Themes: Crime Gone Awry, Murder Investigations, Drug Addiction
Main Cast: Val Kilmer, Kate Bosworth, Lisa Kudrow, Josh Lucas, Dylan McDermott
Release Year: 2003
Country: US
Run Time: 104 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Plot
James Cox directs the sleazy Hollywood murder tale Wonderland, starring Val Kilmer as legendary porn star John Holmes. Using a non-linear plot structure, the film explores different perspectives of the quadruple homicide that occurred on July 1, 1981, in the Hollywood Hills. At the lowest point of his career and the height of his drug addiction, Holmes was implicated in the murders of the Wonderland gang: Ron Launius (Josh Lucas), Billy Deverell (Tim Blake Nelson), Barbara Richardson (Natasha Gregson Wagner), and Joy Miller (Janeane Garofalo). Launius' wife, Susan (Christina Applegate), was the only survivor. Led by Detective Sam Nico (Ted Levine), the police investigation reveals a dark criminal underworld surrounding Holmes, his disapproving wife, Sharon (Lisa Kudrow), and his innocent teenage girlfriend, Dawn Schiller (Kate Bosworth). Eric Bogosian stars as notorious Hollywood nightclub owner Eddie Nash. Wonderland premiered at the 2003 Toronto Film Festival. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
John R. Zachary - Art Director, Captain Mauzner - Associate Producer, Allen Fischer - Associate Producer, Dawn Schiller - Associate Producer, James Townsend - Associate Producer, Barbara Fiorentino - Casting, Mike Upton - Consultant/advisor, Cass Paley - Consultant/advisor, Sharon Holmes - Consultant/advisor, Ali Forman - Co-producer, Scott Putman - Co-producer, Kate Healey - Costume Designer, Marcy Craig - Costume Designer, Maryam Malakpour - Costume Designer, Luke Scully - First Assistant Director, James Cox - Director, Jeff McEvoy - Editor, Michael Burns - Executive Producer, George Furla - Executive Producer, Marc Butan - Executive Producer, Peter Block - Executive Producer, Tom Ortenberg - Executive Producer, Julie Yorn - Executive Producer, Peter Kleidman - Executive Producer, Thayer Jester - Executive Producer, Randall Emmett - Executive Producer, Jonathon Hanovjek - Hair Styles, Yiotis Panayiotuo - Hair Styles, Cliff Martinez - Composer (Music Score), Myke Michaels - Makeup Special Effects, Patrick Rousseau - Camera Operator, Franco-Giacomo Carbone - Production Designer, Michael Grady - Cinematographer, Michael Paseornek - Producer, Holly Wiersma - Producer, Steven A. Morrow - Sound Mixer, Brian Emrich - Sound/Sound Designer, Shawn Driscoll - Stunts, Tanya Ruby - Stunts, Chuck Borden - Stunts Coordinator, Bob Chinn - Technical Advisor, Scott Putman - Unit Production Manager, James Cox - Screenwriter, Captain Mauzner - Screenwriter, Todd Samovitz - Screenwriter, D. Loriston Scott - Screenwriter, Caron M. Salzer - Production Assistant, Lizette Jaimes - Production Assistant, Roland Manarin - Production Assistant, Mark A. Lanza - Sound Effects Editor, Michael A. Levine - Additional Music, Charles Kim - Additional Music, Sarah J. Clifford - Animal Trainer/Wrangler, Chris Libby - Unit Publicist, Marc Cooper - First Assistant Camera, Brian Giuseppe Morena - First Assistant Camera, Paul Postal - Gaffer, Albert Aguilar - Grip, Casey Alisinio - Grip, Derek Cunningham - Grip, Aubrey Boytos - Key Grip, Brian Richards - Music Editor, Jack Sherman - Musical Performer, Michael Williams - Musical Performer, Jennifer Hwang - Post Production Coordinator, Carl Petragal - Post Production Supervisor, Daniel MacArthur - Production Coordinator, Kaylene Carlson - Production Coordinator, Ted Gidlow - Production Supervisor, Jeffrey M. O'Brien - Properties Master, Mark Binder - Re-Recording Mixer, Nila Neukum - Script Supervisor, Amy Schmidt - Second Assistant Director, Tom Seymour - Special Effects Assistant, J.D. Streett - Special Effects Coordinator, Colin Hudson - Steadicam Operator, Ben Kaller - Still Photographer, Mark Binder - Supervising Sound Editor, David M. Garber - Visual Effects Producer, Bernice Briggs - Visual Effects Producer, Jesse Pomeroy - ADR Editor, Shawn Ian Kerkhoff - ADR Editor, Kimberly Wannop - Art Department Assistant, Christopher Miller - Assistant Location Manager, Christi Neubeiser - Assistant Location Manager, Jacqueline Nusco - Assistant Production Coordinator, Carrie Carpenter - Assistant Properties, Kristin "Lilly" Frank - Assistant Properties, Georgia Schwab - Assistant Properties, Shawn Ian Kerkhoff - Assistant Sound Editor, Victor Abbene - Best Boy Electric, Ken Cooper - Best Boy Electric, Louis "Lucky" Isman - Best Boy Grip, Dave L. Bush - Buyer, Tomoka "Tommy" Izumi - Camera Loader, James M. McEwen - Chief Lighting Technician, Wayne Lindholm - Construction Coordinator, Paula Kaatz - Costumes Supervisor, Jesse Pomeroy - Dialogue Editor, Shawn Ian Kerkhoff - Dialogue Editor, John Spezzano - Dolly Grip, Luis Gonzales - Electrician, J. Michael Haynes - Electrician, David Yellin - Electrician, Central Casting - Extra Casting, Chad Darnell - Extra Casting, Carey Kienitz - First Assistant Accountant, Scott Byrns - First Assistant Accountant, Matt Miller - First Assistant Editor, Joan Rowe - Foley Artist, Sean Rowe - Foley Artist, Laura Macias - Foley Artist, Nick Shaffer - Foley Editor, Pete Washburn - Leadman, Farah Khan - Personal Assistant, Katherine Huang - Personal Assistant, Cam Mason - Personal Assistant, Tiffany Ryan - Personal Assistant, David Shae - Personal Assistant, Rosemary Lara - Personal Assistant, Emily Rice - Post Production Accountant, Tara Cirone - Post Production Assistant, Kyle Eliason - Post Production Assistant, David Kessler - Post Production Assistant, Jessica Roberts - Post Production Assistant, Marjorie Chodorov - Production Accountant, Scott Allen Martinez - Second Assistant Camera, Vanessa Morehouse - Second Assistant Camera, Kyle LeMire - Second Second Assistant Director, Lisa Keller - Set Dresser, Chris Coakley - Set Dresser, Vanessa Couron - Set Dresser, Jeanne Kukor - Set Dresser, Tommy Lewis - Set Dresser, Sean P. O'Connell - Set Dresser, Jonathan Steven Rudnick - Set Dresser, Brady D. Bowen - Set Production Assistant, Ian Elias - Set Production Assistant, David Harari - Set Production Assistant, Steve Ignash - Set Production Assistant, Dillon Kastner - Set Production Assistant, Ricky Mendez - Set Production Assistant, Kevin McBride - Transportation Captain, Corey Askins - Transportation Coordinator, Laurie Hunter - Visual Effects, Elisa Sauleda - Visual Effects, Jason Howard - Set Decorator, Georgia Simon - ADR Voice Casting, Daron Wayne Smith - Construction Foreman, Tillie Dunn - Craft Service/Catering, Guy Michaels - Driver, Robert Chookhachian - Driver, Christoph Miller - Driver, Chris Arnold - Driver, Hedy Balani - Driver, Bill Benedict - Driver, Troy Bridenstine - Driver, Fred Culbertson - Driver, Greg Gaulrapp - Driver, Vincent Blair Giordano - Driver, Ross W. Holzer - Driver, Kevin Norwood - Driver, Robert Russello - Driver, William Smallwood - Driver, David Torgerson - Driver, Gregory Willis - Driver, James Young - Driver, Shawn Kennelly - Foley Mixer, Wayne Lamkay - Production Secretary, Paul Townsend Cottrell - Set Medic/First Aid, Jeff McEvoy - Title Design, Inc. Image Resolution - Title Design, Claudia Carey - Art Department Coordinator, Mark Skillingberg - Assistant Music Editor, Sharisse Fine-Kekone - Department Head Hair, Vito Trotta - Department Head Hair, Tarra Day - Department Head Makeup, Greg Austin - Carpenter, Mike Barry - Carpenter, Adrian Encinas - Carpenter, Jeffrey Rothrock - Carpenter, Garett Salzer - Carpenter, Sallie Ciganovich - Additional Hair Stylist
We are first introduced to the underage girlfriend of John Holmes -- Dawn Schiller (Bosworth). She is on the streets and is picked up by a holy roller (Carrie Fisher) after she and Holmes break up. She eventually calls Holmes to come and get her. Holmes arrives at the apartment and they have sex and snort cocaine in the bathroom. While in a motel room, Dawn sees a newscast that states four people were murdered at a rowhouse on Wonderland Avenue, the same one she had been to with Holmes before. The story eventually moves onto two city detectives (Ted Levine and Franky G) investigating the crime and their contact with Holmes. Another officer (M.C. Gainey) intervenes with the investigation, himself being a colleague of Holmes.
David Lind's story
The next major character introduced is David Lind (Dylan McDermott). He hears of his friends' murders at Wonderland and soon discovers his girlfriend was there. While at the crime scene, he is picked up by L.A.P.D. Detectives Nico and Cruz (representing real-life detectives in the case, Tom Lange and Bob Souza). Through Lind's story (told in flashbacks), we are introduced to some of the people who party at Wonderland. These people, known as the Wonderland Gang include Ron Launius (Josh Lucas), Billy Deverell (Tim Blake Nelson), Lind's 22-year old girlfriend Barbara Richardson (Natasha Gregson Wagner), Joy Miller (Janeane Garofalo) and Susan Launius (Christina Applegate). Ron has a fondness for antique guns and quite frequently shows them off. When Ron learns that Holmes knows notorious gangsterEddie Nash (Eric Bogosian), he gives Holmes a pair of stolen antique guns to take to Nash so that Nash can fence them and they can split the loot. Nash befriended Holmes because of Holmes' notoriety as the film phenom Johnny Wadd. Holmes takes the guns to Nash, but Nash says the guns are too rare to be sold; they would be recognized right away and everyone involved would be apprehended. Rather than give the guns back to Holmes, Nash keeps them for himself. Attempting to get back in the good graces of the gang, Holmes suggests robbing Nash's home. Ron is reluctant to go along with the robbery at first, but after Holmes gives him a rundown of what's there, he is quite eager for the big score. Holmes volunteers to draw them a map to plan the robbery, since he has been to Nash's house a lot. Holmes then visits Nash to buy drugs. On the way out, he leaves the door to the kitchen unlocked so the Wonderland gang can have easy access.
The robbery of Eddie Nash
The next morning, the robbery is carried out by Ronnie Launius, Lind, and Deverell, while wheel-man Tracy McCourt waits outside in a car, serving as lookout. Neither Holmes nor any of the women are present when the robbery occurs. The Wonderland Gang gains access through the unlocked kitchen door and robs Nash at gunpoint. Lind accidentally fires his gun, wounding Nash's bodyguard, Greg Diles (Faizon Love). Racial epithets are hurled at Nash and Diles. The gang walks away with over one million dollars in cash, jewels and drugs. They bring their loot back to the Wonderland apartment to divide everything up. Holmes is unhappy with the cut he is given, even though he did not take part in the robbery. Nash finds out that Holmes helped plan the robbery. He has Holmes beaten and finds his black address book. He tells Holmes he will kill every person listed in the book, starting with his mother, if he does not give up the men who robbed him. He also threatens to cut off Holmes' penis, cut it into pieces, and shove it down his (Holmes') throat.
July 1, 1981
The retaliation for the robbery is swift and fatal. On July 1, 1981, a group of Nash's henchmen (including Holmes) led by Diles gain access to the apartment at Wonderland Avenue. Ron Launius, Deverell, Richardson and Miller are all brutally beaten to death with striated lead pipes. Holmes is compelled by Diles to deliver blows to Launius. Susan Launius is beaten but not killed. She survives and is questioned by Nico and Cruz in her hospital bed. She tells them (in a near comatose state) that she does not remember anything—only shadows. Lind is not present during the attacks.
The robbery of Nash (in fictionalized form) features heavily in the Holmes-inspired Boogie Nights. In that film Mark Wahlberg plays the porn star and Alfred Molina plays the "Nash" role.
