Dogtown is a 1997 American drama film by George Hickenlooper about life in the small town of Cuba, Missouri starring Mary Stuart Masterson, Jon Favreau, Rory Cochrane, Harold Russell, and Natasha Gregson Wagner.
| Dogtown | |
|---|---|
 DVD cover | |
| Directed by | George Hickenlooper |
| Written by | George Hickenlooper |
| Produced by | Donald Zuckerman Michael Beugg Bradford L. Schlei |
| Starring | Mary Stuart Masterson Jon Favreau Rory Cochrane Harold Russell Natasha Gregson Wagner |
| Cinematography | Kramer Morgenthau |
| Edited by | Valerie Remy-Milora |
| Music by | Steve Stevens |
| Distributed by | Vanguard Films |
Release date |
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Running time | 99 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Plot
editA failed actor returns to his small hometown, unaware that he has become a local celebrity. Taking advantage of his newfound fame, he attempts to impress an old unrequited crush who has fallen on hard times.
Cast
edit- Trevor St. John as Phillip Van Horn, failed actor who returns to his hometown, had crush on Dorothy in high school
- Mary Stuart Masterson as Dorothy Sternen, former beauty queen, now an alcoholic and depressed hairdresser in off/on relationship with Ezra
- Jon Favreau as Ezra Good, racist bully from Phillip's past; off/on relationship with Dorothy
- Karen Black as Rose Van Horn, Phillip's mother who sings in a local band
- Harold Russell as Blessed William, a war veteran who runs the cigar store; Russell's final role before his death
- Natasha Gregson Wagner as Sara Ruth Van Horn, Phillip's sister and Rose's daughter who is mentally handicapped
- Rory Cochrane as Curtis Lasky, bully from Phillip's past; close friends with Ezra
Production
editThe film was shot entirely in Torrance, California.[2] Hickenlooper intentionally tried to make Ezra Good, Jon Favreau's character, compelling and worthy of the audience's interest despite his racism. Shooting took 24 days.[3] Russell's part was written for him, though he had to be persuaded to take the role.[4]
Release
editDogtown premiered at the Los Angeles Independent Film Festival in April 1997.[1]
Reception
editTodd McCarthy of Variety called it an "occasionally amusing" melodrama that pales in comparison to The Last Picture Show.[2]
Awards
edit- 1998 Hermosa Beach Film Festival: Best Director (George Hickenlooper); Best Screenplay (George Hickenlooper); Best Actress (Karen Black)[5]
- 1998 Newport Beach Film Festival: Best Director (George Hickenlooper)[6]
References
edit- ^ a b Weiner, Rex (2 March 1997). "L.A. indie fest sked set". Variety. Retrieved 21 January 2014.
- ^ a b McCarthy, Todd (20 April 1997). "Review: 'Dogtown'". Variety. Retrieved 21 January 2014.
- ^ Hoskins, Kevin S. (4 November 1997). "A Conversation with George Hickenlooper, Director of "Dogtown"". Indiewire. Retrieved 21 January 2014.
- ^ Bergman, Anne (8 September 1996). "Sure, It's Typecasting --but He's Used to It". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 21 January 2014.
- ^ Mark Deming (2014). "Dogtown (1997) Alternate title: Howling at the Moon". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. Archived from the original on 16 July 2014. Retrieved 23 September 2015.
Karen Black and writer/director George Hickenlooper both won awards for their work on this film at the 1998 Hermosa Beach Film Festival.
- ^ Herman, Jan (3 April 1998). "'Love' Conquers All at Newport Film Fest". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 21 January 2014.