The Body (2001)

User Rating:

5.3/10   

Director:

Jonas McCord

Writers (WGA):

Richard Sapir (novel)
Jonas McCord (screenplay)

Release Date:

5 January 2001 (Spain)

Genre:

Drama | Romance | Thriller

Tagline:

Chaos, unearthed.

Plot:

A crucified body dated back to the 1st century A.D is uncovered at an ancient cave in Jerusalem. Trouble ensues as word spreads.

Plot Keywords:

Jerusalem | Cave | Tomb | Skull | Helicopter

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Antonio Banderas	...	Father Matt Gutierrez
Olivia Williams	...	Sharon Golban
John Shrapnel	...	Moshe Cohen
Derek Jacobi	...	Father Lavelle
Jason Flemyng	...	Father Walter Winstead
Lillian Lux	...	Mother
John Wood	...	Cardinal Pesci
Makram Khoury	...	Nasir Hamid (as Makram J. Khoury)
Vernon Dobtcheff	...	Monsignor
Ian McNeice	...	Dr. Sproul
Mohammed Bakri	...	Abu Yusef (as Muhamed Bakri)
Yoav Dekelbaum	...	Avi (as Yoav Deckelbaum)
Sami Samir	...	Achmed
Jordan Licht	...	Dorene
Limor Goldstein	...	Galic
Ariel Horowitz	...	Reb Nechtal (as Ariel Horovitz)
Roi Horowitz	...	Zalman (as Roi Horovitz)
Shai Sharabi	...	Street Urchin
Lillian Lax	...	Mrs. Kahn
Arieh Elias	...	Hamid's Father (as Arye Elias)
Sivan Shwartz	...	Mark
Gilad Bergman	...	Rani
Halima Abu Aguva	...	Jasmine
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
John Glover	...	Jesus Christ Street Actor

Directed by
Jonas McCord

Writing credits (WGA)
Richard Sapir		(novel) (as Richard Ben Sapir)
Jonas McCord		(screenplay)

Produced by
Rudy Cohen	....	producer
Mark Damon	....	executive producer
Limor Diamant	....	associate producer
Moshe Diamant	....	executive producer
Diane Isaacs	....	executive producer (as Diane Sillan Isaacs)
Nathalie Kassirer	....	assistant producer
Werner Koenig	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Serge Colbert

Cinematography by
Vilmos Zsigmond

Film Editing by
Alain Jakubowicz
Lesley Walker

Casting by
Illana Diamant
Celestia Fox

Production Design by
Allan Starski

Art Direction by
Nenad Pecur
Giora Porter

Set Decoration by
William A. Cimino
Miguel Markin

Costume Design by
Caroline Harris

Makeup Department
Frances Hannon	....	makeup artist
Lisa Tomblin	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Eitan Alon	....	unit production manager
Limor Diamant	....	unit production manager
Victoria Lucas	....	production supervisor
James Portolese	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Zvi Bebera	....	assistant director
Serena Canevari	....	third assistant director
Simone Frattari	....	assistant director: Rome
Nick Heckstall-Smith	....	first assistant director
Tamar Ichilov	....	second assistant director
Itai Tamir	....	first assistant director: Israel
Lori Zaitz	....	assistant director

Art Department
Robyn Glaser	....	assistant property master
Boaz Katzenelson	....	property master
Antonio Murer	....	props
Antonio Murer	....	stand-by props
Sebastiano Murer	....	dressing props: italy

Sound Department
Jonathan Bates	....	supervising sound editor
Mark DeSimone	....	adr mixer
Craig Irving	....	sound re-recording mixer
Yohai Moshe	....	sound mixer
Alastair Sirkett	....	assistant sound editor

Special Effects by
Pini Klavir	....	special effects supervisor

Visual Effects by
Angus Cameron	....	digital effects supervisor
Daniel Pettipher	....	digital compositor

Stunts
Patrick Cauderlier	....	stunt coordinator
Yan Dron	....	stunts
Itzik Farage	....	stunt coordinator
Max Garnier	....	stunts
Gilley Grey	....	stunt double
Vick Hakman	....	stunts
Rémy Julienne	....	stunts
Dino Dos Santos	....	stunt double (uncredited)
Bradley Farmer	....	stunt driving double: Antonio Banderas (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Ehab Assal	....	focus puller: second camera
Stanislao Galasso	....	electrician: Italy
Alessandro Gentili	....	assistant camera
Gili Getter	....	pre-rig gaffer
Nimi Getter	....	gaffer
Bob Gorelick	....	camera operator (as Bob Gorelick)
Emanuele Leurini	....	camera loader: Italy
Ofer Margolin	....	electrician (as Antaro Ofer Margolin)
Tony Nagy	....	focus puller
Tami Porath	....	still photographer
Shimon Sabach	....	key grip
Yehuda Sar-Israel	....	camera loader
Moshe Shabbat	....	best boy grip
Alberto Torrecilla	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera, Italy
Gaby Weismann	....	second assistant camera

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Katherine Burchill	....	assistant costume designer (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Tania Blunden	....	post-production (as Tania Windsor Blunden)
Claire Ferguson	....	assistant editor
Nadia Naimi	....	first assistant editor
Melissa Wegman	....	Bond Co. Post Superviser

Music Department
Leland Bond	....	orchestrator
David Snell	....	conductor

Transportation Department
Eli Ben Zer	....	driver
Avi Cohen	....	driver

Other crew
Elisabetta Bartolomei	....	production coordinator: Italy
Noa Ben David	....	production coordinator
Osnat Bukoftzer	....	unit publicist
Joy Ellison	....	dialect coach: Mr. Banderas
Malle Jensen	....	assistant: Mr. Banderas
Ami Mammi	....	stand-in: Mr. Banderas
Ran Moncaz	....	runner
Mandy Morris	....	production coordinator
Jonathan Sela	....	assistant: Vilmos Zsigmond
Michael Alan Signer	....	unit publicist
Maya Yagen	....	stand-in: Ms. Williams

Thanks
Lourdes Diaz	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Avalanche Films
• Compass Productions
• Diamant Cohen Productions
• Green Moon Productions
• Helkon Media AG
• MDP Worldwide

Distributors

• Avalanche Releasing (USA)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video
• Distribution Company (Argentina)
• Egmont Entertainment (2001) (Finland) (video)
• Helkon Filmverleih GmbH (Germany)
• Herald Film Company (Japan)
• Hollydan Works (2003) (Serbia) (DVD)
• Italian International Film
• Lions Gate Films
• New Films International
• SND
• TriPictures (Spain)
• TriStar Pictures

Other Companies

• Angel Recording Studios  score recording facility
• Bates, Wells & Braithwaite  production counsel
• Cerruti  Antonio Banderas' clothing
• Comerica Bank of California  production financing
• Corporate Risk Management Inc.  insurance
• E T Travel  transporatation
• Edit Hire (New Technology) Ltd.  editing equipment
• FTS London  lighting
• Factor 8 Films  production financing
• La Riviera  catering
• Lewis Horwitz Organization, The  production financing
• London Symphony Orchestra, The (LSO)  orchestra
• Malde & Co.  production accounting
• Maoz 4 Cargo  customs broker
• Mill Films (I)  titles
• Modern VideoFilm  video mastering
• Motion Picture Bond Company, The  bond
• Negative Cutting Services  negative cutting
• Propaganda  product placement
• Rotenstreich Gitzelter Advocates  production counsel
• Sargent Disc  post-production accounting
• Stroock & Stroock & Lavan  production counsel (as Stroock, Stroock & Lavan LLP)
• Sylvia Wheeler Film Services  negative cutting
• Take II  extras casting
• Telefilm Video Services  telecine
• Twickenham Film Studios  sound post-production

Also Known As:

Das geheimnisvolle Grab (Germany)
The Body - Das geheimnisvolle Grab (Germany) (TV title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for some violent sequences and brief language.

Runtime:

109 min

Country:

USA | Israel | Germany

Language:

English | Arabic | Hebrew

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:PG-13 (certificate #35768) | Finland:K-15 | South Korea:15 | Netherlands:12 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | France:U | Germany:12 | Spain:13 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | UK:12 | Iceland:12

Filming Locations:

Israel

Company:

Avalanche Films

Goofs:

Factual errors: The first time, Matt Guttierez enters the tomb, he tells Sharon Golban the references of the narratives of the resurrection in the Gospel : "Matthew 27, Mark 15 and Luke 23". Actually, they are read in Matthew 28, Mark 16 and Luke 24.

Quotes:

Moshe Cohen: When the Vatican recognizes an undivided Jerusalem as the capital, the bones will be released.

A flawed picture, but like a flawed diamond still shines asbright.

What ever sins the makers of this film may have purportrated with a misleading trailer and extraneous action scenes to attract an audience must be forgiven in light of the theme they have so clearly stated... "God Has No Place In Politics". If an artists duty is to hold up a mirror to mankind in order for him to see himself in a true light, than the filmakers have done their job well. One need only to turn on CNN to see what pawns lawmakers and religious leaders will sacrifice in order to further their earthly agendas. That Jerusalem is the pawn in "The Body", and in the nightly news makes this film even more relevant than it could have ever been intended to be by its creators. That it waxes and wanes between action, thriller, and serious drama can only be attributed to the hands of those willing to manipulate the price of a ticket out of our pockets. If that is the case, than so be it, because unlike most of the popcorn movies of today, the body has something to say. And flawed, or perfect, it says it loud and clear. From the terrorist bombings in the streets of Jerusalem, to Antonio Banderas' brave portrayal of a priest who loses his faith. "God Has No Place In Politics", a noble theme for a movie, and a warning for the years to come -- from Belfast to Jerusalem.