Frailty (2001)

Director:

Bill Paxton

Writer (WGA):

Brent Hanley (written by)

Release Date:

12 April 2002 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

There are demons among us

Plot:

A man confesses to an FBI agent his family's story of how his religious fanatic father's visions lead to a series of murders to destroy supposed "demons."

Plot Keywords:

FBI | FBI Agent | Demon | Murder | Religious Fanatic

Awards:

6 wins & 8 nominations

Cast

Bill Paxton	...	Dad Meiks
Matthew McConaughey	...	Fenton Meiks
Powers Boothe	...	FBI Agent Wesley Doyle
Matt O'Leary	...	Young Fenton
Jeremy Sumpter	...	Young Adam
Luke Askew	...	Sheriff Smalls
Levi Kreis	...	Fenton Meiks
Derk Cheetwood	...	Agent Griffin Hull
Missy Crider	...	Becky Meiks (as Melissa Crider)
Alan Davidson	...	Brad White
Cynthia Ettinger	...	Cynthia Harbridge
Vincent Chase	...	Edward March
Gwen McGee	...	Operator
Edmond Scott Ratliff	...	The Angel
Rebecca Tilney	...	Teacher
Blake King	...	Eric
Brad Berryhill	...	Teenage Demon
Greg Serano	...	FBI Agent #1
Edgar L. Davis	...	FBI Agent #2
Jim Flowers	...	FBI Agent #3
Lance E. Nichols	...	FBI Agent #4
John Paxton	...	Janitor in Lobby
Richard A. Bell	...	Curtis
Chelsea Butler	...	Little Girl (as Chelsea Blain Butler)
Jennifer Drake	...	Teacher's Aide
Betty Gurule	...	Doyle's Mother
Ona Harris	...	Townswoman
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Dave Power	...	Matt (uncredited)

Directed by
Bill Paxton

Writing credits (WGA)
Brent Hanley		(written by)

Produced by
David Blocker	....	producer
Tom Huckabee	....	executive producer
Eberhard Kayser	....	co-producer
David Kirschner	....	producer
Frederick Levy	....	associate producer
Karen Loop	....	executive producer
Mario Ohoven	....	co-producer
Michael Ohoven	....	co-producer
Tom Ortenberg	....	executive producer
Michael Paseornek	....	executive producer
James Sbardellati	....	associate producer
Corey Sienega	....	producer

Original Music by
Brian Tyler

Cinematography by
Bill Butler		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Arnold Glassman

Casting by
Mary Gail Artz
Barbara Cohen

Production Design by
Nelson Coates		(uncredited)

Art Direction by
Nelson Coates
Kevin Cozen

Set Decoration by
Linda Lee Sutton

Costume Design by
April Ferry

Makeup Department
Felicity Bowring	....	makeup department head
Jane Galli	....	key makeup artist
Katherine Rees	....	key hair stylist
Kathe Swanson	....	hair department head

Production Management
David Blocker	....	unit production manager
Beth DePatie	....	production supervisor
Abby Gail Palanker	....	post-production supervisor
Robin Schorr	....	executive in charge of production

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jim Flowers	....	second second assistant director
Peter Merwin	....	second assistant director
James Sbardellati	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Colin Alexander	....	propmaker
Matt Alexander	....	propmaker (as Matthew Alexander)
Alan Alvarado	....	gang boss
Nancy Balcorta	....	laborer
James R. Barrows	....	swing gang
Dennis Benda	....	on-set greensman
Leonard Bogutskie	....	laborer
Joshua Borgese	....	greensman
Steve Borgese	....	greensman
Peter Brown	....	propmaker
Dimitri Bulgarcic	....	stand-by painter
Robert Bulgarin	....	laborer
Douglas Cannon	....	propmaker
Rick Chinelli	....	swing gang
K.H. Clark	....	construction medic
Walter Clayton	....	propmaker
Nicki Cohen	....	buyer
Jim Cornell	....	propmaker
David Coronella	....	swing gang (as Dave Coronella)
Dennis Cortez	....	laborer
David Crvelin	....	assistant art director
Robert E. Denne	....	painter (as Robert E. Denne Sr.)
Stoney Emshwiller	....	swing gang
Jerome Gardner	....	on-set dresser
Joseph P. Geraci	....	laborer
Michael Gill	....	painter
Connie Gomez	....	propmaker
Joseph W. Grafmuller	....	lead man (as Joseph Grafmuller)
Maya S. Grafmuller	....	swing gang (as Maya Grafmuller)
Scotty Guyson	....	assistant propmaster (as Scott Guyson)
Megan Hedgepeth	....	art department coordinator
Karen Higgins	....	co-construction coordinator (as Karen D. Higgins)
Eric Ingraham	....	propmaker
David Ivie	....	concept artist
William Johnson	....	propmaker
Steven Kissick	....	gang boss (as Steve Kissick)
John Leone	....	laborer
Larry Linares	....	plasterer
Jason Logerot	....	painter
Roger Luna	....	plasterer
Andy Mathieu	....	art department production assistant
Keith McGee	....	propmaker
Stacey S. McIntosh	....	construction coordinator (as Stacey McIntosh)
Steven Newman	....	propmaker
Thomas O'Brien	....	paint foreman
Tony Osso	....	art department production assistant (as Antony Osso)
Tyler Patton	....	property master
Raymond Ramirez	....	propmaker
Edmond Scott Ratliff	....	assistant propmaster
Donald Redoglia	....	gang boss
Gary Speckman	....	set designer (as Gary R. Speckman)
Rob Stevens	....	propmaker
Naomi Treuherz	....	painter
Manuel Valenzuela	....	labor foreman
Steven Valenzuela	....	gang boss
Suzanne Van Dyke	....	construction medic
Greg Whitfield	....	plasterer
Sean D. Jackson	....	greensman (uncredited)

Sound Department
Matthew C. Beville	....	adr mixer
Lance Brown	....	sound designer
Lance Brown	....	sound effects editor
Richard Burnette	....	sound facilities coordinator
Michael C. Casper	....	supervising sound re-recording mixer
William Cawley	....	assistant sound editor (as Bill Cawley)
Bradley Clouse	....	assistant sound editor
Anna R. Delanzo	....	cable (as Anna DeLanzo)
Chris Diamond	....	boom operator
Kirk Herzbrun	....	assistant sound editor
Joe Kraemer	....	sound effects editor
Dawn Kratofil	....	assistant sound editor
Laura Macias	....	foley artist
Benjamin Martin	....	foley supervisor
Michael A. Morongell	....	chief engineer
Michael Mullane	....	sound effects editor (as Michael W. Mullane)
Jay Nierenberg	....	sound designer
Jay Nierenberg	....	supervising sound editor
Jon Oh	....	sound effects editor
Andy Peach	....	sound recordist
Sean Rowe	....	foley artist
Victoria Rose Sampson	....	adr editor
Victoria Rose Sampson	....	dialogue editor
Victoria Rose Sampson	....	supervising sound editor
Martin Schloemer	....	adr recordist
David Schneider	....	cable
Douglas Shamburger	....	boom operator
Eric Thompson	....	foley mixer
Susumu Tokunow	....	sound mixer
Nancy Tracy	....	assistant sound editor
Jeff Vaughn	....	sound recording engineer (as Jeffrey Vaughn)
Jonathan Wales	....	sound re-recording mixer
Tim Walston	....	sound designer
Robert Carr	....	sound recordist (uncredited)
Gregg Frazier	....	cable (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Larry Fioritto	....	special effects coordinator
Virgil Sanchez	....	special effects technician

Visual Effects by
Joe Bauer	....	visual effects supervisor
Doug Beswick	....	3D animation supervisor: Cantina Pictures Inc.
Vicky Beswick	....	administrator: Cantina Pictures Inc.
Everett Burrell	....	3D supervisor: Cantina Pictures Inc.
Benoit Girard	....	visual effects supervisor: Digital Dimension
Russell Johnson	....	visual effects production manager: Cantina Pictures Inc.
Joe Lewis	....	motion control photographer: General Lift LLC
Omar McClinton	....	visual effects production manager: Cantina Pictures Inc.
Michael Melchiorre	....	2D supervisor: Cantina Pictures Inc. (as Michael Melshiorre)
Matt Merkovich	....	lead compositor: Digital Dimension
Mindy Minkow	....	optical camera operator
Jerome Morin	....	visual effects coordinator: Digital Dimension
Eric Reinhard	....	visual effects production manager: Cantina Pictures Inc.
Chris B. Schnitzer	....	motion control photographer: General Lift LLC (as Chris Schnitzer)
Kevin Struckman	....	2D supervisor: Cantina Pictures Inc.
Steve Switaj	....	motion control photographer: General Lift LLC
Scott Wheeler	....	2D supervisor: Cantina Pictures Inc.
Christopher Dusendschon	....	digital imaging: THDX (uncredited)
Steven Emmert	....	optical compositor: THDX (uncredited)
Rod Ripley	....	editorial & data management: Cantina Pictures Inc. (uncredited)

Stunts
John Casino	....	stunts
Mark Norby	....	stunts
Jeff Podgurski	....	stunts
Greg Walker	....	stunt coordinator
Gene Hartline	....	stunts (uncredited)
Brett A. Jones	....	stunts (uncredited)
Mark Norby	....	stunt double: Matthew McConaughey (uncredited)
Harry Wowchuk	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Norman Ash	....	lamp operator
Clyde E. Bryan	....	first assistant camera
Mike Connors	....	dolly grip
Gary Dagg	....	key grip (as Gary L. Dagg)
David Deever	....	video assist operator (as Dave Deever)
Ben Estes	....	rigging best boy grip
Randy Feemster	....	camera operator (as Randal Feemster)
Chris Funk	....	rigging electrician
Mary Funsten	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera
Steve Galloway	....	video playback operator
Jenifer Galvez	....	lamp operator
Joe Louis Garcia	....	company grip (as Joe Lewis Garcia)
David Golia	....	director of photography: "b" camera unit (as David John Golia)
Willie J. Gray	....	lamp operator
James Hamilton	....	still photographer
Orlando Hernandez	....	lamp operator
E. Scott Mayhugh	....	best boy grip (as Scott Mayhugh)
Peter McAdams	....	company grip (as Pete McAdams)
Charlie McIntyre	....	rigging gaffer (as Charles H. McIntyre III)
Chris Morley	....	gaffer: "b" camera unit
David W. Nims	....	rigging key grip
Ronald J. Pure Jr.	....	lamp operator (as Ronald Joseph Pure Jr.)
Alex Rodriguez	....	rigging best boy
John 'Fest' Sandau	....	chief lighting technician
David D. Scott	....	video assist operator
Cricket Sloat	....	best boy electric
Bobby Small	....	company grip (as Bob Small)
Ed Tewalt	....	company grip
Suzanne Trucks	....	second assistant camera (as Suzanne M. Trucks)
Rick Tschudin	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera unit (as Rick Tshudin)
Robert Ulland	....	Steadicam operator (as Bob Ulland)
John Vetter	....	camera loader
Greg Wardell	....	rigging electrician
Paul Wilkowsky	....	company grip (as Paul Wilkosky)
David Deever	....	video engineer (uncredited)
Arthur Jafa	....	director of photography: second unit (uncredited)
Malik Hassan Sayeed	....	director of photography: second unit (uncredited)
Patrick Turley	....	director of photography: second unit (uncredited)

Casting Department
Mary Brezovich	....	casting assistant
Toni Cobb Brock	....	additional casting scout
Lisa Mae Fincannon	....	additional casting scout
Jessica Gee	....	adr voice casting
Chris Gray	....	extras casting (as Christopher Gray)
Kimberly Rodgers	....	extras casting (as Kimberly Rogers)
Leanna Sheldon	....	casting associate

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Donna Berwick	....	assistant costume designer
Michael Castellano	....	key set costumer
David Ferry	....	set costumer
Jamelle Flowers	....	additional costumer

Editorial Department
Robert Brakey	....	first assistant editor
Glenn Cowan	....	second assistant editor
Dan Garsha	....	telecine dailies
Maria Gonzales	....	apprentice editor
Richard Jordan	....	executive in charge of post-production
Dan Muscarella	....	color timer
Charles Saldana IV	....	post-production assistant
Paul Tanzillo Jr.	....	negative cutter (as Paul Tanzillo)
Kostas Theodosiou	....	telecine colorist

Music Department
Joel C. High	....	music supervisor
Gary Krause	....	music editor
Christopher Lennertz	....	orchestrator
Dana Niu	....	orchestrator
Brian Tyler	....	conductor
Brian Tyler	....	orchestrator
Stephanie Lynn Urcheck	....	music coordinator

Transportation Department
Alpha Barry	....	driver
Robert aaron Brown	....	driver: production van
Jim Chesney	....	transportation captain (as James Chesney)
Ron Chesney	....	driver (as Ron M. Chesney)
Michael Dawes	....	driver (as Mike Dawes)
Scott Fair	....	driver
Don Feeney	....	driver
James Flemming	....	driver: catering (as James Kidd Fleming)
Scotty Goudreau	....	driver (as Scott Goodreau)
Kent Hays	....	driver
David Joseph	....	driver
Erin Maguire	....	driver
Brian Joseph Moore	....	transportation co-captain (as Brian J. Moore)
Derek Raser	....	transportation coordinator
Bud Ruben	....	driver
Mark Valdez	....	driver

Other crew
Alexa Alden	....	script supervisor
Daniel Ammon	....	caterer
John Baldwin	....	animal trainer
R.C. Baral	....	post-production accountant
Josephine Batorski	....	studio teacher
Jenifer Bonisteel	....	assistant production coordinator (as Jenifer M. Bonisteel)
Jeff Bragg	....	stand-in: Mr. Paxton
Ericka Bryce	....	production medic
Michael J. Burmeister	....	location manager
John C. Chaney	....	assistant: Matthew McConaughey
Vincent Chase	....	acting coach
Julia Cranston	....	post-production accountant
Bill Cross	....	assistant: Powers Boothe
Michael Culbert	....	assistant: Bill Paxton
Matthew Dixon	....	assistant: Corey Sienega
Karen G. Fairbank	....	production legal (as Karen Fairbank)
Rachel Flackett	....	set production assistant
James Flemming	....	chef (as James Kidd Fleming)
Ryan Alan Garvey	....	caterer
Jeffrey Gladu	....	payroll accountant (as Jeff Gladu)
Jeffrey Harris	....	second assistant accountant (as Jeffrey C. Harris)
John Kepley	....	stand-in: Mr. Boothe
Alex Kivlen	....	assistant location manager
Troy Knowles	....	production office assistant
Harlan Lansky	....	executive album producer
Shayne Lavon	....	stand-in: Mr. McConaughey
Steven Machat	....	executive album producer (as Steven E. Machat)
Benjamin Magid	....	assistant: David Kirschner
Rick Marcena	....	first assistant accountant
Adam Martin	....	set production assistant (as Adam D.P. Martin)
Louis McGruder	....	production office assistant (as Louis H. McGruder)
Stacey Mooradian	....	unit publicist: mPRm Public Relations
Susan Muir	....	completion guarantor: Film Finances Inc.
Jeffrey Myatt	....	executive album producer (as Jeff Myatt)
Abby Gail Palanker	....	clearance
Justin Philburn	....	craft service
Bebe Reynolds	....	associate production counsel
Eric Rivera	....	craft service
Sol Rivera	....	craft service
Rafael Rivero	....	assistant: David Blocker
Lee Sbardellati	....	set production assistant
Rebecca T. Schlosser	....	stand-in: Jeremy Sempter
Mindy Sheldon	....	production accountant (as Mindy Sheldon-Barry)
Merry Simkins	....	stand-in: Matt O'Leary
Scott Thomson	....	documentation
Derek Jan Vermaas	....	production coordinator
Gary Wigglesworth	....	caterer
Gabriel Ynda	....	second assistant location manager
Jim Young	....	assistant: Tom Huckabee
Paul Kenney	....	first assistant accountant (uncredited)
Wayne Levin	....	head of business/legal affairs: Lions Gate (uncredited)
Robert M. Melnik	....	senior vice president of business affairs: Lions Gate Films (uncredited)
Ian Moore	....	assistant to producers (uncredited)
Donna Sloan	....	vice president of production: Lions Gate (uncredited)

Thanks
James Cameron	....	special thanks
Richard D'Abo	....	special thanks
John Diemer	....	special thanks
David Gaines	....	special thanks
Roberta Gerber	....	acknowledgment: photographs provided by
Gus Gustawes	....	special thanks
Mark Ide	....	acknowledgment: photographs provided by
Liz Kirschner	....	special thanks
Larry Lerner	....	special thanks
Jonathan Mostow	....	special thanks
James Paxton	....	special thanks
Louise Paxton	....	special thanks
Sam Raimi	....	special thanks
Ivan Reitman	....	special thanks
Paul Rodriguez	....	special thanks
Rocky Schenck	....	special thanks
Shawn Simon	....	special thanks (as Shawn Hopkins)
Brian Swardstrom	....	special thanks
Kurt Woolner	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• David Kirschner Productions
• American Entertainment (in association with) (as American Entertainment Co.)
• Cinerenta Medienbeteiligungs KG (as Cinerenta)
• Cinedelta

Distributors

• Lions Gate Films (2002) (USA) (theatrical)
• CTV International (2002) (France) (theatrical)
• Central Partnership (2002) (Russia) (theatrical)
• Constantin Film (2002) (Austria) (theatrical)
• Indies Film Distribution (2002) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Kinowelt Filmverleih (2002) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Mediafilm (2002) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Sociedad General de Derechos Audiovisuales (SOGEDASA) (2002) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Solo Film Verleih (2002) (Germany) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2002) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Dutch FilmWorks (DFW) (2003) (Netherlands) (DVD) (VHS)
• Eagle Films (2001) (non-USA) (all media) (Middle East)
• Filmax (2001) (Spain) (all media)
• Gativideo (Argentina) (DVD)
• Gativideo (Argentina) (VHS)
• Lions Gate Films Home Entertainment (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Lions Gate Films Home Entertainment (2002) (USA) (VHS)
• Nordisk Film (2002) (Sweden) (DVD)
• RTL Entertainment (2005) (Netherlands) (TV) (first national airing) (RTL5)

Special Effects

• Cantina Pictures (visual effects)
• Digital Dimension (visual effects)
• General Lift (motion control photography)

Other Companies

• AON/Albert G. Ruben Insurance Services  insurance provided by
• American Humane Association, The  animals monitored by
• American Stock Photo  photographs provided by
• Artz/Cohen Casting  casting
• Bayerische HypoVereinsbank AG München  film banking [de]
• Benaroya Symphony Hall, Seattle Washington  orchestra recorded at
• Celluloid Heroes  main title sequence design
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera cranes and dollies
• Cinelease  grip and electric equipment (as Cinelease)
• City of Orange California  special thanks
• Delfino Stages  special thanks
• Deluxe Catering  catering (as Deluxe Catering)
• Direct Tools & Fasteners  expendables
• Encore Visual Effects  titles and opticals
• Entertainment Partners  payroll (as Entertainment Partners)
• Film Finances  completion guaranty provided by
• Florence County Sheriff's Office  photographs provided by
• Joan Pearce Research Associates  script research
• KTVT and Paul Camfield  stock footage: "Building Scenery" from "Slambang Theater with Icky Twerp
• Lions Gate Films  studio
• MPRM Public Relations  unit publicity (as mPRm Public Relations)
• Murual of Omaha Insurance Company  stock footage: "Bull Alligator" from Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom
• Program Source International  stock footage: "The Silver Mint" from Davey & Goliath
• Searchworks  additional photo research and clearances
• SoundStorm  sound design and editorial (as Soundstorm, Burbank California)
• Texas Lottery Commission  special thanks: for use of its trademark
• The Advertising Council  stock footage: "Turnabout", a public service announcement
• Tippecanoe Music Studios  music mixed at (as Tippecanoe Music Studios, Los Angeles California)
• Wilshire Stages, The  adr stage (as EFX/Wilshire Stages, Los Angeles California)
• Wilshire Stages, The  digital sound recording and re-recording (as EFX/Wilshire Stages, Los Angeles California)

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for violence and some language

Runtime:

100 min

Country:

USA | Germany | Italy

Language:

English

Color:

Color (FotoKem)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Argentina:16 | Australia:MA | Canada:14A | Finland:K-15 | France:-16 | Germany:18 | Italy:T | Japan:PG-12 | Netherlands:16 | Peru:18 | Portugal:M/18 | Singapore:NC-16 | South Korea:18 | Spain:18 | UK:15 | USA:R (certificate #38149) | Philippines:R-18 | Iceland:16 | Malaysia:18SG (uncut version) | Malaysia:U (cut version) | Chile:14 | Chile:TE (Video rating)

Filming Locations:

Huntington Library & Botanical Gardens - 1151 Oxford Road, San Marino, California, USA

Company:

David Kirschner Productions

Trivia:

Bill Paxton mentions in the director commentary at 54:19 "We couldn't really dig it [the hole] that deep .. unless it's reinforced, so actually in this shot [54:31] I'm on my knees and kind of making it look like I'm standing up to make the hole look deeper and of course there's a little mound there [at the lip of the hole]."

Goofs:

Continuity: When Agent Hull comes in Fenton's house, he sees the cork-board with Fenton's victim list. When it is first shown, the list is pinned up straight, with about a couple of inches of cork-board visible under it. However, when the list is seen again, it is slightly tilted, and pinned directly above a picture (with cork-board no longer visible).

Quotes:

Dad:Don't cry for her son, she wasn't human.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Anatomy of a Scene: Frailty" (2002)

Soundtrack:

Ball & Chain

Genuinely Good Film

The film is very complete in what it is, keeping one continuously interested with the flashbacks to childhood and growing up with such a bizarre father, and interspersing it with the tails of serial murder, one simply cannot go wrong. The very plot in itself, the very story and essence of the film, is entertaining. It is the sort of story that the director (Bill Paxton) could do so much with, and in this case, he really did do a lot with it.

From beginning to end you are kept anticipating more and more about what is happening and where the film is going, and the creativity that is behind this story is first class. I felt as if this film was exquisitely done from start to finish, and one of those rare gems that seemed to be without any boring lulls -- the action flowing neatly, quickly, and tightly from one scene to the next.

It demonstrates just how far people can go: so as to do such horrible things to their loved ones, and to do such acts of evil, in the name of 'God' when they are disillusioned as in this case. It also is sometimes interesting in its' twists & takes on the concept of morality as a whole.

Overall, this is the sort of film that one easily overlooks, but I would recommend you to not do likewise and to check this film out -- it is very much so worth your time.