The Life and Death of Peter Sellers (2004)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

Stephen Hopkins

Writers (WGA):

Roger Lewis (book)
Christopher Markus (teleplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

26 August 2004 (Australia)

Genre:

Biography | Drama

Tagline:

Never judge a man by his cover.

Plot:

The feature adaptation of Roger Lewis' book about the actor best remembered as Inspector Clouseau in the Pink Panther movies.

Plot Keywords:

Actor | Clouseau | Show Business | Personality | Bumbling

Awards:

Won 2 Golden Globes. Another 17 wins & 23 nominations

Cast

Geoffrey Rush	...	Peter Sellers
Charlize Theron	...	Britt Ekland
Emily Watson	...	Anne Sellers
John Lithgow	...	Blake Edwards
Miriam Margolyes	...	Peg Sellers
Peter Vaughan	...	Bill Sellers
Sonia Aquino	...	Sophia Loren
Stanley Tucci	...	Stanley Kubrick
Stephen Fry	...	Maurice Woodruff
Henry Goodman	...	Dennis Selinger
Alison Steadman	...	Casting Agent
Peter Gevisser	...	Ted Levy
David Robb	...	Dr. Lyle Wexler
Edward Tudor-Pole	...	Spike Milligan (as Edward Tudor Pole)
Steve Pemberton	...	Harry Secombe
Nigel Havers	...	David Niven
Mackenzie Crook	...	Car Salesman
George Cicco	...	Michael Sellers, 3 Yrs.
James Bentley	...	Michael Sellers, 7-10 Yrs.
Eliza Darby	...	Sarah Sellers
Lance Ellington	...	Singer / Ray Ellington
Lucy Punch	...	Lead Stewardess
Heidi Klum	...	Ursula Andress
Nick Maloney	...	Interviewer - Switzerland
Jane Milligan	...	Reporter - Pink Panther Premiere
Joseph Long	...	Carlo Ponti
Bob Sherman	...	Movie Executive
Sam Dastor	...	Hal Ashby
Mona Hammond	...	Louise the Maid
Alan Williams	...	'Casino Royale' Director
Grant Russell	...	Plastic Surgeon
Julian Littman	...	Businessman on Plane
Tope Oluwole	...	Beautiful Black Woman
Kate Burrell	...	Sophia's stand-in
Rosie Fellner	...	Emma - Selinger's secretary
In-Sook Chappell	...	So Mi - Girl at Screening
Tom Wu	...	Burt Kwouk / Cato
Kenneth Hadley	...	Limo Driver
Robert Wilfort	...	Motorcycle Delivery Man
Ty Glaser	...	'Millionairess' Girl with Phone
Molly Hallam	...	Hilary - 'Strangelove' Assistant
Richard Ayoade	...	Photographer at Wedding
Simon Markey	...	Reporter - Sophia Loren Arrives
Bruce Mackinnon	...	Reporter #1 - Britt at Hospital
Josh Cole	...	Reporter #2 - Britt at Hospital
Richard Syms	...	Newscaster #1
Osmund Bullock	...	Newscaster #2
Markus Napier	...	Maitre D' - Switzerland
Kennie Andrews	...	Maintenance Man
Vera Zaal	...	Car Showroom 60's Sci-Fi Girl
Tiara Tian	...	Car Showroom Asian Beauty
Charlotte Connoley	...	Car Showroom Blonde Bombshell
Stephanie Jacob	...	Nurse with Wheelchair
Gerrard McArthur	...	Wayne - Studio Engineer
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Ray Donn	...	Studio Cameraman (uncredited)
Andrew Houghton	...	Pink Panther 1st Assistant Director (uncredited)
Polly Kemp	...	Wedding Guest (uncredited)
John Perkins	...	Hospital Porter (uncredited)
Mike Savva	...	Italian Film Crewmember (uncredited)
Chuen Tsou	...	Oddjob Chauffeur (uncredited)

Directed by
Stephen Hopkins

Writing credits (WGA)
Roger Lewis		(book)
Christopher Markus		(teleplay) &
Stephen McFeely		(teleplay)

Produced by
Ben Baker	....	on-line video producer
Simon Bosanquet	....	producer
Freddy De Mann	....	executive producer
Pilar DeMann	....	associate producer
Juanita F. Diana	....	associate producer (as Juanita Diana Feeney)
George Faber	....	executive producer
David Z. Obadiah	....	producer: title sequence
Charles Pattinson	....	executive producer
David M. Thompson	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Richard Hartley

Cinematography by
Peter Levy

Film Editing by
John Smith

Casting by
Nina Gold

Production Design by
Norman Garwood

Art Direction by
Chris Lowe		(supervising art director)
John Ralph
Lucy Richardson

Set Decoration by
Maggie Gray

Costume Design by
Jill Taylor

Makeup Department
Enzo Angileri	....	hair stylist: Ms. Theron
Greg Cannom	....	special makeup effects artist
Ashley Johnson	....	hair stylist
Ashley Johnson	....	makeup artist
Davy Jones	....	prosthetic makeup artist
John Kim	....	makeup effects technician
Mary Kim	....	makeup effects production supervisor: Captive Audience Productions Inc.
Ameneh Mahloudji	....	makeup artist
Veronica McAleer	....	chief hair designer (as Veronica Brebner)
Veronica McAleer	....	chief makeup designer (as Veronica Brebner)
Mark Nieman	....	silicone prosthetic department supervisor: Captive Audience Productions
Tapio Salmi	....	hair stylist
Tapio Salmi	....	makeup artist
Barbara Taylor	....	crowd hair
Keith VanderLaan	....	makeup effects creator: Captive Audience Productions
Wesley Wofford	....	special makeup effects artist
Elizabeth Yianni-Georgiou	....	make-up and hair (uncredited)

Production Management
Michael Harm	....	unit manager
Joseph Jayawardena	....	unit manager
Rachel Neale	....	unit production manager
Keri Putnam	....	executive in charge of production
Greg Spence	....	post-production supervisor
Janet Fries Eckholm	....	additional post-production supervisor (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Mike Brewster	....	second unit director
Rob Burgess	....	third assistant director: crowd
Ben Lanning	....	third assistant director
Cliff Lanning	....	first assistant director
Gary Powell	....	second unit director
Matthew Sharp	....	second assistant director
Nick Simmonds	....	additional third assistant crowd director
Kevin Westley	....	first assistant director: second unit

Art Department
David Balfour	....	property master
John Bohan	....	construction manager
Graham Caulfield	....	drapesmaster
Dean Clegg	....	stand-by art director
Stephen Daly	....	storyboard artist
Robert J. Dugdale	....	scenic artist
Robert Hill	....	chargehand stand-by
Paul Kirby	....	draughtsman
Cathal MacIlwaine	....	stand-by carpenter
Thomas Martin	....	assistant construction manager
Nina Ross	....	graphics
Kate Venner	....	prop buyer/assistant decorator
Clive Ward	....	head scenic painter
John Wells	....	assistant propmaster
Jack Garwood	....	stand-by props (uncredited)

Sound Department
Rick Ash	....	sound re-recording mixer
Paula Boram	....	foley artist
Victoria Brazier	....	sound editor
Felicity Cottrell	....	foley artist
Colette Dahanne	....	adr mixer
Zack Davis	....	dialogue editor
Tim Hands	....	supervising sound editor
Adam Jenkins	....	sound re-recording mixer
Robin Johnson	....	boom operator
Simon Kaye	....	production sound mixer
Laura Lovejoy	....	dialogue editor
Anna MacKenzie	....	sound editor
Claire Mahoney	....	foley artist
James Mather	....	foley editor
Ryan Murphy	....	sound recordist
Andrew Neil	....	adr mixer
Geoffrey G. Rubay	....	sound effects editor
Ruth Sullivan	....	foley artist
David Sutton	....	boom operator
David Sutton	....	sound maintenance
Tami Treadwell	....	adr recordist
Karen Vassar	....	sound editorial assistant
Alexander Beddow	....	adr assistant (uncredited)
Bob Bowman	....	first assistant sound editor (uncredited)
Jennie Evans	....	additional sound editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Stuart Brisdon	....	special effects supervisor
Jack Firman	....	special effects technician: Captive Audience Productions
Jonathan Edward Graham	....	digital animation
Mark Haddenham	....	special effects senior technician
David Johns	....	snow effects technician
Kristen Lobstein	....	special effects technician
Brian Van Dorn	....	special effects technician

Visual Effects by
Adrian Banton	....	digital artist
Adrian Banton	....	digital compositor
Angus Bickerton	....	visual effects designer
Jim Bowers	....	digital matte painter
Camille Cellucci	....	visual effects producer
Patrick Clancey	....	digital opticals
James Clarke	....	visual effects
Mike Connolly	....	digital compositor: Baseblack
Neil Culley	....	digital artist
Stephen Elson	....	visual effects producer: Baseblack
Sean Farrow	....	digital artist
Sean Farrow	....	senior visual effects compositor
Andy Fowler	....	visual effects producer
David Gibbons	....	matte artist
Jon Graham	....	digital artist
Mick Harper	....	digital artist
Tiana Harper	....	visual effects coordinator
David Haslop	....	digital artist
Barrie Hemsley	....	visual effects producer
Sarah Hemsley	....	production and operations
Tim Hey	....	digital artist
Richard Higham	....	digital artist
Robin Huffer	....	digital artist
Mark Intravartolo	....	digital effects artist
Tim Jones	....	digital artist
Ntana Key	....	second digital colorist: EFILM
Duncan Kinnaird	....	digital artist
Duncan Kinnaird	....	senior visual effects compositor
Mark Kolpack	....	visual effects producer: The Post Group
Robin Kurz	....	digital compositor
Simon Leech	....	digital artist
Kevin Lin	....	digital cleanup artist
Natalie MacDonald	....	digital compositor
Andrew MacLeod	....	digital artist
Dan McRae	....	scanning and recording
Warren J. Mills	....	digital I/O
Steve Mitchell	....	matte artist
Nick New	....	digital artist
Jeff North	....	digital artist
Roma O'Connor	....	visual effects coordinator
Chris Panton	....	digital artist
Joe Pavlo	....	visual effects supervisor
Dylan Penhale	....	digital systems manager
Paul Poetsch	....	digital compositor: Baseblack
Glen Pratt	....	digital artist
Petra Schwane	....	digital compositor: Baseblack
Steven J. Scott	....	digital intermediate colorist: EFilm
Foad Shah	....	digital artist
Catherine M. Shaw	....	visual effects coordinator
Matina Skouteri	....	scanning and recording: Framestore CFC
Rupert Smith	....	production and operations
Maria Stroka	....	film recording producer
Marios Theodosi	....	digital compositor
Paul Tuersley	....	digital artist
Paola Varvaro	....	digital cleanup artist
Victor Wade	....	digital artist
Tim Walton	....	digital artist
Val Wardlaw	....	visual effects supervisor: Baseblack
Sharon Warmington	....	digital artist
Andrew White	....	CGI artist
Aubrey Woodiwiss	....	film scanning recording
Peter 'Beak' Cvijanovic	....	Inferno artist: Post Group (uncredited)
Thomas Mathai	....	data manager (uncredited)

Stunts
Nicola Berwick	....	stunt performer (as Nicky Berwick)
George Cottle	....	stunt performer
Carly Harrup	....	stunt performer (as Carly Harrop)
Gary Powell	....	stunt coordinator
David Ware	....	stunt performer
Rowley Irlam	....	stunt driver (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Simon Baker	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Mike Brewster	....	director of photography: second unit
Stuart Bunting	....	grip camera
Adam Dale	....	aerial director of photography
Barney Davis	....	second assistant camera
Mark Evans	....	gaffer
Alex Griffiths	....	camera loader
Eugene Grobler	....	balloon light operator
Rodrigo Gutierrez	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Luke Andrew Haddock	....	video assistant trainee
Rawdon Hayne	....	first assistant camera
Nikos Kalimerakis	....	best boy
Iain Mackay	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera
Nick Ray	....	grip
Peter Robertson	....	camera operator: "a" camera
Oliver Upton	....	additional still photographer
Martyn Welland	....	electrician
Charlie Woodburn	....	first assistant camera: aerial unit
Adam Dale	....	aerial camera operator (uncredited)

Animation Department
Paul Donnellon	....	animator
Paul Donnellon	....	character designer
John Sunter	....	assistant animator: title sequence

Casting Department
Vanessa Baker	....	adr voice casting
Rosalie Clayton	....	casting assistant
Brendan Donnison	....	adr voice casting
Tamara Gillon	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Sally Crees	....	costume assistant
Sally Davis	....	costume assistant
Steve O'Sullivan	....	costume assistant
Charlotte Sewell	....	assistant costume designer
Marion Weise	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
Matthew Crocker	....	post-production assistant
Christina Kim	....	post-production coordinator
Curtis Lindersmith	....	digital intermediate editor
Andrew Morgado	....	post-production assistant
Jeff Schweikart	....	post-production assistant
Hereward Selby	....	first assistant editor
Lori Taffet	....	post-production coordinator
Paul C. Warschilka	....	assistant editor
Mark Wright	....	negative cutter
Michael Moran	....	post-production assistant (uncredited)

Music Department
P.J. Bloom	....	music consultant
P.J. Bloom	....	music supervisor
James Seymour Brett	....	music arranger
James Seymour Brett	....	orchestrator
David Crofts	....	musician: ukulele
Karen Elliott	....	music supervisor
Richard Ford	....	music editor
Oliver Hug	....	assistant music editor
Evyen Klean	....	music consultant
Gerard McCann	....	music editor: pre-view
Yann McCullough	....	assistant music engineer
Emily Rogers	....	music editor
Lee Scott	....	music editor

Transportation Department
Gary Birmingham	....	unit transport manager
Guy Bostock	....	action vehicle coordinator
Ian Clarke	....	vehicle technician
Lee Isgar	....	driver: Geoffrey Rush
Sean Thornton	....	picture vehicle technician

Other crew
Carolyn Allen	....	set tutor
Guy Barker	....	post-production accountant
Francesca Castellano	....	production coordinator
Gavin Charlton	....	chef
Nikki Clapp	....	script supervisor
Paul Donnellon	....	title designer: main titles
Lucy Foulds	....	location assistant
Kate Garwood	....	assistant: Stephen Hopkins
Rob Grundy	....	supervising armorer
Andrew Haddock	....	video coordinator
Liam Hearne	....	assistant post-production accountant
Sarah Hunt	....	assistant production accountant
Nikki Inwood	....	utility stand-in
Lee Isgar	....	assistant: Geoffrey Rush
Carlton Jarvis	....	set medical advisor
Martin Joy	....	assistant location manager
Harvey Lowry	....	operations manager: Captive Audience Productions
Duncan Manning	....	chef
Zoe Margolis	....	floor runner
Franka Mavrides	....	production assistant
James McLaren	....	production dailies
Neil Morphew	....	stand-in
Steve Morphew	....	stand-in: Geoffrey Rush
Heather Noble	....	assistant coordinator
Joe Oppenheimer	....	development executive
Geraldine Patten	....	production secretary
Sue Quinn	....	location manager
Justine Redfern	....	assistant to producer
Emily Rice	....	post-production accountant
Deborah Ross	....	additional title designer
Richard Senior	....	production runner
Emily Ann Sonnet	....	production runner
Rebecca Thornell	....	clearance
Andrew White	....	title designer
Jack Yiokoumi	....	chef
Christopher Xavier Lozano	....	stills photography (uncredited)
Paul Sacks	....	additional set production assistant (uncredited)

Production Companies

• HD Vision Studios
• Home Box Office (HBO)
• BBC Films
• Company Pictures
• De Mann Entertainment Company, The
• Labrador Films

Distributors

• Home Box Office (HBO)
• A-Film Distribution (Netherlands)
• Argentina Video Home (2005) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (2005) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Bontonfilm (2005) (Czech Republic) (theatrical)
• Frenetic Films (2004-2005) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Lucky Red (2005) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Océan Films (2004) (France) (theatrical)
• Scanbox Entertainment (2005) (Finland) (DVD)
• Scanbox Sweden (2005) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Spentzos Films (2004) (Greece) (theatrical)
• Toshiba Entertainment (2005) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Vértigo Films (2005) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (2005) (Argentina) (all media)
• Warner Bros. (2005) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Warner Home Video (2005) (Switzerland) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2005) (Germany) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (2005) (Brazil) (all media)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (2007) (Finland) (TV) (TV2)

Special Effects

• Baseblack (additional visual effects)
• Keith Vanderlaan's Captive Audience Productions (makeup effects)
• Post Group, The
• Senate Visual Effects, The (visual effects by)
• Snow Business International (snow effects)

Other Companies

• Shepperton Studios  movie studio
• VooDooDog  animated title
• Casting Collective  extras casting
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  cranes and dollies
• Cutting Edge  negative cutting
• EFilm  digital intermediate (as EFilm Digital Laboratories)
• Flying Pictures  aerial filming services provided by
• Gearbox Sound and Vision  avid systems supplied by
• Lee Lighting  lighting
• Mobile Mouthful  catering
• Panavision UK  cameras equipment provided by
• Post Logic Studios  digital film mastering
• Useful Company  video assist equipment
• VooDooDog  character design

Also Known As:

Eu, Peter Sellers (Portugal) [pt]
I zoi kai o thanatos tou Peter Sellers (Greece) (festival title) [el]
Karsinizda Peter Sellers (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
Livet av Peter Sellers (Finland: Swedish title) (TV title) [sv]
Llámame Peter (Spain) [es]
Moi, Peter Sellers (France) [fr]
Peter Sellers - Zycie i smierc (Poland) [pl]
Peter Sellers gia panta (Greece) [el]
Peter Sellersin elämä (Finland) (TV title) [fi]
Tu chiamami Peter (Italy) [it]
Una pantera a Hollywood (Italy) [it]

Runtime:

122 min

Country:

USA | UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Germany:12 | Switzerland:14 (canton of Zurich) | Iceland:L | Portugal:M/12 | Spain:13 | Australia:M | Canada:14A | Czech Republic:12 | Finland:K-11 | Netherlands:12 | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | Singapore:M18

Filming Locations:

Biltmore Estate - 1 Approach Road, Asheville, North Carolina, USA

Company:

HD Vision Studios

Trivia:

Although the scenes featuring Emilia Fox's performance as Sellers' fourth wife Lynn Frederick were left out of the final cut, Fox is still visible in the background of the scene showing the filming of a scene from Being There. She is the blonde woman standing behind the cameraman, when we see the crew behind Peter Sellers/Geoffrey Rush. In a deleted scene on the DVD we see a continuation of this scene, after the take is over Lynn tries to talk to Sellers but he remains in character of the simpleton Chance.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: When Sellers finds out (via the newspaper) that Britt Ekland is arriving in London it is the early 1960s, yet on the wall of his room at the start of the scene is the UK film poster for his film Soft Beds, Hard Battles (1974).

Quotes:

Blake Edwards: [On the set of the Pink Panther] Mr. Sellers, welcome to Hollywood.
Peter Sellers: But this is Italy.
Blake Edwards: Hollywood's a state of mind.

Movie Connections:

References The Bobo (1967)

Soundtrack:

It's My Life

My brief review of the film

Geoffrey Rush does a great Peter Sellers impersonation, and Emily Watson shines as his wife, but otherwise the film is a little hard to recommend. The events all seem a bit fragmented, the frantic editing and camera-work subtract, and nothing much is gained by the over-exposure either. But the narration of the film is where I feel it really sinks, with awkward bits of talking to the audience and surreal sequences that appear like they have just been thrown in to make it more attractive to the eye. Also, viewers should be cautioned that the only thing that Stanley Tucci has in common with his character, Stanley Kubrick, is the same first name. Still, the film has some interesting elements, such as the insight into film-making and the performances, as well as some genuinely funny parts… it is reasonably well made, but not brilliant.