Capturing the Friedmans (2003)
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- Not Rated
- 1h 47min
- Documentary, Biography
- 18 Jul 2003 (USA)
- Movie
Documentary on the Friedmans, a seemingly typical, upper-middle-class Jewish family whose world is instantly transformed when the father and his youngest son are arrested and charged with shocking and horrible crimes.
Director:
Awards:
- Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 25 wins & 15 nominations.
- See more »
Photos and Videos
Cast
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Arnold Friedman | ... |
Self (archiveFootage)
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Elaine Friedman | ... |
Self
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| David Friedman | ... |
Self
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Seth Friedman | ... |
Self (archiveFootage)
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| Jesse Friedman | ... |
Self
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John McDermott | ... |
Self
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Frances Galasso | ... |
Self
(as Det. Frances Galasso)
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Anthony Sgeugloi | ... |
Self
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| Chuck Scarborough | ... |
Self (archiveFootage)
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Joseph Onorato | ... |
Self
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Judd Maltin | ... |
Self
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Howard Friedman | ... |
Self
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Abbey Boklan | ... |
Self
(as Judge Abbey Boklan)
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Ron Georgalis | ... |
Self
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Scott Banks | ... |
Self
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| Larry King | ... |
Self (archiveFootage)
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| Debbie Nathan | ... |
Self
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Jerry Bernstein | ... |
Self
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Peter Panaro | ... |
Self
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Lloyd Doppman | ... |
Self
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Jack Fallin | ... |
Self
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Directed by
| Andrew Jarecki | ||
Produced by
| Peter Bove | ... | line producer (as Peter D. Bové) |
| Richard Hankin | ... | co-producer |
| Andrew Jarecki | ... | producer |
| Jaye Nydick | ... | line producer |
| Jennifer Rogen | ... | associate producer |
| Marc Smerling | ... | producer |
Music by
| Andrea Morricone | ||
Cinematography by
| Adolfo Doring | ||
| Aaron Phillips | ||
Editing by
| Richard Hankin | ||
Editorial Department
| Rick Barlis | ... | color corrector |
| John Dowdell | ... | colorist: high definition (as John Dowdell III) |
| Peter Heady | ... | on-line editor: HDTV |
| Danny Hogan | ... | assistant on-line editor |
| Aaron Johnson | ... | assistant editor |
| Allison Raskind | ... | additional assistant editor |
| Patricia Sztaba | ... | negative cutter |
| Stan Sztaba | ... | negative cutter |
Art Direction by
| Nava Lubelski | ||
Production Management
| Tanya Barr | ... | production manager |
| Jose A. Barrios | ... | production manager |
| Alex Carone | ... | production manager |
| Rafael Estrella | ... | production manager |
| Caroline Findlay | ... | production manager |
| Christopher J. Grunke | ... | production manager |
| Thom Little | ... | production manager |
| Robert Warmflash | ... | post-production supervisor |
Art Department
| Liz Campbell | ... | swing |
| Nava Lubelski | ... | props |
Sound Department
| Nathan Crooker | ... | additional sound |
| Mariusz Glabinski | ... | assistant sound editor |
| Piotr Glabinski | ... | apprentice sound editor |
| Marlena Grzaslewicz | ... | sound editor |
| John Gurrin | ... | sound mixer |
| Dustin Hudson | ... | stereo sound consultant: Dolby |
| Bruce Kitzmeyer | ... | sound editor |
| Desiree Ortiz | ... | additional sound |
| Ira Spiegel | ... | sound editor |
| Peter Waggoner | ... | sound mixer |
Visual Effects by
| Steve Chiarello | ... | visual effects |
| Kevin Quinlan | ... | visual effects |
| Mark Szumski | ... | visual effects |
| John Zawisha | ... | visual effects |
Camera and Electrical Department
| Charlie Beyer | ... | additional photographer |
| Rebecca Brillhart | ... | assistant camera |
| Jesse Cory | ... | key grip |
| John Dreyer | ... | gaffer |
| Phil Gries | ... | camera interviews of cast |
| Brian Jackson | ... | additional photographer |
| Chris Johnson | ... | gaffer |
| David Kuhn | ... | stills photographer |
| Aaron Phillips | ... | additional photographer |
| Rossana Rizzo | ... | assistant camera |
| Roger Sherman | ... | still photographer |
| Marc Smerling | ... | additional photographer |
| Tim Spellman | ... | gaffer |
| Ari Issler | ... | assistant camera (uncredited) |
Location Management
| Matt Whitcher | ... | location manager (as Matthew Whitcher) |
Music Department
| Matthew Abbott | ... | music clearances (as Mathew Abbott) |
| Damiano Antinori | ... | assistant score engineer |
| Jim Black | ... | music clearances |
| Enrico DeMelis | ... | music coordinator (as Enrico De Melis) |
| Andrea Morricone | ... | conductor / music editor / orchestrator |
| Gianni Oddi | ... | musician: saxophone soloist |
| Alessia Patregnani | ... | music facilitator |
| Luciano Torani | ... | music mixer |
| Fabio Venturi | ... | music recording engineer / score mixing engineer |
| Rocco Zifarelli | ... | musician: guitar solos |
Transportation Department
| Christopher Pollard | ... | genny driver |
Additional Crew
| Nancy Baker | ... | creative consultant |
| Steve Beganyi | ... | production assistant |
| Brian Cahill | ... | production assistant |
| Mike Campbell | ... | production assistant |
| John Carlucci | ... | production assistant |
| Al Cerullo | ... | helicopter pilot |
| Mark Chamlin | ... | legal counsel (as Marc Chamlin) |
| Robert Coles | ... | particularly good advice (as Dr. Robert Coles) |
| John Cumberland | ... | production assistant |
| Michael Darmanin | ... | title designer |
| John Dowdell | ... | datacine operator (as John Dowdell III) |
| Cory Gibson | ... | production assistant |
| Erin Heidenreich | ... | sales agent |
| David Hurlburt | ... | production assistant |
| Victor Kovner | ... | legal counsel |
| Albert Maysles | ... | particularly good advice |
| Pat McNulty | ... | production assistant |
| Gary Mennitt | ... | legal counsel |
| Earl Nemser | ... | particularly good advice |
| Sheila Nevins | ... | particularly good advice |
| Mike Nichols | ... | particularly good advice |
| Martin Obysovsky | ... | production assistant |
| Eric Rosenthal | ... | production assistant |
| Diane Sawyer | ... | particularly good advice |
| Jamieson Shea | ... | assistant to producer |
| Mark Townsend | ... | production assistant |
Thanks
| J.J. Abrams | ... | special thanks |
| Katie Abrams | ... | special thanks |
| André Balazs | ... | special thanks |
| Paul Barnes | ... | special thanks |
| Jeff Bushkin | ... | special thanks |
| Dado Carillo | ... | special thanks |
| Michael Chandler | ... | special thanks |
| Gavin de Becker | ... | special thanks (as Gavin DeBecker) |
| Griffin Dunne | ... | special thanks |
| Alexa L. Fogel | ... | special thanks (as Alexa Fogel) |
| Katie Ford | ... | special thanks |
| Liz Garbus | ... | special thanks |
| Robin Gattegno | ... | special thanks |
| Mark Golin | ... | special thanks |
| Mark Green | ... | special thanks |
| Rob Gukeisen | ... | special thanks |
| Robin Hafitz | ... | special thanks |
| Jim Hart | ... | special thanks |
| Lisa Heller | ... | special thanks |
| Dawn Hershman | ... | special thanks |
| Ellen Hovde | ... | special thanks |
| Gloria Jarecki | ... | special thanks |
| Nancy Jarecki | ... | very special thanks |
| Jeong Ho Kim | ... | special thanks |
| Greg Kinnear | ... | special thanks |
| Barbara Kopple | ... | special thanks |
| Helen Labdon | ... | special thanks (as Helen Kinnear) |
| Ken Lanning | ... | special thanks |
| Tom Lassally | ... | special thanks |
| Ted Leonsis | ... | special thanks |
| Bryan Lourd | ... | special thanks |
| Michael Lynton | ... | special thanks |
| Gary Mennitt | ... | special thanks |
| Paul Mones | ... | special thanks |
| Julie Moran | ... | special thanks |
| Rob Moran | ... | special thanks |
| Giovanni Morricone | ... | special thanks |
| David Doc O'Connor | ... | special thanks (as David O'Connor) |
| Sanford Panitch | ... | special thanks |
| Hutch Parker | ... | special thanks |
| Bob Pittman | ... | special thanks |
| Veronique Pittman | ... | special thanks |
| Mikal Reich | ... | special thanks |
| Howard Rosenman | ... | special thanks |
| Stefanie Scheer | ... | special thanks |
| Alex Silveira | ... | special thanks |
| Carly Simon | ... | special thanks |
| David Spinozza | ... | special thanks |
| Kipp Stroden | ... | special thanks |
| James Taylor | ... | special thanks |
| Michael Wimer | ... | special thanks |
| Jacy Young | ... | special thanks |
Production Companies
Distributors
- Magnolia Pictures (2003) (United States) (theatrical)
- Home Box Office Home Video (HBO) (2004) (United States) (DVD)
- 791 Cine (2006) (Argentina) (theatrical)
- A-Film Distribution (2003) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
- BIM Distribuzione (2004) (Italy) (theatrical)
- Cinema Mondo (2003) (Finland) (theatrical)
- Dendy Films (2004) (Australia) (theatrical)
- Filmcoopi (2004) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
- Filmhouse (2004) (Mexico) (theatrical)
- Filmtrade (2004) (Greece) (theatrical)
- Metro Tartan Distribution Ltd. (2004) (United Kingdom) (theatrical)
- Tour de Force (2004) (Norway) (theatrical)
- A-Film Home Entertainment (2004) (Netherlands) (video)
- Alpha Filmes (2004) (Brazil) (DVD)
- Alpha Filmes (2004) (Brazil) (VHS)
- Barbar Film (2005) (Turkey)
- Four Films (2007) (Chile) (DVD)
- Giangiacomo Feltrinelli Editore (2006) (Italy) (DVD)
- HBO Documentary Films (United States)
- HBO Max (2020) (United States) (video) (VOD)
- Magna Pacific (2004) (Australia) (DVD)
- NITV (2024) (Australia) (tv)
- Palisades Tartan (2009) (United Kingdom)
- Palisades-Tartan Acquisitions (2008) (United Kingdom) (DVD)
- Pelicanfilms (2004) (Switzerland) (DVD)
- SnagFilms (2011) (World-wide) (video)
- Yleisradio (YLE) (2007) (Finland) (tv)
Special Effects
- Charlex (visual effects)
- Cobblestone Digital Animation (photo animation)
Other Companies
- 701 Sound (post-production sound)
- Available Light Productions (lighting)
- CNN (archival footage)
- Camera Service Center (camera equipment provided by)
- Cinetic Media (sales)
- Clearsongs (music clearances)
- Donna Daniels Public Relations (publicity)
- DuArt Film and Video (film lab)
- FILM Archives (archival footage)
- Forum Studio (score recorded at)
- Hand Held Films (camera)
- Hello World Communications (sound equipment)
- Hotlights (lighting)
- Hoverviews Unlimited (helicopter)
- Luna Lighting (cranes)
- Luna Lighting (dolly)
- Orchestra di Roma (score performed by)
- Playback Systems (monitors)
- Postworks New York (digital intermediate)
- Sound One (sound mixing)
- Storyville Post (Avid editing facility)
- Tape House Editorial (post-production services)
- Technological Cinevideo Services (TCS) (camera)
- World Cinevision Services (negative cutting)
Storyline
| Plot Summary |
In the late 1980s, the Friedmans--father and respected computer and music teacher Arnold Friedman, mother and homemaker Elaine Friedman, and their three grown sons David Friedman, Seth Friedman, and Jesse Friedman--of Great Neck, Long Island, are seemingly your typical middle-class American family. They all admit that the marriage was by no means close to being harmonious--Arnold and Elaine eventually divorced--but the sons talk of their father, while also not being always there for them, as being a good man. This façade of respectability masks the fact that Arnold was buying and distributing child pornography. Following a sting operation to confirm this fact, the authorities began to investigate Arnold for sexual abuse of the minor-aged male students of his computer classes, which he held in the basement of the family home. Based on interviews with the students, not only was Arnold charged with and ultimately convicted of multiple counts of sodomy and sexual abuse of these boys, but so was 18-year-old Jesse, whom many called the aggressor of the two in the acts. Arnold admitted that he is a pedophile, but that he did not abuse the boys in his class as charged and convicted. The trial process brought out the dysfunction that previously existed within the family. But the issue of Arnold and Jesse's guilt of these acts is hotly debated among the family, among the authorities, among the media and among the students of the computer classes. Written by Huggo |
| Plot Keywords | |
| Taglines | Who do you believe? See more » |
| Genres | |
| Parents Guide | View content advisory » |
| Certification |
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Box Office
| Opening Weekend United States | $65,154, 01 Jun 2003 |
Did You Know?
| Trivia | Director/producer Andrew Jarecki was in the process of making a documentary about people who work as children's birthday party clowns in New York which led to the discovery of David Friedman's story. David Friedman was considered the most successful of the city's party clowns. The resulting clown documentary, Just a Clown (2004), is included as an extra on the DVD for this movie. See more » |
| Movie Connections | Featured in Playgirl/Peter Gorman/Capturing the Friedmans (2003). See more » |
| Soundtracks | Act Naturally See more » |
| Crazy Credits | Only the immediate members of the Friedman family (listed 1-5) are credited in a standard cast list. The other cast members are identified by on-screen graphics. See more » |