Apt Pupil (1998)

User Rating:

6.5/10   

Director:

Bryan Singer

Writers (WGA):

Stephen King (novel)
Brandon Boyce (screenplay)

Release Date:

23 October 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

If you don't believe in the existence of evil, you've got a lot to learn.

Plot:

A boy blackmails his neighbour after suspecting him to be a Nazi war criminal.

Plot Keywords:

Nazi | Criminal | Blackmail | Holocaust | Male Nudity

Awards:

5 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Brad Renfro	...	Todd Bowden
Ian McKellen	...	Kurt Dussander
Joshua Jackson	...	Joey
Mickey Cottrell	...	Sociology Teacher
Michael Reid MacKay	...	Nightmare Victim
Ann Dowd	...	Monica Bowden
Bruce Davison	...	Richard Bowden
James Karen	...	Victor Bowden
Marjorie Lovett	...	Agnes Bowden
David Cooley	...	Gym Teacher
Blake Anthony Tibbetts	...	Teammate
Heather McComb	...	Becky Trask
Katherine Malone	...	Student
Grace Sinden	...	Secretary
David Schwimmer	...	Edward French

Also Known As:

L'élève doué (Canada: French title)
Un élève doué - Été de corruption (France)

MPAA:

Rated R for scenes of strong violence, language and brief sexuality.

Runtime:

111 min | Argentina:112 min

Country:

USA | Canada | France

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

SDDS (8 channels) | Dolby SR

Certification:

South Korea:15 | Brazil:18 | USA:R (No. 35516) | Canada:14A (Canadian Home Video rating) | Portugal:M/16 | Argentina:16 | Australia:MA | Finland:K-16 | France:-16 | Germany:16 | New Zealand:R16 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | Singapore:PG | Iceland:16 | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:AA (Ontario)

Filming Locations:

Alhambra, California, USA

Company:

Phoenix Pictures

Trivia:

The movie is based on a novella (a long short story) by Stephen King from a book of short stories called "Different Seasons" which also includes "The Body" which became Stand by Me (1986) and "Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption" which became The Shawshank Redemption (1994).

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): At the dinner scene the man points at a deer head on the wall and says, "that's a white tail buck". The deer head is in fact a mule deer and not a white tail deer.

Quotes:

Edward French: You can't do this Todd.
Todd Bowden: You have no idea what I can do.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Cinemania: Stephen King: O vasilias tou tromou" (2009)

Soundtrack:

Whatever Will Be, Will Be (Que Sera, Sera)

A brilliantly concocted mindgame between a Nazi, a boy, and you.

This film is not for the light of heart or of mind. The story is about a boy who learns that a Nazi war criminal is living right in his metaphoric backyard. Obsessed with learning more than just what they teach you in school, the boy sets off on a journey to discover "How did it feel?" The writing, based on a novella by Stephen King, takes you through the minds of both the boy and the Nazi. It's a battle of wits with real people being the pawns. This movie will mess with your mind. Do not watch it if you aren't up to the challenge. My hat goes off to Brandon Boyce and Bryan Singer, the writer and director, respectively, who seem to have interwoven the story and the audience. Never have I witnessed such an excellent display of psychological warfare.