FILM :
THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER
Summit Entertainment presents a Mr. Mudd Production's Comedy, Drama, Romance written and directed by
Stephen Chbosky starring
Logan Lerman "Charlie",
Emma Watson "Sam",
Ezra Miller "Patrick",
Mae Whitman "Mary Elizabeth",
Kate Walsh "Mother", Dylan McDermott "Father", Melanie Lynskey "Aunt Helen",
Nina Dobrev "Candace",
Johnny Simmons "Brad" with Joan Cusack "Dr. Burton",
Paul Rudd "Mr. Anderson", Nicholas Braun "Ponytail Derek", Reece Thompson "Craig",
Erin Wilhelmi "Alice". Music by: Michael Brook. Music Supervisor: Alexandra Patsavas. Music Editor: Jennifer Nash. Score Produced By: Michael Brook, Jennifer Nash, Craig Conard. Music Clearance and Legal Services Provided By: Christine Bergren Music Consulting, Christine Bergren. Costume Designer: David C. Robinson. Editor: Mary Jo Markey, A.C.E. . Production Designer: Inbal Weinberg. Director of Photography: Andrew Dunn, BSC . Executive Producers: James Powers,
Stephen Chbosky. Produced by:
Lianne Halfon and Russell Smith, John Malkovich. RELEASE DATES: 19 DECEMBER 2012 (FRANCE) / 21 SEPTEMBER 2012 (USA)
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THE CIRCUS COMES TO PITTSBURGH: The Perks of Being a Wallflower was shot primarily in the suburbs of Pittsburgh, including Peters Township, Bethel Park, Dormont and Upper St. Clair, the same area in which, not coincidentally, Stephen Chbosky grew up. “There was nowhere else I could have made this movie,” he says. “Filming in Pittsburgh was authentic to the book, as well as to my upbringing. There’s a scene between Aunt Helen and little Charlie outside on the street. The house I grew up in is literally off camera by about 15 yards.” Emma Watson testifies to the filmmaker’s home‐turf advantage: “Steve grew up in Pittsburgh. It is his hometown, it is where he went to school, and the characters, for the most part, are really based on real people that he knew, some of whom he still does know. It was amazing to be able to shoot there.” Before shooting began, Chbosky introduced the cast to some of the important landmarks of his own teen years. “Teenagers have some things in common everywhere, but the truth is in the details,” he says. “The cast didn’t know what Sarris chocolate pretzels were until they came here. They hadn’t had chipped ham or cheese fries from the Original O or a sandwich at Primanti Bros. That was the homework that I gave them. Needless to say, they loved their homework. “Sometimes it felt like I brought the circus to town. We all stayed in one small hotel right near the mall that I hung out at when I was a teenager. They embraced the whole suburban experience, which was something none of them really had. They were all child actors. They grew up on sets, and so they all finally got to have their high‐school experience, go to the food court and go to the movie theater, while sweet Emma stopped and signed every Harry Potter book she was handed.” For the scenes of some of the characters’ most challenging life moments, Peters Township High School stood in for Mill Grove High School. And for the movie’s riotous Rocky Horror Picture Show scenes, the director returned to the landmark Dormont Hollywood Theater where he originally saw the film as a teen. While Chbosky admits that he was afraid to participate during his own high‐school days, he gave his characters free rein as the stars of the front‐of‐screen live re‐enactment of the classic movie. “The local ‘Rocky Horror Floor Show’ cast were our technical advisors,” he says. “And the audience is filled with real Rocky Horror devotees. Ezra Miller and Emma Watson were in heaven during those scenes. We had to drag Ezra off the stage because he was so into playing Frank‐N‐Furter! Those were two of the greatest days we had.” The scene was a highlight for costume designer David Robinson, as well. “We had a lot of fun,” he says. “It had to look like high‐school kids had made their own costumes, but we also needed it to look cool. I think the end result was fantastic. Plus Ezra Miller in five‐inch pumps is someone to be reckoned with!” Perhaps the most meaningful element for Chbosky in recreating his youth for the screen was the evocative soundtrack he put together for the film. “I don’t care how old you are,” he says. “When you think back to your youth, you think of the music you listened to. I made mix tapes like the kids in the movie, then CDs, and now it’s playlists. It’s a constant with kids. Music is one of the cornerstones of being young. It helps form your identity. It defines you and bonds you to your friends.” He sets his story to the soundtrack of his high‐school years that includes some of the most memorable music of the late ’80s and early ’90s, including “Asleep” by The Smiths, “Come On Eileen” by Dexy’s Midnight Runners, “Could it Be Another Change” by The Samples and “Araby” by The Reivers. “I knew ‘Come On Eileen’ was absolutely going to be the homecoming song. I knew that Air Supply had to be in it. And I wanted XTC’s ‘Dear God’ in the movie because I love that song. But the cornerstone of the movie is ‘Asleep,’ which I first heard on a mix tape many years ago. It defined a year of my life.” Music supervisor Alexandra Patsavas contributed her ideas as well, recommending songs that Chbosky was not familiar with. “She has such a passion for that era,” he says. “She introduced me to things that I’d never heard before, but I will love until the day I die. To me the soundtrack is a mix tape that reflects a time and sets a tone. I’m really, really proud of the music in this film.” The music and singing didn’t always stop once the cameras stopped rolling. A hotel room band, jokingly dubbed Octopus Jam, included Ezra Miller on drums, Logan Lerman on guitar and Watson on vocals, along with a rotating roster of “guest” artists, including singer‐songwriter Landon Pigg, who appears in the film as well. Emma Watson says, “It was such a great group of people. We all hung out at the hotel at night and we played music. Pretty much everyone involved is musically talented in some way, so we spent most of our evenings playing and talking and being silly.” Equally important to recreating the late 20th‐century feeling for the film were the costumes. With more than a dozen principals and crowds of extras, costume designer David Robinson says he scoured thrift stores in and around Pittsburgh. “The leads had numerous costume changes. We had a football game, a pep rally, a homecoming dance, Sadie Hawkins, Christmas, Rocky Horror, prom, graduation. It was like one huge storm after another of clothes.” For the extras alone, more 4,000 changes were required. Robinson used local high‐school yearbooks to ensure authenticity and repurposed vintage clothing for costumes including Sam’s homecoming dress, which was refashioned from a long gown. Chbosky was as involved in costume selection as he was in everything else on the shoot, sometimes walking through the wardrobe trailer to pull pieces for specific characters. One of the highlights of both the book and the film is a pair of scenes that could only be filmed in Pittsburgh. The Fort Pitt Tunnel leads into downtown Pittsburgh, feeding cars onto a bridge with an expansive view of the city’s skyline. A must‐see for visitors to the city, it is the setting for a transformational moment for Charlie, as he first watches Sam take an exhilarating ride in the back of pickup truck hurtling through the tunnel and later takes that same ride himself. Chbosky calls that sequence a dream come true. “I’ve had the image of those kids flying through the tunnel in my head for about 18 years now, and to finally have actually filmed it felt pretty fantastic.” Watson was initially told that she wouldn’t be allowed to actually participate in the stunt, but she was determined to do it herself and finally wore the director down. She soon found herself standing in the back of a flatbed truck, traveling at around 60 miles‐per‐hour through the tunnel, tethered by a single cord. “I had only one string, with my hands in the air, all the way through the tunnel until we came out the other end,” she remembers. “The first time I did it, I became so emotional that I cried. It was really special and beautiful, and the shot blew my mind. It’s stunning, and Steve knew when he conceptualized it that it would be amazing. It was, hands down, one of the exciting moments of my life.” Charlie repeats the ride later in the film and Lerman also insisted on doing the stunt himself. “The experience can’t be matched. I remember climbing out onto the truck bed, and standing up. We shot out of the tunnel and I saw the city lights. I have never experienced anything like that before. Words can’t describe how awesome it was.” The image of the teens “in flight,” which closes both the novel and the movie, is what Chbosky wants to stay with viewers. “In the face of all that pain, they feel the possibilities for the future are infinite,” he says. “It’s the perfect song, the perfect drive and they’re the perfect people. These are the moments that will define your life forever. To me, ‘infinite’ was the perfect word to describe that feeling that after this, his life is only going to get better. It is only going to go up.” With the film finally complete, Chbosky says he can’t imagine a better experience. “The Saturday before we wrapped was like the last day of camp,” he says. “Even the most hardened production veteran was crying, because they knew they were about to say goodbye to a unique moment. Landon Pigg sang this song called ‘Something Brief,’ about how these moments come and go, and love comes and goes. We were in this little bar in Mount Lebanon, and I looked across at everybody. There was Emma swaying to the music and Mae sitting next to her boyfriend. Ezra was crying his eyes out. We were all moved. I don’t think anybody who was there that night will ever forget it, because that was like graduation for us. “When I wrote the book, a few people read it and gave me some really smart comments, but it was primarily me alone in a room,” Chbosky adds. “The film was created by hundreds of people. I’m so proud to be able to share this with everyone involved, including the fans. I wouldn’t change a frame of it. We did it right and we did it with integrity. It is the proudest reflection of the book I could’ve made.” The events, characters and firms depicted in this photoplay are fictitious. Any similarity to actual persons, living or dead, or to actual events or firms is purely coincidental. Ownership of this motion picture is protected under the laws of the United States and all other countries throughout the world. All rights reserved. Any unauthorized duplication, distribution, or exhibition of this film or any part thereof (including soundtrack) is an infringement of the relevant copyright and will subject the infringer to severe civil and criminal penalties. Ownership of this motion picture is protected by copyright and other applicable laws, and any unauthorized duplication, distribution or exhibition of this motion picture could result in criminal prosecution as well as civil liability. © 2012 Summit Entertainment, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
TRAILER #1 (VO) THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER Summit Entertainment presents a Mr. Mudd Production's Comedy, Drama, Romance.
ABOUT THE CAST: LOGAN LERMAN (Charlie) has come of age in the entertainment industry with an impressive body of work. He maintains a fearless pursuit of challenging roles, evolving with each new project; fast becoming one of Hollywood's most in‐demand young actors, for both independent and mainstream film. Lerman is currently in production on Darren Aronofsky's Biblical epic Noah opposite Russell Crowe, Jennifer Connelly, Anthony Hopkins, Douglas Booth and Emma Watson. Paramount will release the film in 2014. He recently wrapped production on Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters for Fox 2000 Pictures. Lerman recently wrapped lensing Josh Boone's feature directing debut Writers with Greg Kinnear, Jennifer Connelly, Lily Collins, Nat Wolff, Liana Liberato, and Kristen Bell. The film follows Bill Borgens (Kinnear), a prolific novelist who suffers a preoccupation with his ex‐wife (Connelly). Lerman will portray Louis,' a writing student who pursues Samantha,' (Collins), Borgens' daughter. The film will premiere at the Toronto Film Festival on September 9, 2012. Lerman began his film career landing a role as the youngest son in Roland Emmerich's war drama The Patriot, opposite Mel Gibson. That same year, he appeared as the younger version of Gibson's adult character in Nancy Meyers' romantic comedy What Women Want. Additional film credits include Paul W.S. Anderson’s The Three Musketeers, Chris Columbus' Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief, Eric Bress and J. Mackye Gruber's The Butterfly Effect; Will Schriner's Hoot; Joel Schumacher's The Number 23; Penny Marshall's Riding in Cars with Boys; James Mangold's critically‐acclaimed remake of 3:10 to Yuma; Bernie Goldmann and Melisa Wallack's Meet Bill; Richard Loncraine's My One and Only; and Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor's Gamer. On the small screen, Lerman made his mark in WB's dramatic series, "Jack and Bobby," portraying 'Bobby McCallister,’ in a show that followed the lives of two brothers as they went to high school and generally matured, and one goes on to become President of the United States. Prior to that, Lerman appeared in the made‐for‐television film, "A Painted House," winning him his first of three Young Artist Awards. Logan Lerman grew up in Los Angeles, California and began his professional career as an actor at the age of five.
Logan Lerman stars in THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER.
© 2011 Summit Entertainment, LLC. All rights reserved.
FILM CLIP #1 "Come on Eileen" (VO) FILM CLIP #2 "A Toast To Charlie" (VO) FILM CLIP #3 "The Tunnel Song" (VO) FILM CLIP #4 "Let´s Go Be Psychos Together" (VO) FILM CLIP #5 "Below Average" (VO) FILM CLIP #6 "We Accept the Love We Think We Deserve" (VO) TORONTO INTERVIEWS #1 Nina Dobrev "Candace" Part #1 (VO) TORONTO INTERVIEWS #2 Nina Dobrev "Candace" Part #2 (VO) TORONTO INTERVIEWS #3 Ezra Miller "Patrick", Johnny Simmons "Brad" and Mae Whitman "Mary Elizabeth" Part #1 (VO) TORONTO INTERVIEWS #4 Ezra Miller "Patrick", Johnny Simmons "Brad" and Mae Whitman "Mary Elizabeth" Part #2 (VO) TORONTO INTERVIEWS #5 Emma Watson "Sam" Part #1 (VO) TORONTO INTERVIEWS #6 Emma Watson "Sam" Part #2 (VO) TORONTO INTERVIEWS #7 Logan Lerman "Charlie" (VO) ERIN WILHELMI (Alice) is a talented actress and singer, making her big screen debut this September in Summit Entertainment’s, The Perks of Being a Wallflower and this Fall, Erin will be playing Joelle in Playwright Horizon’s The Great God Pan, beginning performances in October. Born and raised in Louisville, Kentucky, Erin has always been dedicated to working hard for what she aspires to be. Graduating Summa Cum Laude from the University of Evansville with a BFA in Acting, she has much to be proud of. However, it was not until her sophomore year in high school when Erin realized that her role in acting was more than just a hobby, it was a dream. With the support and encouragement from both of her parents, Erin was determined to follow her heart. Exposed to the arts at a young age, Erin will always hold a deep appreciation for theatre. When she was 10‐years‐old, she became mesmerized by the production of Forever Plaid at the Actor’s Theatre of Louisville. Making her way in the industry, she was involved in Stephen Michael Walter's The Girl From Nashville, as well as New York productions of Fur, Folly of Crowds, and Likeness. Additionally, Erin took part in The New Harmony Project for two seasons, and grew to love the development of new plays. She’s participated in NYC readings of new plays at The Lark, Ensemble Studio Theatre, New Dramatists, and Primary Stages. Erin’s other acting credits include the upcoming independent films The English Teacher and Disconnect, as well as the short films Ebbe the Hunter, which was chosen as part of 2011’s Nikon Film Festival and the student film Like Sugar on the Tip of My Lips (written and directed by Minji Kang) which won best student short in the Women's International Film and Arts Festival. Erin was also featured in band, Jimmy Eat World’s music video for My Best Theory.” Along with acting, Erin is devoted to living a healthy lifestyle. Practicing yoga and eating right, she continues to embrace life with a ‘go green’ philosophy. In addition, Erin dedicates her time to organizations that protect the environment and its endangered species, particularly gorillas, as well as supporting organizations such as Results: The Power to End Poverty, Invisible Children, and Amnesty International. She also enjoys listening to musical theatre soundtracks, some of her favorites include: Les Misérables, Phantom of the Opera and Spring Awakening. Erin is currently living in New York City.
B-ROLL Part #1 (VO) B-ROLL Part #2 (VO) B-ROLL Part #3 (VO) B-ROLL Part #4 (VO) TRAILER (VOSTFR)