Art School Confidential (2006)

User Rating:

6.3/10   

Director:

Terry Zwigoff

Writers (WGA):

Daniel Clowes (screenplay)
Daniel Clowes (comic story)

Release Date:

10 November 2006 (Poland)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

Who said anything about talent?

Plot:

Starting from childhood attempts at illustration, the protagonist pursues his true obsession to art school. But as he learns how the art world really works, he finds that he must adapt his vision to the reality that confronts him.

Plot Keywords:

Drawing | Strangler | New York City | Art School | Dinner Scene

Cast

Max Minghella	...	Jerome
Sophia Myles	...	Audrey
John Malkovich	...	Professor Sandiford
Jim Broadbent	...	Jimmy
Matt Keeslar	...	Jonah
Ethan Suplee	...	Vince
Joel Moore	...	Bardo (as Joel David Moore)
Nick Swardson	...	Matthew
Anjelica Huston	...	Art History Teacher
Adam Scott	...	Marvin Bushmiller
Jack Ong	...	Professor Okamura
Scoot McNairy	...	Army-Jacket
Jeremy Guskin	...	Eno
Monika Ramnath	...	Flower
Isaac Laskin	...	Kiss-Ass
Jeanette Brox	...	Shilo
Finneus Egan	...	Vegan
Shelly Cole	...	Filthy-Haired Girl
Jean St. James	...	Mom
Cristen Coppen	...	Preppy Girl
Michael Shamus Wiles	...	Donald Baumgarten
Katherine Moennig	...	Candace
Ezra Buzzington	...	Leslie
Lauren Lee Smith	...	Beat Girl
Travis Walck	...	Richard Natwick
Paul Collins	...	Professor David Zipkin
Marshall Bell	...	Lonny
Chris McKenna	...	Mikey (as Chris L. McKenna)
Marc Vann	...	Kevin
Roxanne Day	...	Jonah's Wife - Marie
Roxanne Hart	...	Mom Platz
Osman Soykut	...	Dad Platz
Katija Pevec	...	Cynthia Platz
Brian Turk	...	Cliffy
Edith Jefferson	...	Doddering Aunt
Michael Lerner	...	Art Dealer
Jeff LeBeau	...	Lawyer
Marie L. Bain	...	Helena Sandiford
Richard Bakalyan	...	Cranky Guard (as Dick Bakalyan)
John Bliss	...	Vince's Grandpa
Charlie Talbert	...	Vince's Editor
Amy Gross	...	Vince's Editor's Girlfriend
Kimi Reichenberg	...	Suburban Girl
Alexandra Ryan	...	Nympho Slut (as Alex Ryan)
Bob Golub	...	Hector
Lauren Bowles	...	Woman Strangled
Zachary Maurer	...	Young Jerome (as Zach Maurer)
Brendan Walsh	...	Eugene
Brian Geraghty	...	Stoob
Valyn Hall	...	Cute Girl
Oliver Ryan Anderson	...	Cute Girl's Boyfriend (as Oliver Anderson)
Curtis Taylor	...	Coach
Jesse Flanagan	...	Hurst
Dawn-Lyen Gardner	...	Coed
Laura Roth	...	Coed
Alexi Wasser	...	Female Student
Amanda Paytas	...	Female Student (as Amanda Leigh Paytas)
Chris Fogleman	...	Questioner
Wesley Rodgers	...	Questioner
Nathaniel Lee Jr.	...	Kid
Stacey Travis	...	Teacher
Erik Walker	...	Punching Bully (as Erik M. Walker)
Andre Marcus	...	Other Bully (as Andre Ashton Marcus)
Wendy Haines	...	Grenadine Woman
Mike Stanley	...	Martel Drinker
Bob Jennings	...	Cop
Choice Skinner	...	Cop
Sam Sabbah	...	Scary Local
Chris C. Mitchell	...	Scary Local (as Chris Mitchell)
Jarret Reid	...	Green Paint Guy
Lily Asinovsky	...	Girl Who Steps on Glass
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Paul Michael Bloodgood	...	Tattooed Basketball Player (uncredited)
Todd Bosley	...	Art Dork #1 (uncredited)
Pete Brown	...	Lecherous Dad (uncredited)
Steve Buscemi	...	Broadway Bob D'Annunzio (uncredited)
Julius Callahan	...	Bearded Weirdo (uncredited)
Mike Carlucci	...	Football Announcer (voice) (uncredited)
Victoria Chalaya	...	Student #5 (uncredited)
Ethan Cohn	...	Art Dork #2 (uncredited)
David Fariborz Davoodian	...	Future Critic #1 (uncredited)
David Diaan	...	Future Critic #1 (uncredited)
Erik Eidem	...	Baked Sophomore (uncredited)
Nikki Gray	...	Angry Lesbian (uncredited)
Sham Ibrahim	...	Effeminate Basketball Player (uncredited)
Arron Kinser	...	Art Student (uncredited)
Cameron Lee	...	Art Student (uncredited)
Don W. Lewis	...	Future Critic #2 (uncredited)
Cameron Markham	...	Art Student (uncredited)
Asal Masomi	...	College Student (uncredited)
Steven J. Oliver	...	Dad Natwick (uncredited)
Nick Pellegrino	...	School Janitor (uncredited)
Kristin Quick	...	Girl Student (uncredited)
Damara Reilly	...	Mom Natwick (uncredited)
Tahmus Rounds	...	Next in Line (uncredited)
Charles Schneider	...	Professor Pidgeon (uncredited)
Arthur Thomas	...	Art Student (uncredited)
Victoria Von Dannenberg	...	Art Student - Tree Girl (uncredited)
Gary C. Warren	...	Art Student (uncredited)
Hunter Woo	...	Art Student (uncredited)

Directed by
Terry Zwigoff

Writing credits (WGA)
Daniel Clowes		(screenplay)
Daniel Clowes		(comic story) (as Dan Clowes)

Produced by
Daniel Clowes	....	co-producer
Lianne Halfon	....	producer
Barbara A. Hall	....	executive producer
John Malkovich	....	producer
Russell Smith	....	producer

Original Music by
David Kitay

Cinematography by
Jamie Anderson

Film Editing by
Robert Hoffman

Casting by
Ann Goulder
Cassandra Kulukundis

Production Design by
Howard Cummings

Art Direction by
Peter Borck

Set Decoration by
Barbara Munch

Costume Design by
Betsy Heimann

Makeup Department
Mustaque M. Ashrafi	....	assistant makeup department head (as Mustaq Ashrafi)
David Forrest	....	makeup department head (as David Craig Forrest)
Bunny Parker	....	hair department head
Susan Schuler-Page	....	assistant department head hair (as Susan Schuler)

Production Management
Tad Driscoll	....	production supervisor
Beau J. Genot	....	post-production supervisor
Barbara A. Hall	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Joe Camp III	....	first assistant director
Polly Ann Mattson	....	second assistant director (as Polly Ann Mattson-Bock)
Shawn Pipkin	....	additional second assistant director

Art Department
Russell R. Anderson	....	set dresser (as Russ Anderson)
Peter Bankins	....	property master
Robert Bankins	....	prop assistant
Tristan Paris Bourne	....	set designer (as Tristan Bourne)
Daniel Clowes	....	artwork: Jonah (as D. Clowes)
Paul Detlefson	....	set dresser
David R. Evans	....	art department assistant (as David Evans)
Rick Glenn	....	set dresser
Sarah Graddy	....	artist liaison
Linda Griffis	....	art department coordinator
Bryan Hill	....	set dresser
Tom Hrupcho	....	paint supervisor
Tyler Kettenburg	....	set dresser
Kim Lincoln	....	graphic artist
Larry Lira	....	drapery foreman
Eric Luling	....	on-set dresser (as Eric J. Luling)
Caitlin Mitchell-Dayton	....	artwork: Jerome
Mark Mothersbaugh	....	artwork: Bushmiller
Joe Ondrejko	....	construction coordinator
Stuart Rankine	....	assistant property master
Nicholas Rymond	....	set dresser (as Nick Rymond)
Greg Sanger	....	leadman
Charles Schneider	....	artwork
Mila Shah	....	art department production assistant
Brian Shupper	....	additional artwork (as Bryan Hurley)
Garrett Shane Norlin	....	contributing artist (uncredited)

Sound Department
Lawrence L. Commans	....	boom operator
Mark Fay	....	boom operator
Nick Foley	....	adr recordist
Kim Foscato	....	associate dialog editor
Chris Gridley	....	associate sound effects editor
Samuel H. Hinckley	....	sound effects editor
Pete Horner	....	sound re-recording mixer
Matthew Iadarola	....	supervising re-recording mixer
Chris Navarro	....	adr recordist
John Nutt	....	supervising sound editor
Gene Radzik	....	stereo sound consultant: Dolby
Ted Swanscott	....	adr mixer
Eric Thompson	....	adr mixer
Mark Weingarten	....	sound mixer

Special Effects by
Chris Bailey	....	special effects coordinator
Scott Dwyer	....	special effects technician

Visual Effects by
Jeff Barnes	....	production executive: CafeFX
Everett Burrell	....	visual effects supervisor
Travis Dutch	....	film scanning recording
Fortunato Frattasio	....	digital artist
Vicki Galloway-Weimer	....	visual effects executive producer: CafeFX (as Vicki Galloway Weimer)
Bill Georgiou	....	visual effects designer and compositor
Derek Krauss	....	digital paint and roto lead
Ed Mendez	....	digital compositor: CafeFX
Terron Pratt	....	visual effects coordinator: Digiscope
Christopher Stack	....	colorist: Digiscope
David Van Dyke	....	visual effects producer: Cafe FX
O.D. Welch	....	production executive: CafeFX
Toby Newell	....	compositor (uncredited)
Danny Torres	....	systems administrator (uncredited)

Stunts
Dan Bradley	....	stunt coordinator
Richard Cetrone	....	stunts
Paul Farber	....	stunt double
Jeremy Fry	....	stunts
Mike Massa	....	stunts
Darrin Prescott	....	stunt coordinator
J.P. Romano	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Michael Avallon	....	generator operator
Clyde E. Bryan	....	first assistant camera
Craig Campbell	....	electrician
Billy Clevenger	....	camera operator (as Bill Clevenger)
Mark Cueto	....	electrician
Mark Shane Davis	....	key grip (as Mark Davis)
David Dunbar	....	assistant rigging electrician
Brent Egan	....	camera loader
Tracy Estes	....	electrician
Eddie Evans	....	grip
Adam Feinberg	....	rigging electrician (as Adam R. Feinberg)
Sean P. Fickert	....	best boy grip (as Sean Fickert)
Earl Gayer	....	rigging electrician (as Earl D. Gayer)
David Golia	....	camera operator: "b" camera (as David John Golia)
Suzanne Hanover	....	still photographer
Daniel Kauahi	....	grip (as Daniel H. Kauahi)
Kevin J. Lang	....	electrician (as Kevin Lang)
Melton Maxwell	....	chief lighting technician (as Mel Maxwell)
Peter McAdams	....	grip
Ryan Nelson	....	grip
Chris Pavlu	....	rigging electrician
David D. Scott	....	video engineer
Barnaby Shapiro	....	second assistant camera
Chuck Sharp	....	assistant lighting technician
Gary Slemp	....	electrician
Peter Sorel	....	still photographer
Rodney Veto	....	key rigging grip
Troy N. Wade	....	dolly grip
Peter McAdams	....	dolly grip: "b" camera (uncredited)

Casting Department
John Barba	....	casting associate

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Suzanne Cranfill	....	costume supervisor
Laurel Frushour	....	set costumer (as Laurel Frouschor)
Alexis Jacks	....	set costumer
Hayley Stuppel	....	set costumer
Anya Teresse	....	assistant to costume designer

Editorial Department
Kenny Becker	....	color timer
Coral D'Alessandro	....	post-production assistant
Michael Gay	....	assistant editor
Thomas M. Harrigan	....	first assistant editor: avid
C.J. Hsu	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Michael Aarvold	....	music recording engineer
Todd Kasow	....	music editor
Robin Lee	....	music editor
William Levine	....	orchestrator
Dan Wallin	....	music scoring mixer

Transportation Department
Morris Aroesti	....	driver
John W. Barbee	....	transportation captain
Charley Bob Burnham	....	driver
Gary Jackson	....	driver
Alan Kaminsky	....	transportation
Hugh Kelly	....	transportation
Dana Schisler	....	driver
Harold L. Woods	....	driver generator operator

Other crew
Cassandra Barbour	....	rights and clearances
Michael Barnes	....	financial legal services
Jaclyn Bashoff	....	assistant: Anjelica Huston
Will Blomquist	....	production assistant
Allison Bona	....	production assistant
John R. Brewer	....	production assistant
Francie Brown	....	dialect coach
Giacun Caduff	....	production assistant
Elizabeth C. Camp	....	set production assistant
William Conacher	....	dialect coach
Shelly Darden	....	production associate
Susan Dukow	....	production coordinator
Erin Forrest	....	set production assistant
Steven Fulton	....	production assistant
Lisa Garvey	....	assistant to executive producer
Joel Goldes	....	dialect coach
Jesec Griffin	....	production assistant
Nathan Gunn	....	assistant: Mr. Zwigoff, post-production
Charles Heaphy	....	production financing
Judy Heinzen	....	key assistant location manager
Jimmy Kaminsky	....	production assistant: Mr. Minghella
Michael Kehoe	....	key craft service
Louis A. Lanni	....	set production assistant
Tim McGee	....	craft service assistant
Randy McKenney	....	extras coordinator
Ralph B. Meyer	....	key location manager
Scott Peterson	....	script supervisor
Huey Redwine	....	stand-in: John Malkovich
Benjamin Scissors	....	key set production assistant
Laura Sevier	....	rights and clearances
Ann Shimabukuro	....	additional set production assistant
Eric J. Spiegelman	....	production counsel
E. Michael Stankevich	....	assistant to producers
Sara Van der Voort	....	production assistant
Allen Wong	....	accountant
Lavinia Zetina	....	assistant accountant
Andrew Zilch	....	assistant production coordinator
Saxon Eldridge	....	assistant to cast (uncredited)
Marc C. Geschwind	....	extras coordinator (uncredited)
Andy Steinlen	....	hand double (uncredited)

Production Companies

• United Artists
• Mr. Mudd

Distributors

• LK-TEL (2006) (Argentina) (DVD)
• LK-TEL (2006) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Mongrel Media (2006) (Canada) (theatrical)
• SPI International (2006) (Poland) (all media)
• Sony Pictures Classics (2006) (USA) (theatrical)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2006) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2007) (Germany) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Digiscope (digital visual effects)
• CafeFX (visual effects)

Other Companies

• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera cranes
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera dollies
• Entertainment Clearances  rights and clearances
• Reder & Feig  production legal services
• Rockbottom Rentals  modem card rentals
• Rockbottom Rentals  walkie rentals
• Wilshire Stages, The  ADR recording facility

MPAA:

Rated R for language including sexual references, nudity and a scene of violence.

Runtime:

USA:102 min | 102 min (Sundance Film Festival) | Argentina:102 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Canada:14A (Ontario) | Singapore:M18 | Argentina:16 | USA:R (certificate #41649) | Australia:MA | Germany:12 | New Zealand:R16 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Communications Building, Los Angeles City College, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

United Artists

Trivia:

During the television interviews that take place near the end while Jarome is in jail, Ethan Suplee's character is dressed like director Kevin Smith. Ethan Suplee appeared in four of Kevin Smith's films; Mallrats (1995), Chasing Amy (1997) Dogma (1999), and Clerks II (2006).

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Jerome's roommate, the fashion designer, is sewing on his machine, it wasn't threaded correctly. The spool was on the bobbin loader, not the spool pin where it should be.

Quotes:

Nympho: [to Jerome] I just want you to know I *definitely* don't have AIDS. I mean, I've been tested like 40 times so I know for a fact.

Movie Connections:

References High School Confidential! (1958)

Soundtrack:

Take Cover!

Great film- fun, exciting, fascinating, and keeps you pleasantly off balance

First off, let me just say how much I love Max Minghella. I saw Bee Season at a film festival a while back and straight off knew he was going to do fantastic things with his career. So far he's proved me right.

I have been anticipating Art School Confidential for a long time. I found out about it through the IMDb, and as a big fan of Zwigoff's previous work, I was really looking forward to seeing what he was going to do with the fabulous cast he had assembled (Malkovich, Huston, Buscemi, etc). The movie did not disappoint.

The beginning of the film is about what I expected- cute, off-beat story about a talented geek who goes to art school and pursues the girl of his dreams. And then it got dark. And then it got very dark. And then it got extremely dark. I soon realized I had no idea where it was going to take me next, and that excited me. The 'mystery' aspect of the movie is brilliantly done as well- it keeps you just well informed enough that you have about a 50/50 chance of figuring it out preemptively, and you'll always realize what's going on just when you need to.

I have read reviews that called Art School Confidential misanthropic, among other things. I disagree. It has misanthropic aspects, misanthropic characters, but overall I found that it ended on an expressly positive note. I absolutely loved the ending. Five minutes before it ended, I wasn't sure how it was going to end, and that, in my opinion, is the best way to do it. Zwigoff's direction is also very impressive. There's a distinct difference in the atmosphere throughout- it starts out looking and feeling sunnier and lighter, and as Minghella's character becomes darker, so does the look of the movie. Just one of those little things that adds to the overall experience.

Art School Confidential thoroughly covers ground that Ghost World touched on briefly- namely, the line between art and BS. It is clearly a subject on which Terry Zwigoff has a lot to say, and he says it very eloquently. The cast is great, the music is great, the direction is great. Go see it. And let me say again... I love Max Minghella. Here's hoping he doesn't turn to stupid teen flicks to pay the bills.