Hide and Seek (2005)

Director:

John Polson

Writer (WGA):

Ari Schlossberg (written by)

Release Date:

28 January 2005 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

Come out come out whatever you are

Plot:

As a widower tries to piece together his life in the wake of his wife's suicide, his daughter finds solace -- at first -- in her imaginary friend.

Plot Keywords:

Suicide | Doctor | Imaginary Friend | Widower | Moving In

Awards:

1 win & 4 nominations

Cast

Robert De Niro	...	David Callaway
Dakota Fanning	...	Emily Callaway
Famke Janssen	...	Katherine
Elisabeth Shue	...	Elizabeth
Amy Irving	...	Alison Callaway
Dylan Baker	...	Sheriff Hafferty
Melissa Leo	...	Laura
Robert John Burke	...	Steven
Molly Grant Kallins	...	Amy
David Chandler	...	Mr. Haskins
Jake Dylan Baumer	...	Disturbed Boy
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Josh Flitter	...	Little Boy (uncredited)
Alicia Harding	...	Waitress (uncredited)
James McCaffrey	...	Charlie (uncredited)
Rose Pasquale	...	Gas Customer (uncredited)
Brendan Sexton III	...	Store Clerk (uncredited)

Directed by
John Polson

Writing credits (WGA)
Ari Schlossberg		(written by)

Produced by
Joseph M. Caracciolo Jr.	....	executive producer
Barry Josephson	....	producer
Dana Robin	....	co-producer
John P. Rogers	....	co-producer

Original Music by
John Ottman

Cinematography by
Dariusz Wolski

Film Editing by
Jeffrey Ford

Casting by
Amanda Mackey Johnson
Cathy Sandrich

Production Design by
Steven J. Jordan

Art Direction by
Emily Beck
Dennis Bradford

Set Decoration by
Beth Kushnick

Costume Design by
Aude Bronson-Howard

Makeup Department
Annemarie Bradley	....	additional hair stylist
Milton Buras	....	key hair stylist
John Caglione Jr.	....	makeup department head
Ilona Herman	....	hair stylist: Mr. De Niro
Ilona Herman	....	makeup artist: Mr. De Niro
Francesca Buccellato	....	additional makeup artist (uncredited)
Joseph Farulla	....	assistant makeup artist (uncredited)
Mary Anne Spano	....	additional makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Joe Hartwick Jr.	....	production supervisor
Dana Robin	....	unit production manager
Patrick Esposito	....	post-production supervisor (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Deanna Leslie	....	key second assistant director (as Deanna Leslie Kelly)
Patrick Mangan	....	second assistant director (as Patrick J. Mangan)
Michelle Regina	....	dga trainee
Thomas A. Reilly	....	first assistant director (as Tom Reilly)
Shannon Von Ronne	....	second second assistant director (as Shannon M. Von Ronne)

Art Department
David Cooney	....	storyboard artist
Vivienne Culwick	....	camera scenic
John Davis	....	storyboard artist
Frank Didio	....	co-construction coordinator
Kathryn Freund	....	set dresser
Jeffrey L. Glave	....	scenic chargeman
Adam Goodnoff-Cernese	....	set dresser
Vincent Guarriello	....	key construction grip
Judy Gurr	....	assistant set decorator
Julia G. Hickman	....	art department coordinator
Jordan Jacobs	....	assistant art director
Nancy Jordan	....	art department coordinator
Dan Kuchar	....	assistant art director
Bernard Lyster	....	dressing props
Christopher G. Markunas	....	carpenter (as C.G. Markunas)
Vinny Mazzarella	....	assistant property master
Talia Mendillo	....	scenic industrial
Mike Montgomery	....	construction grip
Joseph S. Patire	....	carpenter (as Joe Patire)
Ron Petagna	....	carpenter
Andrew Rossig	....	carpenter
David Schanker	....	assistant props
Karl Shefelman	....	storyboard artist
Richard Tenewitz	....	carpenter
James Whelan	....	set dresser
Joan Winters	....	graphic designer
Scott Woods	....	illustrator
Robert Antalocy	....	carpenter (uncredited)
Erin Manigault	....	carpenter (uncredited)
Richard Tenewitz	....	construction coordinator: reshoots (uncredited)

Sound Department
Erik Aadahl	....	sound designer
Laurel Bridges	....	utility sound
Derek Casari	....	adr engineer
Derek Casari	....	foley engineer
Dawn Fintor	....	foley artist
Tim Gomillion	....	sound recordist
Doug Hemphill	....	sound re-recording mixer (as D.M. Hemphill)
Warren Hendriks	....	first assistant sound editor
Mildred Iatrou	....	dialogue editor (as Mildred Iatrou Morgan)
R.J. Kizer	....	adr editor
R.J. Kizer	....	dialogue editor
Dave Kulczycki	....	sound editor (as David Kulczycki)
John A. Larsen	....	supervising sound editor
Skip Longfellow	....	assistant sound editor
Paul Massey	....	sound re-recording mixer
John Murray	....	foley supervisor (as John M. Murray)
Howard Neiman	....	foley editor
Tom Nelson	....	sound mixer
Steve F. Price	....	foley editor
Charleen Richards	....	adr mixer (as Charleen Richards-Stevees)
Dennis Rogers	....	sound recordist
Mike Schmidt	....	boom operator
William Stein	....	re-recording engineer
Alicia Stevenson	....	foley artist
Elliot Tyson	....	additional sound re-recording mixer
Anthony Woodman	....	sound librarian
Alex Raspa	....	adr mixer: New York (uncredited)
John Soukup	....	sound transfer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Wilfred Caban	....	special effects foreman (as Will Caban)
Carmen M. Campolo Jr.	....	special effects assistant (as Carmen Campolo Jr.)
Steven Kirshoff	....	special effects coordinator (as Steve Kirshoff)

Visual Effects by
Ryan Beadle	....	digital I/O
Cosmas Paul Bolger Jr.	....	visual effects supervisor
Steve Caldwell	....	digital compositor
Joe Finley	....	digital intermediate colorist
R.J. Harbour	....	digital compositor
Shaina Holmes	....	digital compositor
Shaina Holmes	....	digital coordinator
Lori C. Miller	....	digital compositor
Marco S. Paolini	....	digital compositor
Amani Williams	....	digital compositor
Brian Gyss	....	digital imaging: Modern VideoFilm (uncredited)

Stunts
G.A. Aguilar	....	stunt coordinator
John Cenatiempo	....	stunt double
Blaise Corrigan	....	stunts
Jeffrey Lee Gibson	....	stunts
John Polce	....	stunts (as John J. Polce)
Gary Tacon	....	stunts
Shawnna Thibodeau	....	stunt double

Camera and Electrical Department
Sebastián Almeida	....	camera loader
Colin Anderson	....	Steadicam operator
Colin Anderson	....	camera operator
Robert M. Andres	....	key grip
Will Arnot	....	Steadicam operator
Will Arnot	....	camera operator: "b" camera
K.C. Bailey	....	still photographer
Liza Bambenek	....	assistant camera
Angela Bellisio	....	assistant camera
Vincent Camuto	....	video assist assistant
Vincent Camuto	....	video assist playback
Patrick Capone	....	director of photography: second unit
Lamont Crawford	....	second dolly grip
Doug Dalisera	....	best boy electric
Stanley Fernandez Jr.	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Joel Holland	....	video assist operator
William Moore	....	electrician
Heather Norton	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera, re-shoots
Thomas O'Connor	....	rigging electrician
Phil Pastuhov	....	aerial director of photography
Darren Ryan	....	24 frame video operator
Patrick Shelby	....	second unit: key grip
J. Dan Wright	....	light balloon technician

Casting Department
Aisha Coley	....	casting executive
Sig De Miguel	....	casting associate
Johnny Gidcomb	....	adr casting
Wendy Weidman	....	casting associate

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Susan Bakula	....	costume shop supervisor
Addie Hall	....	costumer
Cheryl Kilbourne-Kimpton	....	wardrobe supervisor
Marcie Olivi	....	costumer: Mr. De Niro
Monica Ruiz-Ziegler	....	costume coordinator
JP Sarni	....	wardrobe assistant

Editorial Department
Gary Burritt	....	negative cutter
Jeff Mee	....	post-production coordinator
Sandra Nash	....	assistant editor
Jim Passon	....	color timer
Craig Tanner	....	associate editor
Sarah Thiessen	....	first assistant editor
Lonnie A. Mathes	....	post-production assistant (uncredited)
Chris McClintock	....	post-production coordinator (uncredited)

Music Department
Debbi Datz-Pyle	....	score contractor
Robert Fernandez	....	scoring mixer
Rick Giovinazzo	....	additional orchestrator
Amanda Goodpaster	....	music editor
M.B. Gordy	....	musician: Percussion
Mark Graham	....	music librarian
Damon Intrabartolo	....	conductor
Damon Intrabartolo	....	orchestrator
Mike Knobloch	....	music executive
Jason Lloyd	....	scoring cue mixer
Frank Macchia	....	additional orchestrator
Larry Mah	....	digital score recordist
Sujin Nam	....	score coordinator
John Ottman	....	orchestrator
Lior Rosner	....	additional music arranger
Lior Rosner	....	additional orchestrator
Bart Samolis	....	musician
Steven Saxton	....	executive music producer
Jeffrey Schindler	....	additional orchestrator (as Jeff Schindler)
Steven L. Smith	....	music preparation
Tom Steel	....	scoring stage manager
Casey Stone	....	music scoring mixer
Erich Stratmann	....	music editor: temp music
Bill Talbott	....	scoring technician
Gordon Wimpress	....	scoring intern
Mark Jan Wlodarkiewicz	....	music editor: temp music (as Mark Wlodarkiewicz)

Transportation Department
William 'Mac' Maquez	....	driver
Thomas McGoldrick	....	driver: cast
Edward O'Donnell	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Peter Anders	....	craft service
Peter Bobrow	....	location assistant
Peter Bobrow	....	location manager: second unit
Oren Bonen	....	on-set production assistant: Mr. De Niro
Al Cerullo	....	helicopter pilot: aerial unit (as Al Cerullo Jr.)
Jan Cerwonka	....	studio teacher
Felix Chen	....	payroll accountant
Kathy Ciric	....	location manager
Daniel B. Cone	....	production assistant
Kimberly Cooper	....	production executive
Jennifer Crammer	....	assistant production coordinator
Tony Cypres	....	first assistant accountant
Erin S. Ellescas	....	assistant: Mr. Carraciolo Jr.
Andrew Fiero	....	production assistant
Melissa Gelernter	....	assistant: Mr. Josephson
Laurie Gershon	....	product placement/clearances
Dave Ginsberg	....	location scout
Catherine Gore	....	script supervisor
Eli Gurevich	....	second assistant accountant
Alexes Hargrove	....	staff set production assistant
Michael Hartel	....	assistant location manager
Mark D. Houston	....	assistant post-production accountant
Perry M. Kimura	....	digital scanning and recording: EFILM
Rachel Konstantin	....	stand-in
Stosh Kozlowski	....	location assistant
Kim Krafsky	....	animal trainer
Eric Ladd	....	title design
Amy Leigh Johnson	....	publicist
Anita Maffei	....	set production assistant
Seth Marshall	....	assistant: Robert De Niro
Steve McAuliff	....	animal trainer
Melissa Milo	....	assistant: Mr. De Niro
Rick Negron	....	adr loop group
Kyle O'Brien	....	production accountant
Gerald Orange	....	security: Mr. De Niro (as Gerald L. Orange)
Susan Orga	....	location coordinator
Evan T. Reilly	....	script coordinator
Matt Robken	....	assistant: Mr. Polson, Los Angeles
Kara Ryan	....	production assistant
Stephen A. Sands	....	psychological consultant
Andrew Saxe	....	location manager
Daisy Schwartz	....	on-set assistant
Susan Silas	....	location scout
Mark Sussman	....	additional voice
Beau Tipton	....	production assistant
David Velasco	....	location scout
Janice Williams	....	production coordinator
Mark J. Wylie	....	assistant: Mr. De Niro
Alexander F. Young	....	assistant: Mr. Josephson
David Zaretsky	....	assistant: Mr. Polson, New York
Richie Adams	....	title designer: main title sequence (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation
• Fox 2000 Pictures
• Josephson Entertainment
• MBC Beteiligungs Filmproduktion

Distributors

• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation (2005) (worldwide) (all media)
• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation (2005) (USA) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Italia (2005) (Italy) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Netherlands (2005) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox (2005) (Canada) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox (2005) (France) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox (2005) (UK) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox (2005) (Japan) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox (2005) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox de Argentina (2005) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox of Germany (2005) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Bontonfilm (2005) (Czech Republic) (theatrical)
• Forum Cinemas (2005) (Lithuania) (theatrical)
• Fox-Warner (2005) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Gemini Film (2005) (Russia) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2005) (Brazil) (all media)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2005) (Canada) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2005) (Netherlands) (DVD) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Custom Film Effects (opticals)
• Digital Filmworks (visual effects)
• Modern VideoFilm (visual effects)

Other Companies

• 20th Century Fox Studios  post-production facilities
• Animal Actors  animals provided by
• Custom Film Effects  end titles
• Custom Film Effects  opticals
• DeLuxe Laboratories  color and prints (as Deluxe)
• Doc Hollywood Records  soundtrack released by
• Historic Films Archive  footage courtesy of
• Ignite Creative  main titles
• Jo Anne Kane Music Services  score preparation (as JoAnn Kane Music Services)
• Lightnin' Production Rentals  transportation equipment
• Loop de Loop  voice casting
• Newman Scoring Stage, Twentieth Century Fox Studios, The  score recorded at (as The Newman Stage, Twentieth Century Fox)
• Panavision  cameras and lenses
• Scarlet Letters  end titles
• Signet Soundelux Studios  score mixed at (as Signet Sound Deluxe)
• Sylvia Fay/Lee Genick & Associates Casting  extras casting
• Technicolor  dailies

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for frightening sequences and violence

Runtime:

101 min

Country:

USA | Germany

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Brazil:14 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14A (British Columbia) | Chile:14 | Finland:K-15 | Germany:16 | Hong Kong:IIB | Ireland:16 | Japan:PG-12 | Netherlands:16 | Norway:15 | Philippines:PG-13 | Singapore:PG | Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Zurich) | UK:15 | USA:R | Ireland:18 (DVD/VHS release) | Taiwan:PG-12 | Canada:14A (Ontario) | Iceland:16 | Malaysia:18SG | Portugal:M/16 | South Korea:15 | Spain:18 | New Zealand:M

Filming Locations:

257 Central Park West, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

Contrary to popular belief, Dakota Fanning actually wore a brown wig, rather than having her hair dyed.

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: The tea kettle that boils and whistles on the stove has no "whistle" attachment on it.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Alison:Faster.
Emily:No, no, no.

Movie Connections:

Features Humpty Dumpty (1935)

Soundtrack:

Sax Kitten

Amazing performances and atmosphere with an intelligent script

All's not well at the home of the Callaways. David (Robert De Niro) and Alison (Amy Irving) have obvious tension in their relationship. When it leads to suicide shortly after the film begins, David, a psychologist, packs up his young daughter Emily (Dakota Fanning) and heads from New York City to bucolic upstate New York to try to start over. Unfortunately, the suicide was just the start of their problems. It seems that something evil may have followed them into the woods.

Hide and Seek is not your typical thriller. For much of its length, it is a much quieter, slower-paced drama, resting almost entirely on meaty, complex performances from two actors, one of whom--Fanning--was only 10 years old while making the film! It also is veers back and forth from thriller to horror territory (which have a notoriously gray border anyway) depending partially on one's interpretation of the film. The ending is marked by a clever twist that most viewers may not see coming, and which will pleasantly broach more questions than it answers long after you have seen the film. Those facts might turn some potential viewers off, but anyone able to slow down and appreciate fine acting housed in a dense, creepy environment will be rewarded. The film was a 10 out of 10 for me.

Newcomer screenwriter Ari Schlossberg has said that he grew up in the city, so just the idea of the woods, as well as children in general, frighten him. Those may be unusual sentiments, but director John Polson has translated them with remarkable ease into Hide and Seek. The country setting feels eerie from the moment David and Emily arrive, and Fanning's outstanding performance has her gradually changing from a cute kid to a scary little pseudo-Goth monster more slyly than native New Yorker slipping into the subway car before you to grab the last seat. Of course De Niro is good, too, but that goes without saying. Hide and Seek gives both performers a chance to show their range, but the biggest surprise is perhaps that Fanning can match De Niro step for step. The rest of the cast doesn't slouch, either, but they're not the focus. Their role is more to provide the necessary little nudges to justify our stars' next dazzling feats.

While I cannot talk at length about various subtexts and interpretations without giving spoilers, they range from the purely psychological to the supernatural. It is worth noting before watching that little of what you see playing out on the screen may be actually happening, and there may be something more sinister at work that is never fully stated in the film.

Schlossberg has said that among his many influences for this script were The Shining (1980), and in fact, that masterpiece is directly referenced a few times. Those are big shoes to try to fill. While the style and content of Hide and Seek are very different than The Shining--Hide and Seek is even more understated--that's also a slower-paced film that finds much of its effectiveness from its thick atmosphere and commendable performances, and fans of Kubrick's great horror film should find enough to enjoy here as well.