.gif)
K-PAX (film)
Encyclopedia
K-PAX is a 2001 American science fiction
and mystery film
directed by Iain Softley
and starring Kevin Spacey
, Jeff Bridges
, Mary McCormack
and Alfre Woodard
. The screenplay, written by Gene Brewer
and Charles Leavitt
, is based on a novel of the same name
by Brewer about a psychiatric patient who claims to be an alien from the planet K-PAX. During his treatment, the patient demonstrates an outlook on life that ultimately proves inspirational for his fellow patients and especially for his psychiatrist.
away in the Lyra
constellation, Prot (rhyming with the word "goat", played by Kevin Spacey
) is committed to the Psychiatric Institute of Manhattan where psychiatrist Mark Powell (Jeff Bridges
) begins to evaluate him as a delusional. However, Prot's unwavering ability to provide cogent answers to questions about himself, K-PAX, and its civilization leads Dr. Powell to introduce him to a group of astrophysicists, where Prot claims to have journeyed to Earth by means of "light-travel" and goes on to display knowledge that puzzles them.
Prot also exhibits considerable influence over the other patients at the Institute, each of whom believes unquestioningly that he is indeed from K-PAX. Prot has explained that he can take one person with him when he returns; thereafter most of the patients at the institute ask to be taken to K-PAX.
Upon learning that many of his patients expect to leave Earth on July 27, Dr. Powell confronts Prot, who explains that it is a predetermined date. However, Powell believes this to be a significant date in Prot's life, a day on which he suffered a severe psychological trauma. Powell then decides to subject Prot to regression hypnosis, which works well. Using information gained from these sessions, Powell figures out that Prot is actually Robert Porter, a man presumed dead since attempting suicide after his wife and daughter were murdered in 1996.
On July 27, what is thought to be Prot is found lying catatonic
under his bed, and one of the other patients is also missing. The missing patient is never found, and Prot does not return. The other patients do not recognize Robert as he is being wheeled out of the room.
were made by its makers, and Gene Brewer and others connected with the K-PAX film were subsequently sued in November 2001. The complaint was later withdrawn, and Gene Brewer went on to release a memoir exploring his inspiration for the books called Creating K-PAX - or Are You Sure You Want To Be A Writer?.
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
and mystery film
Mystery film
Mystery film is a sub-genre of the more general category of crime film and at times the thriller genre. It focuses on the efforts of the detective, private investigator or amateur sleuth to solve the mysterious circumstances of a crime by means of clues, investigation, and clever deduction.The...
directed by Iain Softley
Iain Softley
Iain Softley is an English film director. He was educated at St Benedict's School, Ealing, where he played the part of Thomas Becket in its 1975 production of T. S...
and starring Kevin Spacey
Kevin Spacey
Kevin Spacey, CBE is an American actor, director, screenwriter, producer, and crooner. He grew up in California, and began his career as a stage actor during the 1980s, before being cast in supporting roles in film and television...
, Jeff Bridges
Jeff Bridges
Jeffrey Leon "Jeff" Bridges is an American actor and musician. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role as Otis "Bad" Blake in the 2009 film Crazy Heart....
, Mary McCormack
Mary McCormack
Mary Catherine McCormack is an American actress. Best known for her work in television, she has had leading roles as Justine Appleton in the series Murder One , as Deputy National Security Adviser Kate Harper in The West Wing and as Mary Shannon in In Plain Sight .Her film roles include Private...
and Alfre Woodard
Alfre Woodard
Alfre Ette Woodard is an American film, stage, and television actress. She has been nominated once for an Academy Award and Grammy Awards, 17 times for Emmy Awards , and has also won a Golden Globe and three Screen Actors Guild Awards.She is known for her role in films such as Cross Creek, Miss...
. The screenplay, written by Gene Brewer
Gene Brewer
Gene Brewer is the author of the K-PAX series of novels: K-PAX, K-PAX II, K-PAX III, K-PAX IV and Prot's Report, a brief natural history of the Earth, which appears in the K-PAX trilogy, an omnibus edition of the first three K-PAX books...
and Charles Leavitt
Charles Leavitt
Charles Leavitt is an American screenwriter best known for writing the 2006 film Blood Diamond.-Biography:After writing the 1996 film The Sunchaser, the 1998 film The Mighty and the 2002 film K-PAX, Leavitt was hired by Warner Bros. in February 2004 to rewrite an early draft of the film Blood...
, is based on a novel of the same name
K-PAX
K-PAX is the name of the first novel in the K-PAX series by Gene Brewer and a film based on the series:*K-PAX **K-PAX – film*K-PAX II: On a Beam of Light *K-PAX III: Worlds of Prot...
by Brewer about a psychiatric patient who claims to be an alien from the planet K-PAX. During his treatment, the patient demonstrates an outlook on life that ultimately proves inspirational for his fellow patients and especially for his psychiatrist.
Plot
Claiming to be an extraterrestrial from a planet called 'K-PAX' about one thousand light yearsLight Years
Light Years is the seventh studio album by Australian recording artist Kylie Minogue. It was released on 25 September 2000 by Parlophone and Mushroom Records. The album's style was indicative of her return to "mainstream pop dance tunes"....
away in the Lyra
Lyra
Lyra is a small constellation. It is one of the 48 constellations listed by the 2nd century astronomer Ptolemy, and remains one of the 88 modern constellations recognized by the International Astronomical Union. Its principal star, Vega — a corner of the Summer Triangle — is one of the brightest...
constellation, Prot (rhyming with the word "goat", played by Kevin Spacey
Kevin Spacey
Kevin Spacey, CBE is an American actor, director, screenwriter, producer, and crooner. He grew up in California, and began his career as a stage actor during the 1980s, before being cast in supporting roles in film and television...
) is committed to the Psychiatric Institute of Manhattan where psychiatrist Mark Powell (Jeff Bridges
Jeff Bridges
Jeffrey Leon "Jeff" Bridges is an American actor and musician. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role as Otis "Bad" Blake in the 2009 film Crazy Heart....
) begins to evaluate him as a delusional. However, Prot's unwavering ability to provide cogent answers to questions about himself, K-PAX, and its civilization leads Dr. Powell to introduce him to a group of astrophysicists, where Prot claims to have journeyed to Earth by means of "light-travel" and goes on to display knowledge that puzzles them.
Prot also exhibits considerable influence over the other patients at the Institute, each of whom believes unquestioningly that he is indeed from K-PAX. Prot has explained that he can take one person with him when he returns; thereafter most of the patients at the institute ask to be taken to K-PAX.
Upon learning that many of his patients expect to leave Earth on July 27, Dr. Powell confronts Prot, who explains that it is a predetermined date. However, Powell believes this to be a significant date in Prot's life, a day on which he suffered a severe psychological trauma. Powell then decides to subject Prot to regression hypnosis, which works well. Using information gained from these sessions, Powell figures out that Prot is actually Robert Porter, a man presumed dead since attempting suicide after his wife and daughter were murdered in 1996.
On July 27, what is thought to be Prot is found lying catatonic
Catatonia
Catatonia is a state of neurogenic motor immobility, and behavioral abnormality manifested by stupor. It was first described in 1874: Die Katatonie oder das Spannungsirresein ....
under his bed, and one of the other patients is also missing. The missing patient is never found, and Prot does not return. The other patients do not recognize Robert as he is being wheeled out of the room.
Cast
- Kevin SpaceyKevin SpaceyKevin Spacey, CBE is an American actor, director, screenwriter, producer, and crooner. He grew up in California, and began his career as a stage actor during the 1980s, before being cast in supporting roles in film and television...
as Prot/Robert Porter - Jeff BridgesJeff BridgesJeffrey Leon "Jeff" Bridges is an American actor and musician. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role as Otis "Bad" Blake in the 2009 film Crazy Heart....
as Dr. Mark Powell - Mary McCormackMary McCormackMary Catherine McCormack is an American actress. Best known for her work in television, she has had leading roles as Justine Appleton in the series Murder One , as Deputy National Security Adviser Kate Harper in The West Wing and as Mary Shannon in In Plain Sight .Her film roles include Private...
as Rachel Powell - Alfre WoodardAlfre WoodardAlfre Ette Woodard is an American film, stage, and television actress. She has been nominated once for an Academy Award and Grammy Awards, 17 times for Emmy Awards , and has also won a Golden Globe and three Screen Actors Guild Awards.She is known for her role in films such as Cross Creek, Miss...
as Dr. Claudia Villars - David Patrick KellyDavid Patrick KellyDavid Patrick Kelly is an American actor and musician who has appeared in numerous films, including some major roles.-Career:...
as Howie - Saul WilliamsSaul WilliamsSaul Stacey Williams is an American poet, writer, actor and musician known for his blend of poetry and alternative hip hop and for his leading role in the 1998 independent film Slam.-Biography:...
as Ernie - Peter GeretyPeter GeretyPeter Gerety is an American actor.Gerety began acting while a student at Boston University, participating in productions at the Charles Playhouse. In 1965, he joined the Trinity Square Repertory Company, a resident theater company in Providence, Rhode Island where he appeared in over 125...
as Sal - Celia WestonCelia WestonCelia Weston is an American actress of stage, film and television, and a character actress. Professionally, she may be best known for her role as Jolene Hunnicutt on Alice.-Life and career:...
as Doris Archer - Ajay NaiduAjay NaiduAjay Kalahastri Naidu is an American actor.Naidu was born in Evanston, Illinois He attended Evanston Township High School. As an actor, he trained with the American Repertory Theater's Institute for Advanced Theatre Training at Harvard University.His first professional acting job was the film ...
as Dr. Chakraborty - Tracy VilarTracy VilarTracy Vilar, also known and credited as Tracy Leigh Vilar and Tracy Villars is an American actress. She is perhaps best known for her role as Sophia Ortiz on The Steve Harvey Show and Angela de la Cruz on the television show, Saved.-Filmography:-Awards and nominations:In 1996, Tracy was nominated...
as Maria - Melanee Murray as Bess
- John Toles-Bey as Russell
- Kimberly ScottKimberly ScottKimberly Aileen Scott is an American actress.-Life and career:Scott was born in Texas. She attended school at Texas A&M University-Kingsville and the University of Texas before earning a post-graduate degree from the Yale School of Drama.She has appeared in films such as The Abyss, Gross Anatomy,...
as Joyce Trexler - Conchata FerrellConchata FerrellConchata Galen Ferrell is an American actress. She is best known for playing Berta the housekeeper in the CBS sitcom Two and a Half Men, for which she received two Emmy Award nominations in 2005 and 2007.-Personal life:...
as Betty McAllister - Vincent LarescaVincent LarescaVincent Laresca is an American actor.Laresca first appeared in film in 1992, in the movie Juice as Radames. Since then, he has appeared in many popular films, including The Devil's Advocate, The Aviator, Empire, Coach Carter, The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift and Baz Luhrmann's William...
as Navarro
Controversy
Complaints of plagiarism of the film Man Facing SoutheastMan Facing Southeast
Man Facing Southeast is a Spanish-language motion picture originally released in Argentina in 1986 as Hombre mirando al sudeste.-Summary:...
were made by its makers, and Gene Brewer and others connected with the K-PAX film were subsequently sued in November 2001. The complaint was later withdrawn, and Gene Brewer went on to release a memoir exploring his inspiration for the books called Creating K-PAX - or Are You Sure You Want To Be A Writer?.
External links
- K-PAX Official Movie Website, Universal StudiosUniversal StudiosUniversal Pictures , a subsidiary of NBCUniversal, is one of the six major movie studios....