The Brown Bunny (2003)

Director:

Vincent Gallo

Writer:

Vincent Gallo (written by)

Release Date:

14 November 2003 (Austria)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

Professional motorcycle racer Bud Clay heads from New Hampshire to California to race again. Along the way he meets various needy women who provide him with the cure to his own loneliness, but only a certain woman from his past will truly satisfy him.

Plot Keywords:

Love | California | New Hampshire | Motorcycle | Loneliness

Awards:

1 win & 2 nominations

Cast

Vincent Gallo	...	Bud Clay
Chloë Sevigny	...	Daisy (as Chloe Sevigny)
Cheryl Tiegs	...	Lilly
Elizabeth Blake	...	Rose
Anna Vareschi	...	Violet
Mary Morasky	...	Mrs. Lemon
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Rick Doucette	...	Featured Racer (uncredited)

Directed by
Vincent Gallo

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Vincent Gallo		written by

Produced by
Vincent Gallo	....	producer

Cinematography by
Vincent Gallo

Film Editing by
Vincent Gallo

Production Design by
Vincent Gallo		(uncredited)

Art Direction by
Vincent Gallo		(uncredited)

Set Decoration by
Vincent Gallo		(uncredited)

Costume Design by
Vincent Gallo

Makeup Department
Vincent Gallo	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Art Department
Vincent Gallo	....	set designer

Sound Department
Marc Fishman	....	sound mixer
Tony Lamberti	....	sound mixer
Jon Mete	....	sound editor
Edward Tise	....	sound recordist

Camera and Electrical Department
John Clemens	....	camera operator
Vincent Gallo	....	camera operator
Toshiaki Ozawa	....	camera operator
Toshiaki Ozawa	....	gaffer
Toshiaki Ozawa	....	grip

Other crew
Cat Doran	....	support

Thanks
Deborah Brock	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Kinetique
• Vincent Gallo Productions
• Wild Bunch

Distributors

• Mars Distribution (2004) (France) (theatrical)
• Filmes do Estação (2005) (Brazil) (theatrical)
• Frenetic Films (2004) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Wellspring Media (2004) (USA) (theatrical)
• Europa Filmes (2007) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Kinetique
• Paradiso Home Entertainment (2005) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2005) (Australia) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2006) (Germany) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2005) (Switzerland) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Gallo Effects

Other Companies

• Kinetique  funding

Also Known As:

Brown Bunny (Brazil) [pt]
The Brown Bunny (Greece) [el]
The Brown Bunny (Italy) (DVD title) [it]

Runtime:

93 min | Canada:90 min (Toronto International Film Festival) | France:119 min (Cannes Film Festival)

Country:

USA | Japan | France

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Germany:16 | Ireland:18 | Switzerland:16 (canton of Zurich) | New Zealand:R18 | Canada:18+ (Quebec) (DVD rating) | Canada:R (Manitoba/Ontario) (DVD rating) | Italy:VM18 | Brazil:18 | Finland:K-18 | France:-16 | Portugal:M/18 | Switzerland:18 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:18 (canton of Vaud) | USA:Not Rated | Sweden:15 | Australia:R | UK:18

Filming Locations:

Best Western Inn - 6141 Franklin Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Kinetique

Trivia:

The opening scene of Gallo driving was originally almost 20 minutes of him just driving until it was cut down because it was too long.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Bud speaks to Daisy's mother, a glass on the table appears and then disappears between shots.

Quotes:

[first lines]
[Bud walks up to a young woman, working behind the counter in a gas station store]
Bud Clay: Hi.
Violet: Hello... Did you just come from the race track?
Bud Clay: Mmhm.
Violet: Did you win?
Bud Clay: No.
Violet: Oh.
Bud Clay: How much is this?
Violet: $2... Will you be racing again?
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Daily Show: (2006-05-04)" (2006)

Soundtrack:

Come Wander with Me

Worked for me.

I saw Buffalo 66 long before I started posting reviews at imdb, so I haven't written about that film but I loved it, I give it a 10, and after seeing The Brown Bunny at the Nuart on Saturday evening, I am here to report that I give Gallo's second feature film the same rating.

A lot of people seem to be misunderstanding this movie, or just not appreciating it, or perhaps both. There are many reasons for this, none of them valid in my estimation. The biggest protests, from what I've been reading, seem to be in the 'lack of plot' and 'vanity project' areas.

I can understand how the film would be a little slow for a lot of people, since it's basically an internal study, with none of the 'usual' mainstream (or even indy film) tactics. And in fact that's what I loved the most about the movie - how Gallo has the artistic wherewithal to be true to HIS vision of what a film can be, to how a plot of a film (and there IS a plot) can be played out in a different, less recognizable way, which leads to one of the reasons I think people are calling this a vanity project (aside from the infamous scene toward the end -- which I have to say is ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL to the film, once you find out what's really going on with our sick puppy Bud Clay) : because the movie doesn't follow a 'typical' set-up, requiring a bit more patience on the part of the viewer, a lot of people feel more comfortable dismissing this unbelievably profound piece of work as a 'vanity project'. In reality, I believe the opposite is true: Gallo is giving his audience more credit than they perhaps deserve, in presenting such a stark, uncompromising character study. The fact that a lot of this audience chooses not to accept him on his terms does not diminish his power and the power of this movie. Can't wait for the next one, Vincent.