Cecil B. Demented (2000)

An insane independent film director and his renegade group of teenage filmmakers kidnap an A-list Hollywood actress and force her to star in their underground film.

Director:

John Waters

Writer:

John Waters

Stars:

Melanie Griffith, Stephen Dorff, Alicia Witt

2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Melanie Griffith	...	Honey Whitlock
Stephen Dorff	...	Cecil B. Demented
Alicia Witt	...	Cherish
Adrian Grenier	...	Lyle
Lawrence Gilliard Jr.	...	Lewis (as Larry Gilliard Jr.)
Maggie Gyllenhaal	...	Raven
Jack Noseworthy	...	Rodney
Mink Stole	...	Mrs. Sylvia Mallory
Ricki Lake	...	Libby
Patricia Hearst	...	Fidget's Mom
Michael Shannon	...	Petie (as Mike Shannon)
Kevin Nealon	...	Kevin
Eric Barry	...	Fidget (as Eric M. Barry)
Zenzele Uzoma	...	Chardonnay
Erika Auchterlonie	...	Pam (as Erika Lynn Rupli)

Storyline

In front of the cameras and in public, famed Hollywood actress Honey Whitlock, a product of the studio system, is as sweet as her name. Behind the scenes, she is demanding and controlling, making life a nightmare for anyone who has to deal with her, especially her browbeaten assistant, Libby. She and her entourage are in Baltimore - what is emerging as the Hollywood of the east - for the premiere of her latest movie. The premiere gets hijacked by a group of guerrilla independent filmmakers, led by director Cecil B. DeMented, in wanting to make a statement against the Hollywood studio system and the bad movies they produce. Cecil and his band kidnap Honey in the process. What their goal is, with no money per se, to make their own movie starring Honey as a statement against the Hollywood studios. Their general process is to have the scripted elements of the movie, such as Honey's dialogue, being set against "real life" in they overtaking several of the Hollywood movie studio events in ...

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Plot Keywords:

reference to cecil b. demille | reference to otto preminger | film director | terrorism | low budget film | 

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Taglines:

Demented forever!

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Genres:

Comedy | Crime | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong crude sexual content, violence, language and drug use

Did You Know?

Trivia

Honey Whitlock's line "I'm ready for my close-up, Mr. DeMented" is a reference to the last line in Sunset Blvd. (1950), "Alright, Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my close-up".

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Goofs

You can see Melanie Griffith's real hair coming out from under the blonde wig in the scene where her roots are getting treated (the same scene where the whole crew learns of the Forest Gump sequel).

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Quotes

Candy counter girl: Do you know Quentin Tarantino? I love his movies!
Cecil: No adlibbing!
[fires gun]

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Crazy Credits

The credits thank "Fred and Ginger" both insinuating Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, the dance duo, and "Fred e Ginger" a movie by Federico Fellini, paying homage to the duo.

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Alternate Versions

There was a quick shot in earlier prints of the movie theater showing the director's cut of "Patch Adams", where we see the sign advertising the director's cut. This shot can still be seen on the intro to the DVD menu, and in one of the trailers.

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Connections

References Godzilla (1998)

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Soundtracks

Everyday
Written by Todd Chaisson, Michael Parnin and Todd Michael Burr
Performed by Substance D
Courtesy of Noise Records/Modern Music Records

User Reviews

Waters' return to form

While I've enjoyed John Waters recent output, movies like Pecker and Serial Mom have played it a little to safe for my liking. It's great to think of middle-America watching any kind of Waters movie rather than pap like Pearl Harbor and The Mummy Returns, but these movies only give half the picture. While Cecil B. Demented isn't pure unadulterated Waters like Pink Flamingos, it is his best movie since Cry Baby, and a complete HOOT. Man, the sheer energy and humour of this movie, and the basic message of its love for REAL cinema, really pushed my buttons and left me grinning from ear to ear, and UP for a week afterwards! Hopefully someone out there is listening, 'gets it', and will check out some earlier Waters, and some of the work of Sprockets heroes, and their lives will be enriched forever.

Details

Country:

USA France

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 September 2000 (USA)

Also Known As:

Cecil B. Demented

Filming Locations:

Baltimore, Maryland, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$10,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$127,141, 13 August 2000

Gross USA:

$1,284,646

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$1,961,544

Company Credits

Production Co:

Artic Productions LLC, Artisan Entertainment, Bac Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

87 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1