Awakenings [P&S]

Director: Nick Murphy

Overview

Based on a true story as related by neurologist Oliver Sacks, Awakenings stars Robin Williams as the Sacks counterpart, here named Dr. Malcolm Sayer. Something of a klutz and naif, Dr. Sayer takes a job at a Bronx psychiatric hospital in 1969. Here he's put in charge of several seemingly catatonic patients who, under Sayer's painstaking guidance, begin responding to certain stimulati. Apprised of the efficacy of a new drug called L-DOPA in treating degenerative-disease victims, Sayer is given permission to test the drug on one of his patients: Leonard Lowe (Robert De Niro), who has not communicated with anyone since lapsing into catatonia as a child. Gradually, Lowe comes out of his shell, encouraging Sayers to administer L-DOPA to the other patients under his care. Julie Kavner and John Heard also star.

Product Details

Release Date:	12/07/2010
UPC:	0014381681925
Original Release:	1990
Rating:	PG-13
Source:	RLJ ENTERTAINMENT, INC
Region Code:	1
Presentation:	[Wide Screen]
Sound:	[Dolby Surround]
Language:	English
Time:	2:01:00

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Robert De Niro	Leonard Lowe
Robin Williams	Dr. Malcolm Sayer
Julie Kavner	Eleanor Costello
Ruth Nelson	Mrs. Lowe
John Heard	Dr. Kaufman
Penelope Ann Miller	Paula,Hospital Director
Alice Drummond	Lucy
Judith Malina	Rose
Barton Heyman	Bert
George Martin	Frank
Anne Meara	Miriam
Richard Libertini	Sidney
Laura Esterman	Lolly
Dexter Gordon	Rolando
Max von Sydow	Dr. Peter Ingham
Jayne Haynes	Frances,Janitor,Actor
Le Clanche Du Rand	Magda
Yusef Bulos	Joseph
Gloria Harper	Dottie
Gwyllum Evans	Desmond
Mary Catherine Wright	Nurse Beth
Mary Alice	Nurse Margaret
Keith Diamond	Anthony
Steve Vinovich	Ray
John Jones	Dr. Sullivan
John Christopher Jones	Dr. Sullivan
Bradley Whitford	Dr. Tyler
Tanya Berezin	Psychiatrist
Peter Stormare	Neurochemist
Shane Fistell	Man in Hall
Waheedah Ahmad	Hysterical Woman
Charles Keating	Mr. Kean
Christina Huertes	Christina
Linda Burns	Fishsticks
Judy Jacksina	Hospital Receptionist
Gary Tacon	George, Security Guard
Rico Elias	1st Orderly
Mel Gorham	Nurse Sara
Chris Carolan	EEG Technician
Debra Kovner-Zaks	Cafeteria Nurse
Max Rabinowitz	Orderly, 5th Ward
Libby Titus	Club Singer
Michael Hyde	Bus Driver
Tomislav Novakovic	Bartender
Adam Bryant	Librarian
Anthony J. Nici	Young Leonard Lowe
Joan E. MacIntosh	Teacher
Oliver Block	Leonard's Friend
Buck Smith	Leonard's Friend
Gordon Joseph Weiss	Patient, 5th Ward
Byron Utley	Patient, 5th Ward
Anthony McGowen	Patient, 5th Ward
Paul Montgomery	Patient, 5th Ward
Leonard Tepper	Patient, 5th Ward
Vincent Pastore	Patient, 5th Ward
Howard Feller	Patient, 5th Ward
Rebecca Hall	Actor
Randy Newman	Composer
Joseph Mawle	Actor
Tilly Vosburgh	Actor
Le Clanché du Rand	Magda
Steven Randazzo	Luis
Dominic West	Actor
Imelda Staunton	Actor
Isaac Hempstead-Wright	Actor
Shaun Dooley	Actor
Richard Durden	Actor
John Shrapnel	Actor
Cal Macaninch	Actor
Lucy Cohu	Actor
Andrew Havill	Actor
Ian Hanmore	Actor
Anastasia Hille	Actor
Diana Kent	Actor

Technical Credits

Steven Zaillian

Nick Murphy

Stephen Volk

Penny Marshall	Director,Executive Producer
Steven Zaillian	Screenwriter
Elliot Abbott	Executive Producer,Producer
Lawrence Lasker	Producer
Walter F. Parkes	Producer
Arne Schmidt	Executive Producer,Producer
Nick Murphy	Director,Screenwriter
Stephen Volk	Screenwriter
Sarah Curtis	Producer
Olivier Courson	Producer
Tony Parmelee	Special Effects
Michael Bedard	Sound Effects
Amy Lemisch	Producer

Scene Index

Chapter Selections
0. Chapter Selections
1. Introduction. [:13]
2. Start. [4:40]
3. The Bronx, 1969. [1:23]
4. Clinical experience required. [1:42]
5. A chronic hopspital. [1:48]
6. Home research. [1:28]
7. A new arrival. [2:55]
8. The will of the ball. [2:27]
9. Stimulus and response. [1:42]
10. Lucy on the move. [3:05]
11. 25 Years Of Atypicals. [1:52]
12. "I found the connection." [:49]
13. Dr. Peter Ingham. [2:11]
14. Visual rhythm. [2:29]
15. "I'd like to know more about your son." [1:29]
16. Brain waves. [1:12]
17. Will of the ballls. [:55]
18. Reaching them. [3:28]
19. Ouija board. [3:00]
20. L-Dopa. [2:23]
21. Asking Permission. [1:45]
22. Parental consent. [1:22]
23. The experiment begins. [2:13]
24. Increasing the dosage. [1:06]
25. "It's quiet." [2:31]
26. Someone to see Leonard. [1:31]
27. Meeting the staff. [1:46]
28. Older than he remembered. [1:49]
29. A mother's lullaby. [2:26]
30. Bronx tour. [2:51]
31. The Periodic Table of Elements. [1:46]
32. A request for the rest. [1:29]
33. The patron's presentation. [2:19]
34. Miracles. [1:47]
35. Awakenings. [3:15]
36. Group outing. [2:24]
37. "Are you following me?." [1:12]
38. Rethinking the outing. [1:40]
39. A devoted daughter. [1:36]
40. You Made Me Love You; "He Knows." [2:06]
41. Resuming their lives. [2:24]
42. "He never talked about girls before." [:38]
43. An important call from Leonard. [2:36]
44. What Leonard wants. [1:42]
45. Insufficient data at this time; restrained. [2:30]
46. The Messiah of Ward 5. [1:00]
47. Not paranoia, a fact. [1:01]
48. "The drug's not working." [2:59]
49. Glasses. [1:14]
50. "Help Me." [1:20]
51. Back with the group. [3:41]
52. Like a light switch going off. [1:13]
53. "Learn from me." [1:15]
54. Not grotesque. [:58]
55. Asking them to stop. [:50]
56. Last dance with Paula. [4:28]
57. The dream ends. [2:45]
58. Adjusting to the realitites of miracles. [1:31]
59. Asking Elanor out. [2:06]
60. Afterword. [:39]
61. End credits. [3:14]

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Side #1
Spoken Language
Subtitles

Editorial Reviews

Loosely based on a book by real-life neurologist Oliver Sacks, Awakenings (1990) marked the high point of a successful side career for Sacks as a chronicler of unusual medical case histories. Although the film too often displays the easy sentimentality typical of director Penny Marshall, and the plot pitted its heroes against mindless hospital bureaucrats in a tired effort to force an antagonist into the proceedings, the career-high performances of stars Robin Williams and Robert De Niro make it a must-see film. Cast against type, the two pros sink their teeth into their roles as, respectively, a shy genius and a man with a teenager's mind betrayed by a collection of physical tics and twitches. The actors were rewarded for their efforts with a rare tie as Best Actor from the National Board of Review, and the film was nominated for three Oscars. So memorable was Williams in the doctor role that he repeatedly returned to the well and played healers in numerous later films, including Dead Again (1991), Nine Months (1995), Good Will Hunting (1997), What Dreams May Come (1998), and Patch Adams (1998).

All Movie Guide - Karl Williams