As Is (film)

Last updated
As Is
As Is poster.jpg
Video cover
Based on As Is (play)
Written by William M. Hoffman
Directed by Michael Lindsay-Hogg
Starring
Music by Peter Matz
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
Production
Executive producerMichael Brandman
Producers
Cinematography Rene Ohashi
Editor Ruth Foster
Running time86 minutes
Budget$600,000
Release
Original network Showtime
Original releaseJuly 27, 1986 (1986-07-27)

As Is is a 1986 American television film directed by Michael Lindsay-Hogg. It was adapted by William M. Hoffman from his 1985 play of the same title. The film stars Jonathan Hadary, Robert Carradine, Colleen Dewhurst and Joanna Miles. It premiered on Showtime on July 27, 1986. Several networks rejected the TV adaptation. Hadary and Carradine were both nominated for CableACE Awards. The movie centers on a group of gay male friends dealing with AIDS in New York City. [1] [2]

Contents

Synopsis

The movie depicts the effect that AIDS, a relatively new epidemic in the 1980s, has on a group of gay friends living in New York City. The movie begins with gay couple Saul and Rich, who have recently separated. After Rich contracts AIDS from his new lover Chet, he returns to Saul, who ends up caring for him. The movie also shows how people with AIDS were treated by the American public, doctors, co-workers, and families and friends. In the end, Rich recognizes the importance of having a partner who is willing to share the grief of dying, and is also willing to make their own personal sacrifices in order to provide another with proper care.

Cast

Production notes

William Hoffman, who wrote both the movie script and stage play, said the film was toned down from the stage version, mainly in its language. Executive producer Michael Brandman said he didn't want to "muddy the water with gratuitous profanity. We did keep some of the language, but I think it is highlighted more effectively because it's used more sparingly. Four-letter words offend some people tremendously, and we didn't want to risk losing those people who might benefit from what the piece was saying." [3] The movie was filmed in Toronto, on a budget of $600,000, which is slightly higher than that for other filmed plays presented on Showtime. [3]

Critical reception

Entertainment Weekly wrote that the characters in the movie are "brought vividly to life by playwright William Hoffman's eloquently brutal script", and it gave the film an A rating. [4] Richard Christiansen of the Chicago Tribune wrote "the swift, impressionistic flow of images, which worked well in the theater, seems to diffuse the drama in the film version." He also stated that Jonathan Hadary "often delivers his lines with a punch more suited to the stage than to the naturalistic environment of movies". But overall, he said the "profound issue of coming to terms with one's life in the face of death is classic and timeless." [5]

The New York Times wrote the film "finds its emotional anchor in the deeply sensitive performance of Jonathan Hadary as the friend who acts as loyal attendant", and although the movie "occasionally overreaches, as in an awkward attempt at an epiphany, it is buoyed by its humor as characters find a release, if not a relief, in examining their own helplessness." [6] Hadary and Carradine were both nominated for CableACE Awards for Actor in a theatrical or dramatic special. [7]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George C. Scott</span> American actor, director, and producer (1927–1999)

George Campbell Scott was an American actor, director, and producer who had a celebrated career on both stage and screen. With a gruff demeanor and commanding presence, Scott became known for his portrayal of stern but complex authority figures. Described by The Guardian as "a battler and an actor of rare courage", his roles earned him numerous accolades including two Golden Globes, and two Primetime Emmys as well as nominations for two BAFTA Awards and five Tony Awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Carradine</span> American actor (1906-1988)

John Carradine was an American actor, considered one of the greatest character actors in American cinema. He was a member of Cecil B. DeMille's stock company and later John Ford's company, best known for his roles in horror films, Westerns, and Shakespearean theater, most notably portraying Count Dracula in House of Frankenstein (1944), House of Dracula (1945), Billy the Kid Versus Dracula (1966), and Nocturna: Granddaughter of Dracula (1979). He’s also best known as “Preacher Casy” in John Ford’s The Grapes Of Wrath. In later decades of his career, he starred mostly in low-budget B-movies. In total, he holds 351 film and television credits, making him one of the most prolific English-speaking film and television actors of all time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colleen Dewhurst</span> Canadian-American actress (1924–1991)

Colleen Rose Dewhurst was a Canadian-American actress mostly known for theatre roles. She was a renowned interpreter of the works of Eugene O'Neill on the stage, and her career also encompassed film, early dramas on live television, and performances in Joseph Papp's New York Shakespeare Festival. One of her last roles was playing Marilla Cuthbert in the Kevin Sullivan television adaptations of the Anne of Green Gables series and her reprisal of the role in the subsequent TV series Road to Avonlea. In the United States, Dewhurst won two Tony Awards and four Emmy Awards for her stage and television work. In addition to other Canadian honors over the years, Dewhurst won two Gemini Awards for her portrayal of Marilla Cuthbert; once in 1986 and again in 1988. It is arguably her best known role because of the Kevin Sullivan produced series’ continuing popularity and also the initial co-production by the CBC; allowing for rebroadcasts over the years on it, and also on PBS in the United States. The initial broadcast alone was seen by millions of viewers.

<i>Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel</i> 1987 film

Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel, also known as Anne of Avonlea or Anne of Avonlea: The Continuing Story of Anne of Green Gables, is a 1987 Canadian television miniseries film and the second in a series of four films. A sequel to the 1985 miniseries Anne of Green Gables, it is based on Lucy Maud Montgomery's novels Anne of Avonlea, Anne of the Island, and Anne of Windy Poplars.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kevin Sullivan (producer)</span> Canadian film director and producer

Kevin Roderick Sullivan is a Canadian writer, director and producer of film and television programs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ron Nyswaner</span> American screenwriter and film director (born 1956)

Ronald L. Nyswaner is an American screenwriter and film director. He has been nominated for numerous awards including an Academy Award, BAFTA Award, and a Primetime Emmy Award.

<i>The Normal Heart</i> Play by Larry Kramer

The Normal Heart is a largely autobiographical play by Larry Kramer.

Jerry Levine is an American actor and director of television and theatre. As an actor, he is best known for his roles as Joe on Will & Grace, Stiles in the 1985 feature film Teen Wolf and Jamie in the 1988 movie Casual Sex?.

<i>As Is</i> (play)

As Is is a play written by William M. Hoffman. The play was first produced by Circle Repertory Company and The Glines and directed by Marshall W. Mason. It opened on March 10, 1985 at the Circle Rep in New York City, where it ran for 49 performances.

<i>In the Gloaming</i> (film) 1997 television film

In the Gloaming is a 1997 American television film written by Will Scheffer and directed by Christopher Reeve in his directorial debut. It stars Robert Sean Leonard, Glenn Close, David Strathairn, Bridget Fonda and Whoopi Goldberg. The movie is based on a short story in The New Yorker written by Alice Elliott Dark. The film premiered on HBO on April 20, 1997. It won four CableACE Awards and was nominated for five Primetime Emmy Awards.

<i>The Truth About Alex</i> 1986 Canadian-American drama film

The Truth About Alex is a 1986 Canadian-American made-for-television drama film directed by Paul Shapiro. The movies stars Scott Baio as Brad and Peter Spence as Alex. It is based on the book Counterplay by Ann Snyder and Louis Pelletier. The film aired on Global TV in Canada in 1986 and in the United States on HBO in 1987. The movie received a 1987 Gemini Award for Best Short Drama and one for Best Photography in a Dramatic Program or Series and was nominated for two additional awards. The film also received a CINE Golden Eagle Award and a CableACE Award.

<i>And the Band Played On</i> (film) 1993 American television film by Roger Spottiswoode

And the Band Played On is a 1993 American television film docudrama directed by Roger Spottiswoode. The teleplay by Arnold Schulman is based on the best-selling 1987 non-fiction book And the Band Played On: Politics, People, and the AIDS Epidemic by Randy Shilts, and is noteworthy for featuring both a vast historical scope, as well as an exceptionally sprawling cast.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New York City Gay Men's Chorus</span>

The New York City Gay Men's Chorus is a choral organization in New York City that has been presenting an annual concert season for more than four decades.

<i>Between Two Women</i> (1986 film) American TV series or program

Between Two Women is a 1986 Emmy Award-winning television film starring Farrah Fawcett and Colleen Dewhurst in an story about a relationship between a married woman and her mother-in-law. The film was directed and executive produced by Jon Avnet, and written by Avnet and Larry Grusin.

<i>The Normal Heart</i> (film) 2014 film directed by Ryan Murphy

The Normal Heart is a 2014 American television drama film directed by Ryan Murphy and written by Larry Kramer, based on his 1985 play of the same name. The film stars Mark Ruffalo, Matt Bomer, Taylor Kitsch, Jim Parsons, Alfred Molina, Joe Mantello, Jonathan Groff, and Julia Roberts.

<i>Happyish</i> American dark satirical comedy-drama series

Happyish is an American dark satirical comedy-drama television show created and written by Shalom Auslander and starring Steve Coogan, Kathryn Hahn, Bradley Whitford, Ellen Barkin and Hannah Hodson. Ken Kwapis helped develop the program and directed its pilot and three of the first season's episodes. It first aired on Showtime on April 5, 2015, as a sneak preview, before its official premiere on April 26, 2015. On July 24, 2015, Happyish was cancelled by Showtime due to low ratings.

<i>The Twilight of the Golds</i> (film) 1997 American film

The Twilight of the Golds is an American drama film directed by Ross Kagan Marks, based upon the play The Twilight of the Golds by Jonathan Tolins. The film was screened at the January 1997 Sundance Film Festival prior to its broadcast premiere on Showtime in March 1997. The cast includes Jennifer Beals, Brendan Fraser, Garry Marshall, Faye Dunaway and Jon Tenney. The film deals with the issue of fictional genetic testing, and asks the question – if testing could reveal the sexual orientation of your unborn child, and you knew he or she would be gay, would you abort?

<i>Conspiracy: The Trial of the Chicago 8</i> 1987 American trial drama film

Conspiracy: The Trial of the Chicago 8 is a 1987 HBO original courtroom drama made for television and directed, written and produced by Jeremy Kagan. The film tells the story of the 1969 - 70 trial of the Chicago Eight, and is adapted from the trial transcripts and a play The Chicago Conspiracy Trial by Ron Sossi and Frank Condon.

<i>Paul Monette: The Brink of Summers End</i> 1996 American biographical documentary film

Paul Monette: The Brink of Summer's End is a 1996 American biographical documentary film written and directed by Monte Bramer. The film is based on the life of gay writer and AIDS activist Paul Monette, who died from the disease in 1995. Appearing as themselves in the film are Judith Light, Robert Desiderio, Winston Wilde, Larry Kramer, Star Black and his brother Robert Monette. The documentary is narrated by Linda Hunt. The film premiered in 1996 at Outfest Los Angeles, where it won an award for Best Documentary. The film had its television premiere on Cinemax in 1997.

References

  1. Knight, Richard (October 26, 2011). "AIDS at the movies: The epidemic will be televised". Windy City Times .
  2. Langer, Emily (May 2, 2017). "William M. Hoffman, playwright who put AIDS on center stage, dies at 78". The Washington Post.
  3. 1 2 Farber, Stephen (17 July 1986). "Film Version of As Is, Aids Drama, To Be On TV". The New York Times.
  4. Farber, Jim (January 11, 1991). "As Is - Review". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 10 November 2020.
  5. Christiansen, Richard (July 26, 1986). "As Is Film Stages Drama Of Early Aids For TV". Chicago Tribune .
  6. Gussow, Mel (August 6, 1986). "'As Is,' A Personal Story of AIDS". The New York Times.
  7. AP News (October 20, 1986). "Nominees Announced for Cable ACE Awards". Associated Press. Los Angeles. Actor in a theatrical or dramatic special: Robert Carradine and Jonathan Hadary, both As Is