"Masters of Horror" Jenifer (2005)

Director:

Dario Argento

Writers:

Mick Garris (creator)
Steven Weber (teleplay)
(more)

TV Series:

"Masters of Horror" (2005)

Original Air Date:

18 November 2005 (Season 1, Episode 4)

Genre:

Horror | Thriller

Plot:

While parked in a remote spot lunching Chinese food with his partner, Detective Frank Spivey saves a...

Plot Keywords:

Cabin In The Woods | Meat Cleaver | Husband Wife Relationship | Female Rear Nudity | Dream

Cast

Steven Weber	...	Frank Spivey
Laurie Brunetti	...	Spacey
Carrie Fleming	...	Jenifer (as Carrie Anne Fleming)
Kevin Crofton	...	Homeless Man
Beau Starr	...	Chief Charlie
Julia Arkos	...	Ann Wilkerson
Jasmine Chan	...	Amy
Brenda James	...	Ruby
Harris Allan	...	Pete
Matt Garlick	...	Institute Guard
Mark Acheson	...	Side Show Owner
Cynthia Garris	...	Rose
Jeffrey Ballard	...	Young Jack (as Jeff Ballard)
Brad Mooney	...	Friend #1
Riley Ruckman	...	Friend #2
Jano Frandsen	...	Hunter

Directed by
Dario Argento

Writing credits
Mick Garris		(creator)
Steven Weber		(teleplay)
Bruce Jones		(short story)

Produced by
Keith Addis	....	executive producer
Bo Altherr	....	producer: special features
Morris Berger	....	executive producer
Stephen R. Brown	....	executive producer (as Steve Brown)
Ben Browning	....	co-producer
Andrew Deane	....	executive producer
Mick Garris	....	executive producer
Adam Goldworm	....	co-producer
John W. Hyde	....	executive producer
Lisa Richardson	....	producer
Tom Rowe	....	producer
Pascal Verschooris	....	co-producer

Original Music by
Claudio Simonetti

Cinematography by
Attila Szalay

Film Editing by
Marshall Harvey

Casting by
Nancy Nayor		(as Nancy Nayor Battino)
Kelly Wagner		(as Kelly Martin Wagner)

Production Design by
David Fischer

Art Direction by
Teresa Weston

Set Decoration by
Ide Foyle

Costume Design by
Lyn Kelly

Makeup Department
Rexford Bangle	....	first assistant makeup artist
Mark Boley	....	special effects makeup crew: KNB EFX Group, Inc. (as Mark Bolie)
Michael Deak	....	special effects makeup crew: KNB EFX Group, Inc. (as Mike Deak)
Mike Fields	....	on-set key makeup artist: KNB EFX Group, Inc. (as Michael Fields)
Robert Freitas	....	special effects makeup crew: KNB EFX Group, Inc. (as Rob Freitas)
Cleo Gagner	....	first assistant hair stylist
Sarah Graham	....	on-set key makeup artist: KNB EFX Group, Inc.
Dana Hamel	....	makeup artist
Grady Holder	....	special effects makeup crew: KNB EFX Group, Inc.
Jim Leonard	....	special effects makeup crew: KNB EFX Group, Inc.
Ron Pipes	....	special effects makeup crew: KNB EFX Group, Inc.
Frank Rydberg	....	special effects makeup crew: KNB EFX Group, Inc. (as Frank Ryberg)
Shannon Shea	....	special effects makeup crew: KNB EFX Group, Inc.
Adina Shore	....	hair stylist
Veronica Torres	....	special effects makeup crew: KNB EFX Group, Inc.
Tana Lynn Moldovanos	....	key makeup artist: second unit (uncredited)

Production Management
Margo Coughlin Zimmerman	....	production manager: New Arc Entertainment
Sally Dixon	....	post-production supervisor
Marie Norton	....	administrative manager: New Arc Entertainment
Stacey Jade Smart	....	executive in charge of production: New Arc Entertainment
Pascal Verschooris	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Karin Behrenz	....	third assistant director (as Karen Behrenz)
Brian Giddens	....	first assistant director
Ian Samoil	....	second assistant director
Yannick Leray	....	trainee assistant director (uncredited)
Trevor Ralph	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Andrei Andrianko	....	assistant art director
Doris Deutschmann	....	art department coordinator
Nick Dibley	....	property master (as Nicholas Dibley)
Jim Geddes	....	construction coordinator
Leesa Hanna	....	assistant set decorator (as Leesa McNalley)
Jake Miller	....	assistant property master
Dylan Dowd	....	lead greens person (uncredited)
Les Ford	....	computer graphics designer (uncredited)
Sean McGee	....	on-set props assistant (uncredited)
Matthew Power	....	leadman (uncredited)
Regan Steele	....	set dresser (uncredited)
John Wilcox	....	paint coordinator (uncredited)

Sound Department
Anke Bakker	....	sound supervisor
Kevin Belen	....	sound re-recording mixer
Jay Cheetham	....	background sound editor
Jacqueline Cristianini	....	sound supervisor
Kris Fenske	....	sound designer
Kevin Konarzewski	....	adr mixer
Jason Mauza	....	foley editor
Laurie Melhus	....	audio post coordinator
Iain Pattison	....	sound re-recording mixer
Jean Raymond	....	foley mixer
Sebastian Salm	....	sound mixer
Paul A. Sharpe	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Paul Sharpe)
Colin Smith	....	boom operator
Matthew Wilson	....	sound effects editor (as Matt Wilson)
Todd R. Mason	....	sound effects recordist (uncredited)
Joshua Stevenson	....	assistant dialogue editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Howard Berger	....	special effects makeup
Derek Heselton	....	special effects best boy (as Derek Heselston)
Gregory Nicotero	....	special effects makeup
Wayne Szybunka	....	special effects coordinator

Visual Effects by
Corey Bastiaans	....	cg artist: Anthem Visual Effects
Matt Belbin	....	visual effects editor
Sébastien Bergeron	....	digital effects supervisor: Anthem Visual Effects
Craig Clarke	....	lead digital compositor: Anthem Visual Effects
Annabelle Kent	....	digital compositor: Anthem Visual Effects
Stu McRae	....	digital compositor: Anthem Visual Effects (as Stu MacRae)
Stephen Paschke	....	cg artist: Anthem Visual Effects
Lisa K. Sepp	....	visual effects coordinator (as Lisa Sepp-Wilson)
Lisa K. Sepp	....	visual effects producer: Anthem Visual Effects (as Lisa Sepp-Wilson)
Lee Wilson	....	visual effects supervisor: Anthem Visual Effects
Mladen Miholjcic	....	senior cgi artist: Anthem Visual Effects (uncredited)
Alessandro Nardini	....	visual effects (uncredited)

Stunts
Jim Dunn	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Bradley S. Creasser	....	camera operator: "a" camera (as Brad Creasser)
Stewart Henshaw	....	best boy lighting
Kieran Humphries	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Tom Kaczmarski	....	key grip
Christina Kasperczyk	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera
Mike Kolafa	....	gaffer (as Michael Kolafa)
Dean Schwingboth	....	best boy grip
Richard Wilson	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Rob Cantin	....	lighting technician (uncredited)
Chris Cove	....	second assistant camera (uncredited)
Ian Gariepy	....	grip (uncredited)
Alexander Glua	....	camera assistant (uncredited)
Jeff Grimshire	....	dolly grip (uncredited)
Seth Hettrick	....	key rigging grip (uncredited)
Jos Oman	....	second assistant camera (uncredited)

Casting Department
Sandra-Ken Freeman	....	extras casting (as Sandra Ken-Freeman)
Kevin Mockrin	....	casting assistant (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Linda Leduc	....	assistant costume designer

Editorial Department
Richard Cordes	....	color timer
Andrea Dixon	....	color timer
David Reale	....	assistant editor
Matt Venables	....	post-production coordinator
Mike Williamson	....	apprentice editor

Music Department
Mike Beckett	....	music editor
Lisa Brown	....	music supervisor
Jennifer Ross	....	music supervisor
Ed Shearmur	....	composer: theme music (as Edward Shearmur)
Claudio Simonetti	....	music producer
Claudio Simonetti	....	music recordist
Claudio Simonetti	....	orchestrator
Happy Walters	....	music supervisor
James Fogel	....	assistant score engineer (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Fraser Sutherland	....	transportation coordinator
John Swetlikoe	....	transportation captain
Duane Shearer	....	office driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Greta Abeni	....	child voice
Barbara Barnes	....	assistant production coordinator
Steve Best	....	assistant to director
Kristi Blicharski	....	unit publicist
Sheri Buckham	....	assistant accountant
Kathryn Drew	....	production accountant (as Kath Drew)
Shalia Edl	....	production coordinator
Gary Garfinkel	....	network executive
Kristin Harris	....	production coordinator: New Arc Entertainment
Dave Harvey	....	assistant accountant
Katy Lew	....	assistant to producers
Debra Margolis	....	script supervisor (as Debra Ann Margolis)
Sheri Mayervich	....	location manager
Ross Redhead	....	assistant to producers
Dinean Stayk	....	assistant location manager
Alison Stephen	....	assistant to producers
Alison Stephen	....	script coordinator
Stephen Tibbetts	....	stand-in (as Stephen Tibbets)
Raj Uppal	....	assistant to producers (as Rajvinder Uppal)
Steven Vlasak	....	operations manager
Desiree Zurowski	....	stand-in
Krista Johnston	....	clearances (uncredited)
Connie Rusgen	....	animal trainer (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Reunion Pictures

Distributors

• Cinemax (2007) (Hungary) (TV)
• Future Film (2008) (Finland) (DVD)
• Kadokawa Entertainment (2006) (Japan) (DVD)
• Nelonen (2008) (Finland) (TV)
• SBP (2007) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Vertice Cine (2007) (Spain) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Anthem Visual Effects
• K.N.B. Effects Group (special effects makeup) (as KNB EFX Group, Inc.)

Other Companies

• Aikins / Cossey Casting  casting
• Background, The  walla group
• Boardwalk Foley  foley artists
• Rainmaker Digital Pictures  post-production services (as Rainmaker)
• Sharpe Sound Studios  audio post production (as Sharpe Sound Studios Inc.)
• Thomas Cobb Design  title design (as the Thomas Cobb Group)

Runtime:

58 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Certification:

USA:TV-MA | Italy:VM14 | Argentina:16 | Finland:K-15 (TV rating) (self applied) (2008) | Finland:K-18 (DVD) (self applied) (2007) | France:-12 | Germany:18 | Spain:18

Filming Locations:

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Company:

Reunion Pictures

Trivia:

The source material first appeared in 1974 in Creepy #63 and was illustrated by Bernie Wrightson.

Goofs:

Continuity: Frank rolls up his car window after swatting a fly, but when he gets out of the car moments later his window is down.

Quotes:

Chief Charlie:If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it's a duck with a meat cleaver.

Soundtrack:

This is my Own

The Masters' Touch, Part Two: "Jenifer"

Directed by Dario Argento ("Suspiria"); written by Steven Weber, based on the original graphic story by Bruce Jones and Berni Wrightson; starring Steven Weber, Beau Starr and introducing Carrie Anne Fleming as "Jenifer."

Stephen King has previously outlined his blueprint for writing successfully. You go for the creeps first. If that doesn't do it, go for the scares and if that doesn't do it, go for the gross-out. For the master of Italian gialli, Dario Argento, that plan is his intentional M.O. with every film, and in this one, he works his macabre magic with almost surgical skill, bringing to life a tale so twisted, that it sears itself into your memory banks with the same intensity as the original story upon which it's based.

Writer/actor Steven Weber, (so good in Mick Garris' reworked version of King's "The Shining",) stars as world-weary cop Frank Spivey, whose life and sanity are destroyed by a fateful encounter with a young girl. Frank interrupts what appears to be a murder-in-progress: a crazed maniac wielding a meat cleaver over a bound, bedraggled, helplessly cowering figure. But even after Frank fatally shoots the man and frees the girl, all is not what it seems. Frank has just met "Jenifer," which is the only word the dying man can utter with his last breath.

Apparently mute, or unable to talk, Jenifer is graced with a body that would shame the 'Venus de Milo.' But the problem with her speech is horrifyingly clear, as the poor girl has a unnaturally deformed face that would stop a clock...especially if that clock is "Big Ben!!!" Confused by the simultaneous feelings of repulsion and sympathy that course through him, Frank takes deliberate steps to take the girl into his house, once he discovers that she is homeless. But at the core of his compassion, which his wife and son understandably don't share at all, is something compelling, disturbing and powerful that he can't deny, explain or resist...

He has fallen under Jenifer's insidious spell, and as she systematically destroys his will, his sanity and finally his life, he discovers that she is one siren/succubus whose appetite for the flesh is not limited merely to rounds of mind-blowing sex, in horrifically erotic sequences that will make you cringe and yet leave you unable to avert your eyes from what's on-screen...Argento fans will rejoice even as they're fighting their gag reflexes. This is the maestro in rare form...on a groove we haven't seen from him since the days of "Deep Red" and "Tenebrae."

Though he usually works from his own scripts, it's a pleasant surprise to see him demonstrate such even-handed confidence with material from other sources. Which is essential here, since a less-skilled hand could've turned this into a really bad Saturday Night Live skit viewed through an l.s.d. haze. Weber, in addition to having done a terrific job with adapting Jones' story, does some of his best acting ever as Frank makes the constantly shifting transitions from sympathy, to lust, to revulsion, to self-loathing, to outrage and back again.

As for Ms. Fleming, she does an amazing amount with what is basically a wordless role. All of her acting has to be done via her physicality, (and with a stunning body to begin with, she has to work at it, but not too hard), and her portrayal of a creature designed to seduce-and-destroy any (and every) man she meets is suitably compelling, disturbing and ultimately revolting.