What Dreams May Come (1998)

Director:

Vincent Ward

Writers (WGA):

Richard Matheson (novel)
Ronald Bass (screenplay)

Release Date:

2 October 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Fantasy | Romance

Tagline:

After life there is more. The end is just the beginning.

Plot:

Chris Neilson dies to find himself in a heaven more amazing than he could have ever dreamed of. There is one thing missing: his wife...

Plot Keywords:

Underwater Scene | Death Of Husband | Bizarre | Visual Poetry | Title Based On Shakespeare

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 4 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Robin Williams	...	Chris Nielsen
Cuba Gooding Jr.	...	Albert Lewis
Annabella Sciorra	...	Annie Collins-Nielsen
Max von Sydow	...	The Tracker
Jessica Brooks Grant	...	Marie Nielsen
Josh Paddock	...	Ian Nielsen
Rosalind Chao	...	Leona
Lucinda Jenney	...	Mrs. Jacobs
Maggie McCarthy	...	Stacey Jacobs
Wilma Bonet	...	Angie
Matt Salinger	...	Reverend Hanley
Carin Sprague	...	Best Friend Cindy
June Lomena	...	Woman in Car Accident
Paul P. Card IV	...	Paramedic
Werner Herzog	...	Face

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for thematic elements involving death, some disturbing images and language.

Runtime:

113 min

Country:

USA | New Zealand

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Iceland:16 (video rating) | Iceland:14 (original rating) | Philippines:PG-13 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Brazil:Livre | France:U | Germany:12 (bw) | Hong Kong:IIA | Italy:T | Netherlands:12 | Peru:14 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG | South Korea:12 | Spain:13 | Sweden:11 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | USA:PG-13

Filming Locations:

Alameda, California, USA

Company:

Interscope Communications

Trivia:

Dawn Soler, the musical supervisor for the film has said in an interview that W. Axl Rose intended to have the unreleased Guns N' Roses song "This I Love" in this movie but for some reason the director didn't use the song.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: As the supposedly invisible Chris walks down the aisle of his own funeral, one of the extras can be seen watching him.

Quotes:

Albert: You don't understand.
Chris Nielsen: It's not about understanding... it's about *not* giving up!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Godzilla: The Series: What Dreams May Come (#1.7)" (1998)

Soundtrack:

Hymn II, from Three Sacred Hymns

A new vision of life and death

When dealing with the subject of the afterlife movies often go down the route of trying to be entertaining by making viewers laugh or cringe in fear. With "What Dreams May Come" the film makers have taken it to a more serious level showing us a view of an afterlife that we have to believe in as much as any other movie may show it. Since none of us really are sure of what happens after death and what it's like for us, we have to admit that there are possibilities that we did not expect. For instance, heaven in this film is a beautiful place run by the each individuals dreams, but there are still dilemmas there.

I'm not sure exactly what the meaning or meanings the film makers were trying to get across, but there are a lot of possibilities they successfully accomplished. Maybe, it was just meant to be a very deep love story.

This movie worked hard to combine its depressing and hopeful elements. It is a sad movie, but it's also got a lot of hope in it. It doesn't seem to fear death but embrace the life we live before death.

Chris Nielsen takes a journey he didn't expect. I have to recommend you take it with him. You may be surprised.