Tagline: What if the stories you told came to life?
Bedtime Stories movie storyline. Hotel handyman Skeeter Bronson’s life is changed forever when the bedtime stories he tells his niece and nephew start to mysteriously come true. When he tries to help his family by telling one outlandish tale after another, it’s the kids’ unexpected contributions that turn all of their lives upside down.
In 1974, Marty Bronson builds the Sunny Vista Motel in Los Angeles, California, with the intention of raising his son Skeeter and his daughter Wendy in the place where he works. However he is not a good businessman and the hotel goes bankrupt. Marty is forced to sell his motel to Barry Nottingham who promises to hire Skeeter in a general manager position when he has grown up.
Years later, Barry builds a new hotel; forgets his promise to Marty; and Skeeter Bronson is only the handyman of his hotel. The general manager is the arrogant Kendall, who is engaged with the shallow Barry’s daughter Violet Nottingham. When the Webster Elementary School where Wendy is the principal will be closed to be demolished, she needs to travel to Arizona for a job interview.
Wendy asks her friend Jill, who is teacher in the same school, to watch her son Patrick and her daughter Bobbi during the day and Skeeter to watch them during the night. Skeeter meets the estranged kids with his best friend Mickey and makes up bedtime stories to help them to sleep but the kids add details to the stories, changing their endings. Soon Skeeter realizes that the plot of the stories are coming true and affecting his life. Meanwhile Barry Nottingham decides to give a change to Skeeter to dispute the manager position in his new hotel with Kendall like in one of his stories. But Skeeter has told to his nephew and his niece that stories do not have happy endings.
Bedtime Stories is a 2008 American family-magic realism-comedy film directed by Adam Shankman, written by Matt Lopez and Tim Herlihy and produced by Andrew Gunn and Jack Giarraputo. It stars Adam Sandler in his first appearance in a family-oriented film alongside Keri Russell, Jonathan Morgan Heit, Laura Ann Kesling, Guy Pearce, Aisha Tyler, Russell Brand, Richard Griffiths, Teresa Palmer, Lucy Lawless and Courteney Cox.
The film was released in the United States on December 25, 2008, in Poland on January 23, 2009 and in Sweden on February 20, 2009. Slashfilm predicted that Bedtime Stories would open #1 during the December 25–28, 2008 Christmas weekend due to its family appeal and the box office draw of Adam Sandler, but it came at #3 grossing $38 million behind Marley & Me and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. However, during the standard 3-day weekend, it jumped ahead of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button ranking #2 behind Marley & Me with $27.5 million. As of February 2009, the film had grossed $110,101,975 in the United States and Canada and $102,772,467 in other countries, totaling $212,874,442 worldwide.
The score to Bedtime Stories was composed by Rupert Gregson-Williams, who recorded his score with the Hollywood Studio Symphony at the Newman Scoring Stage at 20th Century Fox. The Journey song “Don’t Stop Believin'” is played during the film and during the end credits.
Once Upon A Time
Telling “Bedtime Stories”
“Bedtime Stories” provided a unique opportunity to combine classic Disney storytelling with Adam Sandler’s signature brand of comedy. At the helm is director Adam Shankman, who came to the project with successful films for the Studio like “The Pacifier” and “Bringing Down the House.” Sandler and Happy Madison Productions were drawn to the project, particularly since Sandler had recently become a father for the first time. “I wanted to make a movie that my child could watch someday and actually look me in the eyes afterwards,” he says. “I read `Bedtime Stories’ and I thought it would be really fun for everyone.
“When I was a kid our family used to go on the road,” Sandler continues. “We’d drive into StateNew York from placeStateNew Hampshire a lot and we would stop at Howard Johnson’s on the way. There were six of us in one room and it would be the best time of our life. I always liked the idea a guy who lives in a hotel and he gets to do that every day.”
Skeeter Bronson, Hotel Handman
Sandler plays hotel handyman Skeeter Bronson. “He’s a hard-working fella,” Sandler explains. “Skeeter’s father owned the hotel when my character was a little kid. The father wasn’t a great businessman and had to sell, but he made a deal with Mr. Nottingham, the new owner, that Skeeter might eventually run the hotel. So my character has been working and working and waiting for it to happen and the day that he thinks it’s gonna happen, the job is given to another guy.”
Setting the story in motion is Skeeter’s sister Wendy (Courteney Cox), who calls on the handyman to look after her two children while she heads off on a job hunt. “I’m a principal at a school that’s being shut down,” says Cox. “So I go off to find a job and all the madness starts.”
On hand to try to curb the madness and help with the children is Wendy’s responsible friend Jill (Keri Russell). “I take care of the kids during the day until Adam’s character finishes his shift at the hotel,” says Russell. “Somehow I end up in these crazy adventures that Skeeter creates with the kids.”
The crazy adventures are the bedtime stories Skeeter tells to entertain the kids at night. Dissatisfied with their book selection, he decides to make up his own stories, allowing the kids to get into the game and contribute to the crazy tales. The stories-with settings ranging from the Old West and Outer Space to Medieval Times and Ancient Greece-are brought to life throughout the movie… with some familiar characters. Explains director Shankman, “The fun thing is that Skeeter casts characters from real life as the characters in all of the stories. So everyone from Adam to Keri to Russell Brand gets to play all these crazy characters throughout the movie.”
Multiple Personalities
Casting Characters for Reality and Fantasy
Casting “Bedtime Stories” meant that the filmmakers had to imagine each actor in a variety of roles. Says director Adam Shankman, “I think what attracted a lot of the actors to doing `Bedtime Stories’ was the fantasy element, the idea of playing different characters. They knew they would be in a lot of crazy costumes and get to do a lot of crazy characters alongside Adam Sandler.”
A Mouseketeer Returns to Her Roots
With Sandler in place as leading man Skeeter, the filmmakers tapped Keri Russell for the role of Jill-in addition to a host of fantasy characters including Jillian Queen of Fairies, Raven Jillian and a Mermaid. Her performance marked a return to her Disney roots. “I think it’s funny that I’m doing this movie now because I was a part of the Mickey Mouse Club when I was growing up,” says the veteran Mouseketeer. Russell starred in the all-new “Mickey Mouse Club” from 1991-1994.
According to Shankman, Russell was chosen to complement Sandler’s comedic sensibilities. “She’s a really great match for Adam because they make each other laugh and that’s a real blessing,” says the director. “They really seem to enjoy working together.”
“Keri’s incredibly likable and smart,” adds Sandler. “Our characters don’t really like each other at first, so it was fun to bicker back and forth.”
“At first, my character thinks Skeeter is really immature and irresponsible and annoying, which he is,” says Russell. “But after spending more time with him, she starts seeing him involved with the kids and starts to think he’s not such a bad guy. He starts to charm her.”
Newcomers Jonathan Heit and Laura Ann Kesling were cast as Skeeter’s nephew Patrick and niece Bobbi. Says Sandler, “They’re both very hard working. Jonathan is really smart and Laura makes you smile all the time. They both had a great time on the film.”
One example was when Sandler first sat down to tell them a bedtime story and is surprised to find a guinea pig on his head. Bugsy, the children’s pet-so named for his shockingly big eyes-was portrayed by two previously unknown guinea pigs, Stitches and Thimbles. With carefully trained behaviors ranging from running on a makeshift treadmill to tucking himself into bed, Bugsy contributed his own style of comedy to the film.
Courteney Cox was called on to play Skeeter’s uptight sister Wendy. The actress was drawn to the part because of her on-set brother Adam Sandler. “I just love him and he makes for the most fun set. He surrounds himself with fantastic people,” she says. “The story is heartfelt, whimsical, adventurous, funny. I was blown away.”
The filmmakers turned to Guy Pearce for the role of Kendall Duncan. Says Pearce, “I play the manager of a hotel and Adam Sandler’s character wants my job.”
“He belittles Skeeter a lot and makes him feel like a loser,” adds Sandler. “So through the bedtime stories, Skeeter fights back a little which starts to connect with his real life. But Pearce is committed. He enjoyed hurting me. He’s a funny guy and a great actor.”
“I first saw Guy in a comedy with intensely dramatic undertones, `Priscilla, Queen of the Desert,’ and he was brilliant in it,” says Shankman. “He has great comic instincts and I thought it would be fun to have an actor’s actor play the part.”
“This is a broad comedy and it’s not my normal fare,” admits Pearce. “But I’m a fan of Shankman’s and a fan of Sandler’s and it seemed fortuitous that I find something that’s a bit light.”
Pearce, in particular, liked what the bedtime stories brought to the role. “Every time Skeeter tells a story to the kids, all of the characters are incorporated-whether it’s the Wild West or Ancient Greece or Outer Space or Medieval Times,” he says. “I’m generally the nemesis in each story and really quite pompous and ridiculous.”
Sandler first came upon Russell Brand while traveling in London and immediately found the British comedian to be uniquely funny and original. Brand ultimately won the role of Skeeter’s friend and sidekick Mickey. His character carries over into the fantasy sequences, portraying Mickus The Satyr in Ancient Greece, Lieutenant Mik in Outer Space and Friar Fred in Medieval Times. The actor, who played all of his scenes opposite Sandler, says he learned a lot from him. “It’s good to watch how he handles physical stuff. He’s always subtle, and look at his charisma. I think he’s one of the great comedy actors of all time.”
Richard Griffiths plays the germaphobic head of the hotel. “My character is a chap who’s a very rich and powerful hotelier,” says Griffiths. “He’s making a flagship mega-hotel outside of Los Angeles and there’s a competition among the characters to be the one to choose the theme. I’m the guy they have to persuade.”
With titles like King Barry, Emperor Germicus and Supreme Leader Baracto, the character’s power extended to the fantasy sequences inspired by Skeeter’s stories. “Richard Griffiths playing Barry Nottingham was kind of heaven sent,” says Shankman. “His comic ability is unsurpassed and he brings this delightful texture to every scene without trying to be funny.”
Shankman adds that Griffiths was a bit of a wild card. “He’s always doing something unexpected so we never knew what he’d do next. But it was always great.”
Playing Barry Nottingham’s spoiled daughter Violet is Australian actress Teresa Palmer. Sandler’s Skeeter and Pearce’s placeKendall both lobby for her affections, believing it will help them earn a place in her father’s heart-and hotel.
Violet lives a bit of an heiress life, chased by paparazzi. Says Sandler, “She’s daddy’s little girl. She gets into trouble sometimes and hasn’t grown up 100 percent yet.”
“Violet loves to have a good time,” adds Palmer. “She’s fun and crazy and loves to dance.”
Shankman says he was taken by Palmer’s appearance. “She’s so beautiful on film it almost scares me,” says the director, who credits the actress with enhancing the role of a spoiled daughter.
Sandler explains. “Her character is actually very likable,” he says.
Lucy Lawless was cast as Aspen, the hotel’s eccentric concierge. “I’m yet another foil to Adam Sandler’s character,” says Lawless. “I help Guy Pearce’s character in his efforts to ruin Skeeter’s life.”
“Getting Lucy Lawless to do crazy stuff is like getting somebody thirsty to drink water,” says Shankman. “She’ll do anything to make you laugh.”
Lawless had a lot of fun extending her character into the fantasy sequences, despite the fact that Skeeter’s stories didn’t cast her in the best light: Nasty Innkeeper Troll, Aspenazon and Alien Aspenzoid Crab. “When I’m the crab lady, I’ve got this insane headpiece on and the most incredible special effects makeup and prosthetics,” says Lawless. “Everything in this movie is really A-grade.”
Cue to Chariot
Bringing “Bedtime Stories” to Life
With worlds ranging from Ancient Greece to Outer Space, filmmakers had to strategize how to tackle the different fantasy bedtime-story sequences. Shankman recalls, “We wanted to go for classic sketches of what people think of when they imagine these different themes because the stories are told through the eyes of children.”
Medieval
The first bedtime-story fantasy that Skeeter, Patrick and Bobbi create is a medieval story. Skeeter kicks off the story, working bits of his real life into a medieval setting. He casts himself as a peasant named Sir Fixalot, hotel owner Barry Nottingham as the King, Nottingham’s daughter as Princess Fashionista and nemesis placeKendall as Sir Buttkiss. “So it ends up connecting to Skeeter’s real life in the movie,” says Sandler.
The kids contribute key details to the story-details Skeeter doesn’t always embrace. The ongoing debate leads to three unique characters for Keri Russell. Russell explains, “Adam’s character doesn’t think very much of Jill so my character enters the story because of the kids-who suggest she’s a beautiful fairy-then I appear as this beautiful fairy. Skeeter objects and I turn into an ugly raven until one of the kids says `she should be a mermaid’ and then I turn into a mermaid and dive down into a moat.”
Old West
In the Old West story, Jeremiah Skeets is a southern farmhand who is looking to make a name for himself but feels that his shabby appearance and his old horse might be a disadvantage. Skeeter decides Jeremiah Skeets should get a brand-new horse-a red one that whinnies like a Ferrari-for free.
The kids don’t like the idea and suggest that he do what a real gentleman would do and save a damsel in distress, portrayed in the fantasy by hotelier Barry Nottingham’s daughter Violet, who Skeeter has hoped to win in real life.
“In the Old West story Skeeter wants a Ferrari and he wants the girl,” says Shankman. “He thinks he controls the stories, but realizes after this particular story that it’s the kids’ contributions that really matter.”
To prepare for his role as Jeremiah Skeets in the Old West scene, Sandler took riding lessons. “I used to ride horses when I was young and fearless, but riding a horse at my age is not something you want to do unless you know how to do it.”
Ancient Greece
The Ancient Greece story opens with Skeetacus, a cocky, toga-clad hero, entering a Greek Coliseum at the helm of a high-speed, horse-drawn chariot. The crowd roars as he jumps the chariot over a long line of elephants.
Shankman explains, “I thought it would be funny if Skeeter was the first one to do the Chariot X-Games. I wanted it to look like motocross, but on a chariot.”
Presiding over the games from his Royal Box is Emperor Germicus, his lovely daughter Princess Violetus, Senator Kendallius and Aspenazon. In the stands among the spectators is Jillius, Patrickus, Bobbius and Skeetacus’ manservant Mickus who is a Satyr.
Outer Space
The final bedtime story takes the cast to Outer Space for a battle scene between Skeeto and Kendallo. The scene reflects the real-life battle to run the hotel.
Shankman explains, “In the story, they battle to see who’s going to be the one to run the new planet of Nottinghamia.”
Guy Pearce says the no-gravity battle takes a while to get off the ground-so to speak. “We’re floating around desperately trying to get to each other and can’t… so a Booger Monster comes out.”
Shankman explains, “The Booger Monster is a space character that looks like a weird blowfish with tentacles and teeth. He seems ferocious while he’s chasing Kendallo and Skeeto around, but ends up being a sweet little thing that just wants to kiss General Kendallo.”
“I was Baracto, Supreme Leader of the Galaxy,” says Richard Griffiths. “The Space fantasy is my favorite fantasy sequence to date.”
Behind the Scenes
Making “Bedtime Stories” Come True
Filmmakers needed top visual effects, special effects and world-class stunts to bring the fantasy sequences to life. To help make “Bedtime Stories” come true, filmmakers assembled a team of behind-the-scenes professionals, including production designer Linda DeScenna, visual effects supervisor John Andrew Berton Jr. and animal trainer Steve Berens.
DeScenna, who had worked with Adam Shankman on “The Pacifier” and “Bringing Down the House,” says their first step was breaking down the script. “We really had to figure out what we could physically build and what would be built in the computer,” she says. “That has to be pretty exact.”
DeScenna says the film was a challenge with the diverse settings-from a contemporary look with the reality scenes to the fantasy sequences. The production designer was charged with creating everything from a hotel lobby to a moat, which was a particular challenge. “We pulled it off,” says DeScenna. “But I’m glad we’re done with it.”
The production designer admits that much of the moat scenes, as well as the rest of the movie, involved special effects. The teams worked together to create seamless scenes that blended the physical design with computer effects.
Making Magic
Visual effects supervisor John Andrew Berton Jr. was charged with making the effects elements a reality. “We’re responsible for magical creatures, magical settings and making everything that happens in the movie that is spectacular and outside of our normal experience look like it’s absolutely real and part of our normal experience.
“In order to get good visual effects you have to plan ahead,” continues Berton. “We were involved in pre-production with the concept paintings and creature design.”
Berton says that “Bedtime Stories” called for a special process called cyber scanning. “We created digital stunt doubles, which are digital actors that perform in the same way that stunt doubles do. That’s what we do when we need to put stunt doubles in more danger than even stunt doubles want to be in. We scan the actors’ faces and costumes so that we can make it all work.”
The same technology was used to create the mermaid tail for one of Keri Russell’s story characters. “The upper body is performed by Keri Russell and the mermaid tail is an animation,” says Berton.
Berton adds that his team worked closely with the director of photography, set design, lighting-down to hair and makeup-to achieve the look filmmakers wanted. “When we get into post-production we can keep all of those things in mind so that everything matches,” he says.
The film also featured a host of big movie stunts. Director Adam Shankman had worked on stunt-heavy films in the past, but felt “Bedtime Stories” was special. “We worked with some really good stunt teams putting together the chariot race and a great motorcycle chase. I love the pace. It underscores everything else in the movie so perfectly because it always gives everything a big sense of adventure and urgency. It’s great.”
The film’s stunts range from a motorcycle jump to the airborne space battle between Sandler’s and Guy Pearce’s characters to maneuvering through a stampede of horses.
Animal trainer Steve Berens was tapped to help coordinate several scenes involving a variety of animals-from stampeding horses to a team of elephants. “I’ve been around a lot of animals in my life but when you get close to these elephants and you’re working with them it’s really a thrill. They really are something special,” says Berens.
The trainer says one of the more complex scenes was the horse stampede in the Old West story. “Skeeter encounters a stampede while he’s on this horse and actually weaves his way through this stampede. I thought, `Oh boy, how are we going to do this?’”
Berens coordinated his efforts with the visual effects team. Says Berton, “In order to keep the actors safe and to get the action that we wanted, we ran the horses first, then we ran the actors and then sewed it all together digitally so that it looks like it happened at the same time.”
Ringing for Carrots
But perhaps his toughest assignment for the animal trainer was training the animals who starred as the kids’ pet guinea pig Bugsy. The script called for the guinea pig to run on a makeshift treadmill and tuck himself into bed-not an easy task, says Berens. “Guinea pigs aren’t known for speed and agility. But we were able to get them running on that treadmill. You get a little bit of movement and pay that off and eventually they understand.” The trainer says it took three weeks to train the behavior.
Next up was the bedtime behavior. The more complex task took Berens twice as long to train and involved Bugsy ringing a bell at bedtime and then tucking himself into bed. To teach the first part of the behavior, the trainer held a treat at the bell-carrots were a favorite-to draw the animals to the desired spot. Each time they successfully grabbed the rope to ring the bell they were rewarded and ultimately caught on. “From there, we taught the guinea pig to run up into his bed, stick his nose in and crawl under the sheet,” says Berens, who’s fairly certain that no other guinea pig has ever been taught to tuck himself into bed.
The trainer is proud to say that only Bugsy’s eyes are computer generated. “It’s great to show people that these animals can do these things themselves,” Berens concludes.
Outfitting “Bedtime Stories”
Costume Designer Rita Ryack Finds the Right Look
Costume designer Rita Ryack was called on to tackle the film’s wild and crazy wardrobe. Says director Shankman, “She is brilliantly talented and creative. We went through millions of books with illustrations from all these different periods and the whole thing really worked on screen.”
Ryack says that the film presented a number of wardrobe challenges. “There are several time periods and settings-from contemporary and Skeeter’s ’70s childhood, to medieval, Old West, Outer Space and Ancient Greece.”
But the costume designer didn’t feel pressured to make the fantasy sequences authentic. “I didn’t want to treat any of the period stuff in a literal way,” she says. “We’re watching Skeeter’s fantasies, so that involved some projection. Skeeter’s a sweet guy whose taste in clothing isn’t particularly sophisticated, so the period scenes aren’t at all archival. I looked at old epic movies for inspiration and most of the costumes have some modern components.”
Ryack says she most enjoyed designing costumes for Richard Griffiths and Guy Pearce. “My own sensibility is pretty theatrical, and villains give you the opportunity to go full-on silly,” she says. “I really like the medieval costumes for Barry and Kendall. The fabrics are beautiful and their fittings were great fun. I had to do a lot of last-minute improvisation.”
Of course, with Adam Sandler’s character starring in the fantasy scenes, Ryack had fun with his looks. “Skeeter had to be semi-heroic in his fantasies, although I think he looks pretty hilarious as a medieval peasant.”
Russell Brand went through hours of costuming and special effects makeup for his Outer Space character Lieutenant Mik. Says Brand, “Putting on that robot costume was very grueling. I was completely covered in gold-gold paint, gold plate, gold latex and a gold spandex suit. It was incredible to wear; incredibly prohibitive-going to the lavvy was a challenge. A challenge that every superhero must face.”
Ryack says she was inspired by the cast, the characters and the elaborate bedtime stories themselves. “I wanted to use bright, cheerful colors and graphic silhouettes to be evocative, to heighten the narrative, to be funny, but not distracting.”
Bedtime Stories (2008)
Directed by: Adam Shankman
Starring: Keri Russell, Adam Sandler, Guy Pearce, Teresa Palmer, Richard Griffiths, Lucy Lawless, Courtney Cox, Russell Brand, Richard Griffiths, Lucy Lawless, Laura Ann Kesling
Screenplay by: Matt Lopez
Production Design by: Linda DeScenna
Cinematography by: Michael Barrett
Film Editing by: Tom Costain, Michael Tronick
Costume Design by: Rita Ryack
Set Decoration by: Nancy Gilmore
Art Direction by: Christopher Burian-Mohr
Music by: Rupert Gregson-Williams
MPAA Rating: PG for some mild rude humor and mild language.
Distributed by: Buena Vista Pictures
Release Date: December 25, 2008
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