The Darwin Awards (2006)

Director:

Finn Taylor

Writer (WGA):

Finn Taylor (written by)

Release Date:

5 July 2006 (United Arab Emirates)

Genre:

Adventure | Comedy | Romance

Plot:

A forensic detective (Fiennes) and an insurance claims investigator (Ryder) trek to investigate a potential Darwin Award winner. From www.darwinawards.com: "The Darwin Awards salute the improvement of the human genome by honoring those who accidentally kill themselves in really stupid ways." |

Plot Keywords:

Claims Investigator | Shower Scene | Documentary Filmmaking | Diner Scene | Chicago Illinois

US TV Schedule:

Wed. Nov. 18

2:45 PM

SHOW

Cast

David Arquette	...	Harvey
Ty Burrell	...	Emile
Josh Charles	...	Paramedic
Kevin Dunn	...	Insurance Exec
Nora Dunn	...	Mrs. Pearlman
Joseph Fiennes	...	Michael Burrows
Judah Friedlander	...	Simon
Lukas Haas	...	Farley
Tom Hollander	...	Henry
Brad Hunt	...	Stan
Juliette Lewis	...	Joleen
Julianna Margulies	...	Carla
Tim Blake Nelson	...	Perp
Alessandro Nivola	...	Ad Exec
Chris Penn	...	Tom
Max Perlich	...	Bob
Winona Ryder	...	Siri Taylor
D.B. Sweeney	...	Detective Maguire
Robin Tunney	...	Zoe
Wilmer Valderrama	...	Documentary Filmmaker
Adonal Foyle	...	Detective
Tom Wright	...	Detective
Adam Savage	...	Adam
Jamie Hyneman	...	Army Dude
Richmond Arquette	...	Mr. Pearlman
Mickey Breitenstein	...	Mr. Harris
Josh Kornbluth	...	Dentist
Jerry Harrison	...	Guy in Bar #1
John Doe	...	Guy in Bar #2
Lawrence Ferlinghetti	...	Himself
Ross Patterson	...	Co Worker #1
Russell Steinberg	...	Co Worker #2
Max Common	...	Young Burrows
Rhett Ramirez	...	Andy
Vincent Brubaker	...	School Kid #1
Elias Stefanek	...	School Kid #2
Zosha Stefanek	...	School Kid #3
Emma C. Taylor	...	School Kid #4
R.J. Owens	...	Shower Guy #1
Bruce Lee Sage	...	Shower Guy #2
Bob Sáenz	...	Shower Guy #3
Steve Irish	...	Large Detective
Val Diamond	...	Waitress
Jamie Hein	...	Cashier
Mary Saudargas	...	Mrs. Sparrow
George Maguire	...	Car Salesman
Stephan Smith Collins	...	Viper Owner
Allie Busch	...	Pearlman Kid
Matthew Busch	...	Pearlman Kid
Rod Arrants	...	Pilot
Ernie Lively	...	RV Salesman
Debbie Brubaker	...	Woman Driver
Nancy Clausen	...	Simon's Mother
Jason Foster	...	Metallica Fan
Lindsay Benner	...	Metallica Fan's Girlfriend
Lars Ulrich	...	Himself
James Hetfield	...	Himself
Kirk Hammett	...	Himself
Robert Trujillo	...	Himself
Michael Horowitz	...	Book Reading Couple
Cynthia Horowitz	...	Book Reading Couple
Mike Sugerman	...	TV Reporter
Dalila Ali Rajah	...	Counter Woman
Albert Malkin	...	Guy in Bookstore
Jeanette Etheredge	...	Waitress (as Jeannette Etheredge)
Karen Kahn	...	Ms. Fong
Darlene Hunt	...	Minion
Sushma Brady	...	Indian Mother
Anisha Brady	...	Indian Daughter
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Andy Arness	...	Patron (uncredited)
Aida Bernardino	...	Street Woman (uncredited)
Jeff Bredt	...	Used Car Salesman (uncredited)
Jake Gentry	...	Sheriff's Deputy (uncredited)
Tim Halpin	...	Officer Jorgenson (uncredited)
Jim Hechim	...	Diner Dude (uncredited)
Tim Lajcik	...	Firefighter (uncredited)
Janean Christine Mariani	...	Police Officer #7 (uncredited)
David Moir	...	Hot Dog Guy (uncredited)
Al Perez	...	Hot Dog Guy (uncredited)
Cindy Warner	...	Businesswoman laughing (uncredited)
James D. Weston II	...	Police Officer (uncredited)
Susan Zangl	...	Woman in Park (uncredited)

Directed by
Finn Taylor

Writing credits (WGA)
Finn Taylor		(written by)

Produced by
Jason Blum	....	producer
Debbie Brubaker	....	co-producer
Dieter Busch	....	associate producer
Frank Capra III	....	co-producer
Charles Hsiao	....	executive producer
Laurel Ladevich	....	post producer
Andy Mayson	....	co-executive producer
Christos Michaels	....	associate producer
Joseph Middleton	....	associate producer
Laurie Miller	....	executive producer
Peter Naish	....	co-executive producer
Steven Siebert	....	executive producer
Jane Sindell	....	producer
Johnny Wow	....	producer

Original Music by
David Kitay

Cinematography by
Hiro Narita		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Rick LeCompte

Casting by
Nina Henninger
Joseph Middleton

Production Design by
Peter Jamison

Art Direction by
Don Day

Set Decoration by
Katherine Covell

Costume Design by
Amy Brownson

Makeup Department
Karen Bradley	....	personal makeup artist
Gretchen Davis	....	makeup department head
Yvette Rivas	....	department head hair
Yvette Rivas	....	personal hair stylist
Sara J. Wielandt	....	first hair assistant

Production Management
Angela Mixan	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Dieter 'Dietman' Busch	....	second assistant director
Frank Capra III	....	first assistant director
Sean Vawter	....	second second assistant director

Art Department
Max Baloian	....	set dresser
Max Baloian	....	swing
Matt Barrie	....	art intern
Richard Baum	....	property master (as Rich Baum)
Amy Gatzert	....	art department coordinator
Anne Marie Hamill	....	set dresser
Guy Harrington	....	lead set dresser
Sean House	....	assistant property master
Christopher Kristant	....	shop foreman
Jessica M. Lapin	....	on-set dresser
Linda Lodico	....	set dresser
Patrick Ludden	....	property master
Jill Anne Miller	....	graphic designer: props
Russ Milligan	....	construction coordinator
Annie Mueller	....	assistant property master
Katherine L. Murphy	....	art intern
Eric Olson	....	art intern
Mark Van Osborne II	....	swing gang
Sarah Shores	....	construction foreman

Sound Department
Michael Aarvold	....	sound recordist
Brian Dettor	....	boom operator: day-play
Sean England	....	foley recordist
Anthony Faust	....	adr mixer
Erik Foreman	....	sound editor
Bob Gitzen	....	sound mixer
Etina Hom	....	boom operator
Kris Kristofferson	....	sound intern
Brian Magerkurth	....	sound mix technician
Gene Radzik	....	stereo sound consultant: Dolby
Gwendolyn Yates Whittle	....	dialogue editor

Special Effects by
Yves De Bono	....	special effects coordinator
Scott Dwyer	....	special effects technician
Ken Gorrell	....	on-set coordinator
Sean House	....	specialty prop constructor
Matt Kutcher	....	special effects supervisor
Arthur G. Schlosser	....	snow effects technician
Jennifer M. Sheppard	....	special effects project coordinator

Visual Effects by
John L. Jack	....	executive producer: Evil Eye Pictures
Douglas R. MacMillan	....	digital compositor
Matt McDonald	....	visual effects supervisor: Evil Eye Pictures
Scott Raymond	....	intern: elementFX
Daniel P. Rosen	....	visual effects supervisor: Evil Eye Pictures
Marjolaine Tremblay	....	visual effects supervisor: elementFX

Stunts
Thomas M. Ficke	....	stunt double
Kevin Larson	....	stunt double
Tim Meredith	....	stunt double
Cain Smead	....	utility stunts
Dick Ziker	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Eric Blum	....	gaffer
Jeph Folkins	....	camera loader
Donovan Gates	....	grip
Emily L.G. Goodwin	....	camera intern
Paul Marbury	....	assistant camera
Gerardo Merino	....	grip
David Moir	....	still photographer
Georgia Packard	....	camera operator
Georgia Packard	....	director of photography: second unit
John M. Perry	....	grip
Sean Prichard	....	best boy grip
Sophie Shellenberger	....	electrician
Todd Stoneman	....	key grip
Paciano Triunfo	....	dolly grip

Casting Department
Nina Henninger	....	location casting
Sarah Kliban	....	background casting
Sarah Kliban	....	location casting associate

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Denny Colliver	....	costume supervisor
Chan Thai	....	costumer

Editorial Department
Heather Baker	....	post-production coordinator
Catherine Roehl	....	post-production controller

Music Department
Michael Aarvold	....	score recordist
Christine Bergren	....	music legal and clearance
Robin Lee	....	music editor
William Levine	....	orchestrator
Charles Raggio	....	music supervisor
George Shaw	....	conductor
George Shaw	....	orchestrator
Andrea von Foerster	....	music coordinator
Dan Wallin	....	music scoring mixer

Transportation Department
John Bromstead	....	driver
Bundy Chanock	....	transportation
Glenn Mack	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Deirdre Ashby	....	stand-in
Heather Baker	....	assistant: Ms Sindell & Mr Wow
Brad Beedle	....	set medic
Cathryn Blum	....	location manager
Atticus Culver-Rease	....	office production assistant
Jamison Empey	....	post-production accountant
Pamela Wei Endrina	....	clearance/product placement coordinator
Andrew Epstein	....	assistant: Mr. Blum
Megan Fenton	....	intern
Nora L. Ferris	....	insurance broker
W. Harry Fortuna	....	location production assistant
Ulises Franco	....	intern (as Randy Franco)
Marcy Guiragossian	....	photo double: Winona Ryder
Marcy Guiragossian	....	set production assistant
Kristian Hansen	....	key assistant location manager
Jeffrey E. Kramer	....	key set production assistant (as Jeff Kramer)
Matthew Labate	....	production coordinator
Dionne Lotivio	....	intern
Jim Maguire	....	key set production assistant
Lisette Perelle	....	assistant: Mr. Taylor
Irwin M. Rappaport	....	production attorney
Amy Sauro	....	assistant: Mr. Fiennes
John Patrick Shulak	....	stand-in
Carlo Silvio	....	epk director
Kelly Sollars	....	intern
Susan Stuart	....	assistant product placement
Amy Louise Tripodi	....	assistant: Ms. Ryder (as Amy Tripodi)
Brad Ungar	....	intern
Darryl Vance	....	title designer
Claire Varney	....	unit publicist
Michael Greggans	....	stand-in (uncredited)

Thanks
Cliff Bernstien	....	special thanks
Sean Penn	....	special thanks
Helen Wang	....	special thanks
Ray Arthur Wang	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• 3 Ring Circus Films
• Blumhouse Productions

Distributors

• Icon Entertainment International (2006) (non-USA) (theatrical)
• Bauer Martinez Studios (2006) (USA) (theatrical)
• Benelux Film Distribution (2006) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Long Shong Entertainment Multimedia Company (2007) (Taiwan) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (2007) (USA) (theatrical)
• Concorde Filmverleih (2006) (Austria) (all media)
• Concorde Filmverleih (2006) (Germany) (all media)
• Darwin Awards Productions LP
• Odeon (2006) (Greece) (DVD)
• Oy Nordisk Film (2007) (Finland) (DVD)
• Prorom Media-Trade (2006) (Romania) (all media)

Special Effects

• Spectrum Effects (special effects)
• Element FX (visual effects)
• Axyz (visual effects)
• Evil Eye Pictures (visual effects)

Other Companies

• Mayflower Studios  adr recording studio

MPAA:

Rated R for language, violent images, some sexuality and drug use.

Runtime:

USA:94 min (DVD version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:R | Malaysia:(Banned) | Finland:K-15 | South Korea:18 | Australia:M | Japan:PG-12 | New Zealand:M | Australia:MA (TV rating)

Filming Locations:

Adelanto, California, USA

Company:

3 Ring Circus Films

Trivia:

Metallica are performing their song "Sad but true" in the film. It was recorded at a regular live show in Salt Lake City on November 22, 2004. The show was interrupted during "Sad but True" but the song was only played once. To celebrate the premier of the movie at the Sundance Film Festival on Wednesday, January 25, 2006, the band played at a private party following the screening that day.

Goofs:

Continuity: James Hetfields guitar changes a few times during one song in the concert scene. First he starts with the Ken Lawrence Explorer, then he has the Gibson Les Paul "Iron Cross", only to end up with an ESP Truckster.

Movie Connections:

References "Cops" (1989)

Soundtrack:

Sad but True

not going to win a nobel peace prize...but

Definitely a great entertaining film. Not saying that because I'm a child or have little intelligence (thank you previous commenter for that insightful look into my iq). This movie was pretty simplistic...did the people who rated it that bad want this to be an in-depth soul searching look into the darwin awards? Did they want more politics thrown in for more intellectual fare? Why were they bothered so? I'm really getting annoyed with how some people will tear apart a movie so voraciously you'd think the movie's creators killed their dog for something. I mean, hell, tear apart real fluff like "wild hogs" or something. So it didn't live up to your super high expectations, but hell, not every movie is going to move your soul. And this one was named "darwin awards" what did you expect??? It's like thinking the movie "Idiocracy" will change our education system for the better. This movie was not pee your pants funny, but it was funny on par with "America's funniest videos". Not going to rock your world, but gives you pleasure for about 1.5 hours. Me and my husband liked it and would definitely recommend it. (And not just because my father-in-law may someday qualify for the Darwin Awards. ;) ) So it was filmed documentary style, I think it added a bit of spice-especially when he wouldn't call 911. The love interest thing well, at least we didn't get full on cheese. I don't know if anyone knows this...but anytime you travel with a good looking man or woman and they are single and you spend every waking moment with them, lust or love will ALWAYS come up. That's what humans do.