Poodle Springs (1998) (TV)

Director:

Bob Rafelson

Writers (WGA):

Robert B. Parker (book) and
Raymond Chandler (book) ...
(more)

Release Date:

25 July 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama

Tagline:

Sex. Murder. Marlowe. This town has everything.

Plot:

An aging Phillip Marlowe gets mixed up with blackmail & murder among elite social set in 1963.

Plot Keywords:

Murder | Stripper | Flashlight | Telephone | Desert

Awards:

1 win

Cast

James Caan	...	Philip Marlowe
Dina Meyer	...	Laura Parker-Marlowe
David Keith	...	Larry Victor / Charles Nichols
Tom Bower	...	Lt. Arnie Burns
Julia Campbell	...	Miriam 'Muffy' Blackstone-Nichols
Brian Cox	...	Clayton Blackstone
Nia Peeples	...	Angel
Sam Vlahos	...	Eddie Garcia
Michael Laskin	...	Manny Lipshultz
David Byrd	...	Seymour
Joe Don Baker	...	P.J. Parker
Royce D. Applegate	...	Ivan, the Motel Manager
Billy Beck	...	Old Man in Jail
Gary Bullock	...	L.A. Captain
Michael Cooke	...	Captain
Eric DaRe	...	Guard
Johanna DaRe	...	Secretary
Thomas F. Duffy	...	Fat Cop
La Joy Farr	...	Lola Faithful
Mo Gallini	...	J.D. (as Matt Gallini)
Blanca Marsillach	...	Coat Check Lady
Rene L. Moreno	...	Tino (as René Moreno)
Julianna McCarthy	...	Mrs. Dubrowski
Timothy McNeil	...	Sloppy Desk Cop
Dibble Rafelson	...	TV Anchorman
Brad Stine	...	Cop
Carl Sundstrom	...	Burns' Detective
Gabrielle Taurek	...	Lady of the Streets
Greg Travis	...	Leonard
Frank Van Keeken	...	Singing Drunk (as Frank van Keeken)
Robert Wightman	...	Slim Cop
Bugsy	...	Rags
Avalon	...	Lola's Bird
Wrigley	...	Lola's Bird
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Tom Stoppard	...	(unconfirmed)
Joe Davis	...	Angels Boyfriend (uncredited)

Directed by
Bob Rafelson

Writing credits (WGA)
Robert B. Parker		(book) and
Raymond Chandler		(book)
Tom Stoppard		(teleplay)

Produced by
Jon Avnet	....	executive producer
William Horberg	....	executive producer
Jordan Kerner	....	executive producer
Tony Mark	....	producer
Sydney Pollack	....	executive producer
Geoff Stier	....	co-executive producer

Original Music by
Michael Small

Cinematography by
Stuart Dryburgh

Film Editing by
Steven Cohen

Casting by
Elaine J. Huzzar
Johanna Ray

Production Design by
Mark Friedberg

Art Direction by
Scott Plauche

Set Decoration by
Kristen Toscano Messina

Costume Design by
Melinda Eshelman

Makeup Department
Enid Arias	....	key hair stylist
Felicity Bowring	....	makeup department head
Jene Fielder	....	body makeup artist (as C. Jene Fielder)
Jane Galli	....	key makeup artist
Lynda Gurasich	....	hair department head

Production Management
Mark S. Hoerr	....	post-production supervisor
Sue Jett	....	production supervisor
Tony Mark	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Carla Brand Breitner	....	second second assistant director
Mark Hansson	....	first assistant director: second unit
Mark Hansson	....	second assistant director
Tommy Thompson	....	first assistant director

Art Department
William V. Baker	....	set dresser
Nancy M. Bates	....	second assistant property master
Susan A. Burig	....	graphic designer
Michael A. Capps	....	construction foreman
Gary Clark	....	paint department head
Michael Cutler	....	set dresser
Jonathan R. Hodges	....	property master
Courtney Elizabeth Jackson	....	assistant property master
Courtney Jackson	....	assistant property master
Richard Jerebicz	....	propmaker
Carolyn Lassek	....	on-set dresser
Patrick Lees	....	lead man
Jason Mahakian	....	art department assistant
Rhonda Marshall	....	set dresser
Stephen J. Readmond	....	set dresser
Rob Rudas	....	set dresser
Domenic Silvestri	....	set designer
Easton Michael Smith	....	set designer
Sheri von Seeburg	....	art department coordinator
Amy Vuckovich	....	lead man

Sound Department
Wayne Artman	....	sound re-recording mixer
Brian Best	....	sound editor
Joe Bosco	....	adr recordist
Lawrence L. Commans	....	boom operator
Casey J. Crabtree	....	foley artist (as Casey Crabtree)
Michael Crabtree	....	foley artist (as Mike Crabtree)
Zack Davis	....	adr supervisor
John Michael Fanaris	....	sound effects coordinator
Bruce Fortune	....	sound editor
Robert L. Harman	....	sound re-recording mixer
Grover B. Helsley	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Grover Helsley)
Glenn Hoskinson	....	sound editor
Steve Mann	....	sound editor
Blake Marion	....	sound effects coordinator
Anthony Milch	....	sound editor (as Anthony R. Milch)
Ed Novick	....	sound
Christopher O'Donnell	....	boom operator
Kim Secrist	....	supervising foley editor
Dean St. John	....	adr mixer
Dean St. John	....	foley mixer
Tim Tuchrello	....	assistant sound editor
Dustin Van Baalbergen	....	apprentice sound editor
Donald L. Warner Jr.	....	sound editor
Richard E. Yawn	....	supervising sound editor

Special Effects by
James J. Guarrera	....	effects foreman
Todd Jensen	....	effects technician (as Todd K. Jensen)
Joe D. Ramsey	....	special effects coordinator (as Joe Ramsey)

Stunts
Simone Boisseree	....	stunts
Erik Kleven	....	stunts
Max Kleven	....	stunts
Carl Paoli	....	stunt double: James Caan
David Rowden	....	stunts (as David S. Rowden)
Walter Scott	....	stunt coordinator
Gwynn Turnbull	....	stunts
Julie Wagner	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
James Barrett	....	electrician
Ron Batzdorff	....	still photographer
Rick A. Benedetto	....	best boy electric (as Richard A. Benedetto)
John Brumby	....	generator operator
Loren Corl	....	key grip
Andreas Crawford	....	dolly grip
Ed Dally	....	camera loader
Dhamarata Dhiensuwana	....	rigging key grip
Jamie Lagerhausen	....	best boy
Jerry L. Marshall	....	grip
Scott McGeo	....	grip
Ted Morris	....	camera operator
Max Neal	....	second assistant camera
Brian W. Nordheim	....	first assistant camera
James Plannette	....	gaffer
Jason Poteet	....	grip

Casting Department
Mary Jane Fendler	....	casting associate (as Mary Jane Lavacca)
Wendy Weidman	....	casting associate

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Ruben D. Calderon	....	set costumer
Lisa A. Doyle	....	set costumer
David Ferry	....	costumer
Alix Friedberg	....	assistant costume designer
Alison Hirsch	....	wardrobe supervisor

Editorial Department
Anthony Gore	....	post-production coordinator
Eric Johannessen	....	colorist
Robert LaRossa	....	color timer
Paul Martinez	....	first assistant editor

Music Department
P.J. Bloom	....	music coordinator
Christopher Dedrick	....	orchestrator
Brenda Heins	....	assistant music editor
Stan Jones	....	music editor
Evyen Klean	....	music supervisor

Transportation Department
Steve Boyd	....	transportation coordinator
Burton L. Warner	....	driver
Burton L. Warner	....	driver: cast

Other crew
Peter Barnett	....	first assistant accountant (as Peter J. Barnett)
Paul Belenardo	....	auditor
Greg Benton	....	cast production assistant
Allison Brandin	....	assistant: Mr. Mark
Nick Crossley	....	stand-in
Dave Freed	....	cast production assistant
Christine Gaiman	....	production assistant
Linda 'Sam' Glynn	....	assistant location manager
Marisa B. Gunzenhauser	....	production secretary
Justin Healy	....	assistant location manager
Tim Hillman	....	location manager
Eric L. Hurd	....	production assistant
Janet Jeffries	....	assistant: Mr. Stier
Brian R. Keathley	....	production assistant
Kate Lewis	....	script supervisor
Rick Lovis	....	cast production assistant
Jacky Matthews	....	assistant: Mr. Stoppard
Kelly McMahon	....	assistant: Mr. Caan
Donald 'Sparky' Petersen	....	script assistant
Korey Scott Pollard	....	set production assistant (as Korey Pollard)
Seamus Ruane	....	production assistant
Jack Rubinoff	....	stand-in
Steve Sandoval	....	production coordinator
Matthew Keene Smith	....	assistant: Mr. Rafelson
Sihu Suhr	....	accounting clerk
Elizabeth Tatus	....	stand-in
Anne M. Uemura	....	set production assistant
Diane Ward	....	assistant production coordinator
Burton L. Warner	....	cast production assistant
Jolene Wolff	....	assistant: Mr. Rafelson

Production Companies

• Avnet/Kerner Productions
• Home Box Office (HBO)
• Mirage Enterprises
• Universal TV

Distributors

• Alta Films (Spain)
• Filmitalus (Portugal) (video)
• Gativideo (1998) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Gativideo (2006) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (VHS)
• mediacs AG

Other Companies

• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera dollies

Runtime:

100 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Iceland:16 | Australia:M | Germany:12 | Portugal:M/12 (video premiere) | Spain:13 | UK:15 | Finland:K-16

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Avnet/Kerner Productions

Goofs:

Anachronisms: When James Caan is first seen lighting his cigarette, he uses a pack of safety matches, which has its striker on the back of the matches. These were not introduced until c. 1970. In 1963, he would have used matches where the striker is on the front of the matchbook.

Movie Connections:

References From Russia with Love (1963)

Pretty good resurrection of Marlowe, but not as good as the source novel

The screen play Stoppard wrote from the credited Chandler/Parker novel is not bad, if far fetched, but not as good as the source. As a tough guy P.I. flic, this borders on fantasy, what with the additions and changes Stoppard made. Why the name changes, by the way? Linda Potter becomes Laura Parker, and Angel's character is reversed. Palm Springs, aka Poodle Springs winds up on the Nevada border. About the only thing not changed is the killer, and you'll have to see the film to find that out. Well, Caan makes a good Marlowe, looking satisfactorily battle worn, and the rest of the cast won't disappoint you. Direction is fair, but the editing is as lousy as usual for these days. Overall, this is an enjoyable private eye tale, if you can forget the novel, but that hare-brained conspiracy to move...; but hey, I'm about to give away too much!