| Requiem for a Dream | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Darren Aronofsky |
| Screenplay by |
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| Based on | Requiem for a Dream by Hubert Selby Jr. |
| Produced by |
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| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Matthew Libatique |
| Edited by | Jay Rabinowitz |
| Music by | Clint Mansell |
Production companies |
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| Distributed by |
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Release dates |
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Running time | 102 minutes[2] |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $4.5 million[3] |
| Box office | $7.4 million[4] |
Requiem for a Dream is a 2000 Americanpsychological drama film directed byDarren Aronofsky and starringEllen Burstyn,Jared Leto,Jennifer Connelly,Christopher McDonald, andMarlon Wayans. It is based on the 1978novel of the same name byHubert Selby Jr., with whom Aronofsky wrote the screenplay. The film depicts four characters affected bydrug addiction and how it alters their physical and emotional states. Their addictions cause them to become imprisoned in a world of delusion and desperation. As the film progresses, each character deteriorates, and their delusions are shattered by the harsh reality of their situations, resulting in catastrophe.
Selby's novel wasoptioned by Aronofsky and producer Eric Watson. Selby had always intended to adapt the novel into a film, and he had written a script years prior to Aronofsky approaching him. Aronofsky was enthusiastic about the story and developed the script with Selby, despite initial struggles to obtain funding for the film's production. He and the cast speak of the film being about addictions in general, and not just drugs, and how one’s attempts to fulfill their dreams can fuel an addiction with a theme of loneliness and avoidance of reality in different ways.Principal photography took place inBrooklyn,New York, from April to June 1999. During thepost-production process, the music was composed byClint Mansell whileJay Rabinowitz worked for editing.
The film premiered at the2000 Cannes Film Festival, selected as an out-of-competition entry, followed by the United States theatrical release on October 6, 2000, byArtisan Entertainment. The film grossed $7 million against a $4 million budget and received a positive response from critics. The film's visual style, direction, screenplay, editing, musical score, cast, emotional depth, and themes were all praised, with Burstyn receivingAcademy Award andGolden Globe Award nominations for Best Actress.
Sara Goldfarb, a widow living alone in aBrighton Beach apartment, watches television. Her son Harry is aheroinaddict, along with his friend Tyrone. The two deal heroin in a bid to realize their dreams; Harry and his girlfriend Marion plan to open a clothing store for Marion's designs, while Tyrone seeks the approval of his mother and an escape from the ghetto. When Sara receives a call that she has been invited to appear on her favorite game show, she begins a restrictivecrash diet, hoping to fit into a red dress that she wore at Harry's graduation.
At the advice of her friend Rae, Sara visits a physician who prescribes heramphetamines to control her appetite. She begins losing weight rapidly and is excited by how much energy she has. When Harry recognizes the signs of her drug abuse and implores her to stop taking the amphetamines, Sara insists that the chance to appear on television and the increased admiration from her friends Ada and Rae are her remaining reasons to live. As time passes, Sara becomes frantic waiting for the invitation and increases her dosage, which causes her to developamphetamine psychosis.
Tyrone is caught in a shootout between drug traffickers and theSicilian Mafia and is arrested despite his innocence. Harry has to use most of their saved money to postbail. As a result of the gang warfare, the local supply of heroin becomes restricted, and they are unable to find any to buy. Eventually, Tyrone hears of a large shipment coming toNew York fromFlorida, but the price has doubled and the minimum purchase risk is high. Harry encourages Marion to engage inprostitution, particularly with her psychiatrist, Arnold, as a client. This request, along with their mountingwithdrawal symptoms, strains their relationship.
Sara's increased dosage of amphetamines distorts her sense of reality, and she begins to hallucinate that she is mocked by the host and crowd from the television show, and attacked by her refrigerator. Sara flees her apartment and goes to the casting agency office in Manhattan to confirm when she will be on television. Sara's disturbed state causes her to be admitted to a psychiatric ward, where she undergoeselectroconvulsive therapy after failing to respond to various medications. After the heroin shipment descends into a melee, Harry and Tyrone travel toMiami to buy heroin directly from the wholesaler. However, Harry's arm has becomegangrenous from heroin use, so the two stop at a hospital. The doctor realizes that Harry is a drug addict and calls the police, resulting in Harry and Tyrone being arrested.
Back inNew York City, a desperate Marion begins to work for apimp, Big Tim, and participates in group sex for drugs. Sara's treatment leaves her in acatatonic state ofdissociation, to the horror of Ada and Rae, who weep and try to comfort each other on a bench outside the hospital. Harry's arm is amputated above the elbow, and he breaks down in tears as he realizes Marion will not visit him (despite a gentle nurse trying to reassure him that she will come). Tyrone is subjected to grueling labor and psychological abuse from the racist prison guards, all while experiencing a painfulheroin withdrawal. Marion returns home and lies on her sofa, clutching her score, and is surrounded by her crumpled and discarded clothing designs. Each of the four characters curls into afetal position. Sara imagines herself as the game show winner, with Harry, engaged and successful, arriving as a guest. Sara and Harry lovingly embrace.
Requiem for a Dream is not about heroin or about drugs... The Harry-Tyrone-Marion story is a very traditional heroin story. But putting it side by side with the Sara story, we suddenly say, 'Oh, my God, what is a drug?' The idea that the same inner monologue goes through a person's head when they're trying to quit drugs, as with cigarettes, as when they're trying to not eat food so they can lose 20 pounds, was really fascinating to me. I thought it was an idea that we hadn't seen on film and I wanted to bring it up on the screen.[7]
The novelRequiem for a Dream by Hubert Selby Jr. was published in 1978.[8] Aronofsky had been a fan of Selby's work during his school years.[9] In a 2001 interview with theBBC, Aronofsky described Selby's work, saying, "Anyone that reads Selby's work can see how intense his world is. He writes the most discordant, angry words that tickle the air with some sweet music around it. It's an unbelievable experience to read his books. I knew that once I made a larger film it would be very difficult to do a project like this. I live my life not wanting to have any regrets, and I knew that Selby was cool, that he's a badass".[10]
Eric Watson, producer and co-writer ofPi (1998), convinced Aronofsky to adapt the novel into a film. Selby was open to the idea and granted permission. Aronofsky and Watson optioned the film rights for $1,000, which was considered a large sum for them at the time.[11] Aronofsky was still struggling financially afterPi, and financiers were also unconvinced on his idea ofRequiem for a Dream.[9][12] A screenplay had been written by Selby years prior, which was 80% similar to Aronofsky's. The pair compared their works, but Aronofsky wanted to cast younger characters to enhance the impact of drugs. However, the producers were against hiring a younger cast as they felt the film would be too unsettling for audiences; the director reluctantly agreed.[9]
A number of actresses were considered for the role of Sara Goldfarb, but many of them, such asFaye Dunaway,[13] rejected the part. Ellen Burstyn also initially rejected the part due to the depressing content, but her manager convinced her to see Aronofsky's previous work; she was impressed and agreed to be cast in the lead role.[9][14][15]Giovanni Ribisi,Neve Campbell andDave Chappelle were considered for the roles of Harry Goldfarb, Marion Silver and Tyrone C. Love, respectively. All three declined.[9] The producers settled with Jared Leto, who was interested in the challenge, followed by Jennifer Connelly. "When I read the script, it was really something I wanted to do. I thought the script was brilliant. It was so creative. I thought it was really brave. It was talking about really important issues", she said.[16] Marlon Wayans read the novel three times and auditioned five times for the role of Tyrone before he was offered the part, eager to work with the director.[17]
In preparation for filming, Leto spent time living on the streets of New York, surrounded by people who were in the same situation as his character.[18][19] He also starved himself for months, losing 28 pounds (13 kg) to play his heroin-addicted character realistically.[20] Aronofsky requested that Leto and Wayans refrain from having sex and consuming sugar so that their cravings would appear genuine on-screen.[9] Burstyn also spent time in Brooklyn, learning about the lives of particular women, and how narrow they were. "Their life is about getting enough money to put food on the table to feed their children, and that's it", she said.[21] Connelly prepared for the role by renting an apartment in the building where the character lived. Connelly isolated herself, painted, listened to music that she thought Marion would, designed clothes, and used the time to reflect about addictions and their origin. She also talked to addicts and attendedNarcotics Anonymous meetings with a recovering friend.[22]
Filming lasted 40 days[14] from 19 April to 16 June 1999, on location in and aroundConey Island, including the boardwalk, amusement parks and Brighton Beach.[23][24] To capture Sara Goldfarb's weight loss throughout the film, Burstyn wore two fat suits; one simulated an additional 40 pounds (18 kg) in weight and one 20 pounds (9.1 kg). Burstyn also dieted during a two-week break in the filming schedule, allowing her to lose 10 pounds (4.5 kg).[9][21] Makeup artists designed nine wigs and four necks for her, with some of the prosthetic pieces taking up to four hours to apply.[11] Connelly's wardrobe consisted of pieces that she had made during her time preparing for the role.[9]
During a grocery store scene, real drug addicts were brought in asextras. Aronofsky has recalled that some wereinjecting themselves during filming.[11] One bathtub scene was inspired bySatoshi Kon's 1997anime filmPerfect Blue.[25]Post-production also included approximately 150 special effects, created byAmoeba Proteus, a digital effects company formed by Aronofsky and his friends.[11][12] After filming was completed, Burstyn said, "I don't think I've ever been this challenged in a role—it was harder thanThe Exorcist".[26] Connelly also spoke of how "it was hard, really hard to go through, emotionally. It was draining, sad, and uncomfortable".[16]
As with Aronofsky's previous film,Pi,montages of extremely short shots were used throughout the film; such techniques are sometimes referred to aship hop montage[27] but are also employed in traditional cinema, such asMan with a Movie Camera. While an average 100-minute film has 600 to 700 cuts,Requiem for a Dream features more than 2,000.Split-screen is used extensively, along with extremely tightclose-ups.[27][28] Longtracking shots, including shots where the camera is strapped to an actor and facing them, known asSnorricam, andtime-lapse photography are also prominent stylistic devices.[29]
Aronofsky alternates between extreme close-ups and extreme distance from the action, with sharp cuts between reality and characters' fantasies.[28] The camerawork forces the viewer to explore the characters' states of mind, hallucinations, visual distortions, and inaccurate sense of time.[30] The average length of scenes also shortens as the film progresses, from around 90 seconds to 2 minutes in the beginning, until theclimactic scenes, which arecut very rapidly accompanied byincidental music. After the climax, there is a short period of silence and serenity.Pixelation and afisheye lens are also techniques used to help reinforce the effect of drugs and the viewer's distance from the character.[28]
The soundtrack was composed byClint Mansell. Thestring quartet arrangements were written byPulitzer Prize-winning composerDavid Lang, and was performed by theKronos Quartet.[31] The soundtrack was re-released with the albumRequiem for a Dream: Remixed, which containsremixes of the music by various artists includingPaul Oakenfold,Josh Wink,Jagz Kooner, andDelerium.[32] The track "Lux Aeterna" is an orchestral composition by Mansell, theleitmotif ofRequiem for a Dream, and thepenultimate piece in the film's soundtrack. The popularity of this piece led to its use inpopular culture outside the film, infilm andteaser trailers, and with multiple remixes and remakes by other producers.[33][34]
Requiem for a Dreampremiered at the 2000 Cannes Film Festival on May 14, 2000,[35] and the2000 Toronto International Film Festival on September 13[36] before awide release a month later. In the United States, the film opened on October 6, 2000, and grossed a total of $3,635,482, averaging $64,770 per theater. In other territories, the film earned $3,754,626, bringing a worldwide total of $7,390,108.[4]
In the United States, the film was originally ratedNC-17 by theMotion Picture Association of America, but Aronofsky appealed the rating, claiming that cutting any portion of the film would dilute its message. The appeal was denied, and Artisan Entertainment decided to release the film unrated.[37] An R-rated version was released on video, with the sex scene edited, but the rest of the film identical to the unrated version.
In the United Kingdom, the film is rated18 by theBritish Board of Film Classification.[38]
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OnRotten Tomatoes,Requiem for a Dream is rated 79% based on 180 reviews, with an average score of 7.40/10. The consensus: "Though the film may be too intense for some to stomach, the wonderful performances and the bleak imagery are hard to forget."[41] OnMetacritic the film has a weighted average score of 71 out of 100 based on 32 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[42]
Film criticJames Berardinelli ranked it the second-best film of the decade, behindThe Lord of the Rings.[43]Roger Ebert gave it 3½ out of 4, praising "how well [Aronofsky] portrays the mental states of his addicts...a window opens briefly into a world where everything is right. Then it slides shut."[44]Elvis Mitchell ofThe New York Times liked the illustration of how the characters' "lives are so empty when they're not consuming."[45]
Peter Bradshaw ofThe Guardian thought the film was both "formally pleasing" with an "unflinchingly grim portrait of drug abuse."[46]Peter Travers ofRolling Stone wrote that its editing and distorted images "assault the senses."[47]Owen Gleiberman ofEntertainment Weekly, graded it "A": "hypnotically harrowing and intense, a visual and spiritual plunge into seduction and terror." He thought it "may be the first movie to fully capture the way drugs dislocate us."[48] Scott Brake ofIGN wrote the film was "addictive" and "relentless", praising the "bravura cinematic techniques (split screens, complex cross-cutting schemes, hallucinatory visuals) toClint Mansell's driving, hypnotic score (performed by theKronos Quartet)."[49]
Some critics were less positive. Dessen Howe ofThe Washington Post did not think the film's style could "augment this one-note symphony of doom."[39] David Sterritt of theChristian Science Monitor thought "the filmmaking gets addicted to its own flashy cynicism...seems as dazed and confused as the situations it wants to criticize."[50] William Arnold ofSeattle Post-Intelligencer wrote "Aronofsky hurls the full grammar of the cinema at us like a film student on an adrenaline rush: slow-motion, fast-forward, jump cuts, surreal fantasy sequences, endless glaring close-ups of dilating pupils, bizarre hand-held tracking shots." He admired the stylization, yet thought the editing was "brutalizing and counterproductive".[51]
Some critics characterizedRequiem for a Dream in thegenre of "drug movies", with films likeThe Basketball Diaries,Trainspotting,Spun, andFear and Loathing in Las Vegas.[27][52]
| Award | Category | Recipient(s) | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Academy Awards[53] | Best Actress | Ellen Burstyn | Nominated |
| American Film Institute Awards[54] | Movie of the Year | Won | |
| Austin Film Critics Association Awards[55] | Top 10 Films of the Decade | 5th Place | |
| Awards Circuit Community Awards(2000) | Best Motion Picture | Eric Watson and Palmer West | Won |
| Best Director | Darren Aronofsky | Won | |
| Best Actress in a Leading Role | Ellen Burstyn | Won | |
| Best Actress in a Supporting Role | Jennifer Connelly | Runner-up | |
| Best Adapted Screenplay | Hubert Selby Jr. and Darren Aronofsky | Runner-up | |
| Best Cinematography | Matthew Libatique | Runner-up | |
| Best Film Editing | Jay Rabinowitz | Won | |
| Best Original Score | Clint Mansell | Won | |
| Best Sound Editing | Runner-up | ||
| Best Sound Mixing | Runner-up | ||
| Best Cast Ensemble | Jared Leto, Ellen Burstyn, Jennifer Connelly,Marlon Wayans | Runner-up | |
| Awards Circuit Community Awards(2012) | Best Original Score of the Decade | Clint Mansell | Won |
| Black Reel Awards | Outstanding Supporting Actor | Marlon Wayans | Nominated |
| Outstanding Film Poster | Nominated | ||
| Boston Society of Film Critics Awards[56] | Best Actress | Ellen Burstyn | Won |
| Best Cinematography | Matthew Libatique | 3rd Place | |
| Bram Stoker Awards[57] | Best Screenplay | Hubert Selby Jr. and Darren Aronofsky | Nominated |
| Chicago Film Critics Association Awards[58] | Best Director | Darren Aronofsky | Nominated |
| Best Actress | Ellen Burstyn | Won | |
| Chlotrudis Awards[59] | Best Movie | Won | |
| Best Director | Darren Aronofsky | Nominated | |
| Best Actress | Ellen Burstyn | Nominated | |
| Best Supporting Actor | Marlon Wayans | Nominated | |
| Best Supporting Actress | Jennifer Connelly | Nominated | |
| Best Adapted Screenplay | Hubert Selby Jr. and Darren Aronofsky | Nominated | |
| Best Cinematography | Matthew Libatique | Nominated | |
| Best Cast | Jared Leto, Ellen Burstyn, Jennifer Connelly, Marlon Wayans | Nominated | |
| Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association Awards | Best Actress | Ellen Burstyn | Nominated |
| Fangoria Chainsaw Awards | Best Limited-Release/Direct-to-Video Film | Nominated | |
| Best Actress | Ellen Burstyn | Won | |
| Best Supporting Actor | Marlon Wayans | Nominated | |
| Best Supporting Actress | Jennifer Connelly | Nominated | |
| Best Screenplay | Hubert Selby Jr. and Darren Aronofsky | Nominated | |
| Best Score | Clint Mansell | Nominated | |
| Best Makeup/Creature FX | Vincent J. Guastini | Nominated | |
| Florida Film Critics Circle Awards[60] | Best Actress | Ellen Burstyn | Won |
| Golden Globe Awards[61] | Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama | Nominated | |
| Golden Reel Awards | Best Sound Editing – Foreign Feature | Nelson Ferreira, Craig Henighan, Stephen Barden and Jill Purdy | Nominated |
| Golden Trailer Awards | Best of Show | Won | |
| Best Art and Commerce | Nominated | ||
| Best Music | Nominated | ||
| Most Original | Nominated | ||
| Independent Spirit Awards[62][63] | Best Feature | Nominated | |
| Best Director | Darren Aronofsky | Nominated | |
| Best Female Lead | Ellen Burstyn | Won | |
| Best Supporting Female | Jennifer Connelly | Nominated | |
| Best Cinematography | Matthew Libatique | Won | |
| International Horror Guild Awards[64] | Best Movie | Nominated | |
| Kansas City Film Critics Circle Awards[65] | Best Actress | Ellen Burstyn | Won |
| Las Vegas Film Critics Society Awards[66] | Best Actress | Won | |
| Best Supporting Actress | Jennifer Connelly | Nominated | |
| Make-Up Artists and Hair Stylists Guild Awards | Best Innovative Hair Styling – Feature | Nominated | |
| National Board of Review Awards[67] | Special Recognition for Excellence in Filmmaking | Won | |
| National Society of Film Critics Awards[68] | Best Actress | Ellen Burstyn | 3rd Place |
| New York Film Critics Circle Awards[69][70] | Best Supporting Actress | Runner-up | |
| Best Actor | Jared Leto | Nominated | |
| Online Film & Television Association Awards(2000)[71] | Best Picture | Eric Watson and Palmer West | Nominated |
| Best Director | Darren Aronofsky | Nominated | |
| Best Actress | Ellen Burstyn | Won | |
| Best Screenplay – Based on Material from Another Medium | Hubert Selby Jr. and Darren Aronofsky | Nominated | |
| Best Cinematography | Matthew Libatique | Nominated | |
| Best Film Editing | Jay Rabinowitz | Won | |
| Best Original Score | Clint Mansell | Nominated | |
| Best Cinematic Moment | "Finale" | Nominated | |
| "Shoot-Up Sequences" | Nominated | ||
| Best Ensemble | Jared Leto, Ellen Burstyn, Jennifer Connelly, Marlon Wayans | Nominated | |
| Best Makeup | Nominated | ||
| Best Sound Effects | Nominated | ||
| Best Official Film Website | Won | ||
| Online Film & Television Association Awards(2021)[72] | Hall of Fame – Scores | Won | |
| Online Film Critics Society Awards[73] | Top 10 Films | 2nd Place | |
| Best Picture | Nominated | ||
| Best Director | Darren Aronofsky | Won | |
| Best Actress | Ellen Burstyn | Won | |
| Best Supporting Actress | Jennifer Connelly | Nominated | |
| Best Cinematography | Matthew Libatique | Nominated | |
| Best Editing | Jay Rabinowitz | Won | |
| Best Original Score | Clint Mansell | Won | |
| Best Ensemble | Jared Leto, Ellen Burstyn, Jennifer Connelly, Marlon Wayans | Nominated | |
| Phoenix Film Critics Society Awards | Best Picture | Nominated | |
| Best Director | Darren Aronofsky | Nominated | |
| Best Actress in a Leading Role | Ellen Burstyn | Won | |
| Best Actress in a Supporting Role | Jennifer Connelly | Nominated | |
| Best Screenplay – Adaptation | Hubert Selby Jr. and Darren Aronofsky | Nominated | |
| Best Cinematography | Matthew Libatique | Nominated | |
| Best Film Editing | Jay Rabinowitz | Won | |
| Russian Guild of Film Critics Awards | Best Foreign Actress | Ellen Burstyn | Nominated |
| São Paulo International Film Festival | Best Feature Film | Darren Aronofsky | Nominated |
| Satellite Awards[74] | Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama | Ellen Burstyn | Won |
| Saturn Awards[75] | Best Horror Film | Nominated | |
| Best Actress | Ellen Burstyn | Nominated | |
| Screen Actors Guild Awards[76] | Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role | Nominated | |
| SESC Film Festival | Best Foreign Actress (Critics Award) | Nominated | |
| Best Foreign Actress (Audience Award) | Won[a] | ||
| Southeastern Film Critics Association Awards[77] | Best Picture | 6th Place | |
| Best Director | Darren Aronofsky | Runner-up | |
| Best Actress | Ellen Burstyn | Won | |
| Stockholm International Film Festival | Bronze Horse | Darren Aronofsky | Nominated |
| Best Actress | Ellen Burstyn | Won | |
| Toronto Film Critics Association Awards[78] | Best Supporting Actress | Runner-up | |
| Valladolid International Film Festival | Golden Spike | Darren Aronofsky | Won[b] |
| Vancouver Film Critics Circle Awards[79] | Best Actress | Ellen Burstyn | Nominated |
| Webby Awards[80] | Websites – Movie & Film | Won | |
Budget on "Requiem" is roughly $4.5 million.
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