The Dentist (1996)

User Rating:

4.5/10   

Director:

Brian Yuzna

Writers (WGA):

Dennis Paoli (written by) &
Stuart Gordon (written by) ...
(more)

Release Date:

18 October 1996 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

From the Creators of Re-Animator...

Plot:

Dr. Feinstone has everything, a beautiful wife and a successful career in dentistry; but when he discovers his wife's affair...

Plot Keywords:

Dentist | Tooth | Torture | Victim | Murder Witness

Awards:

3 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Corbin Bernsen	...	Dr. Alan Feinstone
Linda Hoffman	...	Brooke Feinstone
Michael Stadvec	...	Matt
Ken Foree	...	Detective Gibbs
Tony Noakes	...	Detective Sunshine
Molly Hagan	...	Jessica
Patty Toy	...	Karen
Jan Hoag	...	Candy
Virginya Keehne	...	Sarah
Earl Boen	...	Marvin Goldblum
Christa Sauls	...	April Reign
Mark Ruffalo	...	Steve Landers
Lise Simms	...	Paula Roberts
Joanne Baron	...	Mrs. Saunders
Brian McLaughlin	...	Jody
Aixa Maldonado	...	Maria (scenes deleted)
Christopher Kriesa	...	Mr. Schaeffer
Sal Viscuso	...	Matthew Zeigler
Betsy Monroe	...	Young Female
Brian Yuzna	...	Attendant
Michael Guerin	...	Student #1
Shanna Igoe	...	Student #2 (as Shanna Corinne)
Michael E. Rodgers	...	Nervous Patient (as Michael Rodgers)
Diana Tash	...	Opera Singer

Directed by
Brian Yuzna

Writing credits (WGA)
Dennis Paoli		(written by) &
Stuart Gordon		(written by) and
Charles Finch		(written by)

Produced by
Mark Amin	....	executive producer
Sheri Bryant	....	associate producer
Pierre David	....	producer
Phillip B. Goldfine	....	co-producer
Emmanuel Itier	....	consulting producer
Robert Lansing Parker	....	line producer
Noël A. Zanitsch	....	co-producer

Original Music by
Alan Howarth

Cinematography by
Levie Isaacks

Film Editing by
Christopher Roth

Casting by
Carol Lefko

Production Design by
William V. Ryder

Art Direction by
Robyn Coburn

Costume Design by
Warden Neil

Makeup Department
Joshua Blyden	....	additional makeup artist
Rob Burman	....	braces: Sarah
Mitchell J. Coughlin	....	key design makeup
Michael Deak	....	shop manager
John Paul Fedele	....	shop manager (as Jon Fedele)
Anthony C. Ferrante	....	special makeup effects supervisor
Jessica Flannery	....	additional makeup artist
Sam Greenmun	....	special makeup effects artist
Kerry Gudjohnsen	....	shop manager
Patricia Gundlach	....	key hair stylist
Patricia Gundlach	....	key makeup artist
J.M. Logan	....	key special makeup effects
Jennifer McManus	....	braces: Sarah
Ken Rex	....	effects: adult oversized mouth
Todd Rex	....	shop manager
Kevin Yagher	....	effects: adult oversized mouth
Shelley Yustak	....	shop manager

Production Management
Andrew Gladston	....	assistant: Mr. Goldfine
Donna Solomon	....	contractual auditor: Trimark
Meltem Vogler	....	production controller: Trimark
Cami Winikoff	....	executive in charge of production

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Maximillian D. Day	....	additional second assistant director: second unit
Richard Gonzales	....	second second assistant director
Deanna Kelley	....	second assistant director: second unit
Maria L. Melograne	....	additional first assistant director: second unit
John Nelson	....	first assistant director: second unit
Ross Novie	....	first assistant director
Thomas F. Troy	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Bret Bahe	....	carpenter
Noelle Charles	....	lead scenic
Michael A. Clark	....	carpenter
Therese Clinton	....	assistant props
Kira Cunningham	....	on-set dresser
Sam Dean	....	propmaker
Jack Gould	....	swing gang
Erika S. Katz	....	set designer
Roger Kelton	....	construction coordinator
Scott Kitchen	....	gang boss
Roy R. Koerbel	....	carpenter (as Roy Koerbel)
Joseph Lacasse	....	scenic
Barry Lehrman	....	set designer
John S. Ogden	....	general forman
Larry Ort	....	swing gang
Sage Oswald	....	scenic
Alejandro Poli	....	leadman
Roberto G. Ramirez	....	scenic
Karan L. Reinstein	....	scenic
Charles Scaife	....	on-set dresser
Pat Scanlon	....	set designer
Robert Sekula	....	scenic
Heather Shira	....	scenic
Peter L. Snowden	....	scenic consultant
Nick Sternberg	....	swing gang
Stefan Wilcox	....	property master
Tim Wincott	....	scenic

Sound Department
Gregory Beaumont	....	foley editor
Gregory Beaumont	....	sound effects
Lenise Bent	....	foley mixer
Beau Biggart	....	adr mixer
Leslie Bloom	....	foley artist
Ed Carr	....	sound re-recording mixer
Matt Colleran	....	sound re-recordist
Richard F.W. Davis	....	foley editor
Richard F.W. Davis	....	sound effects
Ron Harris	....	adr recordist
Monett Holderer	....	foley artist
Jerry Jacobson	....	dialogue editor
Adam Kroloff	....	sound effects editor
Doug Madick	....	foley artist
Bruce Nazarian	....	supervising sound editor
Richard Partlow	....	foley artist (as Rick Partlow)
Joel Shryack	....	adr editor
Joel Shryack	....	dialogue editor
Tony Smyles	....	production sound mixer
Ace Williams	....	boom operator
Lance Wiseman	....	adr editor
Lance Wiseman	....	dialogue editor
Sallye Stotsbery	....	foley artist (uncredited)
Diana Tash	....	solo performance (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Michael Burnett	....	special effects thanks
Shea Clayton	....	special effects assistant
Anthony C. Ferrante	....	effects director: second unit
Steve Johnson	....	special effects thanks
Christopher Allen Nelson	....	special effects: Brooke
Mark Christopher Yagher	....	special effects thanks

Visual Effects by
Larry Arpin	....	optical effects

Stunts
Kurt Bryant	....	stunt coordinator
Brett A. Jones	....	additional stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
William Ambrose	....	rigging grip
Debra Antic Davidian	....	first assistant camera
Jürgen Baum	....	director of photography: second unit
Joel Bystrom	....	grip
Marco Cappetta	....	assistant camera
Ted Coakley III	....	additional second assistant camera
Jon 'Scooter' Cousins	....	additional grip
Brian Dapp	....	first assistant camera: second unit
Kyle Davis	....	additional grip
Lou Duskin	....	camera cranes
Dominik Feller	....	additional lighting technician
Christopher Franey	....	additional best boy grip
Camille Freer	....	first assistant camera: second unit
Scott Froschauer	....	additional grip
Dimitry Gelman	....	grip: second unit
David B. Goldenberg	....	assistant camera: third unit
Nathan Hathaway	....	additional lighting technician
Brad Heiner	....	key grip
Rick Hopper	....	gaffer
Blake B. Jackson	....	grip
Jayma L. Koerner	....	additional first assistant camera
Jayma L. Koerner	....	first assistant camera: second unit
Baqi Kopelman	....	gaffer: second unit
Daniel Kopelman	....	swing: second unit
Michelle Leve	....	best boy grip
John A. Locke	....	swing: second unit
Richard A. Ludt	....	best boy grip
Victor Macias	....	dolly grip
Denis Maloney	....	additional photographer
Mark Morris	....	second assistant camera: second unit
Mark Morris	....	second assistant camera: second unit
Feliks Parnell	....	director of photography: second unit
Jennifer Perkins	....	additional lighting technician
Jennifer Perkins	....	gaffer: second unit
Tom Quady	....	best boy grip: second unit
Thoma Reavis	....	additional lighting technician
Dale Robinette	....	still photographer
Joe Romeo	....	additional lighting technician
Clive Sacke	....	first assistant camera: second unit
Marc Salter	....	best boy electric
David Sammons	....	second assistant camera
Alex Schmidt	....	additional grip
Eric Trageser	....	director of photography: second unit
Doug Weinmann	....	key grip: second unit
Dietmar Wendelin	....	key grip: second unit
Daniel Yarussi	....	director of photography: third unit
Riccardo Zanarini	....	second assistant camera: second unit

Casting Department
Zoe Yuzna	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Beth Beasley	....	on-set costumer
Dian Camarillo	....	wardrobe assistant
Tony Villanueva	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
Lynn Dupre	....	apprentice editor
Herb Hickey	....	color timer
Richard Jordan	....	executive in charge of post-production
Keith H. Sauter	....	first assistant editor

Transportation Department
Loren Bess	....	driver
Robert C. Cawley	....	driver: honeywagon
Gary Cheek	....	driver
Shane Greedy	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Karl Armelin	....	police technical advisor
Ruben L. Astrada	....	security officer
Amy Bennett	....	publicist
Rabecca Bennett	....	publicist
Myron Bitting	....	coordinator: LAPD
Peter Block	....	executive in charge of business affairs
Michelle Clevenger	....	craft service
Dick Delson	....	publicist
Bruce David Eisen	....	executive in charge of business affairs
Ashley R. Friedman	....	location manager (as Ashley Robert Friedman)
Scott Handley	....	animal trainer
Deborah Ann Henderson	....	production coordinator: Trimark
Emmanuel Itier	....	assistant: Mr. Yuzna
James E. Keegan	....	executive in charge of finance
Deanna Kelley	....	set production assistant
Heather Kwiecinski	....	manager of production
Leslie Levy	....	advisor: dental techniques
Maeve Mannion	....	production accountant
Mike James Masumoto	....	assistant location manager
Irene Matijick	....	craft service
Lee McLaren	....	set production assistant
Brian McMillan	....	head animal trainer
Richard Middleton	....	assistant: Mr. Goldfine
Diana Petras	....	assistant production coordinator
Eduardo Ricketts Jr.	....	set production assistant (as Charlie Ricketts)
Brian Roberts	....	assistant production coordinator
Tracy Roberts	....	medic
Erik G. Rogers	....	set production assistant
Albert G. Ruben	....	insurance
Denise Russell	....	medic
Robert Settle	....	craft service
Jet Shaw	....	assistant animal trainer
Darnell Shepherd	....	set production assistant
Leslie Spann	....	set production assistant
Laura Stuart	....	production coordinator
Mark S. Thomas	....	script supervisor
Ron F. Ward	....	office production assistant
Sean Weilbacher	....	set production assistant (as Sean Timothy Weilbacher)
Misty Dawn White	....	post-production accountant

Thanks
Wayne Alexander	....	special thanks
Wayne Alexander	....	special thanks
Carol Diesel Allison	....	special thanks
Johann Benét	....	thanks
David Diaz	....	in memory of
John H. Digiulio	....	special thanks (as John H. Digiulio, D.D.S., M.S.)
Lawrence Goebel	....	special thanks
Jack Gould	....	special thanks
Clark Peterson	....	special thanks
Karan Reinstein	....	special thanks

Distributors

• RCV Film Distribution (1996) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Trimark Pictures (1996) (USA) (theatrical)
• Manga Films (1997) (Spain) (VHS)
• RCV Home Entertainment (2001) (Netherlands) (DVD) (VHS)
• Rizzoli Corriere della Sera Home Video (RCS) (199?) (Italy) (VHS)
• Scanbox Entertainment (200?) (Finland) (DVD)
• Trimark Home Video (1998) (USA) (DVD)
• Vidmark Entertainment (1997) (USA) (VHS)

Special Effects

• 3-D Industrial Design (additional specialty props)
• Kevin Yagher Productions
• Mirror Image Effects (additional effects)
• Steve Johnson's XFX (special effects)
• Sticks & Stones (Sarah braces)

Other Companies

• AT&T  special thanks
• Alexander, Halloran, Nau & Rose  special thanks
• Animal Rentals Unlimited  animals by
• Ashfield Color Lab  video transfer
• Austro Catering Services  catering
• C.A.S.T. Security  cast security
• CFI  color
• Cine-Com Payroll  payroll services
• De Forest Research Associates  script clearance
• Directors Sound & Editorial Services  dailies sound transfer
• Gnome Productions  post-production sound
• Hollywood Camera  camera and lenses
• Hollywood Optical Systems  titles and opticals
• Hollywood Studio Rental  special thanks
• Ivy Sound Studios  additional music recorded at
• J.L. Fisher  camera dollies
• Jack Shrub Supply  special thanks (props)
• Leonetti Company  production equipment
• Lori's Kitchen  catering
• Magic Film and Video Works  negative conforming services
• Magnolia Studios, The  adr facility
• Montelito Post  music recording
• NT Audio Visual  optical soundtrack negative
• Naya Spring Water  special thanks (as Naya Water)
• Paramount Pictures Property Department  special thanks
• Procter & Gamble Productions (PGP)  special thanks (as Proctor & Gamble)
• Promusic Inc.  additional music courtesy of
• RHH  insurance
• S.C. Johnson & Son  special thanks (as SC Johnson)
• SteadiSystems  film stock
• The Gnome Zone  foley facilities
• Wilcox Sound & Communications  walkie talkies

Also Known As:

El dentista (Spain) [es]
Hammaslääkäri (Finland) [fi]
Le dentiste (France) [fr]
O Dentista (Portugal) [pt]

MPAA:

Rated R for graphic violence including scenes of dental torture, sexuality and some language.

Runtime:

92 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Ultra Stereo

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Netherlands:16 | Portugal:M/18 | Australia:R (DVD rating) | Australia:MA | Finland:K-16 (video premiere) | Germany:18 | Norway:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 (video premiere) | USA:R | South Korea:18 | Spain:18

Filming Locations:

Burbank, California, USA

Trivia:

The real-life serial killer dentist, Glennon Engleman (1928-'99), was the inspiration for the story of the film.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Dr. Feinstone leaves his home and goes to work the window of his car is closed. A few seconds later when he get out of the car the window is open.

Quotes:

Candy: [To Sarah] Just go on back and let him know you're next.
Sarah: Okay!
Marvin Goldblum: Hi, remember me?
[puts money into Sarah's hand]
Marvin Goldblum: I'm next.
Candy: She's been waiting an awfully long time already.
Sarah: Yeah, two years and one day!
Marvin Goldblum: Kid, you'll understand. See, Dr. Feinstone can't keep me waiting. It's in his own interest. Or.. do we start the audit now?
Candy: Look Mr. Goldblum.... I...
[To Sarah]
[...]

Movie Connections:

Followed by The Dentist 2 (1998)

Weird? Strange? Different!

I don't know how to describe this movie. It's definitely one of the weirdest movies I've seen in a long time. It is very unsettling at times but also boring in other places. The scenes of dental torture are very elaborate and may attract anyone who's into gore & splatter. I found myself holding my teeth during some of the aforementioned scenes. The clever thing about the movie is that it plays with our fears and The Dentist is therefore quite unsettling.

The humor of the film is somehow hidden and may not be recognized by everyone. But if you're a fan of weird and strange entertainment and teeth getting drilled to dust this is just the film you were looking for.

If you read the comment and feel somehow attracted by this kind of entertainment, give it a try!

My rating: 4/10 (maybe a little too weird for my taste)