The Great Buck Howard (2008)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Director:

Sean McGinly

Writer (WGA):

Sean McGinly (written by)

Release Date:

5 June 2009 (Latvia)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

Get ready for the comeback of a lifetime.

Plot:

A young man, much to the chagrin of his father, becomes the new assistant to an illusionist in decline.

Plot Keywords:

Illusionist | Magician | Real Life Father And Son Playing Father And Son | Character Name In Title

Cast

Colin Hanks	...	Troy Gable
B.J. Hendricks	...	Burly
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Tom Arnold
Jacquie Barnbrook	...	Sheila Heller
Ankur Bhatt
David Blaine	...	Himself
Emily Blunt	...	Valerie Brennan
Osa Danam	...	Hypnotized Woman
Bubba Da Skitso	...	(Unscripted) Sitcom Actor
Griffin Dunne	...	Johnathan Finerman
Patrick Fischler	...	Michael Perry
Matthew Gray Gubler	...	Russel
Tom Hanks	...	Mr. Gable
Nate Hartley	...	Teenage Kid
Matt Hoey	...	Charley
Dale Waddington Horowitz	...	Sleeping Woman
Ricky Jay	...	Gil Bellamy
Shane Johnson	...	Las Vegas Producer
Diana Kyle	...	Hypnotized Woman
Wallace Langham	...	Dan Green
Chene Lawson	...	Law Student #1
John Malkovich	...	Buck Howard
Marni McFair	...	Doctor in Audience
David Mehl	...	Hypnotized Guest
P. David Miller	...	Sleeping Woman's Husband
Debra Monk
Don Most	...	Tonight Show Producer
Conan O'Brien	...	Himself
Norm O'Neill	...	Audience Member #2
Regis Philbin	...	Himself
Jill Ragan	...	Cincinnati Producer
Kelly Ripa	...	Herself
Franklin Ruehl	...	Diner
Lawrence J. Russo	...	Hotel Guest
Terry Scannell	...	Kip
Adam Scott	...	Alan
Kimberly Scott	...	Nurse
Lorna Scott	...	Leesburg Virginia Woman
Danica Sheridan	...	Wisconsin Woman
Jon Stewart	...	Himself
Martha Stewart	...	Herself
Melissa Stone	...	Las Vegas Woman
George Takei	...	Himself
Amy Jo Traicoff	...	Las Vegas Woman
Stacey Travis	...	Cindy Crown
Katherine VanderLinden	...	Law Student
Max Williams	...	Flower Delivery Guy
Casey Wilson	...	Charity (as Casey Rose Wilson)
Nate Witty	...	Law Student #2
Wendy Worthington	...	Oregon Woman
Steve Zahn
Yuki Bird	...	Law School Student (uncredited)
Tony Clemons	...	Law Student (uncredited)
Kirsten Maryott	...	Dani (uncredited)
Wayne Roadie	...	Law Student (uncredited)
Bill Rochon	...	Cincinnati engineer (uncredited)

Directed by
Sean McGinly

Writing credits (WGA)
Sean McGinly		(written by)

Produced by
Marvin V. Acuna	....	executive producer
Gary Goetzman	....	producer
Tom Hanks	....	producer
Steve Shareshian	....	executive producer
Ginger Sledge	....	co-producer

Original Music by
Blake Neely

Cinematography by
Tak Fujimoto

Film Editing by
Myron I. Kerstein

Casting by
Jeanne McCarthy

Production Design by
Gary Frutkoff

Art Direction by
Tristan Paris Bourne

Set Decoration by
Linda Lee Sutton

Costume Design by
Johnetta Boone

Makeup Department
Vivian Baker	....	makeup artist: Mr. Hanks
Bridget Cook	....	hair department head
Bill Corso	....	makeup co-department head
Ginger Damon	....	hair stylist
Nicole Frank	....	key hair stylist
Martina Kohl	....	co-key makeup artist
Kenny Myers	....	makeup artist: Tom Hanks
Cheryl Ann Nick	....	makeup co-department head (as Cheryl Nick)
Carol Schwartz	....	key makeup artist

Production Management
Ginger Sledge	....	unit production manager
Lila Yacoub	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Rosemary C. Cremona	....	second assistant director
Peter Dress	....	second second assistant director
Vincent Palmo Jr.	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Michael Keith Aleshire	....	set dresser
Susannah Carradine	....	art department coordinator
Nicole Dome	....	set dresser
Doug DuRose	....	assistant property master
Charles Kern	....	camera scenic artist
Dana McCall	....	props assistant
Eugene McCarthy	....	property master
Tracy A. Morris	....	buyer
Matthew Murphy	....	leadman: re-shoots
Andre Sowards	....	on-set dresser: reshoots
Will Ziegenhorn	....	art department production assistant

Sound Department
Eric Bautista	....	sound utility
William Cawley	....	first assistant sound editor
Michael Dressel	....	supervising foley editor
Robert Eber	....	sound mixer
Jonathan Fuh	....	boom operator
José Antonio García	....	sound mixer
Charles Hamilton	....	sound recordist
Robin Harlan	....	foley artist
Jason King	....	sound effects editor
Lisa J. Levine	....	adr editor
Brian Magerkurth	....	sound recordist
Steve Mann	....	sound effects editor
Sarah Monat	....	foley artist
Alan Robert Murray	....	supervising sound editor
Kevin Murray	....	assistant sound editor
Steve Pederson	....	sound re-recording mixer
Brad Sherman	....	sound re-recording mixer
Randy Singer	....	foley mixer
Bruce Tanis	....	sound effects editor

Visual Effects by
William L. Arance	....	visual effects supervisor
Brent M. Bowen	....	visual effects
Chadd B. Cole	....	visual effects supervisor
Carin Davis	....	visual effects producer
Harry Eisenstein	....	on-set visual effects supervisor
Steven Fahey	....	compositor
Peter Gend	....	visual effects
Adam Klein	....	visual effects artist
Carol VanHook	....	visual effects
Andrea Yomtob	....	visual effects artist

Camera and Electrical Department
Donald D. Davidson	....	electrician
Jerry C. Deats	....	key grip
Sean Devine	....	dolly grip
Charles Ehrlinger	....	grip
Claire Farrand-Stone	....	film loader
Jeffrey A. Johnson	....	best boy grip
Michael Lyon	....	lighting technician
Isaac McKee	....	lighting technician
Markus Mentzer	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera
Luis Moreno	....	best boy
Charles Papert	....	Steadicam operator
Charles Papert	....	camera operator: "a" camera
Andrew Robison	....	rigging grip
Riley Sidore	....	set lighting technician
Michael Tolochko	....	electrician
Jaimie Trueblood	....	still photographer
Richard Turner	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Tony Varuola	....	lighting technician
Scott Watkins	....	best boy rigging grip
Paul Wilkowsky	....	grip
Randy Woodside	....	gaffer

Casting Department
Nicole Abellera	....	casting associate
Joanne Bloom	....	casting assistant
Carla Lewis	....	extras casting
Deedra Ricketts	....	extras casting
Leslie Woo	....	casting intern

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Juan Lopez	....	costume supervisor
Shelli Nishino	....	set costumer
Stephanie Portnoy Porter	....	costumer (as Stephanie Portnoy)

Editorial Department
Tanner Bean	....	post-production assistant
Gary Burritt	....	negative cutter
Matt Maddox	....	assistant editor
Alexis Seymour	....	first assistant editor
Greg Thompson	....	assistant editor
Lacy Wittman	....	post-production coordinator

Music Department
Josh Aberson	....	scoring assistant
Deva Anderson	....	music supervisor
Christine Bergren	....	music legal and clearance
James T. Hill	....	scoring mixer
Peter Myles	....	music editor
Elizabeth Neely	....	music studio manager
Robert Puff	....	music preparation
Delphine Robertson	....	associate music supervisor
Andrew Silver	....	music editor
Michael D. Simon	....	scoring assistant

Transportation Department
L. Chip Crosby Jr.	....	additional driver
Paulie DiCocco	....	driver: John Malkovich
Miguel Lozano	....	driver
Tom Lyons	....	transportation captain
Mike Ortiz	....	transportation
Kirk Roberts	....	driver

Other crew
Lance Baily	....	assistant: Colin Hanks
Cassandra Barbour	....	rights and clearances
Orlando Chongo	....	craft service
Tony Clark	....	magic consultant
Lisa Curtis	....	assistant production coordinator
Shelly Darden	....	assistant: John Malkovich
Natasha Delahunt	....	background coordinator
Evan Feuerman	....	assistant post-production accountant
Jessica Franks	....	production assistant
Tiffany Fraser	....	post-production accountant
Mario Gilbert	....	key location manager
Ryan Gomez	....	post production assistant accountant
Katherine Grace	....	layout board
Jeff Gross	....	production resources
Cate Hardman	....	script supervisor
Justin W. Hill	....	key assistant location manager
Meredith Humbracht	....	production coordinator
Suzanne Januszewski	....	production assistant
Seth Kleinberg	....	producer: main titles
Christian Labarta	....	set production assistant: re-shoots
Robert Lamkin	....	caterer
Brandon Linville	....	first assistant accountant
Michael Lippert	....	production assistant
Aaron Millar	....	location scout
Jennifer Mosley	....	assistant: Ginger Sledge
Tara Norris	....	assistant: Sean McGinly
Robert Paulsen	....	key assistant location manager
Sally Potters	....	production secretary
Brennan Reynolds	....	production assistant
Kevin Roy	....	production assistant
Alex Schwartz	....	executive charge of production
Laura Sevier	....	rights and clearances
Deborah Simmrin	....	publicist
Kelly Snyder	....	production accountant
Emre Sonmez	....	location manager
Mollie Stallman	....	key set production assistant
Mylan Stepanovich	....	production executive
Kim Thio	....	supervising set medic
Marsha Trainer	....	second second assistant accountant
Sven Zuege	....	designer/animator main titles: Prologue Films
John Butterfield	....	stand-in (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Bristol Bay Productions
• Playtone
• Great Buck Productions

Distributors

• Long Shong Entertainment Multimedia Company (2007) (Taiwan) (theatrical)
• Magnolia Pictures (2008) (USA) (theatrical)
• Ledafilms (2009) (Mexico) (TV)
• Odeon (2009) (Greece) (all media)
• VVS Films (2009) (Canada) (all media)

Other Companies

• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  cranes
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  dollies
• Chef Robért Catering  catering
• Dolby Laboratories  sound mix
• Entertainment Clearances  rights and clearances
• Headquarters Casting  extras casting
• Hollywood-DI  HD Screening Services
• Prologue Films  titles
• Widget Post Production  sound post-production

MPAA:

Rated PG for some language including suggestive remarks, and a drug reference.

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

Company:

Bristol Bay Productions

Trivia:

Real-life father and son Tom Hanks and Colin Hanks also play father and son in the movie.

Goofs:

Errors in geography: The scene with the mass hypnosis, supposedly in Cincinnatti, is clearly in the main lobby of the Dorothy Chandler Pavillion in Los Angeles. The banner with Placedo Domingo's name is even clearly seen hanging outside.

Movie Connections:

References "Martha Stewart Living" (1991)

Enjoyable

This film is about a young man who quits law school to become the assistant to a waning mentalist performer.

"The Great Buck Howard" has a unconventional beginning, with coloured subtitles helping to get points across. It is a fun way to start a film, yet the rest of the film has a vastly different tone.The title character Buck Howard is an unpleasant and mean guy, and yet somehow he strikes a chord with the viewers. He makes me sympathise with his misfortunes, and feel sad that his amazing acts get overlooked by the public and the press. I wanted Buck Howard to succeed in his tricks, even though he is unpleasant to work with.

I enjoyed watching "The Great Buck Howard".