The Wisdom of Crocodiles (1998)

Director:

Po-Chih Leong

Writer:

Paul Hoffman (writer)

Release Date:

1 May 2000 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Mystery | Romance | Thriller

Tagline:

Handsome. Seductive. Deadly.

Plot:

Vampire in London is searching for the ideal woman to 'redempt' him.

Plot Keywords:

Vampire | Love | Engineer | Subway | Blood

Awards:

3 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Jude Law	...	Steven Grlscz
Elina Löwensohn	...	Anne Labels
Timothy Spall	...	Inspector Healey
Jack Davenport	...	Sergeant Roche
Colin Salmon	...	Martin
Hitler Wong	...	Noodles Chan
Kerry Fox	...	Maria Vaughan
Stuart Bowman	...	Car Crash Mechanic
C.J. December	...	Car Crash Mechanic
Anastasia Hille	...	Karen
Nicholas Lamont	...	Toll Bridge Attendant (as Nick Lamont)
Joseph O'Conor	...	Mr. Nancarrow
Ashley Artus	...	Gang Leader
Tom Wu	...	Gang Member
Hon Ping Tang	...	Gang Member
Antony Cotton	...	Gang Member
Richard Mylan	...	Gang Member
Carlton Headley	...	Gang Member
Neran Persaud	...	Gang Member
Julia Davies	...	Girl in Operating Theatre
Rupert Farley	...	Priest
Diane Howse	...	Mrs. Healey
Cliff Parisi	...	Labourer
Vincent Keane	...	Injured Workman
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Carlton Jarvis	...	Physician (uncredited)

Directed by
Po-Chih Leong

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Paul Hoffman		writer

Produced by
Dorothy Berwin	....	executive producer
Carolyn Choa	....	producer
Laura Julian	....	line producer
David Lascelles	....	producer
Scott Meek	....	executive producer
Nigel Stafford-Clark	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Orlando Gough
John Lunn

Cinematography by
Oliver Curtis

Film Editing by
Robin Sales

Casting by
Michelle Guish

Production Design by
Andy Harris

Art Direction by
Ben Scott

Costume Design by
Anna B. Sheppard		(as Anna Sheppard)

Makeup Department
Pat Hay	....	key makeup artist
Helen Johnson	....	makeup assistant
Anne Oldham	....	makeup artist
Stephen Rose	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Claire Tovey	....	unit manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Sarah Dibsdall	....	second assistant director
Carlos Fidel	....	third assistant director
Simon Hinkly	....	assistant director

Art Department
Barry Abbot	....	carpenter
David Abbott	....	carpenter
Julian Ashby	....	assistant art director
Mat Bergel	....	stand-by propman
Lee Betis	....	painter (as Lee Betts)
Robert Betts	....	painter
Graham Blinco	....	chargehand stagehand
Warren Browne	....	carpenter
Graham Cole	....	stand-by carpenter
Stewart Cunningham	....	dressing props
Wayne Day	....	supervising carpenter
Alan Doyle	....	dressing props
Suzanne Field	....	art department assistant
Gordon Fitzgerald	....	property master
James Gemmill	....	scenic artist
Leigh Gilbert	....	construction manager
Lee Gooch	....	carpenter
John Greaves	....	storyboard artist
Mark Hedges	....	property storeman
Michael Hersey	....	supervising painter
Darren Holland	....	stagehand
Robert Jackson	....	carpenter
Bryce Johnston	....	carpenter (as Bryce Johnstone)
Scott Keery	....	stand-by propman
Ben Lloyd	....	stand-by stagehand
Tom Roberts	....	stand-by painter (as Tommy Roberts)
Peter Rutherford	....	property buyer
Gary Stopps	....	carpenter
Barry Weller	....	carpenter
Paul Williams	....	carpenter
Mark Williamson	....	carpenter
Stephen Wong	....	assistant art director

Sound Department
Alastair Auld	....	sound trainee
Jeremy Child	....	dialogue editor
Tony Cook	....	boom operator
St. Clair Davis	....	boom operator
Bill Dodkin	....	sound
John Downer	....	supervising sound editor
Howard Eaves	....	dialogue editor
John Falcini	....	dubbing mixer
Rodney Glenn	....	footsteps editor
Colin Nicolson	....	sound
Aad Wirtz	....	dubbing mixer
Aad Wirtz	....	sound re-recording mixer
Mark Kenna	....	consultant: Dolby film sound (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Stuart Brisdon	....	special effects supervisor
Mark Haddenham	....	special effects technician
Ian Lowe	....	special effects technician
Mike Tilley	....	special effects technician
Cliff Wallace	....	special effects makeup

Visual Effects by
Sally Clayton	....	digital artist
Simon Giles	....	digital effects supervisor
Trevor Young	....	scanning and recording: The Film Factory at VTR

Stunts
Stuart Clark	....	stunts
Danielle da Costa	....	stunt double
David Forman	....	stunts (as Dave Foreman)
Morgan Johnson	....	stunts
Tony Lucken	....	stunt double
Ray Nicholas	....	stunts (as Ray L. Nicholas)
Andreas Petrides	....	stunts
Nick Powell	....	stunt coordinator
Billy Riley Jr.	....	stunt double (as Billy Reilley Jr.)
Seon Rogers	....	stunt double

Camera and Electrical Department
John Arnold	....	grip
Steven Cassidy	....	focus puller
Dick Conway	....	electrician
Graham Frake	....	director of photography: second unit
Jeremy Gee	....	camera operator
Stuart Godfrey	....	grip
Simon Harding	....	Steadicam operator
Darren Harvey	....	best boy
Gerry Higgins	....	stand-by rigger
Kevin Higgins	....	grip
Chris Hill	....	grip
Terry Hunt	....	gaffer
Bob Langridge	....	grip
Chaz Lyon	....	camera trainee (as Chas Lyon)
Keith Manning	....	grip
Chris Meadows	....	camera trainee
Jim Monks	....	grip
Gary Nagle	....	generator operator
Roberta Parkin	....	still photographer
Phil Penfold	....	electrician
Richard Potter	....	electrician
Tim Potter	....	focus puller
Steve Pugh	....	grip
Peter Richardson	....	electrician
Hilda Sealy	....	clapper loader
Jon Stephen	....	focus puller
Dean Thompson	....	focus puller: second unit
Alf Tramontin	....	Steadicam operator
Tammo van Hoorn	....	clapper loader: second unit
Matt Wesson	....	clapper loader

Casting Department
Sarah Greenwood	....	casting assistant
Jane Quill	....	casting assistant
David Rubin	....	casting consultant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Samantha Crouch	....	wardrobe assistant
Morgan Elliott	....	costume design assistant
Marco Scotti	....	daily wardrobe assistant

Editorial Department
Alec Gibson	....	color timer
Jonathan Sales	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Paul Golding	....	music mixer

Other crew
Chris Allies	....	title designer
Morgan Blackmore	....	assistant accountant
Chris Catterall	....	production executive
Sarah Ewing	....	assistant to producers
John Field	....	supervising rigger
Sarah Garner	....	script supervisor
Stuart Hale	....	stand-in: Jude Law
Phil Hill	....	floor runner
Carlton Jarvis	....	medical advisor
Jeremy Johns	....	location manager
David Kellick	....	location finder
David Kerney	....	production accountant
Emily Lascelles	....	production runner
Kora McNulty-Klimov	....	production coordinator (as Kora McNulty)
Christian McWilliams	....	location finder
Liz Miller	....	unit publicist
Josephine Olive-O'Neill	....	assistant accountant
Tracy Rowe	....	assistant production executive
Buffy Rucker	....	location finder
Jo Schotting	....	stand-in: Elina Löwensohn
Fiona Wallace	....	stand-in: Kerry Fox

Production Companies

• Goldwyn Films (as Goldwyn Films International) (presents)
• Film Foundry Partners (presents)
• Entertainment Film Distributors (presents)
• Zenith Entertainment (as Zenith Productions) (presents)
• Arts Council of England (as The Arts Council of England) (in association with)

Distributors

• Entertainment Film Distributors (1998) (UK) (theatrical)
• A-Film Distribution (2000) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Asmik Ace Entertainment (2000) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Budapest Film (2000) (Hungary) (theatrical)
• Cinéart (2000) (Belgium) (theatrical)
• Italian International Film (2004) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Mars Distribution (2000) (France) (theatrical)
• Miramax Films (2000) (USA) (theatrical)
• A-Film Home Entertainment (2000) (Belgium) (DVD) (VHS)
• A-Film Home Entertainment (2000) (Netherlands) (DVD) (VHS)
• Eén (2007-2008) (Belgium) (TV)
• MCP Video (2002) (Germany) (DVD)
• Miramax Home Entertainment (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Miramax Home Entertainment (2001) (USA) (VHS)
• Murena International (2009) (Russia) (all media)

Special Effects

• The Film Factory at VTR

Other Companies

• ARRI Lighting Rental  lighting equipment
• ARRI Media  camera rental
• Anvil Post Production  sound re-recording
• Compuhire  computer and video playback
• European Script Fund, The  with the support of
• Film Finances  completion guarantor
• Palmbrokers  greenery (uncredited)
• Sapex Scripts  post-production script services

Also Known As:

"Immortality" - USA (DVD title)

MPAA:

Rated R for some strong violence and gore, language, and sexuality

Runtime:

98 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Finland:K-15 | Australia:MA (TV rating) | Iceland:16 | Netherlands:16 | France:-12 | Singapore:R(A) | Spain:13 | UK:18 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Kew Bridge Steam Museum, Green Dragon Lane, Brentford, Middlesex, England, UK

Company:

Goldwyn Films

Trivia:

The love poem quoted throughout movie is a love song taken from the bible - "The song of Solomon".

Goofs:

Continuity: When Steven is standing in the police lineup he has a bruise on the corner of his mouth. During his interrogation in the next scene, the bruise is gone.

Quotes:

[to inspector Healey]
Steven Grlscz:Well, next time you're following me, you can buy me a drink.

A vampire film with bags of originality.

The Wisdom if Crocodiles is a very well made, character driven vampire film, that does away with many of the clichés associated with vampire films for the better.

The film centres around it's central character, Steven Grlscz, his relationship with women, and the police, who eventually suspect him of murder.

Steven doesn't have fangs, (which incidentally, were first brought into the vampire myths by the Hammer films.) doesn't burn up in the sunlight, (or even worse, go around wearing sunglasses and black in the day.) he is not a poseur, he is a real vampire. He needs to drink blood to live, for reasons that are revealed gently throughout the film.

The films success lies in it's shedding of these usual clichés, to make something that is less a part of a fantasy world, a more grounded in reality. This is fully represented through the whole of the films strata, for example when a fight breaks out involving local thugs, we are not treated to a slow-motion fest set to some industrial metal or matrix-like techno, but a realistic scrap, with a weird white noise sound crossed with choral singing musical accompaniment.

The film is also successful in some small touches that make it worth re-watching. Some little things that seem normal on a first viewing, that take up perhaps a second, are seen in a different way on repeat viewings. I find this quite a admirable addition to the films quality.

To sum up, The Wisdom of Crocodiles is an inventive, intelligent vampire film, without the clichés, grounded in reality and definitely worth watching.