Misery (1990)

Director:

Rob Reiner

Writers (WGA):

Stephen King (novel)
William Goldman (screenplay)

Release Date:

30 November 1990 (USA)

Genre:

Thriller

Tagline:

This Christmas there will be... Misery.

Plot:

A famous novelist is "rescued" from a car crash by an obsessed fan.

Plot Keywords:

Fan | Blizzard | Obsessed Fan | Novel | Ceramic

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 2 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

James Caan	...	Paul Sheldon
Kathy Bates	...	Annie Wilkes
Richard Farnsworth	...	Buster
Frances Sternhagen	...	Virginia
Lauren Bacall	...	Marcia Sindell
Graham Jarvis	...	Libby
Jerry Potter	...	Pete
Jerry Potter	...	Pete
Thomas Brunelle	...	Anchorman (as Tom Brunelle)
June Christopher	...	Anchorwoman
Julie Payne	...	Reporter #1
Archie Hahn III	...	Reporter #2
Gregory Snegoff	...	Reporter #3
Wendy Bowers	...	Waitress
Misery the Pig	...	Herself
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Rob Reiner	...	Helicopter Pilot (uncredited)
J.T. Walsh	...	State Trooper Sherman Douglas (uncredited)

Directed by
Rob Reiner

Writing credits (WGA)
Stephen King		(novel "Misery")
William Goldman		(screenplay)

Produced by
Steve Nicolaides	....	co-producer
Rob Reiner	....	producer
Andrew Scheinman	....	producer
Jeffrey Stott	....	co-producer

Original Music by
Marc Shaiman

Cinematography by
Barry Sonnenfeld		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Robert Leighton

Casting by
Janet Hirshenson
Jane Jenkins

Production Design by
Norman Garwood

Art Direction by
Mark W. Mansbridge		(as Mark Mansbridge)

Set Decoration by
Garrett Lewis

Costume Design by
Gloria Gresham

Makeup Department
Howard Berger	....	special makeup effects artist
Judith A. Cory	....	hair stylist (as Judith Cory)
John M. Elliott Jr.	....	makeup artist (as John Elliott)
Margaret E. Elliott	....	makeup artist (as Margaret Elliott)
Bruce Spaulding Fuller	....	special makeup effects artist (as Bruce S. Fuller)
Robert Kurtzman	....	special makeup effects artist
Rick Lalonde	....	special makeup effects artist (as Rick LaLonde)
Gregory Nicotero	....	special makeup effects artist (as Greg Nicotero)

Production Management
Steve Nicolaides	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Dennis Maguire	....	first assistant director
Artist W. Robinson	....	second second assistant director (as Artist Robinson)
Drew Ann Rosenberg	....	second assistant director (as Drew Rosenberg)
Barry Sonnenfeld	....	second unit director

Art Department
Charles A. Carlsen	....	propmaker
Charles A. Carlsen	....	set dresser
Carl Cassara	....	swing gang
John Hoskins	....	construction foreman
Gary Isbell	....	swing gang
Jonas Kirk	....	construction foreman (as C. Jonas Kirk)
Jody Levine	....	art department coordinator
Jerry Moss	....	property master (as Gerald Moss)
Ken Peterson	....	assistant property master
Curt Powley	....	stand-by painter
Andrew Precht	....	assistant art director
Ruth Pulido	....	stand-by painter
Rob Rupple	....	book cover illustrator
Marvin Salsberg	....	construction coordinator
Stan Tropp	....	set designer
Mark Woods	....	lead man
Robert Misetich	....	paint foreman (uncredited)
John Root	....	signwriter supervisor (uncredited)

Sound Department
James Ashwill	....	foley mixer
George Baetz	....	boom operator
Peter C. Barbour	....	assistant sound editor
Kevin Bartnof	....	foley artist
Charles L. Campbell	....	supervising sound editor
Robert Eber	....	sound mixer
Louis L. Edemann	....	sound editor
Ellen Decker Franklin	....	apprentice sound editor
Richard C. Franklin	....	sound editor
Leigh French	....	adr group coordinator
Robin Harlan	....	foley artist
Nils C. Jensen	....	sound editor
Rick Kline	....	sound re-recording mixer
Gregg Landaker	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Gregg W. Landaker)
Mary Jo Lang	....	foley recordist
Mark 'Frito' Long	....	sound recordist
Donald J. Malouf	....	supervising sound editor
Christian P. Minkler	....	machine operator (as Chris Minkler)
Gary Mundheim	....	sound editor
Chuck Neely	....	sound editor
Kevin O'Connell	....	sound re-recording mixer
Jim Quinn	....	machine operator (as James Quinn)
Rod Rogers	....	adr assistant
Larry Singer	....	adr supervisor
Roger V. Stevenson	....	cable person (as Roger Stevenson)
Paul Timothy Carden	....	sound editor (uncredited)
Tim Song Jones	....	sound transferer (uncredited)
John Roesch	....	foley artist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Phil Cory	....	special effects supervisor
Hans Metz	....	special effects
Ray Svedin	....	special effects
Charles E. Dolan	....	special effects (uncredited)
Paul Mejias	....	special makeup effects artist (uncredited)

Stunts
Sandy Berumen	....	stunts
David R. Ellis	....	stunt coordinator (as David Ellis)
Steve Hart	....	stunts
R.A. Rondell	....	stunts
Sammy Thurman	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Brian W. Armstrong	....	assistant camera (as Brian Armstrong)
Dennis Gamiello	....	key grip
M. Todd Henry	....	camera operator
Steele Hunter	....	grip
Kevin Kelley	....	chief lighting technician
Gary B. Kibbe	....	photography: second unit (as Gary Kibbe)
John Lowry	....	grip
Thomas Miligan	....	assistant camera
Merrick Morton	....	still photographer
Walter Nichols	....	assistant chief lighting technician
Dwayne Redlin	....	best boy grip
Howard Rose	....	additional assistant camera
Michele Singer	....	special photography
Daryl Smith	....	lamp operator
Chris Squires	....	additional camera operator
Mark Streapy	....	additional assistant camera (as Mark R. Streapy)
Michael 'Dutch' Van Woert	....	lamp operator (as Mike Van Woert)
Don Yamasaki	....	lamp operator
Vincent Contarino	....	dimmer board operator (uncredited)
Ken Fisher	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Jon L. Kunkel	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Frank Montoya	....	rigging key grip (uncredited)
Brennan L. Price	....	lighting technician (uncredited)

Casting Department
Michael Hirshenson	....	casting associate
Jacqueline King	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Oda Groeschel	....	costumer
G. Tony Scarano	....	costumer

Editorial Department
Alan Edward Bell	....	first assistant editor
Christy Dimmig	....	post-production coordinator
Mary Morrisey	....	assistant editor
Steven Nevius	....	associate film editor (as Steve Nevius)
Arthur Tostado	....	color timer (as Art Tostado)
Lois Trent-Bring	....	negative cutter

Music Department
John Bruno	....	scoring crew
Sandy DeCrescent	....	music contractor
Dennis Dreith	....	conductor
Dennis Dreith	....	orchestrator
Bruce Fowler	....	additional orchestrator
Chuck Garsha	....	scoring crew
Hummie Mann	....	additional orchestrator
Mo Morrisey	....	assistant music editor
Scott Stambler	....	supervising music editor
Armin Steiner	....	music scoring mixer

Transportation Department
James R. Brown	....	production driver (as James Brown)
Russ Buckens	....	production driver
Gary Cruise	....	production driver
Brick Graham	....	production driver
Kirk A. Holland	....	transportation captain (as Kirk Holland)
Robert Hunter Jr.	....	production driver (as Bob Hunter)
Ken Lubin	....	production driver
Dennis McLaughlin	....	production driver
Edward A. Powell	....	production driver (as Ed Powell)
Tom Roberts	....	production driver
Tim Roslan	....	transportation coordinator
Timothy Sheehan	....	production driver (as Tim Sheehan)
Troy Flynn	....	transportation (uncredited)

Other crew
Wolfgang Bodison	....	assistant: Rob Reiner
John Christensen	....	production assistant
Gwen Clancy	....	production assistant
Norris Coit	....	production assistant
Leslie Cornyn	....	post-production accountant
Pamela Cruise	....	first aid (as Pam Cruise)
James Dean	....	stand-in
James Deeth	....	helicopter pilot (as Jim Deeth)
Iddo Lampton Enochs Jr.	....	location manager
Linda Folsom	....	production coordinator (as Linda Allan-Folsom)
Lou Anne Harrison	....	production assistant
Alison Harstedt	....	assistant accountant
Pam Jones	....	assistant: Rob Reiner
K. Lenna Katich	....	production accountant (as K. Lenna Kunkel)
David Keane	....	assistant: James Caan
Madeline Kline	....	animal trainer
Suzanne Lutz	....	production secretary
Jim Maguire	....	production assistant
Alystar McKenneh	....	stand-in
Kerry Lyn McKissick	....	script supervisor
Karen M. Murphy	....	production assistant (as Karen Murphy)
Joseph Popelka	....	production assistant (as Joseph G. Popelka)
Richard W. Scarpone	....	craft service (as Rich Scarpone)
Michelle Selleck	....	production assistant
Barbara W. Turman	....	payroll clerk (as Barbara Turman)
Zelig Walters	....	caterer (as Wally Walters)
Robin Warren	....	production assistant
Katherine T. Wilson	....	production secretary
Scott Mislan	....	production assistant (uncredited)

Thanks
William James Calder	....	thanks (as James Calder)
David Morgan	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Castle Rock Entertainment (as Castle Rock) (presents)
• Nelson Entertainment (in association with)

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures (1990) (USA) (theatrical)
• Ascot Elite Entertainment Group (1991) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Gemini Film (1993) (Czech Republic) (theatrical)
• Jugendfilm-Verleih (1991) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Transmundo Films (1991) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Union Générale Cinématographique (UGC) (1991) (France) (theatrical)
• Astro Distribution (1997) (Germany) (video) (laserdisc)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1993) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (1994) (USA) (VHS)
• ETD Home Video (1993) (USA) (VHS)
• Highlight Video (1992) (Germany) (VHS)
• Image Entertainment (1994) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• MGM Home Entertainment (Europe) (199?) (UK) (VHS)
• MGM Home Entertainment (Europe) (2003) (UK) (DVD) (special edition)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2001) (Germany) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD) (collector's edition)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2009) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (2000) (USA) (VHS)
• Nelson Entertainment (1991) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Pioneer (1994) (UK) (video) (laserdisc)
• PolyGram Video (1999) (Germany) (DVD)
• PolyGram Video (1998) (USA) (DVD)
• PolyGram Video (1998) (USA) (VHS)
• Transmundo Home Video (THV) (199?) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2000) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2001) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2009) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• USA Home Video (1998) (USA) (VHS)

Special Effects

• K.N.B. Effects Group (special makeup effects)

Other Companies

• 20th Century Fox Studios  music recorded at
• AVI Records Productions  additional Liberace dialogue courtesy of
• Chapman Equipment  cranes and dollies
• City of Genoa, Nevada, The  thanks
• Credit Lyonnais Bank (Nederland) N.V.  banking services
• Cynthia's Distinctive Catering  catering
• Eric Lieber Productions  clip from "Love Connection" provided by
• Jo Anne Kane Music Services  music preparation
• Mark Goodson Productions LLC  clip from "Family Feud" provided by
• Nancy Seltzer & Associates  publicity
• Pacific Title  titles and opticals
• Sally Lear Casting  extras casting: Reno
• Sally Perle & Associates  extras casting: L.A.
• Skywalker Sound South  re-recording facilities
• TAJ Soundworks  foley by
• Unique Movie Cars  picture cars
• Variety Cinema Catering  catering
• Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California, The  thanks

Runtime:

107 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Portugal:M/16 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Singapore:NC-16 (re-rating) | Singapore:PG (cut) | South Korea:18 | Philippines:R-18 | Netherlands:16 | Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Canada:14A | Chile:18 | Finland:K-16 | Germany:16 | Norway:15 | Peru:18 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

California, USA

Company:

Castle Rock Entertainment

Trivia:

In a recent interview with Melvyn Bragg, William Goldman revealed that few actors wanted the role of Paul Sheldon because Annie Wilks overshadowed him so much as a character. Warren Beatty commented before declining that the hobbling scene made Paul Sheldon "a loser for the rest of the film". Goldman was determined to keep that scene in the film as it was his favorite from the Stephen King novel.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Annie is shaving Paul's face, the areas of shaving cream change without anyone altering them.

Quotes:

Annie Wilkes: When I was growing up in Bakersfield, my favourite thing in the whole world was to go to the movies on Saturday afternoons for the Chapter Plays.
Paul Sheldon: [nodding] Cliffhangers.
Annie Wilkes: [shouting] I know that, Mr. Man! They also called them serials. I'm not stupid ya know... Anyway, my favourite was Rocketman, and once it was a no breaks chapter. The bad guy stuck him in a car on a mountain road and knocked him out and welded the door shut and tore out the brakes and started him to his death...
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Diary of a Mad Black Woman (2005)

Soundtrack:

I'LL BE SEEING YOU

Don't EVER have a Number 1 fan...

Horror movies generally aren't my cup of tea, but people have always talked about how great Misery is. So I decided to give it a look when it came on TV today. All I can say is that I was definitely not disappointed; this was an amazing movie.

Misery is the story of writer Paul Sheldon (James Caan), who is driving through a snowstorm after just having finished his newest novel. The car crashes, and it seems that Paul will die, trapped in his car in the snow in a deserted forest, when he is rescued by a mysterious stranger. She turns out to be Annie Wilkes (Kathy Bates), a former nurse who dresses his wounds and gives him a comfortable bed. In addition, it turns out that Annie is Paul's self-proclaimed Number 1 Fan. Specifically, she is obsessed with the Misery Chastain series, Paul's major claim to fame. Annie keeps Paul in an isolated room for days, then weeks, as the outside world searches for him. Eventually, when Annie objects to the content of Paul's latest manuscript, and when she has a hysterical reaction to the death of Misery in the latest novel, Paul (and the audience) come to see that there may be something wrong with Annie.

Caan and Bates were absolutely stunning in their performances. The vast majority of this movie focused on them, so it was crucial that they both be able to convey the sense that something horrific was going on. It was no surprise that Kathy Bates won the Best Actress Oscar for her role. Everything in this movie really worked to show just how trapped Paul was, and how hopeless his situation seemed. And of course, this movie left a few indelible images in the mind. (One in particular comes to mind, and I really wish that I hadn't seen that scene previously on some other TV show; that almost took away from the impact of seeing it in context.) So, if you are a fan of suspenseful fare, or you just want to see a horror movie (mostly) sans blood and guts, Misery is for you. You will never, ever want to hear anyone say that they're a fan of yours again.