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The Chocolate War (film)
Encyclopedia
The Chocolate War is a 1988 American drama film
based on Robert Cormier
's novel of the same name
, about a young man who rebels against the ingrained hierarchy of an elite Catholic school
. It was the directorial debut of Keith Gordon
, and stars John Glover
, Ilan Mitchell-Smith
, Wallace Langham
, and Doug Hutchison
. Jonathan D. Krane produced it after seeing Static, a short film Gordon wrote.
) must submit to the bizarre rituals of his peers and the expectations of the school's administration by selling chocolates as a fundraiser.
TheVigils
The film was released on DVD on April 17, 2007. The special features consist of:
Drama film
A drama film is a film genre that depends mostly on in-depth development of realistic characters dealing with emotional themes. Dramatic themes such as alcoholism, drug addiction, infidelity, moral dilemmas, racial prejudice, religious intolerance, poverty, class divisions, violence against women...
based on Robert Cormier
Robert Cormier
Robert Edmund Cormier was an American author, columnist and reporter, known for his deeply pessimistic, downbeat literature. His most popular works include I Am the Cheese, After the First Death, We All Fall Down and The Chocolate War, all of which have won awards. The Chocolate War was challenged...
's novel of the same name
The Chocolate War
The Chocolate War is a young adult novel by American author Robert Cormier. First published in 1974, it was adapted into a film in 1988. Although it received mixed reviews at the time of its publication, some reviewers have argued it is one of the best young adult novels of all time...
, about a young man who rebels against the ingrained hierarchy of an elite Catholic school
Catholic school
Catholic schools are maintained parochial schools or education ministries of the Catholic Church. the Church operates the world's largest non-governmental school system...
. It was the directorial debut of Keith Gordon
Keith Gordon
Keith Gordon is an American actor and film director.-Life and career:Gordon was born in New York City, the son of Barbara, an actress, and Mark Gordon, an actor and stage director. He grew up in an atheist Jewish family and was inspired to become an actor at the age of twelve, after seeing James...
, and stars John Glover
John Glover (actor)
John Soursby Glover Jr. is an American actor, perhaps best known for a range of villainous roles in films and television, including Lionel Luthor on the Superman-inspired television series Smallville.-Personal life:...
, Ilan Mitchell-Smith
Ilan Mitchell-Smith
Ilan Mitchell-Smith is Assistant Professor of English at California State University Long Beach, but he is best known as an actor and co-star of the film Weird Science...
, Wallace Langham
Wallace Langham
James Wallace Langham II is an American actor. He currently plays the role of David Hodges in the American crime drama television series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.-Film career:...
, and Doug Hutchison
Doug Hutchison
Doug Anthony Hutchison is an American actor, known for his roles in The Green Mile, as corrections officer Percy Wetmore, Eugene Victor Tooms in The X-Files, as Horace Goodspeed in Lost and as Davros in 24. He owns the production company Dark Water Inc.-Personal life:Hutchison was born in Dover,...
. Jonathan D. Krane produced it after seeing Static, a short film Gordon wrote.
Plot
The film offers a portrait of the hierarchical structure of a Catholic school, both formal and informal. New student Jerry Renault (Ilan Mitchell-SmithIlan Mitchell-Smith
Ilan Mitchell-Smith is Assistant Professor of English at California State University Long Beach, but he is best known as an actor and co-star of the film Weird Science...
) must submit to the bizarre rituals of his peers and the expectations of the school's administration by selling chocolates as a fundraiser.
TheVigils
Cast
- John GloverJohn Glover (actor)John Soursby Glover Jr. is an American actor, perhaps best known for a range of villainous roles in films and television, including Lionel Luthor on the Superman-inspired television series Smallville.-Personal life:...
as Brother Leon - Ilan Mitchell-SmithIlan Mitchell-SmithIlan Mitchell-Smith is Assistant Professor of English at California State University Long Beach, but he is best known as an actor and co-star of the film Weird Science...
as Jerry Renault - Doug HutchisonDoug HutchisonDoug Anthony Hutchison is an American actor, known for his roles in The Green Mile, as corrections officer Percy Wetmore, Eugene Victor Tooms in The X-Files, as Horace Goodspeed in Lost and as Davros in 24. He owns the production company Dark Water Inc.-Personal life:Hutchison was born in Dover,...
as Obie Jameson - Wallace LanghamWallace LanghamJames Wallace Langham II is an American actor. He currently plays the role of David Hodges in the American crime drama television series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.-Film career:...
as Archie Costello - Corey Gunnestad as Roland "Goober" Goubert
- Brent FraserBrent David FraserBrent David Fraser is an American actor and musician. He was born in Bremerton, Washington.-Film:*The Chocolate War .... Emile Janza*Book of Love .... Meatball...
as Emile Janza - Robert DavenportRobert DavenportRobert Davenport was an English dramatist of the early seventeenth century. Nothing is known of his early life or education; the title pages of two of his plays identify him as a "Gentleman," though there is no record of him at either of the two universities or the Inns of Court. Scholars have...
as Brian Cochran - Jenny Wright as Lisa
- Bud CortBud CortBud Cort is an American film and stage actor, writer, and director. He is best known for his portrayals of Harold in Hal Ashby's 1971 film Harold and Maude and the titular hero in Robert Altman's 1970 film Brewster McCloud...
as Brother Jacques - Adam BaldwinAdam BaldwinAdam Baldwin is an American actor, known for his roles as Animal Mother in Stanley Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket, Ricky Linderman in My Bodyguard, Knowle Rohrer in The X-Files, and Marcus Hamilton in Joss Whedon's Angel...
as Bill Carter - Ethan SandlerEthan SandlerEthan Sandler is an American actor known for his role of ADA Jeffrey Brandau on the television series Crossing Jordan.-Career:Sandler's screen credits include The Chocolate War, Flushed, and The Enigma with a Stigma...
as David Caroni
Production
- Doug HutchisonDoug HutchisonDoug Anthony Hutchison is an American actor, known for his roles in The Green Mile, as corrections officer Percy Wetmore, Eugene Victor Tooms in The X-Files, as Horace Goodspeed in Lost and as Davros in 24. He owns the production company Dark Water Inc.-Personal life:Hutchison was born in Dover,...
, who portrayed 18-year-old Obie Jameson, was 27 when this movie was filming. - The film had a paltry music budget of about $15,000. Most of the artists featured on the soundtrack allowed the filmmakers to use their songs cheap. David BowieDavid BowieDavid Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
, however, asked for $100,000 to utilize his song "Heroes" during the final scene and credits, so Kate Bush'sKate BushKate Bush is an English singer-songwriter, musician and record producer. Her eclectic musical style and idiosyncratic vocal style have made her one of the United Kingdom's most successful solo female performers of the past 30 years.In 1978, at the age of 19, Bush topped the UK Singles Chart...
"Running Up that HillRunning Up That Hill12" Maxi single -Charts:-Placebo version:Alternative rock band Placebo covered "Running Up that Hill", releasing it originally on the bonus disc of their 2003 album Sleeping with Ghosts, then featuring it on Covers and the US version of Meds in 2007. Placebo's take on the song is more downbeat than...
" was substituted.
Release
On a $500,000 budget, the film grossed a mere $303,624 and it considered a box office flop.The film was released on DVD on April 17, 2007. The special features consist of:
- Audio commentaryAudio commentaryOn 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 director Keith GordonKeith GordonKeith Gordon is an American actor and film director.-Life and career:Gordon was born in New York City, the son of Barbara, an actress, and Mark Gordon, an actor and stage director. He grew up in an atheist Jewish family and was inspired to become an actor at the age of twelve, after seeing James... - Interview with director Keith Gordon