Life (1999/I)

Director:

Ted Demme

Writers (WGA):

Robert Ramsey (written by) &
Matthew Stone (written by)

Release Date:

16 April 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Crime | Drama

Tagline:

Share it with someone you love.

Plot:

The story of two criminals (Eddie Murphy and Martin Lawrence) who discover the value of life after being sentenced to life imprisonment.

Plot Keywords:

Flashback | Mississippi | Watch | Sheriff | Criminal

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 1 win & 5 nominations

Cast

Eddie Murphy	...	Rayford Gibson
Martin Lawrence	...	Claude Banks
Obba Babatundé	...	Willie Long
Nick Cassavetes	...	Sergeant Dillard
Anthony Anderson	...	Cookie
Barry Shabaka Henley	...	Pokerface
Brent Jennings	...	Hoppin' Bob
Bernie Mac	...	Jangle Leg
Miguel A. Núñez Jr.	...	Biscuit
Michael Taliferro	...	Goldmouth (as Michael 'Bear' Taliferro)
Guy Torry	...	Radio
Bokeem Woodbine	...	Can't Get Right
Ned Beatty	...	Dexter Wilkins
Lisa Nicole Carson	...	Sylvia
O'Neal Compton	...	Superintendant Abernathy
Noah Emmerich	...	Stan Blocker
Rick James	...	Spanky Johnson
Clarence Williams III	...	Winston Hancock
Heavy D	...	Jake
Bonz Malone	...	Leon
Ned Vaughn	...	Young Sheriff Pike
R. Lee Ermey	...	Older Sheriff Pike
Sanaa Lathan	...	Daisy
Allyson Call	...	Young Mae Rose Abernathy
Poppy Montgomery	...	Older Mae Rose Abernathy
James D. Brubaker	...	Judge E.M. Byrne
Walter K. Jordan	...	Slim (as Walter Jordan)
Brooks Almy	...	Billy's Mama
Hal Havins	...	Billy
Hildy Brooks	...	Nurse Doherty
Kenn Whitaker	...	Isaac
Ernie Lee Banks	...	Bathroom Attendant
David Alexander	...	Doctor
Johnny Brown	...	Blind Reverend Clay
Armelia McQueen	...	Mrs. Clay
Nate Evans	...	Juke Bartender
Todd Everett	...	Deputy at Mansion
Don Harvey	...	Billy Bob
Venus DeMilo	...	Juke Joint Waitress (as Venus De Milo Thomas)
Zaid Farid	...	Shady Cardplayer
Keith Burke	...	Shady Cardplayer
Kenneth White	...	Deputy
Leonard O. Turner	...	Superintendant Burke
Augie Blunt	...	Man in Prison
Quantae Love	...	Trustee at Line
Sean Lampkin	...	Trustee at Line
James Emory Jr.	...	Goldmouth's Son
Bill Gratton	...	Fire Inspector
Reamy Hall	...	Mrs. Dillard
George Hartmann	...	Prison Guard
Zack Helvey	...	Captain Tom Burnette
Haskell V. Anderson III	...	Junkie (as Haskell Vaughn Anderson III)
Kimble Jemison	...	Gang Banger
Jordan Mahome	...	Gang Banger
William S. Taylor	...	Bagman (as William Taylor)
Jay Arlen Jones	...	Bagman
Oscar Jordan	...	Juke Joint Guitarist
Jordan Lund	...	Funeral Chaplain
Ronald Moss	...	Bouncer (as Ronald Lee Moss)
Betty Murphy	...	Mrs. Abernathy
Walter Powell	...	Waiter (as Walter Powell Jr.)
Christophe Prévost	...	Pilot (as Chris Prevost)
Dawn Robinson	...	Club Crooner
Leon Sanders	...	Barkeeper
Steve Boyles	...	Mule Cart Driver
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Muhammad Ali	...	Himself (archive footage)
Jimi Hendrix	...	Himself (archive footage)
Martin Luther King	...	Himself (archive footage)
Elvis Presley	...	Himself (archive footage)
Shayne Benton	...	Farm Boy (uncredited)
Sydney 'Big Dawg' Colston	...	Henchman #2 (uncredited)
Bridget Morrow	...	Cocktail Waitress (uncredited)
Leon Turner	...	Arm That Went Up (uncredited)

Directed by
Ted Demme

Writing credits (WGA)
Robert Ramsey		(written by) &
Matthew Stone		(written by)

Produced by
James D. Brubaker	....	executive producer
Tina L. Fortenberry	....	associate producer
Brian Grazer	....	producer
Karen Kehela Sherwood	....	executive producer (as Karen Kehela)
Eddie Murphy	....	producer
James Whitaker	....	co-producer
Ray Murphy Jr.	....	associate producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Wyclef Jean

Cinematography by
Geoffrey Simpson

Film Editing by
Jeffrey Wolf

Casting by
Margery Simkin

Production Design by
Dan Bishop

Art Direction by
Jeff Knipp

Set Decoration by
John H. Anderson

Costume Design by
Lucy W. Corrigan		(as Lucy Corrigan)

Makeup Department
Deena Adair	....	hair stylist
David LeRoy Anderson	....	special makeup effects key artist: Eddie Murphy old age
Louisa V. Anthony	....	hair stylist
Richard Arguijo	....	mold maker
Rick Baker	....	special makeup effects
Percy Burries	....	hair stylist: Mr. Lawrence
Bill Corso	....	special makeup effects artist
Kim D. Davis	....	makeup artist: Mr. Lawrence
Richard Davison	....	makeup effects technician
Rebecca DeHerrera	....	additional makeup artist
Sterfon Demings	....	key hair stylist
Debra Denson	....	assistant makeup artist
Will Huff	....	special makeup effects artist
Heather Koontz	....	assistant makeup artist
Margie Latinopoulos	....	makeup artist
Clayton Martinez	....	special makeup effects: Cinovation Studios
Stacey Morris	....	hair stylist: Mr. Murphy
Judy Murdock	....	key makeup artist
Sylvia Nava	....	hair department supervisor: Rick Baker/Cinovation
Mimi Palazon	....	special makeup effects artist
Ani Plotkin-Maloney	....	makeup artist (as Ani Plotkin)
Joseph Michael Regina	....	key makeup artist
Yoichi Art Sakamoto	....	special makeup effects artist
Mark Shostrom	....	special makeup effects artist
JoAnn Stafford-Chaney	....	assistant makeup artist
Bill Sturgeon	....	makeup production supervisor
David Syner	....	makeup artist
Kazuhiro Tsuji	....	key makeup artist
Toy Van Lierop	....	makeup artist: Mr. Murphy
Julia L. Walker	....	key hair stylist
Phyllis Williams	....	additional makeup artist
David Beneke	....	special makeup effects artist (uncredited)
Warren Lewis	....	hair stylist (uncredited)

Production Management
James D. Brubaker	....	unit production manager
Arlene Kehela	....	production supervisor
Janet L. Wattles	....	production supervisor (as Janet Wattles)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Stephen Booth	....	second second assistant director
Marcei A. Brown	....	second assistant director (as Marcei A. Brubaker)
Marisa Ferrey	....	additional second assistant director
Evan Gilner	....	second second assistant director
Tommy Harper	....	additional second assistant director (as Thomy Harper)
Josh King	....	first assistant director
Don McCuaig	....	second unit director (as Donald M. McCuaig)
Elaine Wood	....	dga trainee

Art Department
Maria L. Baker	....	set designer
Mark Boucher	....	set dresser
Susan A. Burig	....	graphic designer
Francine Byrne	....	art department coordinator
David B. Clark	....	paint gang boss
Joe Elvington	....	set laborer
Carmine Goglia	....	stand-by painter
Steve A. Hagberg	....	construction coordinator
Carey Harris Jr.	....	assistant property master
Alan Hoffman	....	storyboard artist
Alan James	....	painter
Marisol Jiménez	....	construction accountant
Steven Kerlagon	....	head paint foreman
Randlett King Lawrence	....	general foreman
Thomas W. Lay Jr.	....	production illustrator (as Tom Lay)
Josh Lusby	....	set designer
Lauren Lustig	....	props
Eugene McCarthy	....	property master
Kevin Wade Mcdonald	....	propmaker
Larry Morgan	....	carpenter
Douglas Barrett Netter	....	art department production assistant
Charles Nixon III	....	lead man (as Charles Nixon)
Lori Rowbotham	....	set designer
Mary Saisselin	....	set designer
Ahmed Saker	....	construction medic
Chad Simpson	....	paint foreman
Aaron Sims	....	character designer
Mike Sudrow	....	weapons specialist
Chris Vail	....	assistant property master (as Christopher Vail)
Victor M. Shannon	....	plasterer (uncredited)

Sound Department
James Ashwill	....	foley mixer
Bobbi Banks	....	adr editor
Odin Benitez	....	sound effects editor
Gaston Biraben	....	dialogue editor
David Boulton	....	adr mixer
Jeanette Browning	....	adr recordist
Rick Canelli	....	adr recordist
Norval D. Crutcher III	....	dialogue editor
John T. Cucci	....	foley artist
Will Edwards	....	adr engineer
Robert Fitzgerald	....	co-supervising sound editor
Frank Fleming	....	sound recordist
Avram D. Gold	....	dialogue editor
Alexandra Gonzales	....	foley editor
David Grimaldi	....	sound effects editor
Randall Guth	....	sound effects editor
Michael Hilkene	....	supervising sound editor
Alan Holly	....	adr mixer
Bobby Johanson	....	adr recordist
Ken J. Johnson	....	additional sound effects recordist
Michael Jonascu	....	sound effects editor
Doc Kane	....	adr mixer
Jason King	....	foley editor
Steven Klinghoffer	....	sound playback (as Steve Klinghoffer)
Gregg Landaker	....	sound re-recording mixer
Greg LaPlante	....	digital mastering
Cliff Latimer	....	adr editor
Linda Lew	....	foley recordist
Greg W. Lowe	....	adr recordist
Steve Maslow	....	sound re-recording mixer
Mark Moseley	....	custom looping
Dan O'Connell	....	foley artist
Thomas J. O'Connell	....	adr mixer
Paul N.J. Ottosson	....	foley editor
Brion Paccassi	....	sound recordist
Douglas Parker	....	first assistant sound editor
Eric Pinckert	....	apprentice sound editor
Hari Ryatt	....	dialogue editor
Pernell L. Salinas	....	apprentice sound editor
Victoria Rose Sampson	....	foley editor
Solange S. Schwalbe	....	foley supervisor
F. Scott Taylor	....	second assistant sound editor
Winfred Tennison	....	boom operator
Mark A. Tracy	....	second assistant sound editor
Christopher T. Welch	....	foley editor (as C.T. Welch)
John O. Wilde	....	foley editor
Russell Williams II	....	production sound mixer
Ronald L. Wright	....	cable person
Daniel Yale	....	sound effects editor (as Daniel Evan Yale)

Special Effects by
Roy Augenstein	....	special effects
Hal Bigger	....	special effects
Robert E. Lamberth	....	special effects
Robert L. Olmstead	....	special effects foreman
Bruce Richter	....	special effects
Daniel Sudick	....	special effects coordinator
Roland Blancaflor	....	foam department supervisor: Cinovation Studios (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Randall Balsmeyer	....	visual effects
Bill Hansard	....	rear projection effects
Petra Holtorf	....	visual effects producer
Toby Wilkins	....	Inferno artist: opening sequence, New Wave Entertainment

Stunts
Mello Alexandria	....	stunts
Jophery C. Brown	....	stunts
Tony Brubaker	....	stunts
Eric Chambers	....	stunts
Lanier Edwards	....	stunts
Troy Gilbert	....	stunts
Irving E. Lewis	....	stunts
James C. Lewis	....	stunts
Gary Littlejohn	....	stunts
Jalil Jay Lynch	....	stunts
Rusty McClennon	....	stunts
Buck McDancer	....	stunts
Jeffrey McDancer	....	stunts
Bennie Moore	....	stunts (as Bennie E. Moore Jr.)
Alan Oliney	....	stunt coordinator
Gary Price	....	stunts
Stan Lee Rice	....	stunts
Alphonse Walter	....	stunts
Big Daddy Wayne	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Bob Allen Jr.	....	rigging gaffer
John Beran	....	dolly grip: "b" camera
Harry K. Garvin	....	Steadicam operator
Harry K. Garvin	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Mark Hryma	....	camera operator: Wescam camera
Gregory Irwin	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera
John Janusek	....	key grip
Stephen Johnstone	....	assistant chief lighting technician
Kenny King	....	rigging key grip
Rick Maddux	....	best boy rigger
Bruce McBroom	....	still photographer
Don McCuaig	....	director of photography: second unit (as Donald M. McCuaig)
Duane Mieliwocki	....	first assistant camera: second unit
Paul Murphey	....	video assist operator
Patrick Murray	....	gaffer
Louis Niemeyer	....	assistant camera
Bill O'Drobinak	....	camera operator
Travis Panarisi	....	rigging
Jerry Patton	....	camera loader
Michael C. Price	....	dolly grip
Joe Ritter	....	assistant Steadicam operator
Joe Ritter	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
John P. Shine	....	best boy grip
Richard Smock	....	rigging gaffer (as Richard C. Smock)
Joy R. Stone	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera
Chuck Turner	....	rigging grip
Carl A. Vidnic	....	electrician

Casting Department
Jennifer Bender	....	extras casting
Carmen Cuba	....	casting associate
Kevin Goldson	....	extras casting
Carl Joy	....	extras casting
Terry L. Lamfers	....	casting administrator
Susan Maas	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Dawn Y. Line	....	key costumer
Philip Maldonado	....	costumer
Joe McCloskey	....	key set costumer: men
Maggie Morgan	....	assistant costume designer
Jonny Pray	....	set costumer
Kathleen Russo	....	costumer: Martin Lawrence
Nava R. Sadan	....	set costumer
Leticia Sandoval	....	aging assistant
Kristi Skinner	....	wardrobe accountant
James W. Tyson	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
John Bergstrasser	....	apprentice editor
Sharron Cannon	....	post-production coordinator
Marlen Hill	....	negative cutter
Sophie Kil	....	second assistant editor
Karen Kory	....	second assistant editor
Marty Levenstein	....	additional editor
Samara Levenstein	....	apprentice editor
Mike Milliken	....	color timer
Geoffrey O'Brien	....	first assistant editor
Eric O. Schusterman	....	first assistant editor

Music Department
Emile Charlap	....	music contractor
Emile Charlap	....	music preparation
Buck Damon	....	music consultant
Andy Grassi	....	score recordist
Sonny Kompanek	....	conductor
Sonny Kompanek	....	orchestrator
Stephanie Murray	....	score stage administrator
Allan K. Rosen	....	superving music editor
Amanda Scheer-Demme	....	music supervisor
James Thatcher	....	musician: french horn
Patty von Arx	....	music editor
Paul Wertheimer	....	music recordist
Kevin Crehan	....	music editor (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Ed Arter	....	transportation coordinator
Tina M. Arter-Duquette	....	transportation dispatcher
Roger Bojarski Jr.	....	driver: honeywagon
Louis Dinson	....	driver
William P. Lafon	....	driver: base camp generator
Mike Padovich	....	transportation captain
Daniel Quick	....	transportation captain
Sean C. Ryan	....	driver
Fred Teague	....	driver: cast
Russ Tolliver	....	production driver
Michael Vieira	....	driver
Ed Wirth	....	transportation captain

Other crew
Bohnie Avanzino	....	title designer: New Wave Entertainment
Brad Bell	....	assistant location manager
Susan Bierbaum	....	script supervisor
Darryl Brunson	....	stand-in: Mr. Lawrence
Aillene Laure Bubis	....	accounting assistant
Virgil Carter	....	photo double: Mr. Murphy
George Cawood	....	title designer: New Wave Entertainment
Yolanda T. Cochran	....	second assistant accountant (as Yolanda M. Thibodeaux)
Jessica Drake	....	dialect coach
Jane Everett	....	production coordinator
Fred Fein	....	stand-in
Julius M. Fletcher	....	production secretary
Ronald E. Hairston	....	key craft service
Ryan Hintz	....	post-production accountant
Pat Jackson	....	studio teacher
Marisol Jiménez	....	construction accountant
Arlene Kehela	....	supervising location manager
Jennifer Koenig	....	second assistant accountant (as Jennifer Anne Koenig)
Tamara Maellaro	....	set medic
Dina Mande	....	title designer: New Wave Entertainment
Peter Martorano	....	assistant location manager
Peter McKernan	....	aerial coordinator
Michael Morgenthal	....	first assistant accountant
Niamh Murphy	....	textile artist
Stacy Parker	....	assistant production coordinator
William Ramirez Jr.	....	key craft service
Roger E. Reid	....	stand-in: Mr. Murphy
Glen Richard	....	production auditor
Margo Romano	....	second assistant accountant
Michael Rucker	....	production assistant
Nina Saxon	....	title designer: New Wave Entertainment
Deborah Simmrin	....	unit publicist
Ken Struck	....	assistant location manager
George L. Tarrant Jr.	....	production assistant
David Thornsberry	....	location manager
Kevin Warendorp	....	cast associate
Michael Wat	....	payroll accountant
Randy Webster	....	personal assistant to Eddie Murphy
Brook Worley	....	production assistant

Thanks
Leon Turner	....	grateful acknowledgment

Production Companies

• Imagine Entertainment
• Universal Pictures

Distributors

• Argentina Video Home (2000) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Argentina Video Home (2000) (Argentina) (all media)
• Egmont Entertainment (1999) (Finland) (VHS)
• MCA/Universal Pictures
• United International Pictures (UIP) (Germany)
• United International Pictures (UIP)

Special Effects

• Balsmeyer and Everett (flashback effect)
• Imaginary Forces (calendar effects in montage)

Other Companies

• Capitol Recording Studios  score recorded and mixed at
• Central Casting  extras casting
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera cranes
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera dollies
• Direct Tools & Fasteners  expendables
• Executive Assurance  security
• Hit Factory, The  score mixed at
• Hit Factory, The  score recording
• Hollywood Digital  telecine transfers
• Interscope Records  soundtrack
• Loop du Jour  voice casting
• Mario's Catering  catering
• Nina Saxon Film Design  main titles
• O'Henry Sound Studios  score recorded and mixed at
• Pacific Title/Mirage  titles and opticals
• Paramount Pictures Scoring Stage M  score recorded and mixed at
• Playback Technologies  24-frame playback
• Universal Studios Sound Facilities  re-recording facility

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for strong language and a shooting

Runtime:

108 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color | Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Australia:MA | Canada:14A | Canada:G (Quebec) | Chile:14 | Germany:12 | Ireland:15 | New Zealand:M | UK:15 | USA:R (certificate #36417) | Singapore:PG (cut) | Philippines:PG-13 | Brazil:14 | Iceland:12 | Finland:K-12 | South Korea:15 | Peru:14 | Singapore:M18

Filming Locations:

Halfway House Café - 15564 Sierra Highway, Santa Clarita, California, USA

Company:

Imagine Entertainment

Trivia:

When Rayford (Eddie Murphy) is getting beat up in a fight, he says: "I know a bitch named Della who hits harder than you." This is a reference to Harlem Nights (1989), in which Murphy's character is beat up in a fight with a madame played by Della Reese.

Goofs:

Continuity: In the scene where Jangle Leg introduces himself to Claude, they are seated beside each other with Ray sitting beside Jangle Leg. Then the camera switches to a shot of Ray. If you look below Ray you can see Jangle Leg seated below him.

Quotes:

Willie Long:I didn't see nothing special the first time Ray and Claude walked into the cage. To me, they were just a couple of fools whose luck had run out. 'Course, I was wrong about that.

Movie Connections:

References "The X-Files" (1993)

Soundtrack:

New Day

Finally, an Eddie Murphy worth watching!

I found this film funny and inventive. Two adjectives that I have not been able to use for an Eddie Murphy film for a long time.

With a story line as good as this one, it was up to Eddie to see how he could develop it. If this film had a flaw, I think this was it. I believe had Mr Murphy decided to look really deeply into the role of Rayford Gibson, it could have been a possible "Oscar" role for him.

There are no doubts regarding Eddie Murphy's acting ability, yet sometimes I think he sacrifices the script and his role for a cheap laugh when it's not really necessary. It is possible that he is caught up in his own 'identity creation' of "Eddie Murphy: Comedy first, drama...maybe not!"

That said, Eddie Murphy and his worthy partner, Martin Lawrence successfully produce a comedy worth watching. I just hope that Eddie Murphy continues in this same vein. Please no more films like Beverly Hills Flop 3 and Holy Man!

Finally, a general point, which needs to be addressed, is that it is so strange how comedy films with far more substance, fail to do well financially. Moreover, there are films which fall short in quality, that can generate $100M+ for substandard, regurgitated, "comedy". "Life" which is struggling to reach the $65M mark falls into the former category. "Austin Powers: The Spy who Shagged Me" and "Big Daddy" definitely fall in the latter. The mind boggles!

Anyway, for those who have not seen "Life", go and see, you won't regret watching it.