Mimic (1997)

Director:

Guillermo del Toro

Writers (WGA):

Donald A. Wollheim (short story "Mimic")
Matthew Robbins (screen story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

22 August 1997 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

For thousands of years, man has been evolution's greatest creation... until now.

Plot:

Three years ago entomologist Dr. Susan Tyler genetically created an insect to kill cockroaches carrying a virulent disease, now the insects are out to destroy their only predator, mankind!

Plot Keywords:

Insect | Disease | Entomologist | Epidemic | Cockroach

Awards:

3 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

Mira Sorvino	...	Dr. Susan Tyler
Jeremy Northam	...	Dr. Peter Mann
Alexander Goodwin	...	Chuy
Giancarlo Giannini	...	Manny
Charles S. Dutton	...	Leonard
Josh Brolin	...	Josh
Alix Koromzay	...	Remy
F. Murray Abraham	...	Dr. Gates
James Costa	...	Ricky
Javon Barnwell	...	Davis
Norman Reedus	...	Jeremy
Pak-Kwong Ho	...	Preacher
Glenn Bang	...	Yang (as Glen Bang)
Margaret Ma	...	Chinese Woman
Warna Fisher	...	Bag Lady
Alan Argue	...	Skeletal Bum
Charles Hayter	...	Homeless Man
Julian Richings	...	Workman
James Kidnie	...	Subway Repairman
Eve English	...	Homeless Woman
Bill Lasovich	...	Long John #1
Doug Jones	...	Long John #2
Roger Clown	...	Long John #3
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Marian Caparrós	...	Bystander SWAT arrival (uncredited)
Napo	...	Homeless (uncredited)
Rocco Salata	...	Swat Team Leader (uncredited)

Directed by
Guillermo del Toro

Writing credits (WGA)
Donald A. Wollheim		(short story "Mimic")
Matthew Robbins		(screen story) &
Guillermo del Toro		(screen story)
Matthew Robbins		(screenplay) &
Guillermo del Toro		(screenplay)

Produced by
Ole Bornedal	....	producer
Stuart Cornfeld	....	co-executive producer
Cary Granat	....	co-producer
Clark Henderson	....	associate producer
Michael Phillips	....	executive producer
Richard Potter	....	co-producer
B.J. Rack	....	producer
Andrew Rona	....	co-producer
Scott Shiffman	....	co-producer
Bob Weinstein	....	producer
Harvey Weinstein	....	co-executive producer
Michael Zoumas	....	co-producer

Original Music by
Marco Beltrami

Cinematography by
Dan Laustsen

Film Editing by
Peter Devaney Flanagan
Patrick Lussier

Casting by
Kerry Barden
Billy Hopkins
Suzanne Smith

Production Design by
Carol Spier

Art Direction by
Tamara Deverell

Set Decoration by
Elinor Rose Galbraith

Costume Design by
Marie-Sylvie Deveau

Makeup Department
Lee Joyner	....	sculptor: The Character Shop
Zane Knisely	....	creature effects
Jay McClennen	....	sculptor (as Jay McClennan)
Donald Mowat	....	makeup department head
Colin Penman	....	creature effects
Colin Penman	....	special makeup effects artist
Jason Collins	....	creature fabricator (uncredited)
Jeff Swan	....	makeup effects lab technician (uncredited)

Production Management
Dennis Chapman	....	production manager
Eddy Collyns	....	unit production manager: second unit, New York
David Witz	....	unit production manager: Los Angeles

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jeff J.J. Authors	....	second unit director
Rick Bota	....	second unit director
Al Buchok	....	second assistant director: second unit
Lisa Campbell	....	first assistant director: Los Angeles
Walter Gasparovic	....	assistant director
Cameron Kuc	....	trainee assistant director
Kirsteen McLean	....	trainee assistant director
Michelle Morris	....	second assistant director: second unit
Robert Rodriguez	....	second unit director
Tim Singh	....	third assistant director: second unit

Art Department
Carlos Caneca	....	prop buyer
Guy Dyas	....	illustrator
Danielle Fleury	....	assistant set decorator
Christopher Geggie	....	property master
Anthony F. Grani	....	art department apprentice
Arvinder Grewal	....	assistant art director
John Hoskins	....	construction coordinator
Steven Kreuch	....	property master: New York
Fireball Tim Lawrence	....	storyboard artist (as Tim Lawrence)
Robert J. Lewis	....	storyboard artist
Michael Madden	....	assistant art director
Michael Madden	....	set designer
John Mann	....	designer/storyboards
Adam Martyn	....	moldmaker-vacuumformer-silicone seamer
John McFarlane	....	production designer: second unit
Cyndi Ochs	....	art department coordinator: Rick Lazzarini's Character Shop
Jeff Poulis	....	property master: second unit
Douglas W. Randall	....	property master: Los Angeles
Peter Legault	....	assistant head carpenter (uncredited)
Gary Thomas	....	storyboard artist (uncredited)

Sound Department
Sandina Bailo-Lape	....	foley editor
Jessica Bellfort	....	assistant sound editor
Phil Benson	....	supervising sound editor
Steve Boeddeker	....	sound designer
Karen Brocco	....	supervising assistant sound (as Karen A. Brocco)
Kent Brown	....	sound design assistant
Fred Clemons	....	machine room operator
Fred Clemons	....	sound re-recordist
Andrew Cowitt	....	technical assistant
Jonathan Cronin	....	technical assistant
Cody Dorkin	....	adr
Tony Eckert	....	foley mixer
Sean England	....	foley recordist
Sean England	....	machine room operator
Sue Fox	....	adr editor (as Suzanne Fox)
Andrea S. Gard	....	sound assistant
Glen Gauthier	....	sound
Jonathan Greber	....	digital sound transfers
Marni L. Hammett	....	transfer supervisor
Lora Hirschberg	....	sound re-recording mixer
Frank 'Pepe' Merel	....	foley re-recordist
Michael Minkler	....	sound re-recording mixer
Marnie Moore	....	foley artist
Tom Myers	....	additional sound designer
Marcie Romano	....	assistant sound editor
Ronald G. Roumas	....	sound re-recordist
Claire Sanfilippo	....	dialogue editor
Susan Sanford	....	assistant sound editor
Christopher Scarabosio	....	sound effects editor
Jurgen Scharpf	....	sound mix technician
Dee Selby	....	digital sound transfers
Robert Shoup	....	supervising sound editor
Kent Sparling	....	sound mix technician
Andrea Stelter	....	technical assistant sound designer
Dianna Stirpe	....	dialogue editor
Randy Thom	....	sound designer
Dennie Thorpe	....	foley artist
John Torrijos	....	video services
David E. Turner	....	machine room operator (as Dave Turner)
Jana Vance	....	foley artist
Christian von Burkleo	....	video services
Jennifer L. Ware	....	adr editor
Gwendolyn Yates Whittle	....	adr supervisor

Special Effects by
Marc Banich	....	special effects foreman
Enrique Bilsland	....	mechanical designer
Stephen R. Blandino	....	puppeteer
Stephen R. Blandino	....	special effects
Jason Board	....	effects key
Rick Bota	....	special effects second unit director
Chris Bridges	....	animatronic technician
Al Broussard	....	special effects coordinator
Wes C. Caefer	....	mechanical designer
Robert Clark	....	key sculptor: creature shop
R.S. Cole	....	creature technician
Gilles Corbeil	....	steadicam operator
Pamela Cveticanin	....	special effects technician
Jeff Jackson	....	sculptor
Tony Kenny	....	key special effects: second unit
Dana Klaren	....	animatronics technician
Arthur Langevin	....	special effects first assistant
Vincent Montefusco	....	special effects supervisor: 2nd unit-pyro
Buzz Mooney	....	creature effects (as William 'Buzz' Mooney)
Duncan Orthner	....	special effects assistant
Scott Oshita	....	mechanical designer (puppeteer)
Brian Poor	....	animatronics technician: the Character Shop
Thomas Rasada	....	special effects
Ron Rosegard	....	special effects
Bryan Sides	....	mechanical technician
Peter Sissakis	....	special effects technician
Kyle Thomson	....	special effects
Kenneth Van Order	....	special effects
Sophie Vertigan	....	special effects props builder

Visual Effects by
Dave Asling	....	model builder
Dave Axford	....	key model maker
Dennis Berardi	....	digital film recording: Cine-Byte Imaging Inc.
Louise Bertrand	....	digital effects production manager
Jon Campfens	....	visual effects supervisor: end sequence
John D.B. Cox	....	visual effects coordinator: GVFX
Bret Culp	....	senior animator: C.O.R.E. Digital Pictures
Colin Cunningham	....	senior 3D animator: C.O.R.E. Digital Pictures
Enid Dalkoff	....	digital artist
Sara Fillmore	....	production coordinator: C.O.R.E. Digital
Rick Gajdecki	....	key model builder
Gudrun Heinze	....	digital compositor
Sasha Jarh	....	production manager: GVFX miniatures unit
Brian Jennings	....	visual effects supervisor
Joseph Kasparian	....	digital textures
Joseph Kasparian	....	lighting artist
François Lambert	....	digital compositor: Hybride
Daniel Leduc	....	digital effects supervisor
Jim Livolsi	....	digital production manager: title sequence
John Mariella	....	animation director
Jeff Matakovich	....	visual effects supervisor: Optical Illusions
Sébastien Moreau	....	Inferno compositor
Bob Munroe	....	animation director
Edwin Ng	....	senior animator
Stephen Price	....	visual effects executive producer: C.O.R.E. Digital
Pierre Raymond	....	digital effects producer
Mark Savela	....	visual effects coordinator
Craig Seitz	....	digital effects supervisor
Ralph Sevazlian	....	effects animator: C.O.R.E. digital pictures
Jesse Silver	....	matte artist
Philippe Theroux	....	computer graphics supervisor
Thomas Turnbull	....	director of photography: effects unit
Tracey Vaz	....	digital paint artist: C.O.R.E. Digital Pictures
Sean Wickett	....	model maker (as Richard Cudmore)
Thanh Nguyen	....	modeler (uncredited)
Stephen Sobisky	....	project manager: Viewpoint Datalabs (uncredited)

Stunts
Jane Austin	....	stunt performer
Marco Bianco	....	stunts
Dan Bradley	....	stunt coordinator: Los Angeles
Ben Bray	....	stunts
Doug Coleman	....	stunts
Shelley Cook	....	stunts
Kathy Jarvis	....	stunt double
Danny Lima	....	stunts
Steve Lucescu	....	stunts
Ray Lykins	....	stunts
Branko Racki	....	stunt coordinator
Branko Racki	....	stunts
Joseph Racki	....	stunts
Robert Racki	....	stunt rigger
Con Schell	....	stunts
Marco Bianco	....	key stunt rigger (uncredited)
Keith Campbell	....	stunts (uncredited)
Eric Chambers	....	stunts (uncredited)
Doc D. Charbonneau	....	stunts (uncredited)
John Escobar	....	stunts (uncredited)
Claudette James	....	stunts (uncredited)
Mic Jones	....	fire stunt rigger (uncredited)
Kurt D. Lott	....	stunts (uncredited)
Eddie Perez	....	stunts (uncredited)
Susan Purkhiser	....	stunt driver (uncredited)
John Stoneham Jr.	....	stunt rigger (uncredited)
Cris Thomas-Palomino	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
James Barrett	....	electrician
Sam Bojin	....	electrician
Gilles Corbeil	....	camera operator
Bryan Forde	....	gaffer
Candide Franklyn	....	dolly grip
Kerry Hayes	....	still photographer
David Kellner	....	best boy electric
Mike Kirilenko	....	key grip
Jim Krauter	....	key rigging grip
Tim Lewis	....	assistant camera
Damon Marcellino	....	set lighting technician
Robert McRae	....	gaffer: rigging
Malcolm Nefsky	....	best boy: second unit
Tracy Shaw	....	dolly grip: second unit

Animation Department
Eric Lessard	....	animator

Casting Department
Deborah Maxwell Dion	....	casting assistant: Los Angeles
Aric Dupere	....	extras casting assistant
Donna Dupere	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Sylvie Bonniere	....	wardrobe assistant
John Casey	....	costume supervisor
Jay Du Boisson	....	assistant costume designer
Helen Monaghan	....	key set costumer
Carol Wong	....	costume buyer

Editorial Department
Doug Caron	....	first assistant editor
Greg D'Auria	....	assistant editor
Carl V. Dupré	....	assistant editor
Rob Evans	....	dailies colorist
Fred Fouquet	....	editor: opening title sequence
Lara Johnston	....	assistant film editor: Canada
Bob McMillian	....	color timer
Abby Gail Palanker	....	post-production coordinator
Benjamin Rapoport	....	assistant editor
Lisa Romaniw	....	assistant editor (as Lisa Mozden)

Music Department
Pete Anthony	....	orchestrator
William Boston	....	orchestrator
Stuart Goetz	....	music editor
Benoit Grey	....	music copyist
John Kurlander	....	scoring mixer
Chris McGeary	....	music editor
Tommy Lockett	....	music editor (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Antonio Molina	....	transportation coordinator: Los Angeles, additional shooting
Dave Staples	....	transportation coordinator
Mitchel Stewart	....	driver captain
Don Tardino	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Brad Alexander	....	assistant location manager
Chris Amos	....	stand-in: "Leonard"
Carl Barnes	....	stand-in: "Leonard"
Suzo Barzman	....	assistant: Ms. Sorvino
Rob Bottin	....	creature design
Kimberley Bradley	....	production office coordinator
Michael Bradshaw	....	stand-in: "Chuy"
Derek Brady	....	location scout
Richard Bronskill	....	auricle operator
Kyle Cooper	....	title designer
David Crockett	....	production accountant: Toronto and Los Angeles
TyRuben Ellingson	....	creature design
David Flaherty	....	location manager
Karin Fong	....	title designer: Imaginary Forces
Michael Angelo Gallo	....	stand-in: "Chuy"
Beth Gilinsky	....	assistant production office coordinator
Stephen Hoeger	....	creature crew
Dana Klaren	....	puppeteer
Steven R. Kutcher	....	termite wrangler: Los Angeles (as Steven Kutcher)
Rick Lazzarini	....	creatures creator
Jim Lovisek	....	insect wrangler
Ray McMillan	....	rear projection supervisor
Kimberlee Morley	....	assistant to director
Abby Gail Palanker	....	assistant to producer
Diane Pitblado	....	dialect coach
Dug Rotstein	....	script supervisor
Sean Sansom	....	puppeteer
Robin Sarafinchan	....	production coordinator
Ron Schmidt	....	production coordinator
Cat Sides	....	office coordinator (as Cathy Sides)
Cat Sides	....	studio coordinator (as Cathy Sides)
Alan Sutton	....	fire protection & safety
Gail Thomas	....	adr voice
Nick Veziris	....	gun wrangler
Mika Ward	....	stand-in: "Susan"
Dana Yee	....	title designer: Imaginary Forces
George Ploszczansky	....	personal security: Mira Sorvino (uncredited)
Marcel Valcarce	....	compositor: main titles (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Dimension Films
• Miramax Films

Distributors

• Dimension Films (1997) (USA) (theatrical)
• Bac Films (1997) (France) (theatrical)
• RCV Film Distribution (1997) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (1997) (USA) (VHS)
• Dimension Home Video (1997) (USA) (VHS)
• RCV Home Entertainment (1997) (Netherlands) (video)
• Buena Vista International
• DiFox (Venezuela)
• Filmes Castello Lopes (Portugal)
• Hollywood Pictures Home Video (Venezuela) (video)
• Kinowelt Filmverleih (Germany)
• Laurenfilm (Spain)
• Líder Films (Argentina)
• Miramax Films
• Miramax Home Entertainment (Venezuela) (video)
• New Films International
• PlayArte Home Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• RCV Film Distribution (Belgium)
• RCV Film Distribution (Luxembourg)
• Scanbox Entertainment (Finland)
• VCL Communications (Germany) (video)

Special Effects

• C.O.R.E. Digital Pictures (CG Mimics) (digital visual effects)
• Character Shop (creature effects)
• Digiscope (digital visual effects)
• FXSmith (additional creature effects)
• FXSmith (special make-up effects)
• Gajdecki Visual Effects (GVFX) (models and miniatures)
• Hybride Technologies (visual effects)

Other Companies

• 1st Unit Fire & Safety  fire protection
• 1st Unit Fire & Safety  safety
• CFI Imaging Group  opticals (as CFI The Imaging Group)
• De Lane Lea Sound Centre  additional adr
• Directors Sound  adr facilities: Los Angeles
• Dwight Crane Rentals  cranes (as Dwight Crane)
• Imaginary Forces  main titles
• International Recordings  additional adr
• Kona Cutting  negative cutting
• Lambchops Studio  additional adr
• Master's Workshop  adr facilities: Toronto
• OCS/Freeze Frame/Pixel Magic  film scanning and recording
• Panavision Canada  camera equipment (as Panavision Ltd.)
• Panavision Canada  grip equipment (as Panavision Ltd.)
• Panavision  cameras and lenses
• Post Sound  adr facilities: Los Angeles (as Post Sound Corporation)
• Skywalker Sound  post-production sound services
• Sound One Corporation  additional adr (as Sound One)
• Title House  end titles
• Varèse Sarabande  soundtrack
• William F. White International  grip equipment (as William F. White)

Also Known As:

Judus (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for terror/violence and language.

Runtime:

105 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Italian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Malaysia:18SG (uncut) | Malaysia:U (cut) | France:-12 | Philippines:PG-13 | Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Belgium:KNT | Brazil:14 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Chile:14 | Finland:K-16 | Germany:16 | Netherlands:16 | Norway:15 | Portugal:M/16 | Singapore:PG | South Africa:16 | South Korea:15 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Disused lower platform, Bay subway station, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Company:

Dimension Films

Trivia:

Originally planned as a single 30-min. short as part of a feature of sci-fi/horror/comedy shorts by Miramax. The other segments also grew into the features Impostor (2001) and Alien Love Triangle (2002).

Goofs:

Factual errors: In the last scene where the male bug is struck by the train, you see it struggling to hold onto the front of the train for a while. It manages to hang in there for a little while before being pulled under and splattered everywhere. But when Dr Susan looks around the corner, after the bug is killed, she sees parts of the bug just meters away from where she was hiding. The bug should be further down the tracks, because it was dragged for ages before going under.

Quotes:

Dr. Gates: [to Susan] So... you think your little "Frankenstein" has gotten the better of you?

Movie Connections:

References The Nest (1988)

Soundtrack:

Wake Up This Morning

You've got a HUGE bug problem, lady...

With "Cronos" being immensely popular among horror-loving audiences, its Mexican director Guillermo Del Toro was quickly offered a reasonable budget and an adequate crew to shoot his very first US film. The result was "Mimic"; a surprisingly ordinary Sci-Fi thriller that balances between an "Alien" rip-off and a typically 70's creature feature. It's not a bad film and definitely one of the best achievements of the weak 90's decade, but it lacks something special, something exclusive to make it truly memorable and/or an absolute genre favorite. The film revolves on a deadly plague of genetically manipulated cockroaches and the mimicking of the title reverts to the scientific fact (apparently) that certain insects physically 'imitate' their natural enemies. What I really appreciated about the film is the whole background-story why Dr. Susan Tyler tampered with the DNA of cockroaches in the first place! No deranged scientists messing with Mother Nature's creations to boost up their own egos this time, as the genetically altered cockroaches exterminated the carriers of a disastrous epidemic that nearly killed an entire generation of New York children. Only, the new & stronger roaches refused to die afterwards... Three years later, the species moved itself up a couple of places in the food chain and lurks its human pray in the subway tunnels beneath the city. "Mimic" eventually disappoints because of the shoddy special effects and some hopelessly muddled sub plots. A boy obsessed with shoes? Dubious 12-year-old merchants?? The impenetrably dark subway-setting hasn't got anything original to offer and there sure are scarier monsters than man-sized cockroaches. Del Toro's directing is occasionally very stylish, especially during the atmospheric opening sequences with the aforementioned eerie epidemic, and Mira Sorvino is truly good as the lead heroine. Good supportive cast, too, with F. Murray Abraham ("Amadeus", "The Name of the Rose"), Giancarlo Giannini ("Black Belly of the Tarantula") and Norman Reedus in his (very small) debut role.