Film Snail

The Big Picture
The Big Picture

5.8

The Big Picture

PG-13·1989·100m

Summary

Hollywood beckons for recent film school grad Nick Chapman, who is out to capitalize on the momentum from his national award-winning student film. Studio executive Allen Habel seduces Nick with a dream deal to make his first feature, but once production gets rolling, corporate reality begins to intervene: Nick is unable to control a series of compromises to his high-minded vision, and it's all he can do to maintain his integrity in the midst of filmmaking chaos.

Cast

Kevin Bacon

Kevin Bacon

Nick Chapman

Emily Longstreth

Emily Longstreth

Susan Rawlings

J.T. Walsh

J.T. Walsh

Allen Habel

Jennifer Jason Leigh

Jennifer Jason Leigh

Lydia Johnson

Michael McKean

Michael McKean

Emmet Sumner

Kim Miyori

Kim Miyori

Jenny Sumner

Teri Hatcher

Teri Hatcher

Gretchen

Dan Schneider

Dan Schneider

Jonathan Tristan-Bennet

Jason Gould

Jason Gould

Carl Manknik

Tracy Brooks Swope

Tracy Brooks Swope

Lori Pressman

Don Franklin

Don Franklin

Todd Marvin

Gary Kroeger

Mark

Alice Hirson

Alice Hirson

Mrs. Chapman

Grant Owens

Mr. Chapman

Fran Drescher

Fran Drescher

Polo Habel

Suzy Cote

Mindy Habel

Eddie Albert

Eddie Albert

M.C.

June Lockhart

June Lockhart

Janet Kingsley

Stephen Collins

Stephen Collins

Attorney

Roddy McDowall

Roddy McDowall

Judge

Vladimir Skomarovsky

Vladimir Skomarovsky

Man in Nick's Movie

Holly Fields

Holly Fields

Daughter

Yvonne Peattie

Mrs. Feldzar

Stan Ivar

Stan Ivar

Charlie

C.W. Hemingway

Joey

David Hayward

David Hayward

George

Caitlin Clarke

Caitlin Clarke

Sharon

Nancy Valen

Nancy Valen

Young Sharon

Martin Short

Martin Short

Neil Sussman - Nick's Agent

Robert Bauer

Robert Bauer

Wounded Soldier

Wesley Pfenning

Woman in Cabin

John Cleese

John Cleese

Bartender

Richard Blake

Abe Lincoln

Walter Olkewicz

Walter Olkewicz

Babe Ruth

Scott Coffey

Scott Coffey

Waiter

Bruce Kirby

Bruce Kirby

Businessman

Richard Belzer

Richard Belzer

Video Show Host

Beth Chamberlin

Stewardess

Mike Miller

PEZ® People

Michael Jocum

PEZ® People

Tim Landers

PEZ® People

Martin Lund

PEZ® People

Novi Novog

PEZ® People

Tom Maier

Building Manager

Valen Watson

Woman in Restaurant

Jennifer Karr

Woman in Restaurant

Sue-Ann Leeds

Woman in Restaurant

Buddy Garion

Man in Restaurant

Jim Pollack

Man in Restaurant

Scott Williamson

Restaurant Manager

Victor Steinbach

Andres Vargiak

Arlene Lorre

Cleopatra

George Rogan

Security Guard / Nazi

Perla Walter

Housekeeper

Pamela Morris

Cheryl

Lulie Newcomb

Receptionist

Patty Howeth

Woman with Fridge

Britta Wilson

Stewardess

Suzee Slater

Suzee Slater

Stewardess

Brad Zutaut

Surfer

Matthew Eichler

Piano Player

Nadine Lenore Patterson

Twin

Elliott Gould

Elliott Gould

Prosecutor - Trial of Janet Kingsley (uncredited)

Crew

Director, Screenplay, Story

Christopher Guest

Screenplay

Michael McKean

Screenplay, Story

Michael Varhol

Reviews

Wuchak

Wuchak

April 10, 2024

6

**_Satire on Hollywood and the filmmaking process with Kevin Bacon_**

After a film student from Ohio (Bacon) wins an award for his short movie at the film institute in Los Angeles, he has to carefully traverse the minefield of the system to get his artistic vision made. JT Walsh plays a manipulative producer and Martin Short a dubious agent.

“The Big Picture” (1989) is an amusing look at the moviemaking process in Hollywood. The humor is mostly droll or quirky and viewers not up on the business might not relate to some of it, which could explain why the flick flopped at the box office. I wouldn’t want to blow time & money on seeing it at the theater, but it works well enough for home viewing on a quiet night or whatever.

Winsome Emily Longstreth stands out on the feminine front as the protagonist’s girlfriend, Susan. She was a minor female sensation at the time who worked with the likes of Johnny Depp, Brad Pitt, Rob Morrow, Molly Ringwald and James Spader, but she left acting entirely by the early 90s, reportedly falling into substance abuse, mental illness, and living in homeless shelters. It’s rumored she died in early 2015, but factual info is hard to find so I can’t verify this.

Teri Hatcher is notable as wannabe starlet Gretchen; it was her movie debut. Meanwhile Jennifer Jason Leigh is on hand as hipster Lydia while Fran Drescher shows up as the producer’s wife, Polo.

The film runs 1 hour, 40 minutes, and was shot in the Los Angeles area.

GRADE: B-

Media

Status:

Released

Original Language:

English

Budget:

$5,000,000.00

Revenue:

$117,463.00

Keywords

friendship
hollywood