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
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Title: Monkey Shines (1988)
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7 wins & 1 nomination.
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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 | ... | Maryanne Hodges |
| Stephen Root | ... | Dean Burbage | |
| Stanley Tucci | ... | Dr. John Wiseman | |
| Boo | ... | Ella | |
| Janine Turner | ... | Linda Aikman | |
| William Newman | ... | Doc Williams | |
|
|
Tudi Wiggins | ... | Esther Fry |
|
|
Tom Quinn | ... | Charlie Cunningham |
|
|
Chuck Baker | ... | Ambulance Driver |
| Patricia Tallman | ... | Party Guest | |
|
|
David Early | ... | Anesthetist |
Edit
Plot Summary
|
Plot Synopsis
See All (193) »
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 Keywords:
woman on top | nudity | telephone call | wrapped in a towel | man wrapped in a towel |Taglines:
See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil... See more »Parents Guide:
View content advisory »
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Details
Country:
USALanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
29 July 1988 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
Monkey Shines: An Experiment in Fear See more »Edit
Box Office
Budget:
$7,000,000 (estimated)Gross USA:
$5,344,577Company Credits
Show more on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
| (cut)Sound Mix:
Dolby SRColor:
ColorAspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1
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Written by Alan Brandt and Bob Haymes
Performed by Peggy Lee
Courtesy of Capitol Records, Inc.
Under license from Capitol Special Markets
See more »
Did You Know?
Trivia
One of the very few films depicting a quadriplegic having sex. 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 »Crazy Credits
"Introducing Boo as Ella" See more »Alternate Versions
Earlier versions of Monkey Shines allegedly contained a bizarre brain surgery scene, as well as several abusive scenes involving the small monkey, Ellie. Although the scenes were all staged and no animals were harmed in the making of the movie, the filmmakers decided it would be better to simply leave them out to avoid conflicts. See more »Soundtracks
That's AllWritten by Alan Brandt and Bob Haymes
Performed by Peggy Lee
Courtesy of Capitol Records, Inc.
Under license from Capitol Special Markets
See more »
Frequently Asked Questions
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This film has been described as a "horror film for people who don't like horror films." That's an apt description for this underrated psychological/supernatural thriller from Pittsburgh's master horror director, George A. Romero. To date, this is Romero's only studio film, and he had to make numerous compromises to the finished product. (The originally intended ending would have been a killer.) That said, the film still comes off as smart and sharp, with some very good casting. (John Pankow, recognizable from "Mad About You," is really excellent here, and there are nice early performances from Stephen Root, Stanley Tucci, and Janine Turner.) And check out the amazingly good editing in the last 10 minutes. Overall, while this is not first-tier Romero, it's a terrific little horror film.