Primal Fear (1996)

User Rating:

7.6/10   

Director:

Gregory Hoblit

Writers (WGA):

William Diehl (novel)
Steve Shagan (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

3 April 1996 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

Sooner or later a man who wears two faces forgets which one is real.

Plot:

An altar boy is accused of murdering a priest, and the truth is buried several layers deep.

Plot Keywords:

Altar Boy | Murder | Bishop | Courtroom | Catholic

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 9 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Richard Gere	...	Martin Vail
Laura Linney	...	Janet Venable
John Mahoney	...	Shaughnessy
Alfre Woodard	...	Shoat
Frances McDormand	...	Molly
Edward Norton	...	Aaron
Terry O'Quinn	...	Yancy
Andre Braugher	...	Goodman
Steven Bauer	...	Pinero
Joe Spano	...	Stenner
Tony Plana	...	Martinez
Stanley Anderson	...	Rushman
Maura Tierney	...	Naomi
Jon Seda	...	Alex
Reg Rogers	...	Connerman
Kenneth Tigar	...	Weil
Brian Reddy	...	Woodside
Christopher Carroll	...	M.C.
Wendy Cutler	...	Lou
Ron O.J. Parson	...	Turner
Sigrid K. Zahner	...	Vail's Secretary
Diann Burns	...	WLS Anchor
Linda Yu	...	WLS Anchor
Andy Shaw	...	WLS Location Reporter
Mary Ann Childers	...	WBBM Anchor
Lester Holt	...	WBBM Anchor (as Lester D. Holt)
Sylvia Gomez	...	WBBM Location Reporter
Jon Duncanson	...	WBBM Location Reporter
David Eckert	...	WGN Anchor
Robert Jordan	...	WGN Anchor
Joanie Lum	...	WGN Location Reporter
Randy Salerno	...	WGN Location Reporter
Kyle Colerider-Krugh	...	Postman
Joseph Luis Caballero	...	Joe
Randall Slavin	...	Young Boy
Mike Bacarella	...	Sergeant
Turk Muller	...	Precinct Jailer
Joseph F. Kosala	...	Cop (as Joe Kosala)
Lenny Wilson	...	Bartender
Peter Schreiner	...	Bailiff
Joseph R. Ryan	...	Old Man
Azalea Davila	...	Linda
Wayne Wright	...	Court Clerk
Tony Fitzpatrick	...	Duty Officer
Clarence Williams Jr.	...	Arresting Cop
Rosalie V. Lewis	...	Stenographer
Dwight Brad Dyer	...	Prison Guard
Larry Cook	...	Pilot
Bob Kenney	...	Pilot
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Mike Boss	...	Cop (uncredited)

Directed by
Gregory Hoblit

Writing credits (WGA)
William Diehl		(novel)
Steve Shagan		(screenplay) and
Ann Biderman		(screenplay)

Produced by
Patricia Graf	....	associate producer
Hawk Koch	....	executive producer (as Howard W. Koch Jr.)
Gary Lucchesi	....	producer
Robert McMinn	....	co-producer
Arnold Rudnick	....	associate producer

Original Music by
James Newton Howard

Cinematography by
Michael Chapman		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
David Rosenbloom

Casting by
Deborah Aquila
Jane Shannon-Smith		(as Jane Shannon)

Production Design by
Jeannine Claudia Oppewall		(as Jeannine Oppewall)

Art Direction by
William Arnold

Set Decoration by
Cindy Carr

Costume Design by
Betsy Cox

Makeup Department
Hallie D'Amore	....	key makeup artist
Sterfon Demings	....	hair stylist
Elle Elliott	....	hair stylist
Margaret E. Elliott	....	makeup artist (as Margaret Elliott)
Kathrine Gordon	....	hair stylist
Tom Lucas	....	makeup artist: Mr. Gere
Carol Meikle	....	hair stylist: Mr. Gere
Jeffrey Sacino	....	key hair stylist (as Jeffrey M. Sacino)
Art Anthony	....	special makeup effects: Chicago (uncredited)

Production Management
Robert Grand	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Xochi Blymyer	....	second second assistant director
J. Stephen Buck	....	first assistant director
Gary B. Goldman	....	second second assistant director: Chicago (as Gary Goldman)
Randall Newsome	....	second second assistant director: Chicago
Lucille Ouyang	....	second assistant director (as Lucille OuYang)
Sharon Swab	....	dga trainee

Art Department
Paul Allen	....	set dresser: Chicago
Randolph W. Andell	....	assistant property master
P. Scott Bailey	....	set dresser (as Scott Bailey)
Julie Brooke Beattie	....	set dresser (as Julie Beattie)
Louisa Bonnie	....	set designer
Mary A. Brady	....	set dresser: Chicago (as Mary Brady)
Javier Carrillo	....	propmaker foreperson
Daniel B. Clancy	....	leadperson: Chicago
Francis N. 'Lucky' Costello	....	painter (as Frank 'Lucky' Costello)
Jon Danniells	....	lead man
Dave DeGaetano	....	construction coordinator
Edward England	....	construction coordinator: Chicago
Andy Flores	....	paint foreperson
Joanna Gilliam	....	set dresser
Robert M. Hagman	....	propmaker foreperson (as Bob Hagman)
Aaron C. Holden Jr.	....	assistant property master: Chicago
Jack Johnson	....	production illustrator
Robert Kelter	....	paint foreperson: Chicago (as Robert J. Kelter)
Erin Kemp	....	set designer
Keith A. Kropf	....	location foreman (as Keith Kropf)
Robin Laughlin	....	paint foreperson (as Bob Laughlin)
Kacy Magedman	....	art department coordinator
Quentin Matthys	....	set dresser: Chicago
Steven B. Melton	....	property master
Tom Osman	....	art department coordinator: Chicago
Tyler Osman	....	propmaker foreperson: Chicago
Tyler Patton	....	set dresser
Walter J. Piers	....	set dresser: Chicago (as Walter Piers)
Mark Poll	....	set designer
Joel Prihoda	....	labor foreperson: Chicago
Steven Rigamat	....	propmaker foreperson (as Steven W. Rigamat)
Paul Stanwyck	....	head scenic painter
William Tessaro	....	location foreman (as Bill Tessaro)
Suzan Wexler	....	assistant art director
Tim Wilp	....	head painter: Chicago (as Timothy W. Wilp)
Ken Abraham	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Anthony Joseph Fatigato	....	painter (uncredited)
Sean Hood	....	swing gang (uncredited)
Troy Osman	....	construction foreman (uncredited)

Sound Department
Bob Baron	....	adr mixer
Pamela Bentkowski	....	supervising foley editor (as Pam Bentkowski)
Steve Cantamessa	....	sound mixer
Kevin E. Carpenter	....	sound re-recording mixer
Anne Couk	....	assistant sound editor
Joe Dorn	....	supervising adr editor
Patrick J. Foley	....	dialogue editor (as Patrick Foley)
Bruce Fortune	....	supervising sound editor
Cameron Frankley	....	sound effects editor
Dana LeBlanc Frankley	....	apprentice sound editor (as Dana LeBlanc)
Marilyn Graf	....	foley mixer
Jeffrey J. Haboush	....	sound re-recording mixer
Robin Harlan	....	foley artist
Scott La Rue	....	cable person (as Scott LaRue)
Courtenay Marvin	....	assistant sound editor
Anthony Milch	....	sound effects editor (as Tony Milch)
Sarah Monat	....	foley artist
Jeffrey R. Payne	....	dialogue editor (as Jeff Payne)
Carin Rogers	....	supervising dialogue editor
Robert Schaper	....	sound re-recording mixer
Randy Singer	....	foley mixer
Thomas W. Small	....	foley editor (as Thomas Small)
Greg Stacy	....	sound effects editor
Mike Szakmeister	....	dialogue editor
Gary Thomas	....	boom operator
Bill Ward	....	assistant sound editor
Daryl Ziemke	....	utility sound: Chicago
Matt Colleran	....	transfer recordist (uncredited)
Mark L. Mangino	....	dialogue editor (uncredited)
Ron Meredith	....	assistant sound editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Don Riozz McNichols	....	special effects: Chicago (as Donald Rio McNichols)
Matthew W. Mungle	....	special effects makeup (as Matthew Mungle)
Tom Ryba	....	special effects coordinator: Chicago (as Thomas P. Ryba)

Visual Effects by
Rob Burton	....	visual effects supervisor: DQI
Mark Galvin	....	visual effects executive producer: DQI
Mike Gunning	....	visual effects producer: DQI
Michael S. Harbour	....	3D church modeling: Dream Quest Images
Michael S. Harbour	....	3D church rendering: Dream Quest Images (as Michael Harbour)
Rory Hinnen	....	data management
Jen Howard	....	digital artist: Dream Quest Images
Rick Lopez	....	output technician: DQI
Rick Lopez	....	scanning: DQI
John Murrah	....	technical supervisor: Dream Quest Images

Stunts
Lanier Edwards	....	stunts
Rick Le Fevour	....	stunts
Ray Lykins	....	stunts
Ernie F. Orsatti	....	stunt coordinator (as Ernie Orsatti)
Noon Orsatti	....	stunts
Denney Pierce	....	stunts
Scott Blackwood	....	stunt double (uncredited)
Tom Lowell	....	stunts (uncredited)
Carl Paoli	....	stunt double: Richard Gere (uncredited)
Linda Perlin	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Patric J. Abaravich	....	best boy electric (as Patric Abaravich)
Audie Aragon	....	dolly grip (as Audi Aragon)
Jeff Beebe	....	grip
Alphonse Blumenthal	....	assistant chief lighting technician: Chicago
Tom Bookout	....	grip (as Thomas Bookout)
George W. Borthwick	....	grip (as George Wells Borthwick)
David Boyd	....	second camera operator
Steve Bradarich	....	video playback operator: Chicago
Mark Burnett	....	video assist operator
Paul Caven	....	electrician (as Paul 'Bones' Caven)
Chris Collins	....	second assistant camera: Chicago
Armando Contreras	....	grip
Gerrit Dangremond	....	camera operator: Chicago
Ben Felthouse	....	rigging electrician
Chris Freres	....	second company grip: Chicago
Scot Gaal	....	assistant chief rigging lighting technician (as Scott Gaal)
Joe Gallo	....	electrician (as Joseph Gallo)
Bill Guerre	....	rigging electrician (as William Guerre)
Michael R. Gurasich	....	second assistant camera (as Michael Gurasich)
Steven Hiller	....	first assistant camera: Chicago
Frank M. Holgate	....	aerial camera operator: Chicago (as Frank Holgate)
John Hudecek	....	dolly grip: Chicago
Kenji Inouye	....	second company grip
Frederick Irving	....	electrician (as Frederick E. Irving)
Gina Isaacs	....	electrician
Ed Jackson	....	second company rigging grip (as Edward A. Jackson)
William T. Jones	....	first company rigging grip (as Wm. T. 'Jake' Jones)
Greg Kittelson	....	electrician
Tommy Klines	....	second assistant camera
Jono Kouzouyan	....	chief lighting technician
Morgan Michael Lewis	....	first company grip: Chicago
Anthony J. Lullo	....	assistant chief lighting technician: Chicago (as Anthony Lullo)
Mark Marcom	....	video supervisor (as Mark Marcum)
Donald Navarrete	....	rigging electrician
Ron Phillips	....	still photographer
R. Bruce Prochal	....	chief rigging lighting technician (as Bruce Prochal)
Bill Roe	....	camera operator
Rodney Sandoval	....	camera loader
Brett Santucci	....	grip
Steven Silverstein	....	second assistant camera: Chicago
Mark Simon	....	camera operator: Chicago
Michael 'Dutch' Van Woert	....	assistant chief lighting technician (as 'Dutch' Van Woert)
Zoran Veselic	....	first assistant camera
John Waldo	....	second assistant camera: Chicago
Thomas E. Whalen	....	video assist operator: Chicago
Sandy Williams	....	first company grip (as Walter 'Sandy' Williams)
Ignacio Woolfolk	....	rigging grip
David Norris	....	camera technician: Wescam camera (uncredited)

Casting Department
Tony Hobbs	....	extras casting: Central/Cennex Casting
Tracy Kaplan	....	casting: Chicago
DeVera Marcus	....	voice casting (as Dee Marcus)
Karen Miller	....	casting associate
Karen Peake	....	extras casting: Chicago
Alex Wald	....	casting assistant (as Alex Rosenberg)
Mary Tricia Wood	....	casting assistant (as Tricia Wood)
Patti Carns Kalles	....	casting: Seattle (uncredited)
Jason James	....	casting: Seattle (uncredited)
Regina Prokop	....	extras casting coordinator (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Elaine Davis	....	costumer
Lori DeLapp	....	costumer (as Lori McClellen)
Kimberly Guenther	....	costume supervisor
Gary J. Saldutti	....	costumer
Adrienne Wait	....	costumer
Heather Pollock	....	set costumer (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Jana Lynn Gold	....	assistant film editor
Phil Hetos	....	color timer
Douglas Kunin	....	assistant film editor
Farrel Levy	....	additional editor (as Farrel Jane Levy)
Skip MacDonald	....	assistant film editor (as Skip Macdonald)
Wendi Jill Raderman	....	assistant film editor
Theresa Repola Mohammed	....	negative cutter

Music Department
Terence Blanchard	....	musician: horn solos
Brad Dechter	....	orchestrator
Sandy DeCrescent	....	orchestra contractor (as Sandy De Crescent)
James Newton Howard	....	orchestrator
Artie Kane	....	conductor
Jo Ann Kane	....	music preparation
Tom Kramer	....	preview music editor
Michael Mason	....	music scoring coordinator
Shawn Murphy	....	score mixer
Shawn Murphy	....	score recordist
David Olson	....	assistant music editor
J. Peter Robinson	....	composer: incidental source music
Jim Weidman	....	music editor
Michael Mason	....	score co-producer (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Steve Brodsky	....	transportation coordinator (as Steven Brodsky)
Michael P. Deal	....	transportation captain: Chicago
Craig Fehrman	....	transportation captain
James F. Hogan	....	transportation captain: Chicago (as James A. Hogan)
Thaddeus E. Larkowski	....	transportation coordinator: Chicago
Gaston Veilleux	....	transportation captain
Robert Wallace	....	driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Rashied Aljuwani	....	craft service
Dana Armonda	....	production assistant: Chicago
Jacolyn Baker	....	location manager: Chicago (as Jacolyn J. Baker)
Jeffrey Berk	....	assistant production coordinator
Jeanne Bischoff	....	legal technical advisor
Michele Bock	....	production assistant
Robert Breech	....	legal technical advisor
Raymond Bulinski	....	craft service: Chicago
Douglas M. Cambell	....	craft service (as Doug Campbell)
Michael Elyanow	....	assistant: Mr. Hoblit
Leslie Anne Engel	....	production assistant: Chicago (as Leslie Engel)
Orlando García	....	chef (as Orlando Garcia)
George Gonzalez	....	chef helper
Patricia Graf	....	assistant: Mr. Hoblit
Jennifer Greenfield	....	assistant: Mr. Gere
Julie Herman	....	production assistant: Chicago
James C. Hoffman	....	production assistant
Rachel Hudgins	....	assistant: Mr. Gere
Steve Hurley	....	legal technical advisor (as Stephen Hurley)
Christine Hurrey	....	payroll auditor
Pamela Jaeckle	....	production coordinator
Brendan Kennedy	....	assistant: Mr. Koch Jr.
Emily Koch	....	assistant: Mr. Lucchesi
Scott R. Kowalchyk	....	production assistant (as Scott Kowalchyk)
Robyn L. Kreger	....	assistant: Mr. Koch Jr. (as Robyn Kreger)
Kevin Landry	....	production auditor (as Kevin E. Landry)
Matt Luber	....	assistant: Mr. Lucchesi
Mark Mamalakis	....	assistant location manager: Chicago
Leslie Mikol	....	production assistant: Chicago
Fae Moore	....	production assistant
Gerald F. Nichols	....	production assistant: Chicago
Phill Norman	....	title designer
Lisa J. Olin	....	legal clearances
Sandy O'Neill	....	unit publicist
Jesus Padillo	....	chef helper (as Jesus Padilla)
John Panzarella	....	location manager
Brian C. Pawlowski	....	production assistant: Chicago (as Brian Pawlowski)
John Rash	....	assistant production auditor
John Redmond	....	police technical advisor
Sharron Reynolds	....	script supervisor (as Sharron Reynolds-Enriquez)
Jeff Richman	....	production assistant: Chicago
Jessica Sandler	....	production assistant
Gene Strange	....	assistant production auditor
Leslie Thorson	....	assistant location manager
Robert H. Turlington	....	production assistant (as Robert Turlington)
Bekki Vallin	....	assistant production coordinator: Chicago
Carolyn White	....	assistant production coordinator (as Carolyn J. White)
Laurel Wolowic	....	production assistant: Chicago
William M. DeLuca	....	mechanic (uncredited)
James R. McAllister	....	location assistant (uncredited)
Carol Riggins	....	animal trainer (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Paramount Pictures
• Rysher Entertainment

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1996) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (2000) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Argentina Video Home (1996) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Argentina Video Home (2001) (Argentina) (DVD)
• CIC-Taft Home Video (Australia) (VHS)
• Filmes Lusomundo (Portugal)
• Paramount Home Video (USA) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Video (USA) (VHS)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (Argentina)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (Spain)

Special Effects

• Dream Quest Images (visual effects)

Other Companies

• Central Casting  extras casting
• Central/Cennex Casting  extras casting
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera cranes and dollies
• Hollywood Digital  dailies
• Jo Anne Kane Music Services  music preparation
• Karen Peake Casting Inc.  extras casting: Chicago
• Michelson Food Services  catering
• Milan Records  soundtrack published by
• Pacific Title  titles and opticals
• Panavision  camera and lenses
• Paramount Pictures  digital sound editing
• Tracy Kaplan Casting  casting: Chicago
• Wescam USA Inc. (East)  Wescam provided by

MPAA:

Rated R for brief grisly violence, pervasive strong language and a sex scene.

Runtime:

129 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:R (certificate #33986) | Iceland:16 | Canada:A (Ontario) | Philippines:R-18 | Canada:18A (Canadian Home Video rating) | Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Chile:14 | Denmark:16 | Finland:K-14 | Germany:16 (bw) | Netherlands:16 | Norway:15 | Peru:14 | Portugal:M/16 | Singapore:M18 | South Korea:18 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | Australia:MA (re-rating)

Filming Locations:

Ballroom, Park Plaza Hotel - 607 S. Park View Street, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

When trying out for the role of the altar boy, Edward Norton went into the audition in character, complete with stutters and all, and this won his role.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: The cover of the USA Today Andre Braugher's character is reading when he's first introduced consists mostly of a big three-line headline and a the lengthy text of a story. No newspaper in 1996 would run a cover without a large photo or graphic high on the page, especially not USA Today.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Marty: On my first day of law school, my professor says two things. First was; "From this day forward, when your mother tells you she loves you - get a second opinion."
Jack Connerman: [chuckles] And?
Marty: "If you want justice, go to a whorehouse. If you wanna get fucked, go to court."

Movie Connections:

Featured in Primal Fear: The Final Verdict (2009) (V)

Soundtrack:

Canção Do Mar

Full of holes but still enjoyable and inventive

When an altar boy, Aaron Stampler, is accused of murdering a priest, the media-friendly, arrogant lawyer Martin Vail takes the case (and the headlines). However he discovers that the boy is not all he seems and that there may have been a third person in the room when the priest was murdered. However his plea is fixed and he must work the case to turn things back to his advantage.

Years ago, the UK did a day where the Government subsidised cinemas to offer all tickets for £1. On that day I had nothing I wanted to see but I thought (like thousands other) that a saving of £3 (at the time) was too good to miss, so I went to see this film despite my caution when it comes to courtroom thrillers. The plot here is so very full of holes that it is a wonder that the whole film doesn't fall into itself, however it just about manages to succeed by being quite clever and significantly different from the usual courtroom stuff (although it does still have the same faults as the rest of the genre).

The film is a lot darker than many courtroom thrillers; first of all, Vail is not a sympathetic character - he is arrogant and conceited, and the film never really offers him redemption at any point. Likewise the climax of the film is not the usual genre twist - or rather, it is, but not in the usual way. The film's main weakness however is that it is at least 20 minutes too long. The revelations about Roy happen but then are forgotten for about 10 minutes and then raised again before being put aside again. I really can't even understand why the film feels so padded at points in the middle when really that was when the Roy thing kicks in and the film should have stepped up a gear in a flash. That it doesn't is a problem, but not an insurmountable one, as it does slowly get faster towards a downbeat conclusion that is enjoyably different from the usual Perry Mason style twist (although it is a twist).

I'm by no means a Richard Gere fan, but he does a very good job here. He never wants to be a good guy here and he plays it well. However the film is driven by a great performance from Norton, marking himself out as one to watch in coming years. His dual roles are great and the film would have failed if he hadn't been able to carry it off. The support cast is surprisingly deep with people who were either well-known at the time or became famous later. When a cast includes Mahoney, McDormand, Woodard, Linney, Seda, and Braugher then it is worth a look - although some of them have very small roles there are no weak links. However it is a credit to Norton that he stands shoulder to shoulder with all of them and is the one that sticks in the mind long after it finishes.

Overall this is an enjoyable courtroom thriller that only struggles in the middle with an inability to really just let rip. It's ironic, but I enjoyed it because it was less showy and so on when compared to others of the genre, but it could have benefited from knowing when to let go sooner. However the cast is top notch and the unlikely plot is held together by a low key Gere and a fantastic central performance(s) from Norton.