Head Above Water (1996)

Director:

Jim Wilson

Writers (WGA):

Eirik Ildahl (screenplay) &
Geir Eriksen (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

25 June 1997 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Thriller

Tagline:

A comedy about keeping your ex-lover a secret, your husband in the dark and your head above water.

Plot:

A prominent judge, his wife, her ex-lover, their neighbor and a dead body that complicates their lives.

Plot Keywords:

Judge | Underwater | Boat | Tied Feet | Remake Of Norwegian Film

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Harvey Keitel	...	George
Cameron Diaz	...	Nathalie
Craig Sheffer	...	Lance
Billy Zane	...	Kent
Shay Duffin	...	Policeman

Directed by
Jim Wilson

Writing credits (WGA)
Eirik Ildahl		(screenplay "Hodet over vannet") &
Geir Eriksen		(screenplay "Hodet over vannet")
Theresa Marie		(screenplay)

Produced by
Guy East	....	executive producer
John M. Jacobsen	....	producer
Maria M. Machado	....	associate producer
Helen Pollak	....	co-producer
Tristan Whalley	....	executive producer
Lynne Whiteford	....	associate producer
Jim Wilson	....	producer

Original Music by
Christopher Young

Cinematography by
Richard Bowen

Film Editing by
Michael R. Miller

Casting by
Elisabeth Leustig

Production Design by
Jeffrey Beecroft

Art Direction by
Joseph P. Lucky

Set Decoration by
Susan De Havenson

Costume Design by
Colleen Atwood

Makeup Department
Bernadette Mazur	....	makeup artist
Anne Morgan	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Jami Abell	....	executive in charge of production
Helen Pollak	....	unit production manager
Sara Spring	....	production manager
Sara Spring	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Trey Batchelor	....	first assistant director: second unit
Trey Batchelor	....	second assistant director
Lee Cleary	....	first assistant director
Ken Paull	....	second second assistant director

Art Department
Ezra Burke	....	set dresser
Greg John Callas	....	construction coordinator
John Ceniceros	....	lead man
Giovanni Ferrara	....	head painter
Gayle Gilberto	....	set dresser
Michael Hansen	....	assistant property master
Lara Kelly	....	art department coordinator
Peter Letzelter-Smith	....	set dresser
Larry Misselhorn	....	greensman
James J. Murakami	....	set designer
David J. Negron Jr.	....	storyboard artist
David J. Negron	....	storyboard artist
Alexander 'Sandy' Nesbitt	....	prop maker
Kris Peck	....	property master
Scott Purcell	....	graphic artist
Kevin Sciotto	....	painter
Thomas H.E. Scruggs	....	set dresser (as Tom Scruggs)
Kenneth Weinberg	....	set dresser

Sound Department
James Ashwill	....	foley mixer
Petra Bach	....	adr editor
Odin Benitez	....	sound effects editor
Bill W. Benton	....	sound re-recording mixer
Ed Callahan	....	dialogue editor
Simon Coke	....	dialogue editor
Keth R. Comollo	....	cable person
John T. Cucci	....	foley artist
Robert Fitzgerald	....	supervising sound editor
Leslie Gaulin	....	foley editor
Richard Bryce Goodman	....	production sound mixer
Randall Guth	....	adr assistant
Allen Hartz	....	sound effects editor
David J. Hudson	....	sound re-recording mixer
Lance Laurienzo	....	first assistant sound editor
Deidre Leonard	....	apprentice sound editor
Linda Lew	....	foley recordist
Mark 'Frito' Long	....	sound recordist
Gail K. Markley	....	supervising sound editors assistant
Dan O'Connell	....	foley artist
Douglas Parker	....	second assistant sound editor
Jeffrey Perkins	....	supervising re-recording mixer
Jeff Rosen	....	dialogue editor
Sean Rush	....	boom operator
Christina Tucker	....	adr mixer
Christopher T. Welch	....	sound effects editor (as C.T. Welch)
John O. Wilde	....	foley editor
Tom Williams	....	cable person

Special Effects by
Dale Ettema	....	special effects assistant
David Fletcher	....	special effects assistant
Bruce Minkus	....	special effects assistant
David A. Poole	....	special effects
Michael Roundy	....	special effects assistant
Eric Rylander	....	special effects coordinator

Stunts
G.A. Aguilar	....	stunt coordinator
Blaise Corrigan	....	stunts
Christina Ritzi	....	stunts (as Christina Fetters)
Steven Ritzi	....	stunts (as Steve Ritzi)

Camera and Electrical Department
Lee Ayrton	....	second unit: electrician
Eric Boyle	....	grip
Alan R. Disler	....	first assistant camera
Adam Geiger	....	underwater photographer
Adam Gilmore	....	second assistant camera
Dustin A. Huber	....	electrician
Dan Kelley	....	camera technician: Wescam camera
Sarco Kirklian	....	grip
Donald Kozma	....	electrician
Anastas N. Michos	....	camera operator: "a" camera
David Norris	....	camera operator: Wescam camera
Bruce Pearn	....	electrician (as Bruce Pern)
Dennis Rice	....	best boy electric
Mike Schwake	....	dolly grip
Lorey Sebastian	....	still photographer
Don Selsor	....	best boy grip
Patrick Shellenberger	....	gaffer (as Pat Shellenberger)
Danny Williams	....	grip
Bill Young	....	key grip
Brian Corbett	....	grip (uncredited)

Casting Department
Susan Brown	....	casting assistant
Terri Rocheleau	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Cha Blevins	....	costume supervisor
Eva Prappas	....	costumer
Eva Prappas	....	set costumer

Editorial Department
Gary Burritt	....	negative cutter
Sandy French	....	assistant film editor
Sara King	....	executive in charge of post-production
Gregg London	....	associate film editor
Mike Stanwick	....	color timer

Music Department
Pete Anthony	....	conductor
Pete Anthony	....	orchestrator
Sandy DeCrescent	....	orchestra contractor
George Doering	....	musician
Toby Emmerich	....	executive in charge of music
Robert Fernandez	....	score mixer
M.B. Gordy	....	musician: Percussion
Mark Kilian	....	assistant to composer
Tom Kramer	....	music editor
Thomas Milano	....	supervising music editor
Dana Sano	....	music executive
Steven L. Smith	....	music preparation
James Thatcher	....	musician: french horn
Christopher Young	....	orchestrator

Transportation Department
Michael Avallon	....	driver
Jimmy Flynn	....	transportation coordinator
Jonathan A. Rosenfeld	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Kathy Bouchard	....	location projectionist
Al Cerullo	....	helicopter pilot
Cynthia Gengras	....	production coordinator
Jamie Heans	....	craft service
Lori Ikeda	....	payroll accountant
Marcel LaMarre	....	stand-in
Tobey L. Levine	....	location assistant
Loren Lockwood	....	assistant: Mr. Keitel
Shauna Mackerer	....	stand-in
Jeremy Oswald	....	location assistant
Tom Pakenham	....	set production assistant
Dawn Patch	....	craft service
Skip Peacock	....	stand-in
Michael Peavey	....	helicopter pilot
Keith Popely	....	key set production assistant
Cynthia Quan	....	production accountant
Patrick Quinn	....	set production assistant
Terri Rocheleau	....	assistant: Ms. Diaz
Liza Rudolph	....	set production assistant
Jon Sperry	....	dialect coach
Greg Stevens	....	stand-in
Gregg Taylor	....	assistant production coordinator
Cynthia Upstill	....	script supervisor
Tim Wilson	....	location manager
Victoria A. Zamora	....	assistant production accountant
Victoria A. Zamora	....	post-production accountant
Ante Novakovic	....	assistant: Harvey Keitel (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Majestic Films International
• Tig Productions

Distributors

• Sociedad Kino Visión (1996) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Nil Film Art & Entertainment GmbH (1996) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Fine Line Features (1997) (USA) (theatrical)
• New Line Cinema (1997) (USA) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1997) (UK) (theatrical)
• RCV Film Distribution (1997) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• RCV Film Distribution (1997) (Belgium) (theatrical)
• RCV Film Distribution (1997) (Luxembourg) (theatrical)
• Prooptiki (1996) (Greece) (theatrical)
• Al!ve AG (2004) (Germany) (DVD)
• Asso Film (video)
• Audio Visual Enterprises (1997) (Greece) (VHS)
• Buena Vista Home Video (1997) (Netherlands) (VHS) (rental)
• Capelight Pictures (2004) (Germany) (DVD)
• Divisa Home Video (2000-2006) (Spain) (DVD)
• New Line Home Video (1998) (USA) (VHS)
• New Line Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• RCV Home Entertainment (2003) (Netherlands) (VHS) (retail)
• RCV Home Entertainment (2006) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Transeuropa Video Entertainment (TVE) (199?) (Argentina) (VHS)
• mediacs AG (2002) (Germany) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Direct Tools & Fasteners  expendables
• Jo Anne Kane Music Services  music preparation

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for thematic elements and some moments of strong violence

Runtime:

92 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Australia:MA | Finland:K-16 (video premiere) | Germany:12 (bw) | Portugal:M/12 | Spain:13 | UK:15 | Singapore:PG | Iceland:12 (video rating) | Iceland:14 | Netherlands:12 | South Korea:18 | USA:PG-13

Filming Locations:

Phippsburg, Maine, USA

Company:

Majestic Films International

Trivia:

The movie is based on the Norwegian movie _Hodet Over Vannet (1993)_. Nils Gaup, director of the original, said about it: "Twice Hollywood has remade my films, and both times they have managed to make the worst movie ever." The other movie being Pathfinder (2007).

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Siskel & Ebert: Leave It to Beaver/MoneyTalks/Mimic/Masterminds/Gabbeh" (1997)

Soundtrack:

Sail On Sailor

Too bad that in the end it all got a bit unbelievable and over the top

I love comedies, especially when they are dark like "Head Above Water". I remember seeing this movie for the very first time about five years ago and it had me completely in its power. But in the meantime I've seen so many good movies, that I wondered if this would still be as good as I remembered it to be. The answer is no, not completely. Yes, it is still a very nice movie, but not as great as some other dark comedies that I've seen in the recent past.

Nathalie has recently been married to George, a prominent judge who she met when she had to stand trial. They now have taken a holiday in Nathalie's idyllic summerhouse in the middle of nowhere and the only person in the neighborhood is Nathalie's old friend and neighbor Lance, who joins them. When George and Lance go on a fishing trip, Nathalie's former lover turns up. He has a couple of drinks and then falls asleep in Nathalies bed ... naked. When George and Lance suddenly come back home, Nathalie panics. She tries to wake Lance up, but he's dead and the only idea she can come up with is hiding his body under the floor board, where he will soon be discovered...

Despite or perhaps thanks to the small cast, you'll see some fine acting. Harvey Keitel is a good actor and he does a nice job playing the judge who goes crazy. Cameron Diaz is also enjoyable as Nathalie, the woman with more troubles around her head than she can cope with. In fact, all actors did a good and convincing job portraying their characters, but it wasn't enough to make this movie a masterpiece. What bothered me most was the fact that it all started to go too far. All the characters had to die in such an unbelievable and over-the-top way, that it spoiled a lot of my fun. Nevertheless I must admit that I enjoyed big parts of the movie and that's why I still give it a 7/10. It's not the best example of a dark comedy, but I've seen worse.