Nightwatching (2007)

Director:

Peter Greenaway

Writer:

Peter Greenaway (written by)

Release Date:

2 November 2007 (Poland)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | History | Mystery

Plot:

An extravagant, exotic and moving look at Rembrandt's romantic and professional life, and the controversy he created by the identification of a murderer in the painting THE NIGHT WATCH

Plot Keywords:

Dutch | Group | Painter | Revenge | Conspiracy

Awards:

6 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

Martin Freeman	...	Rembrandt van Rijn
Emily Holmes	...	Hendrickje
Eva Birthistle	...	Saskia
Jodhi May	...	Geertje
Toby Jones	...	Gerard Dou
Jonathan Holmes	...	Ferdinand Bol
Michael Teigen	...	Carel Fabritius
Kevin McNulty	...	Hendrick Uylenburgh
Agata Buzek	...	Titia Uylenburgh
Natalie Press	...	Marieke
Fiona O'Shaughnessy	...	Marita
Reimer van Beek	...	Titus - newborn
Robert Zalecki	...	Titus - 4 months
Kacper Kasiecki	...	Titus - toddler
Anna Antonowicz	...	Catharina
Harry Ferrier	...	Carl Hasselburg
Matthew Walker	...	Matthias Van Der Meulen
Hugh Thomas	...	Jacob Jorisz
Krzysztof Pieczynski	...	Jacob de Roy
Jonathon Young	...	Visscher
Andrzej Seweryn	...	Piers Hasselburg
Maciej Zakoscielny	...	Egremont
Chris Britton	...	Rombout Kemp
Michael Culkin	...	Herman Wormskerck
Jochum ten Haaf	...	Jongkind (as Jochum Ten Haaf)
Gerard Plunkett	...	Engelen
Adrian Lukis	...	Frans Banning Cocq
Adam Kotz	...	Willem van Ruytenburgh
Rafal Mohr	...	Floris
Maciej Marczewski	...	Clement
Grazyna Barszczewska	...	Banning Cocq's Mother-in-law
Weronika Migon	...	Frau Hasselburg
Richard McCabe	...	Bloemfeldt
Robert J. Page	...	Actor on stage (as Robert J Page)
Magdalena Gnatowska	...	Orphanage Governess Martha
Alicja Borkowska	...	Orphanage Governess Lotte
Dewi Williams	...	Martin Geyle (as Dewi Rhys Williams)
Magdalena Smalara	...	Ineke
Aleksandra Lemba	...	Ispidie
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Marta Scislowicz
Mateusz Kosciukiewicz	...	Herman Ooster (uncredited)
Katia Paliwoda	...	Bride (uncredited)
Elzbieta Romanowska	...	(uncredited)

Directed by
Peter Greenaway

Writing credits
Peter Greenaway		(written by)

Produced by
Kim Arnott	....	associate producer
Jamie Carmichael	....	executive producer
Carlo Dusi	....	co-producer
Christine Haebler	....	co-producer
Grzegorz Hajdarowicz	....	executive producer
Bénédicte Humbel	....	line producer (as Benedicte Hermesse)
Eliane Huss	....	line producer: Wales
Linda James	....	executive producer
Kees Kasander	....	producer
Lisette Kelder	....	assistant line producer
Jenny Mitchell	....	assistant producer: UK
Piotr Mularuk	....	co-producer
Magdalena Napieracz	....	co-producer
Justyna Pawlak	....	assistant producer
Larry Sugar	....	executive producer
Paul Trijbits	....	executive producer
Stéphanie Verger	....	assistant line producer

Original Music by
Wlodzimierz Pawlik

Cinematography by
Reinier van Brummelen		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Karen Porter

Casting by
Corinne Clark
Janusz Gosschalk
Weronika Migon
Tania Polentarutti
Marina Wijn
Peter Wooldridge		(as Peter Wooldrige)

Production Design by
Maarten Piersma

Art Direction by
Rosie Stapel
James Willcock		(as James Wilcock)

Set Decoration by
Dory van Noort

Costume Design by
Jagna Janicka
Marrit van der Burgt		(as Marrit Van Der Burgt)

Makeup Department
Gemma Berry	....	makeup assistant: Wales
Joanna Bochenska	....	makeup assistant: Poland
Malgorzata Dlugosz	....	makeup assistant: Poland
Janusz Kaleja	....	makeup artist
Sara Meerman	....	key hair stylist
Sara Meerman	....	key makeup artist
Kate Petersen	....	makeup artist: Wales
Marcin Rodak	....	makeup artist: Poland
Karolina Wezyk-Labunko	....	makeup assistant: Poland
Monika Wisniowska	....	makeup assistant: Poland
Olga Wisniowska	....	makeup assistant: Poland
Krystyna Zbroszczyk	....	makeup assistant: Poland

Production Management
Andrzej Besztak	....	production manager: Poland
Sally Dixon	....	post-production supervisor: Canada
Owen Gower	....	assistant production manager
Gerry Toomey	....	production manager
Jochem van Rijs	....	post-production supervisor: EU

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Stacy Fish	....	first assistant director
Weronika Migon	....	second assistant director: Poland
Nick Murray	....	second assistant director: Wales
Mike Rymer	....	third assistant director: Wales (as Mike Rhymer)
Piotr Szczerbic	....	third assistant director: Poland

Art Department
Domino Daugherty	....	painter
Rob Duiker	....	carpenter
Eljo Embregts	....	art department coordinator
Lidewij Kapteijn	....	construction manager
Edouard Pallardy	....	painter
Andrzej Rychtarczyk	....	construction manager: Poland
Anna Szymiec	....	art department assistant: Netherlands & Poland
Dione van der Hoeven	....	head painter
Menno Verduin	....	carpenter
Marek Warszewski	....	art department assistant: Poland

Sound Department
Ken Biehl	....	backgrounds editor
Brent Calkin	....	additional sound mixer
Christopher Cleator	....	adr mixer (as Chris Cleator)
Tony Gort	....	sound designer
Tony Gort	....	sound editing
Tony Gort	....	sound supervisor
Don Harrison	....	foley artist
Maurice Hillier	....	production sound mixer
Jeff Jackman	....	foley editor
Krzysztof Klimko	....	boom operator: Poland
Matt Kunau	....	sound consultant: Dolby (as Matthew Kunau)
Ian Mackie	....	foley artist
David Maguire	....	assistant boom operator: Wales
Hugh Maguire	....	boom operator: Wales
Jerzy Matczuk	....	boom operator: Poland
Linda McAteer	....	post-production sound coordinator
Roger Morris	....	adr mixer
Roger Morris	....	dialogue editor
Miguel Nunes	....	adr editor
Dorian Pareis	....	foley editor
Tom Perry	....	sound re-recording mixer
Josephine Reynolds	....	cable boy
Rick Senechal	....	foley editor
Rick Senechal	....	foley recordist
Greg Stewart	....	sound re-recording mixer
Candisha Story	....	adr recordist

Special Effects by
Doug McCarthy	....	special effects (as Doug McCarthey)
Leszek Olbinski	....	special effects
Marek Pinkowski	....	special effects
Mike Wilde	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Eri Adachi	....	rotoscope artist: Rainmaker
Simon Ager	....	lead digital compositing artist
Graeme Baitz	....	roto lead: Rainmaker
James Ballard	....	digital intermediate assistant: Dragon DI
Richie Basilan	....	digital compositor
Dan Brittain	....	digital compositor
Geoffrey R. Case	....	DI colourist: Dragon DI
Valentina Catena	....	on-line assistant: Dragon I
Kristin Dearholt	....	digital production manager
Maggie Evans	....	visual effects producer
Luis Alejandro Guevara	....	visual effects editor
Myfanwy Harris	....	digital intermediate assistant: Dragon DI
Peter Hart	....	lead matchmove artist
Alex Kyrou	....	digital film I/O technician: Rainmaker
Matthias Lowry	....	digital compositing artist
Benjamin Miller	....	rotoscope artist
Sam Nixon	....	senior matchmove artist
Vasho Pekar	....	rotoscope artist: Rainmaker
Enrico Perei	....	senior digital compositing artist
Lee Pierce	....	digital compositing artist
Drew Shields	....	senior matchmove artist: Rainmaker
Bruce Steele	....	digital effect artist: Dragon DI
Bruce Steele	....	lead digital compositing artist
Luke Vallee	....	digital compositor
Mike Washburn	....	rotoscope artist
Joni Williams	....	rotoscope artist
Jessica Woods	....	roto artist
Paul J. Wright	....	scanning and recording manager: Dragon DI

Stunts
Sandor Bertalan	....	stunt double
Sándor Boros	....	stunt performer (as Sandor Boros)
László Imre	....	stunt team: horses (as Imre Laszlo)
Levente Lezsák	....	stunt performer (as Levente Lezsak)
Zbigniew Modej	....	stunt coordinator: Wales

Camera and Electrical Department
Cees Aloserij Jr.	....	grip
Cees Aloserij Sr.	....	key grip: Wales (as Cees Aloserij)
Ruzbeh Babol	....	camera operator
Marcin Bogucki	....	electrician: Poland
Kerry Brown	....	stills photographer
Piotr Bujnowicz	....	stills photographer
Adrian Ciesielski	....	electrician: Wales/Poland
Maciej Cyran	....	dolly grip
Marek Czpak	....	key grip: Poland
Irma De Vries	....	video assist
John Dowzell	....	electrician: Wales
Via Goeludy	....	electrician: Wales
Gaetan Jalbert	....	rigging gaffer (as Gaetan [Gates] Jalbert)
Tomasz Kitrasiewicz	....	electrician: Poland
Remigiusz Kubiak	....	grip
Fabryka Obrazu	....	stills photographer
Tadeusz Obuchowicz	....	focus puller
Sara Pickett	....	technician: HD Viper
Owen Richards	....	electrician: Wales
Marek Rolka	....	grip equipment
Krzysztof Sankowski	....	dolly grip
Peter Smith	....	gaffer
Jaroslaw Wierzbicki	....	best boy electrician: Poland

Casting Department
Jessica Kingstone	....	background casting: Wales

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Sarah Bozano	....	costumes assistant: Netherlands
Rebecca Cunningham	....	costumes assistant
Karen de Meijer	....	costumes assistant: Netherlands (as Karen De Meijer)
Marcella Hamelijck	....	costumes assistant
Rosanna Hoogendoorn	....	costumes trainee
Katarzyna Lewinska	....	associate costume designer: Poland
Annette Mosk	....	costumes assistant: Netherlands
Eleonora Owsianka	....	costume master: Poland (as Ela Owsianka)
Ruth Taylor	....	costumes trainee
Jookje Zweedijk	....	assistant costume designer: Netherlands

Editorial Department
Irma De Vries	....	assistant editor
Leander Huizinga	....	post-production coordinator: EU
Elmer Leupen	....	additional editing
Kryssta Mills	....	post-production coordinator: Canada

Other crew
Jennine Baker	....	production accountant
Erik Bakker	....	production accountant
Barbara Bruni	....	assistant to co-producer: UK
Phil Claydon	....	production coordinator: Wales
Robert Croma	....	production assistant
Eirlys Dafydd	....	set trainee: Wales
Magdalena Daniszewska	....	assistant to co-producer: Poland
Anne Derks	....	production assistant
Keith Evans	....	location trainee
Owen Gower	....	location manager
Rob Grundy	....	armourer
Ineke Kanters	....	head of development
Agnieszka Kik	....	production coordinator: Poland
Nick Leese	....	head of publicity
Graham Mathews	....	location manager
Graham Mathews	....	scout
Jorn Mooij	....	production accountant
Claudia Morgado Escanilla	....	script supervisor (as Claudia Morgado)
Anna Palka	....	location manager
Anna Palka	....	set manager
Mandy Posthuma	....	assistant production accountant
Simon Pritchard	....	location assistant
Melissa Ruffle	....	production accountant
Marita Ruyter	....	assistant: Mr Greenaway
Joe Sisto	....	legal services
Natascha Teunissen	....	assistant: Kees Kasander
Claire Warnes	....	senior business affairs executive
Haydn Wazelle	....	deliveries coordinator
Richard Williams	....	location assistant
Peter Wooldridge	....	dialogue coach

Thanks
Rob Gray	....	thanks
Jenny Mitchell	....	in loving memory of

Production Companies

• ContentFilm International (presents)
• Wales Creative IP Fund (presents) (as The Wales Creative IP Fund)
• UK Film Council (presents) (as The U.K. Film Council)
• Polish Film Institute (presents) (as The Polish Film Institute)
• Netherland Filmfund (presents) (as The Netherlands Film Fund)
• Rotterdams Fonds voor de Film en Audiovisuele Media (present) (as The Rotterdam Film Fund)
• Programme MEDIA de la Communauté Européenne (presents) (as MEDIA Plus Programme of the European Community)
• No Equal Entertainment (in association with)
• Odeon Films (in association with)
• Yeti Films (presents)
• Gremi Film Production (presents)
• Kasander Film Company (as A Kees Kasander Production)
• Aria Films

Distributors

• ArtCam (2008) (Czech Republic) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Axiom Films (2010) (UK) (theatrical)
• Bac Films (2008) (France) (theatrical)
• Benelux Film Distribution (2008) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Movie-Eye Entertainment (2008) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Tokyo Theaters Company (2008) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Atlantic Film (2010) (Finland) (DVD)
• E1 Entertainment (2009) (USA) (DVD)
• Laptv (2008) (Argentina) (TV)
• Prorom Media-Trade (2008) (Romania) (all media)
• Video Film Express (2008) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (2010) (2011) (Finland) (TV)

Special Effects

• Dragon Digital Intermediate (VFX) (as Dragon DI)
• Rainmaker Animation & Visual Effects (visual effects by) (as Rainmaker Visual Effects)
• Filmmore (visual effects)

Other Companies

• Dragon Digital Intermediate  digital intermediate (as Dragon DI)
• Armine Restaurant  catering
• Post Modern Sound  sound facility
• Goldcrest Post Production London  additional adr facilities
• Studio Zet  additional adr facilities (as Studio Zet, Warsaw)
• Ouistiti Music  additional adr facilities (as Ouistiti Music, Paris)
• Dragon Digital Intermediate  color grading
• Film Finances  completion guarantor
• Filmmore  post-production facilities
• Kemna Casting  casting
• Line 21 Media Services Ltd.  closed captioning
• Line 21 Media Services Ltd.  combined dialogue, continuity & spotting list

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for strong sexual content, graphic nudity and language

Runtime:

134 min | Canada:141 min (Toronto International Film Festival)

Country:

UK | Poland | Canada | Netherlands

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Canada:18A (Ontario) | Japan:R-15 | Czech Republic:15 | USA:Not Rated | USA:R (certificate #45509) | Australia:MA | UK:18 | Ireland:18 | Portugal:M/12 | Finland:K-13

Filming Locations:

Amsterdam, Noord-Holland, Netherlands

Company:

ContentFilm International

Quotes:

Titia Uylenburgh:Women in the 17th century are allowed to smoke, write, correspond with Descartes, wear spectacles, insult the Pope, and breast-feed babies.

Movie Connections:

Spin off Rembrandt's J'Accuse (2008)

Rich, Beautiful, Moving, Challenging

My advice is to first watch 'Rembrandt's J'Accuse', Greenaway's companion film. It fills you in on the background, the characters, the thesis for the conspiracy, and generally sets the scene for 'Nightwatching' itself, which is extremely elaborate and requires a far more prolonged degree of concentration than 99.9% of films being released. Having said that, the film certainly stands alone as a powerful and intelligent piece of cinema that puts forward a contentious and challenging theory about the circumstances surrounding Rembrandt's painting.

Some viewers have pointed out how moving the film is - and indeed it is. But I for one have found ALL of Greenaway's films to be deeply moving. Unlike mainstream directors, he doesn't attempt to tug at the heartstrings, but instead deploys one rich, elegaic, achingly beautiful set piece after another, letting the ideas and associations reach the emotions of the audience. In Greenaway's world, extreme beauty and extreme horror exist cheek-by-jowl - his heroes (more so than his heroines) look for logic and order, and find ultimately chaos and decay - the good go unrewarded, the bad go unpunished - and yet, out of it all, rises a triumphant celebration of life, art, human aspiration, and the possibilities of cinema itself.

If you want a bedtime story about goodies overcoming baddies, look elsewhere. 'Nightwatching', like Greenaway's other work, offers - and demands - much more than that.