Meet Joe Black (1998)
13 Nov 1998 ● English ● 2 hrs 58 mins
Bill Parrish (Anthony Hopkins), businessman and devoted family man, is about to celebrate his 65th birthday. However, before he reaches that landmark, he is visited by Death (Brad Pitt), who has taken human form as Joe Black, a young man who recently died. Joe and Bill make a deal: Bill will be given a few extra days of his life, and Joe will spend the same time getting to know what it's like to be human. It seems like a perfect arrangement, until Joe falls in love -- with Bill's daughter.
Cast: Anthony Hopkins, Brad Pitt, Claire Forlani, Marcia Gay Harden
Crew: Martin Brest (Director), Emmanuel Lubezki (Director of Photography), Thomas Newman (Music Director)
Rating: PG (Singapore), M (Australia)
Genres: Drama, Fantasy, Romance
Release Dates: 13 Nov 1998 (India)
Tagline: Meet Joe Black: Sooner or Later Everyone Does
Did you know? Future director Eli Roth had an early job working as a stand-in during production of this film, but was fired by director Martin Brest due to a misconception. Reportedly, Roth was asked to walk with an awkward "bouncing" motion to appear "taller" (as he was physically shorter than the actor he was doubling) while the crew set up a shot and lighting with him. Director Brest happened to walk by, saw Roth's awkward movement, and declared him to be "one untalented stand-in" before ordering him to be immediately fired, not realizing he had been instructed by the crew to move that way. Roth was later re-hired as a production assistant, but this was kept secret from Brest to avoid trouble. Read More
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as William Parrish
as Joe Black / Young Man in Coffee Shop
as Susan Parrish
as Allison
as Boardmember
as Eddie Sloane
as Jennifer
as Construction Foreman
as Party Guest
as Boardmember
as Jamaican Woman's Daughter
as Drew
as Quince
as Boardmember
as Boardmember
as Drew's Secretary
as Helen
as Boardmember
as Party Waiter
as Jamaican Woman
as Madeline
as Lillian
as Party Guest
as Butler
as Boardmember
as Hospital Receptionist
as Electrician
as Florist
Direction
Director
First Assistant Director
Second Assistant Director
Production
Producer
Production Company
Co-Producer
Executive Producer
Writers
Screenplay Writer
Screenplay Adaptation
Camera and Electrical
Director of Photography
Sound
Sound Re-recording Mixer
Foley Editor
Sound Mixer
Sound Effects Editor
Foley Artist
Boom Operator
Art
Production Designer
Art Director
Set Decorator
Prop Master
Casting
Casting Director
Casting Associate
Extras Casting
Casting Assistant
Costume and Wardrobe
Costume Designer
Editorial
Editor
First Assistant Editor
Assistant Editor
Makeup and Hair
Hair Stylist
Post Production
Post Production Supervisor
Special Effects
Special Effects Coordinator
Stunts
Stunt Coordinator
Visual Effects
Visual Effects Supervisor
Film Type:
Feature
Language:
English
Spoken Languages:
Dutch
Colour Info:
Color
Sound Mix:
Dolby Digital, DTS, Sony Dynamic Digital Sound
Frame Rate:
24 fps
Aspect Ratio:
1.85:1 (Flat)
Stereoscopy:
No
Taglines:
Meet Joe Black: Sooner or Later Everyone Does
He's Expecting You.
He's Expecting You.
Movie Connection(s):
Reference: Burn After Reading (English)
Reference: Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (Hindi)
Reference: Jersey Girl (English)
Remade as: Shukriya: Till Death Do Us Apart (Hindi)
Reference: Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (Hindi)
Reference: Jersey Girl (English)
Remade as: Shukriya: Till Death Do Us Apart (Hindi)
Filming Locations:
Goofs:
Continuity
The amount of ice in Bill's scotch glass varies from shot to shot when the family is having drinks.
Continuity
The exterior shots of the helicopter are of a Sikorsky S-76. However, the interior shots are of a larger helicopter, possibly something equivalent to a Sikorsky S-92 (the executive model S-76 typically has only 2 rows of rear seats that face each other).
Continuity
When Allison has the three different cakes brought in for her father to taste and choose one for the party - the chocolate cake keeps changing position from shot to shot.
Continuity
In the coffee shop, Susan pours cream into her coffee three times, and puts sugar in twice.
Continuity
When Joe walks into the office to tell Bill that it will be just the two of them, Bill takes off his glasses twice.
Continuity
When Quince is talking to Joe before the party, his wine glass jumps from hand to hand between shots.
Continuity
Just before clinking glasses with Joe Black, William Parrish holds his wine glass by the bowl when seen from the front, but by the stem when shot from behind.
Continuity
When Susan is kissing Joe goodbye after having made love, her medical bag is on the floor. Even though she doesn't bend down to pick it up before she walks away, she has it in her hand as she exits.
Continuity
At Bill's party - when he is in his office about to confront Drew - before he stands up he takes off his glasses, but in the next shot he is standing and takes off his glasses again.
Continuity
During the first close up of Susan at the parts the straps of her dress are twisted at the back. They are straightened in the future scenes.
The amount of ice in Bill's scotch glass varies from shot to shot when the family is having drinks.
Continuity
The exterior shots of the helicopter are of a Sikorsky S-76. However, the interior shots are of a larger helicopter, possibly something equivalent to a Sikorsky S-92 (the executive model S-76 typically has only 2 rows of rear seats that face each other).
Continuity
When Allison has the three different cakes brought in for her father to taste and choose one for the party - the chocolate cake keeps changing position from shot to shot.
Continuity
In the coffee shop, Susan pours cream into her coffee three times, and puts sugar in twice.
Continuity
When Joe walks into the office to tell Bill that it will be just the two of them, Bill takes off his glasses twice.
Continuity
When Quince is talking to Joe before the party, his wine glass jumps from hand to hand between shots.
Continuity
Just before clinking glasses with Joe Black, William Parrish holds his wine glass by the bowl when seen from the front, but by the stem when shot from behind.
Continuity
When Susan is kissing Joe goodbye after having made love, her medical bag is on the floor. Even though she doesn't bend down to pick it up before she walks away, she has it in her hand as she exits.
Continuity
At Bill's party - when he is in his office about to confront Drew - before he stands up he takes off his glasses, but in the next shot he is standing and takes off his glasses again.
Continuity
During the first close up of Susan at the parts the straps of her dress are twisted at the back. They are straightened in the future scenes.
Trivia:
The film cast includes three Oscar winners: Anthony Hopkins, Brad Pitt and Marcia Gay Harden; and one Oscar nominee: June Squibb.
A truncated two hour version has been shown on television and airlines, achieved by chopping out most of Anthony Hopkins's character's business. Martin Brest has disowned this edit so the director's credit is for Alan Smithee.
When death is standing behind the glass in Bill's library upon their first meeting, the body is obscured. However, when death stands closer to the window, the outline in the window forms a skull. This is the first indication of who the mysterious person is.
The part played by Anthony Hopkins was originally slated for Gene Hackman.
When "The Guy at the Coffee Shop" first appears, he is obscured in the translucent phone booth talking on the phone. The first time "Death" is seen is in "the Guy's" body also obscured behind glass in Bill's library making a direct connection between the two.
Anthony Hopkins would frequently come to blows with Martin Brest over the director's insistence on doing multiple takes.
A reunion for Brad Pitt and Anthony Hopkins after playing father and son four years previously in Legends of the Fall (1994).
Future director Eli Roth had an early job working as a stand-in during production of this film, but was fired by director Martin Brest due to a misconception. Reportedly, Roth was asked to walk with an awkward "bouncing" motion to appear "taller" (as he was physically shorter than the actor he was doubling) while the crew set up a shot and lighting with him. Director Brest happened to walk by, saw Roth's awkward movement, and declared him to be "one untalented stand-in" before ordering him to be immediately fired, not realizing he had been instructed by the crew to move that way. Roth was later re-hired as a production assistant, but this was kept secret from Brest to avoid trouble.
loosely based on the film Death Takes A Holiday.
During Bill and Susan Parrish's last scene together, the orchestra plays an arrangement of "What a Wonderful World." First recorded by Louis Armstrong in 1968, the song has become a standard. Armstrong's recording was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999.
A truncated two hour version has been shown on television and airlines, achieved by chopping out most of Anthony Hopkins's character's business. Martin Brest has disowned this edit so the director's credit is for Alan Smithee.
When death is standing behind the glass in Bill's library upon their first meeting, the body is obscured. However, when death stands closer to the window, the outline in the window forms a skull. This is the first indication of who the mysterious person is.
The part played by Anthony Hopkins was originally slated for Gene Hackman.
When "The Guy at the Coffee Shop" first appears, he is obscured in the translucent phone booth talking on the phone. The first time "Death" is seen is in "the Guy's" body also obscured behind glass in Bill's library making a direct connection between the two.
Anthony Hopkins would frequently come to blows with Martin Brest over the director's insistence on doing multiple takes.
A reunion for Brad Pitt and Anthony Hopkins after playing father and son four years previously in Legends of the Fall (1994).
Future director Eli Roth had an early job working as a stand-in during production of this film, but was fired by director Martin Brest due to a misconception. Reportedly, Roth was asked to walk with an awkward "bouncing" motion to appear "taller" (as he was physically shorter than the actor he was doubling) while the crew set up a shot and lighting with him. Director Brest happened to walk by, saw Roth's awkward movement, and declared him to be "one untalented stand-in" before ordering him to be immediately fired, not realizing he had been instructed by the crew to move that way. Roth was later re-hired as a production assistant, but this was kept secret from Brest to avoid trouble.
loosely based on the film Death Takes A Holiday.
During Bill and Susan Parrish's last scene together, the orchestra plays an arrangement of "What a Wonderful World." First recorded by Louis Armstrong in 1968, the song has become a standard. Armstrong's recording was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999.
