Spinning Boris (2003)

Director:

Roger Spottiswoode

Writers (WGA):

Yuri Zeltser (written by) &
Grace Cary Bickley (written by)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

Electing a Russian president the American way.

Plot:

Russian political elite hires American consultants to help with President Yeltsin's re-election campaign when his approval rating is down to single digits.

Plot Keywords:

Election | Russian | President | Computer | Watching TV

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Jeff Goldblum	...	George Gorton
Anthony LaPaglia	...	Dick Dresner
Liev Schreiber	...	Joe Shumate
Boris Lee Krutonog	...	Felix Braynin (as Boris Krutonog)
Svetlana Efremova	...	Tatiana Dyachenko
Shauna MacDonald	...	Lisa
Gregory Hlady	...	Andrei Lugov
Vladimir Radian	...	Vasso
Ilia Volok	...	Elvis Impersonator
Konstantin Kazakov	...	Oleg Soskovets
Judah Katz	...	Michael Kramer
Maria Syrgiannis	...	Female Journalist
Ola Sturik	...	Post Office Clerk
Gillian Vanderburgh	...	Dick Dresner's Wife
Serge Timokhin	...	Hotel Desk Clerk
Victoria Shaevich	...	Hotel Desk Clerk
Lucy Necrasova	...	Hotel Desk Clerk
Tatiana Galagen	...	Hotel Desk Clerk
Dmitry Chepovetsky	...	Courtyard Guard
Sergei Priselkov	...	Focus Group Member (as Sergei Prisselkov)
Sergiy Osadchuk	...	Focus Group Member
Leonid Berdichevsky	...	Focus Group Member
Mila Kanev	...	Focus Group Member
Tatiana Chouljenko	...	Focus Group Member
Nina Kazakova	...	Focus Group Member
Stefen Hayes	...	Male Russian Journalist
Yelena Pavlova	...	Female Russian Journalist
Jason Jones	...	Nightline Man
Nadia Belova	...	Woman on Street
Zoltan Buday	...	Brayman's Bodyguard
Kevin Etherington	...	War Room Staff
Reuben Thompson	...	War Room Staff
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Ellora Patnaik	...	Balinese Masseuse (uncredited)

Directed by
Roger Spottiswoode

Writing credits (WGA)
Yuri Zeltser		(written by) &
Grace Cary Bickley		(written by) (as Cary Bickley)

Produced by
Cydney Bernard	....	producer
Andrew Licht	....	executive producer
John Gilbert Morris	....	executive producer (as John Morris)
Jeffrey A. Mueller	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Jeff Danna

Cinematography by
John S. Bartley		(director of photography) (as John Bartley)

Film Editing by
Michael Pacek

Casting by
Tina Gerussi
Beth Klein

Production Design by
Taavo Soodor

Art Direction by
Barry Isenor

Set Decoration by
Erica Milo

Costume Design by
Joyce Schure

Makeup Department
Katrin Clark-Citroen	....	key hair stylist
Lee-Anne Crossman	....	assistant makeup artist
Catherine Davies Irvine	....	key makeup artist (as Catherine Irvine)
Miriam Stables	....	assistant hair stylist

Production Management
David Bailey	....	post-production supervisor
Tim King	....	executive in charge of post-production
Regina Robb	....	production manager
Jan Saywell	....	post-production supervisor: video
Steve Wakefield	....	executive in charge of production

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jack Boem	....	second assistant director
Annie Bradley	....	first assistant director
J.L. Crosbie	....	third assistant director
Karen Young	....	third assistant director

Art Department
Jon Bankson	....	construction coordinator
Tracy Bock	....	art department coordinator
Mark Bryson	....	head carpenter
Hamish Buchanan	....	second assistant art director
Steve Butler	....	set dresser
Luis Camara	....	set dresser
Matthew Davies	....	first assistant art director
Erich Entner	....	set dresser
Cameron Hoffman	....	head painter
Christopher Jenkins	....	property master
Lesley Jones	....	set buyer
Rick Little	....	on-set dresser
Andrew McKendy	....	lead set dresser
Steve Meil	....	key scenic artist
Steve Robinson	....	head carpenter
George Stouros	....	property assistant
Robert Walshaw	....	set dresser

Sound Department
Alek Bromke	....	adr assistant
Richard Calistan	....	adr mixer
Steve Copley	....	foley mixer
Tony Currie	....	sound editor
Alfie DiPucchio	....	adr assistant (as Alfie DiPuccio)
John Elliot	....	foley artist
Mark Gingras	....	sound designer
John Laing	....	supervising dialogue editor
Diep Le	....	first assistant sound editor
James Porteous	....	sound re-recording mixer
John Sievert	....	foley artist
Steve F.B. Smith	....	sound consultant: Dolby
Urmas Rosin	....	sound recordist (uncredited)
Paul Sebastianelli	....	boom operator (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Tim Good	....	special effects supervisor

Visual Effects by
Lisa Carr-Harris	....	lead compositor: C.O.R.E. Digital
Paul DeOliveira	....	2D compositor: C.O.R.E. Digital
Maria A. Gordon	....	2D compositor: C.O.R.E. Digital (as Maria Gordon)
Anthony Ho	....	systems support: C.O.R.E. Digital
Nick Hsieh	....	2D compositor: C.O.R.E. Digital
Janice M. Jacobs	....	production manager: C.O.R.E. Digital (as Janice Jacobs)
Sarah Kehayas	....	visual effects producer: C.O.R.E. Digital
Stan Klychko	....	systems support: C.O.R.E. Digital
Daniel Lee	....	2D compositor: C.O.R.E. Digital
Tina McGill	....	2D compositor: C.O.R.E. Digital
Kyle Menzies	....	visual effects supervisor: C.O.R.E. Digital
Costa Roussakis	....	systems support: C.O.R.E. Digital
John A. Shaw	....	systems support: C.O.R.E. Digital
Brian A. Smeets	....	2D compositor: C.O.R.E. Digital
Jay Stanners	....	2D compositor: C.O.R.E. Digital
Mark Thomas-Stubbs	....	2D compositor: C.O.R.E. Digital
Martin Tori	....	on-set visual effects supervisor: C.O.R.E. Digital (as Joseph Tori)
Tracey Vaz	....	2D compositor: C.O.R.E. Digital
Ken A. Walker	....	2D compositor: C.O.R.E. Digital
Marnie Wells	....	2D compositor: C.O.R.E. Digital
Alphonso Young	....	2D compositor: C.O.R.E. Digital
Paul Arion	....	digital compositor (uncredited)
Michael Becki	....	digital artist (uncredited)
Joshua J. Clark	....	digital compositor (uncredited)
Dave Salter	....	digital artist (uncredited)

Stunts
John MacDonald	....	stunts
Robert Racki	....	stunts
Alison Reid	....	stunt coordinator
Kevin Rushton	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Don Anderson	....	electrician
Mark Berlet	....	gaffer
Mark Cyre	....	first assistant camera
Chris Faulkner	....	key grip
Ben Gervais	....	video playback operator
Stewart Grayburn	....	dolly grip
Kenneth Green	....	electrician
Rob Haid	....	best boy grip (as Robert 'Gump' Haid)
Manuel Neves	....	grip
Harald Ortenburger	....	camera operator
John Pogue	....	electrician
Geoff Pope	....	grip (as Geoffrey Pope)
Loreen Ruddock	....	best boy electric
Dave Sansford	....	generator operator
Neil Trafford	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera
Pief Weyman	....	still photographer (as L. Pief Weyman)
Tara Ziemba	....	camera trainee
Jeremy Benning	....	Steadicam operator (uncredited)

Casting Department
David Aulicino	....	casting associate
Avy Kaufman	....	casting: New York
Alexa Leskys	....	casting associate (as Alexa Leskis)
Aric Dupere	....	extras casting assistant: Dupere Casting (uncredited)
Donna Dupere	....	extras casting: Dupere Casting (uncredited)
Aaron Unrau	....	extras casting assistant: Dupere Casting (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Koreann Ciandre	....	costume truck supervisor
Marie Grogan Hales	....	assistant costume designer (as Marie Grogan-Hales)
Anne Peiponen	....	first assistant wardrobe (as Ann Peiponen)
Shannon Wilson	....	on-set costumer supervisor

Editorial Department
John Cameron	....	assistant editor
Patrick S. Clark	....	post-production assistant (as Patrick Clark)
Ross Cole	....	colorist
Lee Garrison	....	post-production assistant
Vaughan Killin	....	color timer
Sam Komaromi	....	post-production coordinator: video
Renay McGowan	....	post-production coordinator
Jaan Spirka	....	telecine assistant (as Juan Spirka)

Music Department
Jeane Fay	....	music clearances (as Jeanne Faye)
Alex Khaskin	....	composer: additional music
Fletcher Beasley	....	composer: additional music (uncredited)
Brad Haehnel	....	music mixer (uncredited)

Transportation Department
John Carr	....	driver
Cheryl Darbey	....	driver
Al Izumi	....	driver
Alex Laframboise	....	head driver
Jerome McCann	....	transportation supervisor
David McLaren	....	transportation captain
John Panchyshyn	....	driver
Chris Radley Walters	....	driver
Kevin Robbin	....	driver
Richard Spiegelman	....	picture vehicles (as Richard Spiegleman)
Craig Taylor	....	driver
Grant Wilkins	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Virginia Alves	....	first assistant accountant
Christine Bird	....	assistant production coordinator
Peter Boboras	....	location manager
Anna Bondarenko	....	consultant: Russian, second unit
Anuta Bondarenko	....	consultant: Russia
Beverley Bremner	....	key craft service
Sam Brown	....	assistant: Mr. Licht, Los Angeles
Lyssa J. Caster	....	assistant: Mr. Licht and Mr. Morris (as Lyssa Caster)
Melanie Claveau	....	office assistant: DGP
Karen de Montbrun	....	production accountant
Linda Gillespie	....	post-production accountant
Dede Gilsher	....	receptionist: DGP (as Dede Gilser)
Lee Gladman	....	lead stand in
Sheena Graham	....	production coordinator
Ryan Heimpel	....	second assistant accountant
Stacey Knocker	....	client services
Vanessa Lee	....	hot set office coordinator
Kathy Levitt	....	researcher: stock footage, Umbrella Research
Kristian Loosberg	....	location production assistant
Dahla MacKenna	....	lead stand in
John Mairs	....	dog trainer
Chris Martin	....	assistant location manager
Jay Jay McLeod	....	location assistant
Irena Meldris	....	consultant: Russian, second unit
Chris Nickle	....	on-set craft service
Rick Parker	....	animal wrangler
Ronan Quinn	....	production assistant
Shane B. Scott	....	script trainee (as Shane Scott)
Lisa Shamata	....	unit publicist
Sheelagh Stewart	....	office coordinator: DGP
Rebecca Sweetman	....	production assistant
Portia Tickell	....	script supervisor (as Portia Belmont)
John Weber	....	chief financial officer
Craig Blair	....	stand-in (uncredited)
Lee Gladman	....	stand-in (uncredited)
Brad McIlroy	....	on-set caterer (uncredited)
Jym Morton	....	location assistant (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Licht/Mueller Film Corporation
• Showtime Networks

Distributors

• Imagem Filmes (2004) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Showtime Networks

Special Effects

• C.O.R.E. Digital Pictures (as C.O.R.E. Digital)
• Film Effects (opticals)
• Good FX

Other Companies

• AVID  edited on
• Apple/Final Cut Pro  TV playback edited on (as Apple's Final Cut Pro)
• Babylon  walla group
• Brookside Productions  AVID provided by: Toronto
• By David's  catering (as By Davids')
• DeLuxe Toronto  color
• DeLuxe Toronto  film laboratory
• Deufferin Gate Productions  production services provided by
• Donna Dupere Casting  extras casting (as Dupere Casting)
• Film Effects  titles
• Francont Film  negative cutting
• Ipostini  DVD authoring and encoding
• Manta Digital Sound & Picture  sound post-production
• Manta Digital Sound & Picture  video post-production
• Panavision  lenses and panaflex camera
• Starcraft  craft service
• Umbrella Research  stock footage research
• Urban Audio  sound editorial

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for language

Runtime:

USA:112 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Certification:

UK:12 | USA:R | Australia:M

Filming Locations:

Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Company:

Licht/Mueller Film Corporation

Trivia:

The scene where Shumate (played by Liev Schreiber) is stacking furniture against the door of his hotel is something that really happened, and happened more than once. The consultants' paranoia is well founded. During the 1996 election cycle in Russia, the campaign manager for the mayor of St. Petersburg had acid thrown in his face, and the running mate for the mayor of Moscow was critically injured in a car bomb.

Quotes:

George Gorton:When in Rome, speak Russian.

Vodka and Voting, Through American Eyes

Released in the US at the time of another Russian Presidential election, "Spinning Boris", is a humorous, fact-based dramatization of the 1996 Russian Presidential election, directed by Roger Spottiswoode (who also directed the Bond film, "Tomorrow Never Dies," and the bio-pic "Noriega: God's Favorite").

The first post-Soviet election in Russia pitted Boris Yeltsin, a man once considered a hero but now, after five years of attempted coups, hyperinflation, and war in Chechnya, has lower approval ratings than Stalin, against political opponents ranging from kooky (the xenophobic Vladimir Zhirinovsky, who wants to retake Alaska), to Communist (Gennady Zyuganov, who vows to restore the Soviet Union). In Yeltsin's view (and that of some powerful forces on both sides of the Atlantic) the future of Russia is at stake: do people want to live with the challenges and opportunities of free choice, or fall back to the failed Communist system (along with newly wealthy oligarchs losing their power).

How can a candidate be "guaranteed" victory in a democracy? Hire the best political advisors money can buy, in this case George Gorton (Jeff Goldblum), Dick Dresner (Anthony LaPaglia), and Joe Shumate (Liev Schreiber, playing a more open operative than in his last Russian adventure, "The Sum of All Fears," and proving himself a master in the political movies genre).

The three American political consultants (one of whom, Gorton, recently led Arnold Schwarzenegger's successful gubernatorial campaign) are masters at showing how politics can be manipulated, or fine tuned. "Spinning Boris" shows the idealism and naivete of Russia's fledging democracy in 1996, primarily through the eyes of his daughter, Tatiana Dyachenko (played by the sensuously dignified Svetlana Efremova, known to political drama junkies through an appearance as a Russian journalist in "The West Wing").

The main difference between history and the plot of this film is that the script overplays the political naivete of Russians far too much. After all, it was Yeltsin's main opponent, the Communist Zyuganov, who said in 1995, "You should understand that a clever propaganda worker and a skilled politician will never talk in the same language with different audiences." If the Soviet era proved anything, it is that Russians are masters at telling an audience what it wants to hear. The movie does prove that Americans are good at reviving a stale product, in this case a Presidential candidate, Yeltsin, who offers a clear (and clearly superior) alternative to his opponents, men who reach back into the "ash heap of history" for their political platform.

"Spinning Boris" perpetuates some negative stereotypes about Russia. For instance: the President Hotel is not 5-Star quality; people did not walk around with machine guns in 1996; the SOVIET national anthem was not in use during the Yeltsin era; and why did the Americans sing the "Internationale," the song of world Communism, as they leave Moscow? There are, however, some wonderful street scenes throughout the entire movie, and the cinematography manages to capture some of the exoticness and beauty of Moscow, the world's most unique city (although most of the interior shots were filmed in Toronto).

It is great to have a dramatization of what is for Americans an obscure political event, but one that had far-reaching repercussions. Movies are often the only way that a historic event is remembered; by their nature a political drama will be abridged and truncated (this is true of documentaries as well). Hopefully people watching this movie won't believe that today's Russia is as close to the brink of collapse as it is depicted here. Like "Primary Colors," the movie (and novel) which gave great understanding into the 1992 Clinton campaign, "Spinning Boris" gives humorous insight into the Russian political scene during its early democratic years.