The Postman (1997)

Director:

Kevin Costner

Writers (WGA):

David Brin (novel)
Eric Roth (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

25 December 1997 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Drama | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

It is 2013. War has crippled the Earth. Technology has been erased. Our only hope is an unlikely hero.

Plot:

Post-apocalyptic America. What begins as a con game becomes one man's quest to rebuild civilization by resuming postal service.

Plot Keywords:

Post Apocalyptic | Leader | Letter | Binoculars | Racial Slur

Awards:

5 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

Kevin Costner	...	The Postman
Will Patton	...	General Bethlehem
Larenz Tate	...	Ford Lincoln Mercury
Olivia Williams	...	Abby
James Russo	...	Idaho
Daniel von Bargen	...	Pineview Sheriff Briscoe
Tom Petty	...	Bridge City Mayor
Scott Bairstow	...	Luke
Giovanni Ribisi	...	Bandit 20
Roberta Maxwell	...	Irene March
Joe Santos	...	Colonel Getty
Ron McLarty	...	Old George
Peggy Lipton	...	Ellen March
Brian Anthony Wilson	...	Woody
Todd Allen	...	Gibbs
Rex Linn	...	Mercer
Shawn Hatosy	...	Billy
Ryan Hurst	...	Eddie March
Charles Esten	...	Michael, Abby's Husband
Annie Costner	...	Ponytail (as Anne Costner)
Ty O'Neal	...	Drew
Kirk Fox	...	Gangly Recruit
Ken Linhart	...	Disappointed Recruit
Korey Scott Pollard	...	Thin Recruit
Kayla Lambert	...	Shakespeare Girl
Austin Howard Early	...	Shakespeare Boy
Ellen Geer	...	Pineview Woman
Randle Mell	...	Villiage Mayor
Cooper Taylor	...	Tony
Dylan Haggerty	...	Slow Recruit
Michael Milgrom	...	Holnist Projectionist
Keith C. Howell	...	Holnist Scout
H.P. Evetts	...	Holnist Soldier
Jeff Johnson	...	Rope Bridge Soldier
Jeff McGrail	...	Rope Bridge Soldier
Lily Costner	...	Lily March
Gregory Avellone	...	Pineview Man
Susan Brightbill	...	Pineview Woman
Elisa Daniel	...	Pineview Woman
Jenny Buchanan	...	Pineview Woman
Ann Manning	...	Pineview Woman
Andy Garrison	...	Pineview Sentry
Rusty Hendrickson	...	Pineview Minister
Marvin Winton	...	Pineview Old Man
Jono Manson	...	Pineview Band
John J. Coinman	...	Pineview Band
Vernon T. Williams	...	Pineview Band
Mark Clark	...	Pineview Band
Blair Forward	...	Pineview Band
Robyn Pruitt-Hamm	...	Pineview Band
Michelle Ramminger	...	Pineview Band
Tom Novak	...	Benning Gatekeeper
Richard Joel	...	Benning Gatekeeper
George Wyner	...	Benning Mayor
Brooke Becker	...	Benning Woman
Eva Gayle Six	...	Benning Woman
Todd Lewis	...	Benning Man
Joe Costner	...	Letter Boy
Kathi Sheehan	...	Letter Boy's Mother
Amy Jo Weinstein	...	Elvis Woman (as Amy Weinstein)
Betty Moyer	...	Elvis Woman
Joseph McKenna	...	Holnist Captain
Neal Preston Coon	...	Bridge City Boy
Rick Wadkins	...	Bridge City Man
Shiree Porter	...	Bridge City Woman
Anthony Guidera	...	Bridge City Guard
Judy Herrera	...	Carrier
Greg Serano	...	California Carrier
Derk Cheetwood	...	Carrier 12
Mark Thomason	...	Adult Letter Boy
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Stanton Barrett	...	California Career (uncredited)
Lester Berman	...	Cook (uncredited)
Shane Alan Bowers	...	'8's Cavalry (uncredited)
Tom Bower	...	Larry (uncredited)
Mark Donnell	...	Holnist Bridge Guard (uncredited)
Gordon Frye	...	Holnist Cavalry Captain (uncredited)
Nancy Frye	...	Town Cavalry (uncredited)
Patric Johnstone	...	Holnist Cavalryman (uncredited)
Mary Stuart Masterson	...	Hope, Postman's Daughter (uncredited)
Fergus O'Fay	...	Horseback Rider (uncredited)
Chris Orf	...	Conscript (uncredited)
Brandon Tyler	...	Postal Recruit (uncredited)

Directed by
Kevin Costner

Writing credits (WGA)
David Brin		(novel)
Eric Roth		(screenplay) and
Brian Helgeland		(screenplay)

Produced by
Lester Berman	....	line producer
Kevin Costner	....	producer
Steve Tisch	....	producer
Jim Wilson	....	producer

Original Music by
James Newton Howard

Cinematography by
Stephen F. Windon		(director of photography) (as Stephen Windon)

Film Editing by
Peter Boyle
Regina Prosi-Bassman

Casting by
Mindy Marin

Production Design by
Ida Random

Art Direction by
Derek R. Hill		(supervising art director)
Scott Ritenour

Set Decoration by
Ronald R. Reiss		(as Ron Reiss)

Costume Design by
John Bloomfield

Makeup Department
Elle Elliott	....	hair stylist: Mr. Costner
Kris Evans	....	key makeup artist
Mary Guerrero	....	key hair stylist
Martin 'Vinnie' Hagood	....	makeup artist
Steve LaPorte	....	makeup artist
JoJo Myers Proud	....	makeup artist
Francisco X. Pérez	....	makeup supervisor
Loretta James-Demasi	....	additional makeup artist (uncredited)
Tina Sims	....	hair stylist (uncredited)

Production Management
Lester Berman	....	production manager
Donna E. Bloom	....	production manager: second unit (as Donna Bloom)
Debbi Bossi	....	post-production supervisor
Todd Lewis	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Michael H. Anderson	....	first assistant director: second unit (as Michael Anderson)
Kevin Duncan	....	second assistant director
Eric Fox Hays	....	second assistant director: second unit
Joe Lotito	....	second second assistant director
Dennis Maguire	....	first assistant director
Jayson Merrill	....	second assistant director
Nick Satriano	....	second second assistant director
Charles Simmers	....	additional second assistant director (as Chuck Simmers)
Tod Swindell	....	additional second assistant director
Alexander Witt	....	second unit director
David J. Negron Jr.	....	third unit director (uncredited)

Art Department
Kirsten Anderson	....	construction accountant
Adam Austin	....	set dresser
Craig B. Ayers Sr.	....	greensman
Adam L. Barker	....	plasterer
Richard Baum	....	assistant property master
Richard Baum	....	property master: second unit
Thomas Betts	....	set designer
Robert A. Blackburn	....	construction coordinator
Daniel Boxer	....	propmaker
Lloyd A. Buswell	....	construction foreman
Charisse Cardenas	....	set designer
Robert DeSue	....	carpenter
Ken Erck	....	set painter
Sean Haworth	....	set designer
Jim Husbands	....	set dresser
Jeff Khachadoorian	....	prop shop
Ray Lovasz	....	propmaker
William S. Maxwell III	....	leadman
Todd McKibben	....	construction foreman
Greg McMickle	....	property master: second unit
'Butch' Montgomery	....	set carpenter
James J. Murakami	....	set designer
David J. Negron Jr.	....	storyboard artist
John M. Oswald	....	prop builder
Dean G. Roberts	....	carpenter
Kristen Spinning	....	painter
Kristen Spinning	....	stand-by painter
Mike Stassi	....	set designer
Bill Taliaferro	....	set designer
Jana Treadwell	....	set dresser
Tom Ward	....	propmaker
Darrell L. Wight	....	set designer (as Darrell Wight)
Nancy Yeo	....	painter
Dylan Martens	....	art department assistant (uncredited)

Sound Department
Paul Aulicino	....	assistant sound editor
Lance Brown	....	sound designer
David E. Campbell	....	sound re-recording mixer (as David Campbell)
Kevin E. Carpenter	....	sound re-recording mixer
Bradley Clouse	....	sound assistant
Kay Colvin	....	utility sound
Zack Davis	....	adr editor
Marc Deschaine	....	adr assistant
Michael Dressel	....	supervising foley editor
Kirk Francis	....	sound mixer
Dana LeBlanc Frankley	....	assistant sound editor (as Dana LeBlanc)
Jeffrey J. Haboush	....	sound re-recording mixer
Charles Hamilton	....	sound recordist
Trillby Kim Lowe	....	dialogue editor (as Kimberly Lowe Voigt)
Steve Mann	....	sound effects editor
Anthony Milch	....	sound editor
Steve Nelson	....	sound effects editor
Jay Nierenberg	....	sound editor
David Novack	....	sound re-recording mixer
Troy Porter	....	adr mixer
John T. Reitz	....	sound re-recording mixer (as John Reitz)
Gregg Rudloff	....	sound re-recording mixer
Mychal Smith	....	boom operator
Bruce Stambler	....	supervising sound editor
Becky Sullivan	....	supervising adr editor
Shawn Sykora	....	foley editor
Robert Troy	....	dialogue editor
Bernard Weiser	....	sound editor
Marshall Winn	....	sound editor
Mark Johnston	....	sound recordist (uncredited)
Carolyn Tapp	....	foley recordist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Jeff J. Davis	....	special effects assistant
Donald Frazee	....	special effects co-coordinator
Terry D. Frazee	....	special effects coordinator
Scott Lingard	....	special effects technician
Kai Shelton	....	special effects technician
Clifton Dance	....	special effects assistant (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Tricia Henry Ashford	....	visual effects supervisor
Alfredo R. Barcia	....	film recording technician: SPI
Max Bruce	....	digital artist
Tim T. Cunningham	....	production assistant: Cinesite
Charles Darby	....	digital matte supervisor
Scott Dougherty	....	visual effects producer: Cinesite
Sheena Duggal	....	co-visual effects supervisor: SPI
Thomas F. Ford IV	....	high speed compositing technical coordinator
Layne Friedman	....	compositor: SPI
Anthony Harris	....	timing coordinator
Petra Holtorf	....	visual effects coordinator
Sho Igarashi	....	technical designer
Chris Johnson	....	second assistant camera: visual effects unit
David Jones	....	CG supervisor: SPI
Karen Klein	....	roto supervisor
Martin A. Kline	....	visual effects art director
Apryl Knobbe	....	texture/matte painter
John Charles Kohn	....	compositor: cineon
John Charles Kohn	....	digital compositor
Vincent Lavares	....	technical assistant supervisor: Cinesite Hollywood
Jennifer Law-Stump	....	digital effects artist: Pacific Title Digital
Gregory D. Liegey	....	composite supervisor
Craig Mathieson	....	digital compositor
L. Patrick McCormack	....	visual effects coordinator
Valerie McMahon	....	digital artist
Hal Miles	....	digital artist
Elizabeth Moore	....	digital compositor
David J. Negron Jr.	....	visual effects supervisor
Sean O'Connor	....	digital compositor
Corinne Pooler	....	digital artist
David Rey	....	digital compositor
Jay Riddle	....	visual effects supervisor
Dylan Robinson	....	digital artist
Stephen Rosenbaum	....	visual effects supervisor
Candice Scott	....	digital effects compositor
Tony Sgueglia	....	data operations supervisor
Craig A. Simms	....	digital compositor
Aaron Smith	....	digital artist
Thomas J. Smith	....	visual effects plate supervisor: Cinesite
Tiffany Smith	....	visual effects production assistant: Cinesite
Paul Taglianetti	....	visual effects producer
Tracy Takahashi	....	visual effects associate producer: Cinesite
Daniel E. Teaze	....	first assistant camera: visual effects unit
Philipp Timme	....	cinematographer: VFX
Amy Tompkins	....	visual effects editor
Robert Winter	....	senior technical assistant
Ted Andre	....	digital compositor (uncredited)
Tim Gibbons	....	digital rotoscope artist (uncredited)
Bernice Kenton	....	visual effects vendor producer (uncredited)
Tim Ketzer	....	computer graphics animator: Cinesite (uncredited)
Roger Kupelian	....	matte painter (uncredited)
Mark Tait Lewis	....	digital compositor (uncredited)
Paul McGhee	....	film scanning and recording (uncredited)
Lance Powell	....	technical coordinator (uncredited)

Stunts
Julie Adair	....	stunts
Craig Appel	....	equestrian
Stanton Barrett	....	stunts
Sandy Berumen	....	stunts
Steve Bland	....	stunts
Jodi Branco	....	stunts
Chris Branham	....	stunts
Troy Brenna	....	stunts
Joe Bucaro III	....	stunts (as Joey Bucaro III)
Richard Bucher	....	stunts
William H. Burton Jr.	....	stunts
Shay Calinawan	....	stunts
John Campbell	....	stunts
Chase Casson	....	stunts
Steven Chambers	....	stunts (as Steve Chambers)
Jeffrey J. Dashnaw	....	stunts (as Jeff Dashnaw)
Sean Day	....	stunts
Gil Dean	....	stunts
Rick Dennis	....	stunts
Kip Farnsworth	....	stunts
J.R. Flournoy	....	stunts
Lance Gilbert	....	stunts
Michael Hansen	....	stunt performer
Kanin Howell	....	stunts
Norman Howell	....	stunt coordinator
Shawn Howell	....	stunt double
Shawn Howell	....	stunts
Lane Leavitt	....	stunts
Juddson Keith Linn	....	stunts
Billy D. Lucas	....	stunts (as Billy Lucas)
Benny Manning	....	stunts (as Benny J. Manning)
Dave Powledge	....	stunts
Darrin Prescott	....	stunts
Tyler Quigley	....	stunts
Scott Rogers	....	stunts (as Scott Rodgers)
Rod Rondeaux	....	stunts
Erik Rondell	....	stunts
Charlie Sammut	....	stunts
Charles O. Sampson	....	stunts
Brooke Sandahl	....	stunts
George Smith	....	stunts
Monty Stuart	....	stunts
Matthew Taylor	....	stunts
Ashlyn Terry	....	stunts
Jesse Thomason	....	stunts
Jordan Thomason	....	stunts
Ryan Weiss	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Michael Baird	....	video assistant
Chris Bangma	....	assistant camera: SpaceCam
Shawn Blakeman	....	lighting technician
Eric Budlong	....	grip
David Crone	....	Steadicam operator
David Crone	....	camera operator
Shawn Duchscherer	....	lighting technician
Jeff Duffy	....	lighting technician
Doug Ednie	....	lighting technician
Jeff Enneking	....	lighting technician
Ken Fisher	....	camera operator: second unit
James J. Gilson	....	chief lighting technician
Ron Goodman	....	camera operator: SpaceCam
Kim Heath	....	key rigging grip
Marty Heinz	....	lighting technician
Mason Hersey	....	first assistant camera
Joel Jaspan	....	grip
David R. Kohn	....	lighting technician
Steve Koster	....	camera operator: Spacecam
Brent Lawson	....	rigging grip
Brian C. Lawson	....	grip
Kal Manning	....	rigging gaffer
John Martens	....	best boy rigging electric
Fred L. McLane	....	assistant camera
Tim Merrill	....	dolly grip: second unit
Frank Parrish	....	second assistant camera
Joe A. Ponticelle	....	first assistant camera
Dave Potter	....	lighting technician
David Presley	....	camera loader
Norbert F. Quiban	....	lamp operator
Norbert F. Quiban	....	rigging electrician
Leonard Romie	....	lighting technician
David Roth	....	second assistant camera
David Schmalz	....	video assist operator
Jeremy Tiffin	....	rigging electrician: daily
Lance Jay Velazco	....	second video assist operator
Kelly Way	....	lighting technician
Steven J. Winslow	....	assistant camera: Wescam camera
Steven J. Winslow	....	camera technician
Ben Glass	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Danny Hernandez	....	electrician (uncredited)
Mansur Johnson	....	grip (uncredited)
Daniel Mellitz	....	video assist operator: second unit (uncredited)

Casting Department
Lora Hingst	....	casting assistant
Chris Hutchins	....	extras casting
Sally Jackson	....	location casting
Rick Olmos	....	extras casting coordinator

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Javier Arrieta	....	costumer
Laura Baker	....	specialty costumer
Joseph Cigliano	....	specialty costumes
Carolyn Dessert	....	key costumer
Cathie Filian	....	key costumer
Blanca Garcia	....	set costumer
Jalene Murphy	....	set costumer: second unit
Damien Quinn	....	costumer
Rebeka L. Roberts	....	costume ager/dyer
Leticia Sandoval	....	specialty costumes
Nick Scarano	....	costume supervisor
Kacy Treadway	....	specialty costumes

Editorial Department
Travon Brumfield	....	post-production production assistant
Audrey Evans	....	first assistant film editor
John Hendrickson	....	assistant editor: dailies
Jonathan Lucas	....	associate editor
Staci R. Pontins	....	assistant editor
Bill Daly	....	post-production executive (uncredited)

Music Department
Brad Dechter	....	orchestrator
Sandy DeCrescent	....	orchestra contractor
James Newton Howard	....	orchestrator
Artie Kane	....	conductor
Shawn Murphy	....	score mixer
David Olson	....	music editor
Jim Weidman	....	supervising music editor

Transportation Department
Lyle Christensen	....	shotmaker driver
Jim Petti	....	transportation
Marty Radcliff	....	driver
Jonathan A. Rosenfeld	....	transportation coordinator
Brian Steagall	....	transportation captain
Phil Strauss	....	transportation
Jeff Verdick	....	picture car coordinator
Richard Vincent	....	driver

Other crew
Geneviere Anderson	....	production assistant
Bonnie Belknap	....	food stylist
Linda Booher-Ciarimboli	....	specialty crafts supervisor
Kristie Breslin	....	production assistant
Mark Brooks	....	animal trainer: wild animals
Francie Brown	....	dialect coach: Olivia Williams
Judith M. Brown	....	studio teacher
Sara Burton	....	unit location manager
David J. Buswell	....	welding foreman
Mauni P. Caves	....	assistant location manager
Iris Cole-Hayworth	....	production assistant
Bret Culpepper	....	technical advisor
Cody Dorkin	....	adr voice
Julianne Eggold	....	production assistant
Christian Feldhaus	....	second assistant accountant
Michael Fine	....	construction medic
Riley Flynn	....	re-enactor coordinator
Megan Forste	....	additional second assistant
Karen M. Fuchs	....	assistant paymaster
Shaun Gavin	....	assistant location manager
Karen Golden	....	script supervisor
Nancy Haecker	....	assistant location manager
Shannon Hamed	....	assistant coordinator
Timalee Hustin	....	production assistant
David Israel	....	location manager
Samantha C. Kirkeby	....	script supervisor: second unit
Al Lewis	....	production secretary
Lori A. Lopes	....	second assistant accountant
Emily McGovern	....	production assistant
Meaghan F. McLaughlin	....	production assistant
Brian McMillan	....	animal trainer
Randy Miller	....	lion trainer
Stephan Miller	....	lion trainer
Niamh Murphy	....	textile artist
Mike Revell	....	production accountant
Rick Roesch	....	payroll accountant
Margo Romano	....	assistant accountant
Taylor Saxon	....	set medic
Brooke Smiler	....	production associate
Scott Stravitz	....	set medic
Mark Thomason	....	photo double
Mark Thomason	....	stand-in
Rick Wadkins	....	head set medic
P.W. Ward	....	wrangler
Jennifer Webb	....	production secretary
Tyson Wisbrock	....	documentarian
Lisbeth Wynn-Owen	....	production coordinator
Elizabeth A. Bergman	....	assistant accountant (uncredited)
Jesse Blanco	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Sue Chipperton	....	dog trainer (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Tig Productions
• Warner Bros. Pictures

Distributors

• Warner Bros. Pictures (1997) (USA) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1998) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1998) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1998) (France) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1998) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1998) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1998) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. Home Video (2009) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Warner Home Video (1998) (UK) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (1998) (Sweden) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (1998) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (1998) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Warner Home Video (1999) (USA) (DVD) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Caliban Filmworks (additional visual effects)
• Cinesite (Hollywood) (special visual effects)
• Sony Pictures Imageworks (SPI) (special visual effects)

Other Companies

• SoundStorm  sound editing
• Warner Sunset Records  soundtrack

Also Known As:

O Mensageiro (Brazil) (Portugal) [pt]
Postman (Austria) (Germany) [de]
Почтальон (Russia) [ru]
A jövõ hírnöke (Hungary) [hu]
Anamesa se dyo kosmous (Greece) (TV title) [el]
Haberci (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
L'uomo del giorno dopo (Italy) [it]
Le facteur (Canada: French title) [fr]
Mensajero del futuro (The Postman) (Spain) [es]
Postar (Slovenia) [sl]
Postman (France) [fr]
Postman 2013 (France) (video box title) [fr]
The Postman - Budbäraren (Sweden) [sv]
The postman - tulevaisuuden sanansaattaja (Finland) [fi]
Wyslannik przyszlosci (Poland) [pl]

Runtime:

177 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Alphacine)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | SDDS | DTS

Certification:

Iceland:14 | Iceland:16 (video rating) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:14A (Alberta/British Columbia) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Australia:M | Canada:PG (Manitoba) | Singapore:M18 (re-rating) | Singapore:PG (cut) | Philippines:PG-13 | Finland:K-14 | France:U | Germany:12 | Hong Kong:IIA | Netherlands:16 | Norway:15 | Portugal:M/12 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | USA:R | South Korea:18 | Brazil:Livre

Filming Locations:

Anacortes, Washington, USA

Company:

Tig Productions

Trivia:

Behind-the-scenes images from location shooting were broadcast live over the Internet.

Goofs:

Factual errors: The main character assumes his role because he found an old abandoned mail truck containing the remains of a long dead mailman and pilfered the uniform from the skeleton. The problem here is the condition of the clothing he takes. When a person dies, the body goes through many stages of decomposition on its way to being merely a skeleton. As the tissues break down, many chemicals and enzymes are released, including the hydrochloric acid of the digestive system. In the final stages of decomposition, this is referred to as liquefacation or liquiescence. Given enough time and a suitable environment this combination of byproducts, with the addition of the bacteria that will inevitably emerge, would make any cloth or fabric (with the exception of treated leather products) not only disgustingly filthy, but also so weakened from exposure to what amounts to a corrosive liquid, that the fibers would tear apart from any stresses put on them. Even the act of taking the jacket off of the remains (and certainly that of putting the jacket on himself) would have pulled the fabric apart.

Quotes:

Larry: I tried to be an actor when I was young. I wasn't a good actor, but now after seeing you at least I can die knowing I wasn't the worst one.
The Postman: How much did you pay to get in, Larry? So bite me!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Be Kind Rewind (2008)

Soundtrack:

You Didn't Have To Be So Nice

See it, then decide

It's a depressing fact that the moviegoing public is being brainwashed by critics to hate everything involving Kevin Costner. When released in 1997 this breathtaking, thought-provoking epic was largely ignored and limped to a box office gross of $14 million, thanks to some vicious reviews.

Lest we forget, Costner made the magnificent Dances With Wolves, but that was in the days when we were told it was okay to like him. His directorial follow up is every bit as good. He knows about directing. He coaxes great performances from his casts. He has real vision and takes chances. Like Michael Cimino, his efforts are belittled and mocked while directors with clearly less talent are applauded.

So to all those people who stayed away in droves and screw their faces up at the mention of this film, I say watch it before you criticise it. Don't rely on some magazine writer to tell you who's good and who's not. Your brain is there for a reason.