Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2001) directed by John Cameron Mitchell

[reviews_and_ramblings]

Director: John Cameron Mitchell

Writers (WGA):John Cameron Mitchell (book) and
Stephen Trask (book)
John Cameron Mitchell (screenplay)

Release Date: 19 January 2001 (Sundance Film Festival, USA)
16 November 2001 (Italy)

Genre: Comedy, Drama, Music

Tagline: An anatomically incorrect rock odyssey

Plot: A transexual punk rock girl from East Berlin tours the US with her rock band as she tells her life story and follows the ex-boyfriend/bandmate who stole her songs.

Hedwig, born a boy named Hansel in East Berlin, fell in love with an American G.I. and underwent a sex-change operation in order to marry him and flee to the West. Unfortunately, nothing worked out quite as it was supposed to - years later, Hedwig is leading her rock band on a tour of the U.S., telling her life story through a series of concerts at Bilgewater Inn seafood restaurants. Her tour dates coincide with those of arena-rock star Tommy Gnosis, a wide-eyed boy who once loved Hedwig... but then left with all her songs.

Awards: 2002 American Choreography Award Nomination as Outstanding Achievement in Feature Film to John Cameron Mitchell
2001 Austin Gay & Lesbian International Film Festival Award as Best Feature to John Cameron Mitchell
2001 Teddy Award as Best Feature Film to John Cameron Mitchell, Berlin International Film Festival
2001 British Independent Film Award Nomination as Best Foreign Independent Film - English Language
2002 Chicago Film Critics Association Award Nomination as Best Actor to John Cameron Mitchell
2002 Chlotrudis Award as Best Actor to John Cameron Mitchell
2002 Chlotrudis Award Nomination as Best Director to John Cameron Mitchell, Best Screenplay - Adapted to John Cameron Mitchell
2002 Costume Designers Guild Award Nomination as Excellence in Costume Design for Film - Period/Fantasy to Arianne Phillips
2001 CinéLive Award to John Cameron Mitchell, Deauville Film Festival, Critics Award to John Cameron Mitchell, Grand Special Prize to John Cameron Mitchell
2002 Florida Film Critics Circle Award as Best Songs to Stephen Trask, Newcomer of the Year to John Cameron Mitchell
2002 GLAAD Media Award as Outstanding Film - Limited Release
2001 Award as Best Actor to John Cameron Mitchell, Gijón International Film Festival
2001 Grand Prix Asturias Nomination as Best Feature to John Cameron Mitchell, Gijón International Film Festival
2002 Glitter Award as Best Feature voted by U.S/International Gay Film Festivals and U.S. Gay Press to John Cameron Mitchell, Best Feature voted by the U.S. Gay Film Festivals to John Cameron Mitchell, Best Feature voted by the U.S. Gay Press to John Cameron Mitchell
2002 Golden Globe Nomination as Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy to John Cameron Mitchell
2001 Open Palm Award to John Cameron Mitchell, Gotham Awards
2002 Independent Spirit Award Nomination as Best Cinematography to Frank G. DeMarco, Best Director to John Cameron Mitchell, Best Feature to Christine Vachon, Katie Roumel, Pamela Koffler, Best First Screenplay to John Cameron Mitchell, Best Male Lead to John Cameron Mitchell
2002 Screen Idol Award as Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role to John Cameron Mitchell, L.A. Outfest, Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role to Miriam Shor
2001 New Generation Award to John Cameron Mitchell, Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards
2001 Jury Award as Special Jury Prize to John Cameron Mitchell, Montréal Comedy Festival 'Just for Laughs'
1999 National Board of Review, USA, Award as Best Debut Director to John Cameron Mitchell
2002 Online Film Critics Society Award Nomination as Best Breakthrough Filmmaker to John Cameron Mitchell, Best Breakthrough Performance to John Cameron Mitchell
2002 Phoenix Film Critics Society Award as Best Use of Previously Published or Recorded Music
2020 Phoenix Film Critics Society Award Nomination as Best Actor in a Leading Role to John Cameron Mitchell, Best Actress in a Supporting Role to Miriam Shor, Best Makeup to Mike Potter, Best Newcomer to John Cameron Mitchell, Best Screenplay - Adaptation to John Cameron Mitchell
2001 Audience Award as Best Feature to John Cameron Mitchell, Provincetown International Film Festival
2001 Audience Award as Best Narrative Feature to John Cameron Mitchell, San Francisco International Film Festival
2001 Award as Best First Feature to John Cameron Mitchell, San Francisco International Lesbian & Gay Film Festival
2002 Golden Satellite Award Nomination as Best Director to John Cameron Mitchell, Best Motion Picture, Comedy or Musical, Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture, Comedy or Musical to John Cameron Mitchell, Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role, Comedy or Musical to Miriam Shor, Best Screenplay, Adapted to John Cameron Mitchell, Best Sound to Daniel Hamood
2001 Golden Space Needle Award as Best Actor to John Cameron Mitchell, Seattle International Film Festival
2001 Honorable Mention Award to John Cameron Mitchell, Stockholm Film Festival
2001 Bronze Horse Nomination to John Cameron Mitchell, Stockholm Film Festival
2001 Audience Award as Dramatic to John Cameron Mitchell, Directing Award Dramatic to John Cameron Mitchell, Sundance Film Festival
2001 Grand Jury Prize Dramatic Nomination to John Cameron Mitchell, Sundance Film Festival

@IMDb
@Amazon: Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2000)
@Netflix
@Wolfe Video

 







 

Cast (in credits order)
John Cameron Mitchell ... Hedwig
Michael Pitt ... Tommy Gnosis
Miriam Shor ... Yitzhak
Stephen Trask ... Skszp - Band Member
Theodore Liscinski ... Jacek - Band Member
Rob Campbell ... Krzysztof - Band Member
Michael Aronov ... Schlatko - Band Member
Andrea Martin ... Phyllis Stein
Ben Mayer-Goodman ... Hansel - 6 years old
Alberta Watson ... Hansel's Mom
Gene Pyrz ... Hansel's Dad
Karen Hines ... Tommy's Publicist
Max Toulch ... Goth Menses Boy
Maurice Dean Wint ... Sgt. Luther Robinson
Ermes Blarasin ... Fat Man
Sook-Yin Lee ... Kwahng-Yi (as Sook Yin Lee)
Maggie Moore ... Trailer Park Neighbor
Renate Options ... Tranny Hooker
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Taylor Abrahamse ... Singing Boy (uncredited)
Thérèse DePrez ... Laundromat Customer (uncredited)
Mary Krohnert ... Rabid Fan (uncredited)
Shane Mackinnon ... HedHead (uncredited)
Alan Mandell ... Patron at restaurant (uncredited)
Eileen Murphy ... Singer (uncredited)
Rosie O'Donnell ... Rosie O'Donnell (uncredited)
Mike Potter ... Renate Options Options - 2nd call girl (uncredited)
Michael Stevens ... HedHead (uncredited)

 
Hedwig & Tommy

Comments

[elisa-rolle.livejournal.com]

I saw this movie in a summer arena, among people who were not expecting to see what they really saw. Power of wrong media advertisement ;-) For me it was a nice surprise, even if I was sad for all the angry Hedwig has inside and the almost inability to let it go, performance after performance. I was also hoping, and trying to find the right man for him, the handsome American soldier was probably a good candidate at the beginning, but he was not right for the huge personality that was Hedwig, as it wasn't Tommy, that in the end is only a little boy. Probably Hedwig is too much for everyone, but it was good to see all that power on the big screen.

[julesjones]

That looks like fun. It's going on my wishlist for the next time I order a batch of DVDs.

[elisa-rolle.livejournal.com]

I think it will become a cult, if it's not yet.

[oddobsession.livejournal.com]

Oh, it's already a cult, most definitely. It's one of my favorite movies of all time.

And just so you know, the second pic with the Hedwig with sunglasses is actually from a stage performance of it, not from the movie. That Hedwig is not John Cameron Mitchell. I don't know who exactly it is, but it's not him. :-\

No problem though, the stage version is just as fun as the movie. :-D

[elisa-rolle.livejournal.com]

Yes, I know, but it was so nice ;-) I think it's a some promotional poster, it has the "musical" tag, so I suppose it's from some stage performance.

[lousy-science.livejournal.com]

Such love for this film, it's like the only movie I know where everyone who sees it, loves it. There's a massive cult following. Shortbus is an excellent - but completely different - film, the follow up from JCM.

[elisa-rolle.livejournal.com]

I liked Shortbus, but indeed it was completely different. Nice characters also in that movie, Shortbus, and recently I discovered that the two main actors are a real life couple, it was nice, it gives a more deep perspective.