Four Dogs Playing Poker (2000)

Director:

Paul Rachman

Writers:

Shawn David Thompson (written by) &
William Quist (written by)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

Plot:

Four friends steal a valuable statuette for a dangerous black market art dealer, lose it and are forced to play a deadly bluffing game to save their lives.

Plot Keywords:

Friend | Black Market | Game | Acting Musician | Postcard

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Olivia Williams	...	Audrey
Balthazar Getty	...	Julian
Arly Jover	...	Maria
Jason Cairns	...	Oscar
Ruben Moreno	...	Priest
Daniel London	...	Kevin
Stacy Edwards	...	Holly
Steve Jones	...	Tom (as Stephen Phillip Jones)
George Lazenby	...	Carlo
John Taylor	...	Dick (as John Nigel Taylor)
Tim Curry	...	Felix
Octavia Spencer	...	Waitress (as Octavia L. Spencer)
Ray Berrios	...	House Security Guard
Peter Mark Vasquez	...	Data Security Guard
Ramiro Fabian	...	Supervisor
Jorge Luis Abreu	...	Porter
Forest Whitaker	...	Mr. Ellington
Inday Ba	...	Punk Chick
Steve Ransohoff	...	Big Headed Alan
Kevin West	...	Bank Manager
Shawn David Thompson	...	Miranda Rights Cop
Fitz Houston	...	Plainclothes Cop
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Michelle Bonilla	...	Young Mother
Bruce Bohne	...	Prison Guard (uncredited)
Andrea Grano	...	Wedding Party Guest (uncredited)
Lauren Moore	...	Maid of Honor (uncredited)

Directed by
Paul Rachman

Writing credits
Shawn David Thompson		(written by) (as Thomas Durham) &
William Quist		(written by)

Produced by
Richard Hicks	....	associate producer
Steven E. Hoffman	....	producer (as Steven Hoffman)
Betsy Mackey	....	line producer
Dennis Stuart Murphy	....	line producer (as Dennis Murphy)
Matt Salinger	....	producer
William Sherak	....	executive producer
Jason Shuman	....	executive producer
Josie Wechsler	....	associate producer (as Johanna Wechsler)
Ronnie Yeskel	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Brian Tyler

Cinematography by
Claudio Rocha		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Conrad M. Gonzalez

Casting by
Richard Hicks
Ronnie Yeskel

Production Design by
Alec Hammond

Art Direction by
Dick Kyker
Marc Mileto
Andrew Rubenstein

Set Decoration by
Catharine Tarver

Costume Design by
Sophie De Rakoff		(as Sophie Carbonell)

Makeup Department
Dara Akbarian	....	key hair stylist: Argentina
Dara Akbarian	....	makeup artist: Argentina
John Carl Buechler	....	prosthetic effects
Kathleen Freeman	....	key makeup artist (as Kathleen Freeman-Smith)
Sabine Roller	....	additional hair stylist
Sabine Roller	....	additional makeup artist
Tatiana Thorpe	....	hair stylist
Tatiana Williams	....	hair stylist: New York
Tatiana Williams	....	makeup artist: New York

Production Management
Sergio Belloti	....	production manager: Argentina
Marjorie Ergas	....	production supervisor
Cynthia A. Fujikawa	....	production manager: New York (as Cynthia Fujikawa)
Isabel Henderson	....	post-production supervisor
Betsy Mackey	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Richard L. Fox	....	first assistant director
Heather Grierson	....	second second assistant director
Dagan Handy	....	second assistant director: New York
Stella Knypstra	....	first assistant director: New York
Benjamin Schneider	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Denise Anderson	....	assistant property master
Mark Anderson	....	property master
James Darfus	....	set dresser
Camille Esposito	....	set dresser
Andrew Garcia-Price	....	storyboard artist (as Drew Garcia-Price)
Tara Georgenes	....	assistant property master
Sean Haines	....	lead man
Daniel Mendible	....	key set dresser
Kevin Pullen	....	property master
Carisa Rosenthal	....	prop assistant (as Chris Rosenthal)

Sound Department
Doug Andham	....	adr mixer (as Doug Andorka)
William Fiege	....	sound mixer: second unit (as Bill Fiege)
Bryant Grizzell	....	boom operator
Vincent Guisetti	....	foley artist
David Hingorany	....	sound recordist
Eric Justen	....	sound re-recording mixer
Sean Keegan	....	adr mixer
Sean Keegan	....	foley mixer
Shawn Kennelly	....	adr mixer
Shawn Ian Kerkhoff	....	assistant sound editor
Laura Laird	....	adr editor
Randy Lawson	....	sound mixer
Wes Otis	....	assistant dialogue editor
Jesse Pomeroy	....	adr supervisor
Jesse Pomeroy	....	dialogue supervisor
Jesse Pomeroy	....	supervising sound editor
Sergio Reyes	....	sound re-recording mixer
Paul Stanley	....	sound post-production coordinator
Jussi Tegelman	....	sound designer
Scott Turner	....	sound post-production coordinator

Special Effects by
John Carl Buechler	....	special effects
Lou Carlucci	....	gun shot effects
Robert Pendergraft	....	special effects assistant

Stunts
Brian Avery	....	stunts
Jennifer Caputo	....	stunts (as Jennifer Jo Caputo)
Cole S. McKay	....	stunts (as Cole McKay)
Caroline Packman	....	stunts
Paul E. Short	....	stunts (as Paul Short)
Monica Staggs	....	stunts
Gary J. Wayton	....	stunt coordinator
Eileen Weisinger	....	stunts
Webster Whinery	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Tyler Allison	....	assistant camera
Hernan Baigorria	....	director of photography: Argentina
Roman W. Bennett	....	electrician (as Roman Bennett)
Bjorn Boisen	....	gaffer
Bill 'Thunder' Bridges	....	best boy grip
Dan Broodhead	....	electrician
Darwin Montana Browne	....	key grip
Bruce Darringer	....	key grip: New York
Cooper Donaldson	....	electrician
Larry Edwards	....	grip
Dejon Ellis	....	grip
Peter Enneking	....	electrician
Frank Esposito	....	electrician
Season FauntLeRoy	....	clapper loader
Stefan Fernandez	....	best boy electric
Bruce Frye	....	first assistant camera: second unit
Graham Futerfas	....	gaffer: second unit
Aaron Goodstein	....	camera loader
Etina Hom	....	grip
Colin Hudson	....	Steadicam operator
Jamie Hutchins	....	electrician: New York
Eric Jennings	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Eric Jennings	....	first assistant camera
Doug Kaiden	....	gaffer: New York
Scott E. Kaufman	....	key grip: second unit
Todd Kellstein	....	grip
Aaron Kirsch	....	first assistant camera
Jeremy Launais	....	gaffer
Cullen Lockwood	....	first assistant camera
Mike Macias	....	electrician
Vladimir Melnik	....	best boy electric
Damon Montgomery	....	second assistant camera
Gustavo Montrasi	....	first assistant camera: Argentina
John Norton	....	electrician
Charles Papert	....	Steadicam operator
Dale Robinette	....	still photographer
Oscar Robles	....	grip
Ricardo Romero	....	electrician: Argentina
Justin Rowan	....	electrician
Kevin Sanders	....	gaffer: second unit
Stacy Sarna	....	electrician: Argentina
Paul Szopa	....	electrician
Mark Thompson	....	camera production assistant
Chris Thornton	....	rigging electrician (as Chris Thornten)
Hipólito Vélez	....	grip: Argentina
Kevin P. Williams	....	gaffer: second unit (as Kevin Williams)
Kevin P. Williams	....	rigging gaffer (as Kevin Williams)
Michael G. Wojciechowski	....	director of photography: second unit (as Michael Wojciechowski)
Vernon Wynne	....	grip

Casting Department
Julie Chavez	....	casting assistant
Debe Waisman	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Christine Bieselin Clark	....	wardrobe supervisor (as Christine Bieselin)
Dan DeBono	....	wardrobe supervisor: Argentina
Arthur Kaz	....	set costumer: Argentina
Julie-Marie Robar	....	set costumer
Vera Wang	....	costume designer: wedding dresses

Editorial Department
Michael Hatzer	....	color timer
Tim Heyen	....	negative cutter
Charles B. Unger	....	first assistant editor
Butch Wertman	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Scott Hackwith	....	composer: additional music
Christopher Lennertz	....	orchestrator
Dana Niu	....	score assistant
Brian Tyler	....	orchestrator
Christopher Lennertz	....	conductor (uncredited)

Transportation Department
J. Armin Garza II	....	driver: camera car
Geno Hart	....	transportation coordinator
Kirk Huston	....	transportation captain
Jon Kalikow	....	transportation coordinator: New York
Harry Marks	....	transportation co-captain
Bradley Sackin	....	driver

Other crew
Jasmine 'Woof' Agoglia	....	location scout
John Steven Agoglia	....	location manager
Mary Jane Amato	....	assistant accountant
Greg Archibeque	....	set production assistant
Rebecca Asher	....	script supervisor (as Rebecca Elizabeth Asher)
Betsy Bierer	....	assistant to producers
Betsy Bierer	....	production coordinator: second unit
Bruce Comtois	....	teamster
LaTrelle Creel	....	second unit assistant director
Sassie Freedberg	....	assistant: Mr. Sherak
Cynthia A. Fujikawa	....	production accountant
Cynthia Gates Fujikawa	....	production accountant
Susan Hartmann	....	production coordinator
Jeffrey Hefner	....	key production assistant
Donna Holbeck	....	animal coordinator
Roy G. Irwin	....	medic
Mike Krone	....	set production assistant
Victor Lacour	....	office production assistant
Ronald J. Levin	....	production executive
Dan Mirvish	....	electronic press kit
Colleen Murphy	....	craft service
Lil Joe Murphy	....	accounting intern
Evan Peller	....	assistant location manager
Justin Shean	....	production assistant
Debbie Silverman	....	additional wrangler
Paul Tayoun	....	medic
Robin Thornberg	....	additional wrangler
Angela Trujillo	....	assistant to production coordinator

Thanks
Cyril Drabinsky	....	special thanks
Avery A. Hoffman	....	dedicatee
Greg Mielcarz	....	special thanks (as Greg Milcarz)
Richard Riordan	....	special thanks (as Mayor Richard Riordan)
Jack Valenti	....	special thanks
Vera Wang	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Half Moon Entertainment
• New Moon Productions

Distributors

• Behaviour Entertainment (non-USA)
• EuroVideo (2007) (Germany) (DVD)
• MDP Worldwide
• SAV (Spain) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video

Special Effects

• Magical Media Industries

Other Companies

• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera cranes
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera dollies
• Film Finances  completion guarantor
• Ronnie Yeskel Casting  casting

Also Known As:

"4 Dogs Playing Poker" - USA (video box title)

MPAA:

Rated R for language, drug use and some sexuality

Runtime:

97 min | Germany:89 min (TV version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

Canada:18A (video rating) | USA:R | Finland:K-15 | Iceland:16 | South Korea:15 | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Buenos Aires, Federal District, Argentina

Company:

Half Moon Entertainment

Goofs:

Miscellaneous: Kevin and Holly are listed in the credits twice.

Soundtrack:

Beyond Our Crime

No ace, more a joker.

A stylish thriller, with one major let-down: the whole premise is just so unbelievable that you really need to be able to suspend your disbelief for this one.

Four young art thieves, and their mentor (a surprisingly good, but underused Tim Curry), steal a priceless statue from an Argentinian millionaire, (a surprisingly good, but underused ex-James Bond, George Lazenby!) and ship it back to the States on a cargo ship. Recipient of the said statue hears that it isn't on the ship, and promises to kill all five if it isn't delivered - or make them pay $1 million. So, what would you do? Wait and see if it turns up, do a runner and leave the country? Or build up some elaborate insurance scam whereby one of you has to kill another one, so the rest of the gang can claim $1 million insurance? They opt for the latter, and all reality goes out of the window. It's a shame, because the four 'friends' are good together, and there are some genuine thrilling moments. Its pretensions to film noir are justified an only a few occasions, and the 'twist' ending doesn't really make up for the plotholes.

That said, certainly worth a look.