Identity (2003)

Director:

James Mangold

Writer (WGA):

Michael Cooney (written by)

Release Date:

25 April 2003 (USA)

Genre:

Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

The secret lies within.

Plot:

Stranded at a desolate Nevada motel during a nasty rainstorm, ten strangers become acquainted with each other when they realize that they're being killed off one by one.

Plot Keywords:

Motel | Murderer | Key | Nevada | Rainstorm

Awards:

6 nominations

Cast

John Cusack	...	Ed
Ray Liotta	...	Rhodes
Amanda Peet	...	Paris
John Hawkes	...	Larry
Alfred Molina	...	Dr. Malick
Clea DuVall	...	Ginny
John C. McGinley	...	George York
William Lee Scott	...	Lou
Jake Busey	...	Robert Maine
Pruitt Taylor Vince	...	Malcolm Rivers
Rebecca De Mornay	...	Caroline Suzanne (as Rebecca DeMornay)
Carmen Argenziano	...	Defense Lawyer
Marshall Bell	...	District Attorney
Leila Kenzle	...	Alice York
Matt Letscher	...	Assistant District Attorney
Bret Loehr	...	Timmy York
Holmes Osborne	...	Judge Taylor
Frederick Coffin	...	Detective Varole
Joe Hart	...	Bailiff Jenkins
Michael Hirsch	...	Naked Businessman
Terence Bernie Hines	...	Bailiff
Stuart M. Besser	...	Frozen Body (as Stuart Besser)

Directed by
James Mangold

Writing credits (WGA)
Michael Cooney		(written by)

Produced by
Stuart M. Besser	....	executive producer (as Stuart Besser)
Dixie J. Capp	....	associate producer
Cathy Konrad	....	producer

Original Music by
Alan Silvestri

Cinematography by
Phedon Papamichael

Film Editing by
David Brenner

Casting by
Lisa Beach
Sarah Katzman

Production Design by
Mark Friedberg

Art Direction by
Jess Gonchor

Set Decoration by
Cindy Carr

Costume Design by
Arianne Phillips

Makeup Department
Catherine Childers	....	hair stylist
Scott H. Eddo	....	makeup department head
Jane Galli	....	makeup department head
Jake Garber	....	special makeup effects artist
Jonathan Hanousek	....	hair stylist supervisor
Katharine Kremp	....	hair stylist: Mr. Liotta
Katharine Kremp	....	key hair stylist
Robert Kurtzman	....	special makeup effects supervisor
Judy Lovell	....	key makeup artist
Gregory Nicotero	....	special makeup effects supervisor
Nanci Cascio	....	hair stylist (uncredited)

Production Management
John Anthony	....	production supervisor
Stuart M. Besser	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Rick Avery	....	second unit director
Rosemary C. Cremona	....	second assistant director (as Rosemary Cremona)
Maria Mantia	....	second second assistant director
Nicholas Mastandrea	....	first assistant director (as Nick Mastandrea)

Art Department
Ruben Abarca	....	drapery foreman
Ron Ashmore	....	paint supervisor
Oana Bogdan	....	set designer
Shane Buckallew	....	plaster foreman
Sam Dean	....	welder
Alex DiGerlando	....	art department assistant
Christopher Elledge	....	set dresser
Josh Ian Elliott	....	on-set dresser (as Josh Elliott)
Steve A. Hagberg	....	construction coordinator
Sarah Harwich	....	construction purchaser
Glenn Hoofman	....	plaster foreman
Bart C. Hubenthal	....	set dresser
Alan James	....	painter
John Paul 'J.P.' Jones	....	property master
Miguel López-Castillo	....	assistant art director
Michael McCombe	....	greens foreman
Marc Messenger	....	storyboard artist
Chris Nakayama	....	propmaker
Victoria Ruskin	....	set designer
Rick C. Taplin	....	art department assistant
Freddy Waff	....	lead man
Cheree Welsh	....	art department coordinator
Perry E. Ellis	....	set dresser (uncredited)
John P. Goldsmith	....	set designer (uncredited)
Amber Haley	....	set buyer (uncredited)
J. Bryan Holloway	....	sculptor (uncredited)
Victor M. Shannon	....	plasterer (uncredited)

Sound Department
Jessy Bender	....	sound utility
Joseph Bonn	....	first assistant sound editor
Gary C. Bourgeois	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Gary Bourgeois)
Matthew Dettmann	....	foley artist
John Dunn	....	sound editor
Donald Flick	....	sound editor
Howell Gibbens	....	supervising sound effects editor
Matthew P. Hanson	....	assistant sound editor (as Matthew Hanson)
Gary A. Hecker	....	foley artist
Kevin Hyde	....	boom operator
Larry Kemp	....	sound editor
Sean Landeros	....	sound recordist
Howard London	....	adr mixer
James Morioka	....	sound effects editor
Greg Orloff	....	sound re-recording mixer
Ken Strain	....	boom operator
Jim Stuebe	....	sound mixer

Special Effects by
Ron Bolanowski	....	special effects coordinator
Rich E. Cordobes	....	special effects technician
John Fleming	....	special effects
Chiz Hasegawa	....	coordinator: KNB EFX Group
William D. Lee	....	special effects
Ian C. McArthur	....	special effects technician
Matt McDonnell	....	special effects technician
Gregory Nicotero	....	puppeteer
Richard Stutsman	....	special effects foreman

Visual Effects by
David Ebner	....	digital effects supervisor: Computercafe
Julia Frey	....	visual effects producer
Vicki Galloway-Weimer	....	visual effects producer: CafeFX (as Vicki Galloway Weimer)
Anthony Harris	....	digital color timer
Bruce Harris	....	digital compositor
Robert Rowles	....	compositor
Robert Stromberg	....	visual effects supervisor: Digital Backlot
Patrick Zentis	....	compositing supervisor: Digital Backlot
Jeff Barnes	....	executive producer: Computercafe (uncredited)
Attila Veress	....	film recorder operator (uncredited)

Stunts
Brian Avery	....	utility stunts
Rick Avery	....	stunt coordinator
Tom Harper	....	stunts
Brett A. Jones	....	stunts
Brian Machleit	....	stunts
Caryn Mower	....	stunt double: Leila Kenzle
Eric Norris	....	stunts
Michelle Sebek	....	stunt double
Brian Simpson	....	stunts
Darlene Ava Williams	....	stunt double: Rebecca DeMornay
Jennifer Caputo	....	stunt double: Amanda Peet (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Jeff Andrus	....	grip
Brad Boyer	....	dolly grip: "b" camera
Craig A. Brink	....	rigging gaffer
Jeff Chassler	....	second unit gaffer
Eric M. Davis	....	lighting technician
Sean Devine	....	best boy grip
Christopher Franey	....	set lighting technician
Ray Garcia	....	key grip
Cory Geryak	....	chief lighting technician
Bob Hall	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera
Ryan Huston	....	electrician
David Luckenbach	....	Steadicam operator
David Luckenbach	....	camera operator
Daniel C. McFadden	....	assistant camera
David McMillan	....	dimmer board operator
Andrew Osborne	....	assistant camera
Paul Sanchez	....	camera operator
Philip Shanahan	....	assistant camera
Matthew J. Siegel	....	camera operator: second unit
Dan Squires	....	additional second assistant camera
Larry Sushinski	....	assistant chief lighting technician
Suzanne Tenner	....	still photographer
Brian Woronec	....	lighting technician
David Schmalz	....	video assist operator (uncredited)

Casting Department
Jennifer Bender	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Terry Anderson	....	key costumer
Lorraine Crossman	....	costumer
Jo Kissack	....	set costumer
Carlane Passman	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
Sara Cueva	....	apprentice editor
Quincy Z. Gunderson	....	assistant editor
Dale Jones	....	avid technician
Michael McCusker	....	associate editor
Jim Passon	....	color timer
Michael Rafferty	....	assistant editor
David Reale	....	first assistant editor
Valance Eisleben	....	high definition editorial services (uncredited)

Music Department
Bill Abbott	....	music editor: temp music (as William Abbott)
David Bifano	....	scoring coordinator
Sandy DeCrescent	....	orchestra contractor
George Doering	....	musician
Mark Eshelman	....	scoring crew
Kenneth Karman	....	music editor
Jason Lloyd	....	scoring crew
Adam Michalak	....	score recordist
Bill Pearson	....	music engineer
John Rodd	....	orchestral scoring recordist
Dennis S. Sands	....	music scoring mixer
Alan Silvestri	....	conductor
Steven L. Smith	....	music preparation
Jacqueline Tager	....	assistant music editor
James Thatcher	....	musician: french horn
Pat Weber	....	scoring technician
Mark Graham	....	music copyist (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Chris Basso	....	production van driver operator
J. Armin Garza II	....	driver: camera car
Dan Marrow	....	transportation coordinator
Pamela Monroe	....	transportation office coordinator
Mark Valdez	....	driver: cast
John Embry	....	driver: cast (uncredited)

Other crew
Benjamin Adams	....	production accountant
Olivier Agostini	....	set production assistant
Ricky Andres	....	production assistant
Bianca Arvin	....	assistant to producer
Barry Barclay	....	assistant production office coordinator
Michael Boretz	....	production secretary
Michele A. Carmel	....	production coordinator
Rupert Cole	....	production assistant
Kyle Cooper	....	title designer
Jason Cox	....	production assistant
Chad Hammel	....	production assistant
Michael B. Johnson	....	first assistant accountant
Bruce Kaye	....	assistant: Mr. Mangold
Gary Kurashige	....	on-set medic
Aurelie Levy	....	assistant: John Cusack
Andrew Lipschultz	....	unit publicist
Brian MacAslan	....	stand-in
Lindsay McCracken	....	assistant: Mr. Cusack
Caitlin McFarland	....	production intern
Jeremy Mullen	....	set production assistant
Nikolette Orlandou	....	production assistant
Jennifer Priebe	....	production assistant
Ned R. Shapiro	....	location manager
Shannon Shea	....	shop foreman
Sheila Waldron	....	script supervisor
Chris Castaldi	....	additional set production assistant (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Columbia Pictures Corporation (presents)
• Konrad Pictures

Distributors

• Buena Vista International (2003) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Columbia Pictures (2003) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Films (2003) (France) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Films (2003) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Films de Argentina (2003) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Italia (2003) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Nordisk Film Distributors (2003) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Sony Pictures Entertainment (2003) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Sony Pictures Releasing Canada (2003) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment (2004) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2004) (Spain) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2004) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2003) (USA) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar (2004) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar (2004) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Nelonen (2006) (2009) (Finland) (TV)
• RTL Entertainment (2006) (Netherlands) (TV)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2003) (Canada) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2007) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-Ray Disc)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-Ray Disc)
• Universal Pictures Finland Oy (2004) (Finland) (DVD) (VHS)

Special Effects

• CIS Hollywood (additional visual effects)
• CafeFX
• Computer Cafe, The (additional visual effects) (as Computercafe)
• Digital Backlot (visual effects)
• K.N.B. Effects Group (special makeup effects)
• Sony Pictures Imageworks (SPI)

Other Companies

• Central Casting  extras casting
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  cranes and dollies
• Direct Tools & Fasteners  expendables
• FotoKem Laboratory  color timing (as Foto-Kem)
• Imaginary Forces  main and end titles
• Mary Nelson-Fraser & Associates  negative cutting
• Post Logic Studios  digital film mastering
• R!ot  film scanning and recording (as Riot Pictures)
• Rods & Cones  digital opticals
• Sony Pictures Imageworks (SPI)  digital color timing
• Sony Pictures Studios  sound re-recording

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for strong violence and language

Runtime:

90 min | USA:91 min (alternate DVD version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Argentina:16 | Australia:MA | Brazil:16 | Chile:14 | Denmark:15 | Finland:K-15 | France:-12 | Germany:16 | Iceland:16 | India:A | Japan:PG-12 | Netherlands:16 | New Zealand:R16 | Norway:15 | Philippines:R-18 | Portugal:M/16 | Singapore:NC-16 | South Korea:15 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:16 (canton of the Grisons) | UK:15 | USA:R (certificate #38872) | Malaysia:18SG | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:14A (Alberta/British Columbia) | Canada:18A (Manitoba/Ontario)

Filming Locations:

City Hall - 200 N. Spring Street, Downtown, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

The character played by Jake Busey is humming lines of famous song by Johnny Cash: "I got stripes, stripes on my shoulders". The next James Mangold movie was the Cash biopic Walk the Line (2005).

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Caroline is talking on the phone while underway in the limo, the digital speedometer clearly reads 0 mph.

Quotes:

[first Lines]
Malcolm Rivers:As I was going up the stairs, I met a man who wasn't there. He wasn't there again today. I wish, I wish he'd go away.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Big Fish (2003)

Soundtrack:

I Want You

Very good

On a dark and stormy night 11 strangers have to take refuge in an isolated motel when a rainstorm turns into a monsoon. One by one they begin to be killed...but by who and for what reason?

The set-up is neat (if predictable) and there's a great opening showing how the actions of one of them (Amanda Peet) inadvertantly causes some serious damage for the others. There also is some great acting by Peet, John C. McGinley and Ray Liotta (who REALLY chews the scenery). There are also some moments that will make you jump and there are two neat twists at the end.

The only bad things about this movie is some clumsy exposition (John Cusack tells his whole life story while photographing a corpse), some truly bad lines and a surprisingly lousy performance by Cusack. What's happened to him? He looks worn-out and haggard in this film.

However, these are minor problems and the film is well worth seeing and keeps you guessing about what's going on till the last moment. Worth catching.

WARNING: This film is NOT for children!