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:

A quick clip from The Andromeda Strain (1971) featuring a monkey in the throes of death, is seen on the dayroom television during a news report about the cruelty of using animal subjects in medical research.

Goofs:

Continuity: The television in the sanitarium announces that the featured picture is the Marx Brothers' Monkey Business (1931), but the clip they show is from their first film, believed to have been removed, and replaced with; The Cocoanuts (1929).

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:

Referenced in "Clerks: Leonardo Is Caught in the Grip of an Outbreak of Randal's Imagination and Patrick Swayze Either Does or Doesn't Work in the New Pet Store (#1.3)" (2001)

Soundtrack:

Blueberry Hill

Excellent dark sci-fi

I knew Terry Gilliam's movies were all but predictable, but I had to see Twelve Monkeys in order to truly believe it.This is the only Gilliam movie I've seen so far, but it blew me away so much he's already one of my favorite filmmakers.

The story may seem a little bit classic(a man is sent back in time to stop a disaster), but Gilliam immediately makes it original:convict James Cole(Bruce Willis) ends up a few years before the plague breaks loose, so no one believes him and he's locked up in an asylum.He has to convince Dr.Railly(Madeleine Stowe)he's not crazy, while he spends his time with "fellow" nut-case Jeffrey Goines(Brad Pitt).The Twelve Monkeys have to be stopped...

If you thought you knew what dark sci-fi flicks are like, think again.In terms of atmosphere, this is a perfect mix of Blade Runner and One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest(the asylum riot is visually great). The script is incredibly good, and the same is to be said about the performances:Bruce Willis and Brad Pitt are amazing(the latter was Oscar-nominated for this role), playing two guys they wouldn't be associated with under the normal circumstances.But when we're talking about Terry Gilliam, can there actually be any normal circumstances?