Storytelling (film)

Storytelling
DVD cover for Storytelling
Directed by	Todd Solondz
Produced by	Christine Vachon, Ted Hope
Written by	Todd Solondz
Starring	Selma Blair Leo Fitzpatrick
Music by	Belle & Sebastian, Nathan Larson
Cinematography	Frederick Elmes
Release date(s)	January 27, 2002
Running time	87 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

Storytelling is a 2001 film, directed by Todd Solondz. It features original music by Belle & Sebastian, later compiled on an album of the same name. It was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2001 Cannes Film Festival.

Plot

The film consists of two stories that are unrelated and have different actors, titled "Fiction" and "Non-Fiction." "Fiction," starring Selma Blair, is about a group of college students in a creative writing class taught by a professor who has affairs with his students. "Non-Fiction," starring Paul Giamatti and John Goodman, is about the filming of a high school student and his family through the college application process.

Cast

• Selma Blair - Vi ('Fiction')
• Leo Fitzpatrick - Marcus ('Fiction')
• Robert Wisdom - Mr. Scott ('Fiction')
• Maria Thayer - Amy ('Fiction')
• Angela Goethals - Elli ('Fiction')
• Devorah Rose - Lucy ('Fiction')
• Nancy Anne Ridder - Joyce ('Fiction')
• Steve Rosen - Ethan ('Fiction') (as Steven Rosen)
• Aleksa Palladino - Catherine ('Fiction')
• Mary Lynn Rajskub - Melinda ('Fiction')
• Tina Holmes - Sue ('Fiction')
• Paul Giamatti - Toby Oxman ('Non-fiction')
• Mike Schank - Mike the Cameraman ('Non-fiction')
• Xander Berkeley - Mr. DeMarco ('Non-fiction')
• Mark Webber - Scooby Livingston ('Non-fiction')
• John Goodman - Marty Livingston ('Non-fiction')
• Julie Hagerty - Fern Livingston ('Non-fiction')
• Noah Fleiss - Brady Livingston ('Non-fiction')

Third story

The original version of the film featured a third story, concerning, among other things, a closeted football player played by actor James van der Beek.[1] But for unknown reasons, possibly that the character had an explicit sex scene with a male partner, the entire story was cut from the final version.[2]

Red box controversy

During the sex scene in the "Fiction" part of the film, a red box was added for the American version of the film, blocking the audience's view of a rough sex scene between Selma Blair and Robert Wisdom. This was used to bend the rules of the MPAA's rating system, allowing the film to obtain the R rating instead of NC-17. Initially the red box was to have had the word "Censored" on it, but the MPAA also deemed this unacceptable because they do not consider themselves censors.^{[citation needed]} Solondz described the addition of the box as a political statement: "I was prepared to make that political statement. This is something I've always been prepared to do, as long as the audience is aware of what it's not allowed to see. That's how I feel "politically" about that. (...)" [3]The box is not present in the international version of the film, although in the American DVD release, both options are available.

External links

• Storytelling at the Internet Movie Database
• Storytelling at Rotten Tomatoes