The Winner (1996)

Director:

Alex Cox

Writers:

Wendy Riss (screenplay)
Wendy Riss (play)

Release Date:

25 July 1997 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Crime | Thriller

Plot:

When it is discovered that a man is having luck in the casinos in Las Vegas, people start attempting to take his money.

Plot Keywords:

Luck | Casino | Go Go Dancer | Race Car Driver | Stabbing

Cast

Rebecca De Mornay	...	Louise (as Rebecca DeMornay)
Vincent D'Onofrio	...	Philip
Richard Edson	...	Frankie
Saverio Guerra	...	Paulie
Delroy Lindo	...	Kingman
Michael Madsen	...	Wolf
Billy Bob Thornton	...	Jack
Frank Whaley	...	Joey
Luis Contreras	...	Guy in Couple
Ed Pansullo	...	Man with Broken Arm
Sy Richardson	...	Bartender
Craig Vincent	...	Man
Biff Yeager	...	Philip's Father
Del Zamora	...	Cellmate
Roger Jennings	...	Croupier
Alex Cox	...	Gaston

Directed by
Alex Cox

Writing credits
Wendy Riss		(screenplay)
Wendy Riss		(play "A Darker Purpose")

Produced by
Mark Damon	....	executive producer
Rebecca De Mornay	....	executive producer
Lorenzo O'Brien	....	line producer
Andrew Pfeffer	....	co-executive producer
Wendy Riss	....	co-producer
Jeremiah Samuels	....	co-producer
Ken Schwenker	....	producer
Darryl M. Silver	....	line producer
Dara Weintraub	....	line producer

Original Music by
Daniel Licht

Cinematography by
Denis Maloney

Film Editing by
Carlos Puente

Casting by
Jeanne McCarthy

Production Design by
Cecilia Montiel

Costume Design by
Nancy Steiner

Makeup Department
Lana Chirco	....	key hair stylist
Desne J. Holland	....	makeup department head
Tracey Levy	....	assistant makeup artist
Diana Ragland	....	assistant hair stylist

Production Management
Michael R. Cannata	....	post-production supervisor
Debbie Diaz	....	unit production manager: pickup unit
John O'Connor	....	post-production supervisor
Dara Weintraub	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Tia Ardran	....	second assistant director
Lisa Campbell	....	first assistant director
Fred Mandel	....	second second assistant director

Art Department
Julian Andraus	....	art department production assistant
Luc Bamberger	....	art department intern
Jason Bean	....	art swing gang
Chris Carriveau	....	lead person
Kenneth Carriveau	....	art swing gang (as Ken Carriveau)
Kenneth Carriveau	....	set dresser (as Ken Carriveau)
Beto Casillas	....	art department intern
Lester Coleman Jr.	....	additional property assistant: Las Vegas
Fabio Fernandez	....	assistant property master
Felipe Fernández del Paso	....	consulting art designer (as Felipe Fernández)
Christine Gebele	....	assistant art director
Melissa Hale	....	art department coordinator
Jennie Harris	....	assistant set decorator
David Kushner	....	on-set dresser
Paul Meraz	....	set designer
Jeffrey M. O'Brien	....	property master
Keith Wood	....	assistant property master

Sound Department
John Bates	....	cable person: Las Vegas
Gloria Cooper	....	boom operator
Gary Coppola	....	sound re-recording mixer
Sean England	....	digital sound transferer
Eric Flickinger	....	sound re-recording assistant
Jonathan Greber	....	digital sound transfers
Marni L. Hammett	....	digital transfer supervisor
Stanley Kastner	....	sound re-recording mixer
Kini Kay	....	dialogue editor
Kini Kaye	....	dialogue editor
Kini Kaye	....	sound effects editor
Gerry Lentz	....	sound re-recording mixer
Frank Long	....	background sound editor
Patrushkha Mierzwa	....	additional boom operator
Perry Robertson	....	supervising sound editor
Ronald G. Roumas	....	sound re-recordist
Tony Sereno	....	sound mix technician
Christopher Sheldon	....	adr supervisor
Christopher Sheldon	....	sound effects supervisor
Christopher Sheldon	....	supervising sound editor
Susan Sheldon	....	foley assistant
Daniel Sperry	....	stereo sound consultant: Dolby
David E. Turner	....	machine room operator
Mark Ulano	....	sound mixer
Randy Vandegrift	....	sound effects editor
Vicki Vandegrift	....	foley artist
Alan Wolovich	....	foley editor

Special Effects by
Charles Belardinelli	....	special effects
Thomas L. Bellissimo	....	special effects (as Tommy Bellisimo)
J.D. Streett	....	special effects coordinator
Christy Sumner	....	special effects
Shannon J. Thompson	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Rocco Gioffre	....	matte artist

Stunts
John Ashker	....	stunts
Gil Boccaccio	....	stunts
Dan Bradley	....	stunt coordinator
Eliza Coleman	....	stunts
Mickey Giacomazzi	....	stunts
Al Jones	....	stunts
Brian Joseph Moore	....	stunts
Casey O'Neill	....	stunts
Scott Rogers	....	stunts
Mike Smith	....	stunts
Cris Thomas-Palomino	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Steven A. Adelson	....	Steadicam operator
Sean Antle	....	best boy electric
Ken Bazal	....	camera loader
Joe Broderick	....	Steadicam operator
Steve Carmer	....	dolly grip
Young Vance Cohen	....	grip
Jason 'Jake' Cross	....	grip
Debbie Davidian	....	second assistant camera
Jason C. Fitzgerald	....	electrician
Anthony Graham	....	additional assistant camera: Las Vegas
Raymond Klein	....	second assistant camera: pickup unit
Shaun Madigan	....	gaffer
Denis Maloney	....	camera operator
Wren Maloney	....	still photographer
Jeff Mart	....	Steadicam operator
Marie Pedersen	....	first assistant camera: pickup unit
Jennifer Perkins	....	electrician
Butch Pierson	....	first assistant camera
Sean Prichard	....	electrician
Greg G. Reeves	....	electrician
Tom Richmond	....	director of photography: pickup unit
Nancy Schreiber	....	additional photographer
John Scott	....	first assistant camera
Tim Soronen	....	best boy grip
Rick Stribling	....	key grip
Steve Titus	....	grip: Las Vegas
Robert Ulland	....	Steadicam operator (as Bob Uland)
Thomas Walker	....	electrician: Las Vegas

Casting Department
Dixie Webster	....	extras casting: Los Angeles

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Jennie McKirnan	....	costumer
Lynette Meyer	....	key costumer

Editorial Department
Ricki Horowitz	....	apprentice film editor
Alain J. Romi	....	assistant film editor

Music Department
Pete Anthony	....	conductor
Pete Anthony	....	music arranger
Pete Anthony	....	orchestrator
Carol Sue Baker	....	music supervisor
David Bondelevitch	....	music editor
Mark Kilian	....	music editor
Daniel Licht	....	music arranger
Larry Mah	....	score mixer
Sandra Montiel	....	assistant music editor
Carlos Puente	....	music editor
Zander Schloss	....	composer: additional music

Transportation Department
Guy J. Graves	....	generator operator/driver
Darryl Hayes	....	transportation coordinator
Buddy Hunter	....	driver
Patsy Rust	....	transportation co-captain
Bruce Smith	....	transportation captain
John F. Teeple	....	driver
Roger Wooge	....	transportation

Other crew
David Abbitt	....	production accountant
Andre Anderson	....	production assistant
Rod Bacote	....	assistant location manager
Jennifer Balgobin	....	assistant: Mr. Cox
Catherine Bingue	....	additional assistant production coordinator: Las Vegas
Anna Bonn	....	assistant: Mr. Licht
Rory Dauson	....	stand-in
Robert Dawson	....	title designer
Lisa L. DeCaro	....	production coordinator
David Dickter	....	set production assistant
Loren Elkins	....	assistant: Ms. de Mornay
Roger Edwin Ferrin	....	assistant production coordinator
Larry Hoki	....	projectionist
Charles Hulien	....	stand-in
Patrick Hyde	....	stand-in
Jean Maninger	....	additional production coordinator: Los Angeles
Joe McCrackin	....	assistant: Mr. Thornton
Donald McGraw	....	craft service: Las Vegas
Wynne McLaughlin	....	production assistant
Curtis Myer	....	set production assistant
Chris Novicki	....	stand-in
Jennifer Owensby	....	assistant: Mr. Madsen
Tracy E. Paddock	....	additional production coordinator: Las Vegas
Wendy Palmer	....	set production assistant
Chad Parker	....	stand-in
Katherine Pope	....	stand-in
James Riley	....	craft service: Las Vegas
Jamie Rotman	....	assistant: Mr. Pfeffer
Deandre 'Silky' Russell	....	set production assistant
Michael Scranton	....	stand-in
Gary J. Sims	....	second assistant accountant
Barrington Smith	....	set production assistant
Suzanne St. Pierre	....	craft service
Brad Stephens	....	publicist
Andrew L. Ullman	....	location manager
Sharon Vise	....	production accountant
Howard Warren	....	projectionist: Las Vegas
Stephen V. Weissberger	....	production assistant
James Woods	....	stand-in (as Jim Woods)
Mary Wright	....	script supervisor
Jack E. Herman	....	extras set coordinator (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Mark Damon Productions (MDP Worldwide)
• Village Roadshow Pictures (in association with) (as Village Roadshow-Clipsal Films Partnership)
• Clipsal Films (in association with) (as Village Roadshow-Clipsal Films Partnership)
• Ken Schwenker Production

Distributors

• Roadshow Entertainment (1998) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Epix Media (2005) (Germany) (DVD)
• Live Entertainment (1997) (USA)
• Norstar Entertainment
• Roadshow Entertainment Video (1999) (Australia) (VHS)
• Scanbox Entertainment (2003) (UK) (DVD)
• Ufilms (Spain)
• West Video (1996) (Russia) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Skywalker Sound  post-production sound services

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for strong language, along with some violence and sexuality

Runtime:

Argentina:91 min | UK:89 min | USA:92 min

Country:

USA | Australia

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Australia:M | Iceland:14 (original rating) | Iceland:16 (video rating) | Brazil:12 | Finland:K-16 | Spain:13 | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

Company:

Mark Damon Productions (MDP Worldwide)

Soundtrack:

Have a Dream (on Me)

Another flawed but fascinating Alex Cox movie.

Alex Cox has had a very tempestuous relationship with Hollywood over the years, and I think he has all but disowned 'The Winner', but as uneven as it is, it still makes interesting viewing. Vincent D'Onofrio ('Full Metal Jacket') plays Philip, a guy who goes into a casino every Sunday and wins. Consistently. This creates quite a stir and all kinds of people come out of the woodwork wanting a piece of the action, including a showgirl (Rebecca De Mornay - 'Runaway Train') who romances him even though she is involved with a casino heavy (Billy Bob Thornton - 'Pushing Tin'), his estranged criminal brother (Michael Madsen - 'Reservoir Dogs), a nutty wanna be mobster (Frank Whaley - 'Swimming With Sharks') and his two bumbling sidekicks (Richard Edson - 'Strange Days' and Saverio Guerra - 'Becker'). All are planning to rip him off in some fashion. While this movie doesn't completely satisfy there are enough enjoyable scenes from the outstanding supporting cast of low lifes and oddballs to make it worth watching. Delroy Lindo ('Get Shorty') plays the mysterious boss of the casino, and Cox regulars Sy Richardson and Biff Yeager pop up in brief cameos, as does the director himself. I would be very much interested in seeing Cox's own cut of 'The Winner' but until then , this is a curious movie that is worth a look. Flawed yes, but fascinating.