CRASH (2005/UMD/PSP/WS) DVD

Crash
Issues of race and gender cause a group of strangers in Los Angeles to physically and emotionally collide in this drama from director and screenwriter Paul Haggis. Graham (Don Cheadle) is a police detective whose brother is a street criminal, and it hurts him to know his mother cares more about his ne'er-do-well brother than him. Graham's partner is Ria (Jennifer Esposito), who is also his girlfriend, though she has begun to bristle at his emotional distance, as well as his occasional insensitivity over the fact he's African-American and she's Hispanic. Rick (Brendan Fraser) is an L.A. district attorney whose wife, Jean (Sandra Bullock), makes little secret of her fear and hatred of people unlike herself. Jean's worst imaginings about people of color are confirmed when her SUV is carjacked by two African-American men -- Anthony (Chris Bridges, aka Ludacris), who dislikes white people as much as Jean hates blacks, and Peter (Larenz Tate), who is more open minded. Cameron (Terrence Howard) is a well-to-do African-American television producer with a beautiful wife, Christine (Thandie Newton). While coming home from a party, Cameron and Christine are pulled over by Officer Ryan (Matt Dillon), who subjects them to a humiliating interrogation (and her to an inappropriate search) while his new partner, Officer Hansen (Ryan Phillippe), looks on. Daniel (Michael Pena) is a hard-working locksmith and dedicated father who discovers that his looks don't lead many of his customers to trust him. And Farhad (Shaun Toub) is a Middle Eastern shopkeeper who is so constantly threatened in the wake of the 9/11 attacks that he decided he needs a gun to defend his family. Crash was the first directorial project for award-winning television and film writer Haggis. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Cast Sandra Bullock as Jean Don Cheadle as Graham Waters Matt Dillon as Jack Ryan Jennifer Esposito as Ria Shaun Toub as Farhad Brendan Fraser as Rick Terrence Howard as Cameron Thayer Chris "Ludacris" Bridges as Anthony William Fichtner as Flanagan Thandie Newton as Christine Thayer Ryan Phillippe as Officer Tom Hanson Larenz Tate as Peter Michael Peńa as Daniel

Crew Brandee Dell'Aringa - Art Director Dana Maksimovich - Associate Producer Randi Hiller - Casting Sarah Halley-Finn - Casting Betsy Danbury - Co-producer Randi Hiller - Co-producer Sarah Halley-Finn - Co-producer Linda M. Bass - Costume Designer Scott Cameron - First Assistant Director Paul Haggis - Director Hughes Winborne - Editor Andy Reimer - Executive Producer Marina Grasic - Executive Producer Tom Nunan - Executive Producer Jan Körbelin - Executive Producer Mark Isham - Composer (Music Score) Kathleen York - Songwriter Michael Becker - Songwriter Laurence Bennett - Production Designer J. Michael Muro - Cinematographer Bobby Moresco - Producer Mark R. Harris - Producer Don Cheadle - Producer Paul Haggis - Producer Cathy Schulman - Producer Bob Yari - Producer Richard van Dyke - Sound/Sound Designer Gary Wayton - Stunts Coordinator Paul Haggis - Screen Story Bobby Moresco - Screenwriter Robert Moresco - Screenwriter Paul Haggis - Screenwriter Dana W. Gonzales - Second Unit Camera Sandy Gendler - Supervising Sound Editor Linda Sutton - Set Decorator

Crash
The Oscar-nominated screenwriter of Million Dollar Baby takes the helm of his own project in Crash, an ensemble study of race relations in Los Angeles, which uses the city's daily preponderance of motor-vehicle collisions as a central metaphor. The film recalls the work of Robert Altman (Short Cuts) and Lawrence Kasdan (Grand Canyon) in its attempt to interweave different segments of the city's socioeconomic and ethnic landscape, but uses a blunter hammer stroke to drive home its points. The film's many supporters led to surprising Oscars for best picture, screenplay and editing, as well as a 55-million-dollar box-office take. While some viewers were undoubtedly drawn to the unfiltered language and uncompromising intensity with which racism is depicted, others found that the film veers into contrived territory. As the characters are more often symbolic types than fleshed-out individuals, they butt up against each other according to what will create maximum incendiary dialogue and the potential for explosive conflict. Whether it's Dillon spewing anti-affirmative-action rage, Sandra Bullock spraying racial epithets in as many directions as a lawn sprinkler, or an Iranian business owner and a Latino locksmith using their mutual preconceived notions to block off communication, most of the scenes play out at the highest possible emotional pitch, with mixed results. While a number of scenes work well individually -- most notably Dillon's creepy frisking of Thandie Newton -- their coincidental interconnectedness undermines them enough to seem gimmicky. Even if some viewers found the material preachy, there's no denying that Crash reached a wide audience, its fans identifying a forthright frankness on race relations that they hadn't seen since Do the Right Thing. ~ Derek Armstrong, All Movie Guide
 

Bobby Moresco: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie, Best Original Screenplay (winner) Bobby Moresco: British Academy of Film and Television, Best Original Screenplay (winner) Bobby Moresco: Broadcast Film Critics Association, Best Screenplay (winner) Bobby Moresco: Chicago Film Critics Association, Best Screenplay (winner) Bobby Moresco: Online Film Critics Association, Best Original Screenplay (nominated) Bobby Moresco: Writers Guild of America, Best Original Screenplay (winner) Cathy Schulman: Producers Guild of America, Producer of the Year (nominated) Don Cheadle: British Academy of Film and Television, Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Pic (nominated) Don Cheadle: London Film Critics Association, Best Actor (nominated) Don Cheadle: Screen Actors Guild, Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Pic (nominated) Hughes Winborne: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie, Best Editing (winner) Hughes Winborne: American Cinema Editors Guild, Best Edited Feature - Drama (nominated) Hughes Winborne: British Academy of Film and Television, Best Editing (nominated) J. Michael Muro: British Academy of Film and Television, Best Cinematography (nominated) Kathleen York: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie, Best Song (nominated) Laurence Bennett: Art Directors Guild, Best Art Direction in a Contemporary Film (nominated) Ludacris: Chicago Film Critics Association, Most Promising Performer (nominated) Matt Dillon: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie, Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Pic (nominated) Matt Dillon: British Academy of Film and Television, Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Pic (nominated) Matt Dillon: Broadcast Film Critics Association, Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Pic (nominated) Matt Dillon: Chicago Film Critics Association, Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Pic (nominated) Matt Dillon: Dallas/Fort Worth Film Critics Associat, Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Pic (winner) Matt Dillon: Golden Globe, Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Pic (nominated) Matt Dillon: Independent Spirit Awards, Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Pic (winner) Matt Dillon: Las Vegas Film Critics Association, Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Pic (winner) Matt Dillon: Online Film Critics Association, Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Pic (nominated) Matt Dillon: Screen Actors Guild, Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Pic (nominated) Michael Becker: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie, Best Song (nominated) Paul Haggis: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie, Best Director (nominated) Paul Haggis: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie, Best Original Screenplay (winner) Paul Haggis: British Academy of Film and Television, Best Director (nominated) Paul Haggis: British Academy of Film and Television, Best Original Screenplay (winner) Paul Haggis: Broadcast Film Critics Association, Best Director (nominated) Paul Haggis: Broadcast Film Critics Association, Best Screenplay (winner) Paul Haggis: Chicago Film Critics Association, Best Screenplay (winner) Paul Haggis: Directors Guild of America, Best Director (nominated) Paul Haggis: Independent Spirit Awards, Best First Feature (winner) Paul Haggis: Las Vegas Film Critics Association, Best Screenplay (winner) Paul Haggis: London Film Critics Association, Best Director (nominated) Paul Haggis: London Film Critics Association, Best Screenplay (winner) Paul Haggis: Online Film Critics Association, Best Original Screenplay (nominated) Paul Haggis: Online Film Critics Association, Breakthrough Filmmaker (winner) Paul Haggis: Phoenix Film Critics Association, Best Original Screenplay (winner) Paul Haggis: Phoenix Film Critics Association, Breakout Performance of the Year - Behind the Camera (winner) Paul Haggis: Producers Guild of America, Producer of the Year (nominated) Paul Haggis: Writers Guild of America, Best Original Screenplay (winner) Richard van Dyke: British Academy of Film and Television, Best Sound (nominated) Robert Moresco: Las Vegas Film Critics Association, Best Screenplay (winner) Robert Moresco: London Film Critics Association, Best Screenplay (winner) Robert Moresco: Phoenix Film Critics Association, Best Original Screenplay (winner) Sandy Gendler: British Academy of Film and Television, Best Sound (nominated) Terrence Howard: Broadcast Film Critics Association, Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Pic (nominated) Terrence Howard: Chicago Film Critics Association, Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Pic (nominated) Terrence Howard: National Board of Review, Breakthrough Performance by an Actor (winner) Thandie Newton: British Academy of Film and Television, Best Supporting Actress (winner) Thandie Newton: London Film Critics Association, Best British Supporting Actress (winner)

Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie, Best Picture (winner) American Film Institute, Best Picture (winner) British Academy of Film and Television, Best Picture (nominated) Broadcast Film Critics Association, Best Ensemble Acting (winner) Broadcast Film Critics Association, Best Picture (nominated) Chicago Film Critics Association, Best Picture (winner) Dallas/Fort Worth Film Critics Associat, Top Ten Film (winner) London Film Critics Association, Best Picture (nominated) National Board of Review, Best Picture (nominated) Online Film Critics Association, Best Picture (nominated) Phoenix Film Critics Association, Best Ensemble Acting (winner) Phoenix Film Critics Association, Top Ten Film of the Year (winner) Screen Actors Guild, Best Ensemble (winner) Toronto International Film Festival, Film Presented (nominated)

General Specifications: Language Options: Subtitle Options: English, Spanish Sound Processing: Additional Features: Full-length movie 16:9 Widescreen version DVD picture quality English and Spanish subtitles Introduction by director Paul Haggis Commentary with Paul Haggis, Don Cheadle and Bobby Moresco MPAA Rating: R DVD Discs Included: 1 DVD Sides: 1 DVD DVD Region Code: 1 Content Length: 122 min