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Jesus (Martin Donovan) and Satan struggle to determine the ultimate destiny of man and yet
manage to look very much at home in the groovier bars of SoHo. Shot with expressionistic
images and structured like an espionage thriller, Hartley has crafted a film in which the
ticking clock could lead us to the Apocalypse.
--New York Film Festival
The Book of Life was shown at the 1998 Cannes Film Festival, Edinburgh Film
Festival in August, Toronto International Film Festival in September, Vancouver
International Film Festival in October, New York Film Festival in October, 3rd Pusan
International Film Festival. It is part of the French "Collection 2000 Seen By" series
of one-hour films about the Millennium, and the only one by an American director.
It was filmed in Staten Island Ferry, Manhattan, and Queens, New York City, New York, USA.
1998; 63 minutes
Directed by: Hal Hartley
Cast: Martin Donovan (Jesus Christ), PJ Harvey (Magdalena), Dave Simonds (Dave),
Thomas Jay Ryan (Satan), Miho Nikaido (Edie), D.J. Mendel (Lawyer), Katreen Hardt
(Receptionist), James Urbaniak (True Believer), Anna Kohler (Hotel Clerk), Martin
Pfeffercorn (Martyr), Olga Alexandrova (Waitress), Michael Ornstein (Computer Wizard),
Paul Albe (Mormon Thug #1), Don Creech (Mormon Thug #2), Joseph McKenna (Man at Airport),
Abby Royle (Woman at Airport), Yo La Tengo (The Salvation Army Band)
Written by: Hal Hartley
Cinematography by: Jim Denault
Original Music by: David Byrne, Pascal Comelade, PJ Harvey, Yo La Tango, Ben Watt
Film Editing by: Steve Hamilton
Produced by: Simon Arnal, Caroline Benjo, Thierry Cajianut, Pierre Chevalier,
Matthew Myers, Carole Scotta
Production Companies: A Collection 2000 Seen By presentation of a La Sept ARTE/Haut
& Court/True Fiction Pictures Production |
