Unstrung Heroes (1995)

Director:

Diane Keaton

Writers (WGA):

Franz Lidz (book)
Richard LaGravenese (screenplay)

Release Date:

15 September 1995 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

Sometimes you find your heroes in the most unlikely places.

Plot:

Steven Lidz, unhappy with his home life since his mother got sick, goes and lives with his two crazy Uncles...

Plot Keywords:

Dysfunctional Family | Death In Family | Love | Paranoid | Sentimental

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 2 nominations

Cast

Andie MacDowell	...	Selma Lidz
John Turturro	...	Sid Lidz
Michael Richards	...	Danny Lidz
Maury Chaykin	...	Arthur Lidz
Nathan Watt	...	Steven / Franz Lidz
Anne De Salvo	...	May
Celia Weston	...	Amelia
Jack McGee	...	Lindquist
Candice Azzara	...	Joanie (as Candy Azzara)
Kendra Krull	...	Sandy Lidz
Giuseppe Andrews	...	Ash (as Joey Andrews)
Lillian Adams	...	Aunt Estelle
Lou Cutell	...	Uncle Melvin
Sumer Stamper	...	Nancy Oppenheim
Sean P. Donahue	...	Ralph Crispi (as Sean Donahue)
Rabbi Harold M. Schulweis	...	Rabbi Blaustein
Zoaunne LeRoy	...	Mrs. Kantruitz
Vince Melocchi	...	Inspector Marshall
Charles Patrick	...	In-crowd Boy
Allison Chalmers	...	In-crowd Girl
Chris Warfield	...	Mr. Clements
Wayne Duvall	...	Mr. Crispi
Andrew Craig	...	Man in Line
Becky Ann Baker	...	Mrs. Harris
Mary Mercier	...	Waitress
Len Costanza	...	Second Doctor
Peter Kaitlyn	...	Dr. Feldman
Julie Pinson	...	Nurse Franklin
Zachary Bostrom	...	Additional Voices (voice)
Thomas Brunelle	...	Additional Voices (voice)
Joshua Boyd	...	Additional Voices (voice)
Cody Dobson	...	Additional Voices (voice)
Colleen Ford	...	Additional Voices (voice)
Darcy French-Myerson	...	Additional Voices (voice)
Danielle Judovits	...	Additional Voices (voice)
Christie Mellor	...	Additional Voices (voice)
Richard Marion	...	Additional Voices (voice)
Ruth Silveira	...	Additional Voices (voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Ken Tipton	...	Additional Voices (uncredited)

Directed by
Diane Keaton

Writing credits (WGA)
Franz Lidz		(book)
Richard LaGravenese		(screenplay)

Produced by
Susan Arnold	....	producer
Bill Badalato	....	producer
Joseph J. Kelly	....	associate producer (as Joe Kelly)
Franz Lidz	....	co-producer
Donna Roth	....	producer
Jackie Rubin	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Thomas Newman

Cinematography by
Phedon Papamichael

Film Editing by
Lisa Zeno Churgin		(as Lisa Churgin)

Casting by
Gail Levin

Production Design by
Garreth Stover

Art Direction by
Chris Cornwell

Set Decoration by
Larry Dias

Costume Design by
Jill M. Ohanneson		(as Jill Ohanneson)

Makeup Department
Leslie Ann Anderson	....	hair stylist
Pat Gerhardt	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Bill Badalato	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Andrew M. Flinn	....	second assistant director
Matthew H. Rowland	....	first assistant director

Art Department
G. Roger Abell	....	set dresser (as Roger Abell)
Doug Harlocker	....	property master
Doug Sieck	....	set dresser
Robert Lucas	....	lead man (uncredited)

Sound Department
Robert J. Anderson Jr.	....	sound mixer
Anthony Mazzei	....	supervising sound editor
Alyson Dee Moore	....	foley artist
Patricia Nedd	....	foley artist
Steve Pederson	....	sound re-recording mixer
Andrew Adams	....	sound mixer: second unit (uncredited)

Stunts
Ed Gale	....	stunts
Fred Lerner	....	stunts
Ernie F. Orsatti	....	stunts (as Ernie Orsati)

Camera and Electrical Department
Melinda Sue Gordon	....	still photographer
Bob Hall	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera
Wally Pfister	....	camera operator
D.J. Harder	....	second assistant camera (uncredited)
Ron Kunecke	....	night light operator (uncredited)
Boris Price	....	camera loader (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Gena Bleier	....	first assistant editor
David Orr	....	color timer (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Chet Badalato	....	transportation captain
Scott Ganary	....	transportation captain
Tom Perry	....	transportation captain
Gary Shephard	....	transportation coordinator
Larry Shephard	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Billy Badalato	....	location manager
Elizabeth S. Barton	....	script supervisor (as Elizabeth Barton)
Ralph Coleman	....	location manager
Gerald Emerick	....	stand-in
April Messerschmitt	....	stand-in
Julie Pinson	....	stand-in
Christine Altomari	....	production coordinator (uncredited)
Maureen 'Mo' Crutchfield	....	first assistant accountant (uncredited)
Wayne Fitzgerald	....	title designer (uncredited)
Jack E. Herman	....	extras set coordinator (uncredited)
Greg Yaitanes	....	visual consultant (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Hollywood Pictures
• Roth-Arnold Productions

Distributors

• Abril Vídeo (Brazil) (video)
• Buena Vista Pictures
• Falcon (1996) (Czech Republic) (theatrical)
• Gativideo (1996) (Argentina) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Hunter/Gratzner Industries

Other Companies

• Hollywood Records  soundtrack

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

South Korea:12 | Iceland:L | Australia:PG | Denmark:12 | Finland:K-8 | Germany:6 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG | Sweden:15 | UK:PG | USA:PG | Argentina:Atp

Filming Locations:

Johnie's Broiler - 7447 Firestone Blvd., Downey, California, USA

Company:

Hollywood Pictures

Trivia:

Henry Winkler auditioned for the role of Danny Lidz. He arrived in character and in full costume.

Quotes:

Danny Lidz: We've angered them. There's going to be repercussions.

Movie Connections:

References Fahrenheit 451 (1966)

Soundtrack:

You Are My Sunshine

Love conquers all

Very nice, touching movie. Made me cry. A story of a boy coming of age while dealing with a dying mother and rebelling against his father all in the context of a loving extended family. The (Jewish) cultural angle gave it authenticity. A fine performance by Nathan Watt but that John Turturro is really something. Michael Richards was essentially Kramer again. Interesting in that it is a woman director (Diane Keaton) who brings this story of male family love to the screen. While mom is very loving as well, she sadly and symbolically abandons Steven/Franz by dying and it is the weird (eccentric and harmlessly schizophrenic) uncles who support him thru it all, once again posing the question, "Who really are the crazy (or heroes, for that matter) among us?" I give it an 8.