Wonderland (2003)

User Rating:

6.6/10   

Director:

James Cox

Writers (WGA):

James Cox (written by) &
Captain Mauzner (written by) ...

Release Date:

24 October 2003 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

The '80s - unplugged. The murders - unveiled. The legend - unzipped.

Plot:

In the police investigation of a brutal crime scene, one man was at the center of it all: legendary porn star John Holmes.

Plot Keywords:

Murder | Police | Porn | John Holmes | Porn Star

Awards:

3 nominations

Cast

Kate Bosworth	...	Dawn Schiller
Carrie Fisher	...	Sally Hansen
Val Kilmer	...	John Holmes
Kim Marriner	...	Reporter (as Kim Mariner)
Dylan McDermott	...	David Lind
Michael Pitt	...	Gopher (scenes deleted)
Alexis Dziena	...	Gopher's Girlfriend (scenes deleted)
Karen LaKritz	...	Bartender (as Karen Lakritz)
Steve Cox	...	Guy at Bar
Josh Lucas	...	Ron Launius
Louis Lombardi	...	Slim Jim
Franky G	...	Louis Cruz (as Franky G.)
Ted Levine	...	Sam Nico
Russell Sams	...	Cherokee
Chris Cioffi	...	Letterman Meathead

Also Known As:

The Wonderland Murders (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong violence/grisly images, pervasive drug use and language, some sexuality/nudity.

Runtime:

104 min

Country:

USA | Canada

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Canada:18A (Ontario) | Iceland:16 | USA:R (certificate #39469) | USA:TV-MA (TV rating) | Singapore:R21 (re-rating) | Singapore:R(A) | Netherlands:16 | Portugal:M/16 | Italy:VM14 | Argentina:16 | Australia:MA | Germany:16 | Hong Kong:III | Japan:R-15 | New Zealand:R18 | Norway:15 | UK:18

Filming Locations:

L.A.P.D. Hollywood Station - 1358 Wilcox Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Lions Gate Films

Trivia:

The movie did not portray that, while John was being beaten up at Nash's house, Liberace's lover, Scott Thorson, was present. It was his testimony that eventually led to the indictment of Eddie Nash by federal authorities.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: In the beginning of the movie a character is seen using a "brick" mobile phone. The first mobile phone (the Motorola DynaTAC 8000X) was brought on the market in 1983 and therefore such a phone couldn't be in use in 1981.

Quotes:

John Holmes: Where do you want to go?
Dawn: Anywhere. Everywhere.

Movie Connections:

References "WKRP in Cincinnati" (1978)

Soundtrack:

In Excelsis Deo

Once the summers of love ended .....

One of the most disturbing and tragic periods in American history began. The members of the Summer of Love culture, at the end of the seventies and onset of the 80's, were eventually tool old for love beads and all night parties and evolved back into mainstream life, whatever that meant. For those who could not out grow their youthful and sometimes irrational exuberance, their's was the culture of Wonderland. A love for drugs and a sense of entitlement coupled with a distaste for authority, values and "the establishment" is the world that the film captures.

The sixties were a time of revolution and violent change that tore the American "house" apart. Once the battles were over, we all had to deal with the aftermath of the carnage. The characters in the Wonderland house are icons of the misfits of the Seventies; part biker, part hippie, part crook, all outcast. No ideology to express, just a sense of dissatisfaction with everything and allegiance to nothing. Ron, Billy and David fancy themselves as some sort of Robin Hoods with dope. They talk of love and behave violently; they take from the rich and sell to the misbegotten; they steal from everyone.

Holmes and company are the end result of a strange collision of anti-matter like sex, and drugs and rock & roll, when the lab technicians get bored and move on.

The film is skillfully directed and paced and captures the frenetic world of the drug fiends in their element. The fact that Holmes is a porn star is almost irrelevant. That story was told in "Boogie Nights". This is a story of a transitional and forgettable era.