Spartan (2004)

Director:

David Mamet

Writer (WGA):

David Mamet (written by)

Release Date:

12 March 2004 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

She's missing.

Plot:

The investigation into a kidnapping of the daughter of a high-ranking US government official.

Plot Keywords:

Harvard | Secret Service | Special Ops | Kidnapping | Abductor

Cast

Tia Texada	...	Jackie Black
Derek Luke	...	Curtis
Val Kilmer	...	Scott
Jeremie Campbell	...	Cadre Candidate
Bob Jennings	...	Grace's Aide
Lionel Mark Smith	...	Colonel Blane
Johnny Messner	...	Grace
Chris LaCentra	...	Cpl. Sattler (as Chris J. Lacentra)
Renato Magno	...	Grossler
Mark FitzGerald	...	Training Facility Guard
Tony Mamet	...	Parker
Clark Gregg	...	Miller
Ron Butler	...	Headquarters Agent
Steven Culp	...	Gaines (as Stephen Culp)
Vincent Guastaferro	...	Naylor
Robert Bella	...	Davio
Lana Bilzerian	...	Undercover Agent
Aaron Stanford	...	Michael Blake
Annie Morgan	...	Secret Service Agent (as Ann Morgan)
Geoff Pierson	...	Pearce
Sophia Adella Luke	...	Agent
Alexandra Kerry	...	Bartender
Andy Davoli	...	Zimmer
J.J. Johnston	...	Night Club Manager
Natalija Nogulich	...	Nadya
Margot Farley	...	Young Whore
William H. Macy	...	Stoddard
Ed O'Neill	...	Burch
Rick Levy	...	Sedan Man
Jim Frangione	...	Stakeout Agent
Danny Hovanesian	...	Stakeout Driver (as Dan Hovanesian)
Norm Compton	...	Essex House Man #1
Chino Binamo	...	Essex House Man #2
Saïd Taghmaoui	...	Tariq Asani
Mark Pellegrino	...	Convict
Mordecai Finley	...	Cadre Operator (as Mordechai Finley)
Jonathan Rossetti	...	Medic
Gail Silver	...	Pharmacist
Scott Barry	...	Cadre Team Leader
Robert Castro	...	State Police Liaison Officer
Deb Martin	...	Debriefer
Richard L. Friedman	...	Crew Chief
David Aranovich	...	Cadre Technician
Jody Snider	...	Harvard Square Reporter
Virginia Pereira	...	TV Anchor Woman
Morris Lamore	...	Billy
Clara Mamet	...	Billy's Daughter
Matt Malloy	...	Mr. Reese
Deborah Bartlett	...	Mrs. Newton
Linda Kimbrough	...	Donny
Moshe Ivgy	...	Avi
Christopher Kaldor	...	Yitzik
Ektimal Shbib	...	Stewardess
Nasser Faris	...	Customs Official (as Al Faris)
Zosia Mamet	...	Bedouin Woman
Kick Gurry	...	Jones
Kristen Bell	...	Laura Newton
Damon Caro	...	Balcony Shooter
Ken Moreno	...	Bodyguard #1
J.J. Perry	...	Bodyguard #2 (as JJ Perry)
Michael Hilow	...	Perimeter Guard
Steve Martinez	...	Gate Keeper #1
Max Daniels	...	Gate Keeper #2
Sandra Lindquist	...	Swedish Reporter
Neil Pepe	...	News Cameraman
Tim Fleming	...	Night Sun Operator
Marc-Allen Barker	...	Pilot
Chelle Cerceo	...	Marine Flight Crew Chief
Jennifer Ritchkoff	...	Marine Captain
Stephen Greif	...	Business Man
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Michael Kuroiwa	...	Swat Team Member
Lauren Bowles	...	Entertainment Reporter (uncredited)
Yasmine Hanani	...	Arabic Girl (uncredited)
Shireen Kadivar	...	Arab Woman (uncredited)
Camden Munson	...	Bicycle Boy (uncredited)
David Paymer	...	TV News Anchor (uncredited)
Christopher Tandon	...	Professor Gerald Sloan (uncredited)

Directed by
David Mamet

Writing credits (WGA)
David Mamet		(written by)

Produced by
David Bergstein	....	producer
Moshe Diamant	....	producer
Kareem Elseify	....	associate producer
Jan Fantl	....	co-producer
James A. Holt	....	executive producer (as James Holt)
Frank Hübner	....	executive producer (as Frank Huebner)
Jerry P. Jacobs	....	line producer: additional unit
Art Linson	....	producer
Joseph Merhi	....	co-producer
Rick Nathanson	....	line producer
Elie Samaha	....	producer
Tracee Stanley	....	executive producer
Paul Tivers	....	line producer: London

Original Music by
Mark Isham

Cinematography by
Juan Ruiz Anchía		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Barbara Tulliver

Casting by
Cassandra Kulukundis

Production Design by
Gemma Jackson

Art Direction by
Christopher Tandon

Set Decoration by
Susan Emshwiller

Costume Design by
Shay Cunliffe

Makeup Department
John R. Bayless	....	key makeup artist
Candida Conery	....	key hair stylist (as Candy Conery)
Tarra D. Day	....	makeup artist: Mr. Kilmer (as Tarra Day)
Nicole DeFrancesco	....	assistant hair stylist (as Nicole Frank)
Brenda McNally	....	hair stylist: Boston unit
Peter Robb-King	....	makeup department head (as Peter Robb King)
Annie Townsend	....	hairdresser: London

Production Management
Dorothy Aufiero	....	unit production manager: Boston
Tessa Beazley	....	production manager: London
Reinhild Gräber	....	production supervisor: ApolloProMedia
Nicole Haeussermann	....	production supervisor: Kolin S.A.
Steven Kaminsky	....	post-production supervisor
John J. Kelly	....	unit production manager
Rudolf Kurz	....	production supervisor: ApolloProMedia

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Anne Berger	....	second second assistant director (as Anne M. Berger)
Max Day	....	first assistant director: second unit
Maximillian D. Day	....	first assistant director: second unit
Cas Donovan	....	first assistant director
Lucy Egerton	....	third assistant director: London
Richard Gonzales	....	second assistant director: second unit
Michael Helfand	....	second assistant director
Stuart Renfrew	....	first assistant director: London
Nickie Sault	....	second assistant director: London
Lisa Zimble	....	additional first assistant director

Art Department
Suzy Abbott	....	charge scenic: Boston
Peter Bankins	....	property master
Robert Bankins	....	assistant props
Chris Barnes	....	lead painter
Thomas Bean	....	art department assistant: Boston
Bobby Bednar	....	general foreman
Palma Bellardoni	....	art department assistant
Cliff Berns	....	painter
Greg Berry	....	set designer (as Gregory A. Berry)
Mark Borg	....	propmaker
Alex Boswell	....	props: London
Jesse Brown	....	propmaker (as Jesse J. Brown)
David T. Cannon	....	construction coordinator
Angela Cimarusti	....	painter
Graham Cole	....	stand-by carpenter: London
Chris Coulson	....	lead man
Jack Coyle	....	construction foreman: Boston
Roy Dickson	....	propmaker
Oliver Doering	....	props: second unit
Gretchen Engel	....	art department coordinator
Jennifer Engel	....	swing: Boston (as Jennifer Engle)
Rodger Enochson	....	propmaker
Alice Felton	....	buyer: London
Paulette Fox	....	painter
Kyra Friedman Curcio	....	set decorator: Boston (as Kyra Friedman-Curcio)
Stephen Garner	....	propmaker foreman
Simon Georgiou	....	painter
Paul W. Gorfine	....	stand-by painter: Boston (as Paul Gorfine)
Elizabeth Hart	....	painter
Jay Heyman	....	set dresser: Boston
Johnmichael Hull	....	stand-by scenic artist
Robert Andrew Johnson	....	digital set designer: additional photography
Barry Jones	....	paint foreman
Colin Thomas Kass	....	propmaker (as Collin Kaas)
Morgan Kling	....	art department assistant: Boston
Gary Laca	....	laborer
Eric Levenson	....	scenic foreman
Nancy Lowry	....	swing
Lyle Maves	....	plasterer foreman
Butch McCarthy	....	key greens (as John 'Butch' McCarthy)
Anthony Medina	....	propmaker (as Tony Medina)
Kenji Messenger	....	swing: Boston
Walt Mikolwski	....	propmaker
Alberto Miyares	....	propmaker
Christina Moore	....	art director: London
Christina Moore	....	set decorator: London
Kris Moran	....	third props: Boston
Gregory Morell	....	set dresser: Boston (as Greg Morell)
Masael Paraja	....	laborer (as Misael Paraja)
Darryl Paterson	....	props: London (as Darryll Patterson)
Peter Ramsey	....	storyboard artist
Stuart Rankine	....	assistant property master
Paul Richards	....	lead man: Boston
George Rivera Jr.	....	laborer
James Ruvalcaba	....	laborer
Phillip Ruvalcaba	....	general labor foreman
Kurt Smith	....	construction coordinator: Boston
Sharon Speller	....	painter
Carl Sprague	....	art director: Boston
Pedro Vides	....	propmaker
Ray Yamagata	....	assistant art director
Fante Zamora	....	set dresser

Sound Department
Richard Adrian	....	sound effects editor
Gregg Barbanell	....	foley artist
Nancy Barker	....	first assistant sound editor
Felipe Borrero	....	sound mixer (as Felipe Berreo)
Stephanie Brown	....	adr editor
Matthew Desorgher	....	sound maintenance: London
Matt Dubin	....	mixing recordist
Stephanie Flack	....	supervising adr editor
Stephanie Flack	....	supervising dialogue editor
Gary Gegan	....	sound re-recording mixer
Tony Gray	....	utility sound technician
Paul Hackner	....	adr editor
Matt Hedges	....	sound effects coordinator
Denise Horta	....	adr editor
Matthew Iadarola	....	sound re-recording mixer
Michael Edward Johnson	....	sound effects editor
Colin Jones	....	boom operator
Clarissa Keller	....	mix facility coordinator
Eddie Kim	....	foley editor
Andrew Lackey	....	foley editor (as Andrew P. Lackey)
Mark Larry	....	sound effects editor
Kimberly Ellen Lowe	....	dialogue editor (as Kimberly Lowe Voigt)
Del Martin	....	digital engineer
David McRell	....	digital engineer
Andrea M. Metty	....	mix facility coordinator
Michael A. Morongell	....	sound mixing engineer (as Michael Morongell)
Chris Navarro	....	adr recordist
Jason Piatt	....	foley mixer
Eryne Prine	....	foley editor
Reuben Simon	....	foley editor
Eric Thompson	....	adr mixer
Bryan O. Watkins	....	sound effects recordist
Warren A. Weberg	....	utility sound
Nathan Whitehead	....	assistant sound editor
Clive Winter	....	sound mixer: London
James Wright	....	stereo sound consultant: Dolby
Richard E. Yawn	....	supervising sound editor

Special Effects by
Charles Cooley	....	special effects technician
Roger Danchik	....	special effects assistant: Boston
Timothy B. Graham	....	special effects
John Harajovic	....	special effects coordinator: Boston
Mario Presterone	....	third special effects assistant: Boston
Tom Seymour	....	special effects key
J.D. Streett	....	special effects supervisor
Blumes Tracy	....	special effects technician

Visual Effects by
Johnathan R. Banta	....	digital supervisor: Sassoon Film Design
Barry Berman	....	compositor
Chris Brown	....	visual effects supervisor (as Chris 'CB' Brown)
Travis Dutch	....	scanning and recording
Jason Jue	....	compositor
Jeremy Nicolaides	....	digital compositor
Tim Sassoon	....	visual effects producer
Chie Yoshii	....	compositor

Stunts
Danny Aiello III	....	stunt coordinator: Boston
Damon Caro	....	stunt performer
Keith Davis	....	stunt double: Curtis
Jared S. Eddo	....	stunt double: Jones/Zimmer (as Jared Eddo)
Cory Fleming	....	ground coordinator
Michael Hilow	....	utility stunts
Toby Holguin	....	stunt double: Guy
Norman Howell	....	stunt double: Scott
Brian Imada	....	stunt coordinator: second unit
Jeff Imada	....	stunt coordinator
Cinda-Lin James	....	stunt double: Laura Newton (as Cinda James)
Brett A. Jones	....	stunt double: Convict (as Brett Jones)
Alex Madison	....	stunts (as Gail Monian)
Greg Wattkis	....	stunt double: Derek Luke
Scott Waugh	....	stunt double: Assani
Danny Weselis	....	stunt double: Trooper

Camera and Electrical Department
John Archibald	....	grip: second unit
Greg Banta	....	key rigging gaffer
Woody Bell	....	company grip: on-location
Ken Berkhout	....	rigging best boy electric (as Ken Berkout)
Arthur Blum	....	dolly grip: second unit
Steve Blythe	....	best boy: London
Timothy R. Boyce Jr.	....	video playback operator: Boston
Eric Boyle	....	grip: Boston
Jim Bridges	....	still photographer: Boston
Gary Brostrom	....	key rigging grip (as Gary A. Brostrom)
Evans Brown	....	lamp operator: Boston
Charles John Bukey	....	key grip
Rick Cardillo	....	electrician
Mark J. Casey	....	best boy electric: Boston (as Mark Casey)
Alan Caso	....	director of photography: second unit
Rafael 'Rafa' Castro	....	video assist operator
Jeff Clark	....	Steadicam operator
Henry Cline	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Mike Conners	....	lamp operator
Mike Connors	....	electrician
Robert Cuddy	....	rigging electrician: Boston
Thomas A. Curran	....	grip (as Thomas Curran)
Peter D'Angelo	....	grip
Shannon Deats	....	electric camera cart operator
Karen L. Dicey	....	grip
Michael DiIeso	....	rigging key grip: Boston
Tim Driscoll	....	rigging grip: Boston
Wayne L. Duncan	....	grip (as Wayne Duncan)
Sean P. Fickert	....	best boy electric
Sean P. Fickert	....	best boy grip: Boston (as Sean Fickert)
Bill Flannigan	....	grip: Boston
Steven Frohardt	....	grip (as Steve Frohardt)
Michael Glover	....	electrician
Merritt Gold	....	first assistant camera: London (as Merrit Gold)
Bruce Alan Greene	....	Steadicam operator
Bruce Alan Greene	....	camera operator: "a" camera
Darren Grosch	....	electrician: London
Barry Gross	....	electrician
Lisa Guerriero	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera
Matthew Haskins	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera
Kira Hellickson	....	camera loader: second unit
Bradley Hogan	....	second assistant camera: London
Christian J. Hollyer	....	camera loader: Boston
Ryan Huston	....	electrician
Frederick Iannone	....	camera operator: second unit (as Fred Iannone)
Jendra Jarnagin	....	additional electrician
Bengt Jonsson	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Luke Kalarickal	....	lamp operator
Glenn Kaplan	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
John Kaplan	....	grip: Boston
John R. Kaplan	....	grip
Eric Komar	....	grip: Boston
Steve Koster	....	camera operator: SpaceCam
Zach Lazar	....	electrician
Jon Lindsay	....	camera loader
Tommy Lohmann	....	camera operator
Keith Manning	....	dolly grip: London
Roger Marbury	....	electrician
Marc Margulies	....	assistant camera
Niran Martin	....	second assistant camera
Manny Mendez	....	grip: second unit
Kory Mills	....	lighting technician
James R. Mitchell	....	rigging electric best boy: Boston
Daisuke Dice Miyake	....	grip
Steve Myers	....	lamp operator
Mark Nutkins	....	second second assistant camera: London
Masahiro Onodera	....	camera technician: SpaceCam
Chris Pavlu	....	electrician
Michael Peterson	....	rigging grip
Brian A. Pitts	....	set electrician
Aaron Ponciano	....	video assist operator: second unit
Tony Porto	....	grip
David Puopolo	....	grip
Kenny Reed	....	crane operator
Philip A. Reilly	....	electrician
Michael E. Reynolds	....	generator operator: Boston (as Mike Reynolds)
Daryl Richardson	....	grip: Boston
Bruce Robinson	....	second assistant camera
Justin Rowan	....	lamp operator
Patrick Ruth	....	rigging gaffer: Boston
David A. Santos	....	grip: second unit (as David Santos)
Roger Sassen	....	gaffer: second unit
Lorey Sebastian	....	still photographer
Gomidas Semerjian	....	rigger
Alan Shultz	....	dolly grip
Kurt Stevens	....	best boy grip
Steven Swannell	....	electrician: London (as Steve Swannell)
Timothy M. Sweeney	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera, Boston (as Tim Sweeney)
Chuck Turner	....	best boy rigging grip (as Charles Turner)
A.J. Walters	....	gaffer: London
Tony Whitman	....	key grip: second unit
Kevin Williams	....	best boy electric
Greg Wimer	....	first assistant camera
Robert Witherspoon	....	gaffer (as Bobby Wotherspoon)
Jason Patrick Wotherspoon	....	rigger (as Jason Wotherspoon)
Taylor Black	....	camera production assistant (uncredited)

Casting Department
John Barba	....	casting associate
Khadj Edison	....	casting assistant: Boston
Elaine Fallon	....	casting: London
Tamara Hood	....	casting assistant: Boston
Jennifer Lurey	....	regional casting
Angela Peri	....	extras casting: Boston

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Danielle Baker	....	set costumer
Debbie Holbrook	....	wardrobe supervisor: Boston (as Deb Holbrook)
Amy Lin	....	wardrobe production assistant
Marcus Love-McGuirk	....	costume designer: UK
Marcus Love-McGuirk	....	costume supervisor: UK
Daniel Grant North	....	costume supervisor
Margaret Palmer	....	costumer: Boston
Amy Elise Roberts	....	key costumer
Jaci Rohr	....	extras set costumer
Tim Wegman	....	set costumer

Editorial Department
Daniel Boccoli	....	apprentice editor
Mo Henry	....	negative cutter
David Kaldor	....	apprentice editor
Dennis McNeill	....	color timer
Eric Osmond	....	first assistant editor
Jim Passon	....	co-color timer
Jared Seltzer	....	post-production assistant
Michal Shemesh	....	first assistant editor

Music Department
Sandy DeCrescent	....	orchestra contractor
Steve Genewick	....	assistant score recordist
Stephen Krause	....	music scoring mixer
Ken Kugler	....	conductor
Ken Kugler	....	orchestrator
David Low	....	music contractor
Maria Newman	....	musician
Cindy O'Connor	....	music assistant: additional arrangements
Mark Reveley	....	assistant score recordist
David Speltz	....	musician: cello
Joshua Winget	....	music editor
Elliott Goldkind	....	assistant music editor (uncredited)
Elliott Goldkind	....	composer: additional music (uncredited)
Scott McRae	....	music preparation (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Bobby Anderson	....	picture car coordinator
Jeff L. Anderson	....	transportation office coordinator
Denise Avallon	....	driver
Bob Carnes	....	driver
Daniel Davis	....	driver: base camp generator
Bob Dorn	....	production driver
Jimmy Flynn	....	transportation captain: Boston
J. Armin Garza II	....	driver: camera car
Stephen A. Latina	....	transportation coordinator
Robert Martini	....	transportation coordinator: Boston
Mike Middleton	....	picture car coordinator
William O'Brien	....	driver
John 'J.P.' Pratt	....	transportation co-captain (as John Pratt)
Timothy P. Ryan	....	transportation captain
Harry Zabounian	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
David Aaron	....	armorer
Mary L. Agnes	....	production assistant
H. Leah Amir	....	craft service
Louie Attardo	....	operator: HotHead
Heidi August	....	accountant: Boston
Craig Ayers	....	production coordinator
Stephanie Bartosiewicz	....	assistant: Mr. Kilmer
Kevin Bell	....	assistant: Mr. Merhi
Janine Bevan	....	production secretary: London
David Boardman	....	location manager: London
Michelle Boston	....	assistant: Mr. Mamet, London (as Michele Boston)
Josef Brandmaier	....	project manager
Kenny Chaplin	....	key set production assistant
Scott E. Chester	....	production liaison
Susan Christy	....	craft service: Boston (as Sue Christy)
Peter J. Clark	....	script supervisor (as Peter Clark)
Paul Codiga	....	assistant location manager
Colleen Connors	....	production office assistant: Boston
Stephanie Counts	....	assistant: Mr. Diamant
Mark Cross	....	assistant production coordinator
Mary Cybulski	....	script supervisor: Boston
Jaime Daly	....	assistant location manager
Birthe Danielsen	....	assistant: Mr. Huebner
Mike Davidson Graniere	....	production assistant
David Diamond	....	location manager
Niva Dorell	....	set assistant: Mr. Mamet
David Ducar	....	business & legal affairs (2004)
Randi Feldman	....	script supervisor: second unit
Carey Field	....	set production assistant: second unit
Thomas Fischer	....	legal affairs
Mark Fitzgerald	....	location manager: Boston
Amy Fleck	....	set production assistant: second unit
Christian Frohn	....	assistant: Mr. Fanti
Mairead Gaffney	....	production assistant: Boston
Rosemary Gearheart	....	stand-in
Cole Gittinger	....	set production assistant
Andy Goldman	....	title designer: main and end titles
Gerardo Gomez	....	office production assistant
Carlos Guel	....	chef
P.J. Haines	....	chef
Emily Halpern	....	production assistant
Eric L. Haney	....	military advisor
Eric L. Haney	....	technical advisor
Julie Hansen	....	post production accountant
Steve Hoare	....	production coordinator
Dana Imsande	....	production assistant
Nicholas Irwin	....	first assistant production accountant (as Nick Irwin)
Dan Izen	....	vtr assistant
John Jabaley	....	assistant location manager
Lynn Johnson	....	set medic
Carrie Mae Jones	....	second assistant accountant
Michael Judge	....	location manager
Yaron Kaver	....	production assistant
Andy Kim	....	set production assistant: second unit
Dewey Kim	....	set production assistant (as David 'Dewey' Kim)
John LaBrucherie	....	set production assistant
Kym Langlie	....	unit publicist
Jane Lanoutte	....	unit publicist: Boston
Dina J. Leuchter	....	key office production assistant
James MacDonald	....	on-set medic
Scott Masterson	....	key production assistant: Boston
Mike James Masumoto	....	assistant location manager (as Michael Masumoto)
Lisa McPherson	....	production assistant
Erik Mygrant	....	production assistant
Nir Nahum	....	set intern
Stevie Nelson	....	key assistant location manager
Michael Peavey	....	helicopter pilot
Alexis Perkins	....	production assistant
Michael Pfluegl	....	assistant: Mr. Samaha
Kim Quam	....	set medic
Michael Rae	....	production assistant
Michael W. Rae	....	production assistant
Luke Ramsey	....	location manager: Boston
Bill Richards	....	helicopter pilot
Adam W. Rosen	....	legal services
Shane Ross	....	motion graphics
Denyse Rossi	....	payroll accountant (as Denyse Mihalopoulos)
Joseph Saroufim	....	production assistant
Gretchen Schlottman	....	assistant craft service: Boston
Laura Sherman	....	assistant production coordinator
David Snider	....	set production assistant: Boston
Barbara-Ann Stein	....	production accountant (as B.A. Stein)
Pavel Sterba	....	assistant location manager
Amanda Stevens	....	location manager: London
Pam Susemiehl	....	assistant: Mr. Mamet
Megan Swan	....	assistant unit publicist: Boston
Heather Taylor	....	script supervisor: London
Jeremy Tipton	....	production assistant
Bridgetta Tomarchio	....	assistant: Mr. Kilmer
Judi Townsend	....	script supervisor
Steve Trombatore	....	payroll accountant
Harriet Voyt	....	assistant: Mr. Mamet
Ian Watermeier	....	production executive
Emily Weisberg	....	assistant: Mr. Mamet
Shawn Tanaka	....	assistant: William H. Macy (uncredited)

Production Companies

• ApolloMedia Distribution (as ApolloMedia)
• ApolloProMedia GmbH & Co. 1. Filmproduktion KG (I)
• Art Linson Productions
• Epsilon Motion Pictures
• Franchise Pictures
• QI Quality International GmbH & Co. KG
• Signature Pictures
• Spartan Productions

Distributors

• AI Film (2004) (Thailand) (theatrical)
• Art Port (2004) (Japan) (theatrical)
• CDI (2005) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Cinears (2004) (Federal Republic of Yugoslavia) (theatrical)
• Filmes Lusomundo (2004) (Portugal) (theatrical)
• Gemini Film (2004) (Russia) (theatrical)
• Hoyts Distribution (2004) (Australia) (theatrical)
• ITI Cinema (2004) (Poland) (theatrical)
• Lusomundo Audiovisuais (2004) (Portugal) (theatrical)
• Nu Metro Productions (2004) (South Africa) (theatrical)
• Quasar Films (2005) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Rimaida (2004) (Latvia) (theatrical)
• Spentzos Films (2004) (Greece) (theatrical)
• TriPictures (2004) (Spain) (theatrical)
• VideoCine (Televisa) (2005) (Mexico) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. Entertainment (2004) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (2004) (UK) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (2004) (Ireland) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (2004) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (2004) (USA) (theatrical)
• Compagnia Distribuzione Internazionale (CDI) (2004) (Italy) (all media)
• Eagle Films (2004) (non-USA) (all media) (Middle East)
• Emerald (2007) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Europa Filmes (2005) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Europa Filmes (2005) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Kinowelt Home Entertainment (2006) (Germany) (DVD)
• My Network TV (2007) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Oy Nordisk Film (2004) (Finland) (DVD)
• PlazaVista Entertainment (2006) (Switzerland) (DVD)
• Prorom Media-Trade (2004) (Romania) (all media)
• Spentzos Film Home Video (2004) (Greece) (video)

Special Effects

• Sassoon Film Design (visual effects)
• Pacific Title (opticals)

Other Companies

• Executive Assurance  security
• Ascent Media Digital Imaging  film scanning
• Banana Hill Studios  score mixed at
• Bayerische HypoVereinsbank AG München  film banking [de]
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  cranes and dollies
• Cinelease  electric equipment
• Compuhire  video playback (UK)
• Danetracks  sound design and editing
• Direct Tools & Fasteners  expendables
• Film Auditors  post-production accounting
• Film Finances  completion guarantor
• Global Entertainment Partners  video post-production
• Keslow Camera  camera equipment provided by
• Modern VideoFilm  video mastering
• Pacific Title  titles and opticals
• Smith & Webster-Davis Casting  extras casting
• Wet Dog Studios  score recorded at

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for violence and language

Runtime:

USA:106 min | UK:102 min (DVD)

Country:

USA | Germany

Language:

English | Russian | Swedish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Australia:M | Brazil:14 | Italy:T | Philippines:PG-13 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:NC-16 | Singapore:PG (cut) | UK:15 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14A (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Ontario) | USA:R (certificate #40304) | Iceland:16 | Germany:16 | South Korea:15 | Netherlands:12 | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia)

Filming Locations:

Beacon Hill, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Company:

ApolloMedia Distribution

Trivia:

David Mamet incorporated a number of real life experiences from various U.S. special forces members for the production, including Eric L. Haney who had served in highly classified operations during his 20-year military career. Haney's experience included front-line combat units as a combat infantryman, as an Army Ranger, and as a founding operator within the elite Delta Force under Colonel Charlie Beckwith. These experiences helped Haney effectively serve as a technical advisor, weapons expert, and actor's mentor to Val Kilmer, ensuring that Kilmer reflected an accurate depiction of a special forces operative in every capacity. Haney retired as a highly decorated Sergeant Major, and his documented experience also includes security surveys, metro SWAT team arms training, oil company guard force management, executive protection, and the recovery of American children kidnapped and taken overseas.

Goofs:

Continuity: Starting at 38:15 into the movie, when Scott shoots the officer escorting the prisoners, you can see a car in the background heading towards the scene. In the next scene, when Scott stands in the middle of the road looking for cars, the car is not present.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Scott:You had your whole life to prepare for this moment. Why aren't you ready?

Movie Connections:

References "Meet the Press" (1947)

A thinking person's thriller

David Mamet first caught my attention when he did a small grifter film called House of Games. It was released three years prior to The Grifters and I am quite certain that The Grifters took a lot of inspiration from House of Games. The Grifters had a high priced cast and more money was spent on the production but it was not quite as good as Mamet's masterpiece. Later, I would learn that Mamet would go on to write some of the best dialogue in all of film with movies like The Untouchables (just like a Wop, brings a knife to a gunfight), The Heist ( everyone loves money, that's why they call it money) and my favourite Mamet film, Glengarry Glenross ( I make $900,000 a year, that's why...). Mamet has a gift for the way people sound and the way they might deliver a line. Spartan continues his trend of interesting and crisp dialogue and fascinating characters. I have to agree with Roger Ebert when he says that this is Val Kilmer's best performance since Tombstone. He nails the character Scott, to a tee. Where as many action thrillers are about guns and explosions and certain bad acting, this is more about the characters. I am not saying that dumb action thrillers aren't fun sometimes, because they are. But if you like films that treat you like you already know what you need to know, and then proceed to show you things that you don't, then Spartan, like The Bourne Identity, is a film that you should enjoy.

Val Kilmer plays perhaps a member of the Secret Service, or perhaps he is just one of those covert operatives that is so good at what he does that he is just an invisible spook who shows up to do a job that others have trouble with. Mamet has given us a character that is so exemplary and pensive and good at what he does that he is the paradigm that all others in his line of work should emulate. There is no hesitation with him. He is driven and he is serious and like The Terminator, he will not stop, ever, until he has finished the job.

In this film, that job is to rescue the president's daughter, who was kidnapped while the Secret Service agent watching over her claims he was sleeping while she disappeared. But what the real reason is we may never know. There is the possibility that her disappearance may have political ramifications that would go as high up as the President himself. It is learned that Laura Newton may have been kidnapped in a scheme that involves an international sex trade with American women. The kidnappers do not know they have the president's daughter. And that may complicate things.

What makes Kilmer's character so fascinating is the way Mamet writes him. This is a man who has seen much and done much and when the time calls for it, he does not hesitate to use whatever force is necessary to acquire information. He hunts down bar owners, prostitution ring leaders and terrorists. He kills death row inmates to get information, he roughs up middle aged women who hold keys to the case and he holds an extreme form or prejudice towards anyone who may be a link in solving the case. This is a job to Scott and he treats it like that. I think this is the fundamental difference in a film like Spartan and many other less intelligent films that try to glamorize political espionage thrillers. This film talks and sounds like you are literally witnessing what happens behind closed doors. It gives you the feeling that what are witnessing is everything that does not get reported in the papers. This is about as raw as it gets and Mamet can take full credit for writing and directing the film as beautifully as he did and Val Kilmer can be proud of what he brought to the table.

This is one of the best films of the young 2004 and while it will be forgotten soon enough, when it comes out on video, it is a film that must be seen.

9/10