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Hedwig and the Angry Inch (film)
Encyclopedia
Hedwig and the Angry Inch is a 2001 American musical
comedy-drama film
based on the stage musical of the same title
about a fictional rock band
fronted by an East German transgender
singer. The film was adapted
and directed by John Cameron Mitchell
, who also portrayed the title role. The music and lyrics are by Stephen Trask
.
The musical has gathered a devoted cult following
.
In 2001, the film won the Best Director and Audience Awards at the Sundance Film Festival
as well as Best Directorial Debut from the National Board of Review, the Gotham Awards
, and the Los Angeles Film Critics Association
. Mitchell received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor and the Premiere
magazine "Performance of the Year Award".
) is a philosophical
East German "slip of a girly boy" who loves rock music, and is stuck in East Berlin until he meets Luther Robinson (Maurice Dean Wint
), an American soldier. Luther falls in love with Hansel and the two decide to marry. This plan will allow Hansel to leave communist East Germany for the capitalist West
. However, in order to be married, the couple must consist of a man and a woman. Hansel's mother, Hedwig (Alberta Watson
), gives her child her name and passport and finds a doctor to perform a sex change
. The operation is botched, however, leaving Hansel – now Hedwig – with a dysfunctional one-inch mound of flesh between her legs, the eponymous "Angry Inch".
Hedwig goes to live in Junction City, Kansas
as Luther's wife. On their first wedding anniversary, Luther leaves Hedwig for a man. That same day, it is announced that the Berlin Wall
has fallen and Germany will reunite, meaning as material gains go, Hedwig's sacrifices have been for nothing. Hedwig recovers from the separation by forming a rock band composed of Korean-born Army wives (The guitarist, Kwahng-Yi, is played by Sook-Yin Lee
who stars in Mitchell's 2006 film, Shortbus
). Hedwig befriends a shy and misunderstood Christian teenager, Tommy Speck (Michael Pitt
), with whom she writes some songs. Hedwig falls in love with Tommy, and believes he is her "other half". Hedwig gives him the stage name "Tommy Gnosis" (stating that Gnosis is the Greek word for "knowledge"), but he later leaves her and goes on to become a wildly successful rock star with the songs Hedwig wrote alone and with him. "Internationally ignored" Hedwig and her band of Eastern Europeans, the Angry Inch, are forced to support themselves by playing coffee bars and strip mall dives. Throughout the film, these gigs are performed at a chain seafood restaurant called Bilgewater's. Hedwig is following Tommy's tour in order to pursue a copyright lawsuit. She tells unsuspecting diners her life story.
Throughout the film, Hedwig refers to Aristophanes
' speech in Plato
's Symposium
. This myth, retold by Hedwig in the song "The Origin of Love
", explains that human beings were once round, two-faced, four-armed, and four-legged beings. Angry gods split these early humans in two, leaving the separated people with a lifelong yearning for their other half. Near the end of the film, Hedwig is down and out. While working as a streetwalker, she finally meets Gnosis and they reconcile. After paparazzi burst onto the scene, Hedwig becomes famous and Gnosis' popularity suffers. Reunited with her band, Hedwig performs at Times Square
Bilgewater's culminating in a violent removal of her drag.
We enter the final chapter of the film, one that seems to take place in a non-real space, perhaps Hedwig's mind. Now in male form, Hedwig discovers him/herself alone in front of Tommy on a huge stage. He sings to her, pleading forgiveness and saying goodbye; she realizes that she created her "other half" from within herself. Hedwig then finds him/herself in white heavenly space with her band and an audience all dressed in white. Hedwig gives Yitzhak her blonde wig and sings a song of triumph and solidarity with "all the misfits and losers" of the world. A brief animated sequence symbolizing the union of the separated Platonic halves leads to the final shot: Hedwig walking naked down a dark alley and into the street.
For the soundtrack, Hedwig's songs were recorded by John Cameron Mitchell
(lead vocals), Stephen Trask
, Miriam Shor
, Bob Mould
(of Hüsker Dü
), Ted Liscinski, Perry L. James, Alexis Fleisig, and Eli Janney.
Tommy Gnosis' songs were recorded by Stephen Trask (lead vocals), Miriam Shor, Bob Mould, Ted Liscinski, Perry L. James, Scott McCloud
, Eli Janney, Alexis Fleisig, and Johnny Temple
.
In 2003, a CD of the film's song covers
by such artists as Yoko Ono
and Cyndi Lauper
was released. It benefited the Hetrick-Martin Institute
and was named after one of the musical's most popular songs "Wig in a Box
". A cover of Angry Inch appeared on 2003's Life Is Killing Me
album by goth-metal group Type O Negative
.
, most of the lead vocals were recorded "live" as the scenes were shot, to capture the intensity of a live performance.
To look like a transgender person, Mitchell had to shave constantly during the course of the film shoot, often using an electric razor between shots while still in full makeup. In the DVD commentary, Mitchell mentions that Pitt was somewhat uncomfortable with their prolonged kissing scene, complaining about being scratched by Mitchell's stubble. Mitchell complained about Pitt consuming onion and garlic directly before shooting the scene.
(the second time with Dean DeLeo
of Stone Temple Pilots
). At first, the studio objected to a "drag" performance on the daytime family show, but relented at the insistence of O'Donnell. Mitchell and his band performed "The Origin of Love
". A clip from this show was used in the Hedwig film, with O'Donnell's blessing.
Mitchell said that his performance on the Late Show with David Letterman
as Hedwig was interesting: "During rehearsal, a disembodied voice emanating from the control booth gently told me that I couldn't rip my wig off during the song ("Tear Me Down
"). I asked why, but there was only silence from on high. So when we taped, I ripped it off after the song. They edited it out. I think they wanted people to think I was a woman and not a man in drag."
gave the film a 92% 'Fresh' rating; the consensus states: "Hedwig and the Angry Inch may very well be the next Rocky Horror
midnight movie. It not only knows how to rock, but Hedwig's story has an emotional poignancy."
December 11, 2001, complete with deleted scene
s, an audio commentary
by Mitchell, and trailers.
The deleted scenes mostly expand on the characters around Hedwig; we learn more about Yitzhak (he was once a drag queen called "Krystal Nacht", a pun on Kristallnacht
) and how he met Hedwig in a Croatia
n drag bar. We also learn that Hedwig's manager, Phyllis, has a cell phone surgically implanted in a tooth. When she gets hit in the head with a dryer door, she is unable to hang up her phone. Krzyzhtoff, whom Hedwig has just yelled at for putting her bra in the dryer, attempts to help Phyllis by pressing on her tooth.
Musical film
The musical film is a film genre in which songs sung by the characters are interwoven into the narrative, sometimes accompanied by dancing. The songs usually advance the plot or develop the film's characters, though in some cases they serve merely as breaks in the storyline, often as elaborate...
comedy-drama film
Comedy-drama
Comedy-drama is a genre of theatre, film and television programs which combines humorous and serious content.-Theatre:Traditional western theatre, beginning with the ancient Greeks, was divided into comedy and tragedy...
based on the stage musical of the same title
Hedwig and the Angry Inch (musical)
Hedwig and the Angry Inch is a rock musical about a fictional rock and roll band fronted by an East German transgender singer. The text is by John Cameron Mitchell, and the music and lyrics are by Stephen Trask. The musical premiered in 1998 and has been performed throughout the world in hundreds...
about a fictional rock band
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
fronted by an East German transgender
Transgender
Transgender is a general term applied to a variety of individuals, behaviors, and groups involving tendencies to vary from culturally conventional gender roles....
singer. The film was adapted
Film adaptation
Film adaptation is the transfer of a written work to a feature film. It is a type of derivative work.A common form of film adaptation is the use of a novel as the basis of a feature film, but film adaptation includes the use of non-fiction , autobiography, comic book, scripture, plays, and even...
and directed by John Cameron Mitchell
John Cameron Mitchell
John Cameron Mitchell is an American writer, actor, and director. He is best known for his motion pictures Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Shortbus and Rabbit Hole.- Early life:...
, who also portrayed the title role. The music and lyrics are by Stephen Trask
Stephen Trask
Stephen Trask is an American musician and composer, who graduated from Wesleyan University.He was the music director and house band member at the New York club Squeezebox, where he performed with stars such as Debbie Harry, Lene Lovich and Joey Ramone.Trask composed the music and lyrics for the...
.
The musical has gathered a devoted cult following
Cult following
A cult following is a group of fans who are highly dedicated to a specific area of pop culture. A film, book, band, or video game, among other things, will be said to have a cult following when it has a small but very passionate fan base...
.
In 2001, the film won the Best Director and Audience Awards at the Sundance Film Festival
Sundance Film Festival
The Sundance Film Festival is a film festival that takes place annually in Utah, in the United States. It is the largest independent cinema festival in the United States. Held in January in Park City, Salt Lake City, and Ogden, as well as at the Sundance Resort, the festival is a showcase for new...
as well as Best Directorial Debut from the National Board of Review, the Gotham Awards
Gotham Awards
The Gotham Awards is an annual ceremony of awards presented to the makers of independent films which takes place in New York City...
, and the Los Angeles Film Critics Association
Los Angeles Film Critics Association
The Los Angeles Film Critics Association was founded in 1975. Its main purpose is to present yearly awards to members of the film industry who have excelled in their fields. These awards are presented each January...
. Mitchell received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor and the Premiere
Premiere (magazine)
Premiere was an American and New York City-based film magazine published by Hachette Filipacchi Media U.S., published between the years 1987 and 2007. The original version of the magazine, Première , was started in France in 1976 and is still being published there.-History:The magazine originally...
magazine "Performance of the Year Award".
Plot
Hansel Schmidt (John Cameron MitchellJohn Cameron Mitchell
John Cameron Mitchell is an American writer, actor, and director. He is best known for his motion pictures Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Shortbus and Rabbit Hole.- Early life:...
) is a philosophical
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
East German "slip of a girly boy" who loves rock music, and is stuck in East Berlin until he meets Luther Robinson (Maurice Dean Wint
Maurice Dean Wint
Maurice Dean Wint is a British-born, Canadian-based actor who has starred in several television shows and movies; the most notable ones include "Cube", "Hedwig and the Angry Inch", RoboCop: Prime Directives, Psi Factor and the TekWar movies and television series.Wint moved to Canada in 1969 with...
), an American soldier. Luther falls in love with Hansel and the two decide to marry. This plan will allow Hansel to leave communist East Germany for the capitalist West
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
. However, in order to be married, the couple must consist of a man and a woman. Hansel's mother, Hedwig (Alberta Watson
Alberta Watson
Faith Susan Alberta Watson , known professionally as Alberta Watson, is a Canadian movie and television series actress.-Early life:...
), gives her child her name and passport and finds a doctor to perform a sex change
Sex reassignment surgery
Sex reassignment surgery is a term for the surgical procedures by which a person's physical appearance and function of their existing sexual characteristics are altered to resemble...
. The operation is botched, however, leaving Hansel – now Hedwig – with a dysfunctional one-inch mound of flesh between her legs, the eponymous "Angry Inch".
Hedwig goes to live in Junction City, Kansas
Junction City, Kansas
Junction City is a city in and the county seat of Geary County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 23,353. Fort Riley, a major U.S. Army post, is nearby...
as Luther's wife. On their first wedding anniversary, Luther leaves Hedwig for a man. That same day, it is announced that the Berlin Wall
Berlin Wall
The Berlin Wall was a barrier constructed by the German Democratic Republic starting on 13 August 1961, that completely cut off West Berlin from surrounding East Germany and from East Berlin...
has fallen and Germany will reunite, meaning as material gains go, Hedwig's sacrifices have been for nothing. Hedwig recovers from the separation by forming a rock band composed of Korean-born Army wives (The guitarist, Kwahng-Yi, is played by Sook-Yin Lee
Sook-Yin Lee
Sook-Yin Lee is a Canadian musician, filmmaker, actress and media personality.-Background:Lee grew up in a Vancouver suburb, the second-oldest daughter of immigrants. She was raised as a devout Roman Catholic. Her father was a post-World War II orphan from Hong Kong, her mother an escapee from...
who stars in Mitchell's 2006 film, Shortbus
Shortbus
Shortbus is a 2006 comedy-drama film written and directed by John Cameron Mitchell. The plot revolves around a sexually diverse ensemble of colorful characters trying desperately to connect in New York City. The characters converge in a weekly Brooklyn artistic/sexual salon loosely inspired by...
). Hedwig befriends a shy and misunderstood Christian teenager, Tommy Speck (Michael Pitt
Michael Pitt
Michael Carmen Pitt is an American actor and musician. Pitt is best known in film for his role in Bernardo Bertolucci's The Dreamers, and in television for his portrayal of James "Jimmy" Darmody in the hit HBO series Boardwalk Empire.-Personal life:Pitt was born in West Orange, New Jersey, the...
), with whom she writes some songs. Hedwig falls in love with Tommy, and believes he is her "other half". Hedwig gives him the stage name "Tommy Gnosis" (stating that Gnosis is the Greek word for "knowledge"), but he later leaves her and goes on to become a wildly successful rock star with the songs Hedwig wrote alone and with him. "Internationally ignored" Hedwig and her band of Eastern Europeans, the Angry Inch, are forced to support themselves by playing coffee bars and strip mall dives. Throughout the film, these gigs are performed at a chain seafood restaurant called Bilgewater's. Hedwig is following Tommy's tour in order to pursue a copyright lawsuit. She tells unsuspecting diners her life story.
Throughout the film, Hedwig refers to Aristophanes
Aristophanes
Aristophanes , son of Philippus, of the deme Cydathenaus, was a comic playwright of ancient Athens. Eleven of his forty plays survive virtually complete...
' speech in Plato
Plato
Plato , was a Classical Greek philosopher, mathematician, student of Socrates, writer of philosophical dialogues, and founder of the Academy in Athens, the first institution of higher learning in the Western world. Along with his mentor, Socrates, and his student, Aristotle, Plato helped to lay the...
's Symposium
Symposium (Plato)
The Symposium is a philosophical text by Plato dated c. 385–380 BCE. It concerns itself at one level with the genesis, purpose and nature of love....
. This myth, retold by Hedwig in the song "The Origin of Love
The Origin of Love
"The Origin of Love" is a song from the stage show Hedwig and the Angry Inch and subsequent film written by John Cameron Mitchell and Stephen Trask. Stephen Trask wrote the song, which is based on a story from Plato's Symposium.-Origins:...
", explains that human beings were once round, two-faced, four-armed, and four-legged beings. Angry gods split these early humans in two, leaving the separated people with a lifelong yearning for their other half. Near the end of the film, Hedwig is down and out. While working as a streetwalker, she finally meets Gnosis and they reconcile. After paparazzi burst onto the scene, Hedwig becomes famous and Gnosis' popularity suffers. Reunited with her band, Hedwig performs at Times Square
Times Square
Times Square is a major commercial intersection in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, at the junction of Broadway and Seventh Avenue and stretching from West 42nd to West 47th Streets...
Bilgewater's culminating in a violent removal of her drag.
We enter the final chapter of the film, one that seems to take place in a non-real space, perhaps Hedwig's mind. Now in male form, Hedwig discovers him/herself alone in front of Tommy on a huge stage. He sings to her, pleading forgiveness and saying goodbye; she realizes that she created her "other half" from within herself. Hedwig then finds him/herself in white heavenly space with her band and an audience all dressed in white. Hedwig gives Yitzhak her blonde wig and sings a song of triumph and solidarity with "all the misfits and losers" of the world. A brief animated sequence symbolizing the union of the separated Platonic halves leads to the final shot: Hedwig walking naked down a dark alley and into the street.
Cast
- John Cameron MitchellJohn Cameron MitchellJohn Cameron Mitchell is an American writer, actor, and director. He is best known for his motion pictures Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Shortbus and Rabbit Hole.- Early life:...
as Hansel Schmidt/Hedwig Robinson- Ben Mayer-Goodman as young Hansel
- Miriam ShorMiriam ShorMiriam Shor is an American film, stage, and television actress.-Early life:Shor was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She is Jewish on her father's side, and speaks fluent Yiddish as well as Italian. Her parents divorced when she was 7, and she alternated between living in Turin, Italy , and...
as Yitzhak - Stephen TraskStephen TraskStephen Trask is an American musician and composer, who graduated from Wesleyan University.He was the music director and house band member at the New York club Squeezebox, where he performed with stars such as Debbie Harry, Lene Lovich and Joey Ramone.Trask composed the music and lyrics for the...
as Skszp - Theodore Liscinski as Jacek
- Rob CampbellRob CampbellRob Campbell is an actor with experience in the stage, television and films.A graduate of Wesleyan University and the Yale School of Drama, Campbell performed in numerous Yale Repertory Theatre productions. On Broadway, he appeared as Lvov in Ivanov and as Manus in Translations...
as Krzysztof - Michael AronovMichael AronovMichael Aronov is an American actor and playwright. He played the character Schlatko in the 2001 film Hedwig and the Angry Inch. Aronov received The Elliot Norton Award — Best Actor, for originating the lead role in Mauritius at The Huntington Theatre. In 2009 he played Stanley Kowalski in A...
as Schlatko - Andrea MartinAndrea MartinAndrea Louise Martin is an American and Canadian actress and comedienne. She has appeared in films such as My Big Fat Greek Wedding, on stage in productions such as My Favorite Year, Fiddler on the Roof and Candide, and in the television series, SCTV.-Personal life:Martin, the oldest of three...
as Phyllis Stein, Hedwig's manager - Michael PittMichael PittMichael Carmen Pitt is an American actor and musician. Pitt is best known in film for his role in Bernardo Bertolucci's The Dreamers, and in television for his portrayal of James "Jimmy" Darmody in the hit HBO series Boardwalk Empire.-Personal life:Pitt was born in West Orange, New Jersey, the...
as Tommy Speck/Tommy Gnosis - Alberta WatsonAlberta WatsonFaith Susan Alberta Watson , known professionally as Alberta Watson, is a Canadian movie and television series actress.-Early life:...
as Hedwig Schmidt, Hansel's mother - Gene Pyrz as Hansel's father
- Sook-Yin LeeSook-Yin LeeSook-Yin Lee is a Canadian musician, filmmaker, actress and media personality.-Background:Lee grew up in a Vancouver suburb, the second-oldest daughter of immigrants. She was raised as a devout Roman Catholic. Her father was a post-World War II orphan from Hong Kong, her mother an escapee from...
as Kwahng-Yi - Maurice Dean WintMaurice Dean WintMaurice Dean Wint is a British-born, Canadian-based actor who has starred in several television shows and movies; the most notable ones include "Cube", "Hedwig and the Angry Inch", RoboCop: Prime Directives, Psi Factor and the TekWar movies and television series.Wint moved to Canada in 1969 with...
as Sergeant Luther Robinson - Rosie O'DonnellRosie O'DonnellRoseann "Rosie" O'Donnell is an American stand-up comedian, actress, author and television personality. She has also been a magazine editor and continues to be a celebrity blogger, LGBT rights activist, television producer and collaborative partner in the LGBT family vacation company R Family...
as herself - Dar WilliamsDar WilliamsDar Williams is an American singer-songwriter specializing in pop folk.She is a frequent performer at folk festivals and has toured with such artists as Mary Chapin Carpenter, Patty Griffin, Ani DiFranco, The Nields, Shawn Colvin, Girlyman, Joan Baez, and Catie Curtis.-Biography:Williams was born...
as Singer on main stage - Karen HinesKaren HinesKaren Hines is a Canadian actress, writer and director. She is the artistic director and producer of "Keep Frozen: Pochsy Productions."Hines has appeared in several television series, including many of Ken Finkleman's satires such as The Newsroom, Foreign Objects, and Married Life for which she was...
as Tommy's publicist - Mike PotterMike Potter (makeup artist)Mike Potter is the creator of the makeup looks and wigs for the off Broadway musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch and subsequent film adaptation, in which he also has a small cameo. In 2002, Potter received a Phoenix Film Critics Society Award nomination for best makeup for his work on Hedwig. Potter...
as Second call girlCall girlA call girl or female escort is a sex worker who is not visible to the general public; nor does she usually work in an institution like a brothel, although she may be employed by an escort agency... - PJ DeBoyPJ DeBoyPJ DeBoy is an American actor born in Baltimore, Maryland. He started his career in New York where he performed with Miss Coco Peru and Kiki and Herb. DeBoy moved to Toronto in 1998...
as Dreadlocked extra
Musical numbers
- "Tear Me DownTear Me DownTear Me Down is a song from the off-Broadway musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch and subsequent film. It was composed by Stephen Trask, and performed by the characters Hedwig and Yitzhak . It is the show's opening number...
" - "Random Number Generation" (excerpt only)
- "Tear Me DownTear Me DownTear Me Down is a song from the off-Broadway musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch and subsequent film. It was composed by Stephen Trask, and performed by the characters Hedwig and Yitzhak . It is the show's opening number...
(Tommy Gnosis version)" (excerpt only) - "The Origin of Love"
- "Sugar DaddySugar Daddy (1999 song)"Sugar Daddy" is a song from the off-Broadway musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch and subsequent film. It was composed by Stephen Trask, and is performed in the musical by the characters Hedwig and Sgt...
" - "Angry InchAngry InchThe Angry Inch is a song from the off-Broadway musical, Hedwig and the Angry Inch and its subsequent film adaptation. It was composed by Stephen Trask and performed by John Cameron Mitchell. The song details the botched sex-change operation that Hedwig got in order to marry an American soldier and...
" - "Wig in a BoxWig in a Box (song)Wig in a Box is a song from the off-Broadway musical, Hedwig and the Angry Inch and its subsequent film adaptation. It was composed by Stephen Trask and is performed in the musical by the character Hedwig and her band The Angry Inch.The titular wig in the box is the last present that Hedwig's...
" - "The Origin of LoveThe Origin of Love"The Origin of Love" is a song from the stage show Hedwig and the Angry Inch and subsequent film written by John Cameron Mitchell and Stephen Trask. Stephen Trask wrote the song, which is based on a story from Plato's Symposium.-Origins:...
(Tommy Gnosis version)" (excerpt only) - "Wicked Little TownWicked Little Town"Wicked Little Town" is a song from the off-Broadway musical, Hedwig and the Angry Inch and the subsequent film adaptation. Composed by Stephen Trask, the song is a poetic reflection on the doomed love between two of the characters, Hedwig and Tommy Gnosis.-Summary and context:The original song is...
" - "I Will Always Love YouI Will Always Love You"I Will Always Love You" is a song written by American singer-songwriter Dolly Parton in 1973, who first released the song as a single in 1974.-Dolly Parton version:...
" (excerpt only) - "The Long GriftThe Long Grift"The Long Grift" is a song from the off-Broadway musical, Hedwig and the Angry Inch and its subsequent film adaptation. It was composed by Stephen Trask and performed by John Cameron Mitchell as the character Hedwig....
" (excerpt only, full version on soundtrack) - "Nailed" (on soundtrack only)
- "Freaks" (excerpt only, full version on soundtrack, with Girls Against BoysGirls Against BoysGirls Against Boys are an indie rock/post-hardcore band, originally forming in Washington, D.C. in 1988 and currently based in New York City.-Career:...
) - "In Your Arms Tonight"
- "Hedwig's Lament"
- "Exquisite CorpseExquisite CorpseExquisite corpse is a surrealist technique, but may also refer to:Literature* Exquisite Corpse , edited by Andrei Codrescu* Exquisite Corpse , a 1996 novel by Poppy Z...
" - "Wicked Little TownWicked Little Town"Wicked Little Town" is a song from the off-Broadway musical, Hedwig and the Angry Inch and the subsequent film adaptation. Composed by Stephen Trask, the song is a poetic reflection on the doomed love between two of the characters, Hedwig and Tommy Gnosis.-Summary and context:The original song is...
(Reprise)" - "Midnight RadioMidnight RadioFor other uses of Midnight Radio please see the disambiguation page.Midnight Radio is a song from the off-Broadway musical, Hedwig and the Angry Inch and its subsequent film adaptation...
"
For the soundtrack, Hedwig's songs were recorded by John Cameron Mitchell
John Cameron Mitchell
John Cameron Mitchell is an American writer, actor, and director. He is best known for his motion pictures Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Shortbus and Rabbit Hole.- Early life:...
(lead vocals), Stephen Trask
Stephen Trask
Stephen Trask is an American musician and composer, who graduated from Wesleyan University.He was the music director and house band member at the New York club Squeezebox, where he performed with stars such as Debbie Harry, Lene Lovich and Joey Ramone.Trask composed the music and lyrics for the...
, Miriam Shor
Miriam Shor
Miriam Shor is an American film, stage, and television actress.-Early life:Shor was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She is Jewish on her father's side, and speaks fluent Yiddish as well as Italian. Her parents divorced when she was 7, and she alternated between living in Turin, Italy , and...
, Bob Mould
Bob Mould
Robert Arthur "Bob" Mould is an American musician, principally known for his work as guitarist, vocalist and songwriter for alternative rock bands Hüsker Dü in the 1980s and Sugar in the 1990s.-Early life:...
(of Hüsker Dü
Hüsker Dü
Hüsker Dü was an American rock band formed in Saint Paul, Minnesota in 1979. The band's continual members were guitarist Bob Mould, bassist Greg Norton, and drummer Grant Hart....
), Ted Liscinski, Perry L. James, Alexis Fleisig, and Eli Janney.
Tommy Gnosis' songs were recorded by Stephen Trask (lead vocals), Miriam Shor, Bob Mould, Ted Liscinski, Perry L. James, Scott McCloud
Scott McCloud
Scott McCloud is an American cartoonist and theorist on comics as a distinct literary and artistic medium...
, Eli Janney, Alexis Fleisig, and Johnny Temple
Johnny Temple (musician)
Johnny Temple was an American Chicago blues guitarist and singer, who operated in in the 1930s and 1940s. An acquaintance and near-contemporary of Skip James, Temple delivered sedate blues in the vein of Lonnie Johnson...
.
In 2003, a CD of the film's song covers
Cover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
by such artists as Yoko Ono
Yoko Ono
is a Japanese artist, musician, author and peace activist, known for her work in avant-garde art, music and filmmaking as well as her marriage to John Lennon...
and Cyndi Lauper
Cyndi Lauper
Cynthia Ann Stephanie "Cyndi" Lauper is an American singer, songwriter, actress and LGBT rights activist. She achieved success in the mid-1980s with the release of the album She's So Unusual and became the first female singer to have four top-five singles released from one album...
was released. It benefited the Hetrick-Martin Institute
Hetrick-Martin Institute
The Hetrick-Martin Institute is a New York City based non-profit organization devoted to serving the needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or questioning youth. The institute was founded in 1979 as the "Institute for the Protection of Lesbian and Gay Youth" by Dr. Emery Hetrick, a...
and was named after one of the musical's most popular songs "Wig in a Box
Wig in a Box
Wig In A Box: Songs from & Inspired by Hedwig and the Angry Inch is a charity tribute album featuring versions of songs from the musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch...
". A cover of Angry Inch appeared on 2003's Life Is Killing Me
Life Is Killing Me
Life Is Killing Me is the sixth album by Type O Negative. The title was originally going to be The Dream Is Dead, but was supposedly changed because it suggested that the band may finally be ending their union.-Overview:...
album by goth-metal group Type O Negative
Type O Negative
Type O Negative was a gothic metal band from Brooklyn, New York City. The band also incorporated elements of doom metal and thrash metal. Their dramatic lyrical emphasis on themes of romance, depression, and death resulted in the nickname "The Drab Four"...
.
Production
According to the DVD commentaryAudio commentary
On disc-based video formats, an audio commentary is an additional audio track consisting of a lecture or comments by one or more speakers, that plays in real time with video...
, most of the lead vocals were recorded "live" as the scenes were shot, to capture the intensity of a live performance.
To look like a transgender person, Mitchell had to shave constantly during the course of the film shoot, often using an electric razor between shots while still in full makeup. In the DVD commentary, Mitchell mentions that Pitt was somewhat uncomfortable with their prolonged kissing scene, complaining about being scratched by Mitchell's stubble. Mitchell complained about Pitt consuming onion and garlic directly before shooting the scene.
Reception
Mitchell and Trask performed twice on The Rosie O'Donnell ShowThe Rosie O'Donnell Show
The Rosie O'Donnell Show is an Emmy Award-winning American daytime television talk show hosted and produced by actress and comedian Rosie O'Donnell. It aired for six seasons from 1996 to 2002...
(the second time with Dean DeLeo
Dean DeLeo
Dean DeLeo is an American guitarist for the rock band Stone Temple Pilots.He is also known for his role in the short-lived bands Talk Show and Army of Anyone, which featured his younger brother Robert DeLeo, Filter frontman Richard Patrick, and session drummer Ray Luzier...
of Stone Temple Pilots
Stone Temple Pilots
Stone Temple Pilots is an American rock band from San Diego, California that consists of Scott Weiland , brothers Robert DeLeo and Dean DeLeo , and Eric Kretz ....
). At first, the studio objected to a "drag" performance on the daytime family show, but relented at the insistence of O'Donnell. Mitchell and his band performed "The Origin of Love
The Origin of Love
"The Origin of Love" is a song from the stage show Hedwig and the Angry Inch and subsequent film written by John Cameron Mitchell and Stephen Trask. Stephen Trask wrote the song, which is based on a story from Plato's Symposium.-Origins:...
". A clip from this show was used in the Hedwig film, with O'Donnell's blessing.
Mitchell said that his performance on the Late Show with David Letterman
Late Show with David Letterman
Late Show with David Letterman is a U.S. late-night talk show hosted by David Letterman on CBS. The show debuted on August 30, 1993, and is produced by Letterman's production company, Worldwide Pants Incorporated. The show's music director and band-leader of the house band, the CBS Orchestra, is...
as Hedwig was interesting: "During rehearsal, a disembodied voice emanating from the control booth gently told me that I couldn't rip my wig off during the song ("Tear Me Down
Tear Me Down
Tear Me Down is a song from the off-Broadway musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch and subsequent film. It was composed by Stephen Trask, and performed by the characters Hedwig and Yitzhak . It is the show's opening number...
"). I asked why, but there was only silence from on high. So when we taped, I ripped it off after the song. They edited it out. I think they wanted people to think I was a woman and not a man in drag."
Critical reception
Hedwig received generally positive reviews; review aggregator website Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
gave the film a 92% 'Fresh' rating; the consensus states: "Hedwig and the Angry Inch may very well be the next Rocky Horror
The Rocky Horror Picture Show
The Rocky Horror Picture Show is the 1975 film adaptation of the British rock musical stageplay, The Rocky Horror Show, written by Richard O'Brien. The film is a parody of B-movie, science fiction and horror films of the late 1940s through early 1970s. Director Jim Sharman collaborated on the...
midnight movie. It not only knows how to rock, but Hedwig's story has an emotional poignancy."
Box office
The film earned an initial domestic theatrical total of $3,644,200 from a $6 million budget. The film opened in the U.S. in 9 theaters on July 20, 2001 and made $156,724 in its opening weekend, ranking #28 in the box office. Subsequent DVD and cable revenue along with international profits eventually put the film firmly in the black.Home media
The film was released on DVDDVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
December 11, 2001, complete with deleted scene
Deleted scene
In Entertainment, especially the film and television industry, Deleted scenes are parts of a film removed or censored from or replaced by another scene in the final "cut", or version, of a film...
s, an audio commentary
Audio commentary
On disc-based video formats, an audio commentary is an additional audio track consisting of a lecture or comments by one or more speakers, that plays in real time with video...
by Mitchell, and trailers.
The deleted scenes mostly expand on the characters around Hedwig; we learn more about Yitzhak (he was once a drag queen called "Krystal Nacht", a pun on Kristallnacht
Kristallnacht
Kristallnacht, also referred to as the Night of Broken Glass, and also Reichskristallnacht, Pogromnacht, and Novemberpogrome, was a pogrom or series of attacks against Jews throughout Nazi Germany and parts of Austria on 9–10 November 1938.Jewish homes were ransacked, as were shops, towns and...
) and how he met Hedwig in a Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
n drag bar. We also learn that Hedwig's manager, Phyllis, has a cell phone surgically implanted in a tooth. When she gets hit in the head with a dryer door, she is unable to hang up her phone. Krzyzhtoff, whom Hedwig has just yelled at for putting her bra in the dryer, attempts to help Phyllis by pressing on her tooth.
Awards and nominations
- 2001 Berlin International Film FestivalBerlin International Film FestivalThe Berlin International Film Festival , also called the Berlinale, is one of the world's leading film festivals and most reputable media events. It is held in Berlin, Germany. Founded in West Berlin in 1951, the festival has been celebrated annually in February since 1978...
- Best Feature Film (Teddy Award) - 2002 Golden Globe Awards - nominated for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy (John Cameron Mitchell)
- 2001 Sundance Film FestivalSundance Film FestivalThe Sundance Film Festival is a film festival that takes place annually in Utah, in the United States. It is the largest independent cinema festival in the United States. Held in January in Park City, Salt Lake City, and Ogden, as well as at the Sundance Resort, the festival is a showcase for new...
- Audience Award (Dramatic); Directing Award (Dramatic) - John Cameron Mitchell; nominated for Grand Jury Prize - 2001 National Board of Review, USA - Best Debut Director - John Cameron Mitchell
- 2001 Gotham AwardsGotham AwardsThe Gotham Awards is an annual ceremony of awards presented to the makers of independent films which takes place in New York City...
- Open Palm Award (Best Debut Director) - John Cameron Mitchell - 2002 Independent Spirit AwardsIndependent Spirit AwardsThe Independent Spirit Awards , founded in 1984, are awards dedicated to independent filmmakers. Winners were typically presented with acrylic glass pyramids containing suspended shoestrings representing the paltry budgets of independent films. In 1986, the event was renamed the Independent Spirit...
- nominated for Best Cinematography (Frank G. DeMarco), Best Director (John Cameron Mitchell), Best Feature, Best First Screenplay (John Cameron Mitchell), and Best Male Lead (John Cameron Mitchell) - 2001 Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards - New Generation Award - John Cameron Mitchell
- 2001 Deauville Film Festival - CineLive Award - John Cameron Mitchell; Critics Award - John Cameron Mitchell; Grand Special Prize - John Cameron Mitchell
- 2001 Gijon International Film FestivalGijón International Film FestivalGijón International Film Festival was created in 1963. It was born as an initiative of the local authority and it was sponsored mainly by Gijón City Council and the then Caja de Ahorros de Asturias ; both institutions are still the main organisers of the festival, along with funding from the...
- Best Actor - John Cameron Mitchell - 2001 Montreal Comedy Festival - Special Jury Prize
- 2001 Austin Gay & Lesbian International Film Festival - Best Feature
- 2001 Provincetown International Film FestivalProvincetown International Film FestivalThe Provincetown International Film Festival is an annual film festival founded in 1999 and held in Provincetown, Massachusetts. The festival presents a wide array of American and international narrative features, documentaries and short films for five days in June of each year.With panel...
- Best Feature - 2001 San Francisco International Film FestivalSan Francisco International Film FestivalSan Francisco International Film Festival is the oldest continuously running film festival in the Americas. Organized by the San Francisco Film Society, the International is held each spring for two weeks, presenting an average of 150 films from over 50 countries...
- Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature - 2001 San Francisco International Lesbian & Gay Film Festival - Best First Feature - John Cameron Mitchell
- 2001 Seattle International Film FestivalSeattle International Film FestivalThe Seattle International Film Festival , held annually in Seattle, Washington since 1976, is among the top film festivals in North America. Audiences have grown steadily; the 2006 festival had 160,000 attendees...
- Best Actor (John Cameron Mitchell) - 2001 Stockholm International Film FestivalStockholm International Film FestivalThe Stockholm International Film Festival is an annual film festival held in Stockholm, Sweden. It was launched in 1990 and has been held every year in the second half of November...
- Honorable Mention - 2002 Phoenix Film Critics Society AwardsPhoenix Film Critics SocietyThe Phoenix Film Critics Society is an organization of film reviewers from Phoenix-based publications.In December of each year, the PFCS meets to vote on their Phoenix Film Critics Society Awards for films released in the same calendar year.Categories of awards include:* Best Actor The Phoenix...
- Best Use of Previously Published or Recorded Music - 2002 L.A. Outfest - Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role - John Cameron Mitchell, Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role - Miriam Shor
- 2002 Florida Film Critics Circle AwardsFlorida Film Critics CircleThe Florida Film Critics Circle is an organization of film reviewers from fourteen Florida-based publications and websites. In December, the FFCC meets to vote on their awards for films released during that year.- Categories :* Best Actor...
- Best Songs; Newcomer of the Year - John Cameron Mitchell - 2002 Glitter Awards - Best Feature voted by U.S/International Gay Film Festivals and U.S. Gay Press
- 2002 GLAAD Media AwardsGLAAD Media AwardsThe GLAAD Media Award is an accolade bestowed by the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation to recognize and honor various branches of the media for their outstanding representations of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community and the issues that affect their lives...
- Outstanding Film (Limited Release) - 2002 Chlotrudis Awards - Best Actor - John Cameron Mitchell
See also
- Hedwig and the Angry InchHedwig and the Angry Inch (musical)Hedwig and the Angry Inch is a rock musical about a fictional rock and roll band fronted by an East German transgender singer. The text is by John Cameron Mitchell, and the music and lyrics are by Stephen Trask. The musical premiered in 1998 and has been performed throughout the world in hundreds...
- the musical of which the film is based - Transgender in film and televisionTransgender in film and televisionThis article lists many films whose primary character are transgender. It also includes films of note who have a secondary transgender character.-Film and video:...