Surviving Christmas (2004)

User Rating:

4.9/10   

Director:

Mike Mitchell

Writers (WGA):

Deborah Kaplan (story) &
Harry Elfont (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

22 October 2004 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

This year, Christmas comes early. Really early. Like... October 22nd.

Plot:

A lonely, obnoxious young millionaire pays a family to spend Christmas with him.

Plot Keywords:

Christmas | Childhood Home | Box Office Flop | Mall Santa | Deli

Awards:

3 nominations

Cast

Ben Affleck	...	Drew Latham
James Gandolfini	...	Tom Valco
Christina Applegate	...	Alicia Valco
Catherine O'Hara	...	Christine Valco
Josh Zuckerman	...	Brian Valco
Bill Macy	...	Doo-Dah
Jennifer Morrison	...	Missy Vanglider
Udo Kier	...	Heinrich
David Selby	...	Horace Vanglider
Stephanie Faracy	...	Letitia Vanglider
Stephen Root	...	Dr. Freeman
Sy Richardson	...	Doo-Dah Understudy
Tangie Ambrose	...	Kathryn
John 'B.J.' Bryant	...	Cabbie
Peter Jason	...	Suit
Phill Lewis	...	Levine the Lawyer
Tumbleweed	...	Santa
Kate Hendrickson	...	Santa's Photographer
Bridgette Ho	...	Five Year Old
Hailey Noelle Johnson	...	Little Girl
Sean Marquette	...	Older Brother
Caitlin Fein	...	Freeman Twin
Amanda Fein	...	Freeman Twin
Kent Osborne	...	Marley
Bill Saito	...	Christmas Past
Mike Bell	...	Christmas Present (as Michael Patrick Bell)
Amy Halloran	...	Fanny
Josh Siegel	...	Young Scrooge (as Joshua Siegel)
K. Troy Zestos	...	Chad
Sonya Eddy	...	Security Lady
Smalls	...	Security Man
Ron Karabatsos	...	Deli Man
Wynn Irwin	...	Customer
Angela Gacad	...	Cute Girl at Play
Tom Kenny	...	Man Wrapping Gift
Joan M. Blair	...	Lonely Lady
John Carter Brown	...	Depressed Donator
William Thomas Jr.	...	Choir Director
Karen Furno	...	Choir
Linda Kerns	...	Choir
Cynthia Marty	...	Choir
Melanie Taylor	...	Choir
Precious McCall	...	Choir
Anika Noni Rose	...	Choir
David Atkinson	...	Choir
Reynaldo Duran	...	Choir
Michael Kosik	...	Choir
Jon Simanton	...	Elf
Allison Queal	...	Elf
Kacie Borrowman	...	Elf
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Bryan Fisher	...	Steve
Marshall Manesh	...	Janitor
Nicholas Zobel	...	Choir
Ray Buffer	...	Arnie (uncredited)
Katy Maloney	...	Crazy airport traveler (uncredited)
Oral Sledge	...	Outdoor Christmas Shopper (uncredited)
Richard Strobel	...	Shopper (uncredited)
John Thurner	...	Shopper (uncredited)
Susanna Velasquez	...	Wife Baking Cookies (uncredited)

Directed by
Mike Mitchell

Writing credits (WGA)
Deborah Kaplan		(story) &
Harry Elfont		(story)
Deborah Kaplan		(screenplay) &
Harry Elfont		(screenplay) and
Jeffrey Ventimilia		(screenplay) &
Joshua Sternin		(screenplay)

Produced by
Erin Stam	....	associate producer
Betty Thomas	....	producer
Jenno Topping	....	producer
Patricia Whitcher	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Randy Edelman

Cinematography by
Peter Lyons Collister
Tom Priestley Jr.

Film Editing by
Craig McKay

Casting by
Juel Bestrop
Jeanne McCarthy

Production Design by
Caroline Hanania

Art Direction by
Sue Chan

Set Decoration by
Lisa Fischer

Costume Design by
Mary Jane Fort

Makeup Department
Tammy Ashmore	....	key makeup artist
Tony Gardner	....	special makeup effects artist
Kimberly Greene	....	makeup department head
John E. Jackson	....	makeup artist: Mr. Affleck
Janine Rath	....	hair stylist: Mr. Affleck (as Janine Rath-Thompson)
Marsha Shearrill	....	makeup artist
Bradley Stenson	....	additional makeup artist: Chicago
Melissa A. Yonkey	....	hair department head
K. Troy Zestos	....	key hair stylist

Production Management
Don J. Hug	....	unit manager
Leeann Stonebreaker	....	production supervisor
Patricia Whitcher	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
David M. Bernstein	....	first assistant director: second unit
Marcei A. Brown	....	second assistant director (as Marcei A. Brubaker)
Doug Coleman	....	second unit director: Mammoth unit
Marisa Ferrey	....	second second assistant director
Josh King	....	first assistant director
Richard S. Lederer	....	second assistant director
Jody Spilkoman	....	second unit key second assistant director
Brent Stanton	....	dayplayer second second assistant director

Art Department
Richard J. Bell	....	greens gangboss
Robert Bernard	....	graphic designer
Craig Bernatzke	....	propmaker foreman
Robert J. Carlyle	....	construction coordinator
David Corral	....	greensman
Michael D'Imperio	....	props
Jimmy Flores	....	set construction foreman
Thomas J. Glynn	....	set dresser
Antoinette J. Gordon	....	set designer
Bill 'Kauhane' Hoyt	....	stand-by painter
Barbara Lange	....	assistant production designer
Elizabeth Lapp	....	set designer
Martin Milligan	....	on-set dresser
Christopher Morente	....	greensperson
Fleur Nooyen	....	set buyer
Troy Osman	....	construction foreman
Tyler Osman	....	construction coordinator: Chicago
Marc Tantin	....	propmaker
David Tennenbaum	....	assistant art director: location
Rebecca Young	....	art department coordinator
Jack White	....	food stylist (uncredited)

Sound Department
Willie D. Burton	....	sound mixer
Justin Cruse	....	sound recordist
Ryan Darden	....	assistant sound editor
Andrew Ellerd	....	sound effects editor
Tom Fleischman	....	sound re-recording mixer
Eric Flickinger	....	sound recordist
Diana Flores	....	adr mixer
Patrick J. Foley	....	sound editor
Terry Garcia	....	assistant sound editor
Phil Hadaway	....	sound recordist
J. Paul Huntsman	....	supervising sound editor
David Jobe	....	foley mixer
Adam Johnston	....	sound effects editor
Lisa J. Levine	....	supervising adr editor
Marvin E. Lewis	....	boom operator
Linda Lew	....	foley recordist
Robert Morrisey	....	sound assist
Brian Thomas Nist	....	sound effects editor
Philip Rogers	....	adr recordist

Special Effects by
William Dambra	....	special effects
Dominik Dugandzic	....	special effects technician
Jeff Frink	....	special effects foreman
Tony Gardner	....	special effects set-pieces
Rodman Kiser	....	special effects
John Rigden	....	special effects
Tom Ryba	....	special effects coordinator
Bruce A. Strong	....	special effects
Ray Svedin	....	special effects technician
Matt Jordon	....	special effects: set-pieces (uncredited)
Pete Levin	....	special effects set-pieces: assistant (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Will Cunningham	....	effects animator
Kent Demaine	....	creative supervisor: Black Box Digital
Karin Levinson	....	visual effects executive producer: Black Box Digital
Will Robbins	....	visual effects supervisor: Black Box Digital (as William Robbins)
Mark Russell	....	visual effects producer: Black Box Digital

Stunts
Joey Box	....	stunts (as Joe Box)
Charlie Brewer	....	stunts
Terri Cadiente	....	stunts
Doug Coleman	....	stunt coordinator
Eliza Coleman	....	stunts
Danny Downey	....	stunts
Troy Gilbert	....	stunts
Tad Griffith	....	stunts
Leigh Hennessy	....	stunts
Lisa Hoyle	....	stunt double: Christina Applegate
Terry Jackson	....	stunts
Matthew LeFevour	....	stunts: Chicago (as Matt LeFevour)
Rick Le Fevour	....	stunt coordinator: Chicago (as Rick LeFevour)
Brian Machleit	....	stunt coordinator
Brian Machleit	....	utility stunts
James R. Mammoser	....	stunts: Chicago (as Jim Mammoser)
Tom McComas	....	stunt double: Ben Affleck
Tom Milanovich	....	stunts: Chicago
Linda Perlin	....	stunts: Chicago
James Ryan	....	stunts
Charles A. Tamburro	....	aerial stunt helicopter pilot
Pete Turner	....	stunt rigger
Rich Wilkie	....	stunts: Chicago

Camera and Electrical Department
Stuart Abramson	....	key grip
Adam Barth	....	video assist operator
Mike Cahoon	....	assistant camera
Will Dearborn	....	camera loader
Josh Denering	....	rigging grip
Ronald K. De torres	....	lighting console programmer
Valeska Difrieri	....	grip
Alan R. Disler	....	first assistant camera
Thomas Enright	....	electrician
Steve Francis	....	electrician
Chris Glomp	....	electrician
Michael Goldman	....	rigging best boy grip
Jennifer Ann Henry	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera
W.C. 'Chunky' Huse	....	key grip
Shane D. Kelly	....	gaffer
Paul Lambiase	....	rigging grip
Rick Lawrence	....	grip
Scott W. Leftridge	....	dolly grip
Glen Magers	....	lighting console programmer
Jeff Manimbo	....	assistant camera
Peter Mercurio	....	camera operator: "a" camera
Duane Mieliwocki	....	assistant camera
Dave Muskeni	....	rigging electrician
Daniel Nichols	....	first assistant camera: second unit, Mammoth
Flemming Olsen	....	director of photography: second unit, Mammoth
Miro Pokorny	....	electrician
Dan Schroer	....	camera loader: Chicago
Mark Suveg	....	key video assist operator
Keith Talley	....	key rigging grip
Suzanne Tenner	....	still photographer
Scott Thiele	....	electrician
Rick Thomas	....	co-gaffer
Tommy Tieche	....	assistant camera
Henry Tirl	....	Steadicam operator
Henry Tirl	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Jon R. Tower	....	chief lighting technician
Christopher Warren	....	rigging electrician
Makiko Watanabe	....	assistant camera
David Yellin	....	rigger
Robert M. Sagaser	....	second assistant camera (uncredited)

Casting Department
Natasha Cuba	....	casting assistant
Cicely D. Harris	....	extras casting coordinator: Chicago
Joan Philo	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Gala Autumn	....	costume supervisor
Steve Constancio	....	set costumer
Karan Doherty	....	costumer
Gretchen Gain	....	costumer
Jill Korengold	....	set costumer
Meg Matthews	....	costumer: Mr. Affleck
Sukari McGill	....	costumer
Ángela Núñez	....	key costumer

Editorial Department
Gary Burritt	....	negative cutter
Martin Cohen	....	post-production executive
Sven E. Fahlgren	....	post-production coordinator
Rolf Fleischmann	....	first assistant editor
Fernanda Gliatta	....	assistant editor
Dale E. Grahn	....	color timer (as Dale Grahn)
Adam Hernandez	....	assistant editor
Steve Porter	....	final colorist
Joëlle Taar	....	conforming editor
Dana E. Glauberman	....	additional editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Elton Ahi	....	music scoring mixer
Stuart Balcomb	....	orchestrator
Joseph S. DeBeasi	....	music editor
Sandy DeCrescent	....	orchestra contractor
Ralph Ferraro	....	orchestrator
Todd Homme	....	executive music supervisor
Lisa Jaime	....	music editor: scoring & final dub
Michelle Kuznetsky	....	music supervisor
Jani Lane	....	composer: song "Cherry Pie"
John Rodd	....	score recordist
Ben Schor	....	apprentice music editor
Tom Villano	....	music editor

Transportation Department
Denny Caira	....	transportation coordinator
Karen K. Chang	....	transportation office coordinator
Tyler W. Gaisford	....	driver: cast
Mike Shannon	....	transportation captain

Other crew
Alexa Alden	....	script supervisor
Jeremy Beiermann	....	office production assistant: Chicago
Tommy Bernard	....	office production assistant
Benjamin T. Brammeier	....	office production assistant: Chicago
Chad Bronson	....	third assistant accountant
Ericka Bryce	....	production medic
Julie Carideo	....	assistant production coordinator: Chicago
Selena Carrillo	....	production secretary (as Selena Pivac)
Chay Carter	....	assistant: Mr. Affleck
Michael Chickey	....	assistant location manager
Kaiser Clark	....	assistant: Mr. Mitchell
Bennett DeCarlo	....	set production assistant
Wileen Dragovan	....	location manager: Chicago
Ray Felipe	....	script researcher
Trixie Flynn	....	assistant: Mr. Gandolfini
Mark A. Freid	....	key assistant location manager
Eric Glasser	....	key set production assistant
Carrie Goodman	....	location scout
Matthew Gordon	....	production assistant
Noelle Green	....	production office coordinator (as Noelle Chapin)
James Hinton	....	assistant accountant
Annie Jablonski	....	production assistant (as Annie Schultz)
Teresa Jaime Drapkin	....	payroll accountant
C. David Jones	....	production assistant
Rosa Yang Kato	....	assistant location manager
Todd Kaufman	....	assistant: Ms. Thomas
Joseph Keideth	....	security: Mr. Affleck, Keideth & Associates
Steve Kraus	....	dailies projectionist
Martha Lafage	....	assistant location manager
Nicole Luther	....	set production assistant: second unit
Alyssa Mauney	....	assistant: Mr. Mitchell
Barbara Ken McNeill	....	assistant: Ms. Whitcher
Debbie Merritt	....	assistant production office coordinator
Steven R. Molen	....	production executive
Molly O'Haver	....	production assistant
Denise Anderson Poore	....	production assistant
Stefan Rand	....	production assistant
Bobby Ravanshenas	....	assistant to cast
Chris Romberg	....	first assistant accountant
Kevin Roy	....	production assistant: re-shoots
Kevin Roy	....	set production assistant: re-shoots
Michelle Schrauwers	....	set production assistant
Josh Siegel	....	assistant: Ms. Topping (as Joshua Siegel)
Michael Soleau	....	key assistant location manager
Louise Spencer	....	unit publicist
Paula Stier	....	office production assistant: Chicago
Sheri St Lawrence	....	second assistant accountant
Veronique Vowell	....	location manager
Duffey Westlake	....	stand-in
Colin Woode	....	assistant: Mr. Applegate
Lynnanne Zager	....	adr loop group (uncredited)

Production Companies

• DreamWorks SKG
• Tall Trees Productions
• LivePlanet

Distributors

• DreamWorks Distribution (2004) (USA) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2004) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2004) (Germany) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2004) (UK) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2004) (Italy) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2004) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2004) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (2007) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Argentina Video Home (2005) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (2005) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Net5 (2007) (Netherlands) (TV) (first national airing)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2004) (Argentina) (all media)
• Universal Home Entertainment (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures Benelux (2005) (Netherlands) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Pacific Title (opticals)
• Black Box Digital (visual effects) (as Blackbox)

Other Companies

• Act One Script Clearance  script research
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  cranes and dollies
• L.A. Mad Dogs  adr group coordination (as L.A. MadDogs)
• Newman Scoring Stage, Twentieth Century Fox Studios, The  score recording (as Twentieth Century Fox Newman Scoring Stage)
• Pacific Title  titles and opticals
• Performing Animal Troupe  animal handlers
• Pivotal Post  Avid editing equipment provided by
• Pivotal Post  avid equipment
• Todd-AO Studios (West)  sound re-recording
• Varèse Sarabande  soundtrack published by

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for sexual content, language and a brief drug reference.

Runtime:

91 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Brazil:10 | Iceland:L | South Korea:12 | Australia:M | Netherlands:MG6 | Philippines:G | Singapore:PG | UK:12A | USA:PG-13

Filming Locations:

Chicago, Illinois, USA

Company:

DreamWorks SKG

Trivia:

Released to DVD just nine weeks after it opened in theaters.

Goofs:

Errors in geography: There are no mountain ranges, such as the one depicted, within hundreds of miles of Chicago.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Drew Latham: Folks, my firm's done a tremendous amount of marketing research and we've discovered two critical things, one; most Americans feel that Christmas is a time for family. Two; most Americans feel that in order to stand being around their family, for even one or two days, they need to swill as much alcohol as humanly possible.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "HBO First Look: 'Surviving Christmas': Unwrapping the Comedy (#11.20)" (2004)

Soundtrack:

Crash

Didn't seem like Ben was trying a little too hard?

This movie was pretty absurd. There was a FEW funny parts. Its goes right in to the bin of movies in my memory where I think, "Hmm.....that movie had a few funny parts, but overall, pretty ridiculous plot (or lack of)."

I thought it seemed like Ben was trying a little too hard to be a cooky funny guy. And I didn't understand how he was a self made multi-millionaire and still such an idiot. Anyways, I like Ben Affleck. He makes some crap, but hey, I can forgive him. I mean, I liked Jersey Girl, I didn't think Gigli was all his fault, I like him overall. I guess he's kinda like the kid you feel sorry for cuz he just can't seem to get it right.

My advice would be to avoid this flick. It didn't really develop in to a workable plot and Catherine O'hara and Jimmy G. weren't used as well as they could have been. They deserved better. Overall, this movie is NOT Home Alone, it's NOT A Christmas Story, its NOT Christmas Vacation or any of the other classics. Forever Forgettable.