The Center of the World (2001)

Director:

Wayne Wang

Writers (WGA):

Wayne Wang (story) &
Miranda July (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

18 May 2001 (Italy)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Plot:

A couple checks into a suite in Las Vegas. In flashbacks we see that he's a computer whiz on the verge of becoming a dot.com millionaire...

Plot Keywords:

Dancer | Money | Flashback | Millionaire | Computer

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Shane Edelman	...	Porter
Peter Sarsgaard	...	Richard Longman
Molly Parker	...	Florence
Karry Brown	...	Lap Dancer
Alisha Klass	...	Pandora Stripper
Mel Gorham	...	Roxanne
Lisa Newlan	...	Porn Site Woman
Jason McCabe	...	Pete (as Jason Mccabe Calacanis)
Travis Miljan	...	Dog Owner
Jerry Sherman	...	Old Man
Carla Gugino	...	Jerri
Pat Morita	...	Taxi Driver
Balthazar Getty	...	Brian Pivano
Robert Lefkowitz	...	Motel Manager
John Lombardo	...	Gondolier
Kathy Florez	...	Maid
Ian Gomez	...	Delivery Man
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Alison Amberley	...	(uncredited)
David C. Fisher	...	Police Officer (uncredited)
Shirley Knight	...	(uncredited)
Ron Nicolosi	...	Ron - Coffee Shop Worker (uncredited)
James Reese	...	Police Officer (uncredited)

Directed by
Wayne Wang

Writing credits (WGA)
Wayne Wang		(story) &
Miranda July		(story) and
Paul Auster		(story) &
Siri Hustvedt		(story)
Ellen Benjamin Wong		(screenplay)

Produced by
Ira Deutchman	....	executive producer
Francey Grace	....	co-producer
Greg Johnson	....	executive producer
Heidi Levitt	....	co-producer
Andrew Loo	....	co-producer
Peter Newman	....	producer
Wayne Wang	....	producer

Cinematography by
Mauro Fiore

Film Editing by
Lee Percy

Casting by
Heidi Levitt
Kris Nicolau

Production Design by
Donald Graham Burt

Art Direction by
Diana Kunce

Costume Design by
Sophie Carbonell		(as Sophie de Rakoff Carbonell)

Makeup Department
Lesley Anderson	....	hair stylist
Paul LeBlanc	....	hair stylist
Lydia Milars	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Bill Block	....	executive in charge of production
Andrew Loo	....	unit production manager
Yael Melamede	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jonathan McGarry	....	first assistant director
Paul Schmitz	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Marko A. Costanzo	....	foley artist
Mark DeSimone	....	adr mixer
David Diamond	....	boom operator
Sean Garnhart	....	sound re-recording mixer
Sean Garnhart	....	sound supervisor
Albert Gasser	....	supervising adr & dialogue editor
Skip Lievsay	....	sound mixer
Bill Orrico	....	first assistant sound editor
Aaron Rihel	....	sound recordist
Jim Stuebe	....	production sound mixer

Visual Effects by
Eric Heavens	....	digital compositor
Dan Schmit	....	visual effects supervisor

Camera and Electrical Department
Michael Bauman	....	gaffer
Monica Carey	....	assistant camera
Sean Fairburn	....	camera operator
Sean Fairburn	....	video engineer
John Johnson	....	still photographer
Anatoliy Neznanov	....	electrician

Editorial Department
Michael Hatzer	....	color timer
Marty Levenstein	....	associate editor
Misako Shimizu	....	first assistant editor

Music Department
Deva Anderson	....	music supervisor
Delphine Robertson	....	music coordinator

Other crew
Robin Antin	....	choreographer
Randall Balsmeyer	....	title designer
Amy Carroll	....	production assistant
Melissa Chesman	....	production executive: Redeemable Features
Leann Emmert	....	assistant location manager
Gabi Endicott	....	script supervisor
Nancy Haecker	....	location manager
Lora Hingst	....	set production assistant
Alisha Klass	....	technical advisor
M. Michelle Nishikawa	....	production coordinator
Keith Potter	....	set production assistant
Gaby Rizeanu	....	script supervisor
Wayne T. Silva	....	production assistant
James Traynor	....	key location manager (as Jay Traynor)
Andrew Golov	....	production executive (uncredited)
Andrew Golov	....	studio executive (uncredited)
Timothy Scott Ralston	....	studio projectionist (uncredited)
Cathy Ziehl	....	studio coordinator (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Artisan Entertainment
• Redeemable Features

Distributors

• Artisan Entertainment (2001) (USA) (theatrical)
• Europa Filmes (Brazil) (DVD)
• Europa Filmes (Brazil) (VHS)
• Highlight Film (Germany)
• LK-TEL (Argentina) (VHS)
• Magna Pacific (2004) (Australia) (DVD)
• Mars Distribution (France)
• Momentum Pictures (2001) (UK) (all media)
• Odeon (Greece)
• Victor Company of Japan (JVC)

Other Companies

• Digital Cinema  sound mixing facilites
• Film Finances  completion guarantor
• Summit Entertainment  sales

Also Known As:

Runtime:

88 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Singapore:R(A) (cut) | Argentina:16 | Australia:MA | Canada:R | Finland:K-18 | France:-12 | Germany:18 | Hong Kong:III | Italy:VM18 | Japan:R-15 | New Zealand:R18 | Portugal:M/16 | South Korea:18 | UK:18 | USA:Unrated | Philippines:R-18

Filming Locations:

Santa Clarita, California, USA

Company:

Artisan Entertainment

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: When Jerri is yelling at Florence in the hotel room, the crew and equipment are reflected in the mirror.

Quotes:

Florence:What did you think? That I was falling in love with you?

Movie Connections:

Featured in Indie Sex: Extremes (2007) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Tantos Desejos

. . .is it money? is it sex?

An extremely articulate and well-observed film from Wayne Wang, about what it means to have power - financial power, sexual power - and how shallow this power truly is, especially when it's detached from anything resembling true involvement, genuine passion. Both characters are obsessed with The Game, and they are both very good at it. Peter Sarsgaard and Molly Parker are both superb, letting us see enough of their characters' inner workings to completely understand them without showing too much, losing the edge. Each has what the other thinks he/she needs, and the film is basically a discourse on negotiation - what you will give up to get what you desire? Issues of control are central to the theme, and the cool thing is, both characters know it and they get off on that more than the actual sex itself.