An exploration of the careers of four unrelated professionals: a lion tamer, a robotics expert, a topiary gardener, and a naked mole rat specialist.
Our favorite trailers of the week include a double dose of Samuel L. Jackson, and a live-action remake.
User Lists
Related lists from IMDb users
Share this Rating
Title: Fast, Cheap & Out of Control (1997)
Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below.
11 wins & 2 nominations.
See more awards »
Learn more
More Like This
Standard Operating Procedure
(2008)
Documentary
|
Crime
|
War
Director:
Errol Morris
Stars:
Megan Ambuhl Graner,
Javal Davis,
Ken Davis
Documentary
|
Biography
Director:
Errol Morris
Stars:
Fred A. Leuchter Jr.,
Robert Jan Van Pelt,
David Irving
Gates of Heaven
(1978)
Documentary
|
Comedy
|
Drama
Director:
Errol Morris
Stars:
Lucille Billingsley,
Zella Graham,
Cal Harberts
Vernon, Florida
(1981)
Documentary
|
Comedy
Director:
Errol Morris
Stars:
Albert Bitterling,
Roscoe Collins,
George Harris
Tabloid
(2010)
Documentary
|
Crime
Director:
Errol Morris
Stars:
Joyce McKinney,
Peter Tory,
Troy Williams
The Unknown Known
(2013)
Documentary
|
Biography
|
History
Director:
Errol Morris
Stars:
Donald Rumsfeld,
Errol Morris
Documentary
Director:
Errol Morris
Stars:
Elsa Dorfman
A Brief History of Time
(1991)
Documentary
|
Biography
Director:
Errol Morris
Stars:
Stephen Hawking,
Isobel Hawking,
Janet Humphrey
The Dark Wind
(1991)
Drama
|
Mystery
Director:
Errol Morris
Stars:
Lance Baker,
Betty C. Barlow,
Gary Basaraba
Documentary
|
Biography
|
History
Director:
Errol Morris
Stars:
Robert McNamara,
John F. Kennedy,
Fidel Castro
The Thin Blue Line
(1988)
Documentary
|
Crime
|
Drama
Director:
Errol Morris
Stars:
Randall Adams,
David Harris,
Gus Rose
They Were There
(2011)
Documentary
|
Short
Director:
Errol Morris
Stars:
Homer Ahr,
Fred Brooks,
Gregory Chaitin
Edit
Cast
| Complete credited cast: | |||
| Dave Hoover | ... | Himself (Wild Animal Trainer) | |
| George Mendonça | ... | Himself (Topiary Gardener) | |
 |
Raymond A. Mendez | ... | Himself (Mole-Rat Specialist) (as Ray Mendez) |
| Rodney Brooks | ... | Himself - Robot Scientist | |
Edit
Plot Summary
|
Add Synopsis
Storyline
What do an elderly topiary gardener, a retired lion tamer, a man fascinated by mole rats, and a cutting-edge robotics designer have in common? Both nothing and everything in this unconventional documentary directed by Erroll Morris. Fast, Cheap & Out of Control (Referring to the robot specialist's strange philosophy of robot design structure, not Erroll Morris's documentary techniques!) interplays, overlaps, and interrelates these four separate and highly specialized documentary subjects in order to in truth study all of humanity, raising questions about the future of mankind. Written by Matthew F. Griffin
Genres:
DocumentaryParents Guide:
Add content advisory for parents »
Edit
Edit
See more on IMDbPro »
See full technical specs »
Details
Country:
USALanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
3 October 1997 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
Ektos elenhou See more »Filming Locations:
Green Animals Topiary Garden - Cory's Lane off Rt. 114, Portsmouth, Rhode Island, USAEdit
Box Office
Opening Weekend USA:
$23,665, 5 October 1997, Limited ReleaseGross USA:
$832,785, 11 January 1998Company Credits
Show more on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Sound Mix:
Dolby DigitalAspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1
Edit
Dave Hoover: His mind now has been completely distracted from his original thought: "Eat the man in the white pants."
See more »
Did You Know?
Trivia
Discussed in Episode 97 of the popular radio program This American Life. The subject was "Death to Wacky" and it originally aired on March 20, 1998. See more »Quotes
[On pointing the four legs of a chair in a lion's face]Dave Hoover: His mind now has been completely distracted from his original thought: "Eat the man in the white pants."
See more »
Frequently Asked Questions
This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.Contribute to This Page
Watch Hollywood hits and TV favorites for free with IMDb Freedive. Start streaming on IMDb and Fire TV devices today!
Explore popular action and adventure titles available to stream with Prime Video.
I was amazed at how Errol Morris abstractly tied together four people with such contrasting occupations. I was skeptical before seeing the film--after all, how on earth would anyone relate a lion tamer, topiary gardener, mole rat specialist and robot expert--but Morris pulls it off excellently. The ties between certain details of each interview either tie visually or conceptually with one of the other interviewees, and the beauty is in the way the ideas are strung together. The quirky soundtrack is fantastic, giving a twist to circus music that carries the mood of the film, as well as help Morris to make serious comments about life. At any rate, this is a very enjoyable documentary, even to those who strongly dislike documentaries.