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IMDbPro

Cecil B. Demented

  • 2000
  • R
  • 1h 27m
IMDb RATING
6.2/10
16K
YOUR RATING
Melanie Griffith and Stephen Dorff in Cecil B. Demented (2000)
Trailer
Play trailer0:57
1 Video
91 Photos
ComedyCrimeThriller

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.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.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
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    6.2/10
    16K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • John Waters
    • Writer
      • John Waters
    • Stars
      • Melanie Griffith
      • Stephen Dorff
      • Alicia Witt
    • 154User reviews
    • 64Critic reviews
    • 57Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 2 nominations

    Videos1

    Cecil B. Demented
    Trailer 0:57
    Watch Cecil B. Demented

    Photos91

    Advance Style A, 1 sheet movie poster
    1 sheet movie poster
    Melanie Griffith and Stephen Dorff in Cecil B. Demented (2000)
    Stephen Dorff in Cecil B. Demented (2000)
    Melanie Griffith and Stephen Dorff in Cecil B. Demented (2000)
    Melanie Griffith and Stephen Dorff in Cecil B. Demented (2000)
    Melanie Griffith and Stephen Dorff in Cecil B. Demented (2000)
    Melanie Griffith and Stephen Dorff in Cecil B. Demented (2000)
    Cecil B. Demented (2000)
    Cecil B. Demented (2000)
    Cecil B. Demented (2000)
    Cecil B. Demented (2000)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Melanie Griffith
    Melanie Griffith
    • Honey Whitlock
    Stephen Dorff
    Stephen Dorff
    • Cecil B. Demented
    Alicia Witt
    Alicia Witt
    • Cherish
    Adrian Grenier
    Adrian Grenier
    • Lyle
    Lawrence Gilliard Jr.
    Lawrence Gilliard Jr.
    • Lewis
    • (as Larry Gilliard Jr.)
    Maggie Gyllenhaal
    Maggie Gyllenhaal
    • Raven
    Jack Noseworthy
    Jack Noseworthy
    • Rodney
    Mink Stole
    Mink Stole
    • Mrs. Sylvia Mallory
    Ricki Lake
    Ricki Lake
    • Libby
    Patricia Hearst
    Patricia Hearst
    • Fidget's Mom
    Michael Shannon
    Michael Shannon
    • Petie
    • (as Mike Shannon)
    Kevin Nealon
    Kevin Nealon
    • Kevin
    Eric Barry
    Eric Barry
    • Fidget
    • (as Eric M. Barry)
    Zenzele Uzoma
    • Chardonnay
    Erika Auchterlonie
    Erika Auchterlonie
    • Pam
    • (as Erika Lynn Rupli)
    Harry Dodge
    • Dinah
    • (as Harriet Dodge)
    Roseanne Barr
    Roseanne Barr
    • Rosanne
    • (as Rosanne)
    Eric Roberts
    Eric Roberts
    • Honey's Ex
    • Director
      • John Waters
    • Writer
      • John Waters
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The tattoos on the cast and crew are as follows:
      • Cecil - Otto Preminger - left forearm
      • Cherish - Andy Warhol - thigh
      • Lyle - Herschell Gordon Lewis - left breast
      • Pam - Sam Peckinpah - left arm
      • Chardonnay - Spike Lee - stomach
      • Lewis - David Lynch - knuckles
      • Fidget - William Castle - chest
      • Raven - Kenneth Anger - chest
      • Rodney - Almodovar (presumably Pedro Almodóvar) - right arm
      • Petie - Fassbinder (presumably Rainer Werner Fassbinder) - left forearm
      • Dyna - Sam Fuller (aka Samuel Fuller) - right forearm
    • Goofs
      In the chase scene with the Baltimore PD, the left front tire of the police cruiser is shot causing it to go flat and the cruiser to crash into a movie theater box office. As the cruiser slams into the box office, the tire has miraculously been re-inflated.
    • Quotes

      Cherish: All my directors fuck me.

      Cecil: I am not all your directors! I am Cecil B. Demented!

    • 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.
    • 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.
    • Connections
      Featured in SexTV: Pink or Blue?: The Science of Sex Selection/John Waters (2004)
    • Soundtracks
      Opening Credit Theme
      Written, Produced and Performed by Moby

      Featuring samples from "Music for the Movies 1"

      Written by Larry Hochman

      Courtesy of V2 Records/ Mute Records/ Destiny Music Ltd.

    User reviews154

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    7/10
    Watch Out for Those "Genre Specific" Audiences
    Any film with Alicia Witt and Maggie Gyllenhaal has very good things going for it visually. And although a little weird for mainstream audiences, "Cecil B. DeMented is a very entertaining film. Imagine a spoof about the American film industry and American movie audiences, packaged as a cross between "Dr. Strangelove" and "State and Main".

    It is after all a John Waters film, and a film set in his hometown of Baltimore. Which means the jokes will be hit-and-miss, with many best appreciated by film industry insiders and Baltimore natives. But the obvious fun the cast has playing their out-there characters is infectious. Melanie Griffith (Tippi Hedren's daughter) has a ball tweaking her diva image as she plays an aging star gradually won over to the cause of her kidnappers (insert Patti Hearst here who actually has a small part in the picture). Alicia Witt gives her best ever performance as the delectable porn star turned revolutionary. The best scene is when she and her fellow film revolutionaries hide out at a porn theater showing "Rear Entry", an anal epic co-starring Witt and a randy gerbil.

    Stephen Dorff, before he went insane and got involved with Pamela (slug) Anderson, does a good job as the title character. But watch closely for an absolutely glowing performance by Gyllenhaal. She is something special with lines like: "I haven't had this much fun since my last livestock mutilation!"

    Worth watching if you have a sense of humor, even better if you are demented.
    helpful•12
    4
    • aimless-46
    • May 6, 2005

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • September 1, 2000 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • United States
      • France
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Cecil B. Demente
    • Filming locations
      • Baltimore, Maryland, USA
    • Production companies
      • Artic Productions LLC
      • Artisan Entertainment
      • Bac Films
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $10,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $1,284,646
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $127,141
      • Aug 13, 2000
    • Gross worldwide
      • $1,961,544
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 27 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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