Jackson (film)
Encyclopedia
Jackson is a 2008
American comedy-drama-musical film written and directed by J. F. Lawton
starring Barry Primus
as Donald and Charles Robinson
as Sam.
"). The film follows the two and shows their adventures throughout the day with this money, and features songs from various operas.
2008 in film
This is a list of all major films made in 2008.-Highest-grossing films:Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top grossing films that were first released in the USA in 2008...
American comedy-drama-musical film written and directed by J. F. Lawton
J. F. Lawton
Jonathan Frederick Lawton , born on August 11, 1960 in Riverside, California, is an American screenwriter, film producer and film director...
starring Barry Primus
Barry Primus
Barry Primus is an American television and film actor.Primus is primarily an actor, but has also doubled and tripled as writer and director. He worked on stage for the first decade of his career. He gained some experience on TV in shows like The Defenders, East Side/West Side and The Virginian...
as Donald and Charles Robinson
Charles Robinson (actor)
Charles "Charlie" Robinson is a critically acclaimed American theater and television actor. He is best known for his role as Mac Robinson in the NBC sitcom Night Court...
as Sam.
Synopsis
Jackson is about two homeless men in Los Angeles, Donald and Sam. At the start of the day Donald is given a $20 dollar bill (also known as a "JacksonUnited States twenty-dollar bill
The United States twenty-dollar bill is a denomination of United States currency. U.S. President Andrew Jackson is currently featured on the front side of the bill, which is why the twenty-dollar bill is often called a "Jackson," while the White House is featured on the reverse side.The...
"). The film follows the two and shows their adventures throughout the day with this money, and features songs from various operas.
Cast
- Barry PrimusBarry PrimusBarry Primus is an American television and film actor.Primus is primarily an actor, but has also doubled and tripled as writer and director. He worked on stage for the first decade of his career. He gained some experience on TV in shows like The Defenders, East Side/West Side and The Virginian...
as Donald - Charles RobinsonCharles Robinson (actor)Charles "Charlie" Robinson is a critically acclaimed American theater and television actor. He is best known for his role as Mac Robinson in the NBC sitcom Night Court...
as Sam - Steve GuttenbergSteve GuttenbergSteven Robert "Steve" Guttenberg is an American actor and comedian. He became well known during the 1980s, after a series of starring roles in major Hollywood films, including Cocoon, Three Men and a Baby, Police Academy, and Short Circuit.-Early life:Guttenberg was born in Brooklyn, New York, the...
as Businessman - Debra Jo RuppDebra Jo RuppDebra Jo Rupp is an American film and television actress, perhaps best known for her role as Kitty Forman on the long-running Fox sitcom, That '70s Show...
as Nice Lady
Musical numbers
- "Una furtiva lagrimaUna furtiva lagrimaUna furtiva lagrima is the romanza taken from Act II, Scene VIII of the Italian opera, L'elisir d'amore by Gaetano Donizetti. It is sung by Nemorino when he finds that the love potion he bought to win his dream lady’s heart, Adina, works.Nemorino is in love with Adina, but she isn't interested in...
from Donizetti's Elixer of Love – Richard Brown and Shawnette Sulker - "Champagne Aria" from Mozart's Don GiovanniDon GiovanniDon Giovanni is an opera in two acts with music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and with an Italian libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte. It was premiered by the Prague Italian opera at the Teatro di Praga on October 29, 1787...
– Cedric Trenton Berry - "HabaneraHabanera (aria)In the form of habanera, there is a famous aria from the opera Carmen by Georges Bizet. It is sometimes referred to as "L'amour est un oiseau rebelle." . Its score was adapted from the habanera "El Arreglito," originally composed by the Spanish musician Sebastián Yradier...
" from Bizet's CarmenCarmenCarmen is a French opéra comique by Georges Bizet. The libretto is by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy, based on the novella of the same title by Prosper Mérimée, first published in 1845, itself possibly influenced by the narrative poem The Gypsies by Alexander Pushkin...
– Elaa Lee Romani/ Chorus: Ariella Vaccarino, Aleta Braxton, Pilar Diaz, Tahlia McCollum - Sextet from Donizetti's Lucia di LammermoorLucia di LammermoorLucia di Lammermoor is a dramma tragico in three acts by Gaetano Donizetti. Salvadore Cammarano wrote the Italian language libretto loosely based upon Sir Walter Scott's historical novel The Bride of Lammermoor....
– Jennifer Suess, William Gorton, Michael Sokol, Fred Winthrop, Benjamin Von Atrops, Leberta Clark; Music performed by Remy Zero - Monologue by Ibn Hakia from Tchaikovsky's IolantaIolantaIolanta, Op. 69, is a lyric opera in one act by Pyotr Tchaikovsky. The libretto was written by the composer's brother Modest Tchaikovsky, and is based on the Danish play Kong Renés Datter by Henrik Hertz. The play was translated by Fyodor Miller and adapted by Vladimir Zotov...
– John R. Jackson - "O mio babbino caroO mio babbino caro"O mio babbino caro" is a soprano aria from the opera Gianni Schicchi , by Giacomo Puccini, to a libretto by Giovacchino Forzano. It is sung by Lauretta after tensions between her father Schicchi and the family of Rinuccio, the boy she loves, have reached a breaking point that threatens to...
" from Puccini's Gianni Schicchi – Gustavo Hernandez Jr. - "Va, pensieroVa, pensieroVa, pensiero is a chorus from the third act of Nabucco by Giuseppe Verdi, with words by Temistocle Solera, inspired by Psalm 137...
from Verdi's Nabucco – Socialists: Clamma DaleClamma DaleClamma Dale is an African-American operatic soprano. She is best known for portraying the role of Bess in the highly successful 1976 Houston Grand Opera production of Porgy and Bess...
, Kimarie Torre, Lauren Lee
Chorus: Laura Decher, Frances Garcia, Erin Neff, Sara MacBride, Gregory StappGregory StappGregory Stapp is an American bass who has performed actively in concerts and operas internationally for more than 35 years. He has had a particularly fruitful partnership with the San Francisco Opera, portraying more than 30 roles with the company since 1980. He has also worked actively as a...
, Antoine Garth, Gary Murphy, Tom Oberjat, Raphaela Rose Primus - "Love Cannot Be" (written by J.F. Lawton)
- "El Pueblo" – George Lawton and John Cross
- "Vamos a la Fiesta" – Julie Griffin
- "Abrabo" – Way Depp, Robidebs Okyeame, Paa Dogo and Brekete
- "I Wish I Was in Dixie LandDixie (song)Countless lyrical variants of "Dixie" exist, but the version attributed to Dan Emmett and its variations are the most popular. Emmett's lyrics as they were originally intended reflect the mood of the United States in the late 1850s toward growing abolitionist sentiment. The song presented the point...
" – John B.J. Smith - "Downtown Birthday" (written by J.F. Lawton)
Production details
Jackson was filmed mainly in Los Angeles with the exception of one scene shot in Kentucky.Awards
- 2009 Swansea Bay Film Festival
- Best in Festival
- 2009 The Conscious Life Film Festival
- Indigo Award
- 2009 Treasure Coast International Film Festival
- Best Feature Film
- Best Editing
- 2008 International Film Festival of South Africa
- Best Feature Film
- 2008 Non Violent Film Festival
- Best Feature Film
- 2008 Lakedance Film Festival
- Audience Award for Best Feature Film
- 2008 Socal Film Festival
- Best Feature Film
- Best Director
- Best Actor: Barry Primus