The Virgin Suicides (1999)

A group of male friends become obsessed with a group of mysterious sisters who are sheltered by their strict, religious parents after one of them commits suicide.

Director:

Sofia Coppola

Writers:

Jeffrey Eugenides (novel), Sofia Coppola

Stars:

James Woods, Kathleen Turner, Kirsten Dunst

3 wins & 11 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
James Woods	...	Ronald Lisbon
Kathleen Turner	...	Mrs. Lisbon
Kirsten Dunst	...	Lux Lisbon
Josh Hartnett	...	Trip Fontaine
Michael Paré	...	Adult Trip Fontaine (as Michael Pare)
Scott Glenn	...	Father Moody
Danny DeVito	...	Dr. Horniker
A.J. Cook	...	Mary Lisbon
Hanna Hall	...	Cecilia Lisbon
Leslie Hayman	...	Therese Lisbon
Chelse Swain	...	Bonnie Lisbon
Anthony DeSimone	...	Chase Buell (as Anthony Desimone)
Lee Kagan	...	David Barker
Robert Schwartzman	...	Paul Baldino
Noah Shebib	...	Parkie Denton

Storyline

The lives of an eclectic group of men who live in an affluent American suburb in the '70s are forever changed by their obsession with five doomed sisters.

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Plot Keywords:

suicide | virgin | suburb | school | isolation | 

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Taglines:

Love Sex Passion Fear Obsession

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong thematic elements involving teens

Details

Official Sites:

Paramount Classics [us] Paramount Classics [us] (Obsession Design)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

12 May 2000 (USA)

Also Known As:

Sofia Coppola's the Virgin Suicides

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$6,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£141,888 (UK) (19 May 2000)

Gross:

$4,859,475 (USA) (25 August 2000)

Company Credits

Production Co:

American Zoetrope, Eternity Pictures, Muse Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

97 min 90 min (TV)

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Alicia Silverstone was offered the role of Mary Lisbon, but turned it down.

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Goofs

During the end credits, one of the Sloan songs is titled as "End it Peacefully" when its actual title is "The Lines You Amend" from the album "One Chord to Another" released in 1996.

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Quotes

Narrator: So much has been said about the girls over the years. But we have never found an answer. It didn't matter in the end how old they had been, or that they were girls... but only that we had loved them... and that they hadn't heard us calling... still do not hear us calling them from out of those rooms... where they went to be alone for all time... and where we will never find the pieces to put them back together.

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Connections

Referenced in Veronica Mars: Donut Run (2006)

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Soundtracks

"Playground Love"
(uncredited)
Written by Air
Performed by Air

User Reviews

Tragic, Morbid and Disturbing Theme Explored with Extreme Sensibility

In 1974, in Michigan, the lives of a group of teenage boys are affected by the suicide of five girls from the Lisbon family. Cecilia (13) (Hanna Hall), Lux (14) (Kirsten Dunst), Bonnie (15) (Chelse Swain), Mary (16) (A.J. Cook) and Therese (17) (Leslie Hayman) move with their Mathematics teacher father Mr. Lisbon (James Wood) and their possessive housewife mother Mrs. Lisbon (Kathleen Turner) to a calm suburb house. Their beauties attract the attention of a group of boys that meet in the house on the other side to watch the girls. When Cecilia commits suicide, the girls stay at home for a period, returning to school later. When the handsome football player Trip Fontaine (Josh Hartnett) seduces Lux and spends the night outside with her, Mrs. Lisbon locks the girls at home, leading them to commit massive suicide.

The first time I saw this movie was on 15 October 2001, and I was impressed with the magnificent debut of Sofia Coppola as a director. Yesterday I saw "The Suicide Virgins" again and I keep my first impression. Sofia Coppola uses the opposite style of her sensationalist father, and explores with extreme sensibility this tragic, morbid and disturbing theme, the suicide of teenagers. The behavior of the American society is subtly criticized, through the condemned action of the press and the lack of attitude from the neighbors and school community, since these agents see and comment the abnormal behavior of the Lisbon family and take no attitude to help the girls. The nostalgic music score, with classics from the 70s, is another plus. With regard to the charismatic team of actors and actresses, their performances are simply stunning. Five years later, it calls the attention the modifications mainly in Josh Hartnett, who I believe was participating of his first important movie: he was a practically unknown teenager, and now is a famous adult actor. Kathleen Turner, from the sexy and gorgeous Matty Walker/Mary Ann Russell of "Body Heat" (1981) to this awful Mrs. Lisbon, is also impressive. "The Suicide Virgins" is a movie that deserves to be watched many times. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "As Virgens Suicidas" ("The Suicide Virgins")