Splendor (1999)

Director:

Gregg Araki

Writers:

Gregg Araki (writer)
Jill Cargerman (additional voice over)

Release Date:

12 May 2000 (Iceland)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

An average, calm mid-20s girl named Veronica restarts her dead dating life all of the sudden, but with...

Plot Keywords:

Drummer | Threesome | Pregnancy | Wedding | Ménage À Trois

Cast

Kathleen Robertson	...	Veronica
Johnathon Schaech	...	Abel
Matt Keeslar	...	Zed
Kelly Macdonald	...	Mike
Eric Mabius	...	Ernest
Dan Gatto	...	Mutt
Linda Kim	...	Alison
Audrey Ruttan	...	The Gloved One
Nathan Bexton	...	Waiter
Amy Stevens	...	Nana Kitty Cat
Adam Carolla	...	Mike's Stupid Boss (as Adam Carola)
Julie Millett	...	Supermarket Cashier (as Julie Millette)
Jenica Bergere	...	Model #1
Paige Dunn	...	Model #2
Emile Hamaty	...	The Wizard Cashier
George Pennacchio	...	Newscaster
Wesley B	...	Himself
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Mink Stole	...	Casting director
Candice Sharp	...	Girl in bathroom (uncredited)

Directed by
Gregg Araki

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Gregg Araki		writer
Jill Cargerman		additional voice over

Produced by
Gregg Araki	....	producer
Christopher Ball	....	executive producer
Graham Broadbent	....	producer
Damian Jones	....	producer
Heidi Lester	....	executive producer
Ronald J. Levin	....	associate producer
David Pomier	....	line producer
William Tyrer	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Daniel Licht

Cinematography by
Jim Fealy

Film Editing by
Gregg Araki
Tatiana S. Riegel

Casting by
Karen Margiotta
Mary Margiotta

Production Design by
Patti Podesta

Set Decoration by
Jennifer M. Gentile

Costume Design by
Susanna Puisto

Makeup Department
Debra L. Ferullo	....	makeup department head (as Debra Ferullo)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Tim Brown	....	first assistant director
Chad Rosen	....	first assistant director

Art Department
John K. Berry	....	additional swing
Chris Davis	....	lead man
Sean Fallon	....	property master
Chris Forster	....	construction coordinator
Eric Reichardt	....	lead scenic artist
Eric Reichardt	....	stand-by painter

Sound Department
Bob Fisher	....	boom operator
Bob Goold	....	dialog editor
Paul Hepker	....	synth programming
Eric Marin	....	sound effects editor
Coleman Metts	....	sound mixer
Mark A. Rozett	....	sound re-recording mixer
Mark A. Rozett	....	sound supervisor

Stunts
David Barrett	....	stunt coordinator
David Barrett	....	stunt performer

Camera and Electrical Department
Scott Brinson	....	gaffer
D.R. Curtis	....	assistant chief lighting technician
Drew Neerdaels	....	camera operator
Vince Palomino	....	key grip
Morgan Susser	....	first assistant camera

Casting Department
Judy Cook	....	extras casting

Editorial Department
Alex Blatt	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Howard Paar	....	music supervisor
Adam Schiff	....	score mixer
Adam Schiff	....	score recordist (uncredited)

Transportation Department
L. Christian Mixon	....	picture car coordinator

Other crew
Todd Bartoo	....	key office production assistant
Brian Bays	....	production assistant
Adam Francis	....	production assistant
Nancy Haecker	....	assistant location manager
Phill Kane	....	location manager (as Phil Kane)
Brian R. Keathley	....	production assistant
Carole Levine	....	studio teacher
Jan McWilliams	....	script supervisor
Linda Mixon	....	production secretary (as Linda Nitsch)
Onni Vosdoganes	....	production coordinator
Melissa Park	....	stand-in: Kathleen Robertson (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Desperate Pictures
• Dragon Pictures
• Newmarket Capital Group
• Summit Entertainment

Distributors

• LK-TEL (2000) (Argentina) (DVD)
• LK-TEL (2000) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Samuel Goldwyn Company, The
• Souvlaki Space Station

Other Companies

• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera cranes
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera dollies
• Film Finances  completion guarantor
• Standard Pictures Distributing Company  main title sequence

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for sexual material, language and some drug use

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

France:U | USA:R | South Korea:18 | Italy:T | Argentina:16 | Iceland:L | Singapore:M18

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Desperate Pictures

Goofs:

Continuity: During the whole conversation between Veronica, Abel and Zed after her return from Maui, the hands on the clock remain at 02:55.

Movie Connections:

References "Three's Company" (1976)

Soundtrack:

Only The Strongest Will Survive (James Lavelle Remix)

What's that you say Ms. Robertson

I was not conscious of "Splendor" being a Gregg Araki film when I started watching it but after the first two sequences I was thinking: "this is great directing-who did this"? While the technique screams "Araki", as does the casting of Kathleen Robertson, the narrative is so conventional that you find the combination hard to reconcile. I loved an earlier comment that "Splendor" is like a John Hughes remake of "The Doom Generation"; i.e. very conventional and without the sex and violence, with a three-way relationship (two males-one female), Johnathon Schaech, and Director Araki's absolutely amazing production and post-production skills-along with his less than dazzling scripting.

Although Araki is paying homage to the great screwball comedies of the 1930's: "Topper", "It Happened One Night", "The Awful Truth", and "Bringing Up Baby"; the style and substance of "Splendor" is closer to Mike Nichols' "The Graduate" (not to mention an amusing parody of the "Graduate's" climatic wedding scene).

Kathleen Robertson has the Rose McGowen part in this version of "The Doom Generation" and is generally well suited to the role. I have not decided yet if Robertson is in McGowen's class as an actress, or in the class of her fellow Canadians Mia Kirshner and Sarah Polley. Robertson was excellent in "Maniac Mansion" and "Beverly Hills 90210", but these were similar roles that appear to mirror her own cool and detached personality. One thing that is clear is that she was a great choice for Ariki's trademark close-ups. Anyone perceptive enough to close the camera to face distance when shooting McGowen, Robertson, and most recently Michelle Trachtenberg has a eye for breathtakingly beautiful visuals.

The premise does not really have enough substance to sustain a feature although it might work as a half-hour television sit-com (see "Three's Company"). When the premise becomes tired the story brings in a new character, Eric Mabious; and the film self-destructs, killing time until a decent ending sequence. A tip-off that a screen writer has limited life experience to draw from is having cast and crew occupations for the characters. Robertson's character is an aspiring actress and Mabious is directing her in a made-for-television drama. His character is so hopelessly one-dimensional and painfully pathetic that I was convinced that he had a sinister side (what was with those blue contact lenses) that would eventually manifest itself. But this does not happen, maybe Araki had something interesting in mind and abandoned it in re-write. Mabious becomes a non-factor (see totally irrelevancy) and his scenes were simply inserted as padding to get this thing up to feature length.

The bottom line is that Araki fans will be a little disappointed with "Splendor". It is very conventional, it isn't much of a story, and the good banter is limited (although Kelly MacDonald has fantastic dialogue in all her scenes) . But if your Araki appreciation is more for his directorial talents (casting, mise en scene details, camera movement and placement) and his post-production originality, you will find "Splendor" measures up very well to his prior work. The morning after scene early in the film simply blows away anything similar from any director.