Whiplash (2014 film)

Whiplash
A spotlight shines on a male drummer.
Theatrical release poster
Directed byDamien Chazelle
Written byDamien Chazelle
Based onWhiplash
by Damien Chazelle
Produced by
Starring
CinematographySharone Meir
Edited byTom Cross
Music byJustin Hurwitz
Production
companies
Distributed bySony Pictures Classics
Release dates
  • January 16, 2014 (2014-01-16) (Sundance)
  • October 10, 2014 (2014-10-10) (United States)
Running time
106 minutes[1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$3.3 million[2]
Box office$50.4 million[2]

Whiplash is a 2014 American psychological drama film written and directed by Damien Chazelle, starring Miles Teller, J. K. Simmons, Paul Reiser, and Melissa Benoist. It focuses on an ambitious music student and aspiring jazz drummer (Teller), who is pushed to his limit by his abusive instructor (Simmons) at the fictional Shaffer Conservatory in New York City.

The film was produced by Bold Films, Blumhouse Productions, and Right of Way Films. Sony Pictures acquired distribution rights for most of the world, releasing the film under Sony Pictures Classics in North America, Germany, and Australia, and Stage 6 Films in select international territories.[3][4]

Chazelle completed the script in 2013, drawing upon his experiences in a "very competitive" jazz band in high school. Soon after, Right of Way and Blumhouse helped Chazelle turn fifteen pages of the script into an eighteen-minute short film, also titled Whiplash. The short film received acclaim after debuting at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival, which attracted investors to produce the complete version of the script. Filming took place in September 2013 throughout Los Angeles over twenty days. The film explores concepts of perfectionism, dedication, and success and deconstructs the concept of ambition.

Whiplash premiered in competition at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival on January 16, as the festival's opening film; it won the Audience Award and Grand Jury Prize for drama.[5] The film opened in limited release domestically in the United States and Canada on October 10, 2014, gradually expanding to over 500 screens and finally closing on March 26, 2015. The film received acclaim for its screenplay, direction, editing, sound mixing, and performances. It grossed $50 million on a $3.3 million budget during its original theatrical run. The film received multiple accolades, winning Academy Awards for Best Film Editing and Best Sound Mixing, and was nominated for Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay. Simmons's performance won the Academy, BAFTA, Critics' Choice, Golden Globe, and Screen Actors Guild awards for Best Supporting Actor. It has since been assessed as one of the best films of the 2010s, the 21st century, and of all time.[6][7][8][9][10]

  1. ^ "Whiplash". British Board of Film Classification. August 5, 2014. Archived from the original on November 13, 2014. Retrieved November 12, 2014.
  2. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference BOM was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Horn, John (January 16, 2014). "Sundance 2014: Sony grabs international rights to 'Whiplash'". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on January 18, 2014. Retrieved January 19, 2014.
  4. ^ "Sundance: Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions Nabs International Rights To Fest Opener 'Whiplash'". Deadline Hollywood. January 16, 2014. Retrieved January 29, 2023.
  5. ^ Cohen, Sandy (January 17, 2014). "Sundance Film Festival 2014 opens with the premiere of 'Whiplash,' Damien Chazelle's tale of a brutal drumming instructor and his protege". The Oregonian. Associated Press. Archived from the original on July 20, 2018. Retrieved January 18, 2014.
  6. ^ "100 Greatest Movies of All Time".
  7. ^ Bajgrowicz, Brooke (February 8, 2020). "The 10 Best Music Films of All Time (According to IMDb)". Screen Rant. Valnet Publishing Group.
  8. ^ Shoard, Catherine (December 9, 2014). "The 10 best films of 2014: No 4 – Whiplash". The Guardian.
  9. ^ "The 100 Greatest Movies Of The 21st Century". Empire. March 18, 2020. Archived from the original on August 17, 2021. Retrieved August 18, 2023.
  10. ^ Bergeson, Samantha (January 16, 2024). "'Whiplash' Named Top Sundance Film of All Time in Festival Poll of Over 500 Filmmakers and Critics". IndieWire. Retrieved January 26, 2024.