"Masters of Horror" Pick Me Up (2006)

Director:

Larry Cohen

Writers:

Mick Garris (creator)
David J. Schow (teleplay)
(more)

TV Series:

"Masters of Horror" (2005)

Original Air Date:

20 January 2006 (Season 1, Episode 11)

Genre:

Horror | Thriller

Plot:

In the middle of nowhere, with only a two-lane highway to connect it to anywhere--probably upstate New York--a recently divorced female traveler, who is a passenger on a bus that has broken down, gets caught in a bizarre and violent turf war between serial killers.

Plot Keywords:

Serial Killer | Hitchhiker | Motel | Truck Driver | Psychopath

Cast

Fairuza Balk	...	Stacia
Michael Moriarty	...	Jim Wheeler
Warren Kole	...	Walker
Laurene Landon	...	Birdy
Malcolm Kennard	...	Danny
Tom Pickett	...	Bus Driver
Peter Benson	...	Deuce
Kristie Marsden	...	Marie
Michael Eklund	...	Cashier
Paul Anthony	...	Stoney
Crystal Lowe	...	Lily
Michael Petroni	...	Ambulance Attendant
Mar Andersons	...	Ambulance Driver
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Danielle Rees	...	Pepper (uncredited)

Directed by
Larry Cohen

Writing credits
Mick Garris		(creator)
David J. Schow		(teleplay)
David J. Schow		(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
Grant Rosenberg	....	consulting producer
Tom Rowe	....	producer
Pascal Verschooris	....	co-producer

Original Music by
Jay Chattaway

Cinematography by
Brian Pearson

Film Editing by
Marshall Harvey

Casting by
Stuart Aikins
Sean Cossey
Nancy Nayor		(as Nancy Nayor Battino)
Kelly Wagner		(as Kelly Martin Wagner)

Production Design by
David Fischer

Art Direction by
Don Macaulay

Set Decoration by
Ide Foyle

Costume Design by
Lyn Kelly

Makeup Department
Mike Fields	....	on-set key makeup artist: KNB EFX Group, Inc. (as Michael Fields)
Cleo Gagner	....	assistant hair stylist
Sarah Graham	....	on-set key makeup artist: KNB EFX Group, Inc.
Amanda McGowan	....	first assistant makeup artist
Adina Shore	....	key hair stylist
Margaret Solomon	....	key makeup artist

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

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Karin Behrenz	....	third assistant director (as Karen Behrenz)
Jim Dunn	....	second unit director
Mick MacKay	....	first assistant director
Mick MacKay	....	second unit director
Ian Samoil	....	second assistant director
Yannick Leray	....	trainee assistant director (uncredited)
Trevor Ralph	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Nick Dibley	....	property master (as Nicholas Dibley)
Jim Geddes	....	construction coordinator
Leesa Hanna	....	assistant set decorator (as Leesa McNalley)
John McIntosh	....	greens (as John MacIntosh)
Jake Miller	....	assistant property master
Vicky Peters	....	assistant art director
Zbibgniew Scheller	....	construction foreman (as Zbish Scheller)
John Wilcox	....	paint coordinator
Dylan Dowd	....	lead greens person (uncredited)
Les Ford	....	computer graphics designer (uncredited)
Cody Larson	....	on-set dresser (uncredited)
Sean McGee	....	on-set props assistant (uncredited)
Regan Steele	....	set dresser (uncredited)

Sound Department
Anke Bakker	....	sound supervisor
Kevin Belen	....	sound re-recording mixer
Brian Campbell	....	dialogue editor
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
Maureen Murphy	....	foley artist
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
Joshua Stevenson	....	assistant dialogue editor
Matthew Wilson	....	sound effects editor (as Matt Wilson)
Kevin Konarzewski	....	walla recordist (uncredited)
Todd R. Mason	....	sound effects recordist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Jaremy Aiello	....	effects crew: K.N.B. EFX Group
Howard Berger	....	special effects makeup
Michael Deak	....	effects crew: K.N.B. EFX Group (as Mike Deak)
Robert Freitas	....	effects crew: K.N.B. EFX Group (as Rob Freitas)
Derek Heselton	....	special effects best boy (as Derek Heselston)
Grady Holder	....	effects crew: K.N.B. EFX Group
Jim Leonard	....	effects crew: K.N.B. EFX Group
Gregory Nicotero	....	special effects makeup
Scott Patton	....	effects crew: K.N.B. EFX Group
Frank Rydberg	....	effects crew: K.N.B. EFX Group (as Frank Ryberg)
Andy Schoneberg	....	effects crew: K.N.B. EFX Group (as Andy Schoenberg)
Shannon Shea	....	effects crew: K.N.B. EFX Group
Wayne Szybunka	....	special effects coordinator
Mark Tavares	....	effects crew: K.N.B. EFX Group
Veronica Torres	....	effects crew: K.N.B. EFX Group
Lindsay Vivian	....	special effects crew

Visual Effects by
Matt Belbin	....	digital effects editor
Sébastien Bergeron	....	digital effects supervisor: Anthem Visual Effects
Paul Chapman	....	digital compositor
Darren MacKay	....	digital compositor
Mladen Miholjcic	....	senior CGI artist: Anthem Visual Effects
Stephen Paschke	....	digital compositor
Lisa K. Sepp	....	visual effects coordinator
Lisa K. Sepp	....	visual effects producer: Anthem Visual Effects (as Lisa Sepp-Wilson)
Lee Wilson	....	visual effects supervisor: Anthem Visual Effects

Stunts
Jim Dunn	....	stunt coordinator
Jim Dunn	....	stunt performer

Camera and Electrical Department
Michael Auger	....	gaffer
Trevor Carabin	....	best boy lighting
Chris Cove	....	second assistant camera
Bradley S. Creasser	....	camera operator: "a" camera (as Brad Creasser)
Jeff Grimshire	....	dolly grip
Tom Kaczmarski	....	key grip
Christina Kasperczyk	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera
Lane Koch	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Diyah Pera	....	stills photographer
Dean Schwingboth	....	best boy grip
Richard Wilson	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Seth Hettrick	....	key rigging grip (uncredited)

Casting Department
Sandra-Ken Freeman	....	extras casting (as Sandra Ken-Freeman)

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

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

Music Department
Mike Beckett	....	music editor
Lisa Brown	....	music supervisor
James Fogel	....	assistant score engineer
Nicholas Pike	....	composer: additional music
Jennifer Ross	....	music supervisor
Ed Shearmur	....	composer: theme music (as Edward Shearmur)
Happy Walters	....	music supervisor
Brad Haehnel	....	scoring mixer (uncredited)

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

Other crew
Steve Best	....	assistant: Larry Cohen
Kristi Blicharski	....	unit publicist
Paula Bonucchi	....	script supervisor
Sheri Buckham	....	assistant accountant
Genessa Davis	....	assistant production coordinator
Andrzej Dec-Williams	....	assistant location manager (as Andrzej Dec)
Kathryn Drew	....	production accountant (as Kath Drew)
Shalia Edl	....	production coordinator
Gary Garfinkel	....	network executive
Louisa Gradnitzer	....	location manager
Kristin Harris	....	production coordinator: IDT Entertainment
Dave Harvey	....	assistant accountant
Katy Lew	....	assistant to producers
Ross Redhead	....	assistant to producers
Zaida Rodriguez	....	assistant manager: IDT Entertainment
Louis Schwartzberg	....	stock footage
Alison Stephen	....	assistant to producers
Alison Stephen	....	script coordinator
Bonnie Sutherland	....	set supervisor
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)
Andrej Marko	....	production assistant (uncredited)

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Mick Garris		creator

Makeup Department
Leanne Rae Podavin	....	special makeup effects artist
Sherry Van Gool	....	additional assistant makeup artist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Raj Uppal	....	first assistant director: second unit

Art Department
Martin P. Blaine	....	lead carpenter
Bill Morrill	....	lead carpenter

Sound Department
Kris Casavant	....	assistant sound editor
Dario DiSanto	....	foley editor
Talvinder Gill	....	assistant sound editor
Shawn Miller	....	sound mixer: second unit

Special Effects by
Ozzy Alvarez	....	lab technician: K.N.B. EFX Group
Jenny Wallace	....	special effects runner

Stunts
Byron Briscoe	....	stunt double
Clint Carleton	....	stunt double: Ethan Embry
Janina Dall	....	stunt double
Jim Dunn	....	stunt coordinator (12 episodes)
Ashlea Earl	....	stunt double: Bree Turner
Lani Gelera	....	stunt double
Jon Kralt	....	stunt rider
James Ralph	....	stunt double: William Forsythe
Jeff Sanca	....	stunt driver
Sharon Simms	....	stunt double
Eli Zagoudakis	....	stunt double

Camera and Electrical Department
John Brown	....	rigging lamp operator
Jeff Cassidy	....	second assistant camera
T.C. Chapman	....	rigging gaffer
Glen A. Dickson	....	camera operator: "b" camera (episode: "Deer Woman")
David Gray	....	still photographer
Gary Stamford	....	gaffer: second unit

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Dawn Grey	....	dresser

Music Department
Amanda Sobeck	....	music coordinator

Transportation Department
John Sorenson	....	driver
Larry Tardif	....	driver: camera car and process trailer

Other crew
Ron Buck	....	technical advisor: military
Simon Chin	....	extras wrangler
Andrzej Dec-Williams	....	assistant location manager (odd episodes) (as Andrzej Dec)
Pancho Mansfield	....	network executive
Sandra Montgomery	....	script supervisor: second unit
Rainer Scheelisch	....	special equipment
Stephen Sobisky	....	interactive designer
Ryan Steacy	....	armorer

Production Companies

• British Columbia Production Tax Credit (with the participation of)
• IDT Entertainment
• Industry Entertainment
• Nice Guy Productions
• Reunion Pictures

Distributors

• Anchor Bay Entertainment (UK) (2006) (UK) (DVD)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Cinemax (2007) (Hungary) (TV)
• Future Film (2008) (Finland) (DVD)
• Kadokawa Entertainment (2006) (Japan) (DVD)
• Nelonen (2008) (Finland) (TV)
• Premiere (2007) (Germany) (TV)
• SBP (2008) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Showtime Networks (2006) (USA) (TV)
• Splendid Film (2006) (Germany) (DVD)
• Vertice Cine (2007) (Spain) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Anthem Visual Effects
• K.N.B. Effects Group

Other Companies

• Background, The  walla group (as The Background)
• Boardwalk Foley  foley artists
• Rainmaker Digital Pictures  film lab services
• Rainmaker Digital Pictures  post-production
• Sharpe Sound Studios  audio post production
• Thomas Cobb Design  main title design (as The Thomas Cobb Group)

Runtime:

58 min

Country:

USA | Canada

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:TV-MA | Italy:VM14 | Germany:18 | Argentina:16 | Spain:18

Company:

British Columbia Production Tax Credit

Trivia:

Laurene Landon not only plays a small role in this episode, but also wrote the lyrics to the ending credits theme song.

Quotes:

Jim Wheeler:They're not human beings; they're just snakes in the snow.

Movie Connections:

References The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)

Soundtrack:

Snakes in the Snow

Reviews of Landis', McGee's and Cohen's episodes

++++++++++Landis: "Deer Woman"- The pictures are really simple but still interesting. The approach is entertaining and humorist in just the right amounts. You can see that here is a true professional at work. The style fits perfectly in the tradition of episode-movies, but it also takes it forward and works as an independent movie. The acting is good enough, the cutting, the "flow" and the script are tight and thought. The actors are unknown (to me at least), but undoubtedly because of good directing, interesting, and they do their bit of the work very well. This is the most humorous of these episodes this far. There is also a good amount of sweet eye-candy (in the form of a woman). Landis manages to fill his one hour-space with quite a lot of events, there is not a single boring moment. Again this shows how much you can include in such a relatively short time. Time flies when you watch this kind of entertainment, and it leaves you wanting more.

++++++++++McGee: "Sick Girl"- Never heard of this director. In the beginning this movie looks and feels like some "young adults" soap opera series. There is some well made computer effects/visuals (I mean the bugs). Again David Fischer's production design looks good, this time there is a lot of pastel colours being used. Music is quite terrible (also kind of "young adults"-poprock), but it fits to the context. The characters are repulsively dumb, I mean totally brainless. They are not very believable. The script is childish, I don't know what age the guy who wrote it is, and what he wanted to achieve, if anything. But also the directing and acting is really bad and incompetent. For sure it is meant to be campy, but it's campy in not at all funny or interesting way. There is a staged feeling also in the lighting and other visuals, which I don't quite understand, but I assume that it has something to do with the idea of keeping it campy. Maybe there's supposed to be some "humor" in the script also, but it don't make me laugh. And what's the most interesting thing: There is no horror, none, which makes it little hard to understand why this is included in the "Masters of Horror"-series in the first place. Useless fast-forward garbage. But there always has to be some flops in this kinda series.

++++++++++Cohen: "Pick Me Up"- I know Larry Cohen has done some interesting work, but I haven't seen any of them. Again, right from the beginning, this seems to be one of the better (actually most of them are in this category) movies in this great series. Eye candy (this time in form of Fairuza Balk, seen before in American History X) intelligent-enough script. Again you see that the director is not a first-timer and he knows his instrument perfectly. Again the story takes place somewhere in the "deepest" parts of North-America, this time in the middle of beautiful nature. Good acting and casting. Strange, interesting, and multi-dimensional (=living and real) characters. Inventive and odd plot. I like the liveliness and unpredictability of this movie, it really has it's own style. This director clearly has his own vision of movie making. Small things make this more creative horror than most of the horror you'll see: Not necessarily the plot, but the very subtle nuances in the directing and acting. It really takes some special skills to do something like this. The actor who is playing the truck driver is really good, his character is maybe the most important element in the succeeding of this work.