Elegy (2008/I)

Director:

Isabel Coixet

Writers (WGA):

Nicholas Meyer (screenplay)
Philip Roth (novel)

Release Date:

18 April 2008 (Spain)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Plot:

Cultural critic David Kepesh finds his life -- which he indicates is a state of "emancipated manhood" -- thrown into tragic disarray by Consuela Castillo, a well-mannered student who awakens a sense of sexual possessiveness in her teacher.

Plot Keywords:

Student | Friend | Poet | Critic | Professor

Awards:

2 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Penélope Cruz	...	Consuela Castillo
Ben Kingsley	...	David Kepesh
Dennis Hopper	...	George O'Hearn
Patricia Clarkson	...	Carolyn
Peter Sarsgaard	...	Kenny Kepesh
Deborah Harry	...	Amy O'Hearn
Charlie Rose	...	Charlie Rose
Antonio Cupo	...	Younger Man
Michelle Harrison	...	2nd Student
Sonja Bennett	...	Beth
Emily Holmes	...	1st Student
Chelah Horsdal	...	Susan Reese
Marci T. House	...	Administration Nurse
Alessandro Juliani	...	Actor #3 in Play
Tiffany Lyndall-Knight	...	Actor #2 in Play
Laura Mennell	...	Cute Girl
Andre Lamal	...	Talk Show Host
Shaker Paleja	...	3rd Student
Kris Pope	...	Consuela's Brother
Julian Richings	...	Actor in Play #1
Tania Saulnier	...	George's Girlfriend
Michael Teigen	...	Waiter
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Braden Jennings	...	Class student #7
Alan Wyn Hughes	...	Student (uncredited)
Ryan McDonell	...	Student (uncredited)

Directed by
Isabel Coixet

Writing credits (WGA)
Nicholas Meyer		(screenplay)
Philip Roth		(novel "The Dying Animal")

Produced by
Andre Lamal	....	producer
Gary Lucchesi	....	producer
Judd Malkin	....	executive producer
Terry McKay	....	executive producer (as Terry A. McKay)
Eric Reid	....	executive producer
Tom Rosenberg	....	producer
Richard S. Wright	....	executive producer (as Richard Wright)

Cinematography by
Jean-Claude Larrieu		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Amy E. Duddleston		(as Amy Duddleston)

Production Design by
Claude Paré

Art Direction by
Helen Jarvis

Set Decoration by
Lin MacDonald

Costume Design by
Katia Stano

Makeup Department
Gitte Axen	....	assistant makeup artist
Donna Bis	....	assistant hair stylist
Susan Boyd	....	assistant hair stylist
Victoria Down	....	key makeup artist
Sherry Linder-Gygli	....	key hair stylist (as Sherry Gygli)
Ana Lozano	....	makeup artist: Ms. Cruz
Martin Samuel	....	hair stylist: Penelope Cruz

Production Management
Terra Abroms	....	post-production supervisor (as Terra Mair Abroms)
Penny Gibbs	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Misha Bukowski	....	key second assistant director
Sandra Mayo	....	first assistant director
Louisa Phung	....	trainee assistant director
Rhonda Taylor	....	third assistant director

Art Department
Gerald Abrams	....	plasterer
Kelly Bemben	....	scenic carpenter
Brent Bennett	....	set decoration buyer
Michael A. Billings	....	assistant set decorator (as Michael Billings)
Derek Bobroff	....	on-set painter
Derek Bobroff	....	scenic artist
Keith Brooks	....	set dresser (as Keith Brookes)
Gordon Brunner	....	on-set dresser
Lubor Cencak	....	scenic artist
J. Geoff Crosby	....	scenic carpenter
John Dale	....	construction foreman
Laurie Dobbie	....	prop buyer
Melay Drasic	....	scenic carpenter
Kjose Elliott	....	prop photos
Donald Engel	....	lead carpenter
Keith Esch	....	lead painter
Jack Gauvreau	....	scenic carpenter
Leah Gejdos	....	set dresser
Rick Guetre	....	scenic helper
Mike Keel	....	set dresser
Jan Kobylka	....	construction coordinator
John Kobylka	....	on-set carpenter
Ted Konings	....	scenic helper
Ray Lai	....	graphic artist
Jim McGill	....	set dresser
Marta McLaughlin	....	assistant property master
Wayne McLaughlin	....	property master
Dale Menzies	....	lead carpenter
Jay Mitchell	....	set designer
Denyse Nelson	....	lead dresser
Rob Nicholson	....	lead carpenter (as Bob Nicholson)
James Reddy	....	lead dresser (as James 'JJ' Reddy)
Jan Reeves	....	scenic painter
Michel Rheault	....	construction buyer
Rodrigo Segovia	....	assistant art director
Jennifer Silver	....	scenic painter
Sharon Thompson	....	art department coordinator
Mario Tomas-Niedworok	....	paint coordinator (as Mario Tomas)
Rohan Lyal	....	head greensman (uncredited)

Sound Department
Robert Batha	....	first assistant sound editor (as Rob Bartha)
Todd Beckett	....	sound re-recording mixer
Kelly Cabral	....	sound supervisor
Paul Timothy Carden	....	sound editor
Chris David	....	sound re-recording mixer
Mike Hibberson	....	boom operator
Rachel Holley	....	sound editor
Travis MacKay	....	adr recordist
Aynee Osborn	....	sound editor (as Aynee O. Joujon-Roche)
Nancy Parker	....	foley artist
Jan Petrov	....	adr recordist
Andy Potvin	....	sound consultant: Dolby
Karen Schell	....	cable person
Martin Schloemer	....	sound mix recordist
Edward M. Steidele	....	foley artist (as Edward Steidele)
Eric Thompson	....	adr mixer
Chris Trent	....	foley mixer
Rob Young	....	sound editor
Melissa A. Corns	....	sound effects editor (uncredited)
Chris Navarro	....	adr mixer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
William H. Orr	....	special effects coordinator (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Tony Cammarata	....	digital imaging technician: Pacific Title and Art Studio (as Anthony Cammarata)
John Campuzano	....	visual effects coordinator: Pacific Title and Art Studio
Marc Canas	....	digital imaging technician: Pacific Title and Art Studio
Vincent Cirelli	....	visual effects supervisor: Luma Pictures
Michael Degtjarewsky	....	senior compositor: Pacific Title and Art Studio
Mark Freund	....	visual effects supervisor: Pacific Title and Art Studio
Jason Locke	....	digital compositor: Luma Pictures
Glenn Morris	....	visual effects producer: Luma Pictures
Brian Nogle	....	digital imaging supervisor: Pacific Title and Art Studio
Scott Purdy	....	digital imaging coordinator: Pacific Title and Art Studio
Brett Reyenger	....	digital compositor: Luma Pictures
Brent Rodin	....	digital imaging technician: Pacific Title and Art Studio
Greg Rodin	....	digital imaging lead camera: Pacific Title and Art Studio
Jared Ross	....	digital imaging technician: Pacific Title and Art Studio
Marc Ross	....	visual effects executive producer: Pacific Title and Art Studio
Tara Salinas	....	digital imaging io: Pacific Title and Art Studio
Luke Slendebroek	....	digital imaging technician: Pacific Title and Art Studio
Steven Swanson	....	visual effects supervising producer: Luma Pictures
Alexandre Cancado	....	digital effects artist: Luma Pictures (uncredited)
Robert Coquia Jr.	....	data management vfx (uncredited)
Payam Shohadai	....	executive visual effects supervisor: Luma Pictures (uncredited)
Cary Welton	....	digital restoration artist: R!OT (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Ken W. Anderson	....	rigging gaffer (as Ken Anderson)
Igor Beuhler	....	grip
Kevin Black	....	key grip
Aarron Brady	....	grip
Isabel Coixet	....	camera operator
Roberto W. Contreras D.	....	camera operator: "b" camera (as Roberto Contreras)
Sean M. Harding	....	first assistant camera (as Sean Harding)
Jeff Harvey	....	best boy electric (as Jeffrey Harvey)
Seth Hettrick	....	key rigging grip
Richard LaBossiere	....	rigging best boy
Joseph Lederer	....	still photographer
Casey MacIntyre	....	video assist operator
Mark Murphy	....	rigging best boy
Robert L. O'Hara	....	dolly grip
Diyah Pera	....	still photographer
Andrew Pereszlenyi	....	lighting technician (as Andrew 'Slinky' Pereszlenyi)
Pascal Pillot-Bruhat	....	gaffer
Eric Reid	....	still photographer: fine art photography
Jean-Marc Saldini	....	film loader
Owen Stambuck	....	best boy grip
Trevor Taylor	....	lighting technician
Todd Turner	....	lighting technician
Thomas E. Watson	....	generator operator (as Thomas Watson)
Tyler Woeste	....	second assistant camera
Richard Zimmerman	....	grip
Dan Fraser	....	electrician (uncredited)
Junichi Hosoi	....	steadicam (uncredited)

Animation Department
Matt Melis	....	animator: Pacific Title and Art Studio

Casting Department
Heike Brandstatter	....	casting: Canada
Barbara Harris	....	adr voice casting
Tiffany Mak	....	casting assistant: Canada
Coreen Mayrs	....	casting: Canada
Trica Thompson	....	casting coordinator: Canada
Natasha Tony	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Crystine Booth	....	assistant costume designer
Jennifer Dawson	....	costume set supervisor (as Jen Dawson)
Summer Dietz	....	costumer: prep
Kathy Houghton	....	costumer: prep (as Kathy Kertesz Houghton)
Monique McRae	....	costume coordinator
Paulette Nelson	....	extras costumer
Debbie Tallman	....	costumer: prep
Melissa Woods	....	truck costumer

Editorial Department
Siggy Ferstl	....	digital intermediate colorist
J.D. Funari	....	marketing editor
Justine Halliday	....	associate editor
Mary Nelson-Duerrstein	....	negative cutter (as Mary Nelson-Fraser)
Gary Oldroyd	....	post-production coordinator
Eric Potter	....	assistant editor
Stephen R. Sheridan	....	color timer (as Steve Sheridan)
Tami Zamberg	....	post-production assistant

Music Department
Isabel Coixet	....	music supervisor
Eric Craig	....	music consultant
Brian McNelis	....	music consultant
Angie Rubin	....	music editor
Christy Carew	....	music arranger: additional music (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Al Baxter	....	driver: grip truck
Stephen Carr	....	personal driver
Deamo Fatovic	....	driver: cast trailer
Kim Harmer	....	transportation coordinator
David Holm	....	driver: hair/makeup/wardrobe trailer (as Dave Holm)
Ron James	....	driver: lighting truck
Jason Lapp	....	driver: honeywagon
Brian J. Madore	....	driver: construction (as Brian Madore)
Ken Marsden	....	driver: Mr. Kingsley
Dave Miller	....	driver: Ms. Coixet
Andrew O'Bray	....	transportation captain
Carrie O'Bray	....	driver: cast trailer
James Perenseff	....	driver: prop tryck (as James L. Perenseff)
Wayne Power	....	driver
Jan Tayler	....	driver
Rob Vreugde	....	driver: camera truck
Ted Wassenaar	....	driver: set decoration truck

Other crew
Allison Adams	....	assistant: Mr. Kingsley
Jackie Andrade	....	chef: Simply Divine Catering
Tyra Atkins	....	production assistant
Morgan Brady	....	production assistant
Unjoo Lee Byars	....	main title producer (as Unjoo Byars)
Stephen Chan	....	production assistant
Errin Clutton	....	assistant: Ms. Coixet
Jason Collier	....	key location production assistant
Brett Davies	....	assistant production coordinator
Hans Dayal	....	assistant location manager
Jitka Dermiskova	....	production assistant
Heather Douglas	....	assistant: Mr. Lamal (as Heather F. Doiuglas)
Kathy Edwards	....	post production accountant
Kelsey Evans	....	production assistant (as Kelsay Evans)
Nita Gayle	....	stand-in: Penélope Cruz
Rick Guetre	....	first aid: construction
Scott Herbst	....	assistant: Mr. Lucchesi
Elizabeth Himelstein	....	dialect coach: Ms. Cruz (as Liz Himelstein)
Sam Kim	....	production assistant
Leslie Knoll	....	accounting clerk
Wendy Kush	....	assistant: Nicholas Meyer
Michael J. LeGresley	....	location scout (as Michael Lesgresley)
Kyle Leydier	....	assistant: Mr. Kingsley
Grant Lutz	....	production assistant
Tracy MacLeod	....	chef: Simply Divine Catering (as Tracey MacLeod)
Sandra Matossi	....	production accountant
Tal Meirson	....	supervisor of production financing
Jennifer Metcalfe	....	production coordinator (as Jennifer Metcalf)
Lee Anne Muldoon	....	unit publicist
Rino Pace	....	location manager
Gabriela Rosas	....	assistant chef: Simply Divine Catering
Paul Russell	....	production assistant
Bruce Schluter	....	main title designer: Pacific Title and Art Studio
Kate Schriver	....	assistant: Mr.Rosenberg
Michele Lee Shellenberg	....	first assistant accountant
Dan Smith	....	production assistant
Mike Thompson	....	craft service
Mike Thompson	....	first aid
Portia Tickell	....	script supervisor (as Portia Belmont)
John Tsolinas	....	production assistant
Debbie Van Dusen	....	first assistant accountant
Daniella Wells	....	assistant: Ms. Cruz
Tamara Grace Wiebe	....	office production assistant
Tony Willett	....	stand-in: Ben Kingsley
Shayne A. Wilson	....	assistant production coordinator
Janice Yip	....	production assistant
Stephanie Brown	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Chantal Cholette	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Michael J. Harker	....	completion bond representative (uncredited)
Darren Kelly	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Benjamin Luk	....	daily production assistant (uncredited)
James Notari	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Michael James 'Scotty' Scott	....	post-production accountant (uncredited)
Max Smerling	....	assistant: executive producer: Eric Reid (uncredited)
Zoe Aimee Zaitzeff	....	production assistant (uncredited)

Thanks
James McQuaide	....	thanks
Toby Midgen	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Lakeshore Entertainment

Distributors

• Alliance Vivafilm (2008) (Canada) (theatrical) (Quebec)
• Cathay-Keris Films (2009) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Distribution Company (2008) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Entertainment Film Distributors (2008) (UK) (theatrical)
• Long Shong Entertainment Multimedia Company (2007) (Taiwan) (theatrical)
• Maximum Film Distribution (2008) (Canada) (theatrical) (English-speaking region)
• Movie-Eye Entertainment (2009) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Noble Entertainment (2008) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Odeon (2008) (Greece) (theatrical)
• On Pictures (2008) (Spain) (theatrical)
• RCV Film Distribution (2008) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Samuel Goldwyn Company, The (2008) (USA) (theatrical)
• Samuel Goldwyn Films (2008) (USA) (theatrical)
• TOBIS Film (2009) (Germany) (theatrical)
• D Productions (2008) (Turkey) (all media)
• Divisa Home Video (2013) (Spain) (DVD)
• E1 Entertainment (2009) (Canada) (all media)
• Future Film (2009) (Finland) (all media)
• Gativideo (2009) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Noble Entertainment (2009) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Noble Entertainment (2009) (Sweden) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Noori Pictures (2009) (South Korea) (all media)
• Odeon (2009) (Greece) (DVD)
• RCV Home Entertainment (2009) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Red Envelope Entertainment (2009) (USA) (DVD)
• Seville Pictures (200?) (Canada) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2009) (USA) (DVD)
• Top Film (2008) (Russia) (all media)

Special Effects

• Pacific Title and Art Studio (visual effects and opticals)
• Pacific Title and Art Studio (digital imaging services)
• Luma Pictures (visual effects)

Other Companies

• Axium International  payroll services
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  dollies
• Clairmont Camera  camera equipment provided by
• Clairmont Camera  camera equipment provided by
• DDA Public Relations (DDA)  international publicity consultants
• DeWitt Stern of California  insurance provided by
• Fluid Post  sound design
• International Film Guarantors  completion guaranty provided by
• JP Morgan Chase Bank  production financing provided by
• Joan Pearce Research Associates  script clearance
• Lakeshore Records  soundtrack
• PS Production Services  chapman camera dollies
• Pacific Title and Art Studio  main titles designed and produced by
• Selectracks Music Services  additional music produced and recorded by
• Simply Divine Catering Ltd.  catering
• Sound Satisfaction  foley recording facility
• Soundtrack  ADR Facility
• Wildfire Studios  adr recording facility
• Wildfire Studios  sound post-production (as Wildfire Post Production Studios)

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for sexuality, nudity and language

Runtime:

112 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

SDDS | DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:R (certificate #43893) | Ireland:16 | Canada:14A (British Columbia) | Netherlands:12 | Finland:K-11 | Argentina:16 | Singapore:M18 | Sweden:Btl | Austria:12 | Germany:12 | UK:15 | South Africa:16 | South Korea:18 | Australia:M | Mexico:B15 | Portugal:M/12

Filming Locations:

Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada

Company:

Lakeshore Entertainment

Trivia:

David tells Consuela that she looks like Goya's Maja Desnuda. Penélope Cruz (who plays Consuela) plays Pepita Tudó in Volavérunt (1999), possibly a model for the Maja Desnuda.

Quotes:

George O'Hearn:Beautiful women are invisible.
David Kepesh:Invisible? What the hell does that mean? Invisible? They jump out at you. A beautiful woman, she stands out. She stands apart. You can't miss her.
George O'Hearn:But we never actually see the person. We see the beautiful shell. We're blocked by the beauty barrier. Yeah, we're so dazzled by the outside that we never make it inside.

Movie Connections:

References "Charlie Rose" (1991)

Soundtrack:

Ay Que Sospecha Tengo

"Old age is not for sissies", said Bette Davis...

... and David Kepesh (Sir Ben Kingsley) knows it, as he quotes her in the beginning of "Elegy". Kepesh is no sissy, but old age isn't for him either. He's a professor who's had a "friendship with benefits" with a woman (Patricia Clarkson) for twenty years, as he begins a torrid affair with the beautiful Consuela (Penélope Cruz), thirty years younger than him. Consuela and David fall in love with each other, but harder than finding the right person is the fear of losing them, and they will find some obstacles to their relationship.

This is an adult film about love, fear of commitment/loss, and death. Isabel Coixet proves again to be the most exciting name to come from Spain since Pedro Almodóvar – after "My Life Without Me", "The Secret Life of Words" and her segment "Bastille" from "Paris, je t'Aime", she delivers another mature, sensitive, and very peculiar film (her next project, "Map of Sounds of Tokyo", looks very promising as well). Sir Ben Kingsley and Patricia Clarkson are exceptional as usual; Dennis Hopper, as Kingsley's best friend, gives his best performance in a long time (he has a fantastic scene with Kingsley and Deborah Harry, who plays his wife). Peter Sarsgaard is also pretty good as Kingsley's son, and although Cruz doesn't shine as much as in "Non Ti Muovere", "Volver" or "Vicky Cristina Barcelona", she fits the role and makes you believe any man would be easily infatuated and obsessed with her.

The ending might seem a little melodramatic at first, but it's both poignant and adequate. Although not a perfect film, "Elegy" is easily one of the most poetic, rewarding experiences you'll have this year. Don't miss it. 9/10.