The Dead Girl (2006)

Réalisateur:

Karen Moncrieff

Scénariste (WGA):

Karen Moncrieff (written by)

Date de sortie:

26 avril 2007 (Hungary)

Genre:

Drame | Mystère | Thriller

Accroche:

One life ends. Seven others begin.

Intrigue:

The clues to a young woman's death come together as the lives of seemingly unrelated people begin to intersect.

Plot Keywords:

Dead Girl | Party | Supermarket | Serial Killer | Prostitute

Récompenses:

2 wins & 4 nominations

Avis des utilisateurs:

Not a revolutionary experience but great acting and strong script

Ensemble

Toni Collette	...	Arden
Piper Laurie	...	Arden's Mother
Don Smith	...	Cop #1 (as Donnie Smith)
Michael Raysses	...	Cop #2
Earl Carroll	...	Reporter
Dorothy Beatty	...	Grocery Checker
Eva Loseth	...	Grocery Store Customer
Giovanni Ribisi	...	Rudy
Rose Byrne	...	Leah
Joanie Tomsky	...	Therapist
James Franco	...	Derek
Christopher Allen Nelson	...	Murray
Mary Steenburgen	...	Beverley, Leah's Mother
Bruce Davison	...	Leah's Father
Kate Mulligan	...	Party Girl
Mary Beth Hurt	...	Ruth
Nick Searcy	...	Carl
Dan Callahan	...	Storage Customer #1
Gus Buktenica	...	Storage Customer #2
Marcia Gay Harden	...	Melora
Bobby Hosea	...	Detective
Lee von Ernst	...	Del
Kerry Washington	...	Rosetta
Carla Jimenez	...	Ashley's Caretaker
Gillian Pernoll	...	Ashley
Elizabeth Pernoll	...	Ashley
Brittany Murphy	...	Krista
Daniel Leavitt	...	Candy Store Boy
Lea Nicole Carranza	...	Candy Store Girl
Amy Benedict	...	Candy Store Mom
Josh Brolin	...	Tarlow
Stephanie Mace	...	Mother
Paige Pelletier	...	Food Court Girl
Madison Pelletier	...	Food Court Girl
Dennis Keiffer	...	Tom (as Dennis Keifer)

Réalisé par
Karen Moncrieff

Scénaristes (WGA)
Karen Moncrieff		(written by)

Produit par
Eric Karten	....	producer
Gary Lucchesi	....	producer
Terry McKay	....	executive producer (as Terry A. McKay)
Eric Reid	....	executive producer
Tom Rosenberg	....	producer
David Rubin	....	executive producer (as David Scott Rubin)
Stefan Sonnenfeld	....	executive producer: Company 3
Kevin Turen	....	producer
Temple Williams	....	executive producer
Henry Winterstern	....	producer
Richard S. Wright	....	producer (as Richard Wright)

Musique originale
Adam Gorgoni
Steve McNerney

Image
Michael Grady		(director of photography)

Montage
Toby Yates

Distribution des rôles
Deborah Aquila
Jennifer L. Smith		(as Jennifer Smith)
Mary Tricia Wood		(as Tricia Wood)

Création des décors
Kristan Andrews

Décorateur de plateau
Bryan Venegas		(as Bryan John Venegas)

Création des costumes
Susie DeSanto

Maquillage
Trish Almeida	....	hair department head
Lynn Barber	....	makeup department head
Ed French	....	special makeup effects artist (as Edward French)
Rob Hinderstein	....	makeup artist
Miia Kovero	....	key hair stylist
Julian Ledger	....	special makeup effects artist: Tatopoulos Studios
Richard Redlefsen	....	special makeup effects artist
Rick Stratton	....	tattoo artist
Liz Webster	....	hair stylist
Karen Westerfield	....	tattoo application (as Karen J. Westerfield)

Directeur de production
Ted Gidlow	....	production supervisor
Grant Grabowski	....	assistant production supervisor
David Kern	....	post-production supervisor
Adam Park	....	post-production supervisor
David Rubin	....	unit production manager (as David Scott Rubin)

Assistant réalisateur
Tony Adler	....	first assistant director (as Anthony B. Adler)
Rosemary C. Cremona	....	second assistant director (as Rosemary Cremona)
Blake Pinkerston	....	additional second assistant director

Département Art
Frederick E. Alexander	....	painter
Giovanni Aurilia	....	on-set dresser
Richard Bode	....	painter
Phillip Bouchard	....	set dresser
Don Bracken	....	assistant property master
Yvonne G. Dane	....	painter
Jeff Errico	....	storyboard artist
Kyle Kitty	....	painter
Mark Knightley	....	construction coordinator
Rick Kyker	....	property master
Eric LaBonte	....	set dresser
Nathaniel Magnuson	....	set dresser
Kimberly Merlin	....	set decorating assistant
Kathleen G. Oliver	....	art department coordinator
Jaime Sánchez	....	painter (as Jaimie Lynn Sanchez)
James Stone	....	set dresser
Timothy Walsh	....	painter
John Warner	....	leadman

Technicien du son
Jeremy Balko	....	adr mixer
Jeremy Balko	....	foley mixer
Craig Dollinger	....	boom operator
Brent Findley	....	assistant sound editor
Jonathan Miller	....	sound designer
Jonathan Miller	....	supervising sound editor
Steven Morrow	....	sound mixer (as Steve Morrow)
Vic Radulich	....	adr editor
Vic Radulich	....	dialogue editor
Robert Sharman	....	cable person
Vicki Vandegrift	....	foley artist
Jonathan Wales	....	sound re-recording mixer

Effets spéciaux
David Beneke	....	moldmaker: Tatopoulos Studios
Julia Bogdan-Rollo	....	production accountant: Tatopoulos Studios
Scott Dwyer	....	special effects technician
Dave Grasso	....	sculptor: Tatopoulos Studios
John Halfmann	....	moldmaker: Tatopoulos Studios
Guy Himber	....	shop supervisor: Tatopoulos Studios
Tom Killeen	....	painter: Tatopoulos Studios
Allison Klein	....	assistant to designer: Tatopoulos Studios
Matt Kutcher	....	special effects supervisor
Ned Neidhardt	....	hair technician: Tatopoulos Studios
Jennifer M. Sheppard	....	special effects technician

Visual Effects
Gerald Ragland	....	digital intermediate support colorist
Thomas Tannenberger	....	visual effects

Cascadeur
Darrin Prescott	....	stunt coordinator
Craig Silva	....	stunt performer (as Craig 'Frosty' Silva)
Nancy Thurston	....	stunt performer (as Nancy Lee Thurston)
Daniel Leavitt	....	stunts (uncredited)

Caméra et Département Electrique
Carlos Arguello	....	camera operator: "a" camera
Star Barry	....	assistant chief lighting technician
Ron Batzdorff	....	still photographer
Mateo Bourdieu	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Chris Byers	....	first company grip
Ron Elliott	....	camera loader
Paul Goldhammer	....	lighting technician
Edward 'Gooch' Gutierrez	....	grip
Sergio Gutierrez	....	grip (as Sergio 'Ponch' Gutierrez)
David G. Harrington	....	24 frame video operator
Harry Hope	....	second company grip (as George 'Harry; Hope)
Colin Hudson	....	Steadicam operator
Tom Hutchinson	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera (as Thomas A. Hutchinson)
Tomoka Izumi	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera, New York and Connecticut unit
Jeff Journey	....	dolly grip (as Jeffrey C. Journey)
Mike Karasick	....	chief lighting technician (as Michael Karasick)
Erwin Landau	....	Steadicam operator
Chris Linares	....	lighting technician
John Linares	....	lighting technician
Joel Michalak	....	grip
Brian Giuseppe Morena	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera (as Brian Morena)
David Myrick	....	lighting technician
Jorge Pallares	....	film loader
Mark Pickens	....	dolly grip
Patrick Rousseau	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Deron Tse	....	grip
Arthur Borquez	....	grip (uncredited)
Chris Cotterman	....	grip (uncredited)
Nicole Dayton	....	grip (uncredited)
Reece Glover	....	grip (uncredited)
Mark Marroquin	....	electrician (uncredited)
Mira Velasco	....	grip (uncredited)

Département Casting
Samantha Finkler	....	casting associate
Rich King	....	extras casting

Département Costume et garde-Robe
Jamelle Flowers	....	key costumer
Susan Kistler	....	wardrobe supervisor
Wendy L. Schilling	....	costumer

Dpartement Editorial
Des Carey	....	digital intermediate producer
Mike Chiado	....	digital intermediate technologist
Siggy Ferstl	....	digital intermediate colorist
Judd H. Maslansky	....	assistant editor
Alex Romano	....	on-line editor
Stefan Sonnenfeld	....	digital intermediate executive producer: Company 3
Ralph Tarr	....	color timer

Département Musique
Ted Blaisdell	....	score mixer
Ted Blaisdell	....	score recordist
Eric Craig	....	music supervisor
Adam Gorgoni	....	score producer
Terry Wilson	....	music editor

Département Transport
Tony Barattini	....	driver (as Anthony Barattini)
Mike Belt	....	driver (as Michael R. Belt)
Joseph G. Bingenheimer	....	driver (as Joseph Bingenheimer)
Rod Brodie	....	driver
Angel Desanti	....	transportation co-captain
Wayne Flowers Jr.	....	driver (as Wayne Flowers)
Geno Hart	....	transportation coordinator
Chris Haynes	....	driver
Kirk Huston	....	driver
Lee Jennings	....	driver
Zoa Keith	....	transportation dispatcher
Hugh Kelly	....	driver
Seth Levine	....	driver
Ronald Linxwiler	....	driver (as Ronald L. Linxwiler)
Gary V. Mayes	....	driver
Marty Osborne	....	picture vehicle coordinator (as Martin Osborne)
William R. Peck	....	driver
John Pellegrino	....	driver
Adam Pinkstaff	....	transportation captain
Ron Pope	....	driver (as Ronnie A. Pope)
Carlos M. Serrano	....	driver
Mark Timpe	....	driver
Steven Luke Weible	....	driver (as Steve Weible)

Divers
Teresa Alvis	....	post-production accountant
Lashan Anderson	....	stand-in (as LaShan Anderson)
Rick Baca	....	first assistant accountant
Dorothy Beatty	....	baby whisperer
Thomas Beatty	....	assistant: Mr. Wright
Brian Berdan	....	title designer
MaryEllen Blair	....	assistant: Mr. Winterstern
Hilary Carver	....	unit publicist
Sarah Clifford	....	animal wrangler
Kean Cornin	....	stand-in
Donna Corwin	....	welfare worker
Dawn Darfus	....	production accountant
Claire Doré	....	animal wrangler
Liam Ford	....	data manager: Company 3
Jennifer Frey	....	stand-in
Michael J. Harker	....	completion bond company representative
Sari Heifetz Stricke	....	assistant: Ms. Moncrieff (as Sari Heifetz)
Scott Herbst	....	assistant: Mr. Luccheri
Carolyn Holden	....	stand-in
Bryan Iler	....	location assistant
Marike Jainchill	....	set production assistant
Dominique Jaramillo	....	set medic
Ashley Kravitz	....	script clearance
Jackie Lee	....	account executive: digital intermediate
Tal Meirson	....	vice president of production finance: Lakeshore
Christopher Miller	....	location manager
Teresa Miller	....	assistant: Mr. Rubin
Dan Milner	....	key locations assistant (as Daniel R. Milner)
Beth Newbauer	....	assistant to producer
Meredith Nutting	....	assistant: Ms. Moncrieff
Scott Peterson	....	script supervisor
Michael M. Piehler	....	assistant production coordinator
Jeremy Pierce-Sunia	....	set production assistant
Yoli Poropat	....	production coordinator (as Yolanda Poropat)
Jose Antonio Prieto	....	chef
Neal Prosansky	....	office assistant
Fadi Sabella	....	craft service
Robbie Salvucci	....	set production assistant
Kate Schriver	....	assistant: Mr. Rosenberg
Joni Smith	....	office assistant (as Joni 'Cannonball' Smith)
Mollie Stallman	....	set production assistant
Erin Stern	....	assistant: Ms. Moncrieff
Matthew Taylor	....	set production assistant
Merry Lee Traum	....	assistant: Piper Laurie
Alex Uceda	....	caterer: Alex's Gourmet Catering
Stan Umamoto	....	payroll assistant
Keegan Wilcox	....	production secretary
Jenny Worman	....	stand-in: Toni Collette

Merci
Susan Tuan	....	thanks

Companies de production

• Bruin Grip Services
• Lakeshore Entertainment
• Pitbull Pictures

Distributeurs

• Cathay-Keris Films (2007) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• First Look International (2006) (USA) (theatrical)
• RCV Film Distribution (2007) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• First Look International (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• Hungaricom Kft (2006) (Hungary) (all media)
• Kinowelt Home Entertainment (2008) (Germany) (DVD)
• Nordisk Film (2008) (Finland) (DVD)
• Odeon (2006) (Greece) (all media)
• RCV Home Entertainment (2007) (Netherlands) (DVD)

Technicien des effets spéciaux

• Patrick Tatopoulos Design
• Spectrum Effects
• Tatopoulos Studios (special makeup effects design)

Autres Companies

• Alex Gourmet Catering  catering (as Alex's Gourmet Catering)
• Axium International  payroll services provided by
• California Insurance Services  insurance provided by
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  cranes
• Company 3  digital intermediate
• FMW Casting  additional casting
• Gradient Effects  visual effects
• Inter Video  24 frame video services
• International Film Guarantors  completion guaranty provided by
• JP Morgan Chase Bank  production financing provided by
• Joan Pearce Research Associates  script clearance
• L.A. Mad Dogs  adr/walla recording
• Lakeshore Records  soundtrack
• Riot  digital dailies provided by
• Scarlet Letters  end titles
• Sonic Magic  sound post-production and mixing (as Sonic Magic Studios)

MPAA:

Rated R for language, grisly images and sexuality/nudity.

Durée:

USA:85 min | Netherlands:93 min (theatrical version)

Pays:

USA

Langue:

Anglais

Couleur:

Couleur

Rapport de forme:

1,85 : 1

Son:

Dolby Digital

Classification:

USA:R | Australia:MA | Singapore:M18 | Netherlands:16 | South Korea:18 | Finland:K-15 | Germany:16 | Ireland:18 | UK:15 | New Zealand:R16 | France:U (with warning)

Lieux de tournage:

Acton, California, USA

Société:

Bruin Grip Services

Anecdotes:

The name on the Missing Persons report for Brittany Murphy's prostitute character reads "Krista Kutcher." Murphy dated actor Ashton Kutcher after they starred together in the movie Just Married (2003).

Goofs:

Continuité: When Melora meets Rosetta her face is beaten up. When she takes Rosetta to eat her face is normal looking but when she drops her back at the motel Rosetta's face is back to being a mess.

Guillemet:

Arden: There's a dead girl.

Bande son:

Memphis

Not a revolutionary experience but great acting and strong script

"The Dead Girl", written and directed by Karen Moncrieff, is a haunting story of how six women are affected by the gruesome, untimely death of one young woman. Each affected woman is suffering in their own emotional prison. Arden, Leah, Beverly, Ruth, Rosetta, and Melora all gain new life and opportunity because of their connection to the dead girl.

Arden, played by Toni Collette, lives and cares for her abusive mother. Arden's mother, Piper Laurie's character, has such an emotional hold on Arden that she doesn't even feel that she can go on a date with out being humiliated. Arden finds the dead girl on her family's land, and for some reason it gives her new courage to explore a life outside her mother's grasp. After the girl is removed from Arden's family stead, she is taken to the local Medical Examiners Office.

The Examiner's intern, Leah, Rose Byrne's character, examines her and believes that she is her long lost sister, missing for 15 years. Struggling to get past her grief since her sister left, believing she is dead finally allows her to get on with her life stalled for so long. She and her mother, Beverley, played by Mary Steenburgen, and father, Bruce Davidson's character, have different methods for struggling with the past. She goes on a date with Derek, played by James Franko, and begins down the road away from her missing sister and into a life of her own!

Mary Beth Hurt plays Ruth, a woman trapped in her marriage to an absent bastard by her strong religious convictions. Even after she threatens her husband, Carl, Nick Searcy's character, for being gone all the time and for sleeping around, she is conflicted about leaving him. Of all the characters, she is the most pitiful and deplorable. Her religion stunts her common sense, her past cuts it down completely. At the end of her story I wanted to punch her in the face. Ruth is my favorite character.

After the dead girl is identified, her mother, Melora, comes to collect and identify her body. Melora, played by Marsha Gay Harden, finds about her daughter, who ran away years ago, from her girlfriend and co-worker, Rosetta. Together Rosetta, Kerry Washington's character, and Melora collect the remnants of what's left of her daughter's life. Melora's is obviously pained by her daughter's death but her emotions become unraveled when she learns why her daughter left.

Finally we meet Brittany Murphy's character, Krista. Krista is the dead girl. Her sad and tragic life can really only lead to Arden's family farm. Choices she made and choices people made for her are equally gut-punching and in the end, who made which decision doesn't matter anymore. All that matters is she died.

The writing in "The Dead Girl" leaves you dumbstruck and in pain. It's as if Karen Moncrieff drew a line for each of the characters starting years before the dead girl and stretching years in the future. The dead girl is the point where each of the lines intersect and change direction. At first it seems the women's lives bear no similarities to each other but their differences are only as deep as a coat of paint. Each of them is shackled to the past, tied away from the potential their future holds. They tug on their restraints, waiting for anything to break them free. Each of the stories is full of unspoken fear and a frightening depth.

All of the acting in "The Dead Girl" is astoundingly disquieting. Each of the performances is compelling and all of the actors were completely entrenched in character. Marsha Gay Harden's performance is the shining star of this film. Her character is a well mannered, suburban, house wife who learns in the probably the most gut wrenching way about her misjudgments and bad decisions. In a scene where she learns how her bad decision making has hurt her daughter, the surprise and rush of emotion completely changed my view of the character. Her utter desperation and painful honesty made me wish I were in the room to console her.

Each of the character's stories is shot in slightly different ways. The difference is subtle, but if you pay attention, you can see it. There is nothing exceptional about the cinematography, but it isn't a big budget movie either.

The Dead Girl won't be a revolutionary experience for anyone but it is one to see if you desire a strong plot and noteworthy acting.