eXistenZ (1999)

Director:

David Cronenberg

Writer:

David Cronenberg (written by)

Release Date:

23 April 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Play it. Live it. Kill for it.

Plot:

A game designer on the run from assassins must play her latest virtual reality creation with a marketing trainee to determine if the game has been damaged.

Plot Keywords:

Game | Assassin | Virtual Reality | Gun | Pod

Awards:

3 wins & 7 nominations

Cast

Jennifer Jason Leigh	...	Allegra Geller
Jude Law	...	Ted Pikul
Ian Holm	...	Kiri Vinokur
Willem Dafoe	...	Gas
Don McKellar	...	Yevgeny Nourish
Callum Keith Rennie	...	Hugo Carlaw
Christopher Eccleston	...	Seminar Leader
Sarah Polley	...	Merle
Robert A. Silverman	...	D'Arcy Nader
Oscar Hsu	...	Chinese Waiter
Kris Lemche	...	Noel Dichter
Vik Sahay	...	Male Assistant
Kirsten Johnson	...	Female Assistant
James Kirchner	...	Landry
Balázs Koós	...	Male Volunteer
Stephanie Belding	...	Female Volunteer
Gerry Quigley	...	Trout Farm Worker

Directed by
David Cronenberg

Writing credits
David Cronenberg		(written by)

Produced by
Bradley Adams	....	co-producer
Damon Bryant	....	co-producer
David Cronenberg	....	producer
Andras Hamori	....	producer
Robert Lantos	....	producer
Michael MacDonald	....	co-producer
Sandra Tucker	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Howard Shore

Cinematography by
Peter Suschitzky

Film Editing by
Ronald Sanders

Casting by
Deirdre Bowen

Production Design by
Carol Spier

Art Direction by
Tamara Deverell

Set Decoration by
Elinor Rose Galbraith

Costume Design by
Denise Cronenberg

Makeup Department
Carol Davidson	....	assistant makeup artist
Stephan Dupuis	....	special makeup designer
Réjean Goderre	....	hair stylist: Ms. Leigh (as Rejean Goderre)
Mary-Lou Green-Benvenuti	....	hair stylist (as Mary Lou Green)
Debra Hawkes	....	assistant hair stylist
Shonagh Jabour	....	makeup artist
Micheline Trépanier	....	makeup artist: Ms. Leigh (as Micheline Trepanier)
Doug Morrow	....	special makeup effects lab technician (uncredited)

Production Management
Michael MacDonald	....	production manager
Tammy Quinn	....	assistant production manager
Lori A. Waters	....	post-production supervisor (as Lori Waters)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Penny Charter	....	second assistant director
Cassandra Cronenberg	....	third assistant director
Walter Gasparovic	....	first assistant director
Kirsteen McLean	....	third assistant director
Leo Scherman	....	trainee assistant director

Art Department
John Bannister	....	key scenic artist
Jerry Beaudrow	....	carpenter
Gordon Becker	....	assistant head carpenter
Dexter Bonaparte	....	set dresser
J. Tracy Budd	....	lead man (as Tracy Budd)
Flavian Bulfon	....	carpenter
Kerry Bullis	....	laborer
Jean-Pierre Charbonneau	....	head carpenter
Dan Christov	....	laborer
Janet Cormack	....	scenic artist
Joe Curtin	....	construction coordinator
Kevin Curtin	....	carpenter
Scott Donais	....	scenic artist
Danielle Fleury	....	assistant set decorator
Christopher Geggie	....	property master (as Chris Geggie)
Jason Graham	....	art department trainee
Arvinder Grewal	....	first assistant art director
Kevin Haeberlin	....	on-set dresser
Paul Jefferson	....	carpenter
Marc Kuitenbrouwer	....	assistant head carpenter
Jacques Lamarre	....	carpenter
Sabri Lariani	....	lead carpenter
Mari Laughlen	....	assistant property master
Rupert Lazarus	....	second assistant art director
Alois Ledinek	....	on-set carpenter
Peter Legault	....	assistant head carpenter
Carole Lord	....	scenic artist
Michael Madden	....	first assistant art director
Stephen Magill	....	carpenter
Bradley McInnis	....	scenic artist
Richard McStay	....	assistant head carpenter
Melissa Morgan	....	head painter
Peter P. Nicolakakos	....	buyer
Brian Patrick	....	property assistant
Jim Peters	....	greensman
Dusty Reeves	....	art department coordinator
Paul Renaut	....	lead man
Doug Rennie	....	scenic artist
Mila Rolicz	....	scenic artist
Sam Santoro	....	laborer
Michael Smolski	....	carpenter
Mark Stafford	....	on-set painter
Robert H. Steiner	....	construction cost administrator (as Robert Steiner)
Kim Wagner	....	additional food preparation (uncredited)

Sound Department
Eric Apps	....	adr recordist
Tom Bjelic	....	sound effects editor
Gregory Martin Clayton	....	cable operator (as Greg Clayton)
Ed Colyer	....	adr mixer
Graham Daniel	....	sound re-recording mixer
Joseph Doane	....	assistant sound effects editor
David Evans	....	supervising sound effects editor
Glen Gauthier	....	sound mixer
Paul Germann	....	assistant sound effects editor
Mark Gingras	....	adr editor
Mark Gingras	....	dialogue editor
Wayne Griffin	....	supervising dialogue editor
Punam Khosla	....	assistant sound effects editor
Goro Koyama	....	foley artist
John Laing	....	dialogue editor
Mishann Lau	....	assistant dialogue editor
Andy Malcolm	....	foley artist
Ron Malligers	....	foley mixer (as Ron Mellegers)
Ray Merrin	....	sound re-recording mixer
Lyle Scott-Darling	....	assistant sound re-recording mixer
Paul Shikata	....	sound effects editor
Steve Switzer	....	boom operator
David Tyler	....	assistant adr mixer
Tony Van den Akker	....	foley mixer
Nick Watson	....	stereo sound consultant: Dolby, UK
Rebecca Wright	....	foley assistant
Sharon Zupancic	....	foley assistant
Gren-Erich Zwicker	....	assistant dialogue editor
Ryan Shore	....	sound (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Warren Appleby	....	floor effects
Damon Bishop	....	special effects technician
Alisa Brooks	....	special effects technician
Brandon Cronenberg	....	special effects technician
Stephan Dupuis	....	creature designer
Stephan Dupuis	....	special makeup
James Isaac	....	special effects (as Jim Isaac)
John Jackson	....	special effects technician
Patrice Jacques	....	special effects technician
Frances James	....	special effects technician
Michael Kavanagh	....	floor effects
Alex Laverick	....	special effects technician
Serge Lavigueur	....	special effects technician
Kelly Lepkowsky	....	creature effects supervisor
Tim Lidstone	....	special effects technician
David Loveday	....	special effects technician
Jay McClennen	....	special effects technician
Ryan Nicholson	....	special effects technician
Dennis Pawlik	....	special effects technician
Evan Penny	....	special effects technician
Jim Reischl	....	special effects technician
Dawn Rivard	....	special effects
Sean Sansom	....	special effects technician
Patrick Tenasco	....	special effects technician
Daniel White	....	floor effects
Michael Kavanagh	....	mechanical effects coordinator (uncredited)
Derek Liscoumb	....	special effects technician (uncredited)
John MacGillivray	....	rigging key, special effects technician (uncredited)
Scott Maple	....	special effects assistant (uncredited)
Jim Peacock	....	special effects prop builder (uncredited)
Jeff Skochko	....	special effects assistant (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Jerry Andrews	....	motion control specialist: Toybox
Alex Boothby	....	digital effects compositor: Toybox
Jeff Campbell	....	digital effects compositor: Toybox
John Coldrick	....	compositor: opening titles
Kenn Elliott	....	additional scanning: Toybox
Mike 'Fuzzy' Ellis	....	digital film supervisor: Toybox (as Mike Ellis)
Raymond Gieringer	....	3D animator: Toybox
Mark Goldberg	....	digital effects compositor: Toybox
Derek Grime	....	3D animator: Toybox
Rob Gyorgy	....	digital effects compositor: Toybox
James Isaac	....	visual and special effects supervisor (as Jim Isaac)
Shawn Maher	....	camera operator: Toybox
Michael Manza	....	3D animator: Toybox
Jesh Murthy	....	3D animator: Toybox
Josa Leah 'SDB' Porter	....	in-house coordinator: Toybox
Paul Rigg	....	digital effects compositor: Toybox
Jim Rutherford	....	lead 3D creature animator: Toybox
Ralph Sevazlian	....	3D animator: Toybox
Chris Stoyan	....	motion control grip: Toybox
Andy Sykes	....	executive producer: Toybox
Tony Willis	....	motion control supervisor: Toybox
Emily Wong	....	production coordinator: Toybox
Nelson Yu Lik-wai	....	3D technical support: Toybox
Kenn Elliott	....	film assistant: Toybox (uncredited)

Stunts
Peter Cox	....	stunts
Jamie Jones	....	stunts
Alison Reid	....	stunt coordinator
Alison Reid	....	stunts
Regan Moore	....	stunt performer (uncredited)
Billy Oliver	....	stunt driver (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Jonathan Billings	....	dolly grip
Don Cochrane	....	electrician
Christopher Dean	....	key grip
Ava Gerlitz	....	still photographer
Dianne L. Haggarty	....	grip (as Dianne Haggarty)
Michael Hall	....	first assistant camera
Jeff Heintzman	....	best boy grip
Robert Hicks	....	best boy
Vanessa Ireson	....	second assistant camera
Delroy P. Jarrett	....	electrician (as Delroy Jarrett)
Chris Kalbfleisch	....	camera trainee
Martin Lake	....	grip
Philip Lanthier	....	grip (as Philip 'Buck' Lanthier)
Jim MacCammon	....	electrician (as James MacCammon)
Steven Morrisson	....	rigging gaffer (as Steve Morrisson)
David Moxness	....	gaffer
Andrew W. Peart	....	video playback operator (as Andrew Peart)
Adam Pill	....	grip
Michael Plant	....	generator operator
Peter Suschitzky	....	camera operator
Frank Teunissen	....	rigging grip
Mark D. Acheson	....	grip (uncredited)
Cinar Eryasar	....	electrician (uncredited)
Clement Lush	....	tape operator (uncredited)

Casting Department
Elizabeth Gray	....	casting assistant
Eleanor Lavender	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Christina Cattle	....	assistant costume supervisor
Brenda Gilles	....	costume supervisor
Christopher Hargadon	....	assistant costume designer (as Chris Hargadon)
Lisette Lefevre	....	seamstress
Angie Vastagh	....	wardrobe assistant

Editorial Department
Christopher Donaldson	....	first assistant editor: film
Gary Fluxgold	....	first assistant editor: film
Andrew MacRitchie	....	assistant editor: UK
Aaron Marshall	....	trainee assistant editor
Sean Moriarity	....	post-production assistant
Ricardo Olivero	....	color timer
Catherine Rankin	....	negative cutter
Tad Seaborn	....	first assistant editor: avid
Peter Watson	....	first assistant editor: film
Pierre Cadieux	....	dailies colorist: second unit (uncredited)
Bill Holley	....	colorist (uncredited)

Music Department
Nancy Allen	....	associate music editor
Rowan Collier	....	assistant music recording engineer
Robert Cotnoir	....	score mixer
Jennifer L. Dunnington	....	assistant music editor (as Jennifer Dunnington)
Dan Evans Farkas	....	music editor
Isobel Griffiths	....	music contractor
Lydia Kavina	....	musician: theremin
Dick Lewzey	....	music recording engineer
Suzana Peric	....	music editor
Howard Shore	....	conductor
Howard Shore	....	orchestrator
Ryan Shore	....	music copyist
Susan Shufro	....	assistant music editor (as Sue Shufro)
Ruth Cornes	....	orchestra contractor: LPO (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Matthew Garland	....	driver
Bill Hagan	....	transportation captain
Richard Higgins	....	driver
Bill Leeking	....	head driver
Don Morley	....	driver
Joe Norris	....	driver
Dave Puddister	....	driver: construction department
Don Retzer	....	transportation coordinator
Brad Winans	....	driver
Dean Wittaum	....	driver
John Bekavac	....	driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Debra Beers	....	location manager
John 'Frenchie' Berger	....	gun wrangler
Deanna Bolton	....	assistant: Mr. Hamori
Bruce Buchanan	....	technical advisor
Mark Bukator	....	production accountant
Cherri Campbell	....	executive assistant to Robert Lantos
Jane Conway	....	animal wrangler
Robert Cotnoir	....	synclavier programmer
Chris Cozens	....	auricle operator
Tony Desmond	....	assistant production accountant
Katherine Doyle	....	accountant: special effects unit
Prudence Emery	....	unit publicist
Tammy Fitzgerald	....	stand-in: Ms. Leigh
Andrea Franks	....	assistant production coordinator
Vic Fraser	....	librarian
David Garnett	....	office assistant
Simon Goldberg	....	legal services: Natural Nylon, UK
Anthony F. Grani	....	office assistant (as Anthony Grani)
Bob Hall	....	shop foreman
Tomas Hartl	....	purchasing agent
Linda Kang	....	assistant: Mr. Hamori
Beverley Kolbe	....	assistant location manager
Lacia Kornylo	....	head of production: Alliance Atlantis
Jeff Krebs	....	technical advisor: avid (as Jeffrey Krebs)
Jeff Kulbak	....	finance
Margaret Lee	....	assistant title designer: opening titles
Mark Logan	....	location scout
Luz Magcawas	....	payroll clerk
Kevin Mahonchak	....	copyist
Rafal Mickiewicz	....	stand-in: Mr. Law
Cathy Moore	....	studio manager
John Nelles	....	dialect coach
Rob Pilichowski	....	title designer: opening titles
Teresa Rogers	....	production legal affairs
Andrew Rosen	....	production assistant: Alliance Atlantis
Dug Rotstein	....	script supervisor
Marlene Schmidt	....	producer: opening titles
Elizabeth Senyi	....	production coordinator (as Elizabeth Senyi-Potechin)
Tracey Seward	....	head of production: Natural Nylon
Adam Shaheen	....	executive producer: opening titles
Kitty Stanbrook	....	production coordinator: Natural Nylon
James Steven	....	location production assistant
Vay Trong	....	post-production accountant
Ben Tucker	....	office manager
Andrea Wood	....	business and legal affairs: Alliance Atlantis
Ray McMillan	....	rear projection supervisor (uncredited)
Nick Veziris	....	gun wrangler (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Alliance Atlantis Communications
• Canadian Television Fund
• Harold Greenberg Fund, The
• Movie Network, The (TMN)
• Natural Nylon Entertainment
• Serendipity Point Films
• Téléfilm Canada
• Union Générale Cinématographique (UGC)

Distributors

• Alliance Atlantis Communications
• Alliance Communications Corporation (Canada)
• Alliance Communications Corporation (UK)
• Ascot Elite Entertainment Group (Switzerland)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (Brazil) (TV)
• Columbia TriStar Egmont Film Distributors
• Dimension Films
• Dutch FilmWorks (DFW) (1999) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Dutch FilmWorks (DFW) (2000) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Echo Bridge Home Entertainment (2011) (USA) (DVD)
• GAGA Humax
• GAGA
• Gativideo (2000) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Kinowelt Filmverleih (Germany)
• Momentum Pictures (1999) (UK) (all media)
• Serendipity
• UGC-Fox Distribution (UFD) (France)
• Vitória Filmes (Portugal)

Special Effects

• Toybox (digital visual effects)

Other Companies

• CTS Colosseum Studios  music recorded at
• Film Finances  completion guarantor
• Howe Building  music mixed at
• Howe Building  music recorded at
• London Philharmonic Orchestra  orchestra
• London Session Orchestra, The  orchestra (uncredited)
• Sapex Scripts  post-production script services

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for strong sci-fi violence and gore, and for language

Runtime:

97 min

Country:

Canada | UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Australia:M | Belgium:KNT | Finland:K-16 | France:-12 | Germany:16 | Hong Kong:IIB | Netherlands:16 | New Zealand:M | Norway:15 | Peru:14 | Portugal:M/16 | Singapore:PG | South Korea:18 | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | USA:R | Iceland:16 | Spain:18 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Chile:14 | Argentina:16 | Canada:R

Filming Locations:

Rockwood Conservation Area, Ontario, Canada

Company:

Alliance Atlantis Communications

Trivia:

In the scene where eXistenZ is introduced, the late-coming assassin, Noel Dichter, has his ID card scanned. On the bottom of the card, a line of text is scanned, which is written in the ancient Babylonian language.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Ted and Allegra approach the motel in the car, only the driver is visible.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Seminar Leader:eXistenZ. Written like this. One word. Small 'E', capital 'X', capital 'Z'. 'eXistenZ'. It's new, it's from Antenna Research, and it's here... right now.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Game Box 1.0 (2004)

an existential psychotropic trip

David Cronenberg, much like colleague David Lynch, is an acquired taste. A director who plays with themes like reality, perversion, sex, insanity and death, is bound to get the most extreme reations from audiences. He proved this with films as The Fly, Naked Lunch, Crash and eXitenZ (capital X, capital Z) and more recently, Spider. It's best to see eXistenZ with a clear mind. Try not to read too much about the plot, or it'll be ruined for you. What I can tell you is that Cronenberg takes you on a trip down into the world of videogames that acts as a metaphor for any kind of escapist behaviour. Living out fantasies is something people always dream of, but how far can you go into it, before reality gets blurred and the fantasy takes over and turns into a nightmare? Those are the themes touched in eXistenZ, an exploration of identity, the human psyche, physical bodies being invaded by disease and most importantly, reality itself.

The story and directing are excellent. Cronenberg knows his trade very well and succesfully brings to life an artificial world, avoiding the usual pitfalls and clichés linked to stories such as this. The film shows some pretty disgusting stuff, but is unusually low-key in the gore department in comparison to Cronenbergs other work. The shock effects he plays on are never over the top and the plot progression is very intelligent and creative. It's not the most intellectual movie ever, but it will leave you thinking about it, wondering and pretty confused.

The acting gets two thumbs up as well. Both protagonists, Jennifer Jason Leigh and Jude Law, play their parts perfectly and cleverly portray their character's shifting moods and identities. The dialogue may seem a little stale and clinical at times, but that is part of the effect Cronenberg was going for, to create a disaffected and alien atmosphere that puts you quite at unease. Supporting actors as Ian Holm, Don McKellar and an especially creepy Willem Dafoe lift the movie even higher with their disturbingly familiar performances.

This movie takes some getting used to, but if you can appreciate the dark tone, blood-curdeling imagery and existentially warping story, you'll love it.