Pi (1998)

A paranoid mathematician searches for a key number that will unlock the universal patterns found in nature.

Director:

Darren Aronofsky

Writers:

Darren Aronofsky, Darren Aronofsky (story),

Stars:

Sean Gullette, Mark Margolis, Ben Shenkman

9 wins & 7 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Sean Gullette	...	Maximillian Cohen
Mark Margolis	...	Sol Robeson
Ben Shenkman	...	Lenny Meyer
Pamela Hart	...	Marcy Dawson
Stephen Pearlman	...	Rabbi Cohen
Samia Shoaib	...	Devi
Ajay Naidu	...	Farrouhk
Kristyn Mae-Anne Lao	...	Jenna
Espher Lao Nieves	...	Jenna's Mom
Joanne Gordon	...	Mrs. Ovadia
Lauren Fox	...	Jenny Robeson
Stanley B. Herman	...	Moustacheless Man
Clint Mansell	...	Photographer
Tom Tumminello	...	Ephraim
Henri Falconi	...	Kaballah Scholar

Storyline

Max is a genius mathematician who's built a supercomputer at home that provides something that can be understood as a key for understanding all existence. Representatives both from a Hasidic cabalistic sect and high-powered Wall Street firm hear of that secret and attempt to seduce him.

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Plot Keywords:

mathematician | pattern | nature | numbers | headache | 

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Taglines:

There will be no order, only chaos

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Genres:

Drama | Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language and some disturbing images

Details

Official Sites:

Live Entertainment

Country:

USA

Language:

English Hebrew

Release Date:

10 July 1998 (USA)

Also Known As:

3.14159265358

Filming Locations:

Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$60,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£56,008 (UK) (8 January 1999)

Gross:

£133,538 (UK) (15 January 1999)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Harvest Filmworks, Truth and Soul Pictures, Plantain Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

84 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Backstories for the characters Max and Sol were conceived by Sean Guilette and Darren Aronofsky, but never written for the film. They included: Max was proved to be a math prodigy very young, and soon attended Columbia University, where he met Sol, an Russian expatriate, who was captured by American Forces and was given the chance to assist in the building of nuclear weapons because of his great math prowess, he refused, and was relocated to Siberia, where he was soon let out, and got a job teaching math at Columbia University. If you look closely at Sol's wrists, you can see prison tattoos.

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Goofs

Max mentions that the Golden Mean is represented by the Greek letter theta. In fact it is denoted using the Greek letter Tau or, more commonly Phi, whereas phi is used to denote 1/Phi. Phi is for Phidias, a 5th Century BC Greek sculptor who employed the ratio.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Maximillian Cohen: 9:13, Personal note: When I was a little kid my mother told me not to stare into the sun. So once when I was six I did. The doctors didn't know if my eyes would ever heal. I was terrified, alone in that darkness. Slowly, daylight crept in through the bandages, and I could see. But something else had changed inside of me. That day I had my first headache.

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Crazy Credits

In the original script, the man seen singing on the subway was referred to as the "Moustache Man". But since the part went to the clean-shaven Stanley B. Herman, the final movie credits list him as "Moustacheless Man".

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Connections

Referenced in Requiem for a Dream (2000)

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Soundtracks

"Pi r^2"
(uncredited)
Written by Clint Mansell
Performed by Clint Mansell

User Reviews

Finding God through the ancient language of Mathematics

Pi is the oddest, hippest, most chilling account of the descent into the abyss.

Following mathematical clues derived from an analysis of the stock market, Maximillian Cohen begins his descent into madness as he attempts to discover the nature of everything through the peculiar numerical entity known as Pi.

Thrilling enough, but then combine with generous amounts of Kaballistic mysticism, black and white footage and a soundtrack like an audible fractal, and you have a sensory snare which drags you along for the ride into Max's impending breakdown.

Obsession has never been so exciting.

Pi is an utterly gut-wrenching, mind expanding phenomema. If you have ever wondered about the universe, God or the nature of insanity, Pi will take you where you don't want to go.