Krippendorf's Tribe (1998)

An anthropologist creates a fictitious lost New Guinea tribe using his family members to cover-up for his mis-use of grant moneys.

Director:

Todd Holland

Writers:

Frank Parkin (book), Charlie Peters (screenplay)

Stars:

Richard Dreyfuss, Jenna Elfman, Natasha Lyonne

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Richard Dreyfuss	...	Krippendorf
Jenna Elfman	...	Veronica
Natasha Lyonne	...	Shelly
Gregory Smith	...	Mickey
Carl Michael Lindner	...	Edmund
Lily Tomlin	...	Ruth Allen
Stephen Root	...	Gerald Adams, Dean
Doris Belack	...	President Porter
Julio Oscar Mechoso	...	Simon Alonso
Siobhan Fallon Hogan	...	Lori (as Siobhan Fallon)
Amzie Strickland	...	Gladys Schmades
Phil Leeds	...	Dr. Harvey
Frances Bay	...	Edith Proxmire
Susan Ruttan	...	Mrs. O'Brian
Barbara Williams	...	Jennifer

Storyline

A university professor is paid to find the last undiscovered tribe of New Guinea. When he fails to find the tribe, he comes home, and rather than admitting that he's failed, he gives a lecture about the Shelmikedmu tribe (named after his children: Shelly, Mike, and Edmund) and then has his family dress like "Shelmikedmus," so that he can film them as proof of his discovery.

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Plot Keywords:

anthropologist | professor | new guinea | lecture | family relationships | 

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Taglines:

Discover the Tribe

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Genres:

Comedy

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for sexual humor

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

27 February 1998 (USA)

Also Known As:

A Tribo dos Krippendorf

Filming Locations:

Kualoa Ranch - 49560 Kamehameha Highway, Ka'a'awa, O'ahu, Hawaii, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$3,316,377, 1 March 1998, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$7,514,883, 26 April 1998

Company Credits

Production Co:

Dreyfuss / James Productions, Touchstone Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

94 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

On Twitter, Richard Dreyfuss said "I had so much fun with Jenna Elfman during Krippendorf. The movie was not very good, but we had some fun."

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Quotes

Ruth Allen: [trying to hire a guide] You. Me. Go Wasavi.

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Crazy Credits

Production Dogs .... Rosebud and Mickey

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Connections

Featured in At the Movies: Kissing a Fool/An Alan Smithee Film: Burn Hollywood Burn/Krippendorf's Tribe/The Real Blonde/Dark City/The Long Way Home (1998)

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Soundtracks

The Sound of Drums
Written by Angélique Kidjo and Jean Hebrail
Performed by Angélique Kidjo
Courtesy of Island Records Ltd.
By Arrangement with PolyGram Film & TV Music

User Reviews

Anthropology Students

I think this is a great film for anthropology students. It demonstrates many of the hypocricies that exist within academia as well as the types of pressures that many professionals feel within the field. I also think it's a great introductory example for anthropology students regarding ethics, structures of cultures, and the nature of our own culture (how we justify normally taboo items).

I show it to my Introduction to Anthropology students every year. They laugh, they ask questions, and they appreciate the film. I recommend it. I've used it for years in Anthropology classes - I have students analyze the Shelmikedmud and come up with more cultural traits. I then follow by having them simulate the type of cultural creations that scifi writers do - creating their own alien cultures.