Drop Dead Gorgeous (film)
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| Drop Dead Gorgeous | |
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| Directed by | Michael Patrick Jann |
| Produced by | Judy Hofflund Gavin Pollone |
| Written by | Lona Williams |
| Starring | Kirstie Alley Ellen Barkin Kirsten Dunst Denise Richards |
| Music by | Mark Mothersbaugh |
| Distributed by | New Line Cinema |
| Release date(s) | July 23, 1999 |
| Running time | 97 minutes |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $10,000,000 |
| IMDb profile | |
Drop Dead Gorgeous is a American film released in 1999.
It stars Denise Richards and Kirsten Dunst as contestants in a beauty pageant called the Sarah Rose Cosmetics Mount Rose American Teen Princess Pageant, held in the small town of Mount Rose, Minnesota. The film is a fictitious documentary covering the pageant.
The motion picture was directed by Michael Patrick Jann and produced by Judy Hofflund and Gavin Pollone.
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[edit] Plot
Many Mount Rose girls compete in the pageant simply to have something to do. Other contestants, like Amber Atkins (Kirsten Dunst) want to win the scholarship money so they can leave Mount Rose - in Amber's case, so she can become more like her idol, Diane Sawyer. Rebecca Leeman (Denise Richards) is the daughter of the richest man in town, and her mother Gladys Leeman (Kirstie Alley) - the head of the pageant organising committee - is a former winner herself. Various business connections between the Leeman Furniture Store and the judges of the pageant (one is an employee) prompt many whispers around town that the contest will be fixed.
Many odd things start happening to people in the run up to the pageant; one of the contestants, Tammy Curry, is blown up while riding a tractor. Brett Clemmens (Casey Garven), Rebbeca's love interest (who is more interested in Amber), is shot dead in a "hunting accident." Fearing for her life, Amber decides to pull out of the pageant after her mother Annette (Ellen Barkin), is injured during an explosion at their trailer. After a pep-talk with family friend Loretta (Allison Janney), and a heart-to-heart with her mother, Amber reconsiders. At the dress rehearsal a fellow contestant Jenelle Betz (originally contestant number 8), swaps positions with Amber (originally contestant number 1). When Jenelle walks on stage at the beginning of rehearsal to perform her talent piece, a spotlight falls and hits her in the head, knocking her unconscious.
At the pageant (despite her tap costume going missing) Amber performs her tap-dance number to a standing ovation, while Rebecca Leeman sings (appallingly badly) and dances with a Jesus doll on a rolling crucifix. Still, Amber comes second to Rebecca Leeman. At the victory parade the next day, Rebecca Leeman rides in an elaborate swan float, designed by her mother and constructed by her father's Mexican workers.
Unfortunately, after Gladys Leeman lights the fireworks at the base of the swan, the entire float catches fire, consuming Rebecca in the flames. In her grief and standing by the burnt-out float, Gladys admits to killing Tammy Curry and, it is assumed, causing the other deaths and injuries in the run-up to the pageant.
At Rebecca's funeral, Amber is crowned Mount Rose's American Teen Princess, and goes on to the state competition. At the State Competition, Amber wins the Minnesota American Teen Princess title by default after all the other contestants fall ill with seafood-related food poisoning. (Amber hadn't eaten any because her mother always said "Don't ever eat nothin' that can carry its house around with it. Who knows the last time it's been cleaned.") As winner, Amber gets an all-expenses-paid trip to Alabama, where the national American Teen Princess Pageant is held. Upon arrival, Amber and the other contestants find that the company has been shut down by the IRS, and the distraught girls (except Amber) wreck the forecourt of the shuttered Sarah Rose Cosmetics building, hurling suitcases. Amber simply sighs and gets back onto the girls' chartered bus.
At the end of the film, Gladys Leeman escapes from prison and takes a sniper position on top of a local business. A television reporter doing a live remote at the scene is shot, and Amber Atkins quickly picks up her mic and takes her place. The film closes with Amber as anchor of the evening news for a Minneapolis/St. Paul television station.
[edit] Background
The movie is set in the fictional town of Mount Rose, Minnesota (an obvious reversal of the real-life town of Rosemount).
Kirsten Dunst's character Amber Atkins was inspired by news reporter Diane Sawyer, who is mentioned throughout the film as Amber's idol.
[edit] Filming locations
The film was filmed near Rosemount, Minnesota. The funeral home and funeral home scenes were filmed at the Wagner Funeral Home in Jordan, Minnesota. TRIVIA When they are intrducing Gladys they say she had won the pagent 17 years ago when Jimmy Carter was president. The movie takes place in 1995 which would made the year 1974 when President Richard Nixon resigned and President Gerald Ford took office.
The mall parking lot that Gladys and the ladies pulled into was NOT the Mall of America. It was actually Eden Prairie Center in Eden Praire, MN.
[edit] Characters
Amber Atkins: Contestant #8, formerly contestant #1. A blonde who lives in a trailer park with her mother. Becomes Mount Rose's American Teen Princess after the death of Becky Leeman. Does a tap-dancing act for her talent.
Becky Leeman: Contestant #6. A brunette who is the daughter of the richest family in all of Mount Rose, and the (new) President of the Lutheran Sisterhood Gun Club. Becomes Mount Rose's American Teen Princess, but dies the next day on a swan float which explodes, making Amber the new princess. Sings a song and dances with a Jesus doll on a rolling crucifix as her talent.
Annette Atkins: Amber's alcoholic, but loving mother and best friend. Nearly dies when a bomb is thrown into their trailer, but survives with her hand being melted onto a beer can.
Gladys Leeman: Becky's mother. Former Mount Rose American Teen Princess. In charge of the Mount Rose American Teen Pageant. Admits to killing Tammy Curry and, it is assumed, causing the other deaths and injuries in the run-up to the pageant, after the death of her daughter, Becky.
Lester Leeman: Owner of the Leeman Furniture store, father of Becky and husband of Gladys.
Loretta: Best friend and neighbor of Annette and Amber Atkins. Somewhat promiscuous. Houses Amber after her trailer gets blown up.
Iris Clark: Helper of Gladys in the Mount Rose American Teen Pageant.
Mary Johanson: The reigning Mount Rose American Teen Princess. Suffers from anorexia, and moves around via wheelchair (and a nurse to push her). Lip-synced to "Don't Cry Out Loud" as her talent.
Leslie Miller: A dim-witted blonde cheerleader who competes in the pageant because "I watch the pageants on TV, and because my boyfriend thinks I'll win." Becomes second runner-up. Performs a cheerleading act for her talent (as two wrestlers wrestle in the foreground).
Lisa Swenson: A dark-haired clumsy girl who "fell in love with the Big Apple" while visiting her brother, who is a drag-queen. Drops out of the pageant at the last minute so Amber can compete, but was supposed to sing and dance to "New York, New York".
Tess Weinhaus: A chubby short-haired girl who has an obsession with dogs, and has gotten her belly remade with skin from her butt after her German Shepherd attacked her. Describes different dog breeds and (poorly) imitates their barks and howls as her talent.
Molly Howard: An American girl adopted by a family of Japanese-Americans. Dresses in clothes that resemble those of the 1950's era, and wears her hair in a style similar to those of the 50's. Considers herself a "Japanese-American" and line-dances for her talent.
Michelle Johnson: A somewhat dark and poetic girl who does a monologue from the movie Soylent Green for her talent.
Jenelle Betz: A girl who hopes to spread sign language around the world. Becomes unable to compete in the pageant due to a stage-light that falls on her head, making her unconscious and deaf. Was originally going to do an interpretive dance with sign language for her talent.
Tammy Curry: An athletic jock girl who was captain of the girls' varsity soccer team, ran track, and was the president of the Lutheran Sisterhood Gun Club. Dies in an explosion on her father's thresher.
John Dough: Judge #1 of the pageant. An obvious pedophile.
Harold Vilmes: Judge #2 of the pageant. An over-weight hardware store owner who is contracted to paint the Leeman's furniture store shortly before judging the pageant.
Jean Kangas: Judge #3 of the pageant. A quiet and anti-social woman who is also Lester's assistant in his furniture store. (Trivia: portrayed by the screenwriter.)
Hank Vilmes: Brother of Harold Vilmes. A mentally-challenged man who is often referred to as a "tard" or "retard".
Pat: Boyfriend of Leslie Miller.
Brett Clemmens: Quarterback of the school's football team. Has a crush on Amber Atkins, but is shot in the head before the two begin dating by either Gladys or Becky.
