The Addiction (1995)

Director:

Abel Ferrara

Writer (WGA):

Nicholas St. John (written by)

Release Date:

6 October 1995 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Drama

Tagline:

The dark is their sunlight. What makes them different is what keeps them alive.

Plot:

A New York philosophy grad student turns into a vampire after getting bitten by one, and then tries to come to terms with her new lifestyle and frequent craving for human blood.

Plot Keywords:

Vampire | Drugs | Blood | Philosophy | College

Awards:

5 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Lili Taylor	...	Kathleen Conklin
Christopher Walken	...	Peina
Annabella Sciorra	...	Casanova
Edie Falco	...	Jean
Paul Calderon	...	Professor
Fredro Starr	...	Black
Kathryn Erbe	...	Anthropology Student
Michael Imperioli	...	Missionary
Jamal Simmons	...	Black's Friend (as Jamel 'RedRum' Simmons)
Robert W. Castle	...	Narrator / Priest (as Father Robert Castle)
Michael A. Fella	...	Cop (as Michael Fella)
Louis Katz	...	Doctor (as Dr. Louis A. Katz)
Leroy Johnson	...	Homeless Victim
Fred Williams	...	Homeless Victim
Avron Coleman	...	Cellist
Lisa Casillo	...	Mary
Frank Aquilino	...	Delivery Man (as Frank 'Butchy the Hat' Aquilino)
Nicholas De Cegli	...	Cabby (as Nicholas Decegli)
Jay Julien	...	Dean
Chuck Jeffreys	...	Bartender (as Chuck Jeffries)
Edward Conna	...	Waiter (as Ed Conna)
Nancy Ellen Anzalone	...	Dress Victim
Susan Mitchell	...	Featured Victim
Mary Ann Hannon	...	Featured Victim
John Vincent McEvily	...	Featured Victim
Bianca Pratt	...	Featured Victim
Christina Campanella	...	Featured Victim (as Christina Campenella)
Anthony Giangrande	...	Featured Victim (as Anthony Giangrando)
Kevin Scullin	...	Featured Victim
Heather Bracken	...	Nurse
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Harrison Freed	...	College Student (uncredited)

Directed by
Abel Ferrara

Writing credits (WGA)
Nicholas St. John		(written by)

Produced by
Antony Blinken	....	associate producer
Denis Hann	....	producer
Marla Hanson	....	associate producer
Preston L. Holmes	....	executive producer (as Preston Holmes)
Margot Lulick	....	line producer (as Margot E. Lulick)
Russell Simmons	....	executive producer
Fernando Sulichin	....	producer

Original Music by
Joe Delia

Cinematography by
Ken Kelsch		(photography)

Film Editing by
Mayin Lo

Production Design by
Charles M. Lagola		(as Charles Lagola)

Art Direction by
Beth Curtis

Set Decoration by
Sara Baldocchi
Mary Prlain

Costume Design by
Melinda Eshelman

Makeup Department
Jean Block	....	assistant hair stylist
Wayne Herndon	....	key hair stylist
Kate Morgan	....	assistant makeup artist
Patricia Regan	....	makeup artist
Linda Grimes	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Carmen Ashurst-Watson	....	executive in charge of production (as Carmen Ashurst)
Margot Lulick	....	unit production manager (as Margot E. Lulick)
Andrew Ramsey	....	unit manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Randy Fletcher	....	first assistant director
Dean Garvin	....	second assistant director
Evan Labb	....	second assistant director
Glen Trotiner	....	first assistant director
Chris Marazzo	....	second second assistant director: exteriors (uncredited)

Art Department
Maureen Cataldi	....	additional dresser
Mark Edlitz	....	art department production assistant
Rolf Grimsted	....	leadman (as Rolf Grimstead)
Lisa Kent	....	art department assistant
Erick Schiele	....	set dresser
Elizabeth Schlitten	....	property master (as Liz Schlitten)
Gordanna Svilar	....	art department assistant

Sound Department
Bob Barnes	....	sound intern (as Bob Barns)
Héctor Cordero	....	sound editor (as Hector Cordero)
Andrew Edelman	....	sound intern
Sheila Gladhill	....	sound intern
David Glickman	....	boom operator
Raymond Karpicki	....	supervising sound editor (as Ray Karpicki)
Kira Smith	....	sound intern
Robert Taz Larrea	....	production sound mixer
Mel Zelniker	....	sound re-recording mixer
Clancy T. Troutman	....	supervising sound editor (uncredited)

Stunts
Nancy Ellen Anzalone	....	stunt player (as Nancy Anzalone)
John Cade	....	stunt player
Ren Campbell	....	stunt player
Edward Conna	....	stunt player (as Ed Conne)
Blaise Corrigan	....	stunt player (as Blaize Corrigan)
Don Hewitt	....	stunt player
Chuck Jeffreys	....	stunt player (as Chuck Jeffries)
Chuck Margiotta	....	stunt player
Cynthia Neilson	....	stunt player
Phil Neilson	....	stunt coordinator
Lizzie Olesker	....	stunt player (as Lizzie Oleskar)

Camera and Electrical Department
Bill Almeida	....	electrician
Nathaniel Beal	....	grip (as Nat Beal)
Paul Breen	....	electrician
Joshua N. Bucklan	....	loader
Maria Calvaruso	....	loader
Andrea Dorman	....	first assistant camera
James J. Ferris	....	generator operator
Jim Galvin	....	electrician
Matthew Gould	....	electrician
Seth Greenspan	....	electrician
Robert Kummert	....	key grip (as Rob Kummert)
Jean-Pierre Marois	....	still photographer
Ed Mattson	....	grip (as Edward Mattson)
John Paul McIntyre	....	dolly grip (as John P. McIntyre)
Charlie McNamara	....	gaffer (as Charley McNamara)
John Milcetic	....	best boy electrician
Alpesh Patel	....	grip truck helper
Lance Rieck	....	second assistant camera
Michael Sadov	....	grip
Phil Testa	....	best boy electrician
David Tumblety	....	electrician
Justin Vanson	....	best boy grip
Kevin Wallace	....	electrician

Casting Department
Andrea Curtis	....	casting
Meredith Jacobson	....	additional casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Jennifer Arnold	....	assistant costume designer
Amanda Pratt	....	wardrobe supervisor
Bianca Pratt	....	wardrobe supervisor

Editorial Department
Yasmine Amitai	....	first assistant editor
Maya Churi	....	post-production assistant
Kenna Doeringer	....	second assistant editor
Stephanie Ferrante	....	post-production assistant
Abehjha Kibuuka	....	editing room assistant
David Pultz	....	timer: black and white

Music Department
James Flatto	....	music editor

Transportation Department
George Campbell	....	driver captain

Other crew
Robert Aqui	....	production assistant
Adam Baer	....	location scout
Donna L. Bascom	....	production counsel (as Donna Bascom)
Gianni Benecchi	....	production assistant
Sarah Bereczki	....	set production assistant
Simon G. Bloomer	....	production assistant
Alejandro Branger	....	production assistant
Jay Cannold	....	production accountant
Dianne E. Collins	....	publicist: M/S Billing Publicity, Ltd. (as Diane Collins)
Alex Corven Caronia	....	location manager
Wendy Damon	....	assistant: Mr. Ferrara
Elizabeth Downer	....	set production assistant
Maurice 'pee-wee' Edwards	....	parking coordinator (as Maurice 'PeeWee' Edwards)
Stephanie Ferrante	....	office production assistant
Arthur Flam	....	production assistant
Adam Ben Frank	....	key set production assistant (as Adam Frank)
Baron Ginnetti	....	craft service
Henry Hershkowitz	....	assistant to producers
Jay Julien	....	corporate counsel
Simone Lageoles	....	script supervisor (as Simone M. Lageoles)
Lucia Marano	....	assistant location manager
Melissa Marr	....	production office coordinator (as Melissa M. Marr)
John Paul McIntyre	....	creative consultant (as John McIntyre)
Susan Mitchell	....	stand-in: Lili Taylor
Olivia Pi-Sunyer	....	production office coordinator
Lynn H. Powers	....	location assistant (as Lynn Powers)
Anthony Redman	....	creative consultant
Russell Simmons	....	presenter
Joseph Stephans	....	location assistant
Julina Tatlock	....	key set production assistant
Sean Thomas	....	set production assistant
Michelle Vergara	....	set production assistant
Sarah Zack	....	set production assistant

Thanks
Delbert Boone	....	the producers would like to thank: for sharing their expertise in the signs, symptoms and treatment of addiction, Community Development Coordinator of the Cornerstone Treatment Facilities Network
Gilbert Caleano	....	the producers would like to thank: for sharing their expertise in the signs, symptoms and treatment of addiction, Senior Vice President, Substance Abuse Services of the Cornerstone Treatment Facilities Network
Christine Choy	....	the producers would like to thank
Carlos Garro Diaz	....	the producers would like to thank
Pasquale E. Ferrante	....	the producers would like to thank
Bernie Hayden	....	the producers would like to thank: Sound Dimensions, NY
Phil Neilson	....	the producers would like to thank
Jeremiah Newton	....	the producers would like to thank
Bill Nisselson	....	the producers would like to thank: Sound One Corp.
Janos Pilenyi	....	the producers would like to thank (as Janos O. Pilenyi)
Leo M. Ritter	....	the producers would like to thank
Julian Schnabel	....	the producers would like to thank (as Julien Schnabel)
Ray Schnitzer	....	the producers would like to thank
Mark Weitzmann	....	the producers would like to thank: Educational Director of The Simon Wiesenthal Center (as Mark Wietzman)
Irwin Young	....	the producers would like to thank: DuArt Film & Video Laboratory

Production Companies

• Fast Films
• Guild
• October Films

Distributors

• October Films (1995) (USA) (theatrical)
• Hallmark (video)
• Image Entertainment (1997) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Polygram Filmed Entertainment (video)
• Quality Films (2005) (Mexico) (DVD)
• TriPictures (Spain)
• Twister Digital Video (2005) (Russia) (DVD)
• Vitória Filmes (Portugal)

Other Companies

• Abbijane  the producers would also like to thank
• D.R. Reiff & Associates  insurance company
• Directors Guild of America (DGA)  the producers would also like to thank: the members and management of (as The Directors Guild of America)
• Du Art Film and Video  the producers would also like to thank (as DuArt Film & Video Laboratory)
• International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE)  this picture made under the jurisdiction of (as I.A.T.S.E.)
• Life Magazine  stock footage courtesy of
• M/S Billings Publicity Ltd.  publicity (as M/S Billing Publicity, Ltd.)
• N&D Film and Video  negative cutter (as N & D Films)
• National Archives  stock footage courtesy of
• New York City Mayor's Office of Film, Theater & Broadcasting, The  the producers would also like to thank (as The New York City Mayors Office of Film and Television)
• New York I.A.T.S.E. Production Locals  the producers would also like to thank: the members and management of (as The New York IATSE Locals)
• New York University (NYU)  the producers would also like to thank
• REI Media Group  titles & opticals
• Sound Dimensions  the producers would also like to thank (as Sound Dimensions, NY)
• Sound One Corporation  sound re-recording
• Sound One Corporation  the producers would also like to thank (as Sound One Corp.)
• Tahari  the producers would also like to thank
• Teamsters Local 817  the producers would also like to thank: the members and management of (as Theatrical Teamsters Local 817)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

82 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby (as Dolby Surround) | Dolby SR

Certification:

Italy:VM14 | Norway:18 (TV rating) | Singapore:M18 | USA:Not Rated (laserdisc rating) | Australia:R | Germany:16 | Portugal:M/18 | South Korea:18 | Spain:18 | UK:18 | USA:Unrated

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Fast Films

Trivia:

Film critic Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian placed the film at #1 in his top ten films of all time (as submitted for the 2002 Sight & Sound Poll)

Quotes:

Casanova:We are not sinners because we sin. We sin because we're sinners.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in A Short Film About the Long Career of Abel Ferrara (2004) (V)

Soundtrack:

I Wanna Get High

I loved the Addiction

I loved this film. I was an NYU grad student and the process of getting my doctorate and writing the dissertation and dealing with the committee were perfectly captured by all the aspects of the vampire's experience and transformation. The hunger she felt was so accurate. I recall those days of struggle and grad student doubts about ever finishing and feeling as if no one would appreciate what I had written. The writers captured all that perfectly in the scenes of her trying to write and focus, all while something else was pulling on her and transforming her.

The film itself was well acted and the emotional atmosphere was captured perfectly. The street scenes incorporated the neighborhood beautifully, especially in the way people in the village actually live there. It was a dark wonderful film and I have recommended it to many people, especially those currently in grad school, writing their dissertations. I hope it is released on DVD soon. I keep looking.