Twelve Monkeys (1995)

Director:

Terry Gilliam

Writers (WGA):

Chris Marker (film La Jetée)
David Webb Peoples (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

5 January 1996 (USA)

Genre:

Mystery | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

The future is history.

Plot:

In a future world devastated by disease, a convict is sent back in time to gather information about the man-made virus that wiped out most of the human population on the planet.

Plot Keywords:

Virus | Future | Monkey | Mental Institution | 1990s

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 10 wins & 8 nominations

Cast

Joseph Melito	...	Young Cole
Bruce Willis	...	James Cole
Jon Seda	...	Jose
Michael Chance	...	Scarface
Vernon Campbell	...	Tiny
H. Michael Walls	...	Botanist
Bob Adrian	...	Geologist
Simon Jones	...	Zoologist
Carol Florence	...	Astrophysicist
Bill Raymond	...	Microbiologist
Ernest Abuba	...	Engineer
Irma St. Paule	...	Poet
Madeleine Stowe	...	Kathryn Railly
Joey Perillo	...	Detective Franki
Bruce Kirkpatrick	...	Policeman No. 1

Also Known As:

12 Monkeys (USA) (alternative spelling)

MPAA:

Rated R for violence and language.

Runtime:

129 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Rankcolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS-Stereo | DTS | Dolby SR

Certification:

Iceland:14 (original rating) | Iceland:16 (video rating) | Philippines:PG-13 | India:A | Brazil:14 | Italy:VM14 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Chile:14 | Finland:K-16 | France:U | Germany:16 (w) | Netherlands:12 | Norway:15 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG | South Korea:15 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R (certificate #34153)

Filming Locations:

Baltimore-Washington International Airport, Maryland, USA

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

When Cole wakes up in the future to the doctors singing "Blueberry Hill," the painting above him is "Valley of the Yosemite", by Albert Bierstadt.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When James and Kathryn are in the stolen car driving on the highway, the shadows on the car and the reflections in its windows don't match with the blue screened background.

Quotes:

[first lines]
James Cole: Jose - psst! Jose, what's going on?
Jose: Bad news, man
James Cole: Volunteers?
Jose: Yeah. And they said your name.
[pause]
Jose: Hey, maybe they'll give you a pardon, man.
James Cole: [sarcastic] Yeah, that's why none of the volunteers come back. They all get a pardon.

Movie Connections:

References Vertigo (1958)

Soundtrack:

Vertigo Theme

Terry Gilliam: Visionary - 12 Monkeys: Vision

I had the privilege of seeing this film at a preview screening years ago, and outside the theater I was confronted by a camera crew from a local TV station looking for comments on the film. At the time, the only words that escaped my mouth were "Awesome. Just awesome." I like to think I can articulate myself a little better than that, but at the time I was somewhat incapable of doing so.

The story is intriguing and thought provoking, and the acting is first rate from all the principals. This film was the first one that Terry Gilliam directed that he didn't have a hand in the writing credit for. Back with Universal after his long, arduous battle with them over "Brazil", Terry had achieved what he wanted most; the "final cut". Terry is a master craftsman, and each shot is like a beautifully conceived painting that has been constructed carefully with determination and conviction. It is only justice that such an individual should be unfettered in his attempts to convey a concept. Unfortunately, limitations still exist in such arrangements.

The Universal Collector's Edition DVD of this film is simply amazing, although most of the bonus features aren't listed on the box. It contains among other things, a director/producer audio commentary and an informative and extremely interesting 90 minute documentary on the making of the film called "The Hamster Factor and Other Tales of 12 Monkeys". It tells of some of the creative pitfalls in filmmaking, including a test of mettle when preview screenings tested poorly, striking the team with feelings of self-doubt and despair. Fortunately, for all of us, they decided to change very little about the film and released it to an enormous success.