Pi (1998)

Director:

Darren Aronofsky

Writers:

Darren Aronofsky (written by)
Darren Aronofsky (story) ...

Release Date:

10 July 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Thriller | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

faith in chaos

Plot:

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

Plot Keywords:

Mathematician | Headache | Stock Market | Genius | Mathematics

Awards:

9 wins & 7 nominations

Cast

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 Herman	...	Moustacheless Man
Clint Mansell	...	Photographer
Tom Tumminello	...	Ephraim
Henri Falconi	...	Kaballah Scholar

Also Known As:

3,14159265358 (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for language and some disturbing images.

Runtime:

84 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Hebrew

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Netherlands:12 | Iceland:12 | Hungary:16 | Brazil:14 | Finland:K-12 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Chile:14 | France:U | Germany:12 | New Zealand:R13 | Norway:15 | Singapore:PG | South Korea:15 | Spain:13 | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Harvest Filmworks

Trivia:

No location permits were secured for any of the scenes filmed. The crew had to have one man constantly serving as a lookout for police so they could stop filming if needed.

Goofs:

Continuity: The number on the screen just before Max faints and is revived by his neighbours shows 218 digits, not 216.

Quotes:

Lenny Meyer: Each letter's a number. Like the Hebrew A, Alef is 1. B, Bet is 2. You understand? But look at this. The numbers are inter-related. Like take the Hebrew word for father, 'Ab' - Alef Bet... 1, 2 equals 3. Alright? Hebrew word for mother, 'em' - Alef Mem... 1, 40 equals 41. Sum of 3 and 41... 44. Alright? Now, Hebrew word for child, alright, mother... father... child, 'Yeled' - that's 10, 30, and 4... 44.

Movie Connections:

References The Killers (1946)

Soundtrack:

Drippy

Indie film at its best

'Pi' is independent filmmaking at its best. Without the constraints of the studio/corporate system, Aronofsky and Gullette created a film that is bizarre, intelligent, and unlike anything that came out of Hollywood in the 1990's. Who would have thought to blend Wall Street, the Kabbalah, computer science, Go, number theory, and the most fascinating number in the universe in a solute of obsessive-compulsive, paranoid genius and then strain through gritty B&W cinematography and hyperkinetic editing? The mixture is definitely not for everybody, but I certainly loved it.

Plus the soundtrack (featuring Orbital, Clint Mansell, Aphex Twin. Gus Gus, Spacetime Continuum, and other techno talents) just flat-out rocks.