Strange Days (1995)

Director:

Kathryn Bigelow

Writers (WGA):

James Cameron (story)
James Cameron (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

13 October 1995 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Drama | Fantasy | Music | Mystery | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

you know you want it

Plot:

A former cop turned street-hustler accidentally uncovers a police conspiracy in 1999 Los Angeles.

Plot Keywords:

Murder | Rape | Police | Conspiracy | Death

Awards:

2 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Ralph Fiennes	...	Lenny Nero
Angela Bassett	...	Lornette 'Mace' Mason
Juliette Lewis	...	Faith Justin
Tom Sizemore	...	Max Peltier
Michael Wincott	...	Philo Gant
Vincent D'Onofrio	...	Burton Steckler
Glenn Plummer	...	Jeriko One
Brigitte Bako	...	Iris
Richard Edson	...	Tick
William Fichtner	...	Dwayne Engelman
Josef Sommer	...	Palmer Strickland
Joe Urla	...	Keith
Nicky Katt	...	Joey Corto
Michael Jace	...	Wade Beemer
Louise LeCavalier	...	Cindy 'Vita' Minh
David Carrera	...	Duncan
Jim Ishida	...	Mr. Fumitsu
Todd Graff	...	Tex Arcana
Malcolm Norrington	...	Replay
Anais Munoz	...	Diamanda
Ted Haler	...	Tow Truck Driver
Rio Hackford	...	Bobby the Bartender
Brook Susan Parker	...	Cecile
Brandon Hammond	...	Zander
Donald 'Donnie' Young	...	Young Zander
B.J. Crockett	...	Young Zander
Dex Elliot Sanders	...	Curtis
Ronnie Willis	...	Homeboy
David Packer	...	Lane
Paulo Tocha	...	Spaz Diaz
J. Michael Muro	...	Nervous POV (as James Muro)
Ron Young	...	Nervous POV Voice (voice)
Art Chudabala	...	Thai Restaurant Owner
Erica Kelly	...	Restaurant Hostess
Marlana Young	...	Waitress
Ray Chang	...	Thai Restaurant Cook
Raul Reformina	...	Busboy
Chris Douridas	...	Talk Radio Host (voice)
Billie Worley	...	Dan from Silverlake (voice)
Amon Bourne	...	Dewayne (voice)
Lisa Picotte	...	Lori from Encino (voice)
Kylie Ireland	...	Stoned Looking Girl
Dru Berrymore	...	Stoned Girl's Lover
Stefan Arngrim	...	Skinner
Agustin Rodriguez	...	Eduardo
Kelly Hu	...	Anchor Woman
Nynno Anderson	...	Angry Jeriko Fan
Liat Goodson	...	Retinal Fetish Bouncer
Honey Labrador	...	Beach Beauty
Delane Vaughn	...	Mace's Husband
Mark Arneson	...	Police Officer
James Acheson	...	Cop in Bathroom
John Francis	...	Death
Zoot	...	Mime
Royce L. Minor	...	Angry Black Kid (as Royce Minor)
Milan Reynolds	...	National Guard Medic #1
Russell W. Smith	...	National Guard #2
Sarah Abukutsa Marshall	...	African Dancer
Russell Hines	...	African Dancer
Michael Jaasi	...	African Dancer
Maurice Marshall	...	African Dancer
Carolyn Adunni McPherson	...	African Dancer
Jennifer Reeves	...	African Dancer (as Jennifer Jin-Jin Reeves)
Charmain Renata Hubbard	...	African Dancer
Reginald T. Thornton	...	African Dancer
Chester A. Whitmore	...	African Dancer
Lori Simone Wilkerson	...	African Dancer
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Ed Arneson	...	Metro Division Officer (uncredited)
Yan Birch	...	New Years Eve Party Dude (uncredited)
Andrew Calder	...	New Years Reveler (uncredited)
Jaime Campos	...	Riot / Traffic Cop (uncredited)
Robert 'Duckie' Carpenter	...	Punker (uncredited)
John Daniels	...	Motorcycle cop (uncredited)
Gregory Diamond	...	New Years Eve Kiss (uncredited)
Sebastian Feldman	...	Club Goer (uncredited)
Masaaki Fujimori	...	Sexy Dancer (uncredited)
Kim Giancaterino	...	Club Goer (uncredited)
Paul Malinowski	...	Band - Season to Risk (uncredited)
Duane Trower	...	Band - Season to Risk (uncredited)
Tom Tom Typhoon	...	Crazy Dancer (uncredited)

Directed by
Kathryn Bigelow

Writing credits (WGA)
James Cameron		(story)
James Cameron		(screenplay) and
Jay Cocks		(screenplay)

Produced by
James Cameron	....	producer
Steven-Charles Jaffe	....	producer
Lawrence Kasanoff	....	executive producer
Rae Sanchini	....	executive producer
Ira Shuman	....	co-producer

Original Music by
Graeme Revell

Cinematography by
Matthew F. Leonetti

Film Editing by
Howard E. Smith		(as Howard Smith)
James Cameron		(uncredited)

Casting by
Sharon Bialy
Debi Manwiller
Richard Pagano		(as Rick Pagano)
Melissa M. Thomas

Production Design by
Lilly Kilvert

Art Direction by
John Warnke

Set Decoration by
Kara Lindstrom

Costume Design by
Ellen Mirojnick

Makeup Department
Michael F. Blake	....	makeup artist
Kathy W. Estocin	....	hair designer
Michael Germain	....	makeup supervisor (as Mike Germain)
Linda Grimes	....	makeup department head: re-shoots
Robert L. Stevenson	....	hair department head

Production Management
Ira Shuman	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Albert Cho	....	second assistant director
Kenneth D. Collins	....	first assistant director: second unit
Steve Danton	....	first assistant director
Suzanne Geiger	....	second second assistant director
Mark Hansson	....	second second assistant director
Sam Hoffman	....	second second assistant director
Steven-Charles Jaffe	....	second unit director
Todd Y. Murata	....	dga trainee
Philip C. Pfeiffer	....	second unit director (as Phil Pfeiffer)
Rebecca Strickland	....	second second assistant director

Art Department
Gregory P. Alcus	....	set dresser
Christopher Amy	....	first assistant property master
Kai Blomberg	....	set dresser
Tristan Paris Bourne	....	on-set dresser
Lloyd A. Buswell	....	construction/welding foreman
Patrick Cassidy	....	lead man
Randy L. Childs	....	propmaker
John Eaves	....	model maker
Michael Marcus	....	art designer
Erik L. Nelson	....	property master (as Erik Nelson)
Christopher S. Nushawg	....	assistant art director (as Chris Nushawg)
Tommy Samona	....	set dresser
Doug Sieck	....	set dresser

Sound Department
Sandina Bailo-Lape	....	foley editor
Tom Barwick	....	foley artist
Richard Beggs	....	sound re-recording mixer
Phil Benson	....	sound effects editor
David Franklin Bergad	....	sound editor
Sara Bolder	....	dialogue editor
Gloria S. Borders	....	supervising sound editor
Lindakay Brown	....	assistant sound editor
Don Coufal	....	boom operator
Tony Eckert	....	foley recordist
Sean England	....	sound re-recordist
Dan Engstrom	....	assistant sound editor
Frank E. Eulner	....	sound editor
Andre Fenley	....	assistant sound effects editor
Clare C. Freeman	....	dialogue editor (as Clare Freeman)
Thomas Giordano	....	sound technician
Scott Guitteau	....	assistant sound editor
Lora Hirschberg	....	assistant sound designer
Lora Hirschberg	....	sound re-recording mixer
Tim Holland	....	sound editor
Tom Johnson	....	sound re-recording mixer
Mary Helen Leasman	....	foley editor
Barbara McBane	....	dialogue editor
Susan Popovic	....	assistant sound editor
Gary Rizzo	....	mix assistant
Marcie Romano	....	assistant sound editor
David M. Ronne	....	sound (as David Ronne)
Gary Rydstrom	....	sound designer
Gary Rydstrom	....	sound re-recording mixer
Claire Sanfilippo	....	dialogue editor
Dennie Thorpe	....	foley artist
Christian von Burkleo	....	sound recordist
Hugh Waddell	....	adr supervisor
Cary Weitz	....	boom operator
Jeff Wexler	....	sound
Marian Wilde	....	adr editor
Brian Williams	....	sound designer
Tina Canny	....	machine room operator (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Eric Allard	....	special props
Jim Boulden	....	puppet builder
Craig Caton	....	special effects assistant
Donald Frazee	....	special effects foreman
Terry D. Frazee	....	special effects coordinator (as Terry Frazee)
Scott Lingard	....	special effects technician
Donald Myers	....	special effects foreman
Eugene P. Rizzardi	....	propshop foreman
James S. Trois	....	special effects
Gregor Joackim	....	special effects (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Andra Bard	....	digital production assistant: Digital Domain
Peter Baustaedter	....	digital artist: Digital Domain
Mat Beck	....	visual effects supervisor: Light Matters
Casey Cannon	....	computer graphics producer: BFTRE
Allen Cappuccilli	....	visual effects editor
Floyd Casey	....	digital artist
Mike Chambers	....	visual effects producer
Sean C. Cunningham	....	CG effects supervisor
Chris Dawson	....	motion control camera operator
Karen E. Goulekas	....	digital effects supervisor: Digital Domain
Jerry Hall	....	digital compositor
Caleb J. Howard	....	digital effects artist
Leslie Huntley	....	visual effects producer: Fantasy II Film Effects
Gary Jackemuk	....	digital artist: Digital Domain
Amy Jupiter	....	digital effects producer
Jeffrey Kalmus	....	scanning and recording supervisor
James Lima	....	visual effects supervisor
Michael Meagher	....	visual effects producer (as Tony Meagher)
Howie Muzika	....	scanning and recording operator
Simon O'Connor	....	digital artist
Shannon Leigh Olds	....	visual effects editor
Ethan Ormsby	....	digital compositor
Kelly Port	....	digital artist
Doug Roble	....	software developer
Andy Rosen	....	digital artist
Patrick Shearn	....	visual effects supervisor apprentice: Digital Domain
Janek Sirrs	....	visual effects
Kara Stephens	....	visual effects coordinator
Milos Twilight	....	digital artist: Digital Domain
Renée Tymn	....	digital artist (as Renee Chamblin)
Christopher Warren	....	camera operator: Fantasy II Film Effects
Gene Warren III	....	effects camera assistant
Jon Warren	....	miniature rigging: Fantasy II Film Effects
Gene Warren Jr.	....	special effects supervisor: Fantasy II Film Effects
Edson Williams	....	digital compositor
Kieran Woo	....	production controller: Digital Domain
Harrison Zanuck	....	technical assistant
Jeffrey Edward Baksinski	....	digital assistant: Digital Domain (uncredited)
Jim Hillin	....	digital artist (uncredited)
Brian Ripley	....	specialty props (uncredited)
Scott Ross	....	general manager: Digital Domain (uncredited)
Xique Tymn	....	systems administrator (uncredited)

Stunts
Laura Albert	....	stunts
John Alden	....	stunt double: Engelman
Christopher 'Critter' Antonucci	....	stunt performer
Bruce Paul Barbour	....	stunt performer
Chino Binamo	....	stunt double: Duncan
Richard L. Blackwell	....	assistant stunt coordinator
Ericka Bryce	....	utility stunts
Keith Campbell	....	stunts
Eric Chambers	....	stunts
Doug Coleman	....	stunt coordinator
Eliza Coleman	....	stunt double: Vita (as Liza Sweeney Coleman)
Sonja Davis	....	stunt double: Mace
J. Mark Donaldson	....	stunts
Travis Dultz	....	action stunts
Jeffrey Eith	....	stunts
Danny Epper	....	stunt double: Steckler
Debbie Evans	....	stunts
Jeff Evans	....	stunt double: Streckler
Jeff Evans	....	stunts
Christian J. Fletcher	....	stunts
Gary Guercio	....	stunts
Mike Gunther	....	stunt double: Lenny
Dick Hancock	....	stunt double: Tex
Brett A. Jones	....	stunts
Kim Kahana Jr.	....	stunts
Hubie Kerns Jr.	....	stunts
Henry Kingi Jr.	....	stunts
Barbara Anne Klein	....	stunts
Paul M. Lane	....	utility stunts
Gene LeBell	....	stunts
Will Leong	....	stunts
Eddie Matthews	....	stunt double
Jeff Mosley	....	stunts
Jimmy Ortega	....	utility stunts
Patricia M. Peters	....	stunt double: Faith (as Patricia Peters)
Patricia M. Peters	....	stunts (as Patricia Peters)
Denise Lynne Roberts	....	stunt double: Iris
Denise Lynne Roberts	....	stunts
Lynn Salvatori	....	stunts
Paul E. Short	....	stunt double: Max
Paul E. Short	....	stunts
Monty L. Simons	....	stunts
James Turner Jr.	....	stunt double: Duncan
James Turner Jr.	....	stunts
Eddie L. Watkins	....	stunts
Gary J. Wayton	....	stunt double: Engelman (as Gary Wayton)
Gary J. Wayton	....	stunts
Keith Woulard	....	stunts
A. David Burleigh	....	extra stunts (uncredited)
Jeff Cadiente	....	stunts (uncredited)
Eugene Collier	....	stunts (uncredited)
Dane Farwell	....	stunts (uncredited)
Al Goto	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bob Marrocco	....	stunts (uncredited)
Ted Shred	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Aldo Antonelli	....	camera operator
Kevin Blauvelt	....	rigging electrician
Pat Blymyer	....	chief lighting technician
Glenn Brown	....	assistant camera
John Busch	....	camera operator: New York City
Mike Cameron	....	camera operator
Randy Feemster	....	camera operator: second unit
Jackie Hamilton	....	electrician
Rick Harris	....	grip
Steve Hastings	....	best boy rigger
R. Derek Keener	....	best boy electric: New York
Scott C. Keys	....	lighting technician
Duane Manwiller	....	additional camera operator: second unit
Tim Marshall	....	best boy electric
Wayne Marshall	....	electrician
J. Michael Muro	....	Steadicam operator (as James Muro)
J. Michael Muro	....	camera operator (as James Muro)
Philip C. Pfeiffer	....	director of photography: second unit (as Phil Pfeiffer)
Rick Pratt	....	grip
Dan Reilly	....	key grip
Mark Santoni	....	second assistant camera
Paul Santoni	....	camera loader
David Schmalz	....	video assist operator: second unit
Nick Shuster	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera
Bing Sokolsky	....	additional director of photography: second unit
Roy Unger	....	director of photography: insert unit
Merie Weismiller Wallace	....	still photographer (as Merie W. Wallace)
Chuck Weiss	....	video assist operator
Michael D. Weldon	....	first assistant camera
Ron Newburn	....	rigging electrician (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Anthony Bozanich	....	assistant editor
Jason Gaudio	....	apprentice film editor
Bambi Sickafoose	....	first assistant editor

Music Department
Wolfgang Amadeus	....	music mixer
Randy Gerston	....	music producer
Randy Gerston	....	music supervisor
Brian L. McCarty	....	digital music playback operator
Blake Martin Moulin	....	music editor: temp score
Eric Mouquet	....	composer: additional music
Michel Sanchez	....	composer: additional music
Patty von Arx	....	music editor
Dan Wallin	....	score mixer
Brian Williams	....	music designer
Joshua Winget	....	music editor
Allan K. Rosen	....	music editor (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Phil Balani	....	driver generator operator
Bryce Guy Williams	....	transportation coordinator
Robert G. Williams	....	driver

Other crew
Pamela Alch	....	script supervisor
Ed Arneson	....	technical advisor: police
Rory J. Aylward	....	technical advisor: military
Lisa S. Beasley	....	crowd promotion
Daniel Boccoli	....	assistant: James Cameron
Kenneth Patrick Brady	....	production assistant
Becky Brake	....	assistant location manager
Robert 'Duckie' Carpenter	....	choreographer: slam pit
Edward Cass	....	production assistant
Kenny Chisholm	....	production assistant: Kathryn Bigelow
Mindy Elliott	....	assistant: Steven-Charles Jaffe
Mary-Rachel Foot	....	background cars
Ellen Gessert	....	assistant location manager
Robbie Goldstein	....	location manager (as Robert Goldstein)
Ralph Greco	....	production assistant
Susan Hegarty	....	dialect coach: Ralph Fiennes
Michael Hendrickson	....	production executive: Fox
Amy Hughes	....	production assistant
Jamie Kehoe	....	craft service
Kevin LaRosa	....	helicopter pilot
Stevie Lazo	....	production accountant
Matthew F. Leonetti Jr.	....	production assistant
Ivan Martin del Campo	....	set production assistant: second unit
Bertram McCann	....	marine coordinator
Peter McKernan	....	helicopter pilot (as Peter J. McKernan)
Syd Mead	....	playback deck and additional trode design
David Penotti	....	production assistant
Edward Poveda	....	payroll accountant
Justice Richards	....	action team coordinator
Andrew T. Rothmund	....	executive assistant: Ms. Bassett
Sharyn Shimada-Huggins	....	production coordinator
Michele Short	....	production assistant
Rick Shuster	....	helicopter pilot
Randy Walker	....	technical advisor: police
Chris Winn	....	craft service

Production Companies

• Lightstorm Entertainment

Distributors

• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation (1995) (USA) (theatrical)
• Jugendfilm-Verleih (1996) (Germany) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1996) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Filmes Lusomundo (1996) (Portugal) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1996) (Spain) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1996) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (1996) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (1997) (USA) (VHS)
• Pioneer (1997) (UK) (video) (laserdisc)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (1998) (USA) (VHS)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (1998) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Universal Pictures Benelux (2001) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Kinowelt Home Entertainment (2006) (Germany) (DVD) (2-disc special edition)
• Argentina Video Home (199?) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Cinema International (199?) (Netherlands) (VHS) (rental)
• Universal Pictures Benelux (199?) (Netherlands) (VHS) (retail)
• VCL Communications (199?) (Germany) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Animal Makers (animal effects)
• Banned from the Ranch Entertainment (BFTRE)
• Computer Film Company, The (CFC)
• Digital Domain
• Fantasy II Film Effects (underwater miniature effects and special photography)
• Light Matters Inc. (additional visual effects)
• Pacific Titles & Optical
• Video Image

Other Companies

• Epic Soundtrax  soundtrack
• Lightstorm Entertainment  soundtrack
• Skywalker Sound  post-production sound services

MPAA:

Rated R for intense disturbing violence, sexuality and pervasive strong language.

Runtime:

145 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Finland:K-18 | Iceland:16 | Canada:R (DVD rating) | South Korea:18 | France:-16 | Argentina:18 | Australia:R | Belgium:KNT | Chile:18 | Germany:16 | Netherlands:16 | New Zealand:R18 | Norway:18 | Portugal:M/18 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R | Singapore:R21

Filming Locations:

Downtown, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Lightstorm Entertainment

Trivia:

In the scene where Lenny uses the S.Q.U.I.D. to watch a clip of his past with Faith, Faith throws a blue towel and him and says, "Dry me." It is a reference to Blade Runner (1982) where Zhora throws a towel at Deckard and says the same line.

Goofs:

Continuity: In the Bonaventure hotel room, Lenny knocks Max to the floor through a doorway, and at that moment Max is not wearing gloves. Once Max hits the floor, his gloves reappear on his hands.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Lenny Nero: Yeah, boot it.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The 6th Day (2000)

Soundtrack:

Overcome

Strange, Imaginative, Underrated Film

`Strange Days', one of many films made in the mid- to late-1990s that chose to dabble in `the near future of the year 2000', not only still looks good in the year 2001, but holds its own as a darn good film. A mix of `Blade Runner' film noir and uncomfortable realism, `Strange Days' has the audacity to tackle some disturbing topics and to actually tell an interesting tale in the process.

Lenny Nero (Ralph Fiennes) is a black market peddler of VR films - memory implants that are downloaded directly into the brain, allowing a person to vicariously sample someone else's experiences. The VR chips are like drugs, as people find the shared virtual experiences far better than those they find in their own lives. Lenny, who's both dealer and addict, is jarred back into reality when one of his friends is killed in vicious fashion - and the experience is captured on a VR film. Lenny comes to believe that his ex-girlfriend Faith (Juliette Lewis) may be next on the killer's list, so he begins his own search for the killer, partly to prevent anything bad from happening to Faith . . . and partly to impress Faith, and possibly win her back.

Visually, `Strange Days' is terrific - it's hard to see how this film could be better in that department, even if James Cameron had directed the film himself. Some of the shots are astounding, such as a point-of-view clip of a man running along a rooftop and jumping to his death, then another simple clip of a woman on a date . . . it's part of a VR film `sampling', one that gives the audience a taste of why the characters in `Strange Days' think the films are so real, and so voyeuristic. Combine that with the way other things are filmed in `Strange Days' - the close-up look of Lenny's face as he samples past memories through VR films, the utter sweeping chaos of a riot as shot from high above - director Kathryn Bigalow creates a film that's visually mesmerizing. The designers and special effects guys really went to town, and should be given full credit for creating an outstanding, memorable look for `Strange Days'.

Ralph Fiennes is awesome as Lenny - he's scummy and underhanded enough to keep himself from ever being a true hero, but he imbues Lenny with enough affable charm and backbone to make him likeable nonetheless. The rest of the cast falls short of Fiennes' great performance, though - Angela Bassett is decent as limo driver/armed muscle Mace, but Juliette Lewis is forgettable as Faith (and considering that she's supposed to be the love of Lenny's life, that drags the film down), and Tom Sizemore is more annoying than menacing as villain Max Peltier. The story, while highly original, is uneven as well - certain plot points get abandoned for no reason, and sometimes the characters' motivations really don't make any sense at all, save to advance the story into the next scene. The quick pacing of the film and its imaginative look help to gloss over these weaknesses, but they're still there, just the same.

Inventive and daring, `Strange Days' is a solid movie, falling short of true greatness only because of the awkward execution of some brilliant ideas. Still, it's very entertaining, and definitely worth viewing, especially if you're a fan of sci-fi films. Grade: B/B+