127 Hours (2010)

Director:

Danny Boyle

Writers (WGA):

Danny Boyle (screenplay) &
Simon Beaufoy (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

28 January 2011 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Biography | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

Every Second Counts

Plot:

A mountain climber becomes trapped under a boulder while canyoneering alone near Moab, Utah and resorts to desperate measures in order to survive.

Plot Keywords:

Boulder | Canyon | Alone | Aron Ralston | Mountain Climber

Awards:

Nominated for 6 Oscars. Another 15 wins & 82 nominations

Cast

James Franco	...	Aron Ralston
Kate Mara	...	Kristi
Amber Tamblyn	...	Megan
Sean Bott	...	Aron's Friend (as Sean A. Bott)
Koleman Stinger	...	Aron Age 5
Treat Williams	...	Aron's Dad
John Lawrence	...	Brian
Kate Burton	...	Aron's Mom
Bailee Michelle Johnson	...	Sonja Age 10
Parker Hadley	...	Aron Age 15
Clémence Poésy	...	Rana
Fenton Quinn	...	Blue John (as Fenton G. Quinn)
Lizzy Caplan	...	Sonja Ralston
Peter Joshua Hull	...	Boy on Sofa (as P.J. Hull)
Pieter Jan Brugge	...	Eric Meijer
Rebecca C. Olson	...	Monique Meijer (as Rebecca Olson)
Jeffrey Wood	...	Andy Meijer
Norman Lehnert	...	Dan
Xmas Lutu	...	Helicopter Co-Pilot
Terry S. Mercer	...	Helicopter Pilot
Darin Southam	...	Zach
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Zachary Haycock	...	Reporter
Johnny Ahn	...	Basketball Fan (uncredited)
Robert Bear	...	Aron's Friend (uncredited)
Luke Drake	...	Aron's Friend (uncredited)
Christopher K. Hagadone	...	Basketball Fan (uncredited)
Elizabeth Hales	...	Patron (uncredited)
Kelly Higgins	...	Fan (uncredited)
Brad Johnson	...	Friend of Aaron (uncredited)
Lonzo Liggins	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Samantha Marsden	...	Media person / Basketball Game Fan (uncredited)
Kelsie Mathews	...	Basketball Fan (uncredited)
Kyle Paul	...	Best Man (uncredited)
Priscilla Poland	...	Bridesmaid (uncredited)
Aron Ralston	...	Himself (uncredited)
Jessica Ralston	...	Herself (uncredited)
Amy Savannah	...	Basketball Fan (uncredited)
Stacey Ann Turner	...	Aron's Friend (uncredited)

Directed by
Danny Boyle

Writing credits (WGA)
Danny Boyle		(screenplay) &
Simon Beaufoy		(screenplay)
Aron Ralston		(book "Between a Rock and a Hard Place")

Produced by
Bernard Bellew	....	executive producer
Danny Boyle	....	producer
Christian Colson	....	producer
Lisa Maria Falcone	....	executive producer
Tom Heller	....	co-producer
François Ivernel	....	executive producer
John J. Kelly	....	executive producer
Cameron McCracken	....	executive producer
Diarmuid McKeown	....	associate producer
Tessa Ross	....	executive producer
Gareth Smith	....	co-producer
John Smithson	....	producer

Original Music by
A.R. Rahman

Cinematography by
Enrique Chediak		(director of photography)
Anthony Dod Mantle		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Jon Harris

Casting by
Donna Isaacson

Production Design by
Suttirat Anne Larlarb		(as Suttirat Larlarb)

Art Direction by
Christopher R. DeMuri		(as Chris DeMuri)

Set Decoration by
Les Boothe		(as Les M. Boothe)
Cynthia A. Neibaur		(co-set decorator)

Costume Design by
Suttirat Anne Larlarb		(as Suttirat Larlarb)

Makeup Department
Ginger Anglin-Cervantes	....	special makeup effects artist
Roland Blancaflor	....	special effects makeup technician
Tony Gardner	....	special makeup designer
Jonathan Gording	....	contact lens: special
Gina Homan	....	makeup department head
Timothy Huizing	....	special makeup effects artist
Jenna Kilgrow	....	department head hair
Lora Laing	....	key hair stylist
Christianna Mower	....	makeup artist
Stephanie Scott	....	makeup department head

Production Management
Craig Ayers	....	production supervisor: second unit
Bernard Bellew	....	unit production manager
Jeanette Haley	....	post production supervisor
John J. Kelly	....	unit production manager
Duff Rich	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jason Allred	....	second second assistant director
Cody Harbaugh	....	second assistant director (as Cody J. Harbaugh)
J. Scott Smiley	....	first assistant director
David Ticotin	....	first assistant director (as David A. Ticotin)
Heather Toone	....	second assistant director (as Heather Toone Johnson)
Roman Ilies	....	trainee assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Scott Arneman	....	property master
Brent Astrope	....	construction coordinator
Tyler Astrope	....	head scenic
Burke Bowthorpe	....	additional propsman
Sam Demke	....	sculptor
Dillon Ellefson	....	set constructor
Russell Evans	....	carpenter
Wray Featherstone	....	assistant property master
Jason Haase	....	art department
Matt Harris	....	assistant property master
Michael T. Higgins	....	leadman
Rosemary Hillyerd	....	assistant property master (as Rosemary Hillyard)
Scott Hinckley	....	set dresser
Brendan Houghton	....	storyboard artist
Hollie Howton	....	art department coordinator
Stephen Ison	....	on-set carpenter
Janet Kusnick	....	storyboard artist
Cynthia A. Neibaur	....	buyer
L.S. Prickett	....	on-set dresser
Dustin Rouillard	....	scenic
Scott Ruley	....	greensman
Jonas Sappington	....	on-set dresser
Linden Snyder	....	draftsman
Eric Strain	....	assistant greensman
Cordell Taylor	....	carpenter
Liz Vastola	....	assistant to production designer
William Hawa	....	props (uncredited)
Derek Hunter	....	graphics (uncredited)

Sound Department
Hugo Adams	....	effects field recordist
Niv Adiri	....	sound design editor
Niv Adiri	....	sound re-recording mixer: pre-mix
Ben Barker	....	sound design editor
Nicolas Becker	....	foley artist
Nicolas Becker	....	foley editor
David Betancourt	....	adr mixer: Los Angeles
Jason Brady	....	boom operator
Andrew Caller	....	assistant re-recording mixer
Alfonso Calvo	....	dubbing re-recording mixer
Douglas Cameron	....	sound mixer
Gillian Dodders	....	supervising dialogue adr editor
Noel Espinosa	....	boom operator
Glenn Freemantle	....	sound designer
Glenn Freemantle	....	supervising sound editor
Joseph L. Garrard	....	boom operator (as Joseph Garrard)
Glen Gathard	....	assistant foley editor
Peter Gleaves	....	adr mixer: London
Andy Hagon	....	sound mix technician
Marisa Kelley	....	boom operator
Steven C. Laneri	....	sound mixer
Adam Mendez	....	foley recordist
Emilie O'Connor	....	assistant sound editor
Emilie O'Connor	....	dialogue editor
Jon Olive	....	foley editor
Palmer Pattison	....	adr mixer: London
Richard Pryke	....	sound re-recording mixer
Charleen Richards	....	adr mixer: Los Angeles (as Charleen Steeves)
James Shannon	....	dolby sound consultant
Andy Stallabrass	....	adr recordist
Ian Tapp	....	sound re-recording mixer
Lee Herrick	....	dialogue editor (uncredited)
Mark Heslop	....	sound editor (uncredited)
Paul Jousselin	....	assistant foley artist (uncredited)
John Soukup	....	sound transfer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
William Aldridge	....	special effects coordinator
Blair Foord	....	special effects supervisor
Alan McFarland	....	special lighting effects
Michael Roundy	....	special effects technician
Ryan Roundy	....	special effects technician

Visual Effects by
Matthew Baker	....	digital restoration
Tim Caplan	....	visual effects producer
Steve Casa	....	3d scan technician
Amy Cuthbertson	....	matchmove artist: Union VFX
Jesus Garrido	....	digital compositor
Adam Gascoyne	....	visual effects supervisor
Charlotte Gray	....	digital restoration artist
Will Hudson	....	digital restoration
Emma Hulme	....	digital restoration
Kaveh Montazer	....	digital compositor
Mervyn New	....	digital compositor
Valerio Oss	....	digital compositor
Aymeric Perceval	....	digital compositor: Union vfx
Victor Perez	....	digital compositor & compositing TD
Caroline Pires	....	digital compositor
Kim Ranzani	....	digital compositor
Jason Rose	....	digital effects
Jean-Clement Soret	....	digital colourist
Noga Alon Stein	....	visual effects production assistant
James Winnifrith	....	visual effects editor
Brandon Harr	....	lidar supervisor: LiDAR VFX (uncredited)

Stunts
Stanton Barrett	....	stunt double: James Franco
Chad Biddle	....	stunts
Luke Cudney	....	stunts
Jeff Danoff	....	stunts
Ryan Happy	....	stunts
Nicola C. Hindshaw	....	stunts (as Nicola Hindshaw)
David Hugghins	....	stunts
Anna Mercedes Morris	....	stunts
Patrick J. Statham	....	stunt coordinator
Brett Sutteer	....	safety coordinator
Tyson Swasey	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Justin Andrews	....	gaffer
Nathan Armstrong	....	second assistant camera
Yelena Baykova	....	video assist
Kurtis Burr	....	second assistant camera
Michael B. Call	....	camera operator: "c" camera (as Mike Call)
Chris Cavanaugh	....	DIT
Zep Christensen	....	first assistant camera (as Joe 'Zep' Christensen)
Carlos Cibils	....	spacecam tech
Stefan Ciupek	....	DIT
Daniel Courtright	....	key grip
Brandon Ellsworth	....	company grip
David Erickson	....	second assistant camera (as David Ericksen)
Jeff Gustafson	....	video assist
Andrew Hicks	....	grip
Judd Hillman	....	electrician
Gary Johnson	....	first assistant camera
Tracy Keele	....	grip
Josh Lee	....	electrician
Babak Mansouri	....	camera operator
Michael Mansouri	....	DIT
Simon Miya	....	second assistant camera
Dominic Napolitano	....	first assistant camera
Gaylen Nebeker	....	video assist
Jeremy Neish	....	data manager
Thomas Neivelt	....	gaffer
Nino Neuboeck	....	first assistant camera
David B. Nowell	....	aerial director of photography
Tracy Nystrom	....	film loader
Tracy Nystrom	....	second assistant camera
Linus Platt	....	company grip
Glade Quinn	....	best boy grip
John Raymer	....	electrician
Joel Remke	....	second assistant camera
Adam Smith	....	best boy electric
Alan E. Stoddard	....	key grip
David Stoddard	....	best boy electric
Craig Sullivan	....	grip
Paul McKay Taylor	....	key film loader
Paul McKay Taylor	....	second assistant camera
Cameron Thorburn	....	crane operator
Charles Unice	....	electrician
Christina Voros	....	set videographer
Jason Walser	....	best boy grip
Peter Weiland	....	lighting technician
David White	....	second assistant camera
Chuck Zlotnick	....	still photographer
Peter Zuccarini	....	underwater camera operator
Simon Miya	....	additional camera operator (uncredited)

Casting Department
Rie Attridge	....	local casting
Katie Jensen	....	extras casting
Jason Montgomery	....	casting associate
Tori Silvera Bush	....	location casting
Yong Yun	....	extras casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Michelle l Boucher	....	set costumer
Jacqueline Newell	....	costume supervisor
Emma Potter	....	assistant costume designer
Liz Vastola	....	assistant to costume designer

Editorial Department
Matthew Benns	....	data management
Matthew Bristowe	....	digital intermediate producer
Mike Clark-Hall	....	second assistant editor
David Cummins	....	digital media supervisor
James Cundill	....	on-line editor
Richard Etchells	....	digital intermediate editor
Mark Gillins	....	digital lab tech
Tamsin Jeffrey	....	first assistant editor
Todd Kleparski	....	digital intermediate producer
Russ Lasson	....	digital media engineer (as Russell Lasson)
Mike Morrison	....	post production coordinator
Q. Bryce Randle	....	digital lab tech
Nolan Southerland	....	lead digital lab tech
Dominic Thomson	....	on-line editor

Music Department
Matt Dunkley	....	conductor
Matt Dunkley	....	orchestrator
Matt Fletcher	....	producer: additional music
Isobel Griffiths	....	orchestra contractor
Jake Jackson	....	score engineer
Pete Lockett	....	musician: percussion
Ian Neil	....	music supervisor
Karl Peters	....	musician: bass
A.R. Rahman	....	musician
Andy Richards	....	original score mixer
Andy Richards	....	score mixed by
Joel Shearer	....	musician: guitar
John Warhurst	....	music editor

Transportation Department
Britani Alexander	....	transportation coordinator
Julie Fife	....	driver
Tj Fitzgerald	....	driver
Bob Hoversten	....	honeywagon driver
Jason Kelly	....	driver: cast
Ryan McDowell	....	driver
Brett Miller	....	transportation captain
Thad Paget	....	driver
Rick Spidell	....	picture cars

Other crew
Devin Chase Allen	....	stand-in
Craig Ayers	....	production coordinator
Julie Bernards	....	payroll accountant
John Bigler	....	data manager
Erich Cannon	....	production assistant
Cody Cross	....	medical/safety coordinator
Cody Cross	....	security provided by
Matt Curtis	....	title design
Linda DeVilliers	....	studio teacher
Gaia Elkington	....	assistant to Danny Boyle and Christian Colson
Jake Filmore	....	production assistant
Cliff Fleming	....	pilot: aerial photography
Ignacio Garcia	....	production assistant
Ariadne Getty	....	development funds provided by
Krystle Grandy	....	production assistant
Meg Halsey	....	production secretary
Heather T. Henderson	....	assistant to producer & director
Kipling Hicks	....	assistant production coordinator
Sean Kavanagh	....	archive researcher
Sherlan N. Koloi	....	assistant location manager
Brandon Lavery	....	production assistant to location department
Dennis Light	....	location manager
Kristin Ludwin	....	script supervisor
Krystal Mathiesen	....	first assistant accountant
Alex McCullough	....	production assistant
Katie McMinn	....	photo double
Tracey Merkle	....	script supervisor
Jennifer Mitchell	....	key craft service
Rachel Moceri	....	set production assistant
Marshall D. Moore	....	film commissioner
Mike Morrison	....	post production co-ordinator
Ryan Pederson	....	production assistant
Kate Penlington	....	clearances
Fenton Quinn	....	head animal wrangler (as Fenton G. Quinn)
Irwin M. Rappaport	....	production legal
Adam Razvi	....	assistant to head of physical production: Pathé
Mark Robinette	....	piano teacher
Jordan Romano	....	production assistant
Rebecca R. Ryan	....	accounting clerk
Peter Silberstein	....	set production assistant
Noelle Volpintesta	....	assistant: head of physical production: Pathé
Mickelle Weber	....	production assistant
Jeremy Westerman	....	animal wrangler

Thanks
Miles Levy	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Fox Searchlight Pictures (presents)
• Pathé
• Everest Entertainment (in association with)
• Cloud Eight Films (as Cloud Eight)
• Decibel Films
• Darlow Smithson Productions (as Darlow Smithson)
• Dune Entertainment (made in association with)
• Big Screen Productions

Distributors

• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation (2010) (worldwide) (all media)
• 20th Century Fox Australia (2010) (Australia) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Netherlands (2011) (Netherlands) (theatrical) (through Warner Bros.)
• 20th Century Fox (2011) (Belgium) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox (2011) (Japan) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox (2011) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox (2010) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox de Argentina (2011) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox of Germany (2011) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Fox Searchlight Pictures (2010) (USA) (theatrical)
• Front Row Filmed Entertainment (2011) (United Arab Emirates) (theatrical) (Middle East)
• GAGA (2011) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Monopole-Pathé (2010) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Odeon (2011) (Greece) (theatrical)
• Pathé (2011) (France) (theatrical)
• Pathé (2011) (UK) (theatrical)
• Shoval Film Production (2011) (Israel) (theatrical)
• Twentieth Century Fox C.I.S. (2011) (Russia) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (2011) (Netherlands) (theatrical) (through)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2011) (Argentina) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2011) (Argentina) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2011) (USA) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2011) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Castello Lopes Multimédia (2011) (Portugal) (all media)
• Film1 (2012) (Netherlands) (TV) (limited)
• Home Box Office (HBO) (2011) (USA) (TV)
• Odeon (2011) (Greece) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• RTL Entertainment (2013) (Netherlands) (TV) (RTL5)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment Germany (2011) (Germany) (DVD)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2011) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2011) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-ray)

Special Effects

• Alterian (special prosthetics effects)
• Lidar Services (visual effects)
• Union Visual Effects

Other Companies

• AP  title design: main and end titles
• Air Lyndhurst Studios  music recording (as Air Studios)
• Anvil Post Production  foley recording (as Anvil Post Technicolor)
• BBC Motion Gallery  stock footage
• Clairmont Camera  camera equipment
• Color Mill  digital post services
• Corbis  stock footage
• Craze Agency, The  extras casting
• De Lane Lea  ADR recording
• Eastwood (Sound and Vision)  additional Pro Tools systems
• Fatts  post-production script services
• Film4  funding
• Framepool  stock footage
• Getty Images  stock footage
• HD Camera Rentals.com  camera equipment
• HireWorks  Avid Nitris DX rental
• Historic Films  stock footage
• Intelligent Media  international monitoring agency
• Interscope Records  soundtrack
• Limitless Productions  dolly system
• Limitless Productions  mini remote hot head
• P S TECHNIK  camera equipment
• Pinewood Studios  re-recording
• Scales and Tails  animals
• Scallywag Travel  travel agent
• Sound 24  sound editorial
• Sound 24  sound effects pre-recording
• Technicolor  post-production

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for language and some disturbing violent content/bloody images

Runtime:

94 min

Country:

USA | UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

SDDS | Dolby Digital | DTS

Certification:

USA:R (certificate #46305) | Malaysia:18 | UK:15 | Ireland:15A | Australia:MA | Canada:14A (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Ontario) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Singapore:NC-16 | South Korea:15 | Germany:12 | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | Chile:14 | Philippines:PG-13 (MTRCB) | Sweden:15 | Brazil:16 | Portugal:M/12 | Peru:14 | Argentina:16 | Japan:G | Italy:VM14

Filming Locations:

Moab, Utah, USA

Company:

Fox Searchlight Pictures

Trivia:

To make James Franco's portrayal of Aron Ralston as accurate as possible, the real Ralston told director Danny Boyle to have Franco recite lyrics from the jam band Phish, Ralston's favorite band.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Aron plops into the water pool after freeing himself, his hat comes off in the water. Then he rises to kneeling, drinking and splashing water on face and head. In at least one quick shot of this, his hat is on.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Aron Ralston:Hey. Aron here. Leave a message.
Sonja Ralston:Hey Aron. Sonja here, again. I know that you're probably gonna be away this weekend. But listen, just think about we we're gonna play. Please. 'Cause we have to decide, and we really... We need to practice, okay? Anyway, it will be fun. I promise. And oh, please call mom. Please. 'Cause she worries, which you know already. Okay. Later, A., goodbye.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Middle: Friends, Lies, and Videotape (#2.15)" (2011)

Soundtrack:

Ça Plane Pour Moi

A Triumph

Sometimes (even oftentimes) in the world of film criticism, the word "triumphant" is thrown around. It's often used to describe a film, perhaps more often a performance. I've certainly used it; it's a term I like to pull out when a film seems to go beyond the call of duty. When it's more than art, entertainment, or a combination of both. When the story, images, and characters pop off the screen and go with you, and the lasting impression left on you means something more than having killed a couple hours in a big, dark room with a bunch of strangers. Now, after watching 127 Hours, I feel I've never used "triumphant" in the correct critical context before.

James Franco's performance is simply astounding. He, as an actor, is triumphant because his character is, and because he delves into what it means to be bringing this incredible story to life on the big screen for mass consumption. This is a tough role - Franco is basically putting on a one-man show, and he does so elegantly. We feel Aron Ralston's pain because Franco feels his pain and shows it in every line of his face, verbalizes it with every sigh, and lets it control him even as he battles to take control back and find a way out of his dire situation.

It's pure, masterful art. Franco is simply flawless. Trapped by the boulder, much of his performance lies in his facial expressions, and he is able to deftly switch from desperation to comedy to a brutal will to survive, all while being barely able to move. I've rarely been so impressed by an actor's work; Franco is wholly deserving of the Oscar.

Danny Boyle's kinetic, energetic direction is a perfect match for Franco's easy-going goofiness, and even when the film becomes grounded in the narrow canyon where Ralston was trapped, Boyle always keeps things interesting. He and co-writer Simon Beaufoy weave flashbacks and hallucinations into Ralston's dilemma to great, heart-breaking effect, and the premonition that drives Ralston to finally dive whole-heartedly into amputating his own arm is breath-taking in its tenderness.

Also impressive is Enrique Chediak and Anthony Dod Mantle's cinematography. Instead of letting the confined space limit their camera techniques, they tackle every possible angle, often bringing the audience uncomfortably close to the action. Shots through the bottom of Ralston's water bottle mark time and heighten the sense of urgency. The addition of home movie-style footage brings Ralston even closer to the audience; when he expresses his delayed gratitude to his family, you'll likely find yourself thinking about the last time you told your parents how much you love them. It's a great device, and is put to best use in one of the film's funniest scenes, when Ralston interviews himself Gollum-style. The combination of the dark humor, varied cinematography, and Franco's impressive facial dexterity pitch the scene perfectly; it's a lighter moment that is nevertheless grounded in the gravity of the situation.

Complementing and combining Chediak and Mantle's beautiful shots is Jon Harris's dynamic editing. The use of split-screen is particularly brilliant, put to use in innovative ways throughout the film: the bookend sequences mark Ralston's departure from and return to society, and the technique in general represents the multiple facets of a seemingly simple tale. Yes, when it comes down to it, 127 Hours is a film about a mountain climber who gets stuck under a boulder and has to cut off his own arm. But it's so much more than that. It's about a man overcoming the physical, emotional, and intellectual strains of an unthinkable situation. It's about responsibility, love, and the will to live. Above all, it's about the triumph of the human spirit, show more clearly and beautifully here than in any other film I can think of.