Zoolander (2001)

At the end of his career, a clueless fashion model is brainwashed to kill the Prime Minister of Malaysia.

Director:

Ben Stiller

Writers:

Drake Sather (character Derek Zoolander), Ben Stiller (character Derek Zoolander)

Stars:

Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Christine Taylor

1 win & 11 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Ben Stiller	...	Derek Zoolander
Owen Wilson	...	Hansel
Christine Taylor	...	Matilda Jeffries
Will Ferrell	...	Mugatu
Milla Jovovich	...	Katinka
Jerry Stiller	...	Maury Ballstein
David Duchovny	...	J.P. Prewitt
Jon Voight	...	Larry Zoolander
Judah Friedlander	...	Scrappy Zoolander
Nathan Lee Graham	...	Todd
Alexandre Manning	...	Brint (as Alexander Manning)
Asio Highsmith	...	Rufus
Alexander Skarsgård	...	Meekus
Donald Trump	...	Donald Trump
Christian Slater	...	Christian Slater

Storyline

Derek Zoolander is VH1's three time male model of the year, but when Hansel wins the award instead, Zoolander's world becomes upside down. His friends disappear, his father is disappointed in him, and he feels that he's not good as a model anymore. But when evil fashion guru Mugatu hires Zoolander, he thinks his life has turned back round again, that is until he finds out that Mugatu has actually brainwashed him to kill the Prime Minister of Malaysia. Can Zoolander and his new friends find out how to prevent the incident before it's too late?

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Plot Keywords:

male model | fashion model | conspiracy | fashion | malaysia | 

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Taglines:

3% Body Fat. 1% Brain Activity.

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Genres:

Comedy

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 on appeal for sexual content and drug references

Did You Know?

Trivia

Filmed during the VH1 Vogue Fashion Awards in 2000 at the Madison Square Garden Theater.

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Goofs

Even though they can be requested, orange mocha frappuccinos aren't on the Starbucks menu and aren't orange.

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Quotes

[first lines]
(Announcer): And here in Malaysia, there is an almost overwhelming sense of euphoria as the newly-elected prime minister has given this nation a gift of hope promising to raise the substandard minimum wage and end child labor once and for all. Already considered a living saint he has become this small country's greatest hope for a thriving future in the new millennium.

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Alternate Versions

The original DVD and a 2014 Blu-ray (with the same green and white artwork) that was very briefly available but pulled from shelves use the original plain end credits sequence with names in flying blue text and no other visuals, transitioning to the crawl a few moments before the music changes. The 2016 Blu-ray (with new extras) changes those credits to the alternate ones (previously available as an extra feature), with Mugatu dancing around clips of the movie illustrating each actor; it then abruptly changes music when the crawl starts (and leaves the last portion of the crawl silent), giving an overall sloppy feel. The original version of the credits does not appear to be available on this edition. The framing of the movie overall seems a little iffy on the 2016 edition as well.

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Connections

Referenced in 73 Questions: 73 Questions with Derek Zoolander (2016)

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Soundtracks

The Soul of Crowds
Written and Performed by Gregg Fine
Courtesy of Liquid Sky Music

User Reviews

A hilarious 'poke' at the fashion industry

When Zoolander came out, I remember big deal plugs that were made for this film by the media. The movie, after all, is poking fun at entertainment, in particular, the fashion and model industry. This was a hilarious take on it, and Zoolander, our main character, is stupidly lovable. Ben Stiller proves once again his flexibility with his comedic acting. Just watch 'Meet the Parents'and this, you'll think it's 2 different actors. Showing you how much work Ben can do, he also helped write and produce the movie. Owen Wilson usually ends up in a movie with Ben, and he's hilarious too. And of course Will Ferrell is always a riot. Read the Plot Outline in the details, there's not much to it. But you don't watch movies like this for incredible story lines, do you?

No, it's not an oscar winning comedy, most aren't. It's not an intelligent look at real-life, it's not the greatest storyline driven kind of movie, and it doesn't have top notch acting. But it's incredibly funny, especially the DVD. The DVD is filled with so many extra goodies, it's worth getting. The movie is filled with cameos like David Bowie, Paris Hilton, Billy Zane, AH! There are so many, you just have to see the list yourself.

Rent or buy it, and leave your brain on the table next to the popcorn. Because there's more to life then being really, really, ridiculously smart.

Details

Country:

Germany USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

28 September 2001 (USA)

Also Known As:

Derek Zoolander

Filming Locations:

Corner of N. Moore St. & W. Broadway, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$28,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$15,525,043, 30 September 2001

Gross USA:

$45,172,250

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$60,780,981

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures, Village Roadshow Pictures, VH1 Television

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1