Gray's Anatomy (1996)

After doctors inform him that an eye affliction will require risky surgery, monologist Spalding Gray recounts his various pursuits for alternative medicine to avoid the doctor's scalpel.

Director:

Steven Soderbergh

Writers:

Spalding Gray (monologue), Renée Shafransky (monologue)

Stars:

Spalding Gray, Mike McLaughlin, Melissa Robertson

Cast

Cast overview:
Spalding Gray	...	Self
Mike McLaughlin	...	Self
Melissa Robertson	...	Self
Alvin Henry	...	Self
Alyne Hargroder	...	Self
Buddy Carr	...	Self
Gerry Urso	...	Self
Chris Simms	...	Self
Tommy Staub	...	Self
Kirk A. Patrick Jr.	...	Self

Storyline

After doctors inform him that an eye affliction will require risky surgery, monologist Spalding Gray recounts his various pursuits for alternative medicine to avoid the doctor's scalpel.

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Plot Keywords:

eye | alternative medicine | one man show | storytelling | interview | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Trivia

The Broadway performance of "Gray's Anatomy" by Spalding Gray opened at the Vivian Beaumont Theatre on November 28, 1993, ran for 13 performances and closed on January 3, 1994. A repeat performance reopened at the Vivian Beaumont Theater on June 5, 1994, ran for 8 performances and closed on June 27, 1994.

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Goofs

The earpieces of the stethoscopes are supposed to have the slant toward the front because that is the way the ear canal in the skull runs. Every scene shows them just obscuring sound using the stethoscope with the slant toward the back of the user's head. Its an error against anatomy.

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Quotes

Spalding Gray: I looked across the park, and in the distance I saw leaves blowing in the wind, bunch of children running, a red ball rolling, a flock of starlings taking off. I covered my right eye:
[suiting hand actions to words]
Spalding Gray: no leaves. Blur of children, blotch of red, no birds. Covered my left: ah! Ecstacy. Cover my right: despair. Ecstacy. Despair. And I realized at that moment that I was now living the perfect yin and yang existence.

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Crazy Credits

Although inspired by actual events, the characters and events depicted in the monologue portion of this motion picture have been fictionalized. Any similarity to actual persons living or dead is purely coincidental.

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Connections

References Un Chien Andalou (1929)

User Reviews

A fascinating, hilarious and insightful little film

Made during the time when Steven Soderbergh was in the process of reinventing himself (see also "Schizopolis," made the same year), this is a wonderfully inventive film with a kinetic visual style to match Spalding Gray's verbal gymnastics. This is the kind of film that stays with you long after you've finished watching it, thanks to Gray's performance -- he is a terrific storyteller -- and Soderbergh's imaginative staging.

Caveat: If you're at all squeamish when it comes to graphic descriptions of eye injuries, this film may not be your cup of tea.

Details

Country:

USA UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

19 March 1997 (USA)

Also Known As:

Gray's Anatomy

Filming Locations:

Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$350,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$4,690, 23 March 1997

Gross USA:

$29,090

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$29,090

Company Credits

Production Co:

BBC Films, Independent Film Channel (IFC)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

80 min

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1