- This article is about the film. For the novel by Tom Robbins, see Even Cowgirls Get the Blues.
| Even Cowgirls Get the Blues | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster |
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| Directed by | Gus Van Sant |
| Produced by | Gus Van Sant |
| Written by | Tom Robbins Gus Van Sant |
| Narrated by | Tom Robbins |
| Starring | Uma Thurman Lorraine Bracco Pat Morita Angie Dickinson Keanu Reeves John Hurt Rain Phoenix Ed Begley Jr. Carol Kane Sean Young Crispin Glover Roseanne Arnold Buck Henry Grace Zabriskie |
| Music by | k.d. lang Ben Mink |
| Cinematography | John J. Campbell |
| Editing by | Gus Van Sant |
| Distributed by | Fine Line Features New Line Cinema (DVD) |
| Release date(s) | May 20, 1994 |
| Running time | 95 min. |
| Country |  |
| Language | English German |
| Budget | $8 million |
| Gross revenue | $1.71 million[1] |
| All Movie Guide profile | |
| IMDb profile | |
Even Cowgirls Get the Blues is a 1993 comedy-drama-romance film based on the 1976 Tom Robbins novel of the same name. The film was directed by Gus Van Sant and starred Uma Thurman, Lorraine Bracco, Pat Morita, Angie Dickinson, Keanu Reeves, John Hurt, Rain Phoenix, and Grace Zabriskie. Tom Robbins himself was the narrator. The soundtrack was sung entirely by k.d. lang. Dedicated to the late River Phoenix, who gives an uncredited performance, the movie was a critical and commercial failure. After this film had its world premiere in September 1993 at the Toronto Film Festival, the movie was set to open, but due to the incredibly negative response, the film was delayed for more editing. The US wide release was May 20, 1994. Tagline: There have been many great drivers but only one great passenger.
Contents |
Plot
The story of Sissy Hankshaw (Uma Thurman), a woman born with a mutation (she would not call it a defect) giving her enormously large thumbs. The film is a transgressive romp, covering topics from homosexuality and free love to drug use and political rebellion to animal rights and body odor and religions. Sissy makes the most of her thumbs by becoming a hitchhiker. Her travels take her to New York, where she becomes a model for a transvestite feminine hygiene products mogul who introduces her to the man whom she will marry, a staid Mohawk named Julian Gitche (Keanu Reeves). In her later travels she encounters, among many others, a sexually open cowgirl named Bonanza Jellybean (Rain Phoenix) and an itinerant escapee from the Japanese internment camps happily mislabeled "The Chink" (Pat Morita). Robbins finally inserts himself into the novel as a character as well.
Cast
- Tom Robbins as Narrator (voice)
- Uma Thurman as Sissy Hankshaw
- Lorraine Bracco as Delores Del Ruby
- Pat Morita as The Chink
- Angie Dickinson as Miss Adrian
- Keanu Reeves as Julian Gitche
- John Hurt as The Countess
- Rain Phoenix as Bonanza Jellybean
- Ed Begley Jr. as Rupert
- Carol Kane as Carla
- Sean Young as Marie Barth
- Crispin Glover as Howard Barth
- Roseanne Arnold as Madame Zoe
- Buck Henry as Dr. Dreyfus
- Grace Zabriskie as Mrs. Hankshaw
- Ken Kesey as Mr. Hankshaw
- Heather Graham as Cowgirl Heather
- Udo Kier as Commercial Director
- Lin Shaye as Rubber Rose Maid
- William Burroughs as Himself
- Edward James Olmos (uncredited) as Musician at Barbecue
- River Phoenix (uncredited) as Pilgrim
Trivia
- At the beginning, lot of stars rise in the sky. One, aside and slower than the others, writes the words "For River". [River Phoenix]
- After a disastrous limited distribution in 1993, the film was recalled and heavily re-edited for a 1994 re-release.
Soundtrack
The soundtrack was released on November 2, 1993 by Rhino Records.[2]
Track listing
- Just Keep Me Moving
- Much Finer Place
- Or Was I
- Hush Sweet Lover
- Myth
- Apogee
- Virtual Vortex
- Lifted by Love
- Overture
- Kundalini Yoga Waltz
- In Perfect Dreams
- Curious Soul Astray
- Ride of Bonanza Jellybean
- Don't Be a Lemming Polka
- Sweet Little Cherokee - k.d. lang
- Cowgirl Pride
Filming locations
See also
References
External links
- Even Cowgirls Get the Blues at the Internet Movie Database
- Even Cowgirls Get the Blues at All Movie Guide
- Even Cowgirls Get the Blues at Rotten Tomatoes
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Mala Noche • Drugstore Cowboy • My Own Private Idaho • Even Cowgirls Get the Blues • To Die For • Good Will Hunting • Psycho • Finding Forrester • Gerry • Elephant • Last Days • Paranoid Park |
