Auto Focus (2002)

Director:

Paul Schrader

Writers (WGA):

Robert Graysmith (book)
Michael Gerbosi (written by)

Release Date:

8 November 2002 (Canada)

Genre:

Biography | Crime | Drama

Tagline:

A day without sex is a day wasted.

Plot:

A story about "Hogan's Heroes" star Bob Crane and his friendship with John Carpenter.

Plot Keywords:

Video | Swinger | Friendship | Murder | Marriage

Awards:

3 nominations

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Greg Kinnear	...	Bob Crane
Willem Dafoe	...	John Carpenter
Rita Wilson	...	Anne Crane
Maria Bello	...	Patricia Olson / Patrica Crane / Sigrid Valdis
Ron Leibman	...	Lenny
Bruce Solomon	...	Edward H. Feldman
Michael E. Rodgers	...	Richard Dawson (as Michael Rodgers)
Kurt Fuller	...	Werner Klemperer
Christopher Neiman	...	Robert Clary
Lyle Kanouse	...	John Banner
Donnamarie Recco	...	Melissa / Mistress Victoria
Ed Begley Jr.	...	Mel Rosen
Michael McKean	...	Video Executive
Cheryl Lynn Bowers	...	Cynthia Lynn
Don McManus	...	Priest

Also Known As:

Autofocus (USA) (alternative spelling)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong sexuality, nudity, language, some drug use and violence.

Runtime:

105 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Singapore:R21 | Italy:VM14 (re-rating) (2004) | Italy:VM18 (original rating) (2003) | Finland:K-15 | Portugal:M/16 | South Korea:18 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | USA:R (cut) | Argentina:16 | Australia:R | Canada:18A | France:-12 | Germany:16 | Hong Kong:III | Japan:R-18 | Netherlands:16 | New Zealand:R16 | Norway:15 | UK:18 | Malaysia:(Banned) | Iceland:16 | Philippines:R-18

Filming Locations:

Arizona, USA

Company:

Focus Puller Inc.

Trivia:

The bald actor who plays a reporter interviewing Crane about midway through the film is Crane's real son, Bob Crane Jr. (Robert David Crane).

Goofs:

Anachronisms: Crane's daughters play with a bent-armed Barbie doll; all such dolls of that era had straight arms.

Quotes:

Lenny: Sex is not the answer.
Bob Crane: I know that Lenny, it's the question. 'Yes' is the answer.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Murder in Scottsdale (2003) (V)

Soundtrack:

I Got a Line on You

"I couldn't blame him; men gotta have fun."

This is a movie about a man's downfall; in this case, sex. I saw this right after 'Requiem for a Dream'(I guess I was in an addictive mood). This is a sad movie, but not on par with 'Requiem'. I never knew the sordid details about 'Col. Hogan', but this movie laid it out for me. The acting is very good. As other's viewers have noticed, the cinematography and music matches the decline of Crane's life. I was very depressed near the end. There is an obvious implication of his friend Carpenter in his murder, and outside of a court of law, many people would believe it. It's like a weak Oliver Stone/JFK, but still believable. Kind of like a required homework assignment that they may never get credit for, yet execute at 100 percent and show their merit. It wasn't a box office movie, but I believe it's worth watching, and it is exemplarary work by the actors. Maybe it needed more supporting character development, maybe longer screen shots.