Free Enterprise (1998)

Director:

Robert Meyer Burnett

Writers:

Mark A. Altman (writer) &
Robert Meyer Burnett (writer)

Release Date:

4 June 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

The Shat hits the fan

Plot:

Two less than successful film producers, approaching mid-life crisis and clinging to their nerdy sci-fi obsessions, suddenly meet their idol: William Shatner.

Plot Keywords:

Satire | X Men | Answering Machine | Ménage À Trois | Actor Playing Himself

Awards:

4 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Eric McCormack	...	Mark
Carl Bressler	...	Mort Berg
Ethan Glazer	...	Young Mark
Phyllis Franklin	...	Ticket Taker
Brandon Kleyla	...	Young Kevin
Thomas Hobson	...	Richard
Marilyn Kentz	...	Gail - Mark's Mom
Spencer Klein	...	Young Robert
Mickey Cassidy	...	Bully
Rafer Weigel	...	Robert
Jennifer Sommerfeld	...	Tricia
Tricia Cruz	...	Mexican Waitress (as Letricia Cruz)
Annika Brindley	...	Astrid
William Shatner	...	Bill
Michael Altman	...	Eden Waiter
Jonathan Slavin	...	Dan
Phil LaMarr	...	Eric
Spencer 'J.J.' Bates	...	Toys R' Us Kid
E.C. Burke	...	Eden Manager (as Eric Burke)
Patrick Van Horn	...	Sean
Lori Lively	...	Leila
Amanda Ingber	...	Munchkin Beth (as Mandy Ingber)
Diane Guthman	...	Bistro Waitress
Ellie Cornell	...	Suzanne Crawford
Dick Burnett	...	Dick - The Bartender
Diana Cignoni	...	Illa
Sharon Leibowitz	...	Sharon
Audie England	...	Claire
Andrea Evers	...	Cartoonsville Waitress
Austin Bates	...	Cartoonsville Boy
Mirta Bates	...	Cartoonsville Mom
Stacy Rosman	...	Beach Babe Bimbo
Daniel Schweiger	...	Schweiger
Dave Parker	...	Parker
Shawn Pelofsky	...	Jerry's Waitress
David Starzyk	...	Brian
Keira De Anda	...	Menage Girl
Mark A. Altman	...	Cousin Ira (as Mark Altman)
The Rated R	...	Rated R
Mark Gottwald	...	Groover
Michelle Meyer	...	Outraged Patroness
Deborah Van Valkenburgh	...	Marlena (as Deborah Van Valkenberg)
Meika Cooper	...	Café Hostess
Joey D. Vieira	...	Hal Pittman
Harry Werksman	...	Harry
Gabrielle G. Stanton	...	Gabrielle (as Gabrielle Stanton)
Holly Gagnier	...	Laura Hafermann
Randy Callahan	...	George
Alan Spencer	...	Obsessed Fan
Daren Dochterman	...	Tiberius
Natalie Joy	...	Space Age Waitress
Dan Madsen	...	Alexander
John Baker	...	Rated's Back-Up Singer
Frank Parker	...	Jamaican Singer (also as Frankie Culture)
Freddie Rhone	...	Rated's Posse
Lionel Randolph	...	Rated's Posse
Lawrence Perteet	...	Rated's Posse
Keith Lawson	...	Rated's Posse
Orlando Myrick	...	Rated's Posse (also as Dulow)
Lamont Kelly	...	Rated's Posse (also as Mont'e)
Rodey McKnight	...	Rated's Posse
Lashunda Williams	...	Rated's Posse
John John	...	Rated's Posse (also as Hit 'Em)
Jag	...	Rated's Posse (as Jag and Dreamer)
Dreamer	...	Rated's Posse (as Jag and Dreamer)
Tia	...	Rated's Posse
Deandre Tadlock	...	Rated's Posse
Norman Tadlock	...	Rated's Posse
Blue	...	Rated's Posse
Russell Young	...	Andrew
Tyler Binkley	...	Curly Blonde Kid
Michael Everett Anderson	...	Young Movie Robert
Jeff Bond	...	Additional Voices (voice)
Lukas Kendall	...	Additional Voices (voice)
Steven Melching	...	Additional Voices (voice) (as Steve Melching)
Melissa Pokorski	...	Additional Voices (voice)
Paul Salamoff	...	Additional Voices (voice)
Brooke Vimtrup	...	Additional Voices (voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
David de Vos	...	Bar Patron (uncredited)
Chase Masterson	...	Herself (uncredited)

Directed by
Robert Meyer Burnett

Writing credits
Mark A. Altman		(writer) &
Robert Meyer Burnett		(writer)

Produced by
Mark A. Altman	....	producer
Dan Bates	....	producer
Ellie Cornell	....	executive producer (as Ellie Gottwald)
Mark Gottwald	....	executive producer
Allan Kaufman	....	producer
Ron Singer	....	line producer

Original Music by
Scott Spock

Cinematography by
Charles L. Barbee

Film Editing by
Robert Meyer Burnett

Casting by
Linda Francis

Production Design by
Cynthia Halligan

Art Direction by
Brent Mason

Set Decoration by
Laurel Hitchin

Costume Design by
Ann Gray Lambert		(as Ann Lambert)

Makeup Department
Lily Girning	....	hair assistant
Lily Girning	....	makeup assistant
Darlene Lawrence	....	hair stylist: William Shatner
Amanda Llewellyn	....	hair stylist
Amanda Llewellyn	....	makeup artist
Michele Lewis	....	assistant makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Cynthia Huffman	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Randy Callahan	....	second assistant director
James Grayford	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Michael Bowen	....	swing gang
Devin Clark	....	swing gang (as Devon Clark)
Sean Fanning	....	graphic designer
Larry Grossman	....	property master
Trevor Moynihan	....	art department assistant

Sound Department
Robert Backus	....	boom operator
John Baker	....	dialog editor
Alex Blatt	....	foley artist
John Bogosian	....	sound effects editor
Keith Burhans	....	dialogue editor (as Keith Burhan)
James H. Coburn IV	....	production sound mixer (as James Harrison Coburn IV)
Jeremy Hoenack	....	sound re-recording mixer
Janet McCabe	....	foley artist
Chris Roy	....	foley artist
Jeff Sawyer	....	sound consultant: Dolby
Jussi Tegelman	....	supervising sound editor
Galen Walker	....	dialogue conforming editor
Art Wood	....	adr recordist
Jussi Tegelman	....	sound effects editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Mike Chisman	....	special effects assistant
George Phillips	....	special effects coordinator

Visual Effects by
Christopher Dusendschon	....	in-show optical process and effects compositor: THDX (uncredited)
Christopher Dusendschon	....	optical element Hazeltine colorist: THDX (uncredited)

Stunts
Mickey Cassidy	....	stunts
Mark De Alessandro	....	stunts (as Mark DeAllassandro)
Jim Hardy	....	stunts
Will Leong	....	stunts
Lisa McCullough	....	stunts
Gary Morgan	....	stunts
Sam Sargent	....	stunts
Tim Sargent	....	stunts
Charles A. Tam	....	stunt coordinator (as Chuck Tam)

Camera and Electrical Department
Dave Bone	....	grip (as David Bone)
Craig Delaney	....	key grip
Jon Delaney	....	grip
Manny Duran	....	grip
Anthony Gregory	....	electrician
Jay Holben	....	chief lighting technician
Harry Hope	....	grip
Jeffrey G. Hunt	....	steadicam operator (as Jeffrey Hunt)
Ryan S. Jackson	....	assistant camera (as Ryan Jackson)
Craig Lerner	....	electrician
Luke Louderback	....	electrician (as Luke Lauderbach)
Dave May	....	camera operator: second unit
Rob McPeters	....	best boy grip
Tom Muscatine	....	clapper loader
Kjell Nilsson	....	rigging grip
Jeff O'Cello	....	electrician
Al Ortega	....	still photographer (as Albert Ortega Jr.)
Jeff Rane	....	assistant still photographer
Darryl Rue	....	grip
Peter Shultz	....	electrician (as Peter Schultz)
Aaron Steffens	....	best boy electric
Tony Thomas	....	dolly grip (as Tony 'T-Bone' Thomas)
Tom Van Otteren	....	jib operator
Sean Weber-Small	....	second assistant camera
Tom Muscatine	....	assistant camera: "b" camera (uncredited)

Animation Department
Scott Christian Sava	....	animator: title animation (as Scott Sava)

Casting Department
Meg Bloom	....	casting consultant
Sara Neshat	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Clare MacCarley	....	wardrobe supervisor
Michelle Meyer	....	wardrobe assistant
Heather Small	....	wardrobe assistant

Editorial Department
Matt Mischel	....	negative cutter
J.F. Kinyon	....	additional post-production services (uncredited)

Music Department
Spring Aspers	....	music supervisor
Allan Kaufman	....	music supervisor

Transportation Department
Tim Best	....	driver
Rocky Croquette	....	transportation captain (as Rocky Choquette)
'Buffalo Bill' Freeman	....	transportation coordinator
Roger Greer	....	driver: honeywagon
Gary Nielsen	....	driver (as Gary Neilson)

Other crew
John Arbogast	....	park ranger
Rudy Arellanes	....	set security coordinator
Glenn Arnold	....	consultant
Rafael Aumente	....	title sequence (as Rafa Aumente)
Carolyn Ceglia	....	caterer
Jan Citron	....	teacher
Hernan Drago	....	production assistant
Andrew R. Gardiner	....	location assistant (as Andrew Gardiner)
Tony Giron	....	production assistant
David Graf	....	fire safety officer
Kim Marie Hayes	....	production coordinator
Anna Hurtado	....	craft service
Craig Hyland	....	technical complicity
Steven Johnson	....	insurance
Dan Katzman	....	production consultant
Brandon Krisch	....	production intern
Jeremy Levy	....	park ranger
Jessica Claire Mandlebaum	....	talent coordinator: youth
Brian McGhie	....	caterer
Pablo Ortiz	....	set security
Samantha Pearson	....	stand-in
Jonathan Persky	....	location manager
Javier Pimentel	....	park ranger
Pegeen Quinn	....	location assistant
Carlos Rodriguez	....	key production assistant
Kip Rolfe	....	set security
Steve Salters	....	production assistant
Michael Schraner	....	police officer
Mike Scolaro	....	park ranger
Will Smith	....	production assistant
Ryan Tower	....	utility stand-in
Erneston Ybara	....	park ranger
Joshua Zeller	....	post production intern
Tracy Zigler	....	script supervisor

Thanks
Victoria Adrian	....	grateful acknowledgment: International Promotions
Maria Alonte	....	special thanks
Greg Aronowitz	....	grateful acknowledgment
Suzanne Bennett	....	thanks
Paul Colichman	....	special thanks
Gene L. Coon	....	acknowledgement: the forgotten Gene
Tony Curtis	....	grateful acknowledgment
Lorenzo di Bonaventura	....	special thanks
Diane Eisenberg	....	grateful acknowledgment
Danny Elu	....	grateful acknowlegement: Upp Entertainment (as Dan Elu)
Randolf S. Mendelsohn Esq.	....	special thanks (as Randolph S. Mendelshon)
Jenny Grimm	....	grateful acknowledgment: International Promotions
Laura Hafermann	....	grateful acknowledgment
Mark Harris	....	special thanks
Rebecca Isserson	....	dedicatee
David Judaken	....	grateful acknowlegement: Garden of Eden
Stephen King	....	grateful acknowledgment
John Lambert	....	special thanks
Fran MacCarley	....	special thanks
John MacCarley	....	special thanks
Melissa Madden	....	grateful acknowledgment: Kiss
Chase Masterson	....	special thanks
Doc McGhee	....	grateful acknowledgment: Kiss
Nigel Pearson	....	special thanks
Barbara Rich	....	grateful acknowlegement: DC Comics
Stephanie Riggs	....	special thanks
Gene Roddenberry	....	special thanks
Chip Rosetti	....	grateful acknowledgment
Carole Salkind	....	special thanks
Morton Salkind	....	special thanks
Gene Simmons	....	special thanks
Gary Simon	....	grateful acknowlegement: Warner Brothers
Chuck Speed	....	special thanks
Alan Spencer	....	special thanks
David Stern	....	grateful acknowledgment: Universisal Studios
Carl Stubner	....	special thanks
Linda Swick	....	grateful acknowledgment: International Promotions
Dan Vebber	....	grateful acknowledgment
Cynthia Von Suhr	....	grateful acknowledgment
Jolie Von Suhr	....	grateful acknowledgment
Mary Wagstaff	....	special thanks
Chris Walker	....	grateful acknowlegement: Pioneer Electronics
Eric Wallace	....	grateful acknowledgment
Selesa Webster	....	grateful acknowlegement: Photoflex
Kim Wilkenson	....	grateful acknowledgment: Burt Lancaster Trust
David Willis	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Mindfire Entertainment
• Triad Studios

Distributors

• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• M.I.B. (2007) (Germany) (DVD)
• Motion International (Canada)
• Regent Entertainment (1999) (USA)

Other Companies

• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera dollies

MPAA:

Rated R for sexuality and language

Runtime:

113 min | 121 min (extended version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

Australia:M | UK:15 | USA:R | Germany:6

Filming Locations:

Culver City, California, USA

Company:

Mindfire Entertainment

Trivia:

William Shatner originally turned down the role as himself. In the original script, Shatner was written as an imaginary mentor who would appear to Mark in times of trouble. But Shatner requested his character to be flawed and more human which is why he portrays himself as a pompous, lonely drunk in the film. The writers used several anecdotes told by Shatner. The original idea was kept in one scene in which appears to Mark as a child.

Goofs:

Incorrectly regarded as goofs: Suzanne asks for a 5-letter Star Wars planet, as a clue in a crossword. They answer Endor, which is mistakenly thought of as an error. However, Endor is the name of the planet. What is typically referred to as "Endor" is actually the forest moon of Endor. Several characters in Return of the Jedi do say "Forest moon of Endor."

Quotes:

Mark:[when Rob is crushed that Bill is nothing like Captain Kirk] Let it go. Separate the art from the artist. This is L.A. Nobody's ever who they appear to be.

Movie Connections:

References Gilda (1946)

Soundtrack:

Miami

an Absolutely, Positively Brilliant movie for Trekkies

If you aren't a hard core Trek/sci fi fan, you'll be bored to limbo by this film, so don't even bother reading on. But if you are, there isn't a better fan movie for you than this. Right from the beginning, the jokes and references fly so fast and furious (from young Mark's flying leg kick and "no, I won't kill him!" line, straight to the end) that you'll be kept on your toes all the way through. The writing is very clever for the entire film, including Robert's set-up for the surprise at the end. The interactions are witty and excellent. And even if you think the jokes get a bit repetitive at some point, that's not all this film has to offer. You can look it also as a semi-serious autobiography (which it partly is) about two sci fi nerds very much like the rest of us with faults very much like our faults (though played to the extreme) trying to fulfill their dreams; Robert is a brash womanizer, but living too deeply in his fantasy world and irresponsible to the point where he leeches off friends more shamefully than any of us would dare (the scene where he meets Claire a prime example), and chooses to go without telephone or electricity so he can line his shelves with mucho expensive collectors' action figures. Mark is responsible and loyal to his friends, yet his narcissus complex (he won't even talk to people in his office unless they're sitting down!) and fear prevents him from dating any woman he cares about. While the film is packed with our favorite geek humor, their problems are very real, as are their deeper interactions and how they are affected by them. Free Enterprise is a wonderful story of friendship, struggle and ultimate achievement that people like us can all very strongly relate and aspire to, with important lessons underneath the jokes.