Living in Oblivion

1995
R
1h 30m

IMDb RATING

7.5/10

21K

YOUR RATING

Steve Buscemi in Living in Oblivion (1995)

Theatrical Trailer from Sony Pictures Classics

Play trailer2:19

5 Videos

77 Photos

Satire Comedy Drama

This ultimate tribute to all independent filmmakers takes place during one day on the set of a non-budget movie.This ultimate tribute to all independent filmmakers takes place during one day on the set of a non-budget movie.This ultimate tribute to all independent filmmakers takes place during one day on the set of a non-budget movie.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.5/10

21K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 7 wins & 8 nominations total

Trivia
Director Tom DiCillo didn't want to beg people for money to make this film, so he asked his actors if they would work for free. All of them agreed and most of them even put up money themselves. Eventually anybody who contributed a few dollars got a part in the movie.

Goofs
When the gaffer talks about his private film project, the script on the bed flips between shots.

Quotes
[Little person Tito is not happy with the dream sequence]
Tito: Why does my character have to be a dwarf?
Nick: He doesn't have to be.
Tito: Then why is he? Is that the only way you can make this a dream, to put a dwarf in it?
Nick: No, Tito, I...
Tito: Have you ever had a dream with a dwarf in it? Do you know anyone who's had a dream with a dwarf in it? No! I don't even have dreams with dwarves in them. The only place I've seen dwarves in dreams is in stupid movies like this! "Oh make it weird, put a dwarf in it!". Everyone will go "Woah, this must be a fuckin' dream, there's a fuckin' dwarf in it!". Well I'm sick of it! You can take this dream sequence and stick it up your ass!

Crazy credits
statement after the end credits: The characters and incidents portrayed and the names herein are sort of fictitious, and any similarity to the name, character or history of any person is sort of coincidental and unintentional.

Connections
Featured in Siskel & Ebert: Clueless/An Awfully Big Adventure/Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home/Living in Oblivion/Bandit Queen (1995)

User reviews96

Review

Featured review

8/10

Funny and interesting, if convoluted, movie-about-movie.

Living in Oblivion is an unusual, funny, and interesting example of the movie-about-movies genre, focusing on the low budget, independent movie making scene. The lead performances by Steve Buscemi and Catherine Keener are first-rate, and the supporting cast is excellent as well. The film veers from satire to realism to surrealism in depicting the problems and tensions involved in off-off-Hollywood filmmaking. One problem with its structure, though, is the repeated "dream trick." Its first use creates shock and interest, but its second use creates a serious distraction in the third act since the viewer keeps wondering whose dream he or she may be in this time. Overall, an enjoyable film - highly recommended to indie film buffs.