Very Bad Things (1998)

User Rating:

6.0/10   

Director:

Peter Berg

Writer (WGA):

Peter Berg (written by)

Release Date:

25 November 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Crime | Thriller

Tagline:

A very savage comedy. This fall. Tell no one.

Plot:

A prostitute is killed during a bachelor party and the attendees turn on each other as the wedding approaches.

Plot Keywords:

Bachelor Party | Friend | Prostitute | Wedding | Psychopath

Awards:

2 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Jon Favreau	...	Kyle Fisher
Leland Orser	...	Charles Moore
Cameron Diaz	...	Laura Garrety
Christian Slater	...	Robert Boyd
Rob Brownstein	...	Man
Jeremy Piven	...	Michael Berkow
Daniel Stern	...	Adam Berkow
Jeanne Tripplehorn	...	Lois Berkow
Joey Zimmerman	...	Adam Berkow Jr.
Tyler Cole Malinger	...	Timmy Berkow (as Tyler Malinger)
Kobé Tai	...	Tina (as Carla Scott)
Russell B. McKenzie	...	Security Guard
Pancho Demmings	...	Cop (as Pancho Demings)
Blake Gibbons	...	Suit
Angelo Di Mascio Jr.	...	Clerk
Lawrence Pressman	...	Mr. Fisher
Steve Fitchpatrick	...	Cop at Hospital
Brian Grandison	...	Doctor #1
John Cappon	...	Doctor #2
Linda Klein	...	Doctor #3
Byrne Piven	...	Rabbi
Bob Bancroft	...	Barry Morris
Trey Davis	...	Receptionist
Marilyn McIntyre	...	Judge Tower
Wrangler	...	Bunker the Dog 4 Legs
Trooper	...	Bunker the Dog 3 Legs
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Brian Sampson	...	Wedding videographer (uncredited)

Directed by
Peter Berg

Writing credits (WGA)
Peter Berg		(written by)

Produced by
Cindy Cowan	....	producer
Ted Field	....	executive producer
Laura Greenlee	....	line producer
Michael A. Helfant	....	executive producer (as Michael Helfant)
Joanna Johnson	....	associate producer
Scott Kroopf	....	executive producer
Diane Nabatoff	....	producer
Michael Schiffer	....	producer
Christian Slater	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Stewart Copeland

Cinematography by
David Hennings		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Dan Lebental

Casting by
Debi Manwiller

Production Design by
Dina Lipton

Art Direction by
Michael Atwell

Set Decoration by
Kathy Lucas

Costume Design by
Terry Dresbach

Makeup Department
Nancy Baca	....	key makeup artist
Howard Berger	....	supervisor: K.N.B. Effects Group, Inc.
Daniel Curet	....	key hair stylist
Robert Kurtzman	....	supervisor: K.N.B. Effects Group, Inc.
Gregory Nicotero	....	supervisor: K.N.B. Effects Group, Inc. (as Greg Nicotero)
Rachel Russo	....	assistant hair stylist
Jeanne Van Phue	....	head makeup artist

Production Management
Eric Bergman	....	post-production supervisor
Beth DePatie	....	production supervisor
Shelly Glasser	....	executive in charge of production
Laura Greenlee	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Lisa Campbell	....	first assistant director: second unit
Eric Heffron	....	first assistant director
Chris Howell	....	second unit director
Richard Oswald	....	second assistant director
Basti Van Der Woude	....	second second assistant director (as Basti Van der Woude)

Art Department
Brent A. Blom	....	swing gang (as Brent Blom)
Robert J. Carlyle	....	construction coordinator
Jennifer Croyle	....	shopper
Michael Deak	....	sculptor (as Michael S. Deak)
Bob DeCourt	....	carpenter
Jim Ealey	....	construction medic (as Jim Ealy)
Tim Ewell	....	carpenter
Chris Fobert	....	painter
William A. Fobert	....	general foreman
Gerald Gates Jr.	....	paint foreman (as Gerald Gates)
Randal R. Groves	....	carpenter
Jill Haber	....	painter
Ted Haines	....	sculptor
Robert Hale	....	painter
Chris Hanson	....	sculptor
Christopher Humbracht	....	carpenter (as Christopher R. Humbracht)
Garrett Immel	....	sculptor (as Garret Immel)
Noelle King	....	set designer
Richard Lambert	....	leadman
Vincent Lozano	....	carpenter (as Vince Lozano)
Dikran Mahakian	....	carpenter
Kurt Miller	....	carpenter
Patrizia Nicoloso	....	stand-by painter (as Patricia Nicoloso)
Gus Olafsson	....	assistant prop master (as Gus 'Gudjon' Olafsson)
Scott Patton	....	sculptor (as Scott Patten)
Mike Pearce	....	sculptor
Chris Pearson	....	swing gang
Mike Peritz	....	swing gang (as Michael Peritz)
Rodney Petreikis	....	on-set dresser
Ron Pipes	....	sculptor
Thomas A. Ritchotte	....	carpenter
Trevor Rudolph	....	swing gang (as Trevor A. Rudolph)
Ron Seigel	....	property master
Ashley Sibille	....	art department coordinator
Jeffrey Sibille	....	swing gang
William Small	....	swing gang
Gary Thomas	....	storyboard artist
Rod Walton	....	carpenter

Sound Department
Frank Bradley	....	cable puller
Joseph A. Brennan	....	stage engineer (as Joe Brennan)
G.W. Brown	....	sound editor (as Greg Brown)
Lawrence L. Commans	....	boom operator (as Lawrence Commans)
Steve Copley	....	foley supervisor
Kat Craig	....	additional boom operator
Yann Delpuech	....	supervising sound editor
Kim Drummond	....	sound editor (as Kim Haves)
Jim Eustace	....	foley assistant
Gary Gegan	....	sound re-recording mixer
Don Givens	....	machine room recordist
Galen Goodpaster	....	assistant sound editor
Rich Gorton	....	foley assistant
Philip Harrelson	....	sound production assistant
Matthew Iadarola	....	sound re-recording mixer
Robin Johnston	....	machine room recordist
Larry Keating	....	sound production assistant
Darren King	....	sound editor
Gregory King	....	supervising sound editor
E. Niles Klein	....	assistant sound editor (as Eric Klein)
Maura C. Lanahan	....	sound production assistant
Russell McAbee	....	additional boom operator
Rob Nokes	....	sound editorial technical consultant
Michelle Schubert	....	foley assistant
John Sievert	....	foley artist
Greg Steele	....	adr mixer
John Switzer	....	post-production sound coordinator
Meg Taylor	....	sound editor
Tami Treadwell	....	adr recordist
Mark Weingarten	....	production sound mixer
James Wright	....	consultant: Dolby (as Jim Wright)

Special Effects by
Larry Fioritto	....	special effects coordinator
Bruce Mattox	....	special effects (as Wm. Bruce Mattox)
Virgil Sanchez	....	special effects
Jason Collins	....	lab technician: K.N.B. Effects Group (uncredited)
Gary Zink	....	special effects (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Lincoln Kupchak	....	visual effects editor: Flash Film Works
John P. Mesa	....	visual effects supervisor: Flash Film Works (as John Mesa)
Dan Novy	....	technical supervisor: Flash Film Works
Sean Prusak	....	roto artist: Flash Film Works

Stunts
Perry Barndt	....	stunt performer
Richard L. Blackwell	....	stunt performer
Francis Bradley	....	stunt performer
Hal Burton	....	stunt performer (as Harold Burton)
Jennifer Caputo	....	stunt performer
Gilbert B. Combs	....	stunt performer (as Gil Combs)
J. Mark Donaldson	....	stunt performer
Chris Howell	....	stunt coordinator
Robert Jauregui	....	precision driver: second unit (as Bob Jauregui)
Robert Jauregui	....	stunt performer (as Bob Jauregui)
Kurt D. Lott	....	stunt performer (as Kurt Lott)
Billy Morts	....	stunt performer
Spiro Razatos	....	stunt performer
David Rowden	....	stunt performer
Spike Silver	....	stunt performer
Billy Morts	....	stunt double: Christian Slater (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Nick Arnds	....	grip (as Nick Arnds IV)
Keith Batchelor	....	electrician
Leo Behar	....	grip
Andrew J. Coe	....	grip
Alan Cohen	....	first assistant camera: second unit (as Al Cohen)
Raul Colletta	....	video playback operator
Stephan Collins	....	Steadicam operator
Mark Shane Davis	....	key grip
Caleb Dewart	....	camera production assistant
Joseph Dianda	....	additional key grip (as Joey Dianda)
Eddie Farmer	....	electrician
Kevin 'Rambo' Fitzgerald	....	best boy grip
Ian Fox	....	camera operator
Ian Fox	....	director of photography: second unit
Jamie Franta	....	grip
Kirk R. Gardner	....	Steadicam operator (as Kirk Gardner)
Shai Greenberg	....	second assistant camera: second unit
Ted Kennedy	....	grip (as Ted S. Kennedy)
John W. Kristopik	....	electrician
Jack Lane	....	loader
Scott Levy	....	electrician
Steven R. Morales	....	rigging gaffer
Dominic Napolitano	....	first assistant camera
Randy Nolen	....	Steadicam operator
Bill Pierson	....	dolly grip
Michael G. Riba	....	first assistant camera (as Mike Riba)
Clive Richards	....	best boy electric (as H. Clive-Richards)
Alex Skvorzov	....	chief lighting technician
Henry Tirl	....	Steadicam operator
Michael J. Walsh	....	second assistant camera
Shawn Whelan	....	rigging grip
Jeff Zimmerman	....	additional camera operator
Robert Zuckerman	....	still photographer
Joe Broderick	....	Steadicam operator (uncredited)
Joe Broderick	....	additional camera operator (uncredited)
Val Schubert	....	grip (uncredited)

Casting Department
Mindy Bazar	....	casting associate: Pagano Manwiller Inc.
Webster Kolich	....	extras casting (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Renee Levy Hazelton	....	set costumer
Stacy Seeds	....	costume supervisor (as Stacey Seeds)
Karen Vanderhorst	....	wardrobe intern
Amy Wetherbee	....	set costumer

Editorial Department
Dawn Michelle King	....	first assistant editor (as Dawn Gerrior)
Mary Nelson-Duerrstein	....	negative cutter: Executive Cutting
Chris Regan	....	color timer
Frank Salvino	....	executive in charge of post-production

Music Department
Jennifer Barak	....	assistant music editor
Michael Dittrick	....	supervising music editor
Sterling Meredith	....	music supervisor
Judd Miller	....	musician
Jennifer Nash	....	additional music editor
Jeff Seitz	....	music mixer
Sisters in Christ	....	performers: "Walls Come Down"
Dawn Soler	....	executive in charge of music: PolyGram Filmed Entertainment (as Dawn Solér)
Michael Thompson	....	musician
Sharyn M. Tylk	....	music editor (as Sharyn Tylk)

Transportation Department
Paul Burlin	....	driver
Bruce Callahan	....	driver
John Charachy	....	driver (as John Characky)
Curtis Clark	....	driver (as Curtis E. Clark)
Jeff Coffman	....	driver (as Jeffrey A. Coffman)
Angel Desanti	....	driver
Don Feeney	....	driver
Scotty Goudreau	....	driver (as Scott Goudreau)
David Joseph	....	driver
Brian Moore	....	driver
Derek Raser	....	transportation coordinator
Laurence John Reynolds	....	driver (as Laurence J. Reynolds)
Geoff Teagardin	....	driver
J.T. Thayer	....	transportation captain (as JT Thayer)
Earl Thielen	....	driver (as Earl V. Thielen)
Tracy Thielen	....	driver
Charles A. Visconte	....	driver
J. Armin Garza II	....	driver: camera car (uncredited)
George A. Sack	....	driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Sally Allen	....	associate: Michael Schiffer
Edward Argüelles	....	cast production assistant
Ryan Beveridge	....	assistant: Stewart Copeland
Tracey V. Black	....	craft service
Dale Brandenburg	....	caterer: DeLuxe Catering Inc.
Deborah Concalves	....	assistant: Peter Berg
Richard Davis Jr.	....	additional locations
Matt Draves	....	set production assistant
Kimberly Edwards	....	post-production accountant (as Kimberly Edwards-Shapiro)
Richard Eggers	....	caterer: DeLuxe Catering Inc.
Steve Elster	....	studio teacher
Richard Frasca	....	caterer: DeLuxe Catering Inc.
Marc C. Geschwind	....	cast production assistant
Ellen Gessert	....	location scout
Joanne Griffin	....	animal trainer
Kathy Guerra	....	cast production assistant
Derek Guiley	....	assistant: Mr Schiffer and Ms Nabatoff
Paul Hargrove	....	craft service
Jim Hartz	....	studio teacher
Sheri Jeffrey	....	legal council: Kaye, Scholer, Fierman, Hays & Handler
Linda Klein	....	medical consultant
Gary Kurashige	....	set medic
Patricia LaMagna	....	assistant: Mr. Slater (as Patty La Magna)
Lucienne Lane	....	assistant: Peter Berg (as Luci Lane)
Jerry Legget	....	first assistant accountant
Robert J. Lemos	....	cast production assistant
Erin Maguire	....	cast production assistant
Don McDaniel	....	animal trainer
Bega Metzner	....	set production assistant
Teresa L.E. Meyer	....	production coordinator
Eddie Michaels	....	unit publicist: Michaels, Wolfe & Tencer
Hilary Momberger	....	script supervisor
Bryan O'Cain	....	office production assistant
Jeffrey Craig Owens	....	office production assistant (as Craig Owens)
Dave Reynolds	....	office production assistant (as David Reynolds)
Bobbi-Lynn Riley	....	assistant production coordinator
Mindy Sheldon	....	production accountant
Mary Ann Stewart	....	script supervisor: second unit
Ken Struck	....	assistant locations
David Thornsberry	....	location manager
Albert Torres	....	assistant: Mr Nabatoff
Alison Troy	....	key set production assistant
John Vidal	....	set production assistant
Chris Warren	....	caterer: DeLuxe Catering Inc.
Jennifer Coyle	....	clearences (uncredited)
Michael DeSantis	....	second assistant accountant (uncredited)
Kristin Gwinn	....	animal wrangler (uncredited)
Michael Hansen	....	unit publicist (uncredited)
Monica Mullens	....	assistant: Mr Kroopf (uncredited)

Thanks
Jonathan Bader	....	special thanks
Joe Blake	....	special thanks
Fiona Copland	....	special thanks (as Fiona Copeland)
Rob Corn	....	special thanks
Colin Cotter	....	special thanks
Bill D'Elia	....	special thanks
David Dotson	....	special thanks: Panavision, Woodland Hills
Ari Emanuel	....	special thanks
Todd Gray	....	special thanks
Davis Guggenheim	....	special thanks
Andrew Gumpert	....	special thanks
Jim Hart	....	special thanks
Katia Herman	....	special thanks
Toni Howard	....	special thanks
Tracey Jacobs	....	special thanks
Graham King	....	special thanks
Rick Kurtzman	....	special thanks
Andy Miller	....	special thanks
Guy Oseary	....	special thanks
Cynthia Pett-Dante	....	special thanks (as Cynthia Pett Dante)
Dawn Soler	....	special thanks (as Dawn Solér)
Nick Stein	....	special thanks
Jamie Tarses	....	special thanks
John Tinker	....	special thanks
Happy Walters	....	special thanks
Kym Wulfe	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Initial Entertainment Group (IEG) (presents)
• Interscope Communications
• Ballpark Productions Partnership (in association with) (as Ballpark Productions)
• VBT Productions (copyright owners)

Distributors

• Polygram Filmed Entertainment (1998) (USA) (theatrical) (as Polygram Films)
• Croco Film (2008) (Germany) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Splendid Film (1999) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Ascot Elite Entertainment Group (Switzerland)
• Ascot Elite Home Entertainment (1999) (Germany) (DVD)
• Ascot Video (1999) (Germany) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (Australia) (VHS)
• GAGA Communications
• Manga Films (1998) (Spain) (all media)
• New Films International
• REP Distribution (Australia)
• SND (France)
• Scanbox Entertainment (Finland)
• Sherlock Media S.L. (Spain)
• Vitória Filmes (Portugal)

Special Effects

• Flash Film Works (visual effects)
• K.N.B. Effects Group (special make-up effects)
• Park Place Editing (visual effects)
• Special Effects Services (uncredited)

Other Companies

• AON/Albert G. Ruben Insurance Services  production insurance provided by
• American Humane Association, The  animals monitored by
• Camera One Canine Actors  animals provided by
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera cranes and dollies
• Cinema Completions International (CCI)  completion guarantee provided by
• Consolidated Film Industries (CFI)  color (as CFI)
• Deluxe Catering  caterer (as DeLuxe Catering Inc)
• Digital Filmworks  digital film services
• Entertainment Partners  payroll services provided by
• Executive Cutting Service Inc.  negative cutting (as Executive Cutting)
• Interscope Records  soundtrack available on
• Kaye, Scholer, Fierman, Hayes & Handler  legal council (as Kaye, Scholer, Fierman, Hays & Handler)
• L.A. Mad Dogs  adr group (as L.A. MadDogs)
• Lewis Horwitz Organization, The  production financing provided by
• Micdi Productions  music editorial (uncredited)
• Michaels, Wolfe and Tencer  unit publicist
• Movie Movers  cast trailers
• Pacific Title/Mirage  titles and opticals
• Pagano / Manwiller  casting by (as Pagano Manwiller Inc.)
• Panavision Woodland Hills  special thanks
• Park Place Editing  avid editing
• S.E.G. Sports Corporation  footage: "Ultimate Fighting Championships" courtesy of
• Sound Dogs  sound design and editorial services
• Spacecam Systems  Spacecam aerial camera system provided by
• Troop, Meisinger, Steuber & Pasich LLP  production legal services
• Webster Kolich & Co.  extras casting (as Webster Kolich & Co. Casting)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong, grisly violence, sexuality, drug use and language.

Runtime:

100 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:16 | USA:R (certificate #35972) | USA:TV-MA (TV rating) | Philippines:R-18 | Argentina:18 | Australia:MA | Belgium:KNT | Chile:18 | Finland:K-16 | France:-12 | Germany:16 (re-rating) (2004) | Germany:18 (original rating) | Hong Kong:IIB | Israel:18 | Italy:VM14 | Japan:R-15 | Netherlands:16 | Norway:18 | Portugal:M/16 | South Korea:18 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:18 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:18 (canton of Vaud) | UK:18 | Austria:16 (DVD rating) | Canada:18A | Canada:16+ (Quebec)

Filming Locations:

Johnie's Coffee Shop - 6101 Wilshire Boulevard, Fairfax, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Initial Entertainment Group (IEG)

Trivia:

Adam Sandler was originally cast as Michael Berkow but dropped out at the last minute to make The Waterboy (1998). Jeremy Piven took the role.

Goofs:

Continuity: The toilet brush and cleanser switch hands back and forth in the very last scene where Laura is screaming in the street.

Quotes:

[about the dead prostitute]
Robert Boyd: Nobody knows she's here. I called her personally. Nobody knows.
Adam Berkow: Her blood is all over the bathroom! Don't you think we got a little bit of a DNA problem here?
Robert Boyd: It's a marble floor. We can clean it up.

Movie Connections:

References Heathers (1988)

Soundtrack:

Walls Come Down

Very Good Film

Very Bad Perhaps. Very Good Yes. But definitely nothing in the middle. Very Bad Things will antagonise most. It's certainly not the comedy it's touted to be. It's uncomfortable and it's fascinating.

Very Bad Things is a cautionary tale about the war of the sexes, the battle of consumerism. It's about collateral damage: Friendly fire is liable to take out just about anyone in the suburbs if a wedding is at stake! It's about people who have lost heart, who have forgotten what's really important.

Five male friends are off to Las Vegas for a stag party. The bride stays home to continue the wedding preparations; to plan her day of days. Accidentally the boys kill a prostitute in their hotel room and decide to hush it up, bury her in the desert to avoid the unpleasantness of an investigation. And then the body count mounts.

The boys, and later, just as viciously the bride, take the pragmatic road. That same "let's get on with business, people don't matter" sort of morality that will allow a President to lie to Congress and get away with it, cricket champions to cheat and then be made Captain, politicians to sacrifice their citizens for the sake of overseas companies, and murder to be acceptable as long as no one finds out about it. It's not how you play the game, but you must win.

The boys are pretty average types really except for Robert Boyd (Christian Slater, who was let out of prison to do the shoot!!!). Robert Boyd is a Men's Support Group graduate. He's into self fulfilment and asserting himself but is also the catalyst that tips these average men into horror. The other dominant personality is the bride Laura played by Cameron Diaz (There's Something About Mary). Her single mindedness is astounding. (Cameron Diaz is an astounding actress! Watch her eyes.)

But what is " average" in these suburbs. And what about the pressures that go with paying the mortgage and keeping the wife happy? Very Bad Things finishes with a slow overhead shot of the suburb that has become hell for this lot. The tones are dirty grey. The mood is bleak and hopeless. The residents have sold their souls for a white minivan and a posh wedding. The pressures of keeping up with the Jones have had casualties.

There are continual references to being 'a loser' in the film. Even Kyle's Dad in the Toast To The Groom at the wedding refers vividly to his son's dismal failure as a school football player. The men are liable to crack.

Very Bad Things is about the pressure cooker male bread winners are living in. The fear of failure is lurking menacingly near by. The men in the film appear to be doing reasonably well from a fiscal point of view but when the pressure rises, the girl in the hotel room dies, horrible things happen with Boyd egging them on.

The editing is ferocious, the characters are vivid and the mood is very wry indeed. Don't expect to laugh much but hell, paying the mortgage isn't much fun either.

Men have been reacting to the mess they are in in the 90's but I would say that writer/director Peter Berg doesn't think much of Men's self help groups. Slater's Robert Boyd has twisted self assertiveness to his own ends. These suburbanites commit horrendous crimes, but still, we should all consider what the men in Very Bad Things are up against.

The phrase "you do love me don't you" from the women in their lives has never sounded more manipulative.