Northfork
Encyclopedia
Northfork is a 2003 film
directed by Michael Polish and written by Michael and Mark Polish. It premiered at the Sundance Film Festival
on January 21, 2003 and later received a limited release in the United States
on July 11, 2003.http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0322659/releaseinfo The film stars James Woods
, Nick Nolte
, Daryl Hannah
, Anthony Edwards
and Peter Coyote
. This is the brothers' third film collaboration, after Twin Falls Idaho
(1999) and Jackpot (2001).
circa 1955. A new dam is being built which will flood the valley of Northfork, and the town is in the midst of an evacuation. The narratives focus on several individuals who, for one reason or another, have yet to evacuate. Walter O'Brian (Woods) and his son (Mark Polish) are on the evacuation team, helping to evacuate the last few inhabitants of Northfork. Father Harlan (Nick Nolte) is one such individual, who has stayed behind to care for Irwin (Duel Farnes), a dying orphan too weak to leave town. While the O'Brians and their co-workers encounter an array of unusual characters, Irwin discovers that he is the "unknown angel" and finds himself a family in his dreams.
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
directed by Michael Polish and written by Michael and Mark Polish. It premiered at the Sundance Film Festival
Sundance Film Festival
The Sundance Film Festival is a film festival that takes place annually in Utah, in the United States. It is the largest independent cinema festival in the United States. Held in January in Park City, Salt Lake City, and Ogden, as well as at the Sundance Resort, the festival is a showcase for new...
on January 21, 2003 and later received a limited release in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
on July 11, 2003.http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0322659/releaseinfo The film stars James Woods
James Woods
James Howard Woods is an American film, stage and television actor. Woods is known for starring in critically acclaimed films such as Once Upon a Time in America, Salvador, Nixon, Ghosts of Mississippi, Casino, and in the television legal drama Shark. He has won three Emmy Awards, and has gained...
, Nick Nolte
Nick Nolte
Nicholas King "Nick" Nolte is an American actor whose career has spanned over five decades, peaking in the 1990s when his commercial success made him one of the most popular celebrities of that decade.-Early life:...
, Daryl Hannah
Daryl Hannah
Daryl Christine Hannah is an American film actress. After making her screen debut in 1978, Hannah starred in a number of Hollywood films throughout the 1980s, notably Blade Runner, Splash, Wall Street and Roxanne and Kill Bill.-Early life:Hannah was born in Chicago, Illinois, the daughter of Susan...
, Anthony Edwards
Anthony Edwards
Anthony Charles Edwards is an American actor and director. He has appeared in various movies and television shows, including Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Top Gun, Zodiac, Revenge of the Nerds, Northern Exposure and ER.-Early life:Edwards was born in Santa Barbara, California, the son of Erika...
and Peter Coyote
Peter Coyote
Peter Coyote is an American actor, author, director, screenwriter and narrator of films, theatre, television and audio books. His voice work includes narrating the opening ceremony of the 2002 Winter Olympics and Apple's iPad campaign. He has also served as on-camera co-host of the 2000 Oscar...
. This is the brothers' third film collaboration, after Twin Falls Idaho
Twin Falls Idaho (film)
Twin Falls Idaho is a 1999 independent film directed by Michael Polish, who co-wrote and co-stars in the film with his identical twin brother, Mark Polish.-Plot:...
(1999) and Jackpot (2001).
Plot
The film's narrative consists of several interwoven subplots taking place in the town of Northfork, MontanaMontana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
circa 1955. A new dam is being built which will flood the valley of Northfork, and the town is in the midst of an evacuation. The narratives focus on several individuals who, for one reason or another, have yet to evacuate. Walter O'Brian (Woods) and his son (Mark Polish) are on the evacuation team, helping to evacuate the last few inhabitants of Northfork. Father Harlan (Nick Nolte) is one such individual, who has stayed behind to care for Irwin (Duel Farnes), a dying orphan too weak to leave town. While the O'Brians and their co-workers encounter an array of unusual characters, Irwin discovers that he is the "unknown angel" and finds himself a family in his dreams.
Reaction
The film received mixed reviews from critics upon its release. Most people generally agreed that the film is visually beautiful and philosophically interesting, however, the lack of a strong narrative bothered critics, including many critics who gave favorable reviews.http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/northfork/ Despite this, it won several awards at film festivals including:http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0322659/awards- the Best Director award at the AthensAthensAthens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
International Film Festival. - the Golden Fleece award at the Golden Trailer AwardsGolden Trailer AwardsThe Golden Trailer Awards is an annual awards show that honors achievements in motion picture marketing, including film trailers, posters and television advertisements.- Overview :...
. - the German Independence Award at the OldenburgOldenburgOldenburg is an independent city in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated in the western part of the state between the cities of Bremen and Groningen, Netherlands, at the Hunte river. It has a population of 160,279 which makes it the fourth biggest city in Lower Saxony after Hanover, Braunschweig...
Film Festival.