Short Cuts (1993)

User Rating:

7.7/10   

Director:

Robert Altman

Writers (WGA):

Raymond Carver (writings)
Robert Altman (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

3 October 1993 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

From two American masters comes a movie like no other

Plot:

The everyday lives of a number of Los Angeles residents are the subject of this loosely-knitted collection of short stories.

Plot Keywords:

Jazz | Helicopter | Fishing | Murder | Harassment

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 12 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Andie MacDowell	...	Ann Finnigan
Bruce Davison	...	Howard Finnigan
Jack Lemmon	...	Paul Finnigan
Zane Cassidy	...	Casey Finnigan
Julianne Moore	...	Marian Wyman
Matthew Modine	...	Dr. Ralph Wyman
Anne Archer	...	Claire Kane
Fred Ward	...	Stuart Kane
Jennifer Jason Leigh	...	Lois Kaiser
Chris Penn	...	Jerry Kaiser
Joseph C. Hopkins	...	Joe Kaiser
Josette Maccario	...	Josette Kaiser
Lili Taylor	...	Honey Bush
Robert Downey Jr.	...	Bill Bush
Madeleine Stowe	...	Sherri Shepard
Tim Robbins	...	Gene Shepard
Cassie Friel	...	Sandy Shepard
Dustin Friel	...	Will Shepard
Austin Friel	...	Austin Shepard
Lily Tomlin	...	Doreen Piggot
Tom Waits	...	Earl Piggot
Frances McDormand	...	Betty Weathers
Peter Gallagher	...	Stormy Weathers
Jarrett Lennon	...	Chad Weathers
Annie Ross	...	Tess Trainer / Vocals (Annie Ross & The Low Note Quintet)
Lori Singer	...	Zoe Trainer / Cello (The Trout Quintet)
Lyle Lovett	...	Andy Bitkower
Buck Henry	...	Gordon Johnson
Huey Lewis	...	Vern Miller
Danny Darst	...	Aubrey Bell
Margery Bond	...	Dora Willis (as Margerie Bond)
Robert DoQui	...	Knute Willis (as Robert Do'qui)
Darnell Williams	...	Joe Robbins
Michael Beach	...	Jim Stone
Andi Chapman	...	Harriet Stone
Deborah Falconer	...	Barbara
Susie Cusack	...	Nancy
Charles Rocket	...	Wally Littleton
Jane Alden	...	Mrs. Schwartzmeier
Christian Altman	...	Jimmy Miller
William H.D. Marlett	...	Jimmy's Friend (as Willie Marlett)
Dirk Blocker	...	Diner Customer
Suzanne Calvert	...	Tarmac Secretary
Natalie Strong	...	Mourner
Jay Della	...	Bartender
Jeruth Persson	...	Club Owner
Derek Webster	...	Joe Robbins' Pal
Nathaniel Harris	...	Joe Robbins' Pal (as Nathaniel H. Harris III)
Alex Trebek	...	Himself
Jerry Dunphy	...	Himself
Terry Adams	...	Piano (Annie Ross & The Low Note Quintet)
Bobby Previte	...	Drums (Annie Ross & The Low Note Quintet)
Greg Cohen	...	Bass (Annie Ross & The Low Note Quintet)
Gene Estes	...	Vibes (Annie Ross & The Low Note Quintet)
Bruce Fowler	...	Trombone (Annie Ross & The Low Note Quintet)
Stuart Canin	...	1st Violin (The Trout Quintet)
Anatoly Rosinsky	...	Violin (The Trout Quintet)
Roland Kato	...	Viola (The Trout Quintet)
Armen Guzelimian	...	Piano (The Trout Quintet)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Damon Charles	...	Makeup teacher (uncredited)
Andrew Levinson	...	Bill Bush's model (uncredited)
Derek Raser	...	Helicopter pilot (uncredited)
Pamela Roth	...	Makeup Model (uncredited)
Dani Shear	...	Nurse (uncredited)
Ken Twohy	...	The Cook (uncredited)

Directed by
Robert Altman

Writing credits (WGA)
Raymond Carver		(writings)
Robert Altman		(screenplay) &
Frank Barhydt		(screenplay)

Produced by
Cary Brokaw	....	producer
Scott Bushnell	....	executive producer
Mike E. Kaplan	....	associate producer (as Mike Kaplan)
David Levy	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Mark Isham

Cinematography by
Walt Lloyd		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Suzy Elmiger
Geraldine Peroni

Production Design by
Stephen Altman

Art Direction by
Jerry Fleming

Set Decoration by
Susan Emshwiller		(as Susan J. Emshwiller)

Costume Design by
John Hay

Makeup Department
Dee Dee Altamura	....	hair stylist
Dee Dee Altamura	....	makeup artist
Theo Mayes	....	hair stylist supervisor
Theo Mayes	....	makeup supervisor
Damon Charles	....	prosthetic makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Diana Pokorny	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Allan F. Nicholls	....	first assistant director (as Allan Nicholls)
Jeff Rafner	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Peter Borck	....	lead man
Randall M. Boyd	....	swing gang
John Bucklin	....	construction coordinator (as John E. Bucklin)
Kelly Deco	....	scenic paint foreman
Peter Emshwiller	....	swing gang (as Peter R. Emshwiller)
James Foley	....	second assistant props
Joseph W. Grafmuller	....	swing gang (as Joseph Grafmuller)
Michelle Guastello	....	art department coordinator
Gordon E. Holmes	....	carpenter (as Gordon Holmes)
Kate Long	....	swing gang
Josh Lusby	....	art department assistant (as Joshua Lusby)
Anthony Maccario	....	property master
William Maccario	....	assistant property master
Ronald Price	....	swing gang (as Ronald D. Price Jr.)
David Ronan	....	on-set dresser
Daniel C. Rothenberg	....	swing gang (as Daniel Rothenberg)
Jay Schmidt	....	assistant painter (as Jay G. Schmidt)
Wayne Springfield	....	construction foreman
Dan Whifler	....	carpenter (as Daniel Whifler)

Sound Department
Michael Barry	....	sound re-recording mixer
Miriam Biderman	....	foley editor
Elisha Birnbaum	....	foley artist
Marko A. Costanzo	....	additional foley artist
Margaret Crimmins	....	sound effects editor
Elliot Deitch	....	dialogue editor (as Elliot Dietch)
Lee Dichter	....	sound re-recording mixer
Geeta Gandbhir	....	apprentice sound editor
John Glaeser	....	cable puller
Frank Kern	....	additional foley artist
George A. Lara	....	foley recordist
Julie Lindner	....	assistant sound editor
Barry Malawski	....	apprentice sound editor
Eliza Paley	....	supervising sound editor
John Pritchett	....	production sound mixer
Bruce Pross	....	additional foley artist
Joel Shryack	....	boom operator
Paul P. Soucek	....	additional sound effects
Ira Spiegel	....	supervising dialogue editor
Jeffrey Stern	....	dialogue editor
Zeborah Tidwell	....	assistant sound editor

Special Effects by
John Harrdigan	....	special effects
Chris Nelson	....	special effects

Stunts
Greg Walker	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Robert Reed Altman	....	first assistant camera
James Babineaux	....	best boy electric
George M. Chappell	....	electrician
Beth Cotter	....	second assistant camera
James A. Earley	....	grip (as James Earley)
Jack English	....	gaffer
Kevin Fahey	....	grip (as Kevin J. Fahey)
Michael James Fahey	....	best boy grip (as Michael J. Fahey)
Scott Graves	....	electrician
Christopher Lyons	....	electrician
Anthony T. Marra II	....	key grip
Michael A. McFadden	....	grip
Daniel Murphy	....	electrician
Joyce Rudolph	....	still photographer
Wayne Stroud	....	dolly grip
Claire Sutherland	....	film loader (as Claire M. Sutherland)
Alexander Witt	....	helicopter camera operator
Steve Graves	....	rigger (uncredited)

Casting Department
Lesa Lotito	....	casting associate (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Angela Billows	....	wardrobe supervisor
Amy Endries	....	wardrobe assistant
Timothy A. Wonsik	....	wardrobe assistant

Editorial Department
Jade Altman	....	apprentice editor
Charles Cooper	....	apprentice editor
Jeffrey Cranford	....	assistant editor
Sandra Kaufman	....	first assistant editor
David Leonard	....	first assistant editor
Mike Stanwick	....	color timer (as Michael Stanwick)
Dylan Tichenor	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Evan Greenspan	....	music clearance (as Evan M. Greenspan)
Mark Isham	....	musician
Susan Jacobs	....	music coordinator
Stephen Krause	....	music score mixer
Stephen Krause	....	score recordist
Eric Liljestrand	....	music mixer
Eric Liljestrand	....	music recordist
David Speltz	....	musician
Hal Willner	....	music producer
Ladd McIntosh	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Alonzo Brown Jr.	....	driver
Bruce Callahan	....	driver
C. David Earle	....	driver
Steve Earle	....	driver
Don Feeney	....	driver
Scotty Goudreau	....	driver (as Scott Goudreau)
Gil Hayes	....	driver
David Joseph	....	driver
Derek Raser	....	transportation coordinator
William Mark Spencer	....	driver
J.T. Thayer	....	transportation captain (as J.T. Thayer II)
Earl Thielen	....	driver (as Earl V. Thielen)
Tracy Thielen	....	driver
Gregg Willis	....	driver (as Greg Willis)

Other crew
Chris Armstrong	....	assistant locations (as Christopher Armstrong)
Nick Berreau	....	production assistant (as Nick Bereau)
Joshua Winfield Binder	....	set medic (as Joshua W. Binder)
Angie Bonner	....	production assistant
Paul D. Boydston	....	location manager
Leicia Chan	....	second assistant accountant
Celia Converse	....	representative: Sandcastle 5
Signe Corriere	....	researcher
Steve Day	....	production assistant (as Steven Day)
Shannon Dobson Fopeano	....	production assistant
Kimberly Edwards	....	production accountant (as Kimberly Edwards Shapiro)
Meg Freeman	....	source: Marian's paintings
Judy Geletko	....	additional accounting services
Shelly Glasser	....	production coordinator
Sheri Halfon	....	financial representative: Avenue Pictures Productions
Toya Hankins	....	production assistant
Kristy Herr	....	assistant production coordinator
Michael Hubert	....	production assistant
Jack Kney	....	location manager
Danielle Knight	....	assistant: Cary Brokaw
Luca Kouimelis	....	script supervisor
Cheryl Kurk	....	assistant accountant
James McLindon	....	assistant: Robert Altman
Mario Ontal	....	intern
Robert Pollack	....	craft service
Tom Russ	....	production assistant
Brett Schlaman	....	production assistant
Cornelius Schultze-Kraft	....	production assistant
Carl Shimkin	....	production assistant
Danielle Sotet	....	post-production accountant
Terry Trebilcock	....	craft service
Barbara Wansbrough	....	production assistant
Randall Balsmeyer	....	title designer (uncredited)
Bundy Chanock	....	set medic (uncredited)
Debbie Nathanson	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Ken Twohy	....	intern (uncredited)

Thanks
Don Bachardy	....	special thanks
Ira Deutchman	....	special thanks
John Dorr	....	special thanks
Stephen P. Dunn	....	special thanks (as Steve Dunn)
Terry Ellis	....	thanks
Marianne Faithfull	....	special thanks
Tess Gallagher	....	special thanks
Paul Hutchinson	....	thanks
Kate Hyman	....	special thanks
Alice 'A.J. The Clown' Jones	....	special thanks
Michael Kirchberger	....	special thanks
Luzmarie 'Jellybean The Clown' Quintana	....	special thanks
Steve Trombatore	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Avenue Pictures Productions
• Fine Line Features
• Spelling Entertainment

Distributors

• Fine Line Features (1993) (USA) (theatrical)
• Alliance Atlantis Home Video (2005) (Canada) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (Argentina) (VHS)
• Artificial Eye (1994) (UK) (theatrical)
• Bac Films (1994) (France) (theatrical)
• Criterion Collection, The (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Criterion Collection, The (USA) (laserdisc)
• Laurenfilm (1994) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Monopole-Pathé (1994) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Nihon Herald Eiga (1994) (Japan) (theatrical)
• PlayArte Home Vídeo (199?) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Senator Film (1994) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Senator Home Entertainment (2009) (Germany) (DVD)
• Wild Side Vidéo (2004) (France) (DVD) (special edition)

Other Companies

• All Payments Services  special thanks
• BMG Music  original soundtrack records distributed by
• Balsmeyer and Everett  titles designed and produced by
• Bill Dance Casting  extras casting
• Completion Bond Company  completion bond
• DeLuxe Laboratories  color timing (as Deluxe)
• Dennis Davidson & Associates Public Releations (DDA)  publicity
• Frankfurt, Garbus, Kurnit, Klein & Selz  legal services
• Imago Records  soundtrack released by
• Imago Records  special thanks
• Inter Video  24 frame video services
• Kalish/Davidson Marketing Inc.  marketing
• Kim's Critters  animal training
• Kirby Vacuums  special thanks
• Le Mobile Remote Recording Studios  music recording
• Meibach Epstein and Regis  business affairs
• On Location Security  security provided by
• PMK Public Relations  publicity
• Rick Brainin Catering Inc.  catering
• Sherman Clay Pianos  special thanks
• Sinclair, Tenenbaum & Co. Inc.  legal services
• Slingerland  Bobby Previte's drums provider
• Sound One Corporation  re-recording facilities
• Sunrise Films  negative cutting
• The Daiwa Bank Ltd.  financing
• Thomas Bros Maps  special thanks

Also Known As:

America oggi (Italy) [it]
Ciudad de ángeles (Argentina) [es]
Kratke zgodbe (Slovenia) [sl]
Les chassés-croisés (Canada: French title) (TV title) [fr]
Na skróty (Poland) [pl]
Os Americanos (Portugal) [pt]
Rövidre vágva (Hungary) [hu]
Short Cuts (Denmark) [da]
Short Cuts (Germany) [de]
Short Cuts (France) [fr]
Short Cuts - Cenas da Vida (Brazil) [pt]
Short Cuts - Les Américains (France) [fr]
Short Cuts - oikopolkuja (Finland) [fi]
Sosyeteden insan manzaralari (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
Vidas cruzadas (Spain) [es]

MPAA:

Rated R for graphic sexual language, and for nudity

Runtime:

187 min | Argentina:190 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo | 70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints)

Certification:

Portugal:M/16 | Norway:15 | Iceland:16 | New Zealand:M | Argentina:16 | Australia:MA | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Finland:K-14 | France:U | Germany:16 | Israel:PG | Singapore:M18 | South Korea:18 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Bronson Caves, Bronson Canyon, Griffith Park - 4730 Crystal Springs Drive, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Avenue Pictures Productions

Trivia:

Annie Ross and Lori Singer's segment is a Robert Altman invention and has no connection to anything Raymond Carver has written.

Goofs:

Continuity: Gene Shepard throws a rock through his mistress's living room window while she's away on vacation. Yet when she comes back, the window is unbroken.

Quotes:

Gene Shepard: [when their child walks into the bedroom] Silly daddy, sleeping on mommy

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Magnolia (1999)

Soundtrack:

I Don't Want To Cry Anymore

Altman's greatest?

When Altman is good he's among the greatest, and SHORT CUTS is among his best (M*A*S*H, BREWSTER McCLOUD, NASHVILLE). Adapted from Raymond Carver's collection of stories, SHORT CUTS offers a roving, restless glimpse into the lives of several Los Angelinos. The characters aren't completely real - in an 'I-can-relate-to-these-people' sense (I never expected this from this movie anyway), but are presented in a slightly hyperreal sense with Altman highlighting the everyday lives of characters who try valiantly to maintain their public personas (cutting across class boundaries in the process), even when things are spinning out of control beneath the surface (literally symbolized by the ending, though at least he didn't stoop to throwing in a rain of frogs...).

Los Angeles is famously mocked as a place that's all surface and no depth (see ANNIE HALL), and the slight exaggerations seen here characters plays with this, even as the isolation and instability of certain characters humanizes them. Through it all there's plenty of humor - though, as is usual with Altman, even the humor packs a wallop. Annie Ross' deadpan complaint gets to the heart of it all: "I hate L.A. - all they do is snort coke and talk." The irony in such nastiness becomes a bit more apparent when you consider where that assessment is coming from, within Altman's tragi-comic variant upon the notion that California's trends become America's truisms a decade or two down the road.

There are so many great moments here - Chris Penn's growing befuddlement (and seething, simmering murderous anger) with his wife's phone sex operator job; Tom Waits and Lily Tomlin as a boozy working class couple; Peter Gallagher and Frances MacDormand's marriage, collapsed into tantrums and furniture vandalism; the Tim Robbins/Huey Lewis confrontation; Jack Lemmon, Julianne Moore and Matthew Modine all deliver strikingly memorable performances. Every time I watch this, I get something new out of it - though it requires a bit of patience, SHORT CUTS is really worth checking out.