Slipstream (2007)

Director:

Anthony Hopkins

Writer:

Anthony Hopkins (writer)

Release Date:

11 April 2008 (Brazil)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Fantasy | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

I've got to get back.

Plot:

Aging screenwriter Felix Bonhoeffer has lived his life in two states of existence: in reality and his own interior world. While working on a murder mystery script, and unaware that his brain is on the verge of implosion, Felix is baffled when his characters start to appear in his life, and vice versa.

Plot Keywords:

Surreal | Bar | Directed By Star | Niece | Imagination

Awards:

1 win & 2 nominations

Cast

Lana Antonova	...	Lily
Stella Arroyave	...	Gina
Gene Borkan	...	Mel
Michael Clarke Duncan
Donna G. Earley	...	Wardrobe Girl
Fionnula Flanagan	...	Bette Lustig
Jennifer Anne Franklin	...	Shelly
Monica Garcia	...	Monica
Dana Generally	...	Stand In
Saginaw Grant	...	Man at Gas Station
Gavin Grazer	...	Gavin
Anthony Hopkins	...	Felix Bonhoeffer
Christopher Lawford	...	Lars
John Littlefield	...	Burt
William Lucking	...	Det. Buzz Larabee
Camryn Manheim	...	Barbara
Jennifer Mann	...	Joanie
Kevin McCarthy	...	Himself
S. Epatha Merkerson	...	Bonnie
Ken Millen	...	Dr. Stu Cohen
Lisa Pepper	...	Tracy
Richard F. Putnam	...	Dan, Assistant Cameraman
Thell Reed	...	The Armourer
Charlene Rose	...	Dolly Parton lookalike / Opera Singer
Christian Slater	...	Ray
Jeffrey Tambor	...	Geek / Jeffrey / Dr. Geekman
Jana Thompson	...	Marcia
Scott L. Treger	...	Scott / Hitchhiker
Aaron Tucker	...	Chauffeur / Aaron
John Turturro
Michael R. Robinson	...	Mort (uncredited)

Directed by
Anthony Hopkins

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Anthony Hopkins		writer

Produced by
Stella Arroyave	....	producer
Mike Crawford	....	line producer
Betsy Danbury	....	line producer
Robert Katz	....	producer

Original Music by
Anthony Hopkins

Cinematography by
Dante Spinotti

Film Editing by
Michael R. Miller

Casting by
Mary Jo Slater

Production Design by
Ismael Cardenas

Set Decoration by
Laura Evans

Costume Design by
Julie Weiss

Makeup Department
Barbara Cantu	....	key hair stylist
Susan Germaine	....	key hair stylist
Christina Smith	....	key makeup artist
Tatiana Thorpe	....	makeup department head

Production Management
Mike Crawford	....	unit production manager: pre-shoot only
Mads Hansen	....	production supervisor
T. Scott Keiner	....	production supervisor: pre-shoot only
John Portnoy	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Thomas A. Keith	....	second second assistant director
Helena Lamb	....	dga trainee
Peter Merwin	....	second assistant director
Lincoln Myers	....	second second assistant director
James Sbardellati	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Paul Ford	....	lead man
Erick Garibay	....	assistant props
Lisa Goldsmith	....	buyer
Pete Kelley	....	set dresser
Christina Romney	....	art department coordinator
Greg Runnels	....	set dresser
Robert Saccenti	....	set dresser
Timothy Sandor	....	assistant props
Charisse St. Amant	....	assistant property master
Mark Wallace	....	property master

Sound Department
John Agalsoff Jr.	....	utility sound
Robert Althoff	....	sound re-recordist
Christopher Assells	....	sound effects editor
Gregg Baxter	....	supervising dialogue & adr editor
Jesse K-D. Dodd	....	adr mixer
Jeff Erdmann	....	boom operator
Marc Fishman	....	sound re-recording mixer
Dan Hegeman	....	sound effects editor
Shawn Holden	....	sound mixer
Tony Lamberti	....	sound re-recording mixer
Jeff Malham	....	dubbing engineer
Coleman Metts	....	production sound mixer
Rocky Quiroz	....	sound utility
David M. Ronne	....	sound mixer
Ann Scibelli	....	sound designer
Graham Scobey	....	additional sound
Frederick H. Stahly	....	dialogue editor
Greg Steele	....	adr mixer
Matthew E. Taylor	....	additional sound
Greg Zimmerman	....	adr recordist

Special Effects by
Brandon Trost	....	special effects technician
Jason Trost	....	special effects assistant
Ron Trost	....	special effects coordinator

Visual Effects by
Ashok Nayar	....	visual effects coordinator: Luma Pictures
Gerald Ragland	....	digital intermediate support colorist
Madhava Reddy	....	digital intermediate
Stefan Sonnenfeld	....	digital intermediate colorist

Stunts
Mike Gunther	....	stunt performer
Hubie Kerns Jr.	....	stunt driver
Terry Notary	....	additional stunt coordinator
Carrick O'Quinn	....	stunt driver
Gary Paul	....	stunts
Kerry Rossall	....	stunt double
Crystal Santos	....	stunt double
Paul E. Short	....	stunt double: Anthony Hopkins
Monica Staggs	....	stunt double
Gary J. Wayton	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Matthew E. Alper	....	steadicam assistant
Michael Barrere	....	key grip
Will Dearborn	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera
Daniel Duggan	....	best boy grip
Brad Edmiston	....	assistant camera
Chris Haarhoff	....	steadicam operator
Samuel R. Harrison III	....	key video assist operator
Isaac McKee	....	lighting technician
David Schmalz	....	video assist operator
David A. Seekins	....	assistant camera
Taj J. Teffaha	....	additional camera operator
Taj J. Teffaha	....	steadicam operator
Glen Wilson	....	still photographer
Christopher A. Zwirner	....	gaffer

Casting Department
Courtney Cleaver	....	casting assistant
Manny Fernandez	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Laura Angotti	....	assistant costume designer
Wanda Leavey	....	costume supervisor
Ken Van Duyne	....	production assistant: costume department

Editorial Department
Salvatore Catanzaro	....	on-line editor
Rob Doolittle	....	senior digital on-line editor
Axel Hubert	....	additional film editor
Nick Monton	....	digital intermediate producer
Mark T. Osborne	....	additional colorist
Missy Papageorge	....	digital intermediate producer
Patrick J. Smith	....	first assistant editor
Stefan Sonnenfeld	....	digital intermediate colorist
Lance Spindler	....	color timer
Matt Tassone	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Stephen Barton	....	music arranger
Brian Bulman	....	music editor
Halli Cauthery	....	musician: violinist
Meri Gavin	....	music technician
Costa Kotselas	....	music engineer
Jamie Luker	....	music scoring engineer
Malcolm Luker	....	music scoring mixer
Gretchen O'Neal	....	music production coordinator
Peter Rotter	....	orchestra contractor
Booker White	....	head of music preparation

Transportation Department
Tony Barattini	....	driver: production van
Roy Beville	....	driver
Jody Bingenheimer	....	driver
Collin Butrum	....	transportation coordinator
Samuel J. Fernandez Jr.	....	driver
Wayne Flowers Jr.	....	driver
Chris Haynes	....	production driver
Hugh Kelly	....	driver
Seth Levine	....	driver
Rick Lovoy	....	driver
Robert McKee	....	picture car mechanic
Hardy Ophuls	....	picture car coordinator
William R. Peck	....	driver
John Pellegrino	....	driver
Adam Pinkstaff	....	transportation captain
Douglas Price	....	driver

Other crew
Mark Asaro	....	production coordinator
Cody Birdwell	....	production assistant: re-shoots
Gregg Brilliant	....	unit publicist
Clayton Cogswell	....	assistant to cast
Deborah Dellosso	....	animal trainer
Jennifer Anne Franklin	....	assistant: Mr. Hopkins and Mrs. Arroyave
Dana Garner	....	production assistant
Michael Gentile	....	intern
Paola Giordano	....	assistant to line producer
David G. Harrington	....	video/computer playback engineer
Mark Hoffmeister	....	intern
Jeff Hunt	....	production assistant
Stephanie James	....	production assistant (as Stephanie Fike)
Evan B. Jones	....	production assistant
Zoa Keith	....	office clerk
Jeremiah Kent	....	digital utility
Christopher Lee	....	key assistant location manager
Grace Lee	....	assistant production office coordinator
Antoinette Levine	....	key location manager
Ana Matallana	....	assistant: Mr. Hopkins and Mrs. Arroyave
Jeffrey Keith Negus	....	intern
Timothy John Piper	....	intern
Gabriel Quintero	....	assistant to producer
Charlotte Rapak	....	production assistant
Thell Reed	....	armorer
Morgan Rhodes	....	set production assistant
Karen Roberts	....	production accountant
Suzie Sax-Horowitz	....	script supervisor
John Semikian	....	office assistant
David Shannon	....	stand-in: Kevin McCarthy
Stefan Sonnenfeld	....	executive producer: Company 3
Rob Spence	....	production coordinator
Anthony Steinhart	....	set production assistant
Nathan Stein	....	assistant location manager
Scott L. Treger	....	stand-in: Mr. Hopkins
Ken Van Duyne	....	production assistant
Ted Waldeck	....	stand-in: John Turturro
Justin Woychowski	....	set production assistant

Production Companies

• Strand Releasing (and)
• Destination Films (present)
• Samson Films
• Slipstream

Distributors

• Strand Releasing (2007) (USA) (theatrical)
• Accent Film Entertainment (2008) (Australia) (DVD)
• Blue Sky Media (2007) (Czech Republic) (all media)
• Delta Pictures (2007) (Italy) (all media)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2008) (USA) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Luma Pictures (visual effects by)

Other Companies

• Chapman / Leonard Studio Equipment  cranes
• Chapman / Leonard Studio Equipment  dollies
• Designer Wardrobe Trailers  wardrobe trailer
• Dolby Laboratories  sound mix
• Upload Films  post-production management

Also Known As:

Slipstream Dream (USA)

MPAA:

Rated R for language and some violent images.

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White | Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Australia:MA (2008) | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Strand Releasing

Movie Connections:

References Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958)

Sweet Dreams are made of these...

Edgar Allan Poe

Sir Anthony Hopkins jumps headfirst into the role of tri-fecta by directing, producing, and also creating the music for this random film that demonstrates the power of editing coupled with free thought. It is a simple story, but the way Hopkins narrates; he easily gives it a voice of his own as well as paying homage to several influential directors. As his wife produces and acts in this film, "Slipstream" transforms before your eyes from a confusing dream to a project of passion. As Hopkins gives you small puzzle piece after puzzle piece, the average viewer will immediately scrunch up their face, wonder where the explosions are, and not give this little gem an opportunity. This is not mainstream cinema. "Slipstream" forces the viewer to use your imagination, listen to the clues, watch the symbolism, and use every part of the brain possible. As this being a film by Anthony Hopkins it was surprising, for this critic, it was even a bigger surprise – "Slipstream" is a cranial film that kept me on the edge of my couch the entire one hour thirty minutes.

We Have Lost the Plot

Where did this film come from? Hopkins said that he had never written a film before, and I must say, this freshman outing hurt my brain more than any other film ever has. It wasn't that it was boring, dull, overly stylish, or cliché, it was just intelligent. There were scenes that just felt more surreal than – shall I say – real? The concept that Hopkins developed, the idea of a dream within a dream, translated well to both being dream-like to even more literally, a film within a film. He built an entire film around a small concept, a poem none-the-less, and he built it sans the big explosions, the linear storytelling, and the overpriced stars. For the first time in my possible review existence, I can say that I thoroughly enjoyed a particular scene involving Christian Slater and Jeffery Tambor. Pre-"Slipstream", one could never imagine the two being such a dynamic pair, but their words, their connection between themselves in that one scene was breathtaking. I had to watch it again just to ensure that I understood their language. It was as if Hopkins took a page from Tarantino's play book with Oliver Stone looking on, that entire "I'm Not a Crook" coupled with the entire Yogi Bear references just sent shivers through my spine. They were phenomenal, and I applaud Hopkins for giving them the words and emotion to create such a superb scene.

This Stone-esquire scene was just the beginning of something startling unique. Hopkins creates these scenes further within the film, never quite giving us that full taste of the real plot, but just enough to keep us guessing. This isn't "Remains of the Day" Hopkins or "Silence of the Lambs" Hopkins, this is a film utterly his own. The average viewer will not understand his darkened message about life and existence, but those cinephiles that enjoy challenging films will fall over backwards. Hopkins choice of editor also creates this world with fresh new brush-strokes. At times the jumps are spooky spiced with some brooding foreshadowing, but Hopkins creates a story with the jumps, the editing is a part of the story – choosing to ignore them will inevitably mean that you are missing the destructive nature of the film. "Slipstream" is a mystery; clues are heavily embedded in the language, characters, and choice of editing all created by Hopkins. It reminded me of a bit of "Primer" coupled with "Natural Born Killers", but uniquely Hopkins.

Overall, "Slipstream" came out of nowhere and proved to be an enjoyable hour and a half of unknown Hopkins. Just when you think you know his style, he creates something like this. The editing, the power of his actors (as small as they were), and his choice of language and sound blended a powerful film that will leave you guessing until the final moments – and even then, you may not capture the full scope of his message. This is a challenging film to watch. It isn't you straightforward storytelling or compelling characters, and in fact, Hopkins is only in about half the film. It is the idea of using the tools around you to create a non-linear story based with a film of a film. If that sentence doesn't hurt, than you may not be ready for this film. That isn't to say Hopkins film doesn't have flaws – it isn't perfect – but it was intellectually powerful. This is a thinking-person's film, Hopkins realizes it, but he doesn't talk down to the average viewer. He creates scenes and emotions that literally come out of nowhere, leaving you in the dust asking for more. Again, watch the Slater/Tambor scene to see what I am speaking about – surprisingly – it will knock your socks off! If this constitutes the new world of Anthony Hopkins, I cannot wait for his second outing. "Slipstream" took me back to an era where challenging cinema didn't go straight to DVD release, but instead found its way into mainstream and finally gave us something to pay nearly $10 for. If you are looking for explosions, scantily clad women, and product placement – go to any summer blockbuster – if you are hunting for something to ensure brain cells are not decaying – see "Slipstream", it impressed me from beginning to end!

Christian Slater/Jeffery Tambor 2008!

Grade: **** ½ out of *****