Gattaca (1997)

User Rating:

7.8/10   

Director:

Andrew Niccol

Writer (WGA):

Andrew Niccol (written by)

Release Date:

24 October 1997 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

There Is No Gene For The Human Spirit.

Plot:

A genetically inferior man assumes the identity of a superior one in order to pursue his lifelong dream of space travel.

Plot Keywords:

Police | Space Travel | Future | Hair | Urine Sample

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 6 wins & 8 nominations

Cast

Ethan Hawke	...	Vincent Freeman
Uma Thurman	...	Irene Cassini
Gore Vidal	...	Director Josef
Xander Berkeley	...	Dr. Lamar
Jayne Brook	...	Marie Freeman
Elias Koteas	...	Antonio Freeman
Maya Rudolph	...	Delivery Nurse
Una Damon	...	Head Nurse
Elizabeth Dennehy	...	Preschool Teacher
Blair Underwood	...	Geneticist
Mason Gamble	...	Vincent Freeman - Boy
Vincent Nielson	...	Anton Freeman - Boy
Chad Christ	...	Vincent Freeman - Teen
William Lee Scott	...	Anton Freeman - Teen
Clarence Graham	...	Personnel Officer
Ernest Borgnine	...	Caesar
Tony Shalhoub	...	German
Jude Law	...	Jerome Eugene Morrow
Alan Arkin	...	Det. Hugo
Carlton Bembry	...	Gattaca Hoover (as Carlton Benbry)
Cynthia Martells	...	Cavendish
Grace Sullivan	...	Sequencing Customer
Ken Marino	...	Sequencing Technician
Loren Dean	...	Anton Freeman
Gabrielle Reece	...	Gattaca Trainer
Ryan Dorin	...	Twelve-Fingered Pianist
Dean Norris	...	Cop on the Beat
Steve Bessen	...	Blood Test Detective
Russell Milton	...	Gattaca Detective
George Marshall Ruge	...	Beaten Detective
Lindsey Ginter	...	Mission Commander (as Lindsey Lee Ginter)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Dan Griffin	...	Classmate (uncredited)
Beverly Griffith	...	Anatomy Teacher (uncredited)
David LeBell	...	Invalid (uncredited)

Directed by
Andrew Niccol

Writing credits (WGA)
Andrew Niccol		(written by)

Produced by
Danny DeVito	....	producer
Georgia Kacandes	....	associate producer
Joshua Levinson	....	associate producer
Gail Lyon	....	co-producer
Michael Shamberg	....	producer
Stacey Sher	....	producer

Original Music by
Michael Nyman

Cinematography by
Slawomir Idziak		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Lisa Zeno Churgin

Casting by
Francine Maisler

Production Design by
Jan Roelfs

Art Direction by
Sarah Knowles

Set Decoration by
Nancy Nye

Costume Design by
Colleen Atwood

Makeup Department
Bette Iverson	....	key hair stylist (as Bette L. Iverson)
Ve Neill	....	makeup supervisor
Brian Penikas	....	prosthetic makeup artist
Jill Rockow	....	makeup artist
Alicia M. Tripi	....	department head hair stylist: second unit
Toni-Ann Walker	....	hair stylist
Lizbeth Williamson	....	makeup artist: Ms. Thurman

Production Management
Bradley Cramp	....	production supervisor
Georgia Kacandes	....	unit production manager
Tim Swan	....	production supervisor (as Tim Leary Swan)
Tim Swan	....	unit manager
Lisa Yesko	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Otie Brown	....	second assistant director
Michael Greenwood	....	second second assistant director
Daniel Silverberg	....	second assistant director
John R. Woodward	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Stephen Alesch	....	set designer (as Stephen T. Alesch)
Scott Doran	....	lead man (as R. Scott Doran)
Don Elliott	....	swing gang
Emily Ferry	....	property master (as Emily Katherine Ferry)
Otniel Gonzalez	....	assistant property master
Marc Meisels	....	key set dressing fixtures
Jim Ondrejko	....	construction coordinator (as James Ondrejko)
Joy Taylor	....	assistant property master
Randall D. Wilkins	....	set designer (as Randall Wilkins)
Chris Buchinsky	....	storyboard artist (uncredited)
Daragh Byrne	....	carpenter (uncredited)
Shannon Curfman	....	on-set dresser: reshoots (uncredited)
Donald Goodman	....	drapery (uncredited)
Natalie Richards	....	assistant art director (uncredited)
Victor M. Shannon	....	plasterer (uncredited)
Louis Zamora	....	labor foreman (uncredited)

Sound Department
Noah Blough	....	dialogue editor
Catherine Calleson	....	assistant sound editor
Lawrence L. Commans	....	boom operator
Nerses Gezalyan	....	foley mixer
Cynthia Haagens	....	assistant sound editor
Dick Hansen	....	cable person
Gary A. Hecker	....	foley artist (as Gary Hecker)
Doug Hemphill	....	sound re-recording mixer
Richard King	....	supervising sound editor
Cliff Latimer	....	adr supervisor
Paul Massey	....	sound re-recording mixer
James Matheny	....	dialogue editor (as Jim Matheny)
Jeffrey R. Payne	....	foley editor (as Jeff Payne)
Steven Ticknor	....	sound effects editor (as Steve Ticknor)
Scott A. Tinsley	....	foley editor (as Scot Tinsley)
Stephan von Hase	....	production sound mixer (as Stephan von Hase-Mihalik)
Jeffrey Wilhoit	....	foley artist
Howard London	....	adr mixer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Philip Bartko	....	special effects foreman
Carole Cowley	....	special effects associate producer
Gary D'Amico	....	special effects coordinator
Tony Bohorquez	....	model maker (uncredited)
Ian O'Connor	....	miniature pyrotechnics supervisor (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Daniele Colajacomo	....	visual effects supervisor: 3DSite
Carole Cowley	....	visual effects production coordinator: Cinesite
Ken Dackermann	....	digital compositor
Steve Dellerson	....	visual effects coordinator
Scott Dougherty	....	digital effects producer: Cinesite
Joe Dubs	....	digital paint supervisor
Gil Gagnon	....	digital effects
Dan Levitan	....	compositor
Mario Peixoto	....	digital effects
Jerry Pooler	....	digital effects
Jerry Pooler	....	visual effects supervisor
Janek Sirrs	....	visual effects
Chris Watts	....	visual effects supervisor
Matti Asgarian	....	digital effects production assistant (uncredited)
Cheryl Bainum	....	computer graphics/design producer: Buzz F/X (uncredited)
Travis Baumann	....	digital compositor (uncredited)
Deak Ferrand	....	digital artist/designer: Buzz F/X (uncredited)
Shannon Blake Gans	....	visual effects executive producer: Hunter/Gratzner Industries Inc. (uncredited)
Bill Gilman	....	digital compositor (uncredited) (Cinesite Hollywood)
Vincent Lavares	....	tape operator: Cinesite Hollywood (uncredited)
Mark Alan Loso	....	compositor (uncredited)
Scott Pourroy	....	miniature effects producer (uncredited)
Anne Putnam	....	visual effects producer: post production (uncredited)
James Waterhouse	....	effects production assistant (uncredited)

Stunts
Michael Cassidy	....	stunt coordinator (as Mike Cassidy)
Tyson Dexter	....	stunt double
Norman Howell	....	stunt coordinator
Mike Smith	....	stunts
Hubie Kerns Jr.	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Jonathan Brown	....	camera operator (as Jonathan W. Brown)
John T. Connor	....	first assistant camera
Michael J. Hogan	....	video assist operator
Robert Jason	....	chief lighting technician
Michael M. Krevitt	....	key grip
Darren Michaels	....	still photographer
David Morton	....	rigging gaffer
Matthew Nelson	....	second assistant camera
Evan A. Nesbitt	....	first assistant camera: VistaVision camera
Rod Robertson	....	assistant chief lighting technician
Jeff Smith	....	dolly grip (as Jeffrey S. Smith)
Thomas D. Wazney	....	best boy grip (as Thomas Wazney)
Brennan L. Price	....	rigging gaffer: re-shoots (uncredited)
Larissa Supplitt	....	assistant camera: additional photography (uncredited)

Casting Department
Beau Bonneau	....	extras casting
Brennan Dufresne	....	casting assistant
Kathryn Eisenstein	....	casting associate

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Jennifer Lax	....	key costumer (as Jenny Lax)
Robert Q. Mathews	....	costume supervisor
Barry Kellogg	....	costumer (uncredited)
Valerie Laven-Cooper	....	costumer (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Phillip J. Bartell	....	apprentice editor
Helen Hand	....	second assistant editor
Mo Henry	....	negative cutter
Bob Putynkowski	....	color timer
Michael Riley	....	editor: end montage
John Spence	....	first assistant editor
Angela Barton	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Bunny Andrews	....	music editor
Dondi Bastone	....	music consultant
Cynthia Biamon	....	music coordinator
Stan Getz	....	musician: "First Song {For Ruth}"
David Robbins	....	additional music arranger
David Robbins	....	additional music producer
Michael Nyman	....	conductor (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Joshua Hancock	....	picture car coordinator
David Jernigan	....	transportation co-captain (as David T. Jernigan)
James C. Taylor	....	transportation captain (as James Taylor)
Kelly Aldrich	....	driver: construction department (uncredited)

Other crew
Pamela Abdy	....	assistant: Mr. Devito
Edward Allen	....	first assistant accountant
Alex Barnoya	....	medic
Mark Beer	....	paraplegic advisor
Wes Clark	....	assistant: Mr. Shamberg
Robert Earl Craft	....	location manager (as Robert E. Craft)
Roger Edwin Ferrin	....	production assistant (as Roger Ferrin)
Lizzie Friedman	....	assistant: Ms. Sher
Wilma Garscadden-Gahret	....	script supervisor
Nicholas Grace	....	assistant: Mr. Shamberg
Stephanie Higgins Frey	....	production assistant (as Stephanie Higgins)
Ilt Jones	....	assistant location manager
Shari LaFranchi Blakney	....	production coordinator (as Shari LaFranchi)
Kevin G. McGuire	....	paraplegic advisor
Patrick Noonan	....	production assistant
John Wayne Randolph	....	craft service
Michael Riley	....	title designer: main titles
Joe Angel Rodriguez	....	assistant: Mr. Niccol
Kathleen Roll	....	production assistant
Maurice Schwartzman	....	choreographer
Spooky Stevens	....	unit publicist
Emma Tillinger	....	assistant: Ms. Thurman
Elizabeth Tompkins	....	production accountant (as Elizabeth K. Tompkins)
Mario West	....	production assistant
Vanna Bonta	....	additional voices (uncredited)
Sara Burton	....	location scout (uncredited)
Tom Elkins	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Audra Levi	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Robert McDonald	....	production assistant (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Columbia Pictures Corporation
• Jersey Films

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures (1997) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Films (1998) (France) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Film Distributors International (Argentina)
• Columbia TriStar Film (Germany)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (Australia)
• Columbia TriStar (video)
• LK-TEL (Argentina) (video)
• Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE)
• Sony Pictures Entertainment
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2008) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-Ray Disc)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2008) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-Ray Disc)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2008) (USA) (DVD) (two-disc special edition)
• Ízaro Films (Spain)

Special Effects

• 3DSite (visual effects)
• Cinesite (Hollywood)
• Computer Film Company, The (CFC) (digital compositing, paint work)

Other Companies

• Beau Bonneau Casting  extras casting: Marin County
• Cinema Research  titles and opticals
• Entertainment Motion Picture Catering  catering
• Hunter/Gratzner Industries  miniatures
• Imaginary Forces  end montage
• Imaginary Forces  main titles
• Loop Troop  looping coordination
• Prop'er Effects Inc.  special prop construction
• Sapex Scripts  post-production services
• Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE)  sound services
• Video Image Associates  24-frame video playback
• Video Image Associates  graphic displays
• Webster Kolich & Co.  extras casting

Also Known As:

The Eighth Day (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for brief violent images, language, and some sexuality.

Runtime:

106 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Esperanto

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Iceland:12 | USA:PG-13 (certificate #34793) | Brazil:14 | Canada:PG (Ontario) | South Korea:15 | Philippines:PG-13 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Belgium:KT | Chile:14 | Finland:K-12 | France:U | Germany:12 | Mexico:B | Netherlands:12 (video premiere) | Norway:15 | Singapore:PG | Spain:T | Sweden:11 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Barstow, California, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

Vincent's car is a 1963 Studebaker Avanti.

Goofs:

Continuity: When the two men are swimming at night, they are sometimes shown to be naked, and other times (underwater shots) shown to be wearing boxers or swimming trunks.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Director Josef: You keep your work station so clean, Jerome.
Vincent: It's next to godliness. Isn't that what they say?
Director Josef: Godliness. I reviewed your flight plan. Not one error in a million keystrokes. Phenomenal. It's right that someone like you is taking us to Titan.
Vincent: Has the committee approved the mission? There's been talk of delay.
Director Josef: You shouldn't listen to talk. You leave in a week. You've got a substance test.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Making of 'Lord of War' (2006) (V)

Soundtrack:

Nuages

Uses science fiction to explore ideas, and reveal some depths of the human spirit

"There is no gene for the human spirit." This is the TAG line of the movie Gattaca, a film that searches deep within the heart of man. This is one of Ethan Hawke's strongest performances as a man who refuses to trust the odds, and relies on fate and sheer will to achieve his dreams. He borrows the body of a man without dreams, played by Jude Law in his best performance to date as well. Law simply captures every scene with his sly intelligence and deeply darkened soul. He has no illusions about life, or himself, and he is the perfect counterpoint to Hawke's unrelenting dreamer.

The performances only enhance, however, a wonderful script by first time writer/director Andrew Niccol. It deals with science fiction and the future in the best way, by exploring ideas. He quickly and easily presents a future not unimaginable, and truly existing in a "not-too-distant future." Genetic engineering is happening today all the time in areas outside the human species, and sometimes within. How long will it take before the gloves are taken off and science truly starts to decide the type of people humanity will become? What issues will be addressed when that time comes? Niccol addresses many of them already, mostly dealing with the discrimination that would probably take place in society. The most subtle and yet important question he asks though is whether a man is truly the sum of his genes, or could his spirit somehow carry him beyond all expectations? Such thoughts are dealt with through intelligent characters given intelligent diolague and placed with intelligent situations. It is interesting how such a thoughtful picture can be at time a real thriller to watch as well.

Gattaca is one of my favorite movies because it is not afraid to address important issues that are truly current in modern day society, and do it with great thought and heart. It wisely stresses the subtle theological questions of whether man ought to tamper with God's work, and whether the result would be a better society, or a better humanity.