Gran Torino (2008)

Director:

Clint Eastwood

Writers (WGA):

Nick Schenk (screenplay)
Dave Johannson (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

9 January 2009 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

Disgruntled Korean War vet Walt Kowalski sets out to reform his neighbor, a young Hmong teenager, who tried to steal Kowalski's prized possession: his 1972 Gran Torino.

Plot Keywords:

Gang | Hmong | Gran Torino | Korean War Veteran | Veteran

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 19 wins & 8 nominations

Cast

Clint Eastwood	...	Walt Kowalski
Christopher Carley	...	Father Janovich
Bee Vang	...	Thao
Ahney Her	...	Sue
Brian Haley	...	Mitch Kowalski
Geraldine Hughes	...	Karen Kowalski
Dreama Walker	...	Ashley Kowalski
Brian Howe	...	Steve Kowalski
John Carroll Lynch	...	Barber Martin
William Hill	...	Tim Kennedy
Brooke Chia Thao	...	Vu
Chee Thao	...	Grandma
Choua Kue	...	Youa
Scott Eastwood	...	Trey (as Scott Reeves)
Xia Soua Chang	...	Kor Khue
Sonny Vue	...	Smokie
Doua Moua	...	Spider
Greg Trzaskoma	...	Bartender
John Johns	...	Al
Davis Gloff	...	Darrell
Thomas D. Mahard	...	Mel (as Tom Mahard)
Cory Hardrict	...	Duke
Nana Gbewonyo	...	Monk
Arthur Cartwright	...	Prez
Austin Douglas Smith	...	Daniel Kowalski
Conor Liam Callaghan	...	David Kowalski
Michael E. Kurowski	...	Josh Kowalski (as Michael Kurowski)
Julia Ho	...	Dr. Chu
Maykao K. Lytongpao	...	Gee
Carlos Guadarrama	...	Head Latino
Andrew Tamez-Hull	...	Latino Gangbanger
Ramon Camacho	...	Latino Gangbanger (as Rámon Camacho)
Antonio Mireles	...	Latino Gangbanger
Ia Vue Yang	...	Hmong Flower Woman
Zoua Kue	...	Hmong Flower Woman
Elvis Thao	...	Hmong Gangbanger
Jerry Lee	...	Hmong Gangbanger
Lee Mong Vang	...	Hmong Gangbanger
Tru Hang	...	Hmong Grandfather
Alice Lor	...	Hmong Granddaughter
Tong Pao Kue	...	Hmong Husband
Douacha Ly	...	Hmong Man
Parng D. Yarng	...	Hmong Neighbor
Nelly Yang Sao Yia	...	Hmong Wife
Marty Bufalini	...	Lawyer
My-Ishia Cason-Brown	...	Muslim Receptionist
Clint Ward	...	Officer
Stephen Kue	...	Officer Chang
Rochelle Winter	...	Waitress
Claudia Rodgers	...	White Woman Neighbor
Vincent Bonasso	...	Tailor
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Sean Baligian	...	Old Man on Porch (uncredited)
Jeffrey Scott Basham	...	Man on Street (uncredited)
Jeffrey Feingold	...	Neighbor (uncredited)
William C. Fox	...	Family Friend (uncredited)
Vong Lee	...	Hmong Neighbor With Baby (uncredited)
Rio Scafone	...	Family Friend (uncredited)
Tony Stef'Ano	...	Man on Street (uncredited)
Carey Torrice	...	Blonde (uncredited)
Kevin Walsh	...	Extra - Hardware Store exterior (uncredited)

Directed by
Clint Eastwood

Writing credits (WGA)
Nick Schenk		(screenplay)
Dave Johannson		(story) &
Nick Schenk		(story)

Produced by
Bruce Berman	....	executive producer
Clint Eastwood	....	producer
Bill Gerber	....	producer
Jenette Kahn	....	executive producer
Robert Lorenz	....	producer
Tim Moore	....	executive producer
Adam Richman	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Kyle Eastwood
Michael Stevens

Cinematography by
Tom Stern		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Joel Cox
Gary Roach		(as Gary D. Roach)

Casting by
Ellen Chenoweth

Production Design by
James J. Murakami

Art Direction by
John Warnke

Set Decoration by
Gary Fettis

Costume Design by
Deborah Hopper

Makeup Department
Janice Alexander	....	hair stylist (as Jan Alexander)
Dawn Baker	....	makeup artist
Carol Branston	....	hair stylist
Clifton Chippewa	....	hair stylist
Lauri Cuppetilli	....	assistant makeup artist
Debbie Darakoljian	....	makeup artist
Kevin J Edwards	....	hair stylist (as Kevin Edwards)
Louise Holoday	....	makeup artist
Kimberly Jones	....	makeup artist
Kimberley Kirkpatrick	....	makeup artist
Tania McComas	....	makeup department head
Carol A. O'Connell	....	hair department head
Jay Wejebe	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Tim Moore	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Peter Dress	....	second assistant director (as Pete Dress)
Michael Judd	....	second second assistant director
Donald Murphy	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Kai Blomberg	....	set dresser
James Fernandez	....	on-set dresser
Steven Ladish	....	set dresser
James R. Lord	....	propmaker gang boss
Jared A.J. Muscarella	....	carpenter
Michael Muscarella	....	construction coordinator
Loren Nickloff	....	general foreman
Missy Parker	....	assistant set decorator
Edward J. Protiva	....	leadman
Douglas S. Reilly	....	graphic designer: props
Scott Schutzki	....	set dresser
Michael Semon	....	assistant propmaster
Robert Silcock	....	propmaker foreman
Chris M. Young	....	art department production assistant

Sound Department
David A. Arnold	....	supervising dialogue editor (as David Arnold)
Bub Asman	....	co-supervising sound editor
Gail Carroll-Coe	....	utility sound/second boom operator
William Cawley	....	sound effects editor (as Bill Cawley)
Lucy Coldsnow-Smith	....	dialogue editor
Flash Deros	....	boom operator
Michael Dressel	....	supervising foley editor
Juno J. Ellis	....	adr supervisor
Robert Fernandez	....	score mixer
Robin Harlan	....	foley artist
Jason King	....	sound effects editor
Jonathan Klein	....	foley editor
Lisa J. Levine	....	adr editor
Walt Martin	....	supervising sound editor
Sarah Monat	....	foley artist
Ryan Murphy	....	sound mix technician
Alan Robert Murray	....	supervising sound editor
Kevin Murray	....	sound effects editor (as Kevin R.W. Murray)
Rupert Nadeau	....	assistant adr editor
Andy Potvin	....	dolby sound consultant
John T. Reitz	....	sound re-recording mixer (as John Reitz)
Gregg Rudloff	....	sound re-recording mixer
Brian Seagrave	....	audio post-conform
Randy Singer	....	foley mixer
Beth Sterner	....	dialogue editor
Beth Sterner	....	sound editor
Shawn Sykora	....	foley editor
Katy Wood	....	dialogue editor

Special Effects by
Hank Atterbury	....	pyrotechnician
Hank Atterbury	....	special effects technician
Michael DePietro	....	special effects pyrotechnician
Michael DePietro	....	special effects technician (as Michael V. De Pietro)
David A. Poole	....	pyrotechnician
David A. Poole	....	special effects technician
Ryan A. Riley	....	special effects technician (as Ryan Riley)
Shari Ann Riley	....	special effects assistant
Steve Riley	....	special effects supervisor (as Steven Riley)
Dominic V. Ruiz	....	special effects foreman
Dominic V. Ruiz	....	special effects technician

Visual Effects by
Bron Barry	....	visual effects coordinator
John Campuzano	....	visual effects coordinator
Andrea Caretta	....	digital artist
Greg Cheng	....	digital artist
Chad E. Collier	....	render i/o administrator: Digital Domain
Janice Barlow Collier	....	dustbuster: Digital Domain
Michael Degtjarewsky	....	lead compositor
Yoshi DeHerrera	....	visual effects artist: 3D scanning & modeling
Gregory Duncan	....	dustbuster: Digital Domain
Joe Farrell	....	senior digital compositor
Mark Freund	....	visual effects supervisor: Pacific Title
Navjit Singh Gill	....	technical assistant
Brian Hanable	....	digital effects compositor: Pacific Title
Brian Holligan	....	digital coordinator: Digital Domain
Julian Levi	....	visual effects producer
Darin McCormick-Millett	....	visual effects producer (as Darin Millett)
Kyle Mulqueen	....	digital artist: scan data cleanup
Erin L. Nelson	....	digital restoration
Lee Nelson	....	3D artist
Jessica Noll	....	compositor
James P. Noon	....	tracking
Darren Poe	....	digital effects supervisor
Kelly Port	....	visual effects supervisor
Francisco Ramirez	....	assistant visual effects editor: Digital Domain
Prateep Siamwalla	....	tracking
Wilson Tang	....	digital restoration
Justin van der Lek	....	3D integration: Digital Domain
Bob Wiatr	....	digital compositor: Pacific Title
Xye	....	tracking
Lisa de la Garza	....	visual effects senior staff: Digital Domain (uncredited)
Amanda Hampton	....	software engineer (uncredited)
Ian A. Harris	....	digital artist: Digital Domain (uncredited)
Michael Owens	....	visual effects supervisor (uncredited)
Michelle Winze	....	digital producer (uncredited)

Stunts
Buddy Van Horn	....	stunt coordinator (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Greg Brooks	....	dolly grip
Buzzy Burwell	....	lighting technician
Stephen S. Campanelli	....	camera operator
Trevor Carroll-Coe	....	film loader
Jesse Cecchini	....	additional set lighting technician
Bill Coe	....	camera: "a" camera
Bill Coe	....	first assistant camera
Michael J. Conner	....	additional lamp operator
Ross Dunkerley	....	gaffer
Bill Hong	....	camera car operator
John Lacy	....	assistant chief lighting technician
William MacLeod	....	grip (as Bill MacLeod)
Bobby McMahan	....	second assistant camera
Brian Minzlaff	....	set lighting
Liz Radley	....	camera operator: high definition camera
Tony Rivetti Jr.	....	still photographer
Charles Saldana	....	key grip
T. Daniel Scaringi	....	key rigging grip
Dean M. Simmon	....	first assistant camera: "b"camera
Scott Zuckerberg	....	electrician (uncredited)

Casting Department
Cedric N. Lee	....	extras casting
Geoffrey Miclat	....	casting associate
Kathy Mooney	....	casting: Michigan
Janet Pound	....	casting director: Michigan
Janet Pound	....	extras casting
Molly Pound	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Melanie August	....	costume staff assistant
Diana Edgmon	....	costumer
Cheryl Scarano	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
Jill Bogdanowicz	....	digital film colorist
Tony Dustin	....	digital film colorist
Blu Murray	....	first assistant editor
Hailey Murray	....	post-production assistant
Bob Peishel	....	digital intermediate producer
Mark Sahagun	....	digital intermediate editor
Kurt Smith	....	film color timer
Larry D. Webster	....	post-production
Jeff Pantaleo	....	dailies colorist (uncredited)

Music Department
Kevin Bassinson	....	music editor: uncredited
Robert Fernandez	....	score mixer (as Bobby Fernandez)
Daniel J. Johnson	....	music editor
Jenny Leite	....	assistant music editor
David Low	....	orchestra contractor
Renzo Mantovani	....	composer: additional music
Chris McGeary	....	music editor
Lennie Niehaus	....	conductor
Lennie Niehaus	....	orchestrator

Transportation Department
Nicholas Acquaviva	....	picture car wrangler
Tony Barattini	....	driver: production van
Mike Bilkovic	....	transportation
Michael Bjerke	....	driver
Demond Dickerson	....	transportation
Sue Grasso	....	driver
David B. Jackson	....	unit driver
Ken Kupchick	....	transportation
Reno S. Mifsud	....	driver
Billy Neckrock	....	driver
Kirk Roberts	....	driver: Clint Eastwood
Domiciano Rodriquez	....	transportation co-captain
Alana Stelling	....	transportation captain
Larry Stelling	....	transportation coordinator
John 'Detroit' White	....	transportation
David Schmidt	....	driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Tarrance Alfred	....	assistant location manager
Susan Bliss	....	post script services
Jennifer Burdick-Baklarov	....	additional production assistant
Sue Chipperton	....	animal wrangler
Tony X. Deale	....	production associate
Joe Elrom	....	location assistant
David Fencl	....	key armorer
Alex Fields	....	assistant location manager
Dyane Garvey	....	cultural advisor: Hmong
Carrie Gillogly	....	assistant: Mr. Gerber
Jason Gondek	....	production accountant
Matthew Goodwin	....	additional set production assistant
Holly Hagy	....	production coordinator
Cindy Ichikawa	....	assistant production coordinator
Cedric Lee	....	cultural advisor: Hmong
Cedric N. Lee	....	cultural consultant
Mark D. Lee	....	staff assistant
Deana Lou	....	assistant: Mr. Eastwood
Jessica Meier	....	assistant: Mr. Lorenz
Eddie Merino	....	key assistant location manager
Patrick Mignano	....	location manager
Matt Miller	....	key set staff assistant
Tizzie Onderko	....	stand-in
Gui Sauder Pinto	....	location assistant
Jason Roby	....	additional set production assistant
Michael Roccuzzo	....	post accounting
Dimitrios Rongakis	....	production assistant
Cary Scaringi	....	staff assistant
Karen Shaw	....	production coordinator
Mindy Silberman	....	production secretary
Peter Skorupskas	....	production assistant
Cathy Thomas	....	location scout
Joel Tokarsky	....	first assistant accountant
Landon Trawny	....	second assistant accountant
Renee Trawny	....	accounting clerk
Stephanie Tull	....	set staff assistant
Karen Turner	....	payroll accountant
Karen Turner	....	payroll accountant
Stephanie Whallon	....	travel accountant
Gowhnou Yang	....	stand-in
Trina Naz	....	production assistant (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Matten Productions (in association with)
• Double Nickel Entertainment
• Gerber Pictures
• Malpaso Productions
• Media Magik Entertainment
• Village Roadshow Pictures
• WV Films IV
• Warner Bros

Distributors

• Golden Village Pictures (2009) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Sandrew Metronome Distribution Sverige AB (2009) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Sandrew Metronome Distribution (2009) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Village Films (2009) (Greece) (theatrical)
• Village Roadshow Entertainment (2008) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros (2008) (USA) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. Entertainment (2008) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (2009) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (2009) (Belgium) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (2009) (Czech Republic) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (2009) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (2009) (France) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (2009) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (2009) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (2009) (Philippines) (theatrical)
• Warner Brothers (2008) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (2009) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (2009) (Argentina) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Argentina Video Home (2012) (Argentina) (DVD) (Warner Home Video Colección Premium)
• Argentina Video Home (2012) (Argentina) (DVD) (as part of the pack 'Clint Eastwood')
• Hollydan Works (2009) (Yugoslavia) (DVD)
• Sandrew Metronome Norge (2009) (Norway) (all media)
• Turner Network Television (TNT) (2011) (USA) (TV)
• Warner Bros. Entertainment Finland Oy (2009) (Finland) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Warner Home Video (2009) (Canada) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2009) (Germany) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2009) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2009) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Warner Home Video (2009) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2009) (Sweden) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Warner Home Video (2009) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2009) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)

Special Effects

• Pacific Title and Art Studio (special visual effects)

Other Companies

• Avid Film Composer  edited on
• BT Industrial Supply  expendables
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera cranes
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera dollies
• Collegiate Images  university footage courtesy of
• David Haddad  transportation equipment
• Haddad's  transportation equipment
• Mid America Cine Support  electric equipment
• Pacific Title  titles
• S3 Entertainment Group  production services: Michigan
• Sequoia Illumination  lighting equipment
• Star Waggons  hair and make-up trailers
• Technicolor Digital Intermediates  digital intermediate
• Transportation Resources  transportation equipment
• William F. White International  grip and lighting equipment

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for language throughout, and some violence

Runtime:

116 min

Country:

USA | Germany

Language:

English | Hmong

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

USA:R (certificate #44954) | Finland:K-15 | UK:15 | Czech Republic:12 | Australia:M | South Korea:12 | Ireland:15A | Netherlands:12 | New Zealand:R16 | Portugal:M/12 (Qualidade) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | Philippines:PG-13 (MTRCB) | Greece:K-13 | Singapore:NC-16 (cut) | Norway:15 | Argentina:13 | Spain:13 | Hong Kong:IIB | Germany:12 (f) | Brazil:14 | Canada:14A (Ontario) | Sweden:15 | Peru:14 | Mexico:B | Denmark:11 | Austria:12 | France:U | Iceland:12 | Malaysia:(Banned) | Italy:T

Filming Locations:

204 W 11 Mile Rd, Royal Oak, Michigan, USA

Company:

Matten Productions

Trivia:

Walt Kowalski's gun collection seems to consists of weapons he used in the military. His rifle is an American M1 Garand, a 9.5lb .30-06 gas-operated rifle. It was first issued during WWII, then re-issued in Korea before being phased out by the M14 selective fire .308 rifle. His pistol is an M1911A1, a .45 ACP semi-automatic handgun also issued during the Korean war.

Goofs:

Factual errors: Kowalski's son gives him a Walker amplified phone, so the curly handset cord should be plugged into the side, not the back.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Al:God, I am sorry for Dorothy, Walt. She was a real peach.
Walt Kowalski:Thanks for coming, Al.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Gran Torino - The Eastwood Way (2009) (V)

Soundtrack:

Gran Torino

Another top-notch, Clint Eastwood film that entertains and teaches.

Manohla Dargis writes in the New York Times: "Dirty Harry is back, in a way, in "Gran Torino," not as a character but as a ghostly presence. He hovers in the film, in its themes and high-caliber imagery, and of course most obviously in Mr. Eastwood's face. It is a monumental face now, so puckered and pleated that it no longer looks merely weathered, as it has for decades, but seems closer to petrified wood. Words like flinty and steely come to mind, adjectives that Mr. Eastwood ... expressively embodies with his usual lack of fuss and a number of growls." More praise for Eastwood comes from Joe Morgenstern in the Wall Street Journal, who comments: "No one makes movies like Gran Torino any more, and more's the pity. This one, with Clint Eastwood as director and star, is concerned with honor and atonement, with rough justice and the family of man. It raises irascibility to the level of folk art, takes unapologetic time-outs for unfashionable moral debates, revives acting conventions that haven't been in fashion for half a century and keeps you watching every frame as Mr. Eastwood snarls, glowers, mutters, growls and grins his way through the performance of a lifetime." Elizabeth Weitzman in the New York Daily News remarks that "it's clearly a career-capping work." Kenneth Turan in The Los Angeles Times writes that the movie "is impossible to imagine without the actor in the title role. The notion of a 78-year-old action hero may sound like a contradiction in terms, but Eastwood brings it off, even if his toughness is as much verbal as physical. Even at 78, Eastwood can make 'Get off my lawn' sound as menacing as 'Make my day,' and when he says 'I blow a hole in your face and sleep like a baby,' he sounds as if he means it."

There are at least four reason why I like this film: 1. Clint Eastwood shows that the character he is playing is willing to serve in a war-- and die if necessary--to preserve freedom (and he has a medal to prove it), 2. he has grown old and the whole world has changed (and everyone around him seems to indicate--in one way or another--that he is no appreciated or needed), 3. even with a transformation, he demonstrates that people tend to be reactive--rather than responsive--and are slow to change (this is particularly true with bias, discrimination, and prejudice), and 4. that tolerance can lead to understanding (he tries to give tough love, but he becomes softer in his response--instead of his reaction--after giving and receiving genuine love). It seems that everyone around him wants his Gran Torino and everything else he owns, before he even has died, instead of being interested in him. He lives in a community that is transformation, and he knows absolutely nothing about culture, diversity, ethnicity, race, or sexual orientation. He does know about aging, however (if nowhere else, he learns about it from people's adverse and negative reactions, everywhere around him). He isn't exactly treated with dignity and respect, so why should he treat anyone else with dignity and respect? And, trust must be earned.

If this is Clint Eastwood's last film, I can only say that that his performance, in this stunning film, is what legends are made of. There are some wonderful performances in "Milk" (Sean Penn), "Australia" (Hugh Jackman and Nicole Kidman), "Changeling" (Angelina Jolie and director Clint Eastwood), and "The Dark Knight" (a riveting performance by "Brokeback Mountain's" Heath Ledger). In viewing all of these films, there are performances that are not only superb, but they evoke every one of the emotions and carry the intellect and intelligence of human cognitions to the highest pinnacle of excellence. As a gay person, I must say that I am moved by Sean Penn's portrayal of Harvey Milk, I am moved by the romantic chemistry between Hugh Jackman and Nicole Kidman, and I would be remiss if I did not mention Angelina Jolie's flawless and moving performance. But, I give the top honor to Clint Eastwood for giving us films that educate and entertain. And, "Gran Torino" (2008) is no exception. One cannot walk away from a Clint Eastwood film, without saying that they haven't learned something, or without saying (just like the legendary Ethel Merman used to sing) 'there's no business (quite) like show business'. I rank "Gran Torino" (2008) a 10 out of 10. Clint Eastwood's performance is more than another version of 'Dirty Harry'. In fact, his portrayal is reminiscent of the Paul Newman character in "Nobody's Perfect".