Crash (1996)

User Rating:

6.1/10   

Director:

David Cronenberg

Writers:

J.G. Ballard (novel)
David Cronenberg (written by)

Release Date:

21 March 1997 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

The most controversial film you will ever see.

Plot:

After getting into a serious car accident, a TV director discovers an underground sub-culture of scarred, omnisexual car-crash victims who use car accidents and the raw sexual energy they produce to try to rejuvenate his sex life with his wife.

Plot Keywords:

Car | Sex | Car Accident | Car Crash | Infidelity

Awards:

8 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

James Spader	...	James Ballard
Holly Hunter	...	Helen Remington
Elias Koteas	...	Vaughan
Deborah Kara Unger	...	Catherine Ballard
Rosanna Arquette	...	Gabrielle
Peter MacNeill	...	Colin Seagrave
Yolande Julian	...	Airport Hooker
Cheryl Swarts	...	Vera Seagrave
Judah Katz	...	Salesman
Nicky Guadagni	...	Tattooist
Ronn Sarosiak	...	A.D.
Boyd Banks	...	Grip
Markus Parilo	...	Man in Hanger
Alice Poon	...	Camera Girl
John Stoneham Jr.	...	Trask
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
David Cronenberg	...	Auto Wreck Salesman (voice) (uncredited)
Jordan-Patrick Marcantonio	...	Man in Tattoo Parlor (uncredited)

Directed by
David Cronenberg

Writing credits
J.G. Ballard		(novel "Crash")
David Cronenberg		(written by)

Produced by
Chris Auty	....	co-executive producer
David Cronenberg	....	producer
Andras Hamori	....	co-executive producer
Robert Lantos	....	executive producer
Stéphane Reichel	....	co-producer (as Stephane Reichel)
Marilyn Stonehouse	....	co-producer
Jeremy Thomas	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Howard Shore

Cinematography by
Peter Suschitzky		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Ronald Sanders

Casting by
Deirdre Bowen

Production Design by
Carol Spier

Art Direction by
Tamara Deverell

Set Decoration by
Elinor Rose Galbraith

Costume Design by
Denise Cronenberg

Makeup Department
Mary-Lou Green-Benvenuti	....	key hair stylist
Shonagh Jabour	....	key makeup artist
Katherine James	....	makeup artist (as Kathrine James)
Carol Marinoff	....	assistant hair stylist
Frances Mathias	....	hair stylist
Leslie Ann Sebert	....	assistant makeup artist (as Leslie Sebert)

Production Management
Marilyn Stonehouse	....	production manager
Sandra Tucker	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Cassandra Cronenberg	....	trainee assistant director
Tom Quinn	....	second assistant director
Michele Rakich	....	third assistant director
David J. Webb	....	first assistant director

Art Department
John Bannister	....	scenic artist (as S. John Bannister)
Gordon Becker	....	carpenter
David Orin Charles	....	set dresser
Joe Curtin	....	construction coordinator
Nick Fischer	....	on-set dresser
Danielle Fleury	....	assistant set decorator
John Flynn	....	stand-by painter
Ian Fraser	....	head carpenter
Christopher Geggie	....	property master
Arvinder Grewal	....	third assistant art director
Jacqui Hemingway	....	assistant head painter
John Keenan	....	carpenter
Sabri Lariani	....	assistant head carpenter
Melissa Morgan	....	head painter
Peter P. Nicolakakos	....	lead set dresser
Sheri O'Rourke	....	assistant props
Denis Perrier	....	assistant head carpenter
Andrew M. Stearn	....	first assistant art director
Robert H. Steiner	....	construction accountant (as Robert Steiner)

Sound Department
Denis Bellingham	....	boom operator
Tom Bjelic	....	sound effects editor
Steph Carrier	....	control room operator
Christian T. Cooke	....	adr recordist
Chris Czopnik	....	assistant sound effects editor
David Evans	....	sound effects supervisor
James A. Gore	....	foley assistant
Wayne Griffin	....	supervising dialogue editor
Bill Hermans	....	second engineer
Bradford L. Hohle	....	consultant: Dolby
Joe Lafontaine	....	assistant dialogue editor
John Laing	....	dialogue editor
David Lee	....	sound mixer
Andy Malcolm	....	foley artist
Dino Pigat	....	sound re-recording mixer
Ian Rankin	....	control room operator
James Robb	....	assistant dialogue editor
David Rose	....	control room operator (as Dave Rose)
Dale Sheldrake	....	dialogue editor
John Douglas Smith	....	sound effects editor
Lou Solakofski	....	sound re-recording mixer
Orest Sushko	....	sound re-recording mixer
Clive Turner	....	assistant sound effects editor
Tony Van den Akker	....	foley recordist
Randy Wilson	....	control room operator

Special Effects by
Warren Appleby	....	special effects assistant
Stephan Dupuis	....	special effects makeup
Michael Kavanagh	....	special effects coordinator
Dennis Pawlik	....	special effects assistant
Dawn Rivard	....	special effects
Trevor Cripps	....	special effects technician (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Dave McGhie	....	digital artist (uncredited)

Stunts
Lloyd Adams	....	stunt driver
Marco Bianco	....	stunt driver
Phil Chiu	....	stunt driver
Shelley Cook	....	stunt driver
Tony Cordeiro	....	stunt driver
Peter Ellery	....	stunt driver
Ted Hanlan	....	stunt coordinator
Danny Lima	....	stunts
Steve Lucescu	....	stunt driver
D. McLean	....	stunt driver
Rick Parker	....	stunt driver
Branko Racki	....	stunt driver
Bryan Renfro	....	stunt driver
Paul Rutledge	....	stunt driver
Peter Szkoda	....	stunt driver
Tye Tyukodi	....	stunt driver
Ron Vanhart	....	stunt driver
John Stead	....	stunt performer (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Scotty Allan	....	gaffer
Michael Anderson	....	electrician
Allan Angus	....	generator operator
Russel Bowie	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Russel Bowie	....	second assistant camera
Sandy Cooper	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera
Candide Franklyn	....	dolly grip
Michael Gibson	....	still photographer
Neil Gover	....	generator operator
Rich Green	....	camera trainee
Joel Guthro	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Michael Hall	....	first assistant camera
Delroy P. Jarrett	....	electrician
Mike Kirilenko	....	key grip (as Michael Kirilenko)
Steve Klys	....	grip
Jim MacCammon	....	electrician
Steven Morrisson	....	best boy electric
Andrew W. Peart	....	video playback operator
Jacqueline Pelle	....	camera trainee
Peter Suschitzky	....	camera operator
Samuel Turturici	....	grip
Jonathan Wenk	....	still photographer
Ron Yolevsky	....	best boy grip

Casting Department
Donna Dupere	....	extras casting
Aric Dupere	....	extras casting assistant (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Sylvie Bonniere	....	wardrobe assistant/seamstress
Brenda Gilles	....	costume supervisor
Ann Henshaw	....	costume coordinator
Ann Henshaw	....	assistant costume designer (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Kathleen Cummins	....	editing intern
Kevin Downer	....	post-production assistant
Samantha Dubiel	....	post-production coordinator
Ricardo Olivero	....	color timer
Tad Seaborn	....	first assistant editor: avid
Peter Watson	....	first assistant editor: film
Aaron Woodley	....	editing intern
Bill Holley	....	colorist (uncredited)

Music Department
Holly Carroll	....	music preparation
Robert Cotnoir	....	music coordinator
Simon Franglen	....	electronic music preparation
Gary Gray	....	music scoring engineer
Tod Holcomb	....	associate music editor
Suzana Peric	....	music editor
Peter Schenkman	....	music contractor
Howard Shore	....	conductor
Howard Shore	....	orchestrator
Ben Tucker	....	second assistant music editor

Transportation Department
John Cocks	....	driver
Walter Di Bacco	....	driver
Robert Geeves	....	driver
Jazz Helie	....	transportation coordinator
Tim Hilts	....	driver captain
Bill Leeking	....	picture car captain
Doug Perry	....	driver
Brian M. Travers	....	driver: set dressing department
Grant Volkers	....	driver
Dean Wittaum	....	head driver
Ted Nobles	....	driver: transportation department (uncredited)
Duane Shearer	....	driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Mark Adams	....	stand-in: Mr. Spader
Nicolette Beasley	....	deliveries coordinator
Debra Beers	....	location manager
Shelley A. Boylen	....	pre-production coordinator
Francie Brown	....	dialect coach
Tracey Dodokin	....	assistant: Mr. Reichel
Leslie Druker	....	script supervisor
Stephan Dupuis	....	prosthetics designer
Prudence Emery	....	publicist
Chris Gibson	....	stand-in: Mr. Koteas
Joanne Jackson	....	production accountant
Jamie Jones	....	MotoCam operator
Beverley Kolbe	....	location production assistant
Jeff Krebs	....	technical consultant: avid (as Jeffrey Krebs)
Glace W. Lawrence	....	line producer's intern
Mark Logan	....	assistant location manager
Christine Manning	....	stand-in: Ms. Unger
Ramona Ng	....	assistant: Mr. Reichel
Susan Phillips	....	production coordinator
Matthew Rawley	....	assistant accountant (as Matthew J. Rawley)
Matthew Rawley	....	post-production accountant (as Matthew J. Rawley)
Dawn Rivard	....	shop coordinator
Linda Terrio	....	stand-in: Ms. Hunter
Jeremy Thomas	....	presenter
Phillip L. Tomalin Jr.	....	assistant: Mr. Spader (as Phillip Tomalin)
Abigail Tucker	....	assistant production coordinator
Sandra Tucker	....	assistant: Mr. Cronenberg
Loretta Vanhart	....	assistant accountant
Danny White	....	technician
Andrea Wood	....	business and legal affairs
G. Michael Currie	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Stephan Mallmann	....	business affairs: Recorded Picture Company (uncredited)
David Porter	....	craft service (uncredited)
Judy Sharinger	....	legal delivery supervisor (uncredited)
Ian Thompson	....	production assistant (uncredited) (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Alliance Communications Corporation
• Movie Network, The (TMN)
• Recorded Picture Company (RPC)
• Téléfilm Canada

Distributors

• Fine Line Features (1997) (USA) (theatrical)
• Atlantis Entertainment (1998) (Czechoslovakia) (theatrical)
• Bac Films (1996) (France) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (1998) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar (????) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar (UK)
• Concorde Film (1997) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Criterion Collection, The (1997) (USA) (laserdisc)
• DNC Home Entertainment (2007) (Italy) (DVD)
• Finnkino (1996) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Indies Home Entertainment (2003) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• José Frade Producciones Cinematográficas S.A. (????) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Mainostelevisio (MTV3) (2007) (Finland) (TV)
• Nelonen (2003) (2004) (Finland) (TV)
• New Line Home Video (????) (USA) (DVD)
• Nordisk Film Home Entertainment (1997) (Finland) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Avid Film Composer  edited on
• Casablanca Sound Services  adr recorded at
• Casablanca Sound Services  re-recording facilities
• Casablanca Sound Services  sound editing
• Casablanca Sound Services  sound transfers
• DeLuxe Toronto  foley recorded at
• Dolby Laboratories  sound post-production
• Donna Dupere Casting  extras casting
• Film Effects  end title design
• Film Effects  opening title sequence
• Film Finances Canada  completion guaranty provided by
• Francont Film  negative cutting
• Magnetic North, The  video transfer
• Manta Eastern Sound Ltd.  music recording
• Meespierson Royalty Management and Collection, B.V.  world revenues collected and distributed by
• Numbers  edge coding
• Panavision Canada  grip and lighting equipment provided by
• Payments Plus  payroll services
• Royal Bank of Canada  production financing provided by
• Starcraft Services  craft service
• Studio Film Catering  catering

Also Known As:

Çarpisma (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
Crash (Greece) [el]
Crash (France) [fr]
Crash (Spain) [es]
Crash (Germany) [de]
Crash (Portugal) [pt]
Crash - Estranhos Prazeres (Brazil) [pt]
Karambol (Hungary) [hu]
Sudar (Serbia) [sr]
Trk (Slovenia) [sl]

MPAA:

Rated NC-17 for numerous explicit sex scenes.; Rated R for accident gore, some graphic language and aberrant sexual content. (edited version)

Runtime:

100 min | 90 min (R-rated version)

Country:

Canada | UK

Language:

English | Swedish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby | SDDS

Certification:

USA:NC-17 (certificate #34312) | Iceland:16 | Hungary:18 | Netherlands:16 | Australia:R | Canada:R | Chile:18 | Finland:K-15 (VET id: 99934) | France:-16 | Germany:18 | Hong Kong:III | Ireland:18 | Italy:VM18 | Japan:R-18 | Norway:18 | Portugal:M/18 | South Korea:(Banned) (original rating) | South Korea:18 (cut) | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R (video rating) (cut)

Filming Locations:

North York, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Company:

Alliance Communications Corporation

Trivia:

Director Cameo: [David Cronenberg]The voice of the man watching/operating the car yard towards the end of the film.

Goofs:

Continuity: After Vaughan repeatedly crashes the left front bumper of his Lincoln into a junker James Ballard is sitting in, causing major damage to the bumper and the lights, Vaughan is soon shown driving on the highway with no damage to the bumper and both left lights operational.

Quotes:

James Ballard: You should've gone to the funeral.
Catherine Ballard: I wish I had. They bury the dead so quickly. They should leave them lying around for months.

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in "The Adam and Joe Show: (#2.4)" (1997)

Freaky and worthwhile even if it sickens you

James Spader seems to prefer roles in which his sexuality is dark or deviant (e.g. Secretary, a fine film). He and the gorgeous Deborah Kay Unger are a couple, although not monogamous. Through certain accidents they stumble across a cell of car crash fetishists. More stuff happens: I shouldn't get into it. This movie would have been more disturbing if it didn't have such a sense of humor. There is a nasty scene in which Spader is about to rub his willie against a long puckered vagina-like scar on the luscious Roseanna Arquette's leg. She wears an outfit that is a combination of leather bondage gear and handicapped leg braces. A truly weird flick, with good sex scenes but not for a first date unless the girl likes SM and looks at copies of that full-color British magazine featuring motorcycle racing showing the racers proudly displaying their often horrid scars and injuries. Yikes. Well, if you liked Secretary, and if you liked Cronenberg's other flicks and his orifice obsession and general grotesqueness, you'll like this. It has a similar tone vis-a-vis humor as Secretary and some of Videodrome. The title credits are exemplary and some of the shots are marvelous. The scene wherein the camera lovingly rolls over Spader's leg brace after his accident is stunning. I am happy to say that there is no amputation in this flick at least. That would have been too much.