The Good Humor Man (2005)

User Rating:

6.2/10   

Director:

Tenney Fairchild

Writer:

Tenney Fairchild (writer)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

Cliques don't mix in '76.

Plot:

A mischievous high school sophomore faces a conflict of conscience vs. character when his best friend becomes linked to the death of a youth from another clique in suburban Middle America circa '76.

Plot Keywords:

Friend | High School | Wedding | First Love | Slacker

Cast

Nathan Stevens	...	Jay
Cameron Richardson	...	Wendy
Jorge Garcia	...	Mt. Rushmore
Jason Segel	...	Smelly Bob
James Ransone	...	Junebug
Jason Dill	...	Hambone
John William Simmons	...	Richie Rubin
Claire Titelman	...	Barfetta
Lenny Hirsh	...	Bogus Chuck
Charlie Babcock	...	Van Herkey
Athena Cansino	...	Jill
Rhia Bassett	...	Rhonda
Elise Robertson	...	Mrs. Skibness
Kelsey Grammer	...	Mr. Skibness
Michael Emanuel	...	Officer May
Don Brunner	...	Coach Pud
Gary Cairns II	...	Prosper Schwee (as Gary Cairns)
Pattie Tierce	...	Mrs. Cermak
George Russo	...	Mr. Cermak
Rick Otto	...	Bill Berner
Dennis Swanson	...	Mr. Swanson
Mark Norris	...	Officer Urise
George LePorte	...	Shoe Salesman
Nathan Blank	...	Knuckle Dragger
Michael Farewell	...	Skip Parker
Michele Fulton	...	Michelle
Claire Kennedy	...	Boa Constrictor
Katrina Mock	...	Loser Chick #1
Mandy Robles	...	Loser Chick #2
Stacy Fuson	...	Jockette
Court Young	...	Crisp Guy
Brian Vaughan	...	Dusted Guy
Cyd Strittmatter	...	Corner Store Samaritan
John Patrick Amedori	...	Corner Store Clerk
Michael Horsely	...	Corner Store Manager
Ele Keats	...	Bride
Caitlin Keats	...	Maid of Honor
Paul Mumford	...	Groom
Chris Premer	...	Best Man
Rudy Courtade	...	Waiter #1
Ryan Negri	...	Waiter #2
Jensen Fairchild	...	Glass Clanking Kid
Deborah Fairchild	...	Glass Clanking Kid's Mom
Jerry Giordano	...	Theater Usher #1
Norwood Cheek	...	Theater Usher #2
Mike Johnson	...	Theater Manager
Matthew Rimmer	...	Sidewalk Prophet (as Matt Rimmer)
Ray Artis	...	Disco Band Member
Scott Greenwald	...	Disco Band Member
Tom Lehr	...	Disco Band Member
Pete Munday	...	Disco Band Member
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Georgie Del Junco	...	Young mt. rushmore
Anthony Amedori	...	Tom Cermak (uncredited)
Vanessa Angel	...	Ms. Barlass (uncredited)
James 'Spud' Danicic	...	Poo Victim (uncredited)
Troy DeWalt	...	Barfed on Guy (uncredited)
Mike George	...	Student in classroom (uncredited)
Veronica Laurence	...	Nun #2 (uncredited)
Maryann Majick	...	Nun #1 (uncredited)
Allie Raye	...	Lady in Airplane (uncredited)
Colton Shires	...	Young Jay (uncredited)
Barry Sigismondi	...	Mulligan (uncredited)
Lindsay Taylor	...	Suzanne Skibness (uncredited)

Directed by
Tenney Fairchild

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Tenney Fairchild		writer

Produced by
Tenney Fairchild	....	producer
Kelsey Grammer	....	executive producer
Glenn Rudolph	....	producer
Joanne Weiss	....	producer

Original Music by
Robin Trower

Cinematography by
Scott Henriksen		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Lee Cowan

Casting by
Chris Game
Jed Herold

Production Design by
John Doliner

Set Decoration by
Susan Frontiera

Costume Design by
Nina Corbett

Makeup Department
Tamara Gold	....	makeup designer
Richard Redlefsen	....	special makeup effects artist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
John Elmore	....	second assistant director
Greg McCollum	....	first assistant director
Paul Schmitz	....	second second assistant director

Art Department
Greg Runnels	....	leadman
Mark Runnels	....	set dresser
Andrew G. Smith	....	set dresser

Sound Department
Hugh Murphy	....	assistant sound editor
Kelly Oxford	....	supervising sound editor
Karen Vassar	....	sound editor

Special Effects by
Josh Hakian	....	special effects coordinator

Stunts
Bryon Weiss	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
James 'Spud' Danicic	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Nicole Turegano	....	film loader
Ron Veto	....	Steadicam operator

Music Department
Brett Chapman	....	music supervisor
Erich Stratmann	....	music editor

Transportation Department
Tom Calzia	....	transportation captain
John Cardos	....	driver
Tony Ruiz	....	driver

Other crew
Charles W. Bryant	....	production assistant
Ted Campbell	....	assistant location manager
Bennett Gold	....	assistant to director
Jerry Purvis	....	production assistant
Robert Stio	....	location manager
Suzanne C. Swindle	....	script supervisor

Production Companies

• M-80 Films
• Grammnet Productions
• Showtime

Distributors

• Showtime (2005) (USA) (all media)
• Echo Bridge Entertainment (2005) (Non-USA) (all media)
• FS Film Oy (2007) (Finland) (DVD)
• Monarch Home Video

MPAA:

Rated R for pervasive language, substance abuse, sexual content and some violence.

Runtime:

112 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

Argentina:16 | Finland:K-15 | Australia:MA | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

M-80 Films

Destined to be a cult classic

I saw "The Good Humor Man" at Methodfest awhile back and then I heard it was going to be on TV. I watched it again and remembered just how good it was.

The overall feeling I had is that I was watching a film that had been lost in the 70's, gathering dust on a shelf in the back of an office, and someone found it and said, "maybe folks could relate to this today." It seems more as if it was made in that period rather than trying to evoke it. The production values definitely said "indie" to me (in a good way). I loved the transition from the well-lit, perfectly blocked and shot interiors to the grainy, almost home movie look of the exteriors. A less experienced director would have used a lot more hand-held and faster cuts. That would have been the easy way out. But Tenney Fairchild let the story dictate the shots and not the other way around. The script was brilliant, and I can see it becoming an instant "cult classic" in the most complimentary sense of the term. So many great lines -- I kept thinking, "I've got to remember that line," then there'd be another, and another...

Of course, the music had me from the word go, but I knew that it would going in. How can you go wrong with a score by Robin Trower? Everything about the look, of course -- the hair, clothes, cars, appliances, Pop-Tarts...

The juxtaposition of the raw, almost jarring language of the stoners (I didn't know there were that many slang terms for sex acts and body parts -- I should count next time -- actually, I'll bet someone has) with the tender, innocent, almost childlike relationship between the lovers was what made it like a perverse Afterschool Special. At its heart, it's really an old-fashioned romance.

I was rolling on the floor more than once -- at some point I started thinking, "man I wish I made this." I found myself wanting to rush things along at the start -- it felt a bit slow. By the end, I was looking at the clock thinking, "damn, that's it?" I didn't want it to end. I could stay with those kids another couple of hours.

The kids were great. It didn't feel scripted, for the most part. To me a great director doesn't "direct" so much as let the actors do what they do best. That's what I felt from opening to closing credits.