Home
search
more | tips
IMDb > Cecil B. DeMented (2000)
Cecil B. DeMented
Quicklinks
Top Links
trailers and videosfull cast and crewtriviaofficial sitesmemorable quotes
Overview
main detailscombined detailsfull cast and crewcompany creditstv schedule
Awards & Reviews
user commentsexternal reviewsnewsgroup reviewsawardsuser ratingsparents guiderecommendationsmessage board
Plot & Quotes
plot summaryplot synopsisplot keywordsAmazon.com summarymemorable quotes
Fun Stuff
triviagoofssoundtrack listingcrazy creditsalternate versionsmovie connectionsFAQ
Other Info
merchandising linksbox office/businessrelease datesfilming locationstechnical specslaserdisc detailsDVD detailsliterature listingsNewsDesk
Promotional
taglines trailers and videos posters photo gallery
External Links
showtimesofficial sitesmiscellaneousphotographssound clipsvideo clips

Cecil B. DeMented (2000) More at IMDbPro »

Photos (see all 27 | slideshow) Videos
Cecil B. DeMented (2000) -- Theatrical Preview

Overview

User Rating:
5.9/10   6,964 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 3% in popularity this week. See rank & trends on IMDbPro.
Director:
John Waters
Writer (WGA):
John Waters (written by)
Contact:
View company contact information for Cecil B. DeMented on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
2 August 2000 (France) more
Genre:
Comedy more
Tagline:
Demented forever! more
Plot:
An insane independent film director and his renegade group of teenage filmmakers kidnap an A-list Hollywood actress and force her to star in their underground film. full summary | add synopsis
Awards:
1 nomination more
NewsDesk:
(3 articles)
John Waters Puzzled By Versace Death
 (From WENN. 19 December 2000)

John Waters Raves About Griffith
 (From WENN. 28 November 2000)

User Comments:
A wildly satirical look at mainstream and underground cinema more

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Melanie Griffith ... Honey Whitlock

Stephen Dorff ... Cecil

Alicia Witt ... Cherish

Adrian Grenier ... Lyle

Larry Gilliard Jr. ... Lewis

Maggie Gyllenhaal ... Raven

Jack Noseworthy ... Rodney
Mink Stole ... Mrs. Sylvia Mallory
Ricki Lake ... Libby
Patricia Hearst ... Fidget's Mom

Michael Shannon ... Petie (as Mike Shannon)

Kevin Nealon ... Himself

Eric Barry ... Fidget (as Eric M. Barry)
Zenzele Uzoma ... Chardonnay
Erika Lynn Rupli ... Pam
more
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

Also Known As:
Cecil B. Demented (France)
more
MPAA:
Rated R for strong crude sexual content, violence, language and drug use.
Runtime:
87 min
Country:
France | USA
Language:
English
Color:
Color
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Dolby Digital
Filming Locations:
Baltimore, Maryland, USA

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
The kidnapping of Honey Whitlock, who later joins her kidnappers' cause, is similar to the real-life story of how Patricia Hearst was kidnapped by, and later joined, The Symbionese Liberation Army, in the 1970s. Hearst appears in the movie and has appeared in all of John Waters's movies since Cry-Baby (1990). more
Goofs:
Continuity: A moment before Cecil licks the movie camera, the word "Panavision" can clearly be seen above the "Panaflex" logo that he licks. When it cuts to the close-up of him licking the "Panaflex" logo, the "Panavision" logo is covered with a blank plate that matches the color of the camera. In the next clear shot of the camera, the "Panavision" logo is back and the "Panaflex" logo is covered in black. more
Quotes:
Fidget: Hey, hey MPAA, how many movies have you censored today? more
Soundtrack:
Demented Forever more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
8 out of 12 people found the following comment useful:-
A wildly satirical look at mainstream and underground cinema, 30 April 2001
7/10
Author: mattymatt4ever from Jersey City, NJ

I haven't seen enough John Waters movies to make a comparison to this one, so I can't tell if this was his most impressive work or not. But impressive, it is. I can see that Waters has a keen eye for satire. He does a fine job at mocking both underground and mainstream cinema, without being too exaggerated. He never goes over the top. Some of the scenes may be a little less than satisfying, the comedy may sag at times and there are very few actual "laugh out loud" gags--but at least Waters doesn't overdo the comedy to the point where it's sickening. Sure, he has a quirky sense of style that doesn't have a worldwide appeal. There is a scene in the movie involving a porn star and a gerbil (use your imagination). However, what Waters has is edge with taste. None of this mindless, gross-out crap we often spot in recent years; his stuff has intelligence.

What's great about this movie is its sense of irony. Stephen Dorff is perfectly cast as the emotionless, soul-less cult director Cecil B. Demented. The great thing about his performance--and Waters mentions this too--is he blurts out the most blatant, silly ideas and he totally plays it straight. He's serious about his cinematic deeds, no matter how far-fetched and stupid they sound. The movie is full of quirky characters. One quote that I will always remember is by Adrian Greenier, who plays the bong-toking crew member, when he's talking to Melanie Griffith's character. He offers her a hit from his crackpipe. She refuses, and he tells her, "I used to have all sorts of problems. Now it's just drugs. It's given my life a real focus!"

The climax is pretty...well...snappy. Unique but snappy. And I think Waters could've come up with something better. I don't know what, I just felt it was missing something.

"Cecil B. Demented" is wild, original and often funny. And after seeing this movie, I'm anxious to check out Waters' earlier work. On the DVD, there is a pretty good commentary by the director. He rambles on at times, but it's often pretty insightful. It's also interesting to find out "There is no extra in a John Waters movie." He incorporates the same cast members into every one of his movies.

My score: 7 (out of 10)

Was the above comment useful to you?
more

Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Cecil B. DeMented (2000)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Best quote ever leelacat
WORST John Walters movie ever... sloanrules
Demented Forever! missgoddess85
FUNNIEST part for me.. newhousefaucet
scene selection on dvd Lips98
That was a pretty mediocre movie whomever23
more

Recommendations

If you enjoyed this title, our database also recommends:
- - - - -
Pink Flamingos Pineapple Express Live Free or Die Hard Manhunter Bad Boys II
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
Show more recommendations

Related Links

Full cast and crew Company credits External reviews
News articles IMDb Comedy section IMDb France section
Add this title to MyMovies

You may report errors and omissions on this page to the IMDb database managers. They will be examined and if approved will be included in a future update. Clicking the 'Update' button will take you through a step-by-step process.