Shadrach (1998)

Director:

Susanna Styron

Writers (WGA):

William Styron (short story)
Susanna Styron (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

23 September 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

In 1935, 99-year-old former slave Shadrach asks to be buried on the soil where he was born to slavery...

Plot Keywords:

Slavery | Slave | Law | Virginia | Black American

Cast

Martin Sheen	...	Narrator (voice)
John Franklin Sawyer	...	Shadrach
Scott Terra	...	Paul
Ginnie Randall	...	Virginia
Darrell Larson	...	Father
Deborah Hedwall	...	Mother
Jonathan Parks Jordan	...	Middle Mole
Erin Underwood	...	Lucinda
Alice Rogers	...	Cloris
Monica Bugajski	...	Edmonia
Daniel Treat	...	Little Mole
Andie MacDowell	...	Trixie
Michael Ruff	...	Smut
Muse Watson	...	Captain
Doug Chancey	...	Dock Worker
Harvey Keitel	...	Vernon
Rick Warner	...	Presbyterian Minister
Edward Bunker	...	Joe Thorton
Clarinda Hollmond	...	Chapel Singer
Melvin L. Cauthen	...	Earvin Williams (as Melvin Cauthen)
Richard K. Olsen	...	Seddon Washington (as Richard Olsen)
Olivia Bost	...	Sweet Betty
Bill Nelson	...	Fauntleroy
Walter Hand	...	Preacher

Directed by
Susanna Styron

Writing credits (WGA)
William Styron		(short story)
Susanna Styron		(screenplay) &
Bridget Terry		(screenplay)

Produced by
Boaz Davidson	....	producer
Jonathan Demme	....	executive producer
Danny Dimbort	....	executive producer
Avi Lerner	....	executive producer
Ric Rondell	....	line producer
Elie Samaha	....	executive producer
Steve Shareshian	....	executive producer
Trevor Short	....	executive producer
Bridget Terry	....	producer
John Thompson	....	producer

Original Music by
Van Dyke Parks

Cinematography by
Hiro Narita		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Colleen Sharp

Casting by
Tracy Kilpatrick

Production Design by
Burton Rencher

Set Decoration by
Valerie Fann

Costume Design by
Dona Granata

Makeup Department
Susan Buffington	....	assistant hair stylist
Susan Buffington	....	assistant makeup artist
Rudolph Eavy III	....	key makeup artist (as Rudolph Eavey III)
Jeff Goodwin	....	makeup artist: Shadrach
Thomas Holland	....	makeup artist: Shadrach
Linda Kamp	....	assistant hair stylist
Linda Kamp	....	assistant makeup artist
Mary Hedges Lampert	....	assistant hair stylist (as Mary Lampert)
Mary Hedges Lampert	....	assistant makeup artist (as Mary Lampert)
Aldo Signoretti	....	key hair stylist

Production Management
George Gale	....	post-production supervisor: Millenium Films
Eleanor Hemingway	....	production supervisor
Brad Smith	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Susan Carpenter	....	second assistant director
Craig Edwards	....	second second assistant director
Kevin J. Moore	....	first assistant director (as Kevin Moore)

Art Department
C. Scott Baker	....	art department assistant (as Scott Baker)
Goldie Fairfa	....	art department intern
Matt Fann	....	on-set dresser
Alex Ferguson	....	swing crew
Brian Avery Galligan	....	assistant property master
Jake Ippolito	....	swing crew
Bob Kennedy	....	foreman
Dean Kennedy	....	construction coordinator
Ted J. Koch	....	property master (as Ted Koch)
Gregory Messer	....	swing crew
Randall Milazzo	....	lead man
Donald G. Millis	....	greensman
Patrick O'Kelly	....	scenic chargeman
Samuel Schons	....	carpenter
Terry Tullock	....	labor
Jennifer Wynn O'Kelly	....	lead scenic artist (uncredited)

Sound Department
Dana Austin	....	foley supervisor (as Dana Porter-Johnson)
Dwayne Avery	....	sound editor
Ron Bedrosian	....	adr mixer
Dicken Berglund	....	dialogue editor: TV/VHS version
Dicken Berglund	....	re-recording mixer: TV/VHS version
John Boyd	....	sound re-recording mixer
Steven Brimmer	....	sound recording supervisor
Dominique Decaudain	....	foley artist (as Dominique Decaudian)
Kim Drummond	....	sound editor
William Freesh	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Bill Freesh)
Bob Hile	....	sound recordist
Steve Hollenbeck	....	sound editor
Larry Long	....	production sound mixer
Michael Rayle	....	sound assistant (as Mike Rayle)
Mike Reale	....	sound recordist (as Michael Reale)
Carl Rudisill	....	production sound mixer
Joseph T. Sabella	....	foley artist (as Joe Sabella)
Jackson Schwartz	....	foley mixer
Ron Sistare	....	boom operator
John Sisti	....	supervising sound editor (as John L. Sisti)
David Spybrook	....	adr recordist
David Spybrook	....	foley recordist
David F. Van Slyke	....	sound editor (as David Van Slyke)
Byron Wilson	....	sound editor
Allen Hurd	....	sound recordist (uncredited)
Jay Peck	....	foley artist (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Christopher Dusendschon	....	in-show optical process and effects compositor: THDX (uncredited)
Christopher Dusendschon	....	main title sequence optical compositor: THDX (uncredited)
Mindy Minkow	....	optical camera (uncredited)

Stunts
John Copeman	....	stunt coordinator
Dino Muccio	....	utility stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Alan Aldridge	....	first assistant camera (as Alan Alderidge)
Eric Bartsch	....	key grip
Patrick Borowiak	....	second assistant camera
Edward Brennan	....	second assistant camera
Stephen Brock	....	electrician (as Steve Brock)
Kelly Curry	....	best boy
Chris Dambra	....	electrician
Kevin Davis	....	grip (as Cuz Davis)
Matt Doll	....	grip
Frank Godwin	....	first assistant camera
Rufus Granger Jr.	....	dolly grip (as Rufus Grainger)
Prashant Gupta	....	still photographer
Billy Hendricks	....	best boy (as Billybob Hendricks)
Fredrick D. Lewis	....	grip
Bob Newcomb	....	camera operator
Cristiano Palermi	....	electrician
Daniel Taylor	....	camera loader
James Tomaro	....	gaffer (as Jim Tomaro)
Troy N. Wade	....	dolly grip (as Troy Wade)
Alexandre Naufel	....	gaffer: Los Angeles (uncredited)
Bob Newcomb	....	cinematographer: second unit (uncredited)
Mike Smith	....	Steadicam operator (uncredited)

Casting Department
Katie Conkey	....	extras casting (as Katie Conkley)
Susan Shopmaker	....	casting: New York

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Cameron Doyle	....	set costumer
Lisa A. Doyle	....	costume supervisor (as Lisa Doyle)
Micelle Pridgen	....	wardrobe production assistant (as Michelle Pridgen)
Alonzo Wilson	....	costume supervisor (as Alonzo V. Wilson)

Editorial Department
Monica Coronati	....	editorial intern
Saul Escobedo	....	color timer
Todd Gilbert	....	post-production coordinator: Millenium Films
Justine Halliday	....	assistant editor
Noëlle Penraat	....	negative cutter (as Noelle Penraat)
Perri Pivovar	....	second assistant editor
Lucy Jo Stone	....	editorial coordinator
Anne-Marie Hess	....	editorial intern (uncredited)

Music Department
Jon Baker	....	score mixer
Cary Ginell	....	music clearance
Ira Ingber	....	pre-score producer
Walter Robinson	....	music consultant
John Rosenberg	....	music contractor
Sherry Whitfield	....	music editor
Todd Hayen	....	conductor (uncredited)
Todd Hayen	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Frank Macchia	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Donell Crumpler Jr.	....	driver (as Donell Crumpler)
Mary Dailey	....	driver
Chuck Flynn	....	transportation coordinator
Russell Hicks	....	driver
Phyllis Leigh	....	driver
J.B. Long	....	driver
Mark McNeill	....	transportation captain
Mack Odham	....	driver
Nick Prosser	....	driver
Diane Renna	....	driver
Scott Siler	....	driver
Sonya Tomaro	....	transportation co-captain

Other crew
Taylor Ammons	....	production secretary
Matthew Bautch	....	production intern
Mandy Branch	....	vice president of production: Millenium Films
Penelope Bunsen	....	post-production accountant: Millenium Films
John C. Carlton	....	stand-in
Mitch Carter	....	group supervisor
Elayne Barbara Ceder	....	title designer (as Elayne Ceder)
Hal Cosec	....	stand-in
Martin Eckhardt	....	stand-in
Jason E. Frankel	....	legal services
Heather Gnegy	....	production intern
April H. Grantham	....	craft service (as April Grantham)
Jonathan Heller	....	caterer
Therese Honeycutt	....	assistant locations
Diane Jedrezejczyk	....	production intern
Michael G. Jefferson	....	key set production assistant (as Michael Jefferson)
Yuri Karjane	....	production intern
Bill Kilmon	....	caterer
Robert A. Kline	....	legal services
Loren Lockwood	....	assistant: Mr. Keitel
Lexie Longstreet	....	script supervisor
Alisha Manlove	....	production intern
Susan Muir	....	completion guarantor
Ante Novakovic	....	trainer
Rudy A. Persico	....	set production assistant (as Rudy Persico)
Steve Ransohoff	....	completion guarantor
Eric Rei	....	caterer
Caroline Rogers	....	assistant: Ms. MacDowell
Alicia Rudd	....	animal trainer
John Sawyer Jr.	....	stand-in
Ken Schatz	....	dialect coach
Linda Schmitt	....	set teacher
Scott T. Seibold	....	stand-in
Jon Shiffman	....	assistant vice president: Imperial Entertainment Group (as John Shiffman)
Jackie Short	....	assistant accountant
Van Starling	....	set production assistant
Janet Stegall	....	stand-in
Sally Strickland	....	set medic
Tisha D. Trevino	....	office production assistant
Clive Turner	....	accountant
Jared Underwood	....	senior vice president: Imperial Entertainment Group
Ginger Ussery	....	location manager
Neda Armian	....	production associate (uncredited)
Mary Tobler	....	assistant to producer (uncredited)

Thanks
Cari Beauchamp	....	special thanks
George Borghi	....	special thanks
Terry Carlton	....	special thanks
Marie Hélène Desbiens	....	special thanks (as Marie-Helene Desbiens)
Peggy Farrell	....	special thanks
Jeanne Field	....	special thanks
Linda Francis	....	special thanks
Betty Goldberg	....	special thanks
Steven J. Goldfisher	....	special thanks
Peggy Gormley	....	special thanks
Adrienne Harvey	....	special thanks
Philip Horne	....	special thanks
Lynn Houston	....	special thanks
Julie Janney	....	special thanks
Phyllis Kaufman	....	special thanks
Elizabeth Kling	....	special thanks
Emma Larson	....	special thanks
Lilah Larson	....	special thanks
David Littlefield	....	special thanks
Irene Mecchi	....	special thanks
Danielle Merrill	....	special thanks
Robert Messinger	....	special thanks
Vera Moss	....	special thanks
Bill Nisselson	....	special thanks
Michael Ontkean	....	special thanks
Constance Royster	....	special thanks
Art Seidel	....	special thanks
Justin Smith	....	special thanks
Jamie Smith-Jackson	....	special thanks (as Jamie Smith Jackson)
Mark L. Stricklin	....	special thanks (as Mark Stricklin)
Calvin Ussery	....	special thanks
Douglas Vaughan	....	special thanks (as Rev. Douglas Vaughan)
Margarita Villalobos	....	special thanks
James L. West III	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Millennium Films
• Nu Image Films
• Tidewater Pictures Inc.

Distributors

• Columbia TriStar Home Video (1998) (USA) (VHS)
• Califórnia (Brazil) (VHS) (as "Shadrach")
• Columbia Pictures
• Filmax (Spain)
• New Films International
• Océan Films (France)
• Versátil Home Vídeo (Brazil) (DVD)
• Versátil Home Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS) (as "Shadrach - Um Sonho Proibido")

Other Companies

• Barab, Kline & Coate  legal services
• Big Apple Sound  sound editing
• C.A.P.S.  extras payroll services
• Cast & Crew Payroll Services  payroll services
• Cinema Research  titles and opticals
• Eat a Peach Pictures  epk services
• Enterprise Post  foley recording facilities
• Film Finances  completion guarantee
• Imperial Entertainment Group  production financing
• L.A. Mad Dogs  adr group
• Lightnin' Production Rentals  transportation equipment
• Muscletone Studio  music recording
• Paramount Pictures  grip and lighting equipment
• Solid Security  security
• Sony Pictures Studios  post-production re-recording
• Sound Chamber Recording Studio  music recording
• Sound One Corporation  editing
• Sound Thinking Research  music research
• Vine Street Studios  adr facility

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for language and brief sexuality

Runtime:

89 min | France:98 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

France:U | Spain:T | USA:PG-13 | Iceland:L

Filming Locations:

Wilmington, North Carolina, USA

Company:

Millennium Films

Trivia:

Harvey Keitel and Martin Sheen learned their accents for this film from James L.W. West, while Andie MacDowell, who is a native Southerner, developed her own accent. Keitel spent most of a day talking with West and taping his speech. Sheen later listened to these tapes.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: The film is set in 1935. When Paul walks into the house past his father and up the stairs (at the beginning of the film), a smoke detector is visible on the ceiling at the bottom of the stairs.

Soundtrack:

Remember Me?

Beautifully told warm human story

This beautiful story got overlooked somewhere; what you call a 'sleeper'. Most certainly undeservedly, as this is indeed a wonderful film.

One could say that 'Shadrach' is an 'amateur' production, as most of the cast and the director Susanna Styron had not made any other films previously. Albeit the inclusion of very well-known names in the cast such as Martin Sheen (invisible narrator), Andy MacDowell and Harvey Keitel, who must be considered the 'professionals' in the whole enterprise.

Hiro Narita's photography is excellent, capturing the essence of rural Virginia and the sweat on the actors' faces in all kinds of light. The music is correct lending great atmosphere to the development of the film.

I cannot remember Harvey Keitel in a better role: here he is a convincing poor Virginian trying to eke out a living selling a few bottles of illegal whiskey, father of seven children. No overacting: nicely controlled interpretation of a simple rough type with a bit of good heart. Commendable performance. Andy MacDowell is not bad, though how she could possibly have such a good-looking sexy figure after seven children escapes all reason!

And the old man of the film: John Franklin Sawyer, aged 91 when this film was shot, the only film he has ever been in, is magnificent: you really feel for this old man as the film progresses and you empathise with his desire to return to the soil that saw him born. Wonderful, but without being a soppy tear-jerker. A sober feat, brilliantly handled. Scott Terra and Ginnie Randall give authentic performances.

All this points a finger at Susanna Styron: masterful directing, comparable with other masters of greater experience. She knew how she wanted to develop the characterization of her actors, and the result is extremely satisfying. She knew how she wanted those old cars to appear, and how the little old houses should appear. A great accomplishment. This is because from this 'amateur' production, it is clearly evident the amount of effort and loving care with which everyone concerned were bent on so as to make this beautifully told story be so warm and human.

If you have the luck to find this film on any channel or on video, do not miss it: this film is richly rewarding. It deserves to be far better known than it is. My vote is a high seven out of ten.