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Monkey Shines (1988)

TV-14 | | Drama, Horror, Sci-Fi | 29 July 1988 (USA)
Monkey Shines Poster
A quadriplegic man has a trained monkey help him with his paralysis, until the little monkey begins to develop feelings, and rage, against its new master.

Director:

George A. Romero

Writers:

Michael Stewart (novel), George A. Romero (screenplay)

Stars:

Jason Beghe, John Pankow, Kate McNeil | See full cast & crew »
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7 wins & 1 nomination. See more awards »

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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jason Beghe ... Allan Mann
John Pankow ... Geoffrey Fisher
Kate McNeil ... Melanie Parker
Joyce Van Patten ... Dorothy Mann
Christine Forrest Christine Forrest ... Maryanne Hodges
Stephen Root ... Dean Burbage
Stanley Tucci ... Dr. John Wiseman
Boo ... Ella
Janine Turner ... Linda Aikman
William Newman ... Doc Williams
Tudi Wiggins Tudi Wiggins ... Esther Fry
Tom Quinn Tom Quinn ... Charlie Cunningham
Chuck Baker Chuck Baker ... Ambulance Driver
Patricia Tallman ... Party Guest
David Early David Early ... Anesthetist
See full cast »
Edit

Storyline

When Allan becomes a quadriplegic he loses all hope for living until he meets Ella - a monkey trained to fetch and carry for him around the house, obeying him in all things. But Ella is part of another experiment, and when she starts responding to Allan's underlying rage and frustration she has the ability to carry out her master's darkest wishes. Written by David Carroll <davidc@atom.ansto.gov.au>

Plot Summary | Plot Synopsis

Plot Keywords:

woman on top | nudity | telephone call | wrapped in a towel | man wrapped in a towel | See All (193) »

Taglines:

See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil... See more »

Genres:

Drama | Horror | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Certificate:

TV-14 | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

View content advisory »
Edit

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

29 July 1988 (USA) See more »

Also Known As:

Ella See more »

Filming Locations:

University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA See more »
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Box Office

Budget:

$7,000,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$5,344,577
See more on IMDbPro »

Company Credits

Production Co:

Orion Pictures See more »
Show more on IMDbPro »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

| (cut)

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1
See full technical specs »
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Did You Know?

Trivia

This is one of the few films in cinema history to feature a male monkey. See more »

Goofs

(at around 1h 40 mins) Ella urinates on Allan as a sign of mating, but it's actually the male capuchin who urinates on its mate. This would suggest that Ella is in fact a male capuchin. See more »

Quotes

[first lines]
Allan Mann: [after waking up] Linda? I'm gonna go run.
See more »

Crazy Credits

"Introducing Boo as Ella" See more »

Connections

Featured in Trailer Trauma 3: 80s Horrorthon (2017) See more »

Soundtracks

There'll Be Another Spring
Written by Peggy Lee and Hubie Wheeler
Performed by Peggy Lee
Courtesy of Capitol Records, Inc.
Under license from Capitol Special Markets
See more »

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Do disabled people in real life ever use monkeys for help around the house?
See more »

User Reviews

 
Monkey Shines!
22 December 2003 | by Movie Nuttball – See all my reviews

Monkey Shines is a good horror movie! It has very good action from the actors and the monkey was was excellent! I don't want to spoil it for you if you haven't seen it but its excellent for horror fans! If you have seen it I also recommend Link and Shakma! Anyway I recommend Monkey Shines!
15 of 30 people found this review helpful.  Was this review helpful to you? | Report this
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