Funny Games (2007) Funny Games U.S. (original title)

Director:

Michael Haneke

Writer:

Michael Haneke (written by)

Release Date:

27 March 2008 (Greece)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

Shall we begin?

Plot:

Two psychopathic young men take a family hostage in their cabin.

Plot Keywords:

Violence | Death | Serial Killer | Remake | Hostage

Awards:

3 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Naomi Watts	...	Ann
Tim Roth	...	George
Michael Pitt	...	Paul
Brady Corbet	...	Peter
Devon Gearhart	...	Georgie
Boyd Gaines	...	Fred
Siobhan Fallon	...	Betsy (as Siobhan Fallon Hogan)
Robert LuPone	...	Robert
Susi Haneke	...	Betsy's Sister-in-Law (as Susanna Haneke)
Linda Moran	...	Eve

Directed by
Michael Haneke

Writing credits
Michael Haneke		(written by)

Produced by
Philippe Aigle	....	executive producer
Rene Bastian	....	co-producer
Christian Baute	....	producer
Adam Brightman	....	co-producer
Chris Coen	....	producer
Skady Lis	....	associate producer
Stefano Massenzi	....	associate producer
Hamish McAlpine	....	producer
Pascal Metge	....	line producer
Charlotte Mickie	....	associate producer
Linda Moran	....	co-producer
Andrea Occhipinti	....	co-producer
Hengameh Panahi	....	producer
Valerie Romer	....	line producer
Jonathan Schwartz	....	co-producer
Carol Siller	....	executive producer (as Carole Siller)
Andro Steinborn	....	producer
Douglas Steiner	....	executive producer
Naomi Watts	....	executive producer

Cinematography by
Darius Khondji

Film Editing by
Monika Willi

Casting by
Kerry Barden
Elaine Grainger
Billy Hopkins
Johanna Ray
Paul Schnee
Suzanne Smith

Production Design by
Kevin Thompson

Art Direction by
Hinju Kim

Set Decoration by
Rebecca Meis DeMarco

Costume Design by
David C. Robinson

Makeup Department
Michal Bigger	....	makeup department head
Thom Gonzales	....	key hair stylist
Gail McGuire	....	assistant hair stylist
Rita Ogden	....	key makeup artist
Francesca Paris	....	hair department head
Waldemar Pokromski	....	prosthetic makeup consultant
Louie Zakarian	....	special makeup effects artist

Production Management
Nicola Westermann	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jason Graham	....	second assistant director
Urs Hirschbiegel	....	first assistant director
Patrick Huber	....	second second assistant director
Justin Ritson	....	second second assistant director

Art Department
Pastor Alvarado III	....	assistant property master
Kenneth Brzozowski	....	key carpenter
Neil Driscoll Jr.	....	lead man
Samantha Feltus	....	construction office production assistant
Carl Ferrara	....	set dresser
Gerard J. Furey	....	set construction foreman
Alex Gorodetsky	....	charge scenic artist
Michael D. Harrell	....	props
Kevin Hayden	....	set dresser
Beth Kuhn	....	assistant art director
Leann Murphy	....	art department coordinator
Ken Nelson	....	construction coordinator
Monika Nguyen	....	art department intern
Quang Nguyen	....	scenic foreperson
Susan Perlman	....	set dressing shopper
Daniel Rosenfeld	....	scenic shopman
Duke Scoppa	....	property master
Mark Paul Selemon	....	greens person
Theo Sena	....	on-set dresser
Christopher Weiser	....	scenic artist
Tim Zydel	....	set dresser

Sound Department
Edouard d'Heucqueville	....	sound mix technician
Dominique Eyraud	....	boom operator
Jean-Pierre Laforce	....	sound mixer
Fred Mays	....	post-synchronization
Teferra McKenzie	....	second boom operator
Nadine Muse	....	sound editor
Thomas Varga	....	sound mixer

Stunts
Bruce Barnes	....	marine stunts
Chris Barnes	....	marine coordinator
Chris Barnes	....	water stunts
Roy Farfel	....	stunt coordinator
Jeff Galpin	....	safety diver
Kevin Rogers	....	stunts
Manny Siverio	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Olga Abramson	....	camera production assistant
Braden Belmonte	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Braden Belmonte	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera
James Boniece	....	key rigging grip
Vincent Camuto	....	video playback technician
Paul Candrilli	....	best boy grip
Andrew Cheung	....	grip
Peter Colavito	....	rigging electrician
Gene Engels	....	gaffer
Robert Falcone	....	rigging electrician
Michael Gallart	....	lighting console operator
Dylan Goss	....	aerial director of photography
Chris Henry	....	rigging electric
Philip Kathrens	....	lamp operator
Daniel Katz	....	lighting technician
Mitchell Andrew Lillian	....	key grip
Jeff Lomaglio	....	grip
Rick Marroquin	....	dolly grip
Lance Mayer	....	libra head operator
Frances 'Buddy' McBride	....	rigging gaffer
Michael A. McFadden	....	best boy rigging grip
John Milcetic	....	best boy electric
Felipe Reinheimer	....	assistant camera
Felipe Reinheimer	....	camera operator
Nicole Rivelli	....	still photographer
Lewis Sadler	....	electrician
Marshall Stief	....	assistant camera: aerial unit
Brian Stocklin	....	electrician

Casting Department
Jenny Jue	....	casting associate
Jessica Kelly	....	casting assistant
Kristen Paladino	....	extras casting
Paul Schnee	....	casting: New York

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Sandi Figueroa	....	costume supervisor
Lee Harper	....	assistant costume designer
Deirdre Wegner	....	wardrobe shopper

Editorial Department
Justin Krohn	....	assistant editor
Thomas Treu	....	assistant editor
Willi Willinger	....	colorist

Transportation Department
Dexter Roberts	....	transportation

Other crew
Lauren Barnhart	....	assistant: Naomi Watts
Tanya Blumstein	....	adr dialogue coach: Tim Roth
Mauro Bossi	....	stand-in: Michael Pitt
Jean Sebastien Brettes	....	assistant: Michael Haneke
Adam R. Brown	....	office production intern
Gero Brugmann	....	legal counsel
Brian Cantaldi	....	production accountant
Andrew Cesana	....	additional production assistant
Beth Charlesworth	....	set intern
Leslie Collins	....	set nurse
Emma Cooper	....	unit publicist
Jeremy Crane	....	production coordinator
Blake Davis	....	production office assistant
Jason Dean	....	assistant coordinator
Joan Devilla	....	payroll accountant
Katie Dixon	....	production assistant
Kelly Meyer Douglas	....	housing coordinator
Nell Drake	....	accounting assistant
Justin Geisenberger	....	photo double: Georgie
Audra Gorman	....	location scout
Wayne Han	....	production assistant
Scott Matthew Harris	....	stand-in: Tim Roth (as Scott Harris)
Jules Hartley	....	photo double: Ann
Elizabeth Himelstein	....	dialect coach (as Elizabeth Himelstein Reynolds)
Diane Hounsell	....	script supervisor
Liz Huizinga	....	assistant accountant
Jason Kadlec	....	location scout
Scotty Katzmann	....	stand-in
Lodge Kerrigan	....	script consultant
Benjamin-Lew Klon	....	set intern
Bronson Lamb	....	production assistant
Kristina Lee	....	assistant production coordinator
Skady Lis	....	production executive
Randy Manion	....	location manager
Rik Nagel	....	location scout
Elizabeth Newman	....	assistant: Tim Roth (as Elizabeth V. Newman)
Watari Nishida	....	talent wrangler
Mike O'Neill	....	location assistant
Cicely Osborne	....	stand-in: Naomi Watts (as Cicely Osbourne)
Matteo Peirone	....	production assistant
Robert Peters	....	stand-in
Christina Adkinson Potter	....	animal trainer
Kathrin Resetarits	....	creative assistant: Michael Haneke
Greg Staley	....	key production assistant
Lucas Steele	....	stand-in: Michael Pitt
Lygia Day Szelwach	....	on-set teacher
Jan Uczkowski	....	stand-in: Devon Gearhart
Brett Vanderbrook	....	stand-in: Brady Corbet
Antoine Wagner	....	assistant: Michael Haneke
Clarke Williams	....	set production assistant
Danielle Wilson	....	craft service
Craig T. Wood	....	production secretary
Stephanie Wu	....	office production intern
Tasha Zamsky	....	animal trainer
Al Cerullo	....	helicopter pilot (uncredited)

Thanks
Michael Bloomberg	....	the producers wish to thank: New York City Mayor's Office for Film, Theatre and Broadcasting (as Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg)
Katherine Oliver	....	the producers wish to thank: New York City Mayor's Office for Film, Theatre and Broadcasting (as Commissioner Katherine L. Oliver)
Douglas Steiner	....	the producers wish to thank

Production Companies

• Celluloid Dreams (presents)
• Halcyon Pictures
• Tartan Films
• X-Filme (as X-Filme International)
• Lucky Red
• Kinematograf

Distributors

• CP Classics (2008) (Russia) (theatrical)
• Cinéart (2008) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Festive Films (2008) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Filmcoopi Zürich (2008) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• First Distributors (2008) (Hong Kong) (theatrical)
• Halcyon Releasing (2008) (UK) (theatrical)
• Lucky Red (2007) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Nordisk Film (2008) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Rosebud (2008) (Greece) (theatrical)
• Seville Pictures (2008) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Shaw Organisation (2008) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Tartan Films (2008) (UK) (theatrical)
• Tokyo Theaters Company (2008) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Warner Independent Pictures (WIP) (2007) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Warner Independent Pictures (WIP) (2007) (France) (theatrical)
• Warner Independent Pictures (WIP) (2007) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Warner Independent Pictures (WIP) (2008) (USA) (theatrical)
• X Verleih AG (2007) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Amuse Soft Entertainment (2008) (Japan) (DVD)
• Bir Film (2008) (Turkey) (all media)
• California Filmes (2008) (Brazil) (all media)
• Gativideo (2009) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Nordisk Film Theatrical Distribution (2008) (Finland) (all media)
• Prorom Media-Trade (2008) (Romania) (all media)
• Twin Pics (2008) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2008) (Germany) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2008) (USA) (DVD)

Special Effects

• LISTO Videofilm (visual effects)

Other Companies

• Checkmark  funding
• Falco Ink.  publicity
• Film Finances  completion guarantor
• LISTO Videofilm  post-production
• Lightnin' Production Rentals  transportation equipment
• Paws for Effect  animals provided by
• PostWorks, The Lab  processing

Also Known As:

"Funny Games U.S." - USA (original title)
"Funny Game U.S.A." - Japan (English title)

MPAA:

Rated R for terror, violence and some language

Runtime:

111 min

Country:

USA | France | UK | Austria | Germany | Italy

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Ireland:16 | UK:18 | Canada:14A (British Columbia/Manitoba) | Canada:18+ (Quebec) | Canada:18A (Ontario) | USA:R (certificate #43792) | Denmark:15 | Norway:15 | Singapore:NC-16 | Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | Finland:K-15 | Sweden:15 | France:-16 | Germany:18 | Netherlands:16 | Italy:VM14 | Ireland:15 (video rating) | Hong Kong:IIB | New Zealand:R18 | Australia:MA | Austria:16 | Japan:PG-12 | Brazil:16 | Portugal:M/18 | Argentina:16 | Iceland:18 | South Korea:18 | Peru:18

Filming Locations:

Broadway Stages, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Celluloid Dreams

Trivia:

Tim Roth has said making this film abused him, and he'll never watch it. He said he was particularly disturbed because Devon Gearhart resembled his own son.

Goofs:

Continuity: (at around 1h 45 mins) There is a rear shot of Paul standing outside Betsy's cottage door, arms folded behind him. As Paul calls out to Betsy, he unclasps his hands and brings them forward. Then from the frontal view of Paul through Betsy's screen door, his arms are folded behind him, his hands out of sight.

Quotes:

Paul:Whether by knife or whether by gun, losing your life can sometimes be fun.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Siskel & Ebert: Episode dated 15 March 2008" (2008)

Soundtrack:

TU QUI SANTUZZA

deeply disturbing art horror film but definitely not for everyone

Watching "Funny Games" is a bit like coming across a major accident on the highway - you know you should continue driving on past the scene, but you just can't keep yourself from slowing down and gawking at all the wreckage.

The premise of the story does not sound very promising at first, as the idea, or a simple variation of it, has served as the foundation for countless such films in the past: an innocent family of three is held hostage in their home by a couple of sadistic killers who systematically abuse and terrorize their victims for their own twisted pleasure.

So many horror movies are predictable and formulaic that it's a pleasant surprise to come across one that actually makes an effort to break free of its bonds and make its own way in the world. And, indeed, "Funny Games" busts through the horror movie conventions with an almost ruthless determination. In this Americanized version of a film he made in his native Austria in 1997, director Michael Haneke scrupulously avoids obvious camera setups and editing techniques, bypassing virtually every storytelling, visual or audio cliché endemic to the genre. There is no background music, for instance, to cue us into the scary moments, no screeching cats jumping out of the shadows, and no point-of-view shots designed to generate easy suspense. Unlike in most films of this type, the violence here happens in an entirely haphazard and random manner, making it all the more frightening in its unpredictability and plausibility. Haneke refuses to cater to the expectations of his audience, making them face the reality of the nightmare he's showing them rather than giving them what it is they may want to see.

Michael Pitt and Brady Corbet are cringe-worthy and terminally creepy as the smarmy psychopaths who get their jollies out of watching other people suffer, while Naomi Watts, Tim Roth and Devon Gearhart engage our full sympathy as the hapless victims who have come up against the blank wall of two twisted minds they are woefully unequipped to even understand, let alone wage battle against.

This is one of the most memorable and artful horror films of recent times, but it is also one of the most unnerving and difficult to watch. The movie gets into your bones, no matter how much your better angels may be telling you to keep it out. It's depressing and disturbing and is certainly not intended for all audiences, but it is a movie that it is very difficult to shake off once you've given yourself over to it.