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House of Sand and Fog (2003)
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Overview
User Rating:
Director:
Writers (WGA):
Release Date:
26 December 2003 (USA)
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Tagline:
Some dreams can't be shared.
Plot:
An abandoned wife is evicted from her house and starts a tragic conflict with her home's new owners. full summary | add synopsis
Awards:
Nominated for 3 Oscars.
Another 7 wins
&
16 nominations
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NewsDesk:
(80 articles)
Re-Poltergeist delayed
(From JoBlo. 15 October 2009, 3:55 PM, PDT)
'Poltergeist' update release 'on hold'
(From digitalspy. 15 October 2009, 10:24 AM, PDT)
(From JoBlo. 15 October 2009, 3:55 PM, PDT)
'Poltergeist' update release 'on hold'
(From digitalspy. 15 October 2009, 10:24 AM, PDT)
User Comments:
A desperate masterpiece
more (433 total)
Cast
(Cast overview, first billed only)| Jennifer Connelly | ... | Kathy | |
| Ben Kingsley | ... | Behrani | |
| Ron Eldard | ... | Lester | |
| Frances Fisher | ... | Connie Walsh | |
| Kim Dickens | ... | Carol Burdon | |
| Shohreh Aghdashloo | ... | Nadi | |
| Jonathan Ahdout | ... | Esmail | |
| Navi Rawat | ... | Soraya | |
| Carlos Gómez | ... | Lt. Alvarez | |
| Kia Jam | ... | Ali | |
| Jaleh Modjallal | ... | Yasmin | |
| Samira Damavandi | ... | Little Soraya | |
| Matthew Simonian | ... | Little Esmail | |
| Namrata Singh Gujral | ... | Wedding Guest (as Namrata S. Gurjal-Cooper) | |
| Nasser Faris | ... | Wedding Guest (as Al Faris) |
Additional Details
MPAA:
Rated R for some violence/disturbing images, language and a scene of sexuality.
Parents Guide:
Runtime:
USA:126 min
Country:
Colour:
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Certification:
Iceland:12 (video rating) |
Iceland:14 |
USA:R (certificate #40189) |
South Korea:15 |
Portugal:M/12 |
Argentina:16 |
Australia:MA |
Canada:14A |
Chile:14 |
Czech Republic:15 |
Finland:K-15 |
Germany:12 |
Netherlands:12 |
New Zealand:R16 |
Norway:15 |
Singapore:M18 (re-rating) (uncut) |
Singapore:NC-16 (edited for re-rating) |
Singapore:R(A) (original rating) |
Sweden:15 |
Switzerland:16 (canton of the Grisons) |
UK:15
Filming Locations:
Company:
Fun Stuff
Trivia:
Ben Kingsley was given a copy of the novel "House of Sand and Fog" by author Andre Dubus III's wife, before he was ever approached to star in the movie.
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Goofs:
Continuity: During the scene where Carol gets out of her car and starts attacking Lester, she leaves the car door wide open. When Lester walks away, the door is closed, but no one ever closed it.
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Quotes:
[first lines]
Officer at End: Are you Kathy Nicolo?
Kathy: Yeah.
Officer at End: Is this your house?
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Officer at End: Are you Kathy Nicolo?
Kathy: Yeah.
Officer at End: Is this your house?
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Movie Connections:
Referenced in The Ring Two (2005)
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Soundtrack:
Laylee
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FAQ
This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.more (433 total)
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This film is based on Andre Dubus III'S acclaimed novel "House of Sand and Fog". Dubus created a story of immense power about cultures and the gap between them, about human pain, about hope and ultimately about humanity and sometimes its tragic loss. Colonel Behrani (Sir Ben Kingsley) and his family, buy a house on the fictional area Pacific County, intending to ameliorate their lifestyle, as they have been banished from their home country, Iran. However, the previous owner of the house, a depressed young woman and recovering alcoholic, Kathy Lazaro (Jennifer Connelly), turns up and reclaims her property, which was taken from her because of a bureaucratic error. And when Kathy's boyfriend, Officer Lester Burdon (very effectively performed by Ron Eldard), a racist obsessed with the concept of justice decides to help her, all hell breaks loose. I cannot speak of the plot any further without spoiling it, so I will stop here. How can one tell a story and be more than a mere narrator? How can a book be adapted to film, without merely repeating what the book itself says? Not only does newcomer director Vadim Perelman answer this question, he gives us one of the best films of the past decade. Perelman doesn't waste a single detail. Everything is brought together to create an astonishing emotional impact. Like great directors such as Tarkovsky have done, Perelman approaches his every character and pierces through her/his soul. Every scene takes you deeper and deeper into the soul of the characters, without ever being slow moving or over descriptive. As for the performances, what can I say? Rarely if ever has a single performance moved me as much as Kingsley's. This gigantic actor delivers one of his best performances to date, he has immaculate control over every single aspect of his character, physically and emotionally. Connelly, one of the most talented actresses working today, is also breathtaking, creating a performance that is a quiet outburst of pain and regret. Shoreh Aghdashloo, portraying the most tragic character of the film (at least this is my view of her character), is heartbreaking. This is acting in its supreme form, I really don't think it gets better. She truly deserved an Oscar for this. Young Jonathan Ahdout is also excellent, we will definitely be seeing more of him in the future. However, I must warn you: If you are going to see this movie, prepare for an emotional breakdown. It is really one of the most devastating films of the past years and if you'd rather see a pleasant film, this isn't for you.