No Such Thing (2001)

Director:

Hal Hartley

Writer:

Hal Hartley (written by)

Release Date:

15 November 2002 (Iceland)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Fantasy

Tagline:

A modern day fable.

Plot:

"No Such Thing" tells the story of a young journalist who journeys to Iceland to find her missing fiancée only to encounter a mythical creature. She eventually forges a relationship with the being.

Plot Keywords:

Monster | Creature | Iceland | Boss | Society

Awards:

3 nominations

Cast

Sarah Polley	...	Beatrice
Helen Mirren	...	The Boss
Julie Christie	...	Dr. Anna
Robert John Burke	...	The Monster
Margrét Ákadóttir	...	Rental agent
Julie Anderson	...	Beautician
Anna Kristín Arngrímsdóttir	...	Sólveig
Ilene Bergelson	...	Ethel
Guðrún María Bjarnadóttir	...	Marta (as Guðrún Bjarnadóttir)
Bessi Bjarnason	...	Captain
Helgi Björnsson	...	Leó
Stacy Dawson	...	Mugger
Maria Ellingsen	...	Karlsdóttir / Gate-Manager (as María Ellingsen)
Anthony Giangrande	...	Journalist
Erica Gimpel	...	Judy
Þröstur Leó Gunnarsson	...	First mate
Brynhildur Guðjónsdóttir	...	Ticket clerk
Baldvin Halldórsson	...	Jón
Björn Ingi Hilmarsson	...	Smuggler
Jón Hjartarson	...	Mayor
Baldur T. Hreinsson	...	Johansen (as Baldur Trausti Hreinsson)
Bergur Þór Ingólfsson	...	Smuggler
Theodór Júlíusson	...	Borg
Sigurveig Jónsdóttir	...	Gréta
Björn Jörundur Friðbjörnsson	...	Þór
Kristbjörg Kjeld	...	Nurse Joan
Baltasar Kormákur	...	Artaud
Paul Lazar	...	Fred
Daniel C. Levine	...	Pissing kid
Paul Liberti	...	Journalist
D.J. Mendel	...	Agent
Miho Nikaido	...	Beautician
David Neumann	...	Agent
Peter O'Hara	...	Tom
Annika Peterson	...	Margaret
Abby Royle	...	Scientist
Bill Sage	...	Carlo
Ingvar Eggert Sigurðsson	...	Dr. Svendsen
Guðrún Stephensen	...	Mayor's wife
Sigurður Skúlason	...	Old man
Jón Tryggvason	...	Guide
James Urbaniak	...	Concierge
Benham Valadbeygi	...	Cook
Wendy Walker	...	Journalist
Damian Young	...	Berger

Directed by
Hal Hartley

Writing credits
Hal Hartley		(written by)

Produced by
Willi Bär	....	executive producer (as Willi Baer)
Francis Ford Coppola	....	executive producer
Friðrik Þór Friðriksson	....	producer (as Fridrik Thor Fridriksson)
Hal Hartley	....	producer
Linda Reisman	....	executive producer
Cecilia Kate Roque	....	producer

Original Music by
Hal Hartley

Cinematography by
Michael Spiller

Film Editing by
Steve Hamilton

Production Design by
Árni Páll Jóhannsson

Art Direction by
Ed Check

Set Decoration by
Karin Wiesel		(as Karen Wiesel)

Costume Design by
Frank L. Fleming
Helga I. Stefánsdóttir

Makeup Department
Ragna Fossberg	....	key makeup artist

Production Management
Kelley Cribben	....	post-production supervisor
Shirley Davis	....	production manager
Meryl Emmerton	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Dan Brillman	....	second second assistant director: New York
Gagga Jonsdottir	....	second second assistant director
Michael Lerman	....	first assistant director
Peter Thorell	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Daniel Boxer	....	property master
Dierdre Kane	....	assistant property master: New York
Julian Ledger	....	creature color concept sketches
Kori E. Wilson	....	art department coordinator

Sound Department
Huldar Freyr Arnarson	....	boom operator
David Boulton	....	adr recordist
Marko A. Costanzo	....	foley artist (as Marko Costanzo)
Steve Hamilton	....	supervising sound editor
Kjartan Kjartansson	....	sound mixer
Andrew Kris	....	sound effects editor
George A. Lara	....	foley mixer
Jennifer Ralston	....	sound effects editor
Reilly Steele	....	sound re-recording mixer

Special Effects by
Mark Bero	....	special effects coordinator
Russ Herpich	....	special effects assistant: Creature Effects Inc.
Eggert Ketilsson	....	special effects technician
Mark Rappaport	....	special makeup effects
Robert J. Scupp	....	special effects foreman (as Bob Scupp)
Stefan Jorgen	....	assistant special effects makeup (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Randall Balsmeyer	....	visual effects supervisor
Julian Ledger	....	creature effects
Matt McDonald	....	visual effects
Dan Trezise	....	compositor: Balsmeyer & Everett

Stunts
Douglas Crosby	....	stunt coordinator
Valdimar Jóhannsson	....	stunts
Andrew Lasky	....	stunt performer
Brad Martin	....	stunt performer
Brad Martin	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Brett Albright	....	assistant camera
Bart Blaise	....	second assistant camera
Michael Caracciolo	....	camera operator
Tim Davies	....	grip
Robert K. Feldmann	....	key grip
Doug Meils	....	shooting electric
Storn Peterson	....	assistant camera
Graham Rutherford	....	gaffer
Ingvar Stefánsson	....	electrician
Frank Stubblefield	....	chief lighting technician
Richard Sylvarnes	....	still photographer: Iceland
Demmie Todd	....	still photographer: New York

Casting Department
Kristine Bulakowski	....	extras casting
Fahad Falur Jabali	....	extras casting
Driss Tijani	....	extras casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Marian Toy	....	assistant costume designer

Editorial Department
Erin Crackel	....	apprentice editor
Jeff Drury	....	first assistant editor
Armando Fente	....	assistant editor (as Armando Fente Jr.)
Adam Geiger	....	assistant editor
Chris Patterson	....	assistant editor
David Pultz	....	color timer (as Dave Pultz)
James Nichols Jr.	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Other crew
Susan Paley Abramson	....	assistant: Linda Reisman (as Susan Abramson)
Lisa D. Carey	....	payroll accountant
John 'JR' Craigmile	....	accountant
Arnar Einarsson	....	assistant location manager
Patrick Floyd	....	set production assistant
Mary Gambardella	....	script supervisor: New York
Fahad Falur Jabali	....	location manager
Shannon Lail	....	production executive
Heather Neeld	....	assistant production coordinator
Andy Russ	....	assistant: Hal Hartley
Jonathan Shepard	....	location manager: New York
Sharon Watt	....	production assistant
Annie Young Frisbie	....	assistant to producers (as Annie Young)
Harpa Elísa Þórsdóttir	....	production assistant

Production Companies

• American Zoetrope
• Icelandic Film (as Icelandic Film Corporation) (in association with)
• True Fiction Pictures (in association with)

Distributors

• MGM/UA Distribution Company (2002) (USA) (theatrical)
• United Artists (2002) (USA) (theatrical)
• Film1 (2012) (Netherlands) (TV) (limited)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2003) (Canada) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2002) (USA) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Creature Effects (special makeup effects)

Other Companies

• ARRI Lighting Rental  lighting and grip equipment
• Film Finances  completion guarantor
• Icelandic Film Center  funding
• Law Offices of George Sheanshang  legal counsel (as The Law Offices of George Sheanshang)

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for language and brief violence

Runtime:

102 min

Country:

USA | Iceland

Language:

English | Icelandic

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:LH (video rating) | Iceland:L (original rating) | USA:R | Australia:PG | USA:TV-14 (cable rating) | Netherlands:12

Filming Locations:

Iceland

Company:

American Zoetrope

Trivia:

Burke described to Fangoria Magazine that he once decided to walk through downtown NYC in his Monster make-up, and no one gave him a second glance.

Goofs:

Errors in geography: The ship which rescues Beatrice from the plane crash at sea gives its position as 45.72 (degrees) W, 38.50 N, which is nowhere near Iceland or any Great Circle flight path between New York and Europe, for that matter.

Quotes:

The Boss:The world needs to know!
Beatrice:Why?
The Boss:What?
Beatrice:Why does the world need to know how it feels to crash into the sea?

Movie Connections:

References The Bride of Frankenstein (1935)

Recommended

Imagine that the original "Outer Limits" folks remade "King Kong" in their standard monster style and you have a good idea of "No Such Thing's" look and feel. Then throw in a little "Mighty Joe Young" banter, "Beauty and the Beast fashions", and "The Song of Bernadette" for good measure.

The film is a stylistic masterpiece and the banter between the beast and Beatrice (Sarah Polley) is surreal comedy at its best. If you enjoy quirky and subtly off-kilter films then the superficial story of "No Such Thing" will be a real pleasure in itself. Don't let frustration over the underlying meaning ruin the fun during the first viewing-just go with it.

The DVD does not contain a director's commentary so the viewer is left to speculate on just what this thing is really about; what themes Hartley is serious about and to what degree the obvious themes are just there for parody and laughs.

My retrospective take is that it is about the interplay of evolution and intelligent design, with the monster an artifact left over from creation. God created the monster, knowing that humankind needs fear for motivation. He expected us to have evolved beyond fear and hate of each other long before now, creating a need for the monster. But this did not happen, making the monster irrelevant and God disillusioned with humankind. Both he and the monster are bored with the stupidity they see.

God decides to intervene so the monster can go away and be put out of it's misery. He chooses Beatrice for this mission and she goes through a miracle survival experience to heighten her appreciation for life and to give her a distanced perspective free of fear and hate (the plane was going to crash with no survivors). Sarah Polley is perfectly cast as Beatrice; her Beatrice is somehow both detached and expressive. If you enjoy Polley you will love this character.

Virginia Woolf: Someone has to die Leonard, in order that the rest of us should value life more.