Joy Ride (2001)

Director:

John Dahl

Writers (WGA):

Clay Tarver (written by) &
J.J. Abrams (written by)

Release Date:

5 October 2001 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

Don't screw with people you don't know (UK)

Plot:

Three young people on a road trip from Colorado to New Jersey talk to a trucker on their CB radio, then must escape when he turns out to be a psychotic killer.

Plot Keywords:

Truck | College | Truck Driver | Jail | College Student

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Steve Zahn	...	Fuller Thomas
Paul Walker	...	Lewis Thomas
Leelee Sobieski	...	Venna
Jessica Bowman	...	Charlotte
Stuart Stone	...	Danny, Lewis' Roommate
Basil Wallace	...	Car Salesman
Brian Leckner	...	Officer Keeney
Mary Wickliffe	...	Salt Lake City Police Desk Clerk
McKenzie Satterthwaite	...	Assistant Salt Lake City Police Desk Clerk
Dell Yount	...	Gas Station Mechanic
Kenneth White	...	Ronald Ellinghouse
Luis Cortés	...	Night Manager (as Luis Cortes)
Michael McCleery	...	Officer Akins
Jim Beaver	...	Sheriff Ritter
Rachel Singer	...	Gas Station Manager
Satch Huizenga	...	Ice Truck Man
Terry Leonard	...	Bartender
James MacDonald	...	Local in Nebraska Bar
Gwenda Deacon	...	Truck Stop Waitress
Robert Winley	...	Truck Stop Manager
Ali Gage	...	Waitress
Jack Moore	...	Hotwire Consultant
Hugh Dane	...	Man at Door
Lee Stepp	...	Traveling Salesman
Jay Hernandez	...	Marine
Huey Redwine	...	Policeman #1
John Maynard	...	Policeman #2
Peter Weireter	...	Policeman #3
Tim Cooney	...	Voice Actor (voice)
Sheryl Giffis	...	Voice Actor (voice)
Pamela Senatore	...	Voice Actor (voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Chris Cummins	...	Deputy (uncredited)
Walton Goggins	...	Police Officer (DVD additional footage) (uncredited)
Matthew Kimbrough	...	Rusty Nail (uncredited)
Ted Levine	...	Rusty Nail (voice) (uncredited)
Anna Malle	...	Porn Actress on Cable TV (uncredited)
Chuck Murphy	...	Medic (uncredited)
Patrick Robert Smith	...	Police Officer (uncredited)
Vern Urich	...	Officer Alexander (uncredited)
Brien Varady	...	Paramedic (DVD additional footage) (uncredited)

Directed by
John Dahl

Writing credits (WGA)
Clay Tarver		(written by) &
J.J. Abrams		(written by)

Produced by
J.J. Abrams	....	producer
Jeffrey Downer	....	executive producer: additional photography
Bridget Johnson	....	executive producer
Patrick Markey	....	executive producer
W. Mark McNair	....	associate producer
Arnon Milchan	....	executive producer
Chris Moore	....	producer

Original Music by
Marco Beltrami

Cinematography by
Jeff Jur		(director of photography) (as Jeffrey Jur)

Film Editing by
Eric L. Beason
Scott Chestnut
Todd E. Miller
Glen Scantlebury

Casting by
Mali Finn
Emily Schweber

Production Design by
Robert Pearson		(as Rob Pearson)

Art Direction by
Michael Rizzo

Set Decoration by
Beth DeSort		(as Beth De Sort)

Costume Design by
Terry Dresbach

Makeup Department
Kelly M. Beatty	....	special makeup effects artist (as Kelly Beatty)
Roxy D'Alonzo	....	assistant makeup artist
Shawn McKay	....	hair styles supervisor
Leslie Ann Sebert	....	makeup supervisor (as Leslie A. Sebert)
Jennifer Turchi	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Danny Valencia	....	hair stylist (uncredited)

Production Management
Ralph Bertelle	....	production supervisor: Nevada
Eve Light Honthaner	....	production supervisor: New Regency
Patrick Markey	....	unit production manager
Jack L. Murray	....	production manager: additional photography

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Carla Brand Breitner	....	second assistant director: second unit
Marisa Ferrey	....	second second assistant director
Brian E. Frankish	....	first assistant director: second unit (as Brian Frankish)
Eric Heffron	....	first assistant director (as Eric N. Heffron)
Terry Leonard	....	second unit director (as Terry J. Leonard)
Richard Oswald	....	key second assistant director
Jeff Shiffman	....	second assistant director
Chip Touhey	....	second second assistant director: additional photography

Art Department
Deana Adkins	....	art department production assistant
Karen Agresti	....	set decorating buyer
Carl Aldana	....	storyboard artist
Jess Anscott	....	greens laborer
Robert J. Carlyle	....	construction coordinator: additional photography unit
Mike Combs	....	greensman (as Michael D. Combs)
Frank Cope	....	greens laborer
David A. Davidson	....	leadman (as David Alexander Davidson)
Marc Fisichella	....	production designer: additional scenes
Jimmy Flores	....	set construction foreman
Marc Gillson	....	paint foreman (as Marco Gillson)
Matt Golden	....	storyboard artist
Randal R. Groves	....	propmaker foreman
Dorit Hurst	....	set decorating buyer (as Dorit Oberman)
Wendy Jerde	....	scenic painter
George Karnoff	....	leadman: re-shoot
Richard Lambert	....	leadman
Dina Lipton	....	supervising art director: additional photography
Brian Markey	....	construction coordinator
Bryce Moore	....	assistant property master
Roy 'Bucky' Moore	....	property master
William V. Ryder	....	assistant art director
Saul Santell	....	art department assistant
Ramsey Smith	....	construction foreman
Harlan Spatz	....	buyer/dresser
Kenny Swenson	....	assistant property master
Troy Myers	....	set dresser: re-shoot (uncredited)

Sound Department
Keith Bilderbeck	....	sound editor
Trip Brock	....	dialogue editor
Tim Cooney	....	sound mixer
Tom Fox	....	utility sound: reshoots
Tim Gedemer	....	sound editor
Armond Ghzanian	....	assistant sound editor
William Jacobs	....	adr editor
Robert Janiger	....	sound mixer: reshoots
William H. Jeffs	....	cable person: Nevada
Brian W. Jennings	....	assistant sound editor (as Brian Jennings)
Jon Johnson	....	supervising sound editor
Val Kuklowsky	....	supervising adr editor
Samuel Lehmer	....	sound re-recording mixer
Jeffrey Perkins	....	supervising sound re-recording mixer
Miguel Rivera	....	sound designer
Miguel Rivera	....	supervising sound editor
Jackson Schwartz	....	foley mixer
George W. Scott	....	boom operator: re-shoots
Bill Shotland	....	boom operator
Christopher Sidor	....	sound recordist
Kevin K. Sorensen	....	cable person (as Kevin Sorensen)
Greg Steele	....	adr mixer
Edward M. Steidele	....	foley artist (as Ed Steidele)
Bruce Stubblefield	....	sound effects editor
Robert Troy	....	dialogue editor
Christina Tucker	....	adr mixer
Kerry Dean Williams	....	adr editor (as Kerry Williams)
Tanya F. Yarbrough	....	assistant sound editor (as Tanya Yarbrough)
Paul Drenning	....	adr mixer (uncredited)
Jeremy M. Gilleece	....	adr recordist (uncredited)
Cindy Jo Hinkleman	....	sound assistant (uncredited)
Tim Song Jones	....	utility sound technician: reshoots (uncredited)
Jackie Oster	....	assistant sound editor (uncredited)
John Rodd	....	additional mixing engineer (uncredited)
John Soukup	....	sound transfer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Chris Bailey	....	special effects technician
John Cluff	....	special effects technician
Scott Dwyer	....	special effects technician
John C. Hartigan	....	special effects: additional photography
Scott Inoue	....	special effects technician (as Scott Y. Inoue)
Matt Kutcher	....	special effects supervisor
Andrew J. Loprino	....	special effects technician
Rosario Reyes-Kutcher	....	special effects technician (as Rosario R. Reyes)
Ron Rosegard	....	special effects
Paul Stewart	....	special effects technician

Visual Effects by
Ken Dackermann	....	digital compositor
Martin Hall	....	compositor
Derek Ledbetter	....	visual effects
Matt Linder	....	3D effects animator (uncredited)
Jeff Wells	....	digital effects artist: Pacific Title Digital (uncredited)

Stunts
Tony Lee Boggs	....	stunt double: Fuller
Tony Lee Boggs	....	stunts (as Tony Boggs)
Dan Bradley	....	stunt coordinator: additional photography
Brian Burrows	....	stunts
Hal Burton	....	stunts
Phil Chong	....	stunts
Tom Elliott	....	stunt coordinator
Teri Garland	....	stunts
Tabby Hanson	....	stunts
Candy Hoskins	....	stunts
Kevin Johnson	....	stunts
Steven Lambert	....	stunts (as Steve Lambert)
Oakley Lehman	....	stunt double: Lewis
Oakley Lehman	....	stunts
Terry Leonard	....	stunt coordinator
Sam Maloof	....	stunts
Rick Miller	....	stunts
Dana Reed	....	stunts
Scott Rogers	....	stunts
Ben Scott	....	stunts
Stu Shiff	....	stunts
Peter Stader	....	stunts
Monica Staggs	....	stunt double: Venna
Monica Staggs	....	stunts
Jim Wilkey	....	stunts
Al Wyatt Jr.	....	stunts
Kevin N. Johnston	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Sean Anastasion	....	electrician
Jamie Anderson	....	director of photography: additional photography (as James M. Anderson)
James 'Slim Jim' Ballard	....	key grip: second unit
Thomas Bango	....	first assistant camera
Greg Banta	....	best boy electric
David Boyd	....	director of photography: second unit
Nelson A. Castillo	....	balloon technician
Stephen Collins	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Don Devine	....	camera operator
Ron Goodman	....	camera operator: SpaceCam
Matt Guiza	....	film loader
Jennifer Ann Henry	....	second assistant camera
J.D. Ligier	....	balloon light technician
David L. Merrill	....	key grip
David Morton	....	gaffer
Perry H. Patterson	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera
David 'D.R.' Rhineer	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera (as David Rhineer)
Greg Rhineer	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera
Shannon Van Metre	....	camera loader
Lance Jay Velazco	....	video assist operator
Merie Weismiller Wallace	....	still photographer
William D. Wynn	....	dolly grip
Bonnie S. Blake	....	additional camera operator: "b" camera (uncredited)
Richard Foreman Jr.	....	additional still photographer (uncredited)
Rory Robert Knepp	....	Steadicam operator (uncredited)
Rory Robert Knepp	....	additional camera operator (uncredited)
Brian Lataille	....	remote head technician (uncredited)
John T. Pouncey	....	second assistant camera: second unit (uncredited)
David D. Scott	....	video assist operator: second unit (uncredited)

Casting Department
Belinda Gardea	....	casting associate
Lindsey Hayes Kroeger	....	casting assistant (as Lindsey Hayes)
Alice Cassidy	....	additional special voice casting (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
John Doyle	....	key set costumer
Leslie Herman	....	wardrobe supervisor
Bega Metzner	....	set costumer
Fran Murphy	....	key costumer (2002)

Editorial Department
Gary Burritt	....	negative cutter
Paul Covington	....	assistant editor
Daniel Craven	....	first assistant editor
Patrick Gallagher	....	assistant editor: avid
Christein Goldstein	....	first assistant editor: additional editorial crew (as Christein M. Goldstein)
Bob McMillian	....	color timer
A. Michelle Page	....	assistant editor
James Schermerhorn	....	assistant editor
Mike Stanwick	....	color timer
Adrianna Valencia	....	post-production assistant
Sean Valla	....	first assistant editor

Music Department
Pete Anthony	....	conductor
Pete Anthony	....	orchestrator
Thomas Bartke	....	music transcriptor
Marco Beltrami	....	conductor
John Bissell	....	music supervisor
William Boston	....	orchestrator (as Bill Boston)
Julian Bratolyubov	....	music preparation
Johnny Caruso	....	music editor
M.B. Gordy	....	musician: Percussion
John Kurlander	....	scoring engineer
Yvonne McDonald	....	music coordinator
Chris McGeary	....	music editor
Tristin Norwell	....	music engineer
Tristin Norwell	....	music producer
Bryan Pezzone	....	musician: piano
John Rodd	....	orchestral scoring recordist
Buck Sanders	....	composer: additional music
Richard Stewart	....	assistant music editor
Ken Watson	....	orchestra contractor
Ceiri Torjussen	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Michael Allegro	....	production van driver operator
Charley Bob Burnham	....	transportation coordinator: additional photography
Denny Caira	....	transportation coordinator
Wallace Frick	....	transportation captain (as Wally Frick)
David Travis Grieb	....	grip and electric driver/swing
Mike Shannon	....	transportation captain
Raymond Michael Shannon	....	transportation captain
Lee Stepp	....	transportation captain
David Joseph	....	driver: production van (uncredited)

Other crew
Anita Boudreaux	....	second assistant accountant
Richard Bronskill	....	auricle operator
Carol Sue Byron	....	production accountant
Chris Cummins	....	set production assistant
Danielle Daly	....	assistant: Mr. Dahl
Scott Devereaux	....	key assistant location manager
Toni Embry	....	set publicist
Cindy Fields	....	assistant accountant
Cindy Byron Fields	....	second assistant accountant
Cliff Fleming	....	helicopter pilot
Stefan Frank	....	development executive
Gerry Ganger	....	SpaceCam technician
Tyler M. Hall	....	production assistant
Kevin Halloran	....	location manager: additional photography
Joshua T. Harris	....	office production assistant (as Joshua Harris)
Joe Hartwick Jr.	....	production accountant: re-shoots
Pam Jack	....	assistant location manager: Nevada (as Pamela Polhemus)
Jimi Johnson	....	production assistant
Jonas Juhlin	....	office production assistant
Jamie Kemp	....	chef
Lisa Kopp	....	assistant: Bridget Johnson
Stephen A. Marinaccio II	....	production coordinator (as Stephen 'Robo' Marinaccio II)
Michael Maxwell	....	caterer (as Mike Maxwell)
Morgan	....	script supervisor: second unit
Craig Nix	....	assistant crane operator: Technocrane
Meighan Offield	....	assistant: J.J. Abrams
Mistidawn Peterson	....	office production assistant (as Mistidawn N. Peterson)
LaTanya Potts	....	production secretary
Kei Rowan-Young	....	assistant location manager
Amanda Segel	....	assistant: Arnon Milchan
Ned R. Shapiro	....	location manager (as Ned Shapiro)
Tiffany Shine	....	assistant: Patrick Markey
Brad Shoemaker	....	general foreman
Deborah Simmrin	....	unit publicist
Marybeth Sprows	....	assistant: J.J. Abrams
Mike Staheli	....	unit medic
Gregg Stuart	....	second assistant accountant
Susan A. Sullivan	....	assistant production coordinator (as Susan Sullivan)
Kevin Sutherland	....	assistant: J.J. Abrams
Sheryl Swann	....	assistant: John Dahl
Brenda K. Wachel	....	script supervisor (as Brenda Wachel)
Tiffany Weston	....	office production assistant
Amanda White	....	assistant: Chris Moore
Marvin Williams	....	production assistant
Rich Winograd	....	SpaceCam operations coordinator
Paul O. Wright	....	craft service
Karen Yokomizo	....	first assistant accountant
Penny Brown	....	accounting assistant (uncredited)
Carole Fontana	....	location scout (uncredited)
Lee Steadman	....	location scout (uncredited)
Rick S. Sulier	....	assistant accountant (uncredited)
Carter Swan	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Ken Twohy	....	production assistant (uncredited)
James William Visconti III	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Jim Wheelan	....	craft service (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Regency Enterprises
• Epsilon Motion Pictures (in association with)
• New Regency Pictures
• Bad Robot
• LivePlanet

Distributors

• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation (2001) (USA) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox de Argentina (2001) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox of Germany (2001-2002) (Germany) (theatrical)
• FS Film Oy (2001) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Gemini Kinomir (2001) (Russia) (theatrical)
• Hispano Foxfilms S.A.E. (2002) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Medusa Distribuzione (2002) (Italy) (theatrical)
• UGC-Fox Distribution (UFD) (2002) (France) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (Brazil) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (Brazil) (VHS)
• British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) (2006) (UK) (TV) (BBC1)
• FS Film Oy (2002) (Finland) (DVD) (VHS)
• FS Film Oy (2010) (Finland) (DVD) (re-release in twinpack with Joy Ride: Dead Ahead)
• Fox Network (2005) (USA) (TV)
• Gativideo (Argentina) (VHS)
• Nelonen (2008) (Finland) (TV)
• PlazaVista Entertainment (2002) (Switzerland) (DVD) (as Medaria Home Entertainment)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment Germany (2002) (Germany) (DVD)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2002) (Netherlands) (DVD) (VHS)
• Veronica (2007) (Netherlands) (TV) (first national airing)

Special Effects

• Spectrum Effects

Other Companies

• Big Time Picture Company  post-production facilities provided by
• Bill Dance Casting  extras casting
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera cranes and dollies
• Direct Tools & Fasteners  expendables
• Eastman Kodak Company  film stock
• Entertainment & Motion Picture Lighting Rentals  lighting equipment
• Fury & Grace Digital  sound facilities
• J. Dolan Communications  projection equipment
• Musco Mobile Lighting Ltd.  musco lighting (as Musco Mobile Lighting)
• Newman Scoring Stage, Twentieth Century Fox Studios, The  score recording facilities
• Pacific Title and Art Studio  opticals
• Picture Mill, The  titles
• Puma Productions  special thanks
• Sound Satisfaction  foley recording facilities
• Spacecam Systems  Spacecam aerial camera system provided by
• Varèse Sarabande  soundtrack
• William F. White International  grip and lighting equipment

Also Known As:

"Road Kill" - Australia, New Zealand (English title), UK
"Never Play with Strangers" - Israel (English title)
"Road Killer" - Japan (English title)

MPAA:

Rated R for violence/terror and language

Runtime:

97 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | DTS

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Malaysia:18SG | USA:R (certificate #37763) | Singapore:NC-16 | Mexico:B | Argentina:13 | Australia:MA | Finland:K-15 | Germany:16 | Hungary:16 | Netherlands:16 | New Zealand:R16 | Norway:15 | Peru:14 | South Korea:18 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | Portugal:M/16

Filming Locations:

Arvin, California, USA

Company:

Regency Enterprises

Trivia:

Leelee Sobieski ended up filming two different romantic interludes, one with Steve Zahn and one with Paul Walker during the shooting and re-shooting of the film. Both scenes ended up getting cut.

Goofs:

Incorrectly regarded as goofs: When Venna emerges from the gas station with a hat for Lewis, she is wearing a new blue T-shirt that is long and bunches at the bottom. Later when they are in the bar, it shows Venna wearing the same T-shirt but noticeably shorter. In the commentary of the movie, Leelee Sobieski explains that she changed into a smaller shirt for the later scene.

Quotes:

Venna:How afraid should I be?
Fuller:More than usual.

Movie Connections:

References Black Christmas (1974)

Soundtrack:

Telephone Song

Wow!

An intense action/horror/thriller directed by John Dahl that stars Steve Zahn (Stuart Little 2, Sahara), Paul Walker (2 Fast 2 Furious, Into the Blue), and Leelee Sobieski (The Glass House, Eyes Wide Shut).

This movie is one of the most intense and most psychologically frightening movies ever made, that includes a shocking surprise ending. I'm surprised Wes Craven didn't direct this film, it would have been twice as scary. But John Dahl did a very good job. It is so freaky and so intensely strong that my heart kept racing. Each action/horror sequence kept eclipsing the last. Each thrill gets more thrilling and more shocking as time goes on. Joy Ride is a film everyone that's over the age of 12 will enjoy. I say 12 because it is extremely intense and there is some nasty violence in this film that might not be suitable for people under the age of 12.

Without giving too much away, I can only say never buy a crappy forty dollar C.B. and prank call anyone you don't know. Bad things could happen. And believe me, this guy is very dangerous and does not like to be messed with, little do Lewis (Walker) and Fuller (Zahn) Thomas, and Lewis's girlfriend, Venna (Sobieski) know. Mwahahahahahahahaha!

My tip...NEVER EVER PRANK SOMEBODY YOU DON'T KNOW! Joy Ride is a weirdly named title, and yet it isn't. I think it partly isn't because I can't think of a better name for it, so, yet, I think it's a pretty good title.

**** out of **** stars.

10/10

Original MPAA rating: R: Violence/Terror and Language

My MPAA rating: R: Intense Sequences of Violence and Terror, Strong Language, and Male Nudity.

My Canadian Rating: 14A: Violence, Frightening Scenes, Nudity