The Personals (1982 film)
| The Personals | |
|---|---|
 Film poster | |
| Directed by | Peter Markle |
| Written by | Peter Markle |
| Produced by | Patrick Wells |
| Starring | Bill Schoppert |
| Distributed by | New World Pictures |
Release date |
|
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $375,000[1] |
| Box office | $2 million[1] |
The Personals is a 1982 romantic comedy written and directed by Peter Markle.[2][3] It was shot in Minneapolis. The film was picked up for distribution by Roger Corman's New World Pictures.[2]
Production
Writer/director Peter Markle's first feature film,[1] it was made with a SAG cast recruited from the Guthrie Theater[4] and a nonunion crew.[5] Principal photography was May–September 1980, with additional takes and pickups through December and continuing into August 1981.[3] It was shot on 16 mm,[3] and blown up to 35 mm for theater screenings.[6]
It was filmed in and around Minneapolis, including such landmarks as the Lake of the Isles,[4] Bde Maka Ska,[7] and the Minneapolis Institute of Art.[8]
Plot
 | This article needs an improved plot summary. (September 2022) |
A man whose wife has left him starts dating again by placing ads in newspaper personal columns. He gets some letters and he dates around the Minnesota area.
Cast
- Bill Schoppert as Bill
- Karen Landry as Adrienne
- Paul Eiding as David
- Victoria Dakil as Shelly
- Chris Forth as Jennifer
- Patrick Thomas O'Brien as Jay
Reception
The film won the Best First Feature Award at the Houston International Film Festival.[5]
New World Pictures distributed the film nationally, and it ran for twelve weeks at St. Louis Park's Cooper Theater.[7] It also received generally positive reviews:[7] The Washington Post called it a "minor but admirably polished and attractive low-budget gem,"[4] and Variety said that the "story really isn't all the profound, but it's told with sincerity and humor, full of likeable, decent people dealing with familiar problems with wigging out."[9] Variety also commended the cast "making their feature film debut ... so natural it could embarrass some Hollywood acting schools."[9] Multiple reviewers appreciated Minneapolis as a fresh setting for filmmaking.[9][10]
Its rental tally was $2 million (equivalent to $6.31 million in 2023).[1]
See also
References
- ^ a b c d Koetting, Christopher T. (2009). Mind Warp!: The Fantastic True Story of Roger Corman's New World Pictures. Bristol: Hemlock Books. pp. 216–217. ISBN 9780955777417.
- ^ a b Canby, Vincent (March 20, 1983). "Screen: 'Personals' in Minneapolis". The New York Times. p. 60.
- ^ a b c Timberg, Bernard; Arnold, Thomas (February 1982). "Voices from the Hinterlands... Part Three". The Independent. Vol. 4, no. 10. pp. 10–11.
Starting out with $50,000 of their own money, Pat Wells and Peter Markle raised the balance of the $375,000 needed to produce their film The Personals by this method.
- ^ a b c Arnold, Gary (January 22, 1983). "Roller Romance, as Advertised". The Washington Post. Washington, D.C. pp. B1, B4.
- ^ a b Anderson, Phil (November 1982). "Prairie Film Companion". American Film.
- ^ "SWM, 32, Looks for Love in 'The Personals'". Philadelphia Daily News. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. October 20, 1983. p. 52.
- ^ a b c Canton, Rolf J. (2007). "Producers". Behind the Cameras: Minnesotans in the Movies, Volume II. Minneapolis, MN: Nodin Press. p. 22. ISBN 9781932472530.
- ^ Markle, Peter (director) (1982). The Personals. YouTube (motion picture). 91 minutes in.
- ^ a b c "Film Reviews: The Personals". Variety. Vol. 309, no. 3. Los Angeles. November 17, 1982. p. 14.
- ^ Thomas, Kevin (March 3, 1983). "Movie Review: 'Personals' A Fresh Surprise". Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles, California. p. J1.
External links
 | This article about a 1980s romantic comedy film is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |