The Hacker's Encyclopedia 1998/hackers_encyclopedia.iso/etc/misc/hackers.txx

Text File | 2003-06-11 | 39.9 KB | 838 lines

For Immediate Release on Entertainment Drive:
Released by UNITED ARTISTS.



HACKERS

  Cereal Killer, Phantom Phreak, Crash Override...if these
handles appear on your computer screen, you're beyond
saving--consider yourself hacked.

  Zero Cool--real name Dade Murphy--is a legend among his peers.
In 1988, he single-handedly crashed 1,507 computers on Wall
Street, creating worldwide financial chaos. Eleven years old,
Dade Murphy had a record with the F.B.I.--forbidden to finger the
keys of so much as a touch tone phone until his 18th birthday,
exiled from cyberspace. It's been seven years without a
bytes..and he's hungry.

  Kate Libby, handle Acid Burn, has a souped-up laptop that can
do 0 to 60 on the infobahn in a nanosecond. When Zero Cool
collides with Acid Burn, the battle of the sexes goes into hard
drive.

  But all bets are off when they must pool their resources to
battle The Plague, a master hacker employed by a corporate giant
and using his considerable talents to worm his way into millions.
Worse yet, he has hidden his own scheme by framing Dade, Kate and
their friends in a diabolical industrial conspiracy. The young
band of renegade hackers sets out to recruit the best of the
cybernet underground to clear their names.

  A fast-paced cyberpunk thriller, HACKERS delivers a wake-up
call to today's computer generation concerning the enormous power
at their fingertips. Director Iain Softley, who explored the
roots of the '60s rock 'n' roll counterculture in Backbeat, now
takes us behind the screens of the '90s computer subculture.
Softley also served as the film' s executive producer.

  HACKERS is produced by Michael Peyser (Ruthless People,
Desperately Seeking Susan) and Ralph Winter (Star Trek IV: The
Voyage Home, Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country) and
co-produced by Janet Graham (Camp Nowhere). The screenplay is the
first from writer Rafael Moreu.

  The group of elite hackers is played by an ensemble of talented
young actors, who are relative newcomers to the screen. English
actor Jonny Lee Miller and Angelina Jolie head the cast as Dade
Murphy and Kate Libby. Portraying their fellow computer explorers
are Jesse Bradford (King of the Hill, Presumed Innocent, Matthew
Lillard (Mad Love, Serial Mom), Laurence Mason (The Crow, True
Romance) and Renoly Santiago (Dangerous Minds).

  Taking up the opposition are Fisher Stevens (Short Circuit,
Reversal of Fortune), Wendell Pierce (Manhattan Murder Mystery,
It Could Happen to You), outrageous illusionist Penn Jillette (of
Penn & Teller), and Academy Award nominee Lorraine Bracco
(GoodFellas, Someone to Watch Over Me).

  Alberta Watson (Spanking the Monkey) also appears as Dade's
dedicated, but bewildered mother, and Ethan Browne, son of rocker
Jackson Browne, plays Kate's soon-to-be-ex-boyfriend.

  HACKERS was filmed on location in London and New York City, and
lain Softley collaborated with an outstanding creative team from
both sides of the Atlantic to accomplish HACKERS' simultaneously
contemporary and futuristic milieu. They include: director of
photography Andrzej Sekula (Pulp Fiction); production designer
John Beard (The Last Temptation of Christ); editors Christopher
Blunden (The Adventures of Baron Munchausen) and Martin Walsh
(Backbeat); Roger Burton, the legendary clothing collector, who
makes his feature film debut as a costume designer; and composer
Simon Boswell (Lord of illusions).

  Prominent European graphic designer Neville Brody contributed
the unique computer screen art and the graphics that illustrate
hackers' individual handles. Complimenting his work was that of
visual effects supervisor Peter Chiang (Barman), who collaborated
with Iain Softley to allow us into the mind' s eye of these elite
computer geniuses who see the world through its interconnecting
circuits.

  ABOUT THE PRODUCTION

  The revolution isn't coming. It's already here.

  While it is true that every generation can claim its own
revolution--some more revolutionary than others--none previous
have had the far-reaching effects and reverberations as that of
the computer generation of the '90s. Admittedly, computers aren't
exactly a new phenomenon, but no other generation has grown up
with them in their homes, in their schools and, most importantly,
in their playrooms. In addition, never before has so much
computing power been packed into such inexpensive machinery,
allowing for an explosion of accessibility to every social and
economic level, and making the computer an instrument of escape,
expression and empowerment.

  The last decade has seen the advent of the long-awaited
information highway--an exponential increase of online and
internet services that has made computer exploration virtually
limitless...if you know the path.

  Those who not only know the path, but can create new ones to
gain access to even the most restricted information have added a
new word to our lexicon-HACKERS.

  "We're in a new era," director lain Softley emphasizes. "This
is uncharted territory, and I think hackers see themselves as
modern-day explorers."

  Screenwriter Rafael Moreu first encountered hacking during his
freshman year in college. What instantly impressed him was the
single-minded intensity of the participants, which was similar to
that of dedicated artists, musicians or athletes. "I was
immediately intrigued," Moreu states. "When people become so
obsessed by a single activity, there has to be a story, and I
wanted to investigate further."

  He later made contact with some of the country' s top hackers,
many of whom were still in their teens and already under
surveillance by the authorities. As he hung out with them and
listened to their stories, he started to detect a political
agenda that could easily be compared to the rebellion of the
Sixties. He realized that here was a counterculture revolution;
kids as young as 14 were fighting for freedom of access to
information.

  "These kids were beginning to realize that they'd been handed
the keys to the kingdom," Moreu offers, "and now had to deal with
the responsibilities that came with it."

  Wanting to tell their story, Moreu reveals, "I wrote my own
'screenplay hack'-a kind of Trojan Horse program, where I could
present these more serious issues in a script that also delivers
the hackers' inherent sense of anarchic humor."

  Co-producer Janet Graham recalls that Moreu's screenplay
captured the imagination of the producers, who saw the potential
of this extremely timely theme.

  "We recognized that hacking has become a cultural phenomenon,"
Graham says. "Here are these very bright kids, who are
multi-ethnic, multi-cultural and from every strata. They are
neither nerds nor terrorists, but they have become proficient in
something with ramifications most of us have only begun to
comprehend. It raises a lot of questions about legality and
morality."

  Iain Softley, who had already proven his ability to capture the
origins of a young counterculture with the critically acclaimed
Backbeat, came on board to helm the film. The director was
immediately attracted to the opportunity to explore a growing
sub-culture that promises to have an equal or even greater impact
on the world.

  Softley notes, "It wasn't as much the computers as the idea
that here was a phenomenon that today's generation has latched
onto in the way that their predecessors latched onto rock 'n'
roll. I think their agenda is simply to have fun, to do what they
want to do and not allow anybody to tell them what not to do."

  In fact, recent news stories corroborate that, from the
government on down, those in authority are having a difficult
time figuring out what exactly it is that hackers can and cannot
do. Softley notes, "Laws are being passed that are trying to
define a world that's changing so quickly, it's difficult to keep
up. What is legal and what is illegal? Who is the criminal?

  "HACKERS presents a number of questions that are begging to be
asked, let alone answered," Softley remarks. "The irony is that
the biggest crime--one that could unravel the whole of modern
society--could conceivably be perpetrated by a kid in his bedroom
with some fairly basic equipment. It's funny, but there's an
inescapably serious side to it."

  In casting the eclectic band of elite hackers, Softley and
casting director Dianne Crittenden screened over 1,000 actors
from across the United States. In England, their efforts were
supported by London casting director Michelle Guish (Four
Weddings and a Funeral). The result is an ensemble of young
actors who are not only talented, but reflect the diversity of
the computer generation they represent. Newcomers Jonny Lee
Miller and Angelina Jolie lead the group as Dade and Kate, who
first square off before joining forces to defeat a common enemy.

  Though he is English, Miller has a tremendous ear for dialects
and worked with a coach to mask his accent perfectly. "Dade is a
bit cocky and arrogant," he describes his character. "From the
moment he and Kate meet, there's a lot of double meaning in their
talk; they have a flirtation, but it's fueled by a complete
dislike for each other.

  But Dade can't deny that he is fascinated by Kate, and when
they find their common ground it becomes the playing field on
which they can communicate their feelings for one another."

  Angelina Jolie adds, "Kate has to respect Dade, and that adds
to her attraction to him." Jolie soon learned that, as Kate, she
was playing a true minority in the world of computers. "I talked
to a lot of male hackers who told me that, even though it's
changing, very few hackers are women, so it's difficult for them
to fit in. I think that's why Kate is so strong-willed and
disciplined: she knows she's good, but she feels she has to be
tough to be accepted as an equal."

  Rounding out the group of young, street-smart computer whizzes
are: Jesse Bradford as Joey, the wannabee hacker who' s in
desperate search of a handle; Matthew Lillard as Cereal Killer,
who Lillard describes as "the Renaissance Man of the group";
Laurence Mason as Lord Nikon, whose photographic memory gives him
what Mason calls "a living computer in his brain"; and Renoly
Santiago as Phantom Phreak, the telephone company's worst
nightmare.

  Providing a formidable foe to the elite hackers is Fisher
Stevens as The Plague, a master hacker in his own right who has
sold out for corporate greed. "A hacker's true quest is not
materialistic; they're after knowledge and information," Stevens
explains. "My character, Eugene, The Plague, has gone beyond
that. He thinks he's gone as far as he can go, so he might as
well get paid for it. He sees Dade as an obstacle, but he also
understands him...he once was him. But now, he thinks he can
destroy this kid; Dade ain't nothing compared to The Plague."

  Academy Award nominee Lorraine Bracco stars as Margo, The
Plague' s accomplice, with whom the less computer-initiated are
sure to identify. Though her executive post at Ellingson Mineral
Corporation gives Plague the access he needs for their scheme, it
is also her lack of computer savvy that opens the door for the
hackers to jeopardize their plot.

  "I wanted to do the role because I had met Iain and had seen
Backbeat, which I thought was brilliant," Bracco says. "It was a
different kind of role for me; I don't usually get to play the
villainess, so this was fun."

  The younger cast engaged in a two-part training program to
achieve the skills necessary for their roles: one part
treacherous, the other tedious. The filmmakers felt it was
important that they be as dexterous with a computer keyboard as
their characters would be, so each of them was enrolled in a
crash-course of typing and computer classes, requiring hours of
repetitive practice. Several scenes also called for the kids to
zip through the streets of New York on rollerblades. Their
training on rollerblades was, unfortunately, also something of a
crash course, though they all came out none the worse for wear.

  One of the most visually exciting aspects of HACKERS is the
colorfully eclectic wardrobe of the title characters. In an
inspired coup, the filmmakers secured legendary clothing
collector Roger Burton as the film's costume designer.
Remarkably, though Burton' s knowledge of fashion has proven
invaluable on such films as Julian Temple' s Absolute Beginners
and Franc Roddam's Quadrophenia, HACKERS marked his first project
as a costume designer.

  Working from the character descriptions in the original script,
Burton preconceived a lot of their look long before casting had
been completed. His costumes perfectly--and sometimes
humorously--delineated the uniquely individual personalities and
talents of the young hackers.

  Producer Janet Graham notes, "The costumes reflected a 'found
object' approach, with layers of accessories creating a
heightened street look."

  "None of the kids are particularly rich," Burton adds, "so it
made sense that they would shop in thrift shops and such to
customize their own look." With that in mind, the costumes for
HACKERS became a combination of original designs and pieces
purchased from second hand stores, thrift shops and even street
vendors. This posed a particular problem for the production. "On
a film set, you need doubles, or even triples of costumes in case
one is damaged or destroyed before you are finished with it,"
says Graham. "However, thrift shops and street vendors rarely
carry two or three of any item. In some cases, we had to create
duplicates...sometimes we just risked it."

  On the other hand, several of the costumes were designed and
created specifically for the film. Kate's wardrobe, for example,
was very stylized and, while it was close-fitting to show off her
body, it remained relatively androgynous. As the only girl in an
extremely male-dominated arena, Burton and Softley agreed that
she would downplay her femininity to gain acceptance. However, as
she becomes more attracted to Dade, we see her style change,
culminating in the beautiful, fitted kimono dress she wears on
their first official date. Although, proving that she hasn't
completely capitulated, she offsets it with heavy boots.

  In creating Dade's costumes, Burton went for a look he
describes as, "postcyberpunk, apocalyptic...almost paramilitary."
This veneer, together with Jonny Lee Miller's own dynamic
performance, combined to give Dade a rebellious edge and an
undercurrent of defiance.

  Graham adds, "Their toys are a distinct part of their wardrobe.
They have beepers, laptops, etc. The way kids once personalized
guitars, these kids personalize their computers and the way they
carry them around." Her point is emphasized by the outlandish
backpacks and bags that Kate wears to stash her laptop.

  To accessorize the costumes, Burton collaborated extensively
with production designer John Beard, set decorator Joanne
Woollard and the props department. Beard carried the "found
object" theme from the costumes through to his motifs for the
hackers' raucous hangouts, Robot's Revolt and Cyberdelia.

  Part nightclub, part clubhouse, Cyberdelia is not unlike many
of the cyberclubs discovered by the filmmakers in their research
for the film. Iain Softley wanted it to be a multi-leveled
cacophony of sights and sounds where the hackers could come to
exchange information, check out the latest equipment and match
their skills on state-of-the-art computer games.

  To accomplish the multi-leveled concept, Cyberdelia was built
from scratch in an abandoned indoor swimming pool on the
outskirts of London, with the center of the club in the depths of
what was the pool. Producer Ralph Winter notes, "We never knew
why, but the pool was designated an historic landmark, so great
care had to be taken not to damage anything and to return it to
its original state."

  Cyberdelia is also the place where Dade and Kate first
officially square off on a computer game called WipeOut. The game
was created by Sony Playstations who designed sequences
specifically for HACKERS.

  HACKERS became the first feature film to shoot inside the
Lloyd's of London office building. The interior became the
headquarters of Ellingson Mineral Corporation where the Plague
and Margo work...and steal. Softley chose the location because of
its interconnecting, see-through escalators that created an
allusion to the inside of a computer.

  Throughout the film, the director sought to blur the lines
between reality and fantasy, to intermingle the worlds inside and
outside of the computer. o'I wanted to show how hackers have a
sort of second sight, an X-ray view of the world," Softley
explains.

  "It's like walking down a street with an architect who knows
how everything was built," Rafael Moreu adds. "Elite hackers see
the world just under the skin, all computer systems and
link-ups."

  In HACKERS, the image of Dade's mind's eye is conveyed in an
early scene when his plane flies into Manhattan. As he looks down
at the buildings, they seem to transform into a giant computer
circuit board, with information flashing from one building to the
next. Later in the film, the inside labyrinth of Ellingson
Mineral's giant computer takes on the appearance of towering
buildings.

  "We made the city look like a computer and the main computer
look like a city," Softley says. "In the movie, the parallel
world of computers appears just as real as the everyday world.
The real and the imaginary are superimposed on one another. This
visual treatment gave me the opportunity to create a fantastic,
slightly hallucinogenic feel to the story. As Dade and the others
begin to hack, we travel with them through an information vortex,
composed of a rapid succession of images into an infinite inner
space."

  Softley worked with visual effects supervisor Peter Chiang to
achieve his vision of a melding finite and cyber-world.
Interestingly, in a film about computers, almost all of the
special effects were achieved without computer animation. Softley
explains, "We used the more conventional methods of motion
control, animation, models and rotoscoping to create a real
three-dimensional world, because, in my opinion, computer
graphics alone can sometimes lend a more flat, sterile image."

  HACKERS' all-too-real exteriors were accomplished on location
in New York City, utilizing such recognizable locations as Times
Square, Central Park, The World Trade Center, Grand Central
Station, and the top of the Empire State Building. For one
harrowing rollerblade chase sequence, Park Avenue had to be
closed to traffic. Matthew Lillard recalls that the fact that the
inconvenience was caused by a film company didn't impress
Manhattan's commuters. "When you're on location in some places,
people come around and say, 'Oh my God, they're making a movie.'
In New York, they don't care. It's like, 'Get out of the way; I'm
late for a train!'"

  The High School scenes were befittingly shot at Stuyvesant High
School, which doubled in the film for Stanton High School.
Located on the Hudson River in the financial district, Stuyvesant
is a brand new, multi-million dollar facility, which is one of
the most state-of-the-art education centers in the country.

  The school, as it turned out, was an even more appropriate
choice than the filmmakers could have imagined. A few months
after HACKERS wrapped filming at the school, several of
Stuyvesant's students were busted by the F.B.I. for...hacking.

  Softley concludes, "In many ways, the backdrop, the thing that
binds these characters together, isn't just the hacking; it's the
shared interest in cyberculture as a whole. One of the things I
tried to bring to the movie was the sense that here was a
colorful, passionate, sexy, energetic, fast-paced,
adrenaline-driven world that audiences would want to visit for a
while."

  ABOUT THE CAST

  JONNY LEE MILLER (Dade Murphy), a gifted young English actor,
makes his feature film debut starring as a decidedly American
teenager with a genius for computers in HACKERS.

  Since then, he has completed his second film, entitled
Trainspotting, which reunited the filmmakers who created Shallow
Grave, including director Danny Boyle. Filmed in Scotland,
Trainspotting will be released in 1996.

  In his native England, he has earned praise for his leading
performances in several prestigious British television projects.
His recent credits include "Meat," "Speaking in Tongues," "Prime
Suspect III," "Bad Company" and "Goodbye Cruel World."

  He has also garnered acclaim for his work on the stage in such
plays as "Democracy," "Beautiful Thing," "Neighbour,"
"Entertaining Mr. Sloane" and "Our Town."

  ANGELINA JOLIE (Kate Libby) landed her first feature film
starring part in HACKERS, portraying the only girl in the group
who can lay claim to the status of elite hacker. She previously
had roles in the independent features Gathering Evidence and Oh
No, Not Her, and followed HACKERS with Foxfire.

  Growing up in Los Angeles, Jolie was no stranger to the film
industry, being the daughter of Academy Award-winning actor Jon
Voight. She later trained and performed at the Lee Strasberg
Theatre Institute, where she was seen in several stage
productions.

  She worked as a professional model in London, New York and Los
Angeles, and has also appeared in music videos for such artists
as Meat Loaf, Lenny Kravitz, Antonello Venditti and The
Lemonheads. In addition, she has acted in five student films for
the USC School of Cinema, all directed by her brother, James
Haven Voight.

  FISHER STEVENS (Eugene a.k.a. The Plague) stars as a master
hacker who has sold out his formidable skills for corporate greed
and illegal profit. A veteran of stage, screen and television,
Stevens has consistently proven his remarkable versatility in
numerous roles.

  On the big screen, his many credits have included John Sayles'
Baby lt's You and Brother From Another Planet, Garry Marshall' s
The Flamingo Kid, John Badham's Short Circuit, Barber Schroeder's
Reversal of Fortune, Stephen Frears' Hero, Rocky Hero, Rocky
Morton and Annabel Jankel's Super Mario Bros., Norman Jewison's
Only You and the upcoming Cold Fever.

  Stevens starred in the Fox Network's series "Key West." Among
his additional credits are the ABC telefilm "Columbo" and the
Showtime movie "Right to Remain Silent."

  An accomplished stage actor, Stevens has appeared on Broadway
in leading roles in such productions as the revival of "Carousel"
at Lincoln Center, "Brighton Beach Memoirs" and "Torch Song
Trilogy." He was also seen off-Broadway in "The Perfect Ganesh,"
by Terrence McNally, and "A Midsummer Night's Dream" and "Twelfth
Night" at the N.Y. Shakespeare Festival. In addition, he was the
co-founder of New York's Naked Angels theatre company.

  JESSE BRADFORD (Joey) stars as the youngest member of the
group, who needs one "righteous" hack to earn the respect of his
friends.

  Bradford most recently starred in Far From Home: The Adventures
of Yellow Dog, which was the last film from the late director
Philip Borsos. He had previously earned critical acclaim for his
memorable performance in Steven Soderbergh's King of the Hill.

  Bradford's additional film credits include Alan Pakula's
Presumed Innocent, Herbert Ross' My Blue Heaven, Ulu Grosbard's
Falling in Love and John Hancock's Christmas classic Prancer.

  He has also been seen on television in the telefilms
"Classified Love" and "The Boys," as well as in the
highly-praised series "Tribeca."

  MATTHEW LILLARD (Cereal Killer) portrays the pig-tailed
cyber-surfer, whose offbeat humor and bohemian lifestyle make
him, perhaps, the most bizarre member of the group.

  He first caught the eye of moviegoers as Kathleen Turner's son
in John Water's Serial Mom. He recently appeared in Mad Love,
with Drew Barrymore and Chris O'Donnell, and the interactive
adventure Ride for Your Life. He will next be seen in Helen De
Michiel's Tarantella and is set to star with Neil Patrick Harris
in the feature Animal Room.

  Lillard studied at New York's prestigious Circle In the Square
Theatre, and later founded the theatre company Summoner's
Ensemble with a handful of Circle alumni. He executive produced
and starred in their original production "G.O.D.," and also
produced "An Evening of Dorothy Parker" for the company. His New
York theatre credits also include: "A Child' s Christmas in
Wales" and "Between the Lines" at Circle in the Square; and
"Tracers, ....Our Town" and "The Foreigner" with the
Mean Street Ensemble.

  LAURENCE MASON (Lord Nikon) plays the oldest and most
independent of the hackers, whose handle pays homage to his
photographic memory.

  Mason has previously been seen in such feature films as The
Crow, True Romance, The Keeper, Parallel Sons, New York Cop and
Agent Breaker.

  On the small screen, he appeared in HBO's acclaimed true-life
movie "Power: The Eddie Matos Story" and the HBO series "Hard
Core T.V." He also guest starred on NBC's "Law and Order."

  Mason has also worked extensively on the New York stage,
appearing in such plays as "And the World Laughs With You,"
"Blackout," "Fellow Passengers," "The Living News," "Chapter and
Verse," "The Nightingale," and the Broadway production
of "Free to Be You and Me."

  RENOLY SANTIAGO (Phantom Phreak) stars as the hacker who first
befriends Dade, and whose talent for usurping phone lines rivals
anyone's ability to access computers.

  Santiago is presently on screen in the highly acclaimed hit
contemporary drama Dangerous Minds, in which he stars as Raul,
opposite Michelle Pfeiffer. He is currently at work on the new
Sylvester Stallone thriller entitled Daylight.

  Born in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, Santiago began his career on the
stage. He will soon be seen as The Umbrella Man in Paul Simon' s
upcoming Broadway musical, "The Capeman." He has worked in
numerous musicals and off-Broadway productions, including:
Elizabeth Swados' "The New Americans"; "Voices From the Front" at
Carnegie Hall, in which he was a featured soloist; "Stand-Up
Tragedy"; and "The Me Nobody Knows," for which he created the
role of Hector.

  Also an accomplished writer, Santiago's credits include "Bring
in the Morning, A Wake-Up Call," which was the first book musical
ever produced at the Apollo Theatre. He also co-wrote the
Emmy-nominated pilot episode of the ABC and Henson Productions
series "City Kids."

  WENDELL PIERCE (Agent Gill) plays the computer-illiterate
Secret Service agent who is determined to bust the teenage
hackers. With a long list of film, television and stage roles to
his credit, he has worked with such outstanding directors as
Woody Allen, Spike Lee, Brian De Palma and Sidney Lumet.

  His many film credits include Waiting to Exhale, Bye, Bye Love,
It Could Happen to You, Manhattan Murder Mystery, Malcolm X, A
Rage in Harlem, Casualties of War and Family Business.

  On television, he was seen in the cable projects "Strapped,"
"The Ten Million Dollar Getaway," "Vietnam War Story: The Pass"
and "Avenue Z Afternoon." He has also guest starred on several
network series, including "I'll Fly Away," "Law & Order," "The
Equalizer" and "Capital News."

  A graduate of the Juillard School of Drama, Pierce also has an
extensive theatre repertoire, including the Broadway runs of "The
Piano Lesson," "Serious Money" and "The Boys of Winter." He also
appeared off-Broadway in such plays as oTis Pity She's a Whore,"
"The Good Times are Killing Me," "Cymbeline" and "Two Gentlemen
of Verona," as well as in numerous regional productions.

  LORRAINE BRACCO (Margo) stars as The Plague's partner in crime,
for whom cyber-speak might as well be a foreign language.

  Bracco was honored with Academy Award and Golden Globe
nominations for her performance in Martin Scorsese's GoodFellas.
In addition, she was named Best Supporting Actress by the Los
Angeles and Chicago Film Critics Associations for her work in the
film.

  She most recently starred in the French film Les Menteurs,
opposite Betty Blue's Jean Hughes Anglade, and includes among her
additional credits The Basketball 'Diaries, with Leonardo
DiCaprio, Even Cowgirls Get The Blues, Medicine Man, opposite
Sean Connery, Blake Edwards' Switch, Talent For the Game, The
Dream Team, Sing and Ridley Scott's Someone to Watch Over Me.

  ALBERTA WATSON (Lauren) earned a Genie Award nomination for
Best Supporting Actress for her work in the film In Praise of
Older Women. She also starred in Spanking the Monkey, which was
the Audience Award winner at the 1994 Sundance Film Festival.

  Her additional film credits include Exposure, for which she won
the Best Actress Award at the Yorktown Film Festival, The
Soldier, The Keep, White of the Eye, and the Oliver Stone
production Zebrahead.

  PENN JILLETTE (Hal) is the larger and louder half of the famed
comedy duo Penn & Teller. With his partner, he has won an Obie,
an Emmy and numerous other awards and has delighted audiences on
and off Broadway, throughout North America and in England.

  Penn & Teller wrote and starred in the film Penn & Teller Get
Killed, directed by Arthur Penn, and starred in the series "The
Unpleasant World of Penn & Teller" for Britain's Channel 4. In
addition, they have performed on innumerable variety specials and
talk shows, including regular appearances on "Late Night With
David Letterman."

  Together, they have co-authored two best-selling books: Penn &
Teller's How To Play With Your Food and Penn & Teller's Cruel
Tricks for Dear Friends. The latter was the name of their popular
home video.

  On his own Jillette has been seen in the films Tough Guys Don't
Dance, Savage Island, Off Beat and Half Japanese, The Band That
Would Be King. He also has a recurring role on Fox's "VR.5," has
guested on an episode of "Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of
Superman," and is the voice of cable's Comedy Central.

  Appropriate to his role in HACKERS, Jillette is active in the
world of computers, having written for PC Computing Magazine and
lectured at various computer and science conferences.

  ABOUT THE FILMMAKERS

  IAIN SOFTLEY (Director/Executive Producer) made his feature
film directorial debut on the acclaimed drama BackBeat. Softley
also wrote the script, which chronicled the earliest days of the
Beatles and the poignant romance of German photographer Astrid
Kirchherr with the "fifth" Beatle, Stuart Sutcliffe. The film
starred Sheryl Lee, Stephen Dorff and Ian Hart and opened to
worldwide critical praise in 1994.

  In his native England, Softley has earned a reputation as a
specialist in the areas of the arts, music documentaries and
music videos. He has worked with a variety of musicians,
including: The Style Council, The Christians and Level 42. His
credits as a television documentary director include work with
guitarists Robert Fripp and Andy Summers, and actor Steven
Berkoff.

  Softley is a graduate of Queen 's College in Cambridge,
England, where he also directed a number of highly-praised
theatrical productions.

  MICHAEL PEYSER (Producer) most recently produced three very
different comedies under the banner of his company, Mike's
Movies: Camp Nowhere, Jonathan Lynn's The Distinguished
Gentleman, starring Eddie Murphy, and The Night We Never Met,
starring Matthew Broderick. He is currently producing Matilda,
directed by and starring Danny DeVito.

  His other producing credits include the comedy hits Ruthless
People, starring Bette Midler and Danny DeVito, and Big Business,
starring Midler and Lily Tomlin. He also served as the executive
producer on the offbeat comedy Desperately Seeking Susan and the
suspense thriller F/X. In addition, Peyser was one of the
founding partners of Hollywood Pictures, where he handled all
phases of creative development and production.

  Hailing from New York, Peyser began his career doing production
jobs on Milos Forman's Hair and John Schlesinger's Marathon Man.
He was then production manager and associate producer for Woody
Allen on the director' s films Manhattan, Stardust Memories, The
Purple Rose of Cairo, Broadway Danny Rose, Zelig and A Midsummer
Night's Sex Comedy. During this period, he also worked as
executive in charge of production on the hit comedy Arthur,
starring Dudley Moore and Liza Minnelli.

  RALPH WINTER (Producer) has enjoyed' a successful and varied
producing career in the film industry.

  He has worked on several of the extremely popular Star Trek
feature films, serving as a producer on Star Trek VI: The
Undiscovered Country, which earned multiple Academy Award
nominations. He also executive produced Star Trek IV: The Voyage
Home and Star Trek V: The Final Frontier, and was associate
producer on Star Trek III: The Search for Spock.

  He most recently produced the science fiction thriller The
Puppetmasters, starting Donald Sutherland. In addition, Winter
was the executive producer on the recent comedies Hocus Pocus and
Captain Ron. He also independently produced the film The Perfect
Weapon and was co-executive producer of the Vietnam War action
drama Flight of the Intruder.

  Winter began his career in 1981 as the director of
post-production of Paramount Television. He later became
executive in charge of production for Harve Bennett Productions,
where he oversaw the acclaimed long form television projects "A
Woman Called Golda" and "The Jesse Owens Story."

  RAFAEL MOREU (Screenwriter) counts HACKERS as his first feature
film script.

  Of Cuban-American descent, Moreu was born in Miami and attended
New York University, where he studied at the Circle in the Square
Theatre School. He later worked as a script reader and story
analyst for Fine Line, Miramax, and New Line, where he discovered
the script, Hangin' With the Homeboys. He went on to serve as
director of development for Robert Halmi's company, RHI, where he
developed six telefilms. During his tenure there, he was
primarily involved in adapting outstanding stage plays for
television audiences, including Marsha Norman's "Getting Out" and
Michael Weller's "Spoils of War."

  Moreu is also a founding member of the Seraphim Theatre Company
in New York, which is dedicated to developing new playwrights.

  JANET GRAHAM (Co-Producer) most recently served as the
co-producer of the comedy Camp Nowhere, starring Christopher
Lloyd. She had previously worked as the associate producer on Jim
Abrahams' hit comedy Hot Shots!, starring Charlie Sheen.

  Graham is a graduate of the prestigious Peter Stark Motion
Picture Producing Program at the University of Southern
California. Later, she earned the post of vice president for
producer Michael Peyser's development company, Mikeos Movies.
Their first film collaboration was The Night We Never Met, on
which Graham was the associate producer.

  ANDRZEJ SEKULA (Director of Photography) was the
cinematographer on Quentin Tarentino's award-winning hit Pulp
Fiction and had previously collaborated with the director on his
acclaimed drama Reservoir Dogs. He more recently reunited with
Tarentino to shoot his segment of the much anticipated film Four
Rooms.

  Among his other film credits are the HBO film Body Language,
for director George Case, Oleanna, directed by David Mamet, Sleep
With Me, Bank Robber, Across the Moon and Three of Hearts.

  Sekula was born in Poland, where he began his career as a
cinematographer on documentaries. In 1980, he moved to London,
where he was accepted to the National Film and Television School.
By the mid-1980s, he found himself in demand on commercials,
music videos, short films and documentary features.

  JOHN BEARD (Production Designer) has created the atmosphere for
several highly-praised and diverse features.

  He includes among his previous film credits Vincent Ward's Map
of the Human Heart, Robert Young's Splitting Heirs, Mike Figgis'
The Browning Version, Terry Gilliam's Erik the Viking, Martin
Scorsese's controversial The Last Temptation of Christ, Mary
Lambert' s Siesta and Julien Temple' s Absolute Beginners.

  Beard earned a degree in interior design from the Kingston
College of Art London, and began his career as an assistant to
production designer Brian Eatwell. He went on to become the art
director on Terry Gilliam's Brazil and on Nicolas Roeg's films
Eureka and Bad Timing.

  CHRISTOPHER BLUNDEN (Editor) has edited several projects for
both film and British television. He most recently worked on Bare
Necessities for Granada Television.

  Among his earlier credits are The Good King, Moving Story, Head
Over Heels, Carry On Columbus, Life After Life, The Never Ending
Story 11: The Next Chapter, Wilt, The Adventures of Baron
Munchausen and Amazing Grace and Chuck.

  In addition, he served as visual effects editor on the fantasy
action adventure Highlander.

  MARTIN WALSH (Editor) previously teamed with director Iain
Softley on Backbeat. He edited Peter Medak's acclaimed feature
The Krays, which won the London Standard Award for Best British
Film, and includes among his additional film credits Hear My
Song, Funny Bones, Bad Behaviour, Wild West, The Fifteen Streets,
Courage Mountain and The Wolves of Willoughby Chase. He is
currently at work on Feeling Minnesota, starring Keanu Reeves,
which is due out in 1996.

  Walsh has also edited a number of distinguished television
documentaries, including "Oil," "A Rough Stage" and "Africa,"
which was honored with an Emmy Award.

  ROGER BURTON (Costume Designer) is considered the consummate
authority on "street" fashions of the last half century, and has
amassed an extraordinary accumulation of over 10,000 period
clothes, dating back to the 1930s.

  He began his collection in 1969 in his hometown of Leicester,
England. Three years later, he opened a specialty antique shop,
before relocating to London to start a wholesale business for
supplying fashion shops around with world with vintage clothes
and accessories. In 1978, he formed Contemporary Wardrobe, which
continues to supply the international film, television,
advertising and music industries.

  His previous film experience includes Quadrophenia, on which he
served as the costume consultant for the early-1960s period. He
worked in the same capacity on Absolute Beginners, which
dramatizes the emergence of London 's teenagers in the late
1950s. He also lent his vast knowledge of recent period clothes
to such films as Birth of the Beatles, Chariots of Fire, Sid and
Nancy and Little Shop of Horrors.

  Burton has also worked on countless music videos, dressing such
musical artists as The Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Annie Lennox
and many more.

  His clothing archive now forms the basis of a permanent
exhibition in a gallery space called The Chamber of Pop Culture,
located in the same building as Contemporary Wardrobe. Burton is
also working on a book profiling street fashions of the last 50
years.

  SIMON BOSWELL (Composer) is an award-winning film composer, in
addition to writing and producing music for a variety of artists.
He most recently composed the score for United Artists'
supernatural horror thriller Lord of Illusions, directed by Clive
Barker.

  Boswell was honored with a Critics Prize from the Cannes Film
Festival for his score in Isaac Julien's Young Soul Rebels and
earned a nomination from the British Film Institute for Best
International Score for his work on Richard Stanley's Hardware.
In addition, he composed the song Second Coming for Neil Jordan's
Academy Award winning hit The Crying Game.

  His additional film credits include Santa Sangre, Second Best,
Jack & Sarah, Shallow Grave, Dust Devil, The Turn of the Screw
and Aquarius.

  In addition to performing and recording his own music, Boswell
has written and produced material for an eclectic assortment of
musical artists, including Daisy Chain, 23 Skidoo, Pierce Turner,
Nik Kershaw, Amii Stewart, Live Wire, Mark Andrews and The
Crooks. He is also a regular contributor to Sight and Sound
Magazine.


Copyright (c) 1995 UNITED ARTISTS.  All Rights Reserved.
Scanned on a Hewlett Packard ScanJet IIp.
Copy scanned by Expervision TypeReader Professional.