Nell

Director: Michael Apted Michael Apted

Overview

"Michael Apted's 1994 drama Nell comes to DVD for the first time from 20th Century Fox. The film is presented with a widescreen transfer and Dolby Digital Sound. Audio commentary tracks are provided by director Apted and star Jodie Foster. The disc also contains a behind-the-scenes featurette and a theatrical trailer. This is a recommended disc for an Academy Award-nominated film."

Product Details

Release Date:	02/03/2004
UPC:	0024543110361
Original Release:	1994
Rating:	PG-13
Source:	20Th Century Fox
Region Code:	1
Presentation:	[Wide Screen]
Sound:	[Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround, Dolby Digital Surround]
Language:	English
Time:	1:52:00

Special Features

Closed Caption;Director commentary by Michael Apted; Actor commentary by Jodie Foster; Behind-the-scenes featurette; Theatrical trailer

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Jodie Foster	Nell
Liam Neeson	Jerome Lovell
Natasha Richardson	Paula Olsen
Richard Libertini	Alexander Paley
Nick Searcy	Todd Peterson
Robin Mullins	Mary Peterson
Jeremy Davies	Billy Fisher
O'Neal Compton	Don Fontana
Heather M. Bomba	Twin,Twin
Sean Bridgers	Mike Ibarra
Joe Inscoe	Judge
Stephanie Dawn Wood	Ruthie Lovell
Mary Lynn Riner	Janet Baring
Lucile McIntyre	Sally
Al Wiggins	Harry Goppel
Beth Bostic	Jean Malinowski
Rob Buren III	Stevie
Chris T. Hill	Jed
Tim Mehaffey	Shane
Dana Stevens	Rachel Weiss
Nicole Adair	Autistic Child
Robin Rochelle	Teacher
Susan Correll Hickerson	Administrator
Marlon Jackson	Male Nurse
Danny Millsaps	Deputy
Michael Apted	Actor
Mark Isham	Composer

Technical Credits

William Nicholson

Mark Handley

Michael Apted	Director
Jodie Foster	Producer
Renee Missel	Producer
Linda Lowy	Casting
William Nicholson	Screenwriter
Mark Handley	Screenwriter
Graham Place	Producer
John Bateman	Sound Effects
Tim Cavagin	Sound Effects
Nina Hartstone	Sound Effects
Chris Newman	Sound/Sound Designer

Editorial Reviews

Jodie Foster's beguiling mix of pre-linguistic drawling and moon-eyed curiosity make hers one of the most engrossing portrayals of stunted development captured on film. Although Liam Neeson and Natasha Richardson provide strong support as Foster's surrogate parents, Nell lives on the strength of Foster's unselfconscious dedication to her craft. She awards and rescinds trust like a wounded animal, and she's convincingly fluent in a sing-songy language that flows effortlessly. Michael Apted is a fitting director for the project, as the film blends themes from his Gorillas in the Mist and his respected documentary series 7 Up. Acclaimed cinematographer Dante Spinotti captures the Carolina woods with virtuosity, from the helicopter shot that accompanies the opening credits to the moving camera following Nell through the lakes and forest stomping grounds of her memory. Despite talent bursting from every pore, however, Nell can't quite escape its disease-of-the-week trappings. The script follows familiar patterns when it turns into a tug of war between the humanists who prize Nell's happiness and the scientists who yearn to probe and examine her. The fact that this culminates in a courtroom competency hearing with considerably lax standards just underscores the film's conventionality. Still, Foster's Oscar nomination was clearly justified, and one can understand why Neeson and Richardson develop an intense parental affection for her character.