Weapons of Mass Distraction (1997) (TV)

Director:

Stephen Surjik

Writer (WGA):

Larry Gelbart (written by)

Release Date:

17 May 1997 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Crime

Plot:

Two media moguls get into a nasty power struggle for the ownership of a pro football team which takes a drastic effect on their personal and professional lives.

Plot Keywords:

Media | Sex Scene | Tomb | Speech | Football Stadium

Awards:

Nominated for 4 Primetime Emmys. Another 4 nominations

Cast

Gabriel Byrne	...	Lionel Powers
Ben Kingsley	...	Julian Messenger
Mimi Rogers	...	Ariel Powers (aka Alexi)
Jeffrey Tambor	...	Alan Blanchard
Illeana Douglas	...	Rita Pascoe
Paul Mazursky	...	Dr. Jonathon Cummings
Chris Mulkey	...	Jerry Pascoe
R. Lee Ermey	...	Billy Paxton
Caroline Aaron	...	Robin Zimmer
Jason Lee	...	Phillip Messenger
Christina Pickles	...	Mrs. Frieda Messinger
Tom Wright	...	Marvel Sears
Randall Arney	...	Sen. Quentin Sayles
Ben Bode	...	Peter Messenger
L. Scott Caldwell	...	Sen. Condon
Patrick Fabian	...	Brandon Joyner
Alex Kingston	...	Verity Graham
Jordan Ladd	...	Letitia
Heidi Mark	...	Cricket Paige
Adam Tomei	...	Tony Powers
Peter White	...	Sen. Norman Barrish
Kathy Baker	...	Margo Powers
Tina Arning	...	Tiffany
Elea Bartling	...	Dr. Cummings Receptionist
Richard Chaves	...	Sen. Ramirez
Sabi Dorr	...	London Specialist
Joseph Faingold	...	TV Reporter
Cliff Fleming	...	Helicopter Pilot
Myeva Surjik	...	Nurse (as Myeva Fox)
Art Frankel	...	Dr. Sugarman
Eulinda Gray	...	Swiss Receptionist
Dale Harimoto	...	Kim Kaplan, KPOW Reporter
Jerry Hauck	...	Sal
John Heffron	...	News Show Director
Jocelyn Kelley	...	TV Reporter
Tyffany Kyler	...	Secretary
Fred Kronenberg	...	Plumber's Van Spy #1
Larissa Laskin	...	Lindsey Zarem
Sung Hi Lee	...	Kelly
Robert Lewis	...	Ziggy
Cynthia Mace	...	Mrs. Jamie Sayles
Kristina Malota	...	Sayles Daughter
Ramsey Mathews	...	Roy
Dailyn Matthews	...	Bar Pick-up
Erin Matthews	...	Liz Ortega, 'Private File'
Graeme McKenna	...	Plumber's Van Spy #2
Mark McPherson	...	Pay Phone Passerby
Cherie Michan	...	Nanci Gross
Diana Morgan	...	TV Reporter
Michael Morrison	...	Joey Pascoe
Todd Newton	...	Blade Crenshaw, 'Private File'
Christie Blanchard-Power	...	Messenger Maid (as Christine Blanchard)
Clarinda Ross	...	Stacy
Nina Savelle	...	Young Woman
Sam Shamshak	...	Dr. Rosenfeld
Rick Shuster	...	Helicopter Pilot
Ron Snow	...	Cricket's Announcer
Mark Steines	...	News Anchor
Westleigh M. Styer	...	Nicky Pascoe
Dirk Vahle	...	Helicopter Pilot
Alex Wexo	...	Delivery Van Driver
Rogan Wilde	...	Ashley
Billie Worley	...	Jimmy the Dog / Peanut Coach
Ann Russo	...	Cloris (as Ann Zupa)
Sander Vanocur	...	60 / Sixty Moderator
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Eric F Donald	...	Cameraman (uncredited)

Directed by
Stephen Surjik

Writing credits (WGA)
Larry Gelbart		(written by)

Produced by
Larry Gelbart	....	executive producer
Sean Ryerson	....	producer

Original Music by
Don Davis

Cinematography by
Alar Kivilo

Film Editing by
Zach Staenberg

Casting by
Gary M. Zuckerbrod

Production Design by
Charles Rosen

Art Direction by
Charles Breen
Chas. Butcher

Set Decoration by
Stephanie Ziemer

Costume Design by
Deena Appel
Natasha Landau

Makeup Department
Mustaque M. Ashrafi	....	additional hair stylist
Mustaque M. Ashrafi	....	additional makeup artist
Mari Bloom	....	key hair stylist
David Forrest	....	key makeup artist

Production Management
Mark S. Hoerr	....	post-production supervisor
Kim Kurumada	....	unit production manager
Selwyn Roberts	....	unit production manager: London
Sara Spring	....	production supervisor: second unit

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Matt Earl Beesley	....	second unit director
Jeffrey J. Dashnaw	....	second unit director
Evan Gilner	....	second second assistant director
K.C. Hodenfield	....	first assistant director
Joseph J. Kontra	....	second assistant director
Jason Roberts	....	second assistant director: second unit
David N. Schrager	....	second assistant director: second unit
Craig West	....	first assistant director: second unit

Art Department
Heidi Baumgarten	....	property buyer
Kelly Brine	....	storyboard artist
R. Scott Doran	....	lead man
Douglas Fox	....	property master
Lisa Goldsmith	....	buyer
China Iwata	....	assistant props
Jana Lehman	....	art department coordinator
Marc Meisels	....	lead man
Christopher Moore	....	set decorator coordinator
Wendy Neel Brogan	....	set decorator coordinator
Efren N. Perez	....	art swing gang
Brooke Sartorius	....	swing gang (as Robert Brooke Sartorius)
Linda Spheeris	....	assistant set decorator
Michael P. Sweeney	....	assistant props
Paul Walton	....	head paint foreman

Sound Department
Peter Bentley	....	sound mixer
Neil Brody	....	sound re-recording mixer
Harry Cheney	....	dialogue editor
David M. Cowan	....	dialogue editor
Scott Edelson	....	boom operator
William Freesh	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Bill Freesh)
Sandy Gendler	....	supervising sound editor
John Hays	....	boom operator
Albert Ibbotson	....	co-supervising sound editor
Jerry Jacobson	....	sound effects editor
Pamela Kahn	....	foley walker
Amy Kane	....	foley walker
Mark Larry	....	sound effects editor
Lee Lemont	....	adr editor
Howard London	....	adr mixer
Mike Olman	....	sound re-recording mixer
Kirsten Reed	....	assistant foley editor
Carmine Rubino	....	foley mixer
Rich Tavtigian	....	foley editor

Special Effects by
Steve Cremin	....	special effects assistant
Larry Fioritto	....	special effects coordinator
Bruce Mattox	....	special effects assistant
Virgil Sanchez	....	special effects assistant
Ric San Nicholas	....	special effects assistant

Visual Effects by
Robert W. Morgenroth	....	visual effects supervisor
Lee Stranahan	....	visual effects artist

Stunts
Julie Adair	....	stunts
Charlie Brewer	....	stunts
Mark Chadwick	....	stunts
Jeffrey J. Dashnaw	....	stunt coordinator
Norman Howell	....	stunts
Rex Ives	....	stunts
Scott Waugh	....	stunts
Scott Wilder	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Stephen B. Abrams	....	best boy grip
David Arnold	....	camera operator: Wescam camera
Ron Batzdorff	....	still photographer
Tony Bendt	....	grip
Jeremy Braben	....	aerial camera operator: Spacecam
Robert Brinkmann	....	director of photography: second unit
Richard Broun	....	additional second assistant camera
John Cannon	....	electrician
Louis Cicero	....	dolly grip
Ricco Clement	....	additional first assistant camera
Jason 'Jake' Cross	....	grip
Tomislav Culina	....	grip
Keith Davis	....	electrician
Louis DiCesare	....	gaffer
Josh Drew	....	grip (as Josh Walters)
Robert N. Gersicoff	....	additional camera operator
Dylan Goss	....	aerial camera operator (as Dylan M. Gross)
Jeff Graham	....	first assistant camera
Eric Grove	....	additional photographer: New York City
Richard Haas	....	additional first assistant camera
William H. Hobson	....	grip
Philip Jordan	....	electrician
Steve Koster	....	additional camera operator
Reinaldo Lopezy	....	camera loader
Brian Lucas	....	electrician
Thomas Marshall	....	electrician
Ian S. Momberger	....	grip
Edward Neilsen III	....	additional second assistant camera
Matthew Nelson	....	additional first assistant camera
Ed Nottoli	....	additional first assistant camera
Anthony Q. Palmer	....	electrician
Jennifer Perkins	....	electrician
Kenny Rivenbark	....	additional camera operator
Vince Rodriguez	....	key grip
Monty Rowan	....	camera operator
Miguel Sánchez	....	electrician
Renee Schuyten	....	second assistant camera
Peyton Skelton	....	best boy electric
Tim Soronen	....	grip
Jason Tenzer	....	additional second assistant camera
Richard Uribe	....	electrician
Gregory White	....	additional first assistant camera

Casting Department
Lisa Essary	....	casting associate
Barbara Harris	....	adr voice casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Tangi Crawford	....	assistant wardrobe supervisor
Kiki Garwood	....	wardrobe supervisor
Thomas Halligan	....	set costumer
Deborah Slate	....	set costumer

Editorial Department
Tom Costain	....	first assistant film editor
Karla Flores	....	post-production assistant
Bob La Rossa	....	color timer

Music Department
Stan Jones	....	music editor
Eduardo Ponsdomenech	....	music editor
Armin Steiner	....	music scoring engineer

Transportation Department
Victor Anderson	....	transportation coordinator
Mark Brown	....	driver: production van
Antonio Molina	....	transportation captain

Other crew
Stephanie Axe	....	assistant: Mr. Surjik
Matthew J. Birch	....	production coordinator: second unit
Bobette Buster	....	production consultant
Kaylene Carlson	....	production secretary
Craig Conover	....	craft service
Ross C. Day	....	additional location scout
Dick Dionne	....	set mechanic
Jennifer Dunne	....	assistant location manager
Maria Dylan	....	production coordinator
Scott Fischman	....	remote head technician
Steve Gehrke	....	script supervisor
Adam Glickman	....	production assistant
Mark Thomas King	....	assistant: Mr. Ryerson
Buzz Kramer	....	craft service
Lynne Kramer	....	craft service
Zack Milan	....	stand-in
Zack Olin	....	production assistant
Jeff 'Doc' Porter	....	production medic
Tony Salome	....	location manager
Amanda Schenk	....	assistant: Mr. Surjik
Michael Schumacher	....	assistant location manager
Amy Singer	....	assistant: Mr. Byrne
Beth Tate	....	additional location scout
Brian Triggs	....	assistant production coordinator
Christopher W. Trott	....	location manager
Cory Van Dyke	....	assistant: Mr. Kingsley
David Vogt	....	helicopter pilot: New York
Martine White	....	additional location scout
Ray McCort	....	helicopter pilot: New York (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Home Box Office (HBO)

Distributors

• Home Box Office (HBO) (original airing)
• Home Box Office Home Video (HBO)
• Media Cooperation One (MC-One)

Special Effects

• E=mc² (visual effects)

Other Companies

• Central Casting  extras casting: los angeles
• Cinema Research  titles and opticals
• Empire Burbank Studios  production facilities
• In Frame Inc.  negative cutting
• Mario's Catering  catering
• Production Security  security provided by
• Sheldon Music Inc.  music preparation
• Sony Pictures Studios  post-production sound services

MPAA:

Rated R for language, sexuality, and depiction of a suicide.

Runtime:

100 min | Germany:92 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Germany:16 | UK:15 (video premiere) | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Beverly Hills, California, USA

Company:

Home Box Office (HBO)

Quotes:

Lionel Powers: I'll see you in Hell!
Julian Messenger: I hope so, dear boy! It wouldn't be the same without you!

Soundtrack:

JUMP, JIVE, 'N' WAIL

A prime example of satire gone awry.

Weapons of Mass Distraction proves to be an inconsequential mess of loose plot points and unanswered questions. In what was initially supposed to be a satire, it only gets lost in it's web of lurid, superfluous, irrelevant occurrences.

Two billionares rival over ownership of a famous American football team. That's what we understand from the blurb. Unfortunately, the references to that are just so vague that it is somewhat of a sub-plot. There really is no plot. It goes nowhere!

On one end of the spectrum we have Robert Altman's fine satire "The Player", focusing on big business and movies. On the other end of the spectrum we have this.

Combine this: helicopter accident, closet gay businessman, jewish holocaust surviver, appendage enlargement, trans-gender wife and adulterous cable repairman newly fired. That's precisely what the film is!

It's awful. One out of ten.