Dangerous Game (1993)

Director:

Abel Ferrara

Writer (WGA):

Nicholas St. John (written by)

Release Date:

19 November 1993 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

A New York film director, working on his latest movie in Los Angeles, begins to reflect the actions in his movie and real life, especially when he begins an affair with the lead actress.

Plot Keywords:

Drugs | Film In Film | Psychological Drama | Divorce | Film Making

Cast

Harvey Keitel	...	Eddie Israel
Madonna	...	Sarah Jennings
James Russo	...	Francis Burns
Nancy Ferrara	...	Madlyn Israel
Reilly Murphy	...	Tommy
Victor Argo	...	Director of Photography
Leonard L. Thomas	...	Prop Guy
Christina Fulton	...	Blonde
Heather Bracken	...	Stewardess
Glenn Plummer	...	Burns' Buddy
Niki Munroe	...	Girl in Trailer
Lori Eastside	...	Party Guest
John Snyder	...	Party Guest
Adina Winston	...	Party Guest
Dylan Hundley	...	Party Guest
Juliette Hohnen	...	Bar Patron
Julie Pop	...	Morton's Waitress
Lili Barsha	...	Flight Attendant
Robyn B. Ashley	...	Flight Attendant
Anthony Redman	...	Swinger
Noga Isackson	...	1st AD
Randy Sabusawa	...	Producer
Melinda Eshelman	...	Wardrobe (as Mindy Eshelman)
Jesse Long	...	Script Supervisor
Linda Murphy	...	Boom Operator
Marta Bukowski	...	Video Tap Monitor
Bill Pope	...	Camera Operator
Martin Schaer	...	Camera Operator
James Fitzgerald	...	1st Assistant Cameraman (as Jim Fitzgerald)
Hiram Ortiz	...	Hair
Howell Caldwell	...	2nd Assistant Director (as Patton Howell Caldwell IV)
Richard Belzer	...	Cameo appearance
Annie McEnroe	...	Cameo appearance
Sammy Jack Pressman	...	Cameo appearance
Steve Albert	...	Boxing Announcer
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Bonnie Brennan	...	Waitress (uncredited)
Ken Kelsch	...	Camera Operator (uncredited)

Directed by
Abel Ferrara

Writing credits (WGA)
Nicholas St. John		(written by)

Produced by
Freddy De Mann	....	executive producer
Mary Kane	....	producer
Ron Rotholz	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Joe Delia

Cinematography by
Ken Kelsch

Film Editing by
Anthony Redman

Casting by
Randy Sabusawa

Production Design by
Alex Tavoularis

Art Direction by
Nathan Crowley

Set Decoration by
Stephanie Ziemer

Costume Design by
Marlene Stewart

Makeup Department
Joe Cuervo	....	makeup artist: New York (as Joseph Cuervo)
Raqueli Dahan	....	makeup artist
Pilar DeMann	....	makeup intern
Hiram Ortiz	....	hair consultant: Madonna
Hiram Ortiz	....	makeup consultant: Madonna
Nancy Tong	....	hair stylist (as Nanxy Tong)

Production Management
Diana Phillips	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Howell Caldwell	....	second assistant director (as Patton Howell Caldwell IV)
Terry Miller	....	first assistant director
Chris Marazzo	....	second second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Jacqueline Arnot	....	set decorator: New York
Conrad V. Brink Jr.	....	property assistant: New York (as Conrad Brink)
Kevin Brink	....	property assistant: New York
Robert Covelman	....	stand-by set dresser: New York
Mark Davidson	....	set dresser
Anthony Dimeo	....	set dresser: New York
Thomas F. Gleason	....	assistant property master
Matt Golden	....	storyboard artist
Charles M. Lagola	....	art director: New York
Mike Malone	....	set dresser
Sean Mannion	....	property master
John Maskovich	....	lead man
Ann Miller	....	property master: New York
Bill Nearhood	....	swing gang
Gus Papadopoulos	....	lead man: New York
Anthony Pappas	....	set dresser: New York
Eric Roemheld	....	set dresser
Anne Ross	....	art department coordinator
Jon Rothschild	....	construction coordinator
Lisa K. Sessions	....	set dresser
Benjamin Steingart	....	draftsman
Sean Haines	....	set dresser (uncredited)

Sound Department
Michael Barosky	....	sound mixer
Jessica Caggiano	....	sound intern
Kenna Doeringer	....	apprentice sound editor
Jay Dranch	....	adr editor
Tom Foligno	....	assistant sound editor
Walter Charles Gorey	....	second boom operator
Raymond Karpicki	....	dialogue editor (as Ray Karpicki)
Bruce Kitzmeyer	....	assistant adr editor
Stuart Levy	....	sound effects editor
Linda Murphy	....	boom operator
Greg Sheldon	....	sound designer
Michael Shore	....	dialogue editor
Anthony Starbuck	....	second boom operator: New York
Mel Zelniker	....	sound re-recording mixer

Stunts
Phil Neilson	....	stunt coordinator (as Phil Nielson)

Camera and Electrical Department
Don Cerrone	....	key grip
John L. Dardis	....	electrician
Willie E. Dawkins	....	electrician
Andrea Dorman	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera, New York
Eugene D'Pasquale	....	grip
Steve Drellich	....	camera operator: New York
Lisa K. Ferguson	....	camera intern
James Fitzgerald	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Kenneth Fundus	....	grip: New York
Jeff Graham	....	second assistant camera
Todd Heater	....	electrician
Robert Kummert	....	best boy grip
Dominique Levy	....	camera loader
Dennis A. Livesey	....	first assistant camera
Larry Markart	....	video playback operator
Larry McConkey	....	Steadicam operator: New York
Tom McGrath	....	electrician
John Paul McIntyre	....	dolly grip (as Jack McIntyre)
Charlie McNamara	....	gaffer
John Milcetic	....	electrician: New York
George Mooradian	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Nicholas P. Nizich	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Phil Oetiker	....	camera operator: New York
Christopher Prampin	....	electrician
Melvin Pukowsky	....	grip
Ted Schelling	....	video playback operator
Lorey Sebastian	....	still photographer
Peter Sillen	....	additional second assistant camera: New York
Douglas C. Stoup	....	camera intern
Peter Walts	....	best boy electric
Alan Wolfe	....	second assistant camera: New York
Tom Zafian	....	video playback: New York

Casting Department
Yasmine Abraham	....	casting intern
Cindy Deukmejian	....	casting intern
Natalie Jarman	....	casting intern
Noel Roberson	....	casting intern
Ivy Weiss	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Nancy Collini	....	on-set wardrobe supervisor
Melinda Eshelman	....	assistant costume designer
Gail Just	....	wardrobe supervisor
Lisa Lovaas	....	assistant costume designer
Christine Orth	....	costumer
James Roberts	....	assistant wardrobe supervisor: New York
Rose Trimarco	....	wardrobe supervisor: New York (as Rose Trimarco Cuervo)
Pamela Withers	....	costumer: Madonna

Editorial Department
Emilio Colina	....	film editing intern
Quincy Z. Gunderson	....	assistant editor
Brian Johnson	....	assistant editor
Beverley Lester	....	apprentice film editor
Sharon McGeeney	....	negative cutter
Mike Milliken	....	color timer
Craig Nisker	....	first assistant editor
Shivo Andrew Stewart	....	editor: video
Zeborah Tidwell	....	assistant editor
Erik Walters	....	apprentice film editor

Music Department
James Flatto	....	music editor

Transportation Department
Billy G. Arter	....	driver
Tina M. Arter-Duquette	....	transportation coordinator (as Tina M. Arter)
Sherri Arter	....	driver
Thomas H. Beattie	....	driver: New York
Michael W. Broomer	....	driver (as Mike Broomer)
John A. Brubaker	....	utility driver
Kevin Cortez	....	utility driver
Mark Davidson	....	driver
Thomas Hyde	....	driver: New York
Tania Kahali	....	driver
Harry J. Leavey	....	driver: New York
James Leavey	....	transportation captain: New York
Michael Menapace	....	transportation captain (as Michael D. Menapace)
Joseph Kelly Padovich	....	driver
George Power	....	driver
John Raffone Sr.	....	driver: New York
Vivianna Reid	....	driver
Jim Sgrignoli	....	driver
Rhonda Smith	....	driver
Steve Szucs	....	driver: New York
Kevin R. Wood	....	driver: New York
Mark Yacullo	....	driver

Other crew
Evan W. Aaron	....	craft service: New York
Rachel Aberly	....	publicist
Gabriel Abraham	....	production intern
Jennifer Anderson	....	set production assistant (as Jennifer Taback)
Joshua Winfield Binder	....	key set production assistant
Joshua Winfield Binder	....	paramedic
Eve Bregman	....	production intern
Ian Browne	....	parking: New York
Elizabeth Buck	....	welfare worker: New York
Justin Budinoff	....	assistant production coordinator: New York
Marta N. Bukowski	....	betacam operator
Leicia Chan	....	assistant production accountant
Mark Christensen	....	production intern
Anthony Ciccone	....	location production assistant
Missy Coggiola	....	assistant: Madonna
Diane Conn	....	assistant accountant: New York
Charles Coplin	....	stand-in: J. Russo
Wendy Damon	....	assistant: A. Ferrara
Andrew Durham	....	assistant production coordinator
Kimberly Edwards	....	production accountant (as Kimberly Edwards Shapiro)
Helen Elswit	....	production coordinator (as Helen Ostenberg)
Nancy A. Flint	....	welfare worker
Kristi Frankenheimer	....	location manager (as Kristi Frankenheimer-Davis)
J.J. Geary	....	craft service
Erin Glickman	....	stand-in: Madonna
Robert Griffo	....	production assistant: New York
David Hammett	....	production assistant: New York
Alex Hennech	....	production assistant
Caresse Henry	....	assistant: F. DeMann
'Buzz' ak Prince Jackson	....	parking: New York
Karen Kelsall	....	script supervisor
Kimberly Krivanek	....	assistant: H. Keitel
Dean S. Lawrence	....	set production assistant
Mary Beth Mann	....	key set production assistant: New York (as Mary Elizabeth Mann)
Niki Munroe	....	assistant: J. Russo
Ron Radvinsky	....	production intern
Timothy T.P. Robbins	....	production coordinator: New York
Mark Ross	....	production intern
Renee Sandmann	....	assistant: F. DeMann
Chris Santo	....	caterer
Brent Scarpo	....	stand-in: H. Keitel
Eva M. Schroeder	....	location assistant
Ben Smith	....	production intern
Renee Soulie	....	product placement
David Stonehill	....	office production assistant: New York
Mark Taylor	....	location assistant: New York
Aura Truslow	....	office production assistant: New York
Joyce Villaflor	....	accounting assistant
Christian von Tippelskirch	....	location manager: New York
Patti Broyles Watkins	....	production coordinator
Chuck Montgomery	....	stand-in (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Cecchi Gori Europa N.V.
• Eye Productions
• Maverick Picture Company
• Pentamerica

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1993) (USA) (theatrical)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1996) (USA) (VHS)
• Cipa (????) (France) (theatrical)
• Transmundo Films (????) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (????) (USA) (DVD)
• Transmundo Home Video (THV) (????) (Argentina) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Arrangment, The  catering
• Completion Bond Company  bond
• F-Stop Film & Video  titles and opticals
• Flower Films  "Burden of Dreams" sequence
• Forum Boxing Inc.  boxing footage
• Inter Video  24 frame video services
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)  "The Cutting Edge" footage
• National Sound, New York  music recording facility
• Navarro-Bertoni Casting  extras casting: New York
• On Location Education  welfare worker
• Sound One Corporation  sound facility
• Superior Film Service  negative cutting

Also Known As:

Snake Eyes (UK) (USA) (working title)
Dangerous Games (Australia) (TV title)
Epikindyno paihnidi (Greece) [el]
Juego peligroso (Spain) [es]
Juegos peligrosos (Argentina) [es]
Linha de Separação (Portugal) [pt]
Occhi di serpente (Italy) [it]
Snake Eyes (Germany) [de]
Snake Eyes (France) [fr]
Snake Eyes - käärmeensilmä (Finland) [fi]
Snake eyes - Les yeux de serpent (France) (poster title) [fr]

Runtime:

108 min (Unrated Director's Cut)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:12 | New Zealand:R18 | Argentina:18 | Australia:R | Finland:K-16 | France:-12 | Germany:18 | Ireland:(Banned) | Norway:18 | Portugal:M/16 (video premiere) | South Korea:18 | UK:18 | USA:NC-17 (original rating) | USA:R | USA:Unrated (DVD/VHS release) (uncut version)

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Cecchi Gori Europa N.V.

Trivia:

Eddie Israel is shown watching a scene from Les Blank's documentary Burden of Dreams (1982), about Werner Herzog's attempt to haul a real 340-ton steamship over a mountain during the making of his film Fitzcarraldo (1982) (which he successfully accomplished).

Quotes:

Francis Burns: I need these things!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in A Short Film About the Long Career of Abel Ferrara (2004) (V)

Soundtrack:

UNV THANG

A Strange Movie...

Being a HUGE Madonna fan I had to have this film. Dangerous Game is good and bad for many reasons. First.. It's confusing...but mainly because you don't know where the characters who are playing characters start and end. But that also may be what the director intended.

Second.. the editing.. it was rushed or done on equipment that was of little quality. There are times when the dubs are not with the video.. some parts are a mess.. but again.. intended or not?

Thirdly the acting. Keitel is ... well... Keitel... not too much of a stretch.. Keitel, Russo, and Madonna often times seem to improvise... few lines seem scripted.

Sidebar on Madonna and acting...

Madonna usually has a shining moment or two in most of her films, but more often than not Madonna and acting don't mix. I can say that because I am a Madonna fan. Madonna is the "Queen Of Deadpan," she says a line and... NOTHING. She seems to be thinking about her next line while the other person is speaking, which hinders delivery and expression... plus she blinks WAY too much. Those are her biggest acting flaws... DIRECTORS TAKE NOTE... I summed it up... VOILA!

But I digress...

In Dangerous Game, Madonna shows us some of her BEST ACTING TO DATE! There are countless scenes where she is not left to carry the film. She lets her hair down and is actually believable. The scene near the end.. with Keitel actually egging her on to get a REAL reaction. "You think you're so smart"... is BRILLIANT!

Finally... Often times there are scenes where the director seems to use genuine behind-the-scenes footage of Madonna, Keitel and Russo. Sadly the only reason I say this is because Madonna's acting is too good and her performance too genuine. This again confuses the audience. Intended or not?

This film is extremely choppy... very gritty... very dirty... very raw... very sick... very violent..

but very boring in some sections...

I didn't enjoy this film the first time I saw it, and often times I fast forward through scenes when I watch it today. But, the film does have some quality to it that makes you ask... Was that supposed to happen? Is that Madonna or Sarah or what? Did they? Did She? Oh My!

If you like a movie where the ending is not black and white you'll enjoy Dangerous Game.