In the Electric Mist (2009)

Director:

Bertrand Tavernier

Writers (WGA):

Jerzy Kromolowski (screenplay) &
Mary Olson-Kromolowski (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

15 April 2009 (France)

Genre:

Drama | Mystery

Plot:

A detective in the deep South is led into a series of surreal encounters with a troop of Confederate soldiers.

Plot Keywords:

Corpse | Drunk Driving | Mobster | Deep South | Movie Star

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Tommy Lee Jones	...	Dave Robicheaux
John Goodman	...	Julie 'Baby Feet' Balboni
Peter Sarsgaard	...	Elrod Sykes
Kelly Macdonald	...	Kelly Drummond
Mary Steenburgen	...	Bootsie Robicheaux
Justina Machado	...	Rosie Gomez
Ned Beatty	...	Twinky LeMoyne
James Gammon	...	Ben Hebert
Pruitt Taylor Vince	...	Lou Girard
Levon Helm	...	General John Bell Hood
Buddy Guy	...	Sam 'Hogman' Patin
Julio Cedillo	...	Cholo Manelli
Alana Locke	...	Alafair Robicheaux
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Randy Austin	...	St. Clare Parish Deputy
Sandra Leigh Babineaux	...	Newspaper Clerk
Samantha Beaulieu	...	Amber (voice)
Cindy Blanchard	...	Parole Officer
Walter Breaux	...	Batist
Steve Broussard	...	Mr. Trajan
Zach Broussard	...	Captain
Herman Brown	...	Band Member 3 / Drums
Andrea Frankle	...	Margot
Adella Gauthier	...	Old Woman
Danny Grisaffe	...	Uniformed Patrolman
Gary Grubbs	...	Sheriff
Greg Guirard	...	Old Cajun Fisherman
Rio Hackford	...	Thug 2
Louis Herthum	...	Doobie Patout
Bernard Hocke	...	Murphy Doucet
Richard Jones	...	Sollie Rothberg
Richard Landry	...	Photographer
Robert Leblanc	...	Himself - Band Member 4 / Bass
Damon Lipari	...	Stuntman
Tony Molina Jr.	...	Adonis Brown
Ritchie Montgomery	...	Bartender
Matt Naquin	...	Waiter
Chukwuma Onwuchekwa	...	Dewitt prejean
Ryan Rilette	...	Jimmie
John Sayles	...	Michael Goldman
Katie Tull	...	Assistant
Dennis Paul Williams	...	Himself - Band Member 2 / Guitar
Mark A. Williams	...	Band Member 5 / Rubboard
Nathan Williams	...	Band Member 1 / Accordion
John Wilmot	...	Mr. Meaux
Allen Boudreaux	...	Restaurant Patron (uncredited)
Louis Dupuy	...	Party Guest (uncredited)

Directed by
Bertrand Tavernier

Writing credits (WGA)
Jerzy Kromolowski		(screenplay) &
Mary Olson-Kromolowski		(screenplay)
James Lee Burke		(novel "In the Electric Mist with Confederate Dead") (as James Lee)

Produced by
Deborah Dobson Bach	....	co-producer
Clelio Boccato	....	associate producer
Frédéric Bourboulon	....	producer
Michael Fitzgerald	....	producer
Penelope Glass	....	executive producer
Gulnara Sarsenova	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Marco Beltrami

Cinematography by
Bruno de Keyzer

Film Editing by
Thierry Derocles		(french version)
Larry Madaras
Roberto Silvi

Casting by
Lisa Mae Fincannon
Jeanne McCarthy

Production Design by
Merideth Boswell

Art Direction by
Kelly Curley

Set Decoration by
Elizabeth Keenan

Costume Design by
Kathy Kiatta

Makeup Department
Leo Corey Castellano	....	prosthetic design and application
Tarra D. Day	....	makeup artist: Mr. Jones
Tarra D. Day	....	makeup department head
Krystal Kershaw	....	additional makeup artist
Darryl Lucas	....	additional makeup
Yolanda Mercadel	....	key hair stylist
Kellie Robinson	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Olivier Gravenhorst	....	post-production supervisor
John Hardy	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Phil Hardage	....	first assistant director (as Philip Hardage)
Katie Tull	....	second assistant director (as Kathleen Tull)

Art Department
Michael Calabrese	....	leadman
John C. Cameron	....	assistant property master
Monique Champagne	....	set decoration buyer
Chris Clinton	....	art department production assistant
Ryan Martin Dwyer	....	set dresser
Jaime Fernandez	....	on-set dresser
Virginia Fuselier	....	art department production assistant
Sara L. Holman	....	art department coordinator
Alexander Lasseigne III	....	set dresser
Daniel A. Maes	....	set dresser
Keith Walters	....	property master

Sound Department
Mark Allen	....	sound effects editor
David Bach	....	sound re-recording mixer
David Bach	....	supervising sound editor
Ryan Farris	....	sound utility
Alan Freedman	....	adr mixer
Heather Gross	....	sound effects editor
Catherine Harper	....	foley artist
Randall L. Johnson	....	boom operator
Tim LeBlanc	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Timothy O. LeBlanc)
Paul Ledford	....	production sound mixer
Darrin Mann	....	foley mixer
Christopher Moriana	....	foley artist
Bridget O'Driscoll	....	supervising sound editor
Kira Roessler	....	additional dialogue editor (as Kira)
Maxime Saleix	....	sound mix technician
Manuel Vidal	....	dialogue editor
Clayton Weber	....	supervising foley editor
Elmo Weber	....	additional sound re-recording mixer
Timothy D. McKeown	....	sound editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Brian Bankston	....	special effects technician (as Brian E. Bankston)
Stephen Bourgeois	....	special effects co-coordinator
Bill Larson	....	special effects foreman
David K. Nami	....	special effects co-coordinator
Michael Nami Sr.	....	special effects foreman (as Michael Nami)
Ian M. Stockstill	....	special effects technician (as Ian Moses Stockstill)
Neil Stockstill	....	special effects coordinator
Rebecca Walker	....	special effects assistant (as Rebecca L. Walker)

Visual Effects by
Alan De Castro	....	digital opticals (as Alan DeCastro)
Michael Degtjarewsky	....	digital compositor
Emily Fenster	....	visual effects associate producer
Chris Flynn	....	digital compositor
David Geoghegan	....	digital compositor
Maureen Healy	....	digital compositor (as Maureen Nixon)
Alicia Johnson	....	visual effects coordinator
Patrick Keenan	....	digital compositor
Cristian A. Kong	....	digital opticals (as Cristian Kong)
Tom Lamb	....	digital compositor
Ladd Lanford	....	visual effects producer
Miles Lauridsen	....	digital opticals
Elodie Ly Tri	....	retouch and restoration
Jenna Mateo	....	digital opticals
Matthew Melia	....	digital opticals (as Matthew Melis)
Jim O'Hagan	....	digital compositor
Dolores Pope	....	digital compositor
David Sosalla	....	visual effects supervisor
Sebastien Betsch	....	digital painter (uncredited)

Stunts
Billy Burton	....	stunt coordinator
Louis Dupuy	....	precision driver

Camera and Electrical Department
Michael Applebaum	....	director of photography: second unit
Kirk Bloom	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera
Ferdinand Duplantier Jr.	....	rigging gaffer
Brad Garris	....	electrician
Penelope Helmer	....	camera loader
Daniel H. Jacobs	....	rigging electrician
Dawn Jones	....	still photographer
Alan Keffer	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
James Trapper McEvoy	....	best boy rigging grip
Charlie Nauman	....	second assistant camera: second unit
Paul Olinde	....	gaffer
Joseph Paolucci Jr.	....	best boy rigging electrician
Jonathan E. Robinson	....	film loader
Chris Squires	....	Steadicam operator
Chris Squires	....	camera operator
Jonathan Stoll	....	grip
Nathan Tape	....	rigging electric
Henry Tirl	....	Steadicam operator
Henry Tirl	....	camera operator: "a" camera
Robb W. Turner	....	rigging electrician
Jeremy Webre	....	grip
Michael D. Weldon	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera
Gerard Martin	....	additional second assistant camera (uncredited)

Casting Department
Lisa Mae Fincannon	....	location casting
Brinkley A. Maginnis	....	casting director: background
Pepper Morgan	....	extras casting
Leslie Woo	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Claire Bergkamp	....	costumes coordinator
Caryn Frankenfield	....	costumer
Misti Moreaux	....	costume production assistant
Leeann Radeka	....	costume supervisor
Stephanie A. Steel	....	key costumer

Editorial Department
Cindy Bond	....	digital intermediate producer
Anders Bramsen	....	teaser editor
Nathan R. Fitzgerald	....	digital intermediate editor
Maxine Gervais	....	digital intermediate colorist
Bob Hart	....	negative cutter
Alicia Johnson	....	digital intermediate coordinator
David Kennedy	....	digital intermediate color assist
Sylvie Petat	....	assistant editor
Florent Retz	....	first assistant editor
Mark Sachen	....	colorist: dailies
Aidan Stanford	....	color timer

Music Department
Michael K. Bauer	....	music editor (as Mike Bauer)
William Boston	....	orchestrator (as Bill Boston)
Johnny Caruso	....	music editor
Rossano Galante	....	orchestrator
David Greely	....	music consultant: cajun music
Janet Ketchum	....	orchestra contractor
John Kurlander	....	music recording engineer
John Kurlander	....	score mixer
John Kurlander	....	score recordist
Jason Ruder	....	music editor
Buck Sanders	....	score co-producer
Jacqueline Simms	....	music supervisor
Jamie Steele	....	pro tools operator
Kay Stern	....	concert master
Andre Zweers	....	music digital recordist

Transportation Department
Dennis G. Carter	....	driver
Keith N. Collis	....	driver co-captain
Danny Mortenson	....	transportation coordinator
Paul Salard III	....	production van driver
David Carlton White	....	driver: honeywagon
Jeff J. Williams	....	driver: vip
Monica Williamson	....	driver

Other crew
James Bearb	....	production assistant
Ken Beggs	....	head animal trainer (as Ken Biggs)
Michael Betz	....	key assistant location manager
Zach Broussard	....	production assistant
Robert Carvajal	....	stand-in
Bobbi Colorado	....	animal coordinator
Crystal Dallas	....	key craft service
Louis Dupuy	....	stand-in
Laura Fearon	....	payroll accountant
Jeff Galpin	....	animal wrangler: crabs
Michael Grigsby	....	production accountant
Molly Harrison	....	production assistant
Rodney Hess	....	production assistant
Kendrick Hudson	....	assistant production coordinator
Jay Johnson	....	lead title artist: Pacific Title
Ashley Kravitz	....	rights and clearances
Jennifer Massetti	....	title coordinator: Pacific Title
Timothy D. McKeown	....	post-production coordination
Wayne Douglas Morgan	....	staff assistant
Stacy Parker	....	production coordinator
Brent Parris	....	title coordinator: Pacific Title
Jennalee Rhodes	....	production assistant
Rip Russell	....	first assistant accountant
Estelle Sanson	....	administrator
Risa Schultz	....	animal trainer
John Solis	....	title graphics: Pacific Title
Joanna Spears	....	second assistant accountant
Sam Sullivan III	....	script supervisor
Chris Welcker	....	office production assistant

Thanks
Philippe Noiret	....	dedicatee

Production Companies

• Ithaca Pictures
• Little Bear
• TF1 International (in co-production with)

Distributors

• International Film Distribution Consultants (2009) (Non-USA) (theatrical)
• Benelux Film Distributors (2009) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Bioscop (2009) (Czech Republic) (theatrical)
• Hollywood Entertainment (2009) (Greece) (theatrical)
• Image Entertainment (2009) (USA) (theatrical)
• Monopole-Pathé (2009) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• TFM Distribution (2009) (France) (theatrical)
• Budapest Film (2009) (Hungary) (DVD)
• California Filmes (2009) (Brazil) (all media)
• Image Entertainment (2009) (USA) (DVD)
• Image Entertainment (2009) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Madman Entertainment (2009) (Australia) (all media)
• Madman Entertainment (2009) (New Zealand) (all media)
• Midget Entertainment (2009) (Denmark) (all media)
• Video Film Express (2009) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Video Film Express (2009) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-ray)

Special Effects

• Pacific Title and Art Studio (visual effects)

Other Companies

• Act One Script Clearance  script research
• BAM Casting  
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  cranes
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  dollies
• Chicago Recording Company  adr: Chicago
• Honig Company, The  publicity
• Jo Anne Kane Music Services  music preparation (as Joann Kane Music Services)
• Keith Harter Music  adr: San Antonio (as Keith Harter Studio)
• New Orleans Film Commission, The  film commission
• Pacific Title  main and end titles (as Pacific Title and Art Studio)
• Pacific Title and Art Studio  digital intermediate
• Pictorvision  stabilized ground head
• Rockbottom Rentals  cell phone rentals
• Skywalker Sound  score recorded and mixed at
• Skywalker Symphony Orchestra  orchestra
• Sound One  adr: New York
• Sound Satisfaction  foley facility
• Storyville Post  adr: New Orleans
• Technicolor Creative Services  telecine: dailies
• Warner Bros. Studio Facilities  re-recorded at (as Warner Bros. Stages)
• Wildfire Studios  adr stage: Los Angeles (as Wildfire Stages)

Also Known As:

Dans la brume électrique (France)
In the Electric Mist with Confederate Dead (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for violence, language and brief sexuality/nudity.

Runtime:

Germany:117 min (Berlin International Film Festival) | USA:102 min (DVD)

Country:

USA | France

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:R | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Singapore:M18 | Netherlands:12

Filming Locations:

Albania Plantation - 1842 LA 182 E., Jeanerette, Louisiana, USA

Company:

Ithaca Pictures

Trivia:

Co-stars Ned Beatty and John Goodman previously appeared together on "Roseanne" (1988). Beatty had a recurring role as Goodman's father on the show.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Dave is pistol whipping Adonis Brown. His facial wounds don't change after the last blow.

Quotes:

[first Lines]
Dave Robicheaux: My name's Dave Robicheaux. I'm an alcoholic. Sometimes I'm tempted to have a drink. But I never do.

Movie Connections:

Follows Heaven's Prisoners (1996)

Soundtrack:

La Terre tremblante

That Authentic Cajun Atmosphere

A no-nonsense cop named "Robicheaux" (pronounced Roba-shaw, and well played by Tommy Lee Jones) is on a case involving the murders of several local prostitutes. At the same time, Robicheaux is haunted by a decades-old killing of a Black man whose remains are found in a swamp by a member of a film crew shooting a movie. So the twin questions are ... who is responsible for the murders of the prostitutes, and is there a link between these murders and the long-ago killing of the Black man?

Set in modern day South Louisiana, near New Orleans, "In The Electric Mist" absolutely drips with authentic Cajun atmosphere. The place names, the rustic look of old frame houses, the backwater bayous with lush vegetation, those wonderful Louisiana accents, the outdoor barbecue at a plantation house ... You feel like you're really there, in that place. It's the best element of the film, by far.

The film's casting and acting are quite good. And the music is terrific. At the end credits the song played is the haunting "La Terre Tremblante", with its mystical-Blues sound and French lyrics. The song is straight out of Cajun country, and it is mesmerizing.

Unfortunately, the film's plot is muddled. Editing is terrible. And the film's ending is very unsatisfying. My understanding is that the film went through some serious post-production issues, the most significant being the deletion of a number of scenes. These deletions may account for plot problems associated with choppy flow and lack of clarity.

Even so, "In The Electric Mist" is still worth watching, not so much for the story or plot as for the evocative Cajun atmosphere and that terrific music.