Insignificance (1985) on Netflix
In a 1954 New York City hotel room, The Professor works on mathematical calculations. The Senator tries to make him testify before a committee. The Actress appears at his door.
- Netflix2.8/5
- IMDb6.4/104,346 votes
- Rotten Tomatoes71%
Trailer
Plot summary
On a crowded New York City street, a film crew shoots a scene. The Actress, in a white dress on a grate, has her skirt blown up around her waist. Her husband, The Ballplayer, watches. She leaves in a taxi without him and buys toys, flashlights, and balloons. The Professor works on mathematical calculations in his hotel room. The Senator comes to pressure him into testifying before a committee. The Actress appears at his door, and he invites her in. She demonstrates the theory of relativity using her purchases.
Cast
- Ian O'Connellas Assistant Director
- George Holmesas Actor
- Richard M. Davidsonas Director of Photography (as Richard Davidson)
- Mitch Greenbergas Technician
Did you know?!Facts and trivia about Insignificance (1985)
Can contain spoilers, watch the movie first.
- Terry Johnson wrote the play after reading that an autographed photograph of Albert Einstein was found among Marilyn Monroe's possessions when she died, and the idea of their meeting became a meditation on fame.
- Theresa Russell did not want to play Marilyn Monroe at first, calling it "a pile of horseshit I didn't want to step in", and trained with a vocal coach to speak in a higher register than her naturally lower voice.
- The nude calendar shot of Theresa Russell as The Actress was created by photographer-collagist David Hockney, a splintered image that critic Chuck Stephens called "a pinup in a hundred pieces, a centerfold sent through a centrifuge".
- The soundtrack album The Shape of the Universe, released by ZTT Records, features Roy Orbison singing "Wild Hearts", Theresa Russell singing "Life Goes On" uncredited, and three tracks by Hans Zimmer.
- At its Cannes premiere, Alexander Walker publicly attacked Insignificance for being the festival's only British entry while featuring an all-American cast and setting.
- Clips of Insignificance appear throughout Big Audio Dynamite's music video for "E=MC2", and Jim O'Rourke's 2001 album Insignificance is named after the film.
