:K-16 | France:-12 | Hong Kong:IIB | Portugal:M/16 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R | Singapore:R21 | Iceland:12 | Australia:R | South Korea:18 | New Zealand:R18 | Australia:MA (Cable TV rating)

Filming Locations:

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Company:

Alliance Entertainment

Trivia:

The director's wife, Arsinée Khanjian, was seven months pregnant when her parts in the movie were filmed.

Quotes:

[clapping]
Eric:Yeah! Bring those big hairy palms together, gentlemen, have a nice big, round of applause... for Kali! Kali. Yes, indeed, Kali. And you, too, can - you, too, can have Kali come over to your table for only five dollars, where she can show you the mysteries of her world. Trust me, gentlemen, trust me.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Plan B (2005)

Soundtrack:

Ave Generosa

Amazingly beautiful, haunting film

I can't remember seeing a film as intriguing, complex, and beautifully photographed as "Exotica." I nearly didn't watch it because the video cover advertized it as an "erotic thriller" and the image on the front is of Mia Kirchner doing her strip-tease bit. Granted, "Exotica" centers around a "gentleman's club" of the same name, but to call this film a simple erotic thriller is to miss out on a lot, on too much.

"Exotica" follows four seemingly unrelated storylines: a man sitting alone at a table in a strip club, another man smuggling exotic parrot eggs into the country ("Exotica" takes place in and around Toronto), two apparent strangers walking in a field of green, and a young girl who plays a flute in an empty house. Egoyan begins with these vastly different puzzle pieces then slowly, inexorably brings them together.

Atom Egoyan is one heck of a masterful director. He is the epicenter of this cinematic symphony that leads carefully from movement to movement until the finale bursts forth in equal measure of catharsis, discovery, and tragedy. Plot to him is like tapestry weaving. He threads narrative, characters, time, and setting in such complicated iterations that one is at once nearly overwhelmed by the intricacy and awed at his skill, a testament to his brilliance as well as his belief that a film-going audience is actually intelligent.

At it's heart, "Exotica" is a tragedy of circumstances. Or better yet, a collision of tragedies of circumstances. Indeed, the film isn't so much about tragedy as it is about those who survive tragedy and the toll a single event can exact for the rest of the lives of those who survive. Exotica, the gentleman's club, serves merely as a focal point where all these individual tragedies radiate to.

Equally haunting in all this is the music. Mychael Danna's score sets the film's tone: dark, "exotic," deceptively simple but savvier than it lets on. Also worthy of note is the music in the club itself, a blend of American house funk and Middle Eastern tones, warbled in Arabic.

I highly recommend this film. Ignore the naked women who sashay from time to time in front of the screen (difficult as that may be at times) in the scenes shot in the club. The really interesting stuff occurs at the margins of the film, as the gulf separating the storylines begin to vanish, and the final scene gives you the keystone to a horrifying clear vision of a sadness so overwhelming that no one in the film escapes unscathed.