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The Big Picture

"Film school prepared Nick for everything... everything but Hollywood."

1989-09-15 Comedy 1hr 40m

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.

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The Big Picture
Amazon Video

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Storyline

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.

  • Released
    1989-09-15
  • Revenue
    $117,463
  • Budget
    $5,000,000
  • Runtime
    1hr 40m
  • Genre
    Comedy, Romance
  • Status
    Released
  • Language
    English
  • imdb-logo
    6.2
  • Production
    Aspen Film Society

Crew

Michael McKean
Screenplay
Michael Varhol
Producer

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Cast

Kevin Bacon

Kevin Bacon

Nick Chapman
Emily Longstreth

Emily Longstreth

Susan Rawlings
J. T. Walsh

J. T. Walsh

Allen Habel
Michael McKean

Michael McKean

Emmet Sumner
Kim Miyori

Kim Miyori

Jenny Sumner
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
Alice Hirson

Alice Hirson

Mrs. Chapman
Grant Owens

Grant Owens

Mr. Chapman
Fran Drescher

Fran Drescher

Polo Habel
Suzy Cote

Suzy Cote

Mindy Habel
June Lockhart

June Lockhart

Janet Kingsley
Vladimir Skomarovsky

Vladimir Skomarovsky

Man in Nick's Movie
Yvonne Peattie

Yvonne Peattie

Mrs. Feldzar
Stan Ivar

Stan Ivar

Charlie
Nancy Valen

Nancy Valen

Young Sharon
Martin Short

Martin Short

Neil Sussman - Nick's Agent
Robert Bauer

Robert Bauer

Wounded Soldier
Wesley Pfenning

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John Cleese

John Cleese

Bartender
Richard Blake

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Abe Lincoln
Bruce Kirby

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Businessman
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Richard Belzer

Video Show Host
Mike Miller

Mike Miller

PEZ® People
Michael Jocum

Michael Jocum

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Tim Landers

Tim Landers

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Martin Lund

Martin Lund

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Novi Novog

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Tom Maier

Tom Maier

Building Manager
Valen Watson

Valen Watson

Woman in Restaurant
Jennifer Karr

Jennifer Karr

Woman in Restaurant
Sue-Ann Leeds

Sue-Ann Leeds

Woman in Restaurant
Buddy Garion

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Jim Pollack

Jim Pollack

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Scott Williamson

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Restaurant Manager
Victor Steinbach

Victor Steinbach

Andres Vargiak
Arlene Lorre

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George Rogan

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Security Guard / Nazi
Perla Walter

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Housekeeper
Lulie Newcomb

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Receptionist
Patty Howeth

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Britta Wilson

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Stewardess
Suzee Slater

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Matthew Eichler

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Elliott Gould

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Videos and Photos

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Movie Reviews

Reviews for The Big Picture
reviewer avatar

A Review by Wuchak 6

Written by Wuchak on 2024-04-10

**_Satire on Hollywood and the filmmaking process with Kevin Bacon_** After a film student from Ohio (Bacon) wins an award for his short ... read more

**_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-

Read Full Review (The thoughts and opinions expressed here are solely those of the reviewer.)
A Review by Wuchak

**_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...

reviewer avatar

A Review by Wuchak 6

Written by Wuchak on 2024-04-10

**_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 carefu...

read more