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RUNTIME
Did you know
88 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.
MoodPlayr · trivia#01
Cecil B. Demented
"Demented forever!"
2000 1h 28m EN
😐
6.4
MID
🥫
53%
ROTTEN
😬
57
METACRITIC
⭐
6.3
IMDB
★6.4TMDB · 311🥫53%Rotten Tomatoes●57Metacritic★6.3IMDB · 17,762
ComedyCrimeAction
Synopsis
Spoiler shield
A young lunatic director and his devoted cult of cinema terrorists kidnap a Hollywood movie goddess and force her to star in their radical underground movie.
“Demented forever!”
Cast
Melanie Griffith
Honey Whitlock
Stephen Dorff
Cecil B. Demented
Alicia Witt
Cherish
Adrian Grenier
Lyle
Maggie Gyllenhaal
Raven
Lawrence Gilliard Jr.
Lewis
Jack Noseworthy
Rodney
Michael Shannon
Petie
Credits
Behind the camera
- Director
- John Waters
- Writers
- John Waters
- Languages
- English
- Countries
- United States of America, France
Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.
Did you know?
Fun facts 🍿
2 / 8
MONEY
Did you know
Earned back only 20% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.
MoodPlayr · trivia#02
3 / 8
ERA
Did you know
26 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
MoodPlayr · trivia#03
4 / 8
WORLD
Did you know
International production across 2 countries: United States of America, France.
MoodPlayr · trivia#04
5 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Directed by John Waters, shot by Robert M. Stevens. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
MoodPlayr · trivia#05
6 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Original score by Zoë Poledouris. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
MoodPlayr · trivia#06
7 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Editor Jeffrey Wolf shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
MoodPlayr · trivia#07
8 / 8
CAST
Did you know
Melanie Griffith and Stephen Dorff and Alicia Witt carry the top of the cast.
MoodPlayr · trivia#08
Cinephile deep dive
The take
John Waters directs. Robert M. Stevens behind the camera. Zoë Poledouris scores. Jeffrey Wolf cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. A commercial under-performer on release. Produced in United States of America, France. Dialogue in English.
Trivia
Things worth knowing
- 188 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.
- 2Earned back only 20% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.
- 326 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
- 4International production across 2 countries: United States of America, France.
- 5Directed by John Waters, shot by Robert M. Stevens. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
- 6Original score by Zoë Poledouris. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
- 7Editor Jeffrey Wolf shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
- 8Melanie Griffith and Stephen Dorff and Alicia Witt carry the top of the cast.
- 9Marketing tagline: "Demented forever!".
- 10IMDB entry: tt0173716 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
- 11Classified under 9 themes, including "kidnapping", "baltimore, usa", "satire", "satanist".
- 12Released under 14 different titles around the world.
The technical file
- Cinematography
- Robert M. Stevens
- Original score
- Zoë Poledouris
- Editing
- Jeffrey Wolf
- Production design
- Vincent Peranio
- Costume design
- Van Smith
- Makeup / hair
- Howard 'Hep' Preston
- Sound
- Dan Olmsted
- Stunt coordinator
- Steve M. Davison
- Runtime
- 88 min · 1h 28m
- Aspect ratio (typical)
- 1.37:1 (Academy)
- Status
- Released
- Budget
- $10,000,000
- Box office
- $1,961,544
- Return
- 20% of budget
- Original language
- EN
- Certification (US)
- R
- Rotten Tomatoes
- 53% 🥫 Rotten
- Metacritic
- 57/100
- IMDB rating
- 6.3/10 · 17,762 votes
- MPAA
- R
Awards
2 nominations total
Also by
John Waters
Stills · wallpapers
Selected frames
Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.
Trailers & featurettes
Watch the pieces
Production companies
Who made it
Le Studio Canal+
FR
- PO
Polar Entertainment
US
Key crew
- Executive ProducerFred Bernstein
- Sound Effects EditorKyrsten Mate
- Supervising Sound EditorJohn Nutt
- Production DesignVincent Peranio
- Associate ProducerPat Moran
- Sound Re-Recording MixerDan Olmsted
- Title DesignerJennifer Basnyat
- Executive ProducerAnthony DeLorenzo
- Production Sound MixerRick Angelella
- Utility StuntsTim Trella
- Set DecorationBarbara Haberecht
- Costume DesignVan Smith
- CastingKerry Barden
- EditorJeffrey Wolf
- CastingSuzanne Smith Crowley
- HairstylistHoward 'Hep' Preston
- Makeup ArtistMolly Stern
- ProducerMark Tarlov
- CastingBilly Hopkins
- ProducerJoseph M. Caracciolo Jr.
- CastingPat Moran
- Makeup Department HeadCheryl 'Pickles' Kinion
- Art DirectionRob Simons
- ProducerJohn Fiedler
Themes & keywords
What it's about, really
- kidnapping
- baltimore, usa
- satire
- satanist
- blindfold
- perversion
- terrorism
- film director
- cinephile
Release history · US
When it landed
- Premiere2000-08-02R· Baltimore, Maryland
- Premiere2000-10-21· Fort Worth Film Festival
- Premiere2017-10-19· Santa Fe Independent Film Festival
- Theatrical (limited)2000-08-11R
- Theatrical2000-09-01R
Also known as
International titles
- Cecil B. DementeES
- Cecil Bem DementeBR
- セシル・B ザ・シネマ・ウォーズJP
- セシル・B／ザ・シネマ・ウォーズJP
- Abgedreht - In der Gewalt des Cecil B.DE
- Cecil B. Demented - Echte Menschen, echter TerrorDE
- John Waters' Cecil B. - Echte Menschen, echter TerrorDE
- Kai g... to Hollywood!GR
- Απαγωγή στο ΧόλιγουντGR
- Και γ... το Χόλιγουντ!GR
- A morte HollywoodIT
- Cecil B. the Cinema WarsJP
- Безумный Сесил Б.RU
- Откачени режисерRS
