Baghead (2008)

Directors:

Jay Duplass
Mark Duplass

Writers:

Jay Duplass (written by) &
Mark Duplass (written by) ...
(more)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Horror | Romance

Plot:

Four struggling actors retreat to a cabin in Big Bear, California in order to write a screenplay that will make them all stars. Problem is: What happens when their story idea -- a horror flick about a group of friends tormented by a villain with a bag over his head -- starts to come true? |

Plot Keywords:

California | Cabin | Actor | Vomit | Film Festival

Cast

Steve Zissis	...	Chad
Ross Partridge	...	Matt
Greta Gerwig	...	Michelle
Elise Muller	...	Catherine
Jett Garner	...	Jett Garner
Cass Naumann	...	'We Are Naked' girlfriend
Jennifer Lafleur	...	Festival Director
Darrell Bryant	...	Pickup truck driver
Anthony Cristo	...	Bouncer
Jen Tracy	...	Name Checker (as Jen Tracy Duplass)
Heather Hall	...	Festivalgoer
David Zellner	...	Festivalgoer
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Dan Eggleston	...	Festival Audience Member (uncredited)
Spencer Greenwood	...	(uncredited)
Stephanie Huettner	...	Girl in the Front Row (uncredited)
Amy Quick Parrish	...	Festival Audience Member (uncredited)
Vincent James Prendergast	...	Film Festival Attendee (uncredited)

Directed by
Jay Duplass
Mark Duplass

Writing credits
Jay Duplass		(written by) &
Mark Duplass		(written by)
John E. Bryant		creator "We Are Naked" (as John Bryant)

Produced by
John E. Bryant	....	producer (as John Bryant)
Jay Duplass	....	producer
Mark Duplass	....	producer
Jen Tracy	....	co-producer (as Jen Tracy Duplass)

Original Music by
J. Scott Howard

Cinematography by
Jay Duplass

Film Editing by
Jay Deuby

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Chris Ohlson	....	first assistant director: second unit

Sound Department
Gene Park	....	sound re-recording mixer
Byron Westbrook	....	sound re-recording mixer

Visual Effects by
Robert Luttrell	....	colorist: HeavyLightDigital.com (as Rob Luttrell)
Robert Luttrell	....	filmout: HeavyLightDigital.com (as Rob Luttrell)
Neil Murphy	....	colorist: HeavyLightDigital.com
Neil Murphy	....	filmout: HeavyLightDigital.com
R. Zane Rutledge	....	visual effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Burnie Burns	....	camera provider: roosterteeth.com (as Bernie Burns)
Burnie Burns	....	lighting provider: roosterteeth.com (as Bernie Burns)
Matt Hullum	....	camera provider: roosterteeth.com
Matt Hullum	....	lighting provider: roosterteeth.com

Editorial Department
Jon Fletcher	....	assistant editor

Other crew
Kevin Bewersdorf	....	production staff: second unit
Josh Braun	....	distribution advisor: Submarine Entertaiment
Neil Murphy	....	color timing
Neil Murphy	....	film recordist
Bryan Poyser	....	production staff: second unit
Mark Reeb	....	production staff: second unit
R. Zane Rutledge	....	production staff: second unit
Jacob Vaughan	....	production staff: second unit
Matthew L. Wallis	....	production staff: second unit (as Matt Wallis)
Mike Washlesky	....	production staff: second unit
David Zellner	....	production staff: second unit
Nathan Zellner	....	production staff: second unit

Thanks
Becky Arreaga	....	special thanks
Sean Barnes	....	thanks
Todd Barnes	....	thanks
Dale Beckett	....	thanks
Larry Blake	....	special thanks
Anna Boden	....	thanks
Gary Bond	....	thanks
Charles Burmeister	....	thanks
Burnie Burns	....	special thanks (as Bernie Berns)
David Claunch	....	thanks
Brenda Coon	....	thanks (as Brenda Coon RN)
Liesl Copland	....	thanks
Michael Costigan	....	thanks
Lynn Currie	....	special thanks
J. Davis	....	thanks
Matt Dentler	....	thanks
Cindy Duplass	....	very special thanks
Katie Duplass	....	special thanks
Larry Duplass	....	very special thanks
Dan Eggleston	....	thanks
Janice Ertz	....	thanks
John Ertz	....	thanks
Eric Escobar	....	thanks
Ryan Fleck	....	thanks
Sasha Freedman	....	thanks
Steve Gee	....	thanks
Philip Grenz	....	thanks
Julie Howard	....	thanks
Matt Hullum	....	special thanks
Julie Kroenke	....	special thanks
Dan Mackler	....	thanks
Sergeant Matthews	....	thanks
Mike Mulry	....	special thanks
Talitha Newman	....	thanks
Michael O'Keefe	....	special thanks
Joseph Paselk	....	thanks
Joseph Phillips	....	thanks
Kevin Prewitt	....	thanks
David Rubin	....	thanks
Robin Schorr	....	thanks
Jas Shelton	....	thanks
Joanne Wiles	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Duplass Brothers Productions

Distributors

• Sony Pictures Classics (2008) (USA) (theatrical)
• Visit Films (2008) (USA) (theatrical)
• CineBinario Films (CBF) (2011) (Spain) (DVD)
• Film1 (2012) (Netherlands) (TV) (limited)
• Front Row Filmed Entertainment (2008) (United Arab Emirates) (all media) (Middle East)
• Front Row Filmed Entertainment (2009) (United Arab Emirates) (all media) (Middle East)
• SBP (2010) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2008) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Arbor Cinema  thanks (as Arbor Cinemas)
• Austin Film Commission  thanks
• Cedartreehouse.com  thanks
• Echo Park Film Center  thanks
• Fusion Theater  thanks
• Lake Line Grocery  thanks
• Lakeside Hospital, Bastrop, Texas  thanks
• MercuryMambo.com  thanks
• SAGIndie  thanks (as SAG Indie)
• Sheriff's Office, Bastrop, Texas  thanks
• Swelltone Labs  special thanks

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for language, some sexual content and nudity

Runtime:

84 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

USA:R | Argentina:16 | Argentina:18 (DVD rating)

Company:

Duplass Brothers Productions

Quotes:

Chad:You're like Michael Jordan, I'm Bill Lambier! I've got no game!

Movie Connections:

References The Cable Guy (1996)

Soundtrack:

3 of Harts

A haphazard, disorganized independent film

I've stated before that I love to venture out of my comfort zone when it comes to film, and I believe everyone should as well. We can't simply conform to what mainstream Hollywood spoonfeeds us and forces us to see and believe, like American cinema is the best and only kind of cinema. We must challenge our tastes with films of different countries, by different directors, of different styles, and different mediums. I've been swimming in the sea of mumblecore recently, and have now reached my last stop in the Duplass brothers', Jay and Mark, filmography. That stop is Baghead and it was more like being kicked off from a good ride.

The brothers would later go on after this film to make what I call "mumblecore with actors," meaning the films are true to the roots and definition of mumblecore, but instead of utilizing amateur actors, they would recruit more well-known stars and challenge their abilities. Baghead is inept in almost every field of filmmaking and even at eighty minutes feels like an assault on patience and tolerance.

We get a story concerns two couples who, after attending a film festival hosted by a good friend, become inspired to go to a remote cabin in the wilderness, crossing their fingers that inspiration will dawn on them and they will be able to whip up something. Soon, they start seeing a man with a paper bag on his head outside, and begin penning a screenplay parallel to this. Then, the simple sights become more prolific until the man is visibly stalking them in their cabin.

The couples are Matt (Ross Partridge) and Michelle (Greta Gerwig), and Chad (Steve Zissis) and Catherine (Elise Muller). Along the way, convoluted love interests start to form between the two couples and I will spare you the details because it would become a chore on my part and you, the reader, to read about it. It becomes something like Matt likes Catherine but is too afraid to ask her out, and Chad has liked Michelle for a while, etc. These characters are so stock and faceless that it's hard to even make out who is who at times. Assuming you're even interested.

At this point in time, the mumblecore movement in cinema was still forming and, while the movement is more ideal for whimsical comedies and light-hearted dramas, nobody ever said a horror film couldn't be constructed following the rules of the genre. Unfortunately, crossbreeding the genres resulted in an unsuccessful film. No atmosphere is created, no believability or interest is structured, and the dialog for the film, which, by the brothers, is the part that is usually taken very seriously, is taken in a haphazard, disorganized manner, with only fragmented screams and vague arguments brewing. It's a complete mess.

Baghead concludes on a cheap, indie note, but before that, we have a truly unbelievable twist that isn't even examined or further developed. I conclude by saying it was a smart move on the brothers' part to try and nudge the genre into the limelight by having popular actors in the roles of amateurs. The acting here is yet another problem in this parody (?), satire (?), homage (?) of errors.

Starring: Ross Partridge, Steve Zissis, Greta Gerwig, and Elise Muller. Directed by: Jay and Mark Duplass.