Welcome to the Dollhouse (1995)

Director:

Todd Solondz

Writer:

Todd Solondz (written by)

Release Date:

24 May 1996 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

Not all girls want to play with dolls.

Plot:

Insightful look at an unattractive 7th grader as she struggles to cope with un-attentive parents, snobbish classmates, a smart older brother, an attractive younger sister, and her own insecurities.

Plot Keywords:

Nerd | School | Club | Crush | Ballerina

Awards:

4 wins & 11 nominations

Cast

Heather Matarazzo	...	Dawn Wiener
Victoria Davis	...	Lolita
Christina Brucato	...	Cookie
Christina Vidal	...	Cynthia
Siri Howard	...	Chrissy
Brendan Sexton III	...	Brandon McCarthy (as Brendan Sexton Jr.)
Telly Pontidis	...	Jed
Herbie Duarte	...	Lance
Scott Coogan	...	Troy
Daria Kalinina	...	Missy Wiener
Matthew Faber	...	Mark Wiener
Josiah Trager	...	Kenny
Ken Leung	...	Barry
Dimitri DeFresco	...	Ralphy (as Dimitri Iervolino)
Rica Martens	...	Mrs. Grissom
Angela Pietropinto	...	Mrs. Wiener
Bill Buell	...	Mr. Wiener
Eric Mabius	...	Steve Rodgers
Stacey Moseley	...	Mary Ellen Moriarty
Will Lyman	...	Mr. Edwards
Elizabeth Martin	...	Mrs. Iannone
Zsanne Pitta	...	Ginger Friedman (as Zsanné Pitta)
Richard Gould	...	Mr. Kasdan
Beverly Hecht	...	Steve's Girlfriend
Teddy Coluca	...	Police Sergeant
Tommy Fager	...	Tommy McCarthy
James O'Donoghue	...	Mr. McCarthy
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Molly Howe	...	Younger Samantha Brookestein (uncredited)
Amanda Posner	...	Felicity (uncredited)

Directed by
Todd Solondz

Writing credits
Todd Solondz		(written by)

Produced by
Donna L. Bascom	....	executive producer (as Donna Bascom)
Priscilla Guastavino	....	line producer
Jason Kliot	....	associate producer
Dan Partland	....	co-producer
Ted Skillman	....	co-producer
Todd Solondz	....	producer
Susan A. Stover	....	co-associate producer (as Susan Stover)
Joana Vicente	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Jill Wisoff

Cinematography by
Randy Drummond

Film Editing by
Alan Oxman

Casting by
Ann Goulder

Production Design by
Susan Block

Art Direction by
Lori Solondz

Costume Design by
Melissa Toth

Makeup Department
Anne Forbes	....	assistant hair stylist
Anne Forbes	....	assistant makeup artist
Heidi Kulow	....	key hair stylist
Heidi Kulow	....	key makeup artist

Production Management
Christopher Roberts	....	unit manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Chad Braden	....	first assistant director
Morgan J. Freeman	....	second assistant director
Susanna Graves	....	second assistant director
Kelly McKaig	....	second second assistant director (as Kelly Mckaig)

Art Department
Avery S. Brandon	....	set dresser
Thomas B. Grimes	....	property master (as Tommy Grimes)
Lucio Seixas	....	set dresser

Sound Department
Nancy Cabrera	....	foley artist
Evan T. Chen	....	assistant sound editor (as Evan Chen)
Margaret Crimmins	....	supervising sound editor
Michael DiCosimo	....	stereo sound consultant: Dolby (as Michael Dicosimo)
Paul Hsu	....	assistant sound editor
Mikael Ifversen	....	assistant sound editor
Paul Mezey	....	additional boom operator
Paul Mezey	....	additional sound
Irin Strauss	....	additional boom operator
Irin Strauss	....	additional sound
Tony Volante	....	sound re-recording mixer
Alex Wolfe	....	sound

Camera and Electrical Department
Jennifer Carchman	....	still photographer
Meredith Collins	....	first assistant camera
Jon Delgado	....	electrician
Robert Dembicki	....	first assistant camera
T. Colin Dodd	....	key grip (as Colin Dodd)
Jeffrey A. Eplett	....	gaffer (as Jeff Eplett)
Ellie Fitzgerald	....	electrician
Ray Flynn	....	best boy electric
Jeremy Graham	....	electrician
Learan Kahanov	....	grip
Jennifer Schoenewald	....	grip (as Jennifer Shoenwald)
Andrew Sweeney	....	key grip
Gabor Szitanyi	....	additional photographer
Joel Tishcoff	....	electrician
Amy Veltman	....	second assistant camera
Derek Walker	....	second assistant camera
Russell Wasdeck	....	key grip (as Russell Wasoleck)
Elizabeth Wick	....	electrician
Charles Winters	....	electrician
Roberto Lopez	....	grip (uncredited)

Casting Department
Ilena Elevitch	....	extras casting
Aaron Leventman	....	casting assistant (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Natalya V. Aikens	....	wardrobe supervisor (as Natalya Khorover)
Kristen Weir	....	wardrobe supervisor

Editorial Department
Affonso Gonçalves	....	assistant editor
Eytan Mirsky	....	post-production consultant
Noëlle Penraat	....	negative cutter
David Pultz	....	color timer
Christopher Roberts	....	post-production associate
Doug Stone	....	second assistant editor
Aljernon Tunsil	....	second assistant editor (as Algernon Tunsil)

Music Department
Gary Burke	....	studio musician: drums
Claire Daly	....	studio musician: clarinet
Joel Diamond	....	studio musician: keyboards
David Ellinwood	....	music editor (as Dave Ellinwood)
Graham Hawthorne	....	studio musician: drums
Joe Johnson	....	music recording engineer
Hugh McDonald	....	studio musician: electric bass (as Hugh Mcdonald)
Bob Muller	....	music recording engineer
George Naha	....	studio musician: guitar
Julio Peña	....	music recording engineer
Jill Wisoff	....	music supervisor
Joel Diamond	....	music producer (uncredited)
Jill Wisoff	....	musician: guitar/bass (uncredited)

Other crew
Donna L. Bascom	....	legal services (as Donna Bascom)
Kristine Bulakowski	....	production secretary
Eileen Cabiling	....	production office coordinator (as Eileen Caibling)
Stephen Collins	....	assistant location manager
Seth Copans	....	script supervisor
Sarah Costello	....	production office assistant
Anne Cotten	....	production assistant
Jonathan Fish	....	production auditor
Robert 'Fitz' Fitzsimmons	....	production assistant (as Robert Fitzsimmons)
Adam Goldenberg	....	production assistant
Jeff Hill	....	publicist
Amy Hussey	....	production assistant
Neil Koenigsberg	....	production assistant
Annette Kudrak	....	matchback
Miklos Legrady	....	production assistant
Christopher Marchitelli	....	production assistant
Jenny Martinez	....	production assistant
Chris McFadden	....	production assistant
Naomi Odes	....	craft service
Susan Ogu	....	production office assistant
Brian Raft	....	production assistant
Christopher Roberts	....	location manager
Morris Schwartz	....	financial consultant
Cara White	....	publicist

Production Companies

• Suburban Pictures

Distributors

• Lider Films (1997) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Alpha Filmes (Brazil) (video)
• Columbia TriStar (video)
• Kinowelt Filmverleih (Germany)
• Scandinavian Entertainment Group
• Sony Pictures Classics (1996) (USA)

Other Companies

• Audio-Soundtrack  post-production
• Camera Service Center  camera equipment provided by
• Clein + White  publicity
• Cynosure Visuals  titles and opticals
• D.R. Reiff & Associates  insurance

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for language

Runtime:

88 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Finland:K-12 | Iceland:12 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Chile:14 | Germany:12 (w) | Norway:11 | Singapore:NC-16 | South Korea:15 | Sweden:11 | UK:15 | USA:R | Canada:13+ (Quebec)

Filming Locations:

New Jersey, USA

Company:

Suburban Pictures

Goofs:

Continuity: When Dawn is talking to Brandon in the clubhouse, she is leaning over so her bra (or perhaps a white undershirt) is showing through her sweater. In the exact same shot a few seconds later, it's covered up, even though she hasn't moved.

Quotes:

Missy Wiener:We're having a party!
Dawn Weiner:What for?
Mark Weiner:Mom and Dad's 20th, dinghead.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Fabulous! The Story of Queer Cinema (2006)

Soundtrack:

Evening of Desire

A strong, tough film

Welcome to the Dollhouse is an excellent film. It shows, in a strictly un-opinionated manner, a young girl's experiences as one of the unpopular kids in her junior high-school. She is faced with the extreme viciousness commonly shown in schools towards the students who, for whatever reason, don't fit in. The film never attempts to go any deeper than simply displaying these occurences to us, never really analyzing them or questioning why things like that happen. It just shows what is, what we've all experienced or at least seen, and for that I think it's all the more effective.

There are also some humorous moments thrown in, which I thought were nice and somewhat alleviated the otherwise depressing mood of the film (not that I'm complaining).

Welcome to the Dollhouse is a great snapshot of human behaviour. That's the best way I can describe it.