Idle Hands (1999)

Director:

Rodman Flender

Writers (WGA):

Terri Hughes (written by) &
Ron Milbauer (written by)

Release Date:

30 April 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

The film that give horror movies the finger.

Plot:

Lazy Anton's right hand becomes possessed with murderous intent.

Plot Keywords:

Hand | Halloween | Friend | Watching TV | Finger

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Devon Sawa	...	Anton Tobias
Seth Green	...	Mick
Elden Henson	...	Pnub
Jessica Alba	...	Molly
Vivica A. Fox	...	Debi LeCure
Christopher Hart	...	The Hand
Jack Noseworthy	...	Randy
Katie Wright	...	Tanya
Sean Whalen	...	McMacy
Nicholas Sadler	...	Ruck (as Nick Sadler)
Fred Willard	...	Dad Tobias
Connie Ray	...	Mom Tobias
Steve Van Wormer	...	Curtis
Kelly Monaco	...	Tiffany
Timothy Stack	...	Principal Tidwell
Joey Slotnick	...	Burger Jungle Manager
Sabrina Lu	...	News Reporter
Kyle Gass	...	Burger Jungle Guy
Mindy Sterling	...	Lady Bowler
Donna W. Scott	...	Nurse (as Donna Scott)
Randy Oglesby	...	Sheriff Buchanan
Molly Maslin	...	Chaperone
Carl Gabriel Yorke	...	Chaperone
Dexter Holland	...	Band Lead Singer
Greg K	...	Himself (as The Offspring)
Noodles	...	Himself (as The Offspring)
Ron Welty	...	Himself (as The Offspring)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Thomas DeLonge	...	Window server at Burger Jungle (as Tom DeLonge)
Rodman Flender	...	Silhouette Outside Front Window (uncredited)
Ricky Martin	...	Man in Car Park (uncredited)
Deirdre O'Brien	...	Party Girl (uncredited)
Bree Michael Warner	...	Party Girl (uncredited)

Directed by
Rodman Flender

Writing credits (WGA)
Terri Hughes		(written by) &
Ron Milbauer		(written by)

Produced by
Andrew Licht	....	producer
Jeffrey A. Mueller	....	producer
Jeffrey Sudzin	....	executive producer
Jennifer Todd	....	producer
Suzanne Todd	....	producer

Original Music by
Graeme Revell

Cinematography by
Christopher Baffa		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Stephen E. Rivkin

Casting by
John Papsidera

Production Design by
Gregory Melton		(as Greg Melton)

Art Direction by
Roland Rosenkranz		(as Roland G. Rosenkranz)

Set Decoration by
Evette Knight

Makeup Department
Janice Alexander	....	hair styles supervisor
Audrey L. Anzures	....	hair stylist (as Audrey Anzures)
Greg Cannom	....	special makeup effects artist
Scott H. Eddo	....	makeup supervisor
Barry R. Koper	....	prosthetic makeup artist
Robert Maverick	....	hair department supervisor: Cannom Creations
Rea Ann Silva	....	makeup artist: Ms. Fox
Sean Smith	....	hair stylist: Ms. Fox
Keith VanderLaan	....	makeup effects producer: Captive Audience Productions
Susan Ham	....	assistant makeup artist (uncredited)
Mark Nieman	....	illustration designer: Cannom Creations (uncredited)
Brian Wade	....	special makeup effects artist: Captive Audience (uncredited)

Production Management
Roger Joseph Pugliese	....	unit production manager (as Roger Pugliese)
Jeffrey Sudzin	....	unit production manager
Jennifer Teves	....	production supervisor: Cannom Creations

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Maria K. Battle	....	second second assistant director (as Maria Battle Campbell)
Christian P. Della Penna	....	first assistant director
Deanna Stadler	....	second assistant director
Sharon Swab	....	second second assistant director
Ted Rae	....	second unit director (uncredited)

Art Department
John L. Chaldu	....	on-set dresser
Joe Del Monte	....	construction coordinator (as Joseph T. Del Monte)
Darrin Denlinger	....	storyboard artist
Scott Herbertson	....	set designer
Ritchie Kremer	....	property master
Jefferson Murff	....	lead man
Ron Patterson	....	assistant property master (as Ron E. Patterson)
Cheryl Williams	....	art department assistant
Anthony Zierhut	....	storyboard artist
Bryan Corbett	....	propmaker gangboss (uncredited)
Chad Fontaine	....	labor (uncredited)
Thierry Labbe	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Chris Nakayama	....	construction foreman (uncredited)
Eric Reichardt	....	painter gang boss (uncredited)
Brett V. Shirley	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Jim Wallis	....	set designer (uncredited)

Sound Department
Greg Agalsoff	....	boom operator (as Gregory A. Agalsoff)
Bill W. Benton	....	sound re-recording mixer
Michael J. Broomberg	....	foley artist
Bill Burns	....	first assistant sound editor
Simon Coke	....	sound editor
Richard Duarte	....	foley mixer
Alison Fisher	....	sound editor
Joseph Geisinger	....	production sound mixer
Jeffrey J. Haboush	....	sound re-recording mixer
Michael Haight	....	adr supervisor
Gary A. Hecker	....	foley artist (as Gary Hecker)
Jonathan Klein	....	foley supervisor
Andy Kopetzky	....	foley editor
Mark Lanza	....	sound editor (as Mark A. Lanza)
James Matheny	....	sound editor (as Jim Matheny)
Karen Minahan	....	adr assistant
Peggy Names	....	cable person
Bruce Nyznik	....	sound editor
Michael O'Farrell	....	supervising sound editor
Greg Orloff	....	sound re-recording mixer
D. Chris Smith	....	sound editor
Raul A. Bruce	....	boom operator (uncredited)
Hanson Hsu	....	sound engineer (uncredited)
Fred Peck III	....	sound re-recordist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Peter Abrahamson	....	effects crew: Cannom Creations
Linda Benavente-Notaro	....	specialty costume supervisor: Cannom Creations (as Linda Benevente-Notaro)
Rick Bongiovanni	....	effects crew: Cannom Creations
Lou Carlucci	....	special effects coordinator
Shea Clayton	....	effects crew: Cannom Creations
Jeff L. Deist	....	effects crew: Cannom Creations (as Jeff Deist)
Jill Fischer	....	production coordinator: Cannom Creations
Ken Grassi	....	effects crew: Cannom Creations
Jason Hamer	....	effects technician: Cannom Creations
Glen Hanz	....	effects crew: Cannom Creations
Walter Harris	....	effects crew: Cannom Creations
Mary Kim	....	effects crew: Cannom Creations
Tim Larsen	....	painter: Cannom Creations
Harvey Lowry	....	operations manager: Cannom Creations
Michael Measimer	....	effects crew: Cannom Creations
James Ochoa	....	special effects
Larry Odien	....	mechanical effects supervisor: Cannom Creations
Mike Ott	....	effects crew: Cannom Creations
Ron Petruccione	....	special effects
Sam Sainz	....	effects crew: Cannom Creations
Terry Sandin	....	effects crew: Cannom Creations
Brian Sipe	....	effects supervisor: Cannom Creations
Steven Stewart	....	effects crew: Cannom Creations (as Steve Stewart)
Ken Tarallo	....	special effects
Miles Teves	....	conceptual designer: Cannom Creations
Todd Tucker	....	effects supervisor: Cannom Creations
Brian Wade	....	sculptor: Cannom Creations
Steve Wang	....	effects crew: Cannom Creations
Lynne Watson	....	effects crew: Cannom Creations
Gary Yee	....	effects crew: Cannom Creations

Visual Effects by
Robert Capps	....	production assistant: VCE
Phil Carbonaro	....	digital compositor: VCE
Bryan Cooke	....	digital compositor: VCE
Portia Digiovanni	....	motion control photography: VCE
Tom Gleason	....	effects photographer: VCE
Brian Griffin	....	digital supervisor: VCE
Val Keller	....	digital systems administrator: VCE
Mark Kochinski	....	3D CGI animation: VCE
Peter Kuran	....	visual effects supervisor
Peter Kuran	....	visual effects: VCE
Jo Martin	....	editorial: VCE
David McCue	....	optical effects: VCE
Sean Mullen	....	digital compositor: VCE
Marilyn Nave	....	production manager: VCE
Ellen Ortega	....	production assistant: VCE
Chris Paxson	....	motion control photography: VCE
Ted Rae	....	visual effects supervisor
Jeff Roe	....	digital systems administrator: VCE
Jerry Stanley	....	production assistant: VCE
Susan Tomasheski	....	production assistant: VCE
Kurt Wiley	....	digital animator
Kurt Wiley	....	digital compositor: VCE
Jacqueline Zietlow	....	administrator: VCE
O.T. Hight	....	visual effects artist (uncredited)

Stunts
David Barrett	....	stunts
Catherine Campion	....	utility stunts
Cinda-Lin James	....	utility stunts
Johnny Martin	....	stunts
Chuck Picerni Jr.	....	stunt coordinator (as Charles Picerni Jr.)
Jimmy N. Roberts	....	stunts
John Tamburro	....	utility stunts
Wendi Bromley	....	utility stunts (uncredited)
Kane Hodder	....	stunts (uncredited)
Janine Mitchell	....	stunt performer (uncredited)
Charlie Picerni	....	stunts (uncredited)
Nancy Young	....	stunt double: Connie Ray (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Dan Ayers	....	Steadicam operator
Dan Ayers	....	camera operator
Cheli Clayton	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera
Nicholas Cochiolo	....	second grip (as Nick Cochiolo)
David Deever	....	video assist operator (as Dave Deever)
Michael Dronge	....	grip
Robert L. Ferguson	....	assistant chief lighting technician
Tom Feucht	....	key rigging grip
Coby Garfield	....	camera loader
Andrew Glover	....	chief lighting technician (as Andrew S. Glover)
Greg Hewett	....	key grip (as Greg Hewitt)
Richard Maxey	....	dolly grip
John Scott	....	first assistant camera
Mike Shaheen	....	video assist operator
R. Michael Stringer	....	rigging key grip: stage unit
Michael Tolochko	....	rigging best boy electric
Kimberly Wright	....	still photographer
Miguel Benavides	....	grip (uncredited)
John Crimins	....	dimmer board operator (uncredited)
Joe Crouch	....	electrician (uncredited)
Pat Dames	....	rigging grip (uncredited)
Michael Lyon	....	rigging electrician (uncredited)
Ted Rae	....	director of photography: second unit (uncredited)
Alvin Simmons	....	additional grip (uncredited)

Casting Department
Wendy O'Brien	....	casting associate

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Susi Campos	....	wardrobe
Julia Caston	....	wardrobe supervisor
Christina Mongini	....	wardrobe
Brenda M. Ware	....	wardrobe (as Brenda Ware)

Editorial Department
Christopher S. Capp	....	additional editor
Mo Henry	....	negative cutter
Jim Passon	....	color timer
Jonny Winograd	....	first assistant editor: avid
Ewa Zbroniec	....	second assistant film editor
Dale Jones	....	avid technician (uncredited)
Eric Rigney	....	avid technician (uncredited)

Music Department
John Houlihan	....	music supervisor
Julie Glaze Houlihan	....	music coordinator
Ashley Revell	....	music editor
Tim Simonec	....	orchestrator
Brian Williams	....	music designer

Transportation Department
Donald Arnold Jr.	....	transportation co-captain
Tim Hill	....	transportation captain
Gina August	....	driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Philip Andelman	....	assistant: Ms. Suzanne Todd
Patricia L. DeShields	....	production accountant (as Patsy Deshields)
Mark Dobkousky	....	production assistant
Nancy A. Flint	....	studio teacher
Joyce Green	....	production assistant
Suzanne Gundlach	....	script supervisor
Erika Hemmerle	....	assistant: Ms. Jennifer Todd
Christopher Hoffman	....	assistant: Ms. Suzanne Todd
Thomas W. Leidner	....	production secretary
Pearl A. Lucero	....	production coordinator
Jennifer Lung	....	assistant location manager
George McDowell Agnew	....	location manager (as George Agnew)
Staci Newman	....	unit publicist
Burton Sharp	....	adr group supervisor (as Burt Sharp)
Carmen Tabanyi	....	production assistant
Yumiko Takeya	....	production assistant
Beth Theriac	....	assistant: Mr. Flender
Vicki Thornton	....	assistant production coordinator
Marianne E. Titiriga	....	assistant: Ms. Jennifer Todd (as Marianne Titiriga)
Sophia N. von Bülow	....	assistant accountant
Zachary Walter	....	production assistant
Steve Zukowski	....	craft service
Erin Bilderback	....	animal trainer (uncredited)
Rennie Cowan	....	assistant avid technician (uncredited)
Ginger Holman	....	animal trainer (uncredited)
Alex Kivlen	....	key assistant location manager (uncredited)
Joel Silverman	....	animal trainer (uncredited)
Jeffrey D. Stevens	....	key medic (uncredited)
Bennie Zura	....	production assistant (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Columbia Pictures Corporation
• Licht/Mueller Film Corporation
• Team Todd
• TriStar Pictures

Distributors

• Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) (1999-) (worldwide) (all media)
• Columbia Pictures (1999) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Film (1999) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Films (1999) (France) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Films de Argentina (1999) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Films de España (1999) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Sony Pictures Releasing (1999) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment (2000) (Germany) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment (2000) (UK) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment (2000) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2000) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (1999) (USA) (DVD) (special edition)
• LK-TEL (Argentina) (DVD)
• LK-TEL (Argentina) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Cannom Creations
• F/X Concepts
• Visual Concept Engineering (VCE)

Other Companies

• Attik  main titles design
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera cranes
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera dollies
• Cinema Research  titles and opticals
• Direct Tools & Fasteners  expendables
• Drs. Greenspoon, Silver & Sumner  contact lenses
• MKR Group  "Dawn of the Dead" courtesy of
• Michelson Food Services  catering
• Sony Pictures Studios  sound services
• Steve Martin's Working Wildlife  animals provided by
• The Offspring  group cast members

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for horror violence and gore, pervasive teen drug use, language and sexuality

Runtime:

92 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | DTS | SDDS

Certification:

Argentina:16 | Australia:MA | Canada:16+ (Quebec) | Canada:R (Ontario) | Finland:K-16 (re-rating) | Finland:K-18 (original rating) | France:-12 | Germany:16 | Norway:18 | Portugal:M/16 (video premiere) | South Korea:18 | UK:18 | Philippines:R-18 | Singapore:M18 | Iceland:16 | USA:R (certificate #36158) | Greece:K-13 | Netherlands:16 | Chile:14

Filming Locations:

Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

The film, in which the main character kills his parents and his two best friends (albeit not intentionally), was delayed in its release because of the Columbine massacre.

Goofs:

Continuity: Both hands are visible. After Curtis and Tiffany are found in the car, Anton places his right hand on Mick's shoulder, then his left hand as he's walking away.

Quotes:

Tanya:I feel just awful the way I treated them while they were alive. Like this one time... they asked me if I would like to go on a double date. They didn't want me to bring a girlfriend. They just wanted me and the two of them... together. A sort of threesome. I thought they were 'tards or something...
[starts crying]
Tanya:So... I told them to go blow each other.
Randy:Wow! Did they?

Movie Connections:

References Natural Born Killers (1994)

Soundtrack:

Bloodclot

Excellent, violent tongue in a cheek slapstick horror comedy

I can only say that I never expected very much from "Idle hands" but luckily I watched it anyway because the film turned out to be rather a pleasant surprise. Brutal gore effects, amusing dialogue, wacky storyline and wild situation comic makes this film much better than most of the recently released horror flicks. Devon Sawa was amazingly funny in the leading role of young Anton and I have to give it to him: he really performed some pretty damn skillful and terrificly successful slapstick comedy. Seth Green and Elden Henson as his silly pothead pals were highly amusing too and Jessica Alba was, well, simply lovely. This movie contains such a crazy ideas and black, wicked humor I can't help of loving it. I also have to say how very happy I was to find out that "Idle hands" wasn't just a bunch of teens screaming, running and hiding from the vicious serial killer but actually much more than that. I'm also a fan of The Ramones and this movie gave me a nice opportunity to hear their classic hit song "I wanna be sedated" as performed by The Offspring. So I suggest you to forget your ridiculous "Scream" -trilogy and the likes of "I know what you did last summer" and "The Faculty" and watch refreshing "Idle hands" instead. This dark and speedy tongue in a cheek splatter comedy is a great, captivating experience you shouldn't miss if you wanna enjoy and have some bloody good laughs.