Harrison Bergeron (1995) (TV)

Director:

Bruce Pittman

Writers:

Kurt Vonnegut Jr. (story)
Arthur Crimm (writer)

Release Date:

13 August 1995 (USA)

Genre:

Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Welcome to the future. It's a no-brainer.

Plot:

"All men are not created equal. It is the purpose of the Government to make them so." This is the premise...

Plot Keywords:

Under Achiever | Futuristic | Television | 2050s | Based On Short Story

Awards:

4 nominations

Cast

Sean Astin	...	Harrison Bergeron
Miranda de Pencier	...	Phillipa
Eugene Levy	...	President McCloskey
Howie Mandel	...	Charlie (of 'Chat with Charlie')
Andrea Martin	...	Diana Moon Glampers
Christopher Plummer	...	John Klaxon
Nigel Bennett	...	Dr. Eisenstock
Peter Boretski	...	Newman
David Calderisi	...	Commissioner Benson
Emmanuelle Chriqui	...	Jeannie
Hayden Christensen	...	Eric
Cindy Cook	...	Weatherperson
Roger Dunn	...	George Bergeron
Jayne Eastwood	...	Ms. Newbound
Hal Eisen	...	TV Announcer - San Quentin

Also Known As:

Kurt Vonnegut's Harrison Bergeron
Harrison Bergeron (Greece) (DVD title) [el]
Harrison Bergeron (France) [fr]
I.Q. Runner - Aufstand der Untermenschen (Germany) [de]

MPAA:

Rated R for language, and for some sexuality and violence.

Runtime:

USA:99 min

Country:

Canada

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

Australia:M | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Ontario, Canada

Company:

Atlantis Films Limited

Quotes:

John Klaxon: Can you imagine how I must feel, knowing that I'm striving to create a world in which no Beethoven will ever be born? But it has to be, not just because of some words in a constitution. It has to be.

Movie Connections:

References North by Northwest (1959)

Soundtrack:

Symphony No. 9 in D Major

A disturbing view of the future

This is not the movie to watch right before you trust the government to do something that they say is in your best interest.

Living some years from now, Harrison Bergeron is a smart young man. So smart, in fact, that he's had to repeat grades, several times. That's because A's are bad, C's are good. Everyone is to be rendered average by a headband that moniters brainwaves and keeps intelligence level to average. Harrison, however, is so smart that the headband does not work for him. Recruited by the government, he learns that people have so much more potential than is allowed. Armed with this new knowledge, he feels compelled to act.

In a wonderfully hilarious supporting role, Eugene Levy plays the randomly selected president, who has no idea how to lead a country but loves wielding power. His conversations are little sub-gems sprinkled throughout a gem of a movie. This one is well worth the while, though quite disturbing.