Race to Space (2001)

Director:

Sean McNamara

Writers (WGA):

Eric Gardner (written by) &
Steven H. Wilson (written by)

Release Date:

15 March 2002 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Family

Tagline:

Together they surprised America and made history.

Plot:

In the 1960s a young woman works at NASA as an animal trainer responsible for the chimpanzee who will go into space. |

Plot Keywords:

NASA | Chimpanzee | Space | Independent Film

Awards:

3 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

James Woods	...	Dr. Wilhelm von Huber
Annabeth Gish	...	Dr. Donni McGuinness
Alex D. Linz	...	Wilhelm 'Billy' von Huber
Wesley Mann	...	Rudolph
Patrick Richwood	...	Dieter
William Devane	...	Roger Thornhill
Mark Moses	...	Alan Shepard
William Atherton	...	Ralph Stanton
Michael Tylo	...	Guidance Technician
Scott Thompson Baker	...	Telemetry Technician
Michael Jeffrey Woods	...	Dexterity Technician
T.J. Beacom	...	Ed the Bully
James Benson	...	Gertz
Jack McGee	...	Fielding
Marc Kittay	...	Rat Patrol #1
Denae Adams	...	Stephanie
Pam Baumann	...	Teacher Mrs. Gallagher
Tim Goodwin	...	Principal Turner
John O'Hurley	...	Barnett, PR Official
Jim Wise	...	Air Policeman
Barry Corbin	...	Earl Vestal
Brendan O'Brien	...	Centrifuge Technician
Barry James	...	Guard #1
John H. Johnson	...	Class Technician
Jason Savage	...	NASA Guard in School
Richard Steven Horvitz	...	Keith (as Richard Horvitz)
John Nielsen	...	Science Reporter (as John Neilsen)
Tom Dugan	...	Reporter #2
Patrick Ecclesine	...	Vet Technician
Kristian Truelsen	...	Baldy
Christopher Doyle	...	Chopper Pilot (as Chris Doyle)
Joanie Fagan	...	Mother on Beach (as Joan Fagan)
Holland Hayes	...	Deporter
Ben Rawnsley	...	News Anchor
Tom Stearns	...	OSI Agent (as Tom I. Stearns)
Kim Morgan Greene	...	Thornhill Assistant
Dawn Ferry	...	Sergeant
Austin Schwarz	...	Little Kid (as Austin Joseph Schwartz)
Robin McWilliams	...	Mrs. von Huber
Tony Jay	...	Narrator
Michael Bell	...	Chimp Sounds
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Craig Borden	...	NASA Official (uncredited)
Kevin McGuire	...	News Reporter (uncredited)
Michael S. Nunez	...	News Reporter (uncredited)

Directed by
Sean McNamara

Writing credits (WGA)
Eric Gardner		(written by) &
Steven H. Wilson		(written by)

Produced by
David Brookwell	....	producer
Glenn Greene	....	executive producer
Glenn Greene	....	producer
Gregory Hobson	....	associate producer
Peter Lambert	....	executive producer
Al Lapin Jr.	....	executive producer
Elsa Lind	....	co-producer
JoAnn May-Pavey	....	line producer (as Jo Ann May-Pavey)
Sean McNamara	....	producer
Karen R. Sachs	....	line producer: additional photography
Neil P. White	....	executive producer

Original Music by
John Coda

Cinematography by
Christian Sebaldt		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Gregory Hobson

Casting by
Sarah Dalton		(as Sarah Dalton Donlan)
Joey Paul

Production Design by
Dawn R. Ferry		(as Dawn Ferry)

Set Decoration by
Deborah Toms

Costume Design by
Kristin M. Burke

Makeup Department
Andre Blaise	....	hair stylist: James Woods
Cindy S. Holloway	....	assistant hair stylist
John E. Jackson	....	special makeup assistant (as John Jackson)
Paula Kelly	....	makeup artist: James Woods
Robin McWilliams	....	key hair stylist
Matthew W. Mungle	....	special aging prosthetics
Kelly Sturges	....	assistant makeup artist
Karen Toole-Rentrop	....	key makeup artist (as Karen D. Toole)
Teresa Vest	....	makeup artist

Production Management
David Brookwell	....	unit production manager
Gregory Hobson	....	post-production supervisor
JoAnn May-Pavey	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Casey Lynn De Stefano	....	second unit director
Annette Hobday	....	second assistant director: additional photography (as Annette M. Hawley)
Jeffrey F. January	....	first assistant director
Ross Novie	....	first assistant director: additional photography
Aaron Penn	....	second second assistant director
David Rimer	....	second assistant director

Art Department
William R. Bricker	....	propmaker
David Bruce	....	set dresser
James Buxton	....	construction foreman: additional photography
Ivan Cat	....	storyboard artist
Eric V. Clemons	....	lead man
Randall S. Coe	....	construction coordinator
Vern Crofoot	....	assistant property master
Veronica Crowley	....	on-set dresser
Chris Dechert	....	assistant property master
Chris Dechert	....	property master: additional photography
David Delvalle	....	lead man
James Gorman	....	art department shopper
Dan Haberkorn	....	art director: second unit
Richard Harkness	....	set dresser
Derek Hughes	....	set dresser
Mark Knightley	....	construction coordinator: additional photography
Robin L. Kolb	....	construction foreman: additional photography
Lee Lazarow	....	property master
Charles Lewis	....	prop assistant
Charles Lippross	....	model rocket maker
Sandra Mitchell	....	set dresser
Malcolm Moorman	....	lead scenic artist
John Ogonoski	....	propmaker
Troy Palmer-Hughes	....	production design supervisor: WonderWorks
Christopher Scheetz	....	propmaker (as Chris Scheetz)
Joseph E. Stone	....	lead man
Chad Vachter	....	swing gang
Robert Kelly Wagner	....	swing gang
Ron Wells	....	propmaker (as Ronald Wells)

Sound Department
Mark F. Dennett	....	boom operator
Mary Jo Devenney	....	sound
Jed M. Dodge	....	adr supervisor
Matt Dubin	....	digital transfer engineer
Lisle Engle	....	supervising sound editor (as Lisle Houston Engle)
Alan Freedman	....	adr mixer
Robert Getty	....	adr editor
Robert Getty	....	dialogue editor
Patrick Giraudi	....	sound re-recording mixer
David Grant	....	dialogue editor
George Haddad	....	sound re-recording mixer
Michael Hamm	....	stereo sound consultant: Dolby
Michael Hertlein	....	dialogue editor
Chato Hill	....	assistant sound editor
David Irish	....	digital transfer engineer
Craig Jurkiewicz	....	foley editor
Derek Marcil	....	sound re-recording mixer
Diane Marshall	....	foley artist
Anne Slack	....	sound effects editor
Alec St. John	....	sound effects editor
Lucy Sustar	....	foley mixer
James Thornton	....	sound editor: second unit (as Jim Thornton)
Jerry Trent	....	foley artist
Johanna Turner	....	sound effects editor

Special Effects by
John Palmer	....	project supervisor: WonderWorks

Visual Effects by
John Anderson	....	composite artist
Franklin Cofod	....	line-up
Clay Dale	....	CG artist: Pixel Magic
Victor DiMichina	....	digital imaging supervisor
Roy Erickson	....	systems administrator: Pixel Magic
Kevin Fisher	....	scanning and recording: Pixel Magic
Patrick Flanagan	....	digital artist
Tyler Foell	....	compositing supervisor
Jim Gorman	....	CG artist: Pixel Magic
Nate Haggard	....	composite artist
Mike Hardison	....	CG supervisor: Pixel Magic
Andrew Harlow	....	digital modeling artist: Pixel Magic
David Hibsher	....	digital modeling artist: Pixel Magic
Kevin E. Kish	....	model supervisor
George Macri	....	software development: Pixel Magic
Ray McIntyre Jr.	....	visual effects supervisor (as Raymond McIntyre Jr.)
Karla McIntyre	....	visual effects coordinator
Patrick Murphy	....	digital compositor: Pixel Magic
Brick Price	....	visual effects director
Eamonn Price	....	model maker
Tim Pyle	....	CG artist: Pixel Magic
Josh Saeta	....	composite artist
Ray Scalice	....	digital operations manager
Geordie Spradling	....	composite artist
Juan Carlos Vargas	....	visual effects (as Juan Vargas)
Todd Vaziri	....	digital artist: OCS/Freeze Frame/Pixel Magic

Stunts
Ron Althoff	....	utility stunts
Christopher Doyle	....	stunt coordinator (as Chris Doyle)
Kurt D. Lott	....	utility stunts (as Kurt Lott)
Cody Weselis	....	stunt double: Billy
Jack West	....	utility stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Tarin Anderson	....	camera loader
Jason Behnke	....	electrician
Andre Blaise	....	still photographer
Larry Bradshaw	....	electrician: second unit
Ken Caballero	....	company grip: second unit
Ben Caldwell	....	electrician: additional photography
Rafiel Chait	....	second assistant camera
Chris Cobb	....	second assistant camera: additional photography (as Christian Cobb)
Jessica Counts	....	grip intern
Rick Davidson	....	Steadicam operator
Alfredo Denila	....	key grip: second unit (as Alfredo S. Denila III)
Cheyenne De Young	....	grip intern
Mark Doering-Powell	....	director of photography: second unit
Frank Esposito	....	electrician
Rocky W. Ford	....	key grip
Matt Frederick	....	second assistant camera: second unit (as Matthew S. Frederick)
Eric Gates	....	electrician
Rick Hopper	....	best boy electric
Jody Hutchins	....	key grip: additional photography
Paul Janossy	....	first assistant camera
Joseph Jennings	....	best boy grip: additional photography
Erik Kasson	....	electrician: additional photography
Doug Lasater	....	best boy grip
Luke Leonard	....	company grip: second unit
Jamie Lind	....	company grip
Michael Lowrance	....	electrician
Brandon Mastrippolito	....	first assistant camera: additional photography
Bradley McCollum	....	company grip
Greg McEachen	....	best boy electric: additional photography (as Gregory E. McEachen)
Meggins Moore	....	second assistant camera: additional photography
Keith Morgan	....	gaffer
Daniel Moyer	....	gaffer: second unit
John Muliler	....	electrician (as John E. Mulier)
Thomas Mumme	....	grip
Irene Pak	....	second assistant camera: additional photography
John Palato	....	grip
Stephen Raybourn	....	electrician (as Stephen V. Raybourn)
Paul Reyes	....	dolly grip: additional photography
Le Richardson	....	grip
Joe Romeo	....	electrician: additional photography
Kyle Rooney	....	company grip: second unit
Wayne E. Smith	....	company grip: additional photography (as Wayne Smith)
Aaron Steffens	....	electrician
Danny Stephens	....	dolly grip
Jeffrey W. Stitzel	....	electrician: second unit
Larry Sushinski	....	electrician: additional photography
Robert Truitt	....	first assistant camera: second unit

Casting Department
Erik Aude	....	background casting assistant
Sherry Aude	....	background casting: EAFB CA/Kennedy Space Center Florida
Jennifer Keith	....	background casting assistant
Niner Parikh	....	casting assistant
Ron Roggé	....	casting assistant (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Kathy Bird	....	additional costumer (as Kathryn Bird)
John Patrick Doyle	....	dresser: Mr. Woods
Victoria Gies	....	additional costumer
Kara Owens	....	costume supervisor
Marcus Zakrzewski	....	costumer

Editorial Department
Armand Garabidian	....	post-production coordinator
David Palomares	....	negative cutter
Elizabeth Rufenacht	....	first assistant editor
Stephen R. Sheridan	....	color timer (as Steve Sheridan)
Rick Weis	....	montage editor

Music Department
Richard Bowers	....	composer: additional music
Amin Emam	....	music supervisor
Tim Kelly	....	composer: additional music

Transportation Department
Ed Adams	....	driver
Curt Larson	....	transportation captain
Michael Locke	....	transportation coordinator
Arthur Payne	....	picture car coordinator
Manuel Ruiz	....	driver

Other crew
David Abbitt	....	post-production accountant
Noah Arntson	....	production assistant: additional photography
Heather Ashleigh	....	super looping
Craig Borden	....	set production assistant
Brenda Bramblette	....	stand-in
Andy Brown	....	production assistant
Darren Buck	....	stand-in
Fernando Celis	....	animal trainer
Jason Chapron	....	production assistant: additional photography
Kerry Chee	....	assistant: Mr. McNamara
Joe Curry	....	office production assistant
Nancy Dahl	....	office production assistant
Christina Dierkson	....	stand-in
Chris Edrington	....	animal trainer
Eric Fierstein	....	location manager: Los Angeles
Tom Giannazzo	....	military advisor
Helen Gilmur	....	office production assistant
Gina Grant	....	office production assistant
Luis R. Guzman III	....	office production assistant
Ri-Karlo Handy	....	office production assistant
Todd Hilyard	....	set production assistant
Jovan Hodge	....	production assistant: additional photography
Lindsay Hudson	....	craft service
Kevin Keith	....	animal trainer
Desiree Killian	....	production accountant
Dan Lichtenstein	....	assistant: Mr. Woods
Dan Lichtenstein	....	production assistant
Ruby Lopez	....	assistant: Mr. Brookwell
Daniel Oestreich	....	stand-in
Tasha Oldham	....	script supervisor
Derek Olsen	....	production assistant: additional photography
Charlotte Pai	....	travel coordinator
Barry L. Reed	....	stand-in
Ed Roach	....	production assistant
Karen R. Sachs	....	production coordinator
Denise Sanders	....	animal trainer
Jason Savage	....	location manager
Renelouise Smith	....	set production assistant
Peggy Snow	....	assistant: Mr. Lambert
Jacque Speights	....	stand-in
Aaron Walters	....	key set production assistant
Scott Westgard	....	production coordinator
Sandra Woodward	....	office production assistant

Production Companies

• Brookwell-McNamara Entertainment
• Century Entertainment
• Telepool

Distributors

• Lions Gate Films (2002) (USA) (theatrical)
• Lolistar (2001) (France) (theatrical)
• Bridge Entertainment Group (2002) (Netherlands) (DVD) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video
• Lions Gate Films Home Entertainment (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• VCL Communications (200?) (Germany) (DVD)

Special Effects

• OCS/Freeze Frame/Pixel Magic
• Wonderworks (visual effects)

Other Companies

• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera cranes
• Cinerep International  generator
• Digital Sound and Picture  post-production sound
• Entertainment Post  video dailies
• In Frame Inc.  negative cutting
• J.L. Fisher  camera dollies
• Leonetti Company  production equipment
• Otto Nemenz International  camera equipment provided by
• RPG Productions  negative cutting

Also Known As:

Race to Space - Mission ins Unbekannte (Germany) (TV title)

MPAA:

Rated PG for some language and peril.

Runtime:

104 min

Country:

Germany | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Australia:G | France:U | Germany:6 | USA:PG | Italy:T

Filming Locations:

Cape Canaveral Air Station, Cape Canaveral, Florida, USA

Company:

Brookwell-McNamara Entertainment

Trivia:

The character Roger Thornhill (played by William Devane) is clearly a reference to Cary Grant's character, Roger O. Thornhill in Alfred Hitchcock's North by Northwest (1959).

Goofs:

Errors in geography: Although set in Cocoa Beach, Florida, Billy's jet ride with Alan Shepard lands at what is clearly Edwards Air Force base in California. There are no mountains in Florida, yet the air strip background clearly shows a Mojave mountain range.

Good family movie, worth a look

I happened to catch this movie recently on satellite TV here in the U.k quite by accident,and after watching had to order the DVD as an R1 import,(it's not on release here) after initial thoughts of "oh no not another sentimental Kid bonds with animal & mix in a bit of history" the kind of thing that's usually relegated to Saturday morning kid's TV, I found this to be a throughly enjoyable viewing experience, OK the story is a bit thin at times and there are the usual well used character types and plots but it is well acted. Alex D Linz gave his character Billy a good blend of compassion and emotion with what was obviously a genuine bonding with the chimp. This movies doesn't have quite the same quality edge as The Dish which has entered the list as one of my all time favorite movies (I'm not sad really!!) but Race to Space is easy viewing, sit back, enjoy and escape from the horrors of real life for a couple of hours, give it a look there are far worse movies than this out there.