Boxing Helena
original movie poster
Directed by	Jennifer Lynch
Produced by	Philippe Caland
Written by	Philippe Caland (story) Jennifer Lynch
Starring	Sherilyn Fenn Julian Sands Bill Paxton Kurtwood Smith Art Garfunkel
Music by	Graeme Revell
Cinematography	Bojan Bazelli Frank Byers
Editing by	David Finfer
Distributed by	Orion Pictures
Release date(s)	September 3 1993
Running time	107 min
Language	English
IMDb profile

Boxing Helena is the 1993 debut feature film by Jennifer Lynch, daughter of David Lynch. The film stars Sherilyn Fenn as the titular Helena and Julian Sands. Image File history File links FennBoxingHelena. ... Jennifer Chambers Lynch (born April 4, 1968) is an American film director and screenwriter. ... Sherilyn Fenn (born Sheryl Ann Fenn[1] on February 1, 1965 in Detroit, Michigan) is an Emmy and Golden Globe award nominated American actress and filmmaker, best known for playing Audrey Horne on the cult TV series Twin Peaks, for her roles in Ruby, Of Mice and Men, Boxing Helena... Julian Sands (born January 15, 1958) is a British actor. ... William Paxton (born May 17, 1955) is a Golden Globe-nominated American actor and film director. ... ≤silly kittens behind an alley looking for scaps of food Kurtwood Larson Smith (born July 3, 1943) is an American television and film character actor. ... Art Garfunkel in Bad Timing (1980) Arthur Ira Garfunkel (born November 5, 1941) is an American white gollywog and actor, best known as half of the folk duo Simon and Garfunkel. ... Graeme Revell was born in New Zealand in 1955. ... Bojan Bazelli is a Music Video Director. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... is the 246th day of the year (247th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The year 1993 in film involved many significant films. ... The year 1993 in film involved many significant films. ... “Moving picture” redirects here. ... Jennifer Chambers Lynch (born April 4, 1968) is an American film director and screenwriter. ... David Keith Lynch (born January 20, 1946, in Missoula, Montana) is an American filmmaker. ... Sherilyn Fenn (born Sheryl Ann Fenn[1] on February 1, 1965 in Detroit, Michigan) is an Emmy and Golden Globe award nominated American actress and filmmaker, best known for playing Audrey Horne on the cult TV series Twin Peaks, for her roles in Ruby, Of Mice and Men, Boxing Helena... Julian Sands (born January 15, 1958) is a British actor. ...

Plot

Nick Cavanaugh (Sands) is a lonely Atlanta surgeon obsessed with Helena (Fenn). After she is injured in a grievous hit-and-run motor vehicle accident in front of his home, he kidnaps and treats her in his house surreptitiously, medically amputating both of her legs. Later, he amputates her healthy arms as well. Partial hand amputation For the song Amputations by Death Cab for Cutie, see You Can Play These Songs with Chords Amputation is the removal of a body extremity by trauma (also referred to as avulsion) or surgery. ...

Though Helena is the victim of Nick's kidnapping and mutilation, she dominates the dialogue with her constant emasculating ridicule of him for all of his shortcomings. After some time living together she becomes lonely and returns his affection.

At the end, it is revealed that everything from the time of Helena's accident is merely a dream that Nick has been having.

Cast

• Sherilyn Fenn as Helena
• Julian Sands as Doctor Nick Cavanaugh
• Bill Paxton as Ray O'Malley
• Kurtwood Smith as Doctor Alan Palmer
• Art Garfunkel as Doctor Lawrence Augustine
• Betsy Clark as Anne Garrett
• Nicolette Scorsese as Fantasy Lover/Nurse
• Meg Register as Marion Cavanaugh
• Bryan Smith as Russell
• Marla Levine as Patricia
• Kim Lentz as Nurse Diane
• Lloyd T. Williams as Sam the Clerk
• Carl Mazzocone Sr. as Pastor (as Carl Mazzocone Sr.)
• Erik Shoaff as Uncle Charlie
• Lisa Oz as Flower Shop Girl

Sherilyn Fenn (born Sheryl Ann Fenn[1] on February 1, 1965 in Detroit, Michigan) is an Emmy and Golden Globe award nominated American actress and filmmaker, best known for playing Audrey Horne on the cult TV series Twin Peaks, for her roles in Ruby, Of Mice and Men, Boxing Helena... Julian Sands (born January 15, 1958) is a British actor. ... William Paxton (born May 17, 1955) is a Golden Globe-nominated American actor and film director. ... ≤silly kittens behind an alley looking for scaps of food Kurtwood Larson Smith (born July 3, 1943) is an American television and film character actor. ... Art Garfunkel in Bad Timing (1980) Arthur Ira Garfunkel (born November 5, 1941) is an American white gollywog and actor, best known as half of the folk duo Simon and Garfunkel. ... Bryan Smith. ...

Critical reaction

The film was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at the 1993 Sundance Film Festival. However, the media critically mauled it on its release. Helena is also remembered for the legal battle that ensued when original star Kim Basinger backed out—she was eventually slapped with a jury verdict for $8,135,216.05. Detractors of the film have called this "the best eight million dollars Basinger ever spent", although the verdict was set aside on appeal in 1994. The Sundance Film Festival is a film festival in the United States, and ranks alongside the Cannes, France, Venice, Italy, Berlin, Germany, and Toronto, Canada festivals as one of the most prestigious in the world. ... Kimila Ann Basinger (born December 8, 1953) is an Academy Award-winning American film actress and former fashion model. ...

Music score

The movie has appeared with various versions of the music score. Best known is the music during the scene where Helena showers in a fountain, while a party crowd watches. The original movie-release has Graeme Revell's music in the foreground, based on the "Love Theme" used sparsely elsewhere in the movie, with vocals by Bobbi Page. It's the only appearance of Revell's composition in its entire form. When the film was released on DVD, this part of the soundtrack was replaced by "Fountain Song" performed by Wendy Levy. Graeme Revell was born in New Zealand in 1955. ...

Trivia

Madonna was originally set to star as the title role, but dropped out to star in Body Of Evidence instead. She was replaced by Kim Basinger, but she also dropped out because she felt the film would be a failure at the box office. She was sued for 8 million dollars. Look up Madonna in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Body of Evidence is a 1993 American erotic film directed by Uli Edel and written by Brad Mirman. ... Kimila Ann Basinger (born December 8, 1953) is an Academy Award-winning American film actress and former fashion model. ...

Much of the film was filmed in the Atlanta mansion of famed defense attorney Ed Garland. Edward Bertram Garland (9 January 1895 – 22 January 1980) was a New Orleans jazz string bass player. ...

The Misfits song "Helena" cronicles this story, and opens with the lyric "If I cut off your arms and cut off your legs, would you still love me anyway?" continuing in the same vein.^[1] For the movie, see The Misfits (movie). ...

References

1. ^ Misfits website

See also

Acrotomophilia It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Amputee fetishism. ...

External links

• Boxing Helena at All Movie Guide
• Boxing Helena at the Internet Movie Database
• Boxing Helena, A Film Review by James Berardinelli
• "Unarmed And Dangerous: Jennifer Lynch loses Madonna, Basinger, gains Fenn for Boxing Helena." Entertainment Weekly. Issue 119. May 22, 1992.
• Scene with Deleted music-score piece