Bringing Out the Dead (1999)

Director:

Martin Scorsese

Writers (WGA):

Joe Connelly (novel)
Paul Schrader (screenplay)

Release Date:

22 October 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Thriller

Plot:

A Manhattan ambulance paramedic, overworked and haunted by visions of his failures, fights to keep a tenuous grip on his clarity.

Plot Keywords:

Hell | Paramedic | Ghost | Ambulance | Rescue

Awards:

2 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Nicolas Cage	...	Frank Pierce
Patricia Arquette	...	Mary Burke
John Goodman	...	Larry
Ving Rhames	...	Marcus
Tom Sizemore	...	Tom Wolls
Marc Anthony	...	Noel
Mary Beth Hurt	...	Nurse Constance
Cliff Curtis	...	Cy Coates
Nestor Serrano	...	Dr. Hazmat
Aida Turturro	...	Nurse Crupp
Sonja Sohn	...	Kanita
Cynthia Roman	...	Rose
Afemo Omilami	...	Griss
Cullen O. Johnson	...	Mr. Burke (as Cullen Oliver Johnson)
Arthur J. Nascarella	...	Captain Barney (as Arthur Nascarella)
Martin Scorsese	...	Dispatcher (voice)
Julyana Soelistyo	...	Sister Fetus
Graciela Lecube	...	Neighbor Woman
Marylouise Burke	...	Neighbor Woman
Phyllis Somerville	...	Mrs. Burke
Mary Diveny	...	Neighbor Woman
Tom Riis Farrell	...	John Burke
Aleks Shaklin	...	Arguing Russian
Leonid Citer	...	Arguing Russian
Jesus A. Del Rosario Jr.	...	Man with Bloody Foot
Larry Fessenden	...	Cokehead
Bernie Friedman	...	Big Feet
Theo Kogan	...	Prostitute
Fuschia!	...	Prostitute (as Fuschia Walker)
John Heffernan	...	Mr. Oh
Matthew Maher	...	Mr. Oh's Friend
Bronson Dudley	...	Mr. Oh's Friend
Marilyn McDonald	...	Mr. Oh's Friend
Ed Jupp Jr.	...	Homeless Man in Waiting Room
J. Stanford Hoffman	...	Homeless Man in Waiting Room
Rita Norona Schrager	...	Concerned Hispanic Aunt
Don Berry	...	Naked Man
Mtume Gant	...	Street Punk
Michael A. Noto	...	Grunt
Omar Scroggins	...	Bystander (as Omar Sharif Scroggins)
Craig muMs Grant	...	Voice in Crowd (as muMs)
Michael Kenneth Williams	...	Drug Dealer
Andy Davoli	...	Stanley (as Andrew Davoli)
Charlene Hunter	...	Miss Williams
Jesse Malin	...	Club Doorman
Harper Simon	...	I.B. Bangin'
Joseph Monroe Webb	...	Drummer
Jon Abrahams	...	Club Bystander
Charis Michelsen	...	I.B.'s Girlfriend (as Charis Michaelson)
Lia Yang	...	Dr. Milagros
Antone Pagan	...	Arrested Man (as Antone Pagán)
Melissa Marsala	...	Bridge & Tunnel Girl
Betty Miller	...	Weeping Woman
Rosemary Gomez	...	Pregnant Maria
Luis Rodriguez	...	Carlos
Sylva Kelegian	...	Crackhead
Frank Ciornei	...	Dr. Mishra
Catrina Ganey	...	Nurse Odette
Jennifer Lane Newman	...	Nurse Advisor
John Bal	...	Police in Hospital
Raymond Cassar	...	Police in Hospital
Tom Cappadona	...	Drunk
Jack O'Connell	...	Drunk
Randy Foster	...	Drunk
Richard Spore	...	Homeless Suicidal
James Hanlon	...	Fireman
Chris Edwards	...	Fireman
Mark Giordano	...	Police Sergeant
Michael Mulheren	...	Cop in Elevator
David Zayas	...	Cop in Elevator
Terry Serpico	...	Cop #1
Floyd Resnick	...	Cop #3
Megan Leigh	...	Surgeon
David Vasquez	...	Screaming Man
Judy Reyes	...	ICU Nurse
Joseph P. Reidy	...	ICU Doctor (as Joseph Reidy)
Queen Latifah	...	Dispatcher Love (voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Carolyn Campbell	...	Policewoman (uncredited)
Michael Carbonaro	...	Club Kid (uncredited)
Joe Connelly	...	Catatonic Patient in Suede Coat (uncredited)
George F. Miller	...	Paramedic in Hospital Hallway (uncredited)
Brian Smyj	...	Cop #2 (uncredited)

Directed by
Martin Scorsese

Writing credits (WGA)
Joe Connelly		(novel)
Paul Schrader		(screenplay)

Produced by
Barbara De Fina	....	producer
Jeff Levine	....	associate producer
Bruce S. Pustin	....	executive producer
Joseph P. Reidy	....	co-producer (as Joseph Reidy)
Mark Roybal	....	associate producer
Scott Rudin	....	producer
Adam Schroeder	....	executive producer
Eric Steel	....	co-producer

Original Music by
Elmer Bernstein

Cinematography by
Robert Richardson		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Thelma Schoonmaker

Casting by
Ellen Lewis

Production Design by
Dante Ferretti

Art Direction by
Robert Guerra

Set Decoration by
William F. Reynolds

Costume Design by
Rita Ryack

Makeup Department
Joseph Coscia	....	hair stylist: Mr. Cage (as Joe Coscia)
Jane DiPersio	....	makeup artist
Scott W. Farley	....	hair stylist (as Scott Farley)
William A. Farley	....	key hair stylist (as William Farley)
Linda Grimes	....	key makeup artist (as Linda A. Grimes)
Manlio Rocchetti	....	special makeup effects artist
Leon Weisinger	....	makeup artist: Mr. Cage
Carol F. Doran	....	wig maker (uncredited)
Neal Martz	....	key makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Shell Hecht	....	production supervisor
Joseph E. Iberti	....	assistant unit production manager
Kendall McCarthy	....	post-production supervisor
Bruce S. Pustin	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Alexandra K. Browne	....	dga trainee (as Alexandra Browne)
Greg Hale	....	second second assistant director (as Gregory G. Hale)
Joseph P. Reidy	....	first assistant director (as Joseph Reidy)
Chris Surgent	....	second assistant director (as Christopher J. Surgent)

Art Department
William Armstrong	....	on-set scenic (as Bill Armstrong)
Tommy Boles	....	construction foreperson (as Thomas J. Boles)
James Bono	....	assistant property master
Roland Brooks	....	chargeperson scenic artist
Garf Brown	....	scenic
James Capello	....	carpenter
Dennis Causey	....	set dresser
Robert Currie	....	set dresser
Chris DeTitta	....	leadperson (as Christopher DeTitta)
Emily Gaunt	....	scenic
Glenn Gertsen	....	carpenter
Jim Gilmartin	....	scenic (as James Gilmartin)
Sam Greto	....	carpenter
Jay Halligan	....	construction grip (as Jay Haligan)
Laurel Harris	....	scenic
Timothy Joliat	....	set dresser
Joe Kamfor	....	carpenter
Philip Kennedy	....	scenic (as Phil Kennedy)
Vinny Mazzarella	....	assistant property master
James Mazzola	....	property master
Silvija L. Moess	....	scenic (as Silvija Moess)
Jamie Mullins	....	art department administrator
John Oates Jr.	....	set dresser (as John Oates)
Glen Pangione	....	construction coordinator
Robert T. Prate	....	construction grip (as Robert Prate)
John Ralbovsky	....	scenic foreperson (as John A. Ralbovsky)
Lawrence Robinson	....	scenic
Gary Seeley	....	construction grip
Laurie Sheridan	....	scenic
Lee Shevett	....	construction grip
Mitch Towse	....	set dresser
Sylvia Trapanese	....	first scenic artist
Paul Vistocco	....	scenic
Richard Yacuk	....	construction grip foreperson
Thomas Yacuk	....	key construction grip (as Tom Yacuk)
Don Zappia	....	construction grip
John Davis	....	storyboard artist (uncredited)
Leo Holder	....	graphic artist (uncredited)
Ross La Terra	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Michael Marcel	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Peter Regnier	....	set dresser (uncredited)

Sound Department
David Boulton	....	adr recording engineer
Benjamin Cheah	....	foley editor (as Ben Cheah)
Laura Civiello	....	dialogue editor
Marko A. Costanzo	....	foley artist (as Marko Costanzo)
Kenna Doeringer	....	assistant adr editor
Kate Eales	....	assistant sound editor
Chris Fielder	....	assistant sound editor
Tom Fleischman	....	sound re-recording mixer
Eugene Gearty	....	sound effects designer
Frank Kern	....	foley editor
Andrew Kris	....	foley editor (as Andy Kris)
George A. Lara	....	foley recordist
Debora Lilavois	....	apprentice sound editor
Adam Lipsius	....	assistant sound editor
Marissa Littlefield	....	adr editor
Mike Poppleton	....	apprentice sound editor
Jennifer Ralston	....	foley supervisor
Alex Raspa	....	adr recordist
Fred Rosenberg	....	dialogue editor
Melanie Ryder	....	assistant sound editor
James J. Sabat Jr.	....	cableperson (as J.J. Sabat)
James Sabat	....	sound mixer (as James J. Sabat)
Louis Sabat	....	boom operator (as Louis C. Sabat)
Philip Stockton	....	supervising sound editor
David Wahnon	....	assistant sound editor
Steve Finnigan	....	adr recordist (uncredited)
Becky Sullivan	....	supervising adr editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
John Ottesen	....	special effects coordinator (as John M. Ottesen)
Ron Ottesen	....	special effects foreperson (as Ronald Ottesen)

Visual Effects by
Jon Alexander	....	compositing supervisor: ILM
Al Bailey	....	digital artist: ILM
John Bartle	....	visual effects editor: ILM
Chris Bayz	....	digital paint & roto: ILM
Stella Bogh	....	digital artist: ILM
Patrick Brennan	....	digital artist: ILM (as Pat Brennan)
Jill Brooks	....	visual effects producer: ILM
Chloe Chao	....	technical support: ILM
Jeff Doran	....	digital artist: ILM
Debbie Fought	....	digital paint & roto: ILM (as Deb Fought)
Camille Geier	....	visual effects producer: ILM
Susan Greenhow	....	visual effects coordinator: ILM
David Lambert	....	visual effects coordinator: ILM
Kimberly Lashbrook	....	digital artist: ILM
Tia L. Marshall	....	digital artist: ILM (as Tia Marshall)
Jim Milton	....	technical support: ILM
Michael Owens	....	visual effects supervisor: ILM
Janos Pilenyi	....	effects supervisor: Cineric Digital
Amy Shepard	....	digital paint & roto: ILM
Kenneth Smith	....	digital timing supervisor: ILM
Chad Taylor	....	digital artist: ILM
Erin Collins Butler	....	visual effects production assistant (uncredited)
Don Canfield	....	motion control operator (uncredited)
Alex MacDonald	....	motion control camera (uncredited)
Paula Nederman	....	visual effects coordinator (uncredited)
Eric Person	....	digital compositor (uncredited)
George Sakellariou	....	production engineering: ILM (uncredited)
Nick Seuser	....	additional visual effects editor (uncredited)

Stunts
G.A. Aguilar	....	stunt coordinator
Chris Cenatiempo	....	stunts
Blaise Corrigan	....	stunts
Douglas Crosby	....	stunts
Gregg Curtis	....	stunts
Peter Epstein	....	stunts
Jeffrey Lee Gibson	....	stunts
Sean Kelly	....	stunts (as Sean C. Kelly)
Jalil Jay Lynch	....	stunts
Daniel Maldonado	....	stunts (as Dan Maldonado)
Conrad E. Palmisano	....	stunts (as Conrad Palmisano)
Stephen A. Pope	....	stunts
Eddie Yansick	....	stunts
Conrad E. Palmisano	....	stunt driver (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
John Billeci	....	electrician
Phillip V. Caruso	....	still photographer
Ken Connors	....	rigging gaffer (as Kenneth R. Conners)
Doug Dalisera	....	best boy electric (as Douglas Dalisera)
Howard Davidson	....	grip
Dayson Engels	....	grip
Glen Engels	....	best boy grip
Russell Engels	....	gaffer (as Russell W. Engels)
David Franzoni	....	electrician (as Dave Franzoni)
Kenneth Fundus	....	grip (as Ken Fundus)
Vincent Galindez	....	camera operator
Richard Guinness Jr.	....	key grip
Victor Huey	....	grip
Billy Kerwick	....	key rigging grip
Jeanne Lipsey	....	second assistant camera
Kevin Lowry	....	grip
James Mah	....	electrician
Harold J. McClean	....	best boy rigging electrician (as Harry McClean)
Bill McGavin	....	electrician (as William McGavin)
Patrick McGrath	....	dolly grip
Ronald Paul	....	generator operator (as Ronnie Paul)
Denise Schwab	....	camera loader
James Scutakes	....	grip
Jamie Stephens	....	camera loader
Kyle Stephens	....	electrician
Gregor Tavenner	....	first assistant camera
Joseph Viano	....	best boy rigging grip (as Joseph A. Viano)
James F. Walsh Jr.	....	electrician
Jared Abrams	....	camera loader (uncredited)
Lou Angeli	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Will Arnot	....	additional grip (uncredited)
Mel Cannon	....	grip (uncredited)
Nicolas L. Charuet	....	grip (uncredited)
Tchell De Paepe	....	camera assistant: second unit (uncredited)
Randy Greer	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Tracey Gudwin	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Mark Gutterud	....	vistavision camera operator (uncredited)
Steve Koster	....	camera operator: SpaceCam (uncredited)
David Landau	....	gaffer: behind-the-scenes (uncredited)
Larry McConkey	....	Steadicam operator (uncredited)

Casting Department
Marcia DeBonis	....	casting associate (as Marcia Debonis)
Lee Genick	....	extras casting assistant
Gayle Keller	....	casting associate
Brian Moriarty	....	additional extras casting
Bruce Winant	....	adr voice casting (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Joanna Brett	....	wardrobe supervisor
William A. Campbell	....	wardrobe supervisor
Mary Jo McGrath	....	costume administrator (as M.J. McGrath)
Kevin Ritter	....	key costumer

Editorial Department
Scott Brock	....	first assistant editor
Tom Foligno	....	first assistant editor
Bob Kaiser	....	color timer
James Y. Kwei	....	consulting editor (as James Kwei)
Jeffrey M. Werner	....	apprentice editor (as Jeff Werner)

Music Department
Elmer Bernstein	....	conductor
Emilie A. Bernstein	....	orchestrator (as Emilie Bernstein)
Steven Danenberg	....	music preparation
Kathy Durning	....	music editor
Dorothy Greenberg	....	orchestra contractor
Juliet Haffner	....	orchestra contractor
Robert Mackston	....	music editor (as Bobby Mackston)
Kathy Nelson	....	executive in charge of music: Buena Vista Motion Pictures Group
Dan Wallin	....	score mixer
Dan Wallin	....	score recordist

Transportation Department
Carlos Bernal	....	driver
John Black	....	driver
Theodore Brown Jr.	....	driver
Joseph Buonocore	....	transportation co-captain (as Joseph J. Buonocore Jr.)
Timothy P. Cassella	....	driver (as Tim Cassella)
Tom Cogan	....	driver
Michael Connolly	....	driver (as Michael Connoly)
Tom Flaherty	....	driver
Pat Ford	....	driver
Roy Fortier	....	driver
Brian Hogan	....	driver
Paul Kane	....	driver
Richard S. Kornack	....	driver (as Rich Kornack)
Don 'Ducky' Lapine	....	driver (as Donald Lapine)
Ron Lucas	....	driver
Regis Mullaney	....	driver
Robert Papini	....	driver (as Bob Papini)
Timothy Paustian	....	driver (as Tim Paustian)
Bob Pennimore	....	driver
Wes Peterson	....	driver
Jim Popper	....	driver
Frank Röth	....	driver (as Frank Roth)
Timothy Shannon	....	transportation captain
Timothy Spillane	....	driver (as Tim Spillane)
Joe Vanness	....	driver
James Patrick Whalen Jr.	....	transportation day coordinator (as James Whalen)

Other crew
Erica Bamforth	....	production assistant
Marion Billings	....	publicist
Julie Brennan	....	assistant: Mr. Scorsese
Billy Budd	....	assistant: Mr. Sizemore
Stephen Bures	....	assistant: Mr. Cage
Susan Callahan	....	technical advisor: EMS
Gretchen Campbell	....	assistant: Mr. Scorsese
Aloura Melissa Charles	....	production assistant (as Aloura Charles)
Joe Connelly	....	technical advisor: EMS
Eben Davidson	....	assistant: Mr. Rudin
John Dixon	....	assistant: Mr. Cage
Joseph G. Eckardt	....	production assistant (as Joseph Eckard)
Rich Fellegara	....	set medic (as Richard Fellegara)
Robert Garlock	....	publicist
Steve Ginsburg	....	assistant: Mr. Pustin
Stacy Gold	....	assistant: Ms. Arquette
Damon Michael Gordon	....	location assistant (as Damon Gordon)
Rueven Halevi	....	intern
Geofrey Hildrew	....	production assistant
Marco Kyris	....	stand-in: Mr. Cage
Chris Laker	....	production assistant
James D. Lee	....	assistant location manager
Erica Levy	....	assistant: Ms. DeFina
Lisa Madden	....	intern
Theresa Marsh	....	first assistant accountant (as Theresa L. Marsh)
Len Murach	....	location manager
Eric Myers	....	unit publicist (as Eric Meyers)
Caleb Omens	....	production assistant
Mike Phillips	....	financial representative
Martha Pinson	....	script supervisor
Douglas Plasse	....	production assistant (as Doug Plasse)
Joaquin Diego Prange	....	production assistant
Hope Shaw	....	post-production accountant
Lois Smith	....	publicist
Penni Smith	....	payroll accountant (as Penni M.M. Smith)
Karen Koula Sossiadis	....	assistant production coordinator (as Karen Sossiadis)
Robert T. Striem	....	location manager
Amanda Taylor	....	production assistant
Byron Tokarz	....	intern
Matilde Valera	....	production auditor
Kellyann Wargo	....	second assistant accountant
Reid Warman	....	production secretary
Dar Billingham	....	stand-in: Patricia Arquette (uncredited)
Ashlee Burnette	....	production office assistant (uncredited)
Manny Chavez	....	production safety supervisor (uncredited)
Marisa Clayton	....	dailies assistant: Magno Sound & Video (uncredited)
Joseph G. Eckardt	....	on-set assistant: Mr. Cage (uncredited)
Johnny Egan	....	production assistant (uncredited)
P.J. Haines	....	chef (uncredited)
Andy Hernandez	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Keith Kirk	....	adr voice (uncredited)
Bill Platt	....	dga observer (uncredited)
Giovanni Sanseviero	....	additional stand-in (uncredited)
Jason Stant	....	accounting clerk (uncredited)
Will Sweeney	....	production intern (uncredited)

Thanks
Lorinda Klein	....	thanks: Bellevue Hospital Center
Michael J. Regan	....	thanks: NYC Fire Department (as Deputy Commissioner Michael Regan)
Pat Scott	....	thanks: NYC Mayor's Office of Film, Theatre and Broadcasting (as Commissioner Patricia Reed Scott)

Production Companies

• De Fina-Cappa
• Paramount Pictures
• Touchstone Pictures

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1999) (USA) (theatrical)
• Paramount Home Video (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• Buena Vista International (????) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International (????) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Gaumont Buena Vista International (GBVI) (????) (France) (theatrical)
• Gativideo (????) (Argentina) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Cineric (digital effects)
• Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) (special visual effects)

Other Companies

• Alianza Films International  service production company
• American Humane Association, The  animal action monitoring
• Buena Vista Negative Cutting  negative cutting by
• C-5  post-production sound facility
• Cars for Films  thanks
• Cecil B. DeMeals  craft services
• Cineric  opticals
• Columbia Records  soundtrack
• Deluxe Catering  catering
• Du Art Film and Video  dailies (as DuArt Film Laboratories)
• Gear & Rose  motion control services
• Lightnin' Production Rentals  transportation equipment
• Lightworks  edited on
• Loopers Unlimited East  loop group
• New York & Atlantic Railway Co.  thanks
• New York City Mayor's Office of Film, Theater & Broadcasting, The  thanks
• New York State Governor's Office for Motion Picture & Television Development  thanks
• Panavision  camera and lenses
• Picture Mill, The  main title production (as The Picture Mill)
• Sony Music Soundtrax  soundtrack
• Sony Music Studios  score recording
• Sound One Corporation  post-production facilities
• Spacecam Systems  aerial cameras provided by
• State of New York, Division of Military and Naval Affairs  thanks
• Sylvia Fay Casting  extras casting

Also Known As:

"Vidas al límite" - Argentina, Peru (imdb display title)
"Воскрешая мертвецов" - Russia
"À tombeau ouvert" - France
"între viata si moarte" - Romania
"A holtak útja" - Hungary (imdb display title)
"Al di là della vita" - Italy
"Al límite (Bringing Out the Dead)" - Spain (imdb display title)
"Bringing Out the Dead - Nächte der Erinnerung" - Germany
"Ciemna strona miasta" - Poland (imdb display title)
"Izmedju zivota i smrti" - Croatia (imdb display title)
"Laga'at B'Muv'it" - Israel (Hebrew title)
"Nächte der Erinnerung" - Austria
"Nattens skygger" - Denmark
"Por Um Fio" - Portugal
"Ressusciter les morts" - Canada (French title)
"Stavrodromia tis psyhis" - Greece (transliterated ISO-LATIN-1 title)
"Vivendo no Limite" - Brazil
"Yasamin kiyisinda" - Turkey (Turkish title)

MPAA:

Rated R for gritty violent content, drug use and language

Runtime:

121 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Portugal:M/16 | Malaysia:18SG (uncut version) | Malaysia:U (cut version) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:14A (Alberta/British Columbia) | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Canada:R (Ontario) | Philippines:R-18 | Brazil:18 | New Zealand:R16 | Argentina:16 | Australia:R | Chile:18 | Finland:K-15 | France:-12 | Germany:16 (bw) | Hong Kong:IIB | Singapore:M18 (re-rating) | South Korea:18 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | UK:18 | USA:R (certificate #36706)

Filming Locations:

11th Avenue & 54th Street, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

De Fina-Cappa

Trivia:

Screenwriter Paul Schrader's first choice for the role of Frank Pierce was Edward Norton.

Goofs:

Continuity: Right after Larry puts Mr. Burke on the cardiac monitor. Frank pushes I.V. drugs. No one started an I.V.

Quotes:

Marcus:I rebuke the spirit of drugs in the name of Jesus. What's his name?
Drummer:I.B. Bangin'.
Marcus:What you mean I.B. Bangin'?
Drummer:I.B. Bangin'!
Marcus:What the hell kind of name is I.B. Bangin'?
Drummer:I don't know his real name.
I.B.'s Girlfriend:It's Frederick Smith.
Marcus:Okay, Freddy...
I.B.'s Girlfriend:It's Frederick.
Marcus:Okay, I.B. Bangin', we're gonna bring you back from the dead.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Conan: The Awkward Product Placement. Swiffer (#1.89)" (2011)

Soundtrack:

I'm So Bored With the USA

Urban Jungle

In Bringing Out the Dead, Nicolas Cage plays Frank, a graveyard shift EMT technician in New York City in the early 1990s. In classic Scorsese style, the themes of masculinity, subcultural underground interaction, and fast paced film editing combine to form the frenetic basis of Frank's neo-noir lifestyle. The film is dark, urban, and also blackly comic, relying on strong masculine characters to provide energy and humor.

Overall, Bringing Out the Dead appears to be heavily influenced by film noir. Frank, the protagonist, is at the end of his rope in a rather solitary and stressful job and he often finds escape from the ghosts of his failures through alcohol. Patricia Arquette plays Mary, the femme fatale character and woman in distress Frank seeks to save. The film is uber-urban, set mainly in the nighttime ghettos and hustling districts of New York City, and the major events center around various city dwellers. Frank's adventures in life saving are highlighted by the colorful characters of City life, including prostitutes, drug addicts, homeless persons, insane persons, goth-punk death rockers and the ubiquitous 'Mr. O.,' the smelliest destitute to plague Our Lady of Perpetual Mercy Hospital. Frank is led by Mary into the narcotic underworld, and meets the proprietor of 'The Oasis,' a charismatic dealer with a passion for tropical fish and silk robes.

Many of the lighting techniques also serve to emphasize the urbanality of the surroundings, often combining music and fast paced editing. The darkness of the City night is contrasted with the searing halogen of the hospital, and the sunlight that creeps through the window at dawn mocks Frank's insomnia. Indeed, the movie ends at dawn, with Frank nodding off to sleep. This is very similar to the traditional horror movie ending at dawn when the nighttime monsters are relegated to their nocturnal lairs. Editing techniques are feverish and accelerate in pace as the movie progresses and Frank's hysteria mounts. Many of these sequences involve a montage of the flashing ambulance lights, 360-degree camera rotation, blurred traffic lights and shots of the crazed driver behind the wheel. My personal favorite scene is when Frank is going to answer a call, and the montage is set to R.E.M.'s What's the Frequency Kenneth.

Overall, most of the main characters are the male ambulance drivers/EMTs. These characters, Frank, Tom, Marcus and Larry, exude a kind of unquestioned masculinity, which they prove through various means such as violence, excessive flirting, and alcohol consumption. Tom is a violent, hair trigger macho who enjoys pummeling transients and minorities. Marcus is a smooth talking black man who chain smokes stogies and praises Jesus. Larry is an overweight everyman, wanting to start his own paramedic business. Frank is a Marlboro smoking altruistic cowboy with a drinking problem and insomnia. At some point, most of the characters engage in drinking (liquor) while on duty or at least in the ambulance. The characters names are also quite masculine, especially in contrast to Noel, a man who is a drug addict of ethnic descent that is never arguably fully a man.

Inherently, Scorsese's New York City is an urban jungle that will break any man who is not strong or tough enough.