Youth Without Youth (2007)

Director:

Francis Ford Coppola

Writers:

Mircea Eliade (novel)
Francis Ford Coppola (written by)

Release Date:

26 October 2007 (Italy)

Genre:

Drama | Fantasy | Mystery | Romance | Thriller

Plot:

A love story wrapped in a mystery. Set in Europe before WWII, a timid professor is changed by a cataclysmic event and explores the mysteries of life.

Plot Keywords:

Professor | Language | Lightning | Romania | Nazi

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Tim Roth	...	Dominic
Alexandra Maria Lara	...	Veronica / Laura
Bruno Ganz	...	Professor Stanciulescu
André Hennicke	...	Josef Rudolf
Marcel Iures	...	Prof. Giuseppe Tucci
Adrian Pintea	...	Pandit
Alexandra Pirici	...	Woman in Room 6
Florin Piersic Jr.	...	Dr. Gavrila
Zoltan Butuc	...	Dr. Chirila
Adriana Titieni	...	Anetta
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Mircea Albulescu	...	Davidoglu
Dan Astileanu	...	Professor (as Dan Astilean)
Cristian Balint	...	Grenzschutz
Dragos Bucur	...	Bartender
Theodor Danetti	...	Dr. Neculache
Andrei Gheorghe	...	Taxi Driver
Roxana Guttman	...	Gertrude
Dorina Lazar	...	Cook
Rodica Lazar	...	Teller
Anamaria Marinca	...	Hotel Receptionist
Hodorog Anton Mihail	...	Doru, The Guard
Mihai Niculescu	...	Vaian
Gelu Nitu	...	Policeman
Mirela Oprisor	...	Craita
Alexandru Repan	...	Dr. Chavannes
Dan Sandulescu	...	Nicodim
Andi Vasluianu	...	Intern
Matt Damon	...	Life Magazine Reporter (uncredited)

Directed by
Francis Ford Coppola

Writing credits
Mircea Eliade		(novella)
Francis Ford Coppola		(written by)

Produced by
Francis Ford Coppola	....	producer
Anahid Nazarian	....	executive producer
Fred Roos	....	executive producer
Masa Tsuyuki	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Osvaldo Golijov

Cinematography by
Mihai Malaimare Jr.

Film Editing by
Walter Murch

Casting by
Florin Kevorkian
Karen Lindsay-Stewart

Production Design by
Calin Papura

Art Direction by
Ruxandra Ionica
Mircea Onisoru

Set Decoration by
Adi Popa
Adrian Popa

Costume Design by
Gloria Papura

Makeup Department
Barrie Gower	....	prosthetic makeup sculptor
Peter King	....	hair designer (as Peter Swords King)
Peter King	....	makeup designer (as Peter Swords King)
Chris Lyons	....	special effects teeth
Dana Roseanu	....	makeup artist
Domnica Sava	....	hair stylist
Jeremy Woodhead	....	hair designer
Jeremy Woodhead	....	makeup designer

Production Management
Diona Dragnea	....	production manager (as Doina Dragnea)
Adriana Rotaru	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Vladimir Anton	....	second assistant director
Roman Coppola	....	second unit director
Oana Ene	....	second assistant director
Craita Nanu	....	second assistant director
Anatol Reghintovschi	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Gabriel Bucur	....	set dresser: Romania
Adi Iancu	....	stand-by props: Romania
Iasar Memedali	....	property buyer: Romania
Adi Popa	....	property master: Romania
Dora Somova	....	stand-by props: Bulgaria

Sound Department
Mihai Bogos	....	sound recordist
Viorel Dobre	....	adr recordist
Alex Dragomir	....	dialogue editor
Kim Foscato	....	sound effects editor
Ivan Fritz	....	machine room operator
Pete Horner	....	sound designer
Pete Horner	....	sound re-recording mixer
Robert Knox	....	sound re-recording consultant
Zach Martin	....	sound mix technician
Matei Mircea	....	boom operator
Walter Murch	....	sound re-recording mixer
John Nutt	....	dialogue editor
Victor Panfilov	....	sound effects editor
Horea Alexandru Pascu	....	assistant sound
Gene Radzik	....	sound consultant
Vadim Staver	....	foley artist

Special Effects by
Liviu Gherghe	....	special effects assistant

Visual Effects by
Kevin Bailey	....	additional visual effects (as Kevin N. Bailey)
Patrik Bergman	....	digital effects artist
Ales Dlabac	....	CG artist
Roland Friedrich	....	flame artist
Miro Gal	....	Flame artist
Lukas Herrmann	....	digital matte paint artist
Jan Heusler	....	digital compositor
Tomas Kalhous	....	digital compositor: UPP
Vít Komrzý	....	visual effects producer
Michal Krecek	....	digital compositor
Vincent Lavares	....	data manager: Laser Pacific
Jirí Linhart	....	digital effects artist
Robert Loudil	....	visual effects artist
Petr Masek	....	digital compositor
Peter Nemec	....	Flame artist
Peter Nemec	....	digital effects artist
Peter Nemec	....	senior flame artist
Vaclav Ondrousek	....	digital compositor
Jiri Stamfest	....	matte artist
Petr Vcelicka	....	digital compositor
Jan Vseticek	....	visual effects coordinator
David Vána	....	visual effects supervisor
Kim Wiseman	....	digital compositor

Stunts
Octavian Golgot	....	stunt coordinator
Attila Nemes	....	stunt coordinator
Rasvan Puiu	....	stunt coordinator (as Razvan Puiu)
Daniel Visan	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Cos Aelenei	....	still photographer
Marius Bercu	....	gaffer
Alex Cosma	....	electrician
Marian Duca	....	key grip
Ilie Georgica	....	assistant camera
Stefan Stefanovschi	....	electrician
Bogdan Talpeanu	....	second assistant camera
Paul Ticu	....	electrician
Cristian Toader	....	best boy

Casting Department
Liliana Toma	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Adina Bucur	....	costume supervisor
Adina Bucur	....	wardrobe supervisor
Mariana Pall	....	assistant costume designer

Editorial Department
Kevin Bailey	....	assistant editor (as Kevin N. Bailey)
Sean Cullen	....	associate editor
Andrei Dascalescu	....	assistant editor
Jim Passon	....	color timer
Mike Sowa	....	digital intermediate colorist
Corina Stavila	....	associate editor
Adelina Bichis	....	assistant editor (uncredited)
James T. Mockoski	....	post production supervisor (uncredited)

Music Department
Jeremy Flower	....	music constructions
Petru Margineanu	....	music recording supervisor
Michael Pärt	....	music editor
Mihai Suteu	....	music recording engineer
Attila Tõzsér	....	music editor
Lev Zhurbin	....	additional orchestrator
Lev Zhurbin	....	music preparation

Transportation Department
Vasile Anghel	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Adrian Codoi	....	location manager
Jennifer Furches	....	script supervisor: second unit
Alexandru Iures	....	assistant: Francis Ford Coppola
Brendan Kenney	....	assistant to director
Oana Marian	....	assistant: Tim Roth
James T. Mockoski	....	archivist
Marian Moldoveanu	....	location manager
Elena Neascu	....	assistant extras coordinator
Ioana Ofileanu	....	office production assistant
Iulian Pana	....	location manager
Magda Pintilie	....	production accountant
Liviu Popescu	....	production assistant
Adriana Racasan	....	assistant: Alexandra Maria Lara
David Rosenbaum	....	studio executive
Razvan Secara	....	extras coordinator
Ioana Stoica	....	location scout manager
Vasilescu Valentin	....	horse master
Ben Bedo Manoukian	....	production liaison (uncredited)

Thanks
Anne-Marie Cowsill	....	thanks

Production Companies

• American Zoetrope (presents)
• SRG Atelier (co-production: Romania)
• Pricel (co-production: France)
• BIM Distribuzione (co-production: Italy)
• Bavaria Atelier (participation)

Distributors

• Pathé (2007) (France) (theatrical)
• BIM Distribuzione (2007) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Fox Pathé Europa (2008) (France) (DVD)
• Alternative Films (2007) (Belgium) (theatrical)
• Audio Visual Enterprises (2008) (Greece) (theatrical)
• CK Entertainment (2008) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Cathay-Keris Films (2008) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Cinema Without Frontiers (2008) (Russia) (theatrical)
• Culture Publishers (CP) (2008) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Dendy Films (2008) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Distribution Company (2009) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Kino Bez Granits (2008) (Russia) (theatrical)
• LNK Filmes (2008) (Portugal) (theatrical)
• Monopole-Pathé (2007) (Switzerland) (theatrical) (Suisse Romande) (Suisse Allemande)
• Pathé Distribution (2007) (UK) (theatrical)
• Sony Pictures Classics (2007) (USA) (theatrical)
• Sony Pictures Releasing (2008) (Germany) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2008) (UK) (DVD)
• A-Film Home Entertainment (2009) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (2010) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Giangiacomo Feltrinelli Editore (2008) (Italy) (DVD)
• Happinet (2009) (Japan) (DVD) (also Blu-ray)
• Pinema (2007) (Turkey) (all media) (distributor)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2008) (Germany) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2009) (Germany) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2008) (USA) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2008) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Teleview International (2009) (Lebanon) (all media) (Middle East)

Special Effects

• Universal Production Partners (UPP) (visual effects) (as UPP Prague)

Other Companies

• Central Casting Romania  extras casting
• Deutsche Grammophon  soundtrack
• Dolby Laboratories  sound mix

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for some sexuality, nudity and a brief disturbing image

Runtime:

124 min

Country:

USA | Romania | France | Italy | Germany

Language:

English | Sanskrit | German | French | Italian | Russian | Romanian | Mandarin | Latin | Armenian | Egyptian (Ancient)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:R | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | Ireland:15A | Singapore:M18 | Australia:M | Hong Kong:IIB | Netherlands:16 | Argentina:13 | Portugal:M/12 (Qualidade) | France:U | Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Ana Aslan International Academy of Aging, Bucharest, Romania

Company:

American Zoetrope

Trivia:

The first cut was close to three hours. It contains a sub-plot shot (also included in the novella) featuring the 1938 student radicals and Secret Police associating Dominic with them. The sub-plot was ultimately dropped upon suggestion by co-editor Walter Murch in order to keep the story more personal and reaching the intended two hour movie goal.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: During the 1950s period of the movie, Laura is transported across India in an Indian C-130 Hercules but the aeroplane has RAF markings. Also, Laura and Dominic hail a taxi whilst in India and are picked up by a London black cab rather than an Indian Ambassador cab.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "At the Movies: Episode #5.40" (2008)

Soundtrack:

Middle Village

certainly won't be one to show to all (some, frankly, will hate it). but it's challenging in ways filmmakers usually shy away from

It was bound to happen that Youth Without Youth, the first film written and directed by Francis Ford Coppola in fifteen years (the first directed in ten), would be lauded by the critics for not being a real "comeback" kind of project. It's surreal, philosophical, mystical, and even has a mood about it that calls as a throwback to old romantic melodramas of the 40s and 50s (hence the opening titles). It's not even any kind of great film. It's pretentious in a few stretches, maybe more-so, and it takes a convoluted explanation that comes second in 2007 film only to Southland Tales for being more complex and bizarre. But unlike Kelly's film, Coppola at least has a hold on what he's doing, or what he's trying to accomplish. Coppola once said that art is all about taking riks, and to make films without risk is like sex without children.

In the grand scheme of things, at least with his career, Youth Without Youth seems to be slightly minor a risk when compared to the likes of Apocalypse Now or One From the Heart. But it's a risk that Coppola takes all the same, and through the intellectual thicket (which, contrary to some critics, isn't completely dense) there is some truly potent cinematic expression. So, the plot, the plot... A linguistics professor, Dominic (Tim Roth) is an old man when he gets struck by lightning in 1938, then proceeds to age back to 40 in recovery, only to then find that he's being watched- and planned for abduction- by Nazi scientists who want to use his newfound super-powers (mostly that he can, at times, harness powerful energy, as Dominic describes as "out of a science fiction novel"). This might be enough for a movie alone, but there's more- years later, a woman from Dominic's past (from before the lightning strike) appears again, also still apparently young, and she can talk in ancient languages, so then...

Yeah, I could go on with that. Suffice to say there's also talk about how this whole time-warp connects into the realm of consciousness itself, or what makes up knowledge or the pursuit of language, and all relating to time, leading up to an ending that flips around itself, all inspired by an old Chinese tale that goes around and around. What it means I still can't quite figure, and it at least shows Coppola won't spoon-feed any kind of easy ending (even the whole "it's only a dream" concept has some holes to fill, leaving ambiguity as something a little more logical). Frankly, I've never read any of the Mircea Eliade's writings, but there's a lot to it that strikes up references to other works. I couldn't help but think the plot, and its themes, were as though Philip K. Dick was forced to make a melodrama- on his own terms- from an unpublished book. Or that there was a connection to the Fountain, or even Dr. Who or something else. The comparisons are endless.

But what remains, at the end of trying to figure out what the hell Youth Without Youth will say as its ultimate message, is an original work, sincerely with the verve of a filmmaker who just says 'f*** it' and makes the movie he wants to make on his own terms (with, subsequently, his own money). If there is any risk to the project it's that Coppola gambles on narrative cohesion with elements like two Dominics following the lightning strike (one of which, of course, prods the other to complete his life's work as a "failure"), or the power of emotion with two people in love vs. the tremendous, daunting task of unlocking secrets of language and consciousness and what time even means. Couple this with technique that veers into the abstract, with upside down camera angles and upfront anti-Nazi imagery ala Indiana Jones, and a music that strikes up the most melancholy and precise of aforementioned melodrama, and it becomes the weirdest hybrid Coppola's ever made.

And yet, and yet, if Youth Without Youth is one thing above all else, it's, well... interesting. I never felt like getting up and even leaving to go to the bathroom much less leaving the film for good. I cared about Dominic and Veronica as I did the direction Coppola took the story (even if pretensions, particularly in the second half, seemed to loop into the equation). And Roth is, not to forget to mention, terrific in the role, seeming to understand where his character may (or may not) be headed as he continues with his research and finds that he is sort of doomed in time unless he goes down a certain path. He even gets to dig into a certain subdued humor underneath the skin of the picture, where a few times there's some laughs to be had at the expense of what's going on with Dominic, as though some old philosopher discovered a comic book and incorporated it into his character. It's a very strange movie experience, and not one I can easily recommend. But I do all the same, and Coppola fans will either like it or, as case is turning out, they wont.