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12 Monkeys

Original title: Twelve Monkeys
  • 19951995
  • RR
  • 2h 9m
IMDb RATING
8.0/10
609K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
878
178
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Brad Pitt, Bruce Willis, and Madeleine Stowe in Twelve Monkeys (1995)
In a future world devastated by disease, a convict is sent back in time to gather information about the man-made virus that wiped out most of the human population on the planet.
Play trailer2:26
4 Videos
99+ Photos
  • Mystery
  • Sci-Fi
  • Thriller

In a future world devastated by disease, a convict is sent back in time to gather information about the man-made virus that wiped out most of the human population on the planet.In a future world devastated by disease, a convict is sent back in time to gather information about the man-made virus that wiped out most of the human population on the planet.In a future world devastated by disease, a convict is sent back in time to gather information about the man-made virus that wiped out most of the human population on the planet.

IMDb RATING
8.0/10
609K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
878
178
  • Director
    • Terry Gilliam
  • Writers
    • Chris Marker(inspired by the film 'La Jetée' written by)
    • David Webb Peoples(screenplay by)
    • Janet Peoples(screenplay by)
  • Stars
    • Bruce Willis
    • Madeleine Stowe
    • Brad Pitt
Top credits
  • Director
    • Terry Gilliam
  • Writers
    • Chris Marker(inspired by the film 'La Jetée' written by)
    • David Webb Peoples(screenplay by)
    • Janet Peoples(screenplay by)
  • Stars
    • Bruce Willis
    • Madeleine Stowe
    • Brad Pitt
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 728User reviews
    • 203Critic reviews
    • 74Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 2 Oscars
      • 10 wins & 25 nominations total

    Videos4

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 2:26
    Official Trailer
    '12 Monkeys' | Anniversary Mashup
    Clip 1:19
    '12 Monkeys' | Anniversary Mashup
    What Roles Did Brad Pitt Miss Out On?
    Video 3:40
    What Roles Did Brad Pitt Miss Out On?
    Dates in Movie & TV History: Dec. 13, 1996 - Virus Released in '12 Monkeys'
    Video 2:41
    Dates in Movie & TV History: Dec. 13, 1996 - Virus Released in '12 Monkeys'

    Photos115

    Bruce Willis in Twelve Monkeys (1995)
    Brad Pitt and Bruce Willis in Twelve Monkeys (1995)
    James & Dr. Railly
    Cole meets Jeffrey in the hospital
    Bruce Willis stars as James Cole
    A bleak vision of the future
    "12 Monkeys" director Terry Gilliam stages Bruce Willis' death with airport detective Stephen Bridgewater.
    Felix Pire with Brad Pitt on the set of TWELVE MONKEYS
    Brad Pitt at an event for Twelve Monkeys (1995)
    Twelve Monkeys (1995)
    Brad Pitt, Bruce Willis, and Madeleine Stowe in Twelve Monkeys (1995)
    Brad Pitt, Bruce Willis, and Madeleine Stowe in Twelve Monkeys (1995)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Bruce Willis
    Bruce Willis
    • James Coleas James Cole
    Madeleine Stowe
    Madeleine Stowe
    • Kathryn Raillyas Kathryn Railly
    Brad Pitt
    Brad Pitt
    • Jeffrey Goinesas Jeffrey Goines
    Joseph Melito
    • Young Coleas Young Cole
    Jon Seda
    Jon Seda
    • Joseas Jose
    Michael Chance
    • Scarfaceas Scarface
    Vernon Campbell
    Vernon Campbell
    • Tinyas Tiny
    H. Michael Walls
    • Botanistas Botanist
    Bob Adrian
    Bob Adrian
    • Geologistas Geologist
    Simon Jones
    Simon Jones
    • Zoologistas Zoologist
    Carol Florence
    • Astrophysicistas Astrophysicist…
    Bill Raymond
    Bill Raymond
    • Microbiologistas Microbiologist
    Ernest Abuba
    • Engineeras Engineer
    Irma St. Paule
    Irma St. Paule
    • Poetas Poet
    Joey Perillo
    Joey Perillo
    • Detective Frankias Detective Franki
    Bruce Kirkpatrick
    Bruce Kirkpatrick
    • Policeman No. 1as Policeman No. 1
    Wilfred Williams
    • Policeman No. 2as Policeman No. 2
    Rozwill Young
    • Billingsas Billings
    • Director
      • Terry Gilliam
    • Writers
      • Chris Marker(inspired by the film 'La Jetée' written by)
      • David Webb Peoples(screenplay by)
      • Janet Peoples(screenplay by)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit
    James Cole, a prisoner of the state in the year 2035, can earn parole if he agrees to travel back in time and thwart a devastating plague. The virus has wiped out most of the Earth's population and the remainder live underground because the air is poisonous. Returning to the year 1990, six years before the start of the plague, Cole is soon imprisoned in a psychiatric facility because his warnings sound like mad ravings. There he meets a scientist named Dr. Kathryn Railly and Jeffrey Goines, the mad son of an eminent virologist. Cole is returned by the authorities to the year 2035, and finally ends up at his intended destination in 1996. He kidnaps Dr. Railly in order to enlist her help in his quest. Cole discovers graffiti by an apparent animal rights group called the Army of the Twelve Monkeys, but as he delves into the mystery, he hears voices, loses his bearings, and doubts his own sanity. He must figure out if Goines, who seems to be a raving lunatic, holds the key to the puzzle.
    • time travel
    • virus
    • mental institution
    • plague
    • underground
    • 342 more
    • Plot summary
    • Plot synopsis
    • Taglines
      • The future is history.
    • Genres
      • Mystery
      • Sci-Fi
      • Thriller
    • Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)
      • Rated R for violence and language
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Terry Gilliam was afraid that Brad Pitt wouldn't be able to pull off the nervous, rapid speech. He sent him to a speech coach but in the end he just took away Pitt's cigarettes, and Pitt played the part exactly as Gilliam wanted.
    • Goofs
      In the first surface scene, the bear shot is reversed and, thus, it manages to completely inhale the condensation of its breath.
    • Quotes

      Jeffrey Goines: There's no right, there's no wrong, there's only popular opinion.

    • Crazy credits
      The symbol of the 12 Monkeys provides the backdrop for the opening and closing credits.
    • Connections
      Featured in At the Movies: From Dusk Til Dawn/Eye for an Eye/12 Monkeys/Two If by Sea/Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood (1996)
    • Soundtracks
      What a Wonderful World
      (1967)

      Written by Bob Thiele, George David Weiss

      Performed by Louis Armstrong

      Courtesy of MCA Records

    User reviews728

    Review
    Top review
    9/10
    these monkeys will go to heaven...
    "Twelve monkeys"'s got all the elements to become Terry Gilliam's masterpiece. An outstanding screenplay, a sustained rhythm, clever sometimes ironic dialogs. Moreover, he had a good nose about the cast. "Twelve monkeys" is also the first movie where Bruce Willis stands back from the kind of character he used to play in his previous movies. Here, a jaded and hopeless character which you could nickname a prisoner took over from a fearless and invincible hero (as it was the case in "Die hard"). No matter how he tries, he's a prisoner of the time. The movie contains a very thrilling end too. It's got a real dramatic power. But this terrific movie is also a reflection about man, the dangers he dreads (notably, the ones that could cause the end of the world and here, these are virus that can create illnesses). No matter how long it will take, "twelve monkeys" will be estimated at its true value: one of the masterpieces made in the nineties.
    helpful•238
    66
    • dbdumonteil
    • Jun 13, 2003

    FAQ14

    • Why did Cole eat the spider he found in the mental hospital?
    • Why was the camera focus out in this film so often? Was it the directors choice? I found it distracting.
    • How does James Cole disappear several times in the past?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • January 5, 1996 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Official Facebook
    • Languages
      • English
      • French
    • Also known as
      • Twelve Monkeys
    • Filming locations
      • Eastern State Penitentiary - 2124 Fairmont Avenue, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
    • Production companies
      • Universal Pictures
      • Atlas Entertainment
      • Classico
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $29,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $57,141,459
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $184,776
      • Jan 1, 1996
    • Gross worldwide
      • $168,839,459
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 9 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • DTS-Stereo
      • DTS
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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