The End of Violence

The film tells the story of the successful film producer Mike Max (Bill Pullman) who is violently abducted from his daily routine in Hollywood one day. But he manages to escape his kidnappers. He finds shelter with his Mexican gardener and thus he himself becomes one of the countless “invisible hands” that keep Los Angeles alive. He tries to find out who is out to kill him and for what reason and how his wife Paige (Andie MacDowell) is involved in it.

In the process, he discovers an Orwell-like world of surveillance, run by information scientist Ray Bering (Gabriel Byrne) from the legendary Hollywood observatory. Instead of looking at the stars, he watches the city, not knowing that the surveillance technology invented to prevent crime has been degraded to a criminal tool of intelligence services.

“The film is a metaphor for an industry for which the depiction of violence has become a major product. Now the city is scared of the spirits it summoned. LA is now trying to protect itself in every perceivable way from that which simultaneously drives it so powerfully.

Format

France/Germany/USA 1997
Length: 121 min, 3328 m
Format: Super 35mm Eastmancolor; 1:2,35; Dolby Stereo Digital
Original Language: English, Spanish


Festivals & Awards

1997 • German Film Award (Best Director)


Cast and crew

Production: Ciby Pictures Inc. (Los Angeles), Road Movies Filmproduktion GmbH (Berlin) Director: Wim Wenders Producer: Deepak Nayar, Wim Wenders, Nicholas Klein Screenplay: Nicholas Klein, Wim Wenders Director of Photography: Pascal Rabaud Editor: Peter Przygodda Sound: Elmo Weber Cast: Bill Pullman, Andie MacDowell, Gabriel Byrne, Loren Dean, Traci Lind, Daniel Benzali, John Diehl, K. Todd Freeman, Pruitt Taylor-Vince, Richard Cummings, Peter Horton, Udo Kier, Marshall Bell, Marisol Padilla Sánchez, Frederic Forrest, Samuel Fuller

Assistant Director: Matthew Clark, Tom Snyder Script: Catherine Jelski Camera Operator: Robin Brown Assistant Camera: Scott Ressler, Nils Benson Steadicam: Chris Squires Webcam: Stan McClain, Dan Kelley Underwater Camera: Chip Matheson Stills: Nadim George Still Photographer: Donata Wenders Gaffer: Cicero de Moraes, Erik Folson, James M. McClure, Joe Crouch, Michael Valentine, Michael Albala 24 Frame Playback: Hill Production Service, Lindsay Hill, Kevin Jenson, Tracy Mills, Rob Abbey Set Design: Leslie Morales Props: Craig Sherman Hall Sets: Mike Landsburg, Brad Reeves, Billy Witherington, Jeff Pamula, Jim Hughes, Kosta Rigopoulos Sound Assistant: David Diamond Cable Puller: Donald J. Sutherland Make-up: Katharina Hirsch, Anne Sweeting Wardrobe: Maurizio Bizzarri, Marisa Aboitiz Hairstyle: Kathleen Jean Norris, Nadia Felker, Edward St. George Post-Production: Desmond Cannon Assistant Editor: Brian Johnson, Tia Nolan Sound Editor: Cormac Funge, Javier Bennassar, Dean Howey, James A. Williams, Lisle Engle, Frederick Howard, Steve Sheridan Dialogue Editor: Walter Spencer, Michael Ferdie Music: Sharon Boyle Foley Artist: Christopher Moriano, Catherine Harper Re-recording Mixer: John Ross, Derek Marcil, Lucy Suster, Jim Stuebe Special Effects: View Studio, Bob Engelsiepen, Toni Pace Carstensen, Tom Leonard, Cory Strassburger Stunts: Stacey Howell, Jason Rodriguez, Kerry Rossal, Harry Wowchuck Stunt Coordinator: Chris Howell Music Execution: Tom Waits, DJ Shadow, Roy Orbison, Eels, Bono, Sinead O’Connor, Howie B., Gil Bernal, Joachim Cooder, Ry Cooder, Rick Cox, Sunny D., Mark Hunel-Adrian, Flaco Jimenez, Jim Keltner, Tonya Ridgely, William “Smitty” Smith, Jacky Terrasson, James “Blood” Ulmer, Amir Yaghmai, John Hassell, Brad Haehnel, John Rood, John Sorenson Music Coordinatior: Gerri Schwartz, Ed Segaul Sound Design: Elmo Weber In Cooperation with: Ciby 2000 (Paris), Kintop Pictures (Los Angeles), ARD Degeto Film Executive Producer: Jean-François Fonlupt, Ulrich Felsberg Production Manager: Sabrina S. Sutherland Location Manager: Deepak Nayar Production Assistant: Jay Ostrowski, Jon Kim Nguyen, Luba Schatzberg, Alyssa Reinhardt, Art Lew, Mike Martella, Glenn Cowan, Hella Wenders, Thomas Rajman, Martin Schmidt, Lars C. Steinmeyer Production Coordinator: Karen R. Sachs, Tasha Oldham Post-Production: Desmond Cannon Management: Cynthia Wise, Wendy Renskowski Dale, Missy Eustermann, Kristi Lake Personal Assistant to Wim Wenders: Jolanda Darbyshire Personal Assistant to Ulrich Felsberg: Rose-Marie Couture Primary Distribution: Buena Vista International (Germany), Filmproduktion GmbH (Munich) Premiere (DE): 26.10.1997, Hof, International Filmfestival First Release (DE): 27.11.1997


Blu-ray & DVD

BLUE RAY (DE)
Arthaus / Studio Canal
Language: German (5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio)
Subtitles: German, English
Format: 1,66:1 1080/24p FULL HD

DVD (DE)
Arthaus / Studio Canal
Language: German (5.1 Dolby Digital)
Subtitles: German, English
Format: 2,35:1

DVD (USA)
MGM / Video & DVD
Language: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround), French  (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround
Subtitles: Spanish, French
Format: 2.35:1


Press Sheet (PDF)

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