Dream for an Insomniac (1996)

Director:

Tiffanie DeBartolo

Writer:

Tiffanie DeBartolo (written by)

Genre:

Romance | Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

A dreamer who couldn't sleep. An author who couldn't write. A friend who couldn't help but help.

Plot:

Girl leads a lonely life until she meets the boy of her dreams. The boy, however, has a live-in girlfriend.

Plot Keywords:

Friend | Insomnia | Love | Dream | Irish Accent

Cast

Ione Skye	...	Frankie
Jennifer Aniston	...	Allison
Mackenzie Astin	...	David Shrader
Michael Landes	...	Rob
Seymour Cassel	...	Uncle Leo
Sean Blackman	...	Juice (as Sean San Jose Blackman)
Michael Sterk	...	B.J.
Leslie Stevens	...	Molly Monday
Robert Kelker-Kelly	...	Trent (as Robert Kelker Kelly)
Robert Ernst	...	Homeless Man
Robert Harvey	...	Dick in Sushi Bar
Fred Gualco	...	Policeman #1
Roger Craig	...	Policeman #2
Louis Velez	...	Sammy Davis
Mai Huynh	...	Poetry Reader
Jennifer Steen	...	Customer
Puck Rainey	...	Delivery Man (as David 'Puck' Rainey)
Susan Rokisky Ring	...	Woman at the Beach
Madalyn Ring	...	Girl at the Beach
Eddie DeBartolo	...	Frankie's Father (photo)
Candy DeBartolo	...	Frankie's Mother (photo)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Thomas Loher	...	Car Driver (uncredited)
Steve Zukerman	...	Chef (uncredited)

Directed by
Tiffanie DeBartolo

Writing credits
Tiffanie DeBartolo		(written by)

Produced by
John Hackett	....	executive producer
Phyllis Housen	....	co-producer (as Phyllis K. Housen)
Charles Kirkwood	....	associate producer
Christopher Lloyd	....	executive producer
Rita Rokisky	....	executive producer (as Rita J. Rokisky)
Rita Rokisky	....	producer (as Rita J. Rokisky)

Original Music by
Michael Andreas		(as Michael Andreas)

Cinematography by
Guillermo Navarro

Film Editing by
Thomas Fries		(as Tom Fries)
Phyllis Housen		(as Phylis K. Housen)

Casting by
Melissa Skoff

Production Design by
Gary T. New		(as Gary New)

Art Direction by
John P. Jockinsen		(as John Jockinsen)

Set Decoration by
Laurie Scott

Costume Design by
Charles Winston		(as Charles E. Winston)

Makeup Department
Jessica Clay	....	hair stylist
Nikki DeBartolo	....	assistant makeup artist
Suzanne Diaz	....	makeup artist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Douglas Aarniokoski	....	first assistant director (as Doug Aarniokoski)
Brian Bettwy	....	second assistant director
David Rimer	....	second second assistant director

Art Department
Mindis Jo Baker	....	carpenter
Scott Barrett	....	on-set dresser
Chuck Dutrow	....	swing (as Charles R. Dutrow III)
David Erickson	....	painter
Craig S. Hyman	....	lead man
Kerry Kate	....	swing (as Kerry Patterson)
Tim Kerner	....	carpenter
Tim Kerner	....	foreman
Carrie Nardello	....	painter
Eric Neff	....	carpenter
Tony Tringali	....	carpenter
Kirk Trutner	....	property master
David Woodall	....	construction coordinator
Jim Woodall	....	carpenter

Sound Department
Greg Back	....	sound effects editor
Greg Back	....	sound re-recording mixer
Larry Ellis	....	dialogue editor
Dan Gecenok	....	sound effects editor
Bob Gitzen	....	sound mixer
Larry Goeb	....	dialogue editor
Robin Harlan	....	foley artist
Steve Jaszkowiak	....	foley mixer
Steve Jaszkowiak	....	sound re-recording mixer
Scott Kinzey	....	boom operator
Sarah Monat	....	foley artist
David Silberberg	....	boom operator
Donald P. Zappala	....	adr editor (as Donald Zappala)
Joseph Zappala	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Joe Zappala)

Camera and Electrical Department
Sean Antle	....	grip
Jeff Bayer	....	still photographer
Alan J.F. Betrancourt	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Alan Cohen	....	first assistant camera (as Al Cohen)
Jason 'Jake' Cross	....	grip (as Jason Cross)
John W. DeBlau	....	gaffer (as John DeBlau)
Rick Edmondson	....	electrician
Jim 'Crash' Irons	....	best boy grip
Timothy James Kane	....	second assistant camera (as Timothy Kane)
Lorna Leslie	....	additional assistant camera
Chris Lindsay	....	electrician
Chris Lindsey	....	grip
Lance Martin	....	assistant camera
Chris McCracken	....	grip
Russell McElhatton	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Kurt Naugle-Taylor	....	electrician
Sean Prichard	....	best boy electric
Tim Soronen	....	dolly grip (as Tim 'Stuffy' Soronen)
Rick Stribling	....	key grip

Casting Department
Nancy Hayes	....	extras casting: San Francisco
M.L. Tanner	....	casting: San Francisco

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Sasha Levinson	....	costumer
Tami Stover	....	costume intern

Editorial Department
Vivian Hengsteler	....	negative cutter
Kristine McPherson	....	first assistant editor
Chuck Winston	....	color timer

Music Department
John Laraio	....	composer: additional music
Timothy Nielsen	....	music editor

Other crew
Christopher J. Bauer	....	production coordinator
Linda Crowder	....	production assistant
Jeffrey Dean	....	office production assistant
Bernice Doerfler	....	office production assistant
Nathan Easterling	....	set production assistant
Timothy M. Gray	....	production assistant
Susannah Greason	....	location manager
Shannon Kenny	....	script supervisor (as Shannon E. Kenny)
Gloria Kirkwood	....	production accountant
Tracy Mercer	....	key office production assistant
Josh Newkirk	....	set production assistant
Aaron Penn	....	key set production assistant
Lisa Rosenson	....	set production assistant
Tony Stanford	....	production coordinator
David Van Woert	....	production assistant
Jason Patnode	....	production assistant (uncredited)

Thanks
Willmont Matthew	....	special thanks
Frank Sinatra Jr.	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Dream for an Insomniac
• Tritone Productions

Distributors

• Avalanche Releasing
• Columbia TriStar Home Video
• Columbia TriStar (Brazil) (video)
• Sony Pictures Video

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for language

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White | Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Certification:

Iceland:L | Argentina:13 | Portugal:M/12 (video premiere) | UK:15 (video premiere) | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Austin, Texas, USA

Company:

Dream for an Insomniac

Trivia:

David (Mackenzie Astin) says that 'cazique' is the highest scoring word in Scrabble. 'Quartzy' is the highest scoring word (162 points), with 'cazique' and 'bezique' running in second at a 161 points.

Quotes:

Frankie:[to Rob] What's not eating you?

Movie Connections:

References Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961)

Soundtrack:

Frankie's Tune

Obviously a first attempt

Dream for an Insomniac is not a bad movie, nor is it a particularly good one. Writer/Director DeBartolo in her first attempt at doing either produces a film that has bright moments, a few good ideas, very little meaningful dialogue, and some moderately entertaining scenes.

The black-and-white to color transition when Frankie first meets David Schrader is perhaps the most metaphorical and artistic achievement this movie makes. It is unfortunate that it is neither touching as a metaphor nor very artistic.

The majority of the film centers around the interplay between Frankie and David. The interaction between the characters is labored and unbelievable, the dialogue being little more than witty banter and archaic quotes swapped back and forth. If DeBartolo had any intentions of the audience empathizing with the characters she failed to write them in such a way to elicit such empathy. Frankie remains reminiscent of a love-struck schoolgirl throughout the film, a glutton for punishment, while David Schrader feels two-faced, reluctant to leave his girlfriend but quite friendly and flirtatious with Frankie, who is quite obviously in love with him. If these characters existed in the real world, they would both seem too neurotic, emotionally unstable, needy, and self-centered to spend time getting to know. And yet in spite of this, DeBartolo manages to put together a film that is not terrible.

Aniston's character, an aspiring actress who speaks in false accents during conversations to become believable in them, provides a solid supporting character that is much needed throughout the film. Juice, the slacker musician, finds his way on screen just about exactly when some comic relief is due. Some of the conversations, especially the one concerning the Holy Trinity of rock and roll, seem similar to something that could actually be heard in the real world, or at least the world of Generation X. And the subplot of Rob, the coffee-shop waiter reluctant to tell his father that he is a practicing homosexual, is actually quite endearing and entertaining.

Dream for an Insomniac would have been a much better film had DeBartolo stepped down the massive intellectual undertones running rampant in the dialogue, given both main characters a healthy dose of Prozac, and focused on the basic but meaningful theme of romance in the 90s instead of showing off her obviously impressive knowledge of memorable quotes through her characters. If anything less than extraordinary is a waste of your time, then so is Dream for an Insomniac. If, however, you are willing to settle for a decent first attempt at a movie by a newcomer to writing and directing, lay down a couple of bucks for this film at your local video store.