BearCity (2010)

Popularity:

No change in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.

Director:

Douglas Langway

Writers:

Douglas Langway (written by) and
Lawrence Ferber (written by)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

Romance can be hairy

Plot:

Set in New York's gay "bear" scene and taking a cue from the popular HBO franchise "Sex and the City,"...

Plot Keywords:

Gay | Mixed Caps In Title | One Word Title | Jealousy | Twink

Cast

Alex Di Dio	...	Simon
Kevin E. Smith	...	Santa (as Rockstar)
Joe Conti	...	Tyler
Carlos Abrieu	...	Computer Bear
Ross Rogers	...	Computer Bear's Boyfriend
Arthur H. Morgan	...	Construction Bear One
Oscar Maurosa	...	Construction Bear Two
Andrew McCormick	...	Finance Bear
Daniel Browne	...	Times Square Bear One
Jonathan Gati	...	Times Square Bear Two
Justin Ciambra	...	Dog Walker Bear
Paul Siljee Jr.	...	Auditioning Actor
Ashlie Atkinson	...	Amy
Robbyne Kaamil	...	Receptionist
Phillip S.R. Allison	...	Director (as Phillip Allison)
Brian Keane	...	Fred
Christian Dante White	...	Cory
Mark Ellis	...	J.P,
Kerry Watterson	...	Big Bear
Chumley Singer	...	Daddy
Leslie L. Smith	...	Greg
Bill McKinley	...	Rob
James Martinez	...	Carlos
Gregory Gunter	...	Michael
Stephen Guarino	...	Brent
Fernando Mateo Jr.	...	Keith
Jack Bethke	...	Randy (as Jack G. Bethke)
Jason Hill	...	Big Al
Gerald McCullouch	...	Roger
John Cunningham	...	Playmate One
Joey Stern	...	Playmate Two
Torez Bandeira	...	Playmate Three
Will Bethencourt	...	Jack
Paul J. Siljee	...	Mover
Nick Siljee	...	Passerby
Yaniv Dabach	...	Street Cub
Jonathan McEwan	...	Ted (as Jonny Mack)
Paul Mauriello	...	Bob
Fergus O'Brien	...	Jim
Michael Hartney	...	Robbie
Justin Stafford	...	Drag Queen (as Trai La Trash)
Dean Morris	...	Polar Bear
Chris March	...	Himself
Ted Huang	...	Jealous Boyfriend
Donny Terry	...	Disgruntled Cag*eacute; Customer
Jeffrey Marx	...	Fireplug Cub
J. Noah Rubin	...	Gen-X Bear One
Michael Bastianelli	...	Gen-X Bear Two
Ron Suresha	...	Gen-X Bear Three
Cole Mangano	...	Muscle Cub
Vayu O'Donnell	...	Paul
Dan Derby	...	Paul's Boyfriend
Peter Stickles	...	Executive
Sherry Stregack	...	Nurse
David Drake	...	Dr. Straube
David Beggs	...	Slimworkzzz Model One
David 'Austexgrizzly' LaVin	...	Slimworkzzz Model Two
Edd Chango	...	Burly Dad 'Stroller Meat'
Kathryn Moser	...	Wife
Joe Zaso	...	Peter (as Joseph Zaso)
Roy War	...	Ken
Michael Musto	...	Himself
Mike Brewer	...	Nipple Clamp Bear
Sebastian La Cause	...	Fernando
Gary Marcus	...	Bartender Cub
Robert Hollenbeck Jr.	...	Warren (as Bob Hollenbeck)
John O'Malley	...	Baller
Ed Davis	...	Shell Lover
Roland Rusinek	...	Frank
Johnathan Cerio	...	Danny
Blake Evan Sherman	...	Melvin 'Uncle Mel'
Robert Presar	...	GoGoBear
Randy Jones	...	Buck
Samuel Kite	...	Chaser (as Sam Kite)
Elli	...	Heavy Bear (as Eliezer 'Elli' Meyer)
Kevin Chamberlain	...	Himself
Joe Mannetti	...	Hot Daddy Bear
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
James Rudy Flesher	...	Bar Patron
Vinny Lomoriello	...	Handsome Bear #2
Scott Maxson	...	John
Mike Quirk	...	Handsome Bear #1
Mark Singer	...	Daddy
Carlin Langley	...	Extra (uncredited)

Directed by
Douglas Langway		(as Doug Langway)

Writing credits
Douglas Langway		(written by) (as Doug Langway) and
Lawrence Ferber		(written by)

Produced by
Gregg Alwine	....	co-executive producer
Scott Ballin	....	co-executive producer
Derek Curl	....	executive producer
Lawrence Ferber	....	associate producer
Heidi H. Hamelin	....	producer
Ted Huang	....	co-executive producer
Michael S. Karen	....	co-executive producer
Jerry Knight	....	co-executive producer
Jim Lande	....	executive producer (as Jim A. Lande)
Christopher Petty	....	co-executive producer
José M. Queiros	....	co-executive producer
Dan Sanborn	....	co-executive producer
Lewis Tice	....	executive producer
Lewis Tice	....	producer
Michael Truppo	....	co-executive producer
Henry White	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Kerry Muzzey

Cinematography by
Michael Hauer		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Gerald Fernando		(as Gerald C. Fernando)
Douglas Langway		(as Doug Langway)

Casting by
Zoe E. Rotter

Production Design by
Racey North

Costume Design by
Kathryn Moser

Makeup Department
Amy Wadford	....	key hair stylist
Amy Wadford	....	key makeup artist

Production Management
Bennett Elliott	....	production manager
Gerald Fernando	....	post-production supervisor (as Gerald C. Fernando)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ed Gately	....	first assistant director: second unit
Ed Gately	....	second assistant director
Tracy Utley	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Michelle McLoota	....	art production assistant

Sound Department
Eve Cuyen	....	sound designer
Eve Cuyen	....	sound re-recording mixer
Yaniv Dabach	....	boom operator
Derek Morse	....	sound recordist

Camera and Electrical Department
Peter Barr	....	first assistant camera: second unit
Greg Boas	....	camera operator: second unit
Scott Cramer	....	gaffer/lighting director
Patrick Egan	....	grip
Eric S. Eichelberger	....	swing
Gerald Fernando	....	second assistant camera: second unit (as Gerald C. Fernando)
Kevin Galvin	....	on-set photographer (as Kevin Bersig-Galvin)
Sara Hahn	....	second assistant camera (as Sara C. Hahn)
Emilie Jackson	....	second assistant camera: second unit
Lee Kazista	....	crane operator: second unit
David Lanese	....	camera operator: second unit (as Dave Lanese)
Amanda Provost	....	swing
Nate Spengler	....	first assistant camera
Steve Sterling	....	key grip
Brigid Swanick	....	grip (as Bridgid Swanick)
Michael Yannetelli	....	camera operator: second unit (as Mike Yannetelli)

Animation Department
John Boutwell	....	senior animator
Nathan Gooden	....	assistant animator
J. Noah Rubin	....	senior animator (as J. Noah Rubin)
Miguel Valdes	....	senior animator

Casting Department
Kali Riley	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Kayla Viani	....	assistant costume designer

Editorial Department
Michael Christelles	....	post-production assistant
Jared Crellin	....	post-production assistant
Bruno Furtado	....	post-production assistant
Jason Hill	....	assistant editor
Daniel McNea	....	post-production assistant
David O'Grady	....	post-production assistant
Rob Rosenberg	....	assistant editor
Miguel Valdes	....	colorist

Music Department
Will Bethencourt	....	music consultant
Freddy Freeman	....	music consultant
Martin Petersen	....	music consultant
Margarita Sullivan	....	music clearances
Margarita Sullivan	....	music consultant
Margarita Sullivan	....	music supervisor
Marc Urselli	....	music mixer

Transportation Department
Nathan Buffaloe	....	driver
Tovi Collier	....	driver
Dee Martin	....	driver
Paul T. Robertson	....	driver
Scott Sousa	....	driver

Other crew
Mark Aranduque	....	production accountant
Nora Bernard	....	production assistant
Greg Boas	....	documentary crew
Nathan Buffaloe	....	production assistant
Michael Christelles	....	title designer: end titles
Tovi Collier	....	production assistant
Monty Diamond	....	location scout
Rob Hauschild	....	documentary crew
Jamila Hunter	....	production assistant (as Jamila H. Hunter)
Alina Johnson	....	production assistant
Evan Kenward	....	key production assistant
Michelle Labriola	....	assistant to director
David Lanese	....	documentary crew (as Dave Lanese)
Stephen Langway	....	production accountant
Brian Leung	....	production assistant: second unit
Dee Martin	....	production assistant
Daniel McNea	....	production assistant: second unit
Rob Rosenberg	....	bowling coach
Noah Rubin	....	title designer: opening titls (as J. Noah Rubin)
Friday Savathphoune	....	script supervisor
Scott Sousa	....	production assistant
Miguel Valdes	....	title designer: opening titles

Production Companies

• BearCity Limits

Distributors

• TLA Releasing (2010) (USA) (all media)
• TLA Releasing (2010) (Canada) (all media)
• TLA Releasing (2010) (UK) (all media)
• Bounty Films (2010) (Australia) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Devlin Video  post-production picture services
• Harlem Audiovision  post-production sound services
• Studio West  additional adr services

Also Known As:

Runtime:

104 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

Australia:R18+

Filming Locations:

Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

BearCity Limits

Trivia:

The DVD includes two Easter eggs: a deleted scene and an interview shot during production.

Goofs:

Continuity: In the bowling scene when Tyler is attempting to pick up the split, as the ball goes down the alley the scene is first in slow motion and then in regular motion. As the ball reaches the pins and the film changes from slow to regular, the ball jumps back a couple of feet.

Quotes:

Carlos:Michael, I look at you and I see how beautiful you are. Inside and out.
Michael:I better see the inside out of this shirt, at the foot of my bed, in about forty seconds.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Lights Up! Slap & Tickle: A New American Play in Provincetown (????)

Sweet, Flawed, Charming - Could Have Been So Much Better

Cute with the typical amateurish qualities that make gay films of this nature either charming or painful, depending upon your sensibilities. The acting is earnest but decidedly nonprofessional. The only standout is Gregory Gunter, whose character (Michael) is utterly compelling and which Gunter plays with pathos and humor but not self-pity. Gerald McCulloch as Roger is large unwatchable, though it's hard to tell whether it's because his character is such a d***head or because the actor's own ego kept popping through. (If you watch his endless interview after in the DVD highlights, you'll see what I mean.) It's tough to make a film centered around bar culture without making it seem petty, vulgar, soul-crushing, and at least occasionally self-destructive; and it's an open question whether the directors nudged a bit to highlight those aspects or whether they were simply recording cinéma vérité. With all the sweetness that comes through in the struggles of the film's couples (complete with serious and often over-the-top drama), the film's central mystery remains what Tyler (Joe Conti) could possibly see in Roger, a smarmy, shallow, ego-bloated scene queen who not once but half a dozen times snubs Tyler to his face because Tyler isn't bear enough or muscley enough (or something enough) for the superficial, middle-class-white-boys-with-gym-memberships crowd by which Roger judges himself and his actions. Or, to put it another way, you may never understand why Tyler falls for and pursues Roger (to the extent of giving himself a makeover –a move that likely guarantees the doom of any relationship) and you'll certainly find yourself asking whether he has a shred of self-esteem in his body. The fact that Roger isn't what anyone could reasonably call a bear only adds to the confusion. Personally, I'd have gone for a little less Jennifer Anniston-esque comedy and paid a little more attention to the serious and genuinely dramatic (as opposed to simply flamboyant) issues that the film skates over like thin ice before turning safely back to shore: self-esteem issues among big men and the difficulty of cultivating and maintaining a positive body image in a gay "culture" ruled by gym Nazis and diet maniacs; the painful issue that's raised in the Michael-Carlos couple when Michael considers getting lap-band surgery (is he going to wind up so thin that Carlos won't be attracted to him anymore?); the double "coming out" required of non-bears who are attracted to men who are hairy and/or fat and/or older than they are and who face ridicule for their desires; and the uneasy co-existence of working-class bears and their middle- to upper-class counterparts who wear similar drag and occupy the same physical spaces in which "bear culture" is practiced but who, arguably, are essentially antagonists. _Bear City_ seems to intend to be a coup against the slavish cultural propaganda promulgated by so many "gay" indie films, but it's more of a bitch slap than the good hard sock in the jaw that's needed. Still, the film deserves credit for its beau geste and for starting a conversation within a medium that tends to pretend it doesn't understand the question.