National Treasure : The Movie

From Jerry Bruckheimer, producer of PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN, and Jon Turteltaub, director of PHENOMENON, comes NATIONAL TREASURE. It's the thrilling, edge-of-your-seat adventure starring Academy Award® winner Nicolas Cage (1995 Best Actor, LEAVING LAS VEGAS) as Benjamin Franklin Gates. Ever since he was a boy, Gates has been obsessed with finding the legendary Knights Templar Treasure, the greatest fortune known to man. As Gates tries to find and decipher ancient riddles that will lead him to it, he's dogged by a ruthless enemy (Sean Bean, THE LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy) who wants the riches for himself. Now in a race against time, Gates must steal one of America's most sacred and guarded documents -- the Declaration of Independence -- or let it, and a key clue to the mystery, fall into dangerous hands. Heart-pounding chases, close calls, and the FBI turn Gates's quest into a high-stakes crime caper and the most exciting treasure hunt you've ever experienced.

Director(s) : Jon Turteltaub
Actors : Sean Bean - Nicolas Cage - Harvey Keitel - Diane Kruger - Christopher Plummer - Jon Voight

Bonus Feature(s):
 

• Alternate Ending With Optional Director's Audio Commentary
• Deleted Scenes With Optional Director's Audio Commentary
• "NATIONAL TREASURE On Location" Making-Of Featurette
• "The Knights Templar" Featurette
• "Treasure Hunters Revealed" Featurette
• "Riley's Decode This!" Featurette Plus 3 Puzzling Challenges
• Opening Scene Animatic With Optional Director's Audio Commentary

• Color
• 2.35:1 Aspect Ratio
• Closed Captioned
• Region 1
• Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound
• French, Spanish Subtitles

Nicolas Cage

Not many people can boast that they were expelled from elementary school only to later find a career that would provide a seven-figure salary, but Nicolas Cage is one of the few so anointed. The nephew of filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola, Cage changed his name so that his acting career would not be chalked up to nepotism. He chose "Cage" out of admiration for avant-garde musician John Cage, as well as for comic book hero Luke Cage. Even if he had retained the family name, it's not likely that anyone would consider Cage a slacker, holding fast to his uncle's coattails. Stories abound concerning the extremes to which he will go to "feel" his roles, not the least of which was the time he had a tooth extracted without Novocaine in order to fully appreciate the pain suffered by the wounded soldier he played in the 1984 film Birdy.

Born January 7, 1964, in Long Beach, CA, to a literature professor father and dancer/choreographer mother, Cage first got into acting while a student at Beverly Hills High School. After dropping out at the age of 17, he made his film debut with a small part in Amy Heckerling's 1982 classic, Fast Times at Ridgemont High. Following a lead role in 1983's Valley Girl, Cage spent the remainder of the decade playing endearingly bizarre and disreputable men, most notably in Peggy Sue Got Married (1986), Raising Arizona (1987), and the same year's Moonstruck, the last of which won him a Golden Globe nomination and a legion of female fans ecstatic over the actor's unconventional romantic appeal.

The 1990s saw Cage take on a string of diverse roles ranging from a violent ex-con in David Lynch's Wild at Heart (1990) to a sweet-natured private eye in the romantic comedy Honeymoon in Vegas (1992) to a dying alcoholic in Mike Figgis' astonishing Leaving Las Vegas in 1995. For this last role, Cage won a Best Actor Oscar for his quietly devastating portrayal, and, respectability in hand, gained an official entrance into Hollywood's higher ranks. After winning his Oscar, along with a score of other honors for his performance, Cage switched gears again, choosing to star in a series of big-budget action films. 1996 saw him take the lead in the Alcatraz thriller The Rock, and the following year he made Con Air and John Woo's Face/Off, the latter of which attained overwhelming critical as well as commercial success. 1998 marked Cage's return to sentimental romance with his performance as a love-struck angel in City of Angels, a remake of Wim Wenders' Wings of Desire. Rejecting the possibility of continuity, Cage next made the crime thriller 8MM (1999), in which he played a surveillance expert investigating the suspicious death of an actress in the underground porn industry. The same year, he starred as a burnt-out paramedic in Martin Scorsese's Bringing Out the Dead, sharing the screen with such notables as then-real-life wife Patricia Arquette, John Goodman, and Ving Rhames.

After a turn as a man who comes to question his values and work ethic in the lightly dramatic romantic comedy The Family Man in 2000, Cage moved back into action with Gone in 60 Seconds before expanding his career in the newfound role of producer to such films as Shadow of the Vampire (2000), Sonny (2001) and, The Life of David Gale (also 2002). That same year also found Cage in the role of romantic lead opposite Penelope Cruz in the eagerly anticipated Captain Corelli's Mandolin. Long considered a mainstream actor of decidedly quirky sensibilities, Cage cemented this perception in teaming with Being John Malkovich director Spike Jonze for a duel role in the complex comedy Adaptation (2002). Appearing as both screenwriter Charlie Kaufman as well as his fictional brother Donald, Adaptation found Cage detailing the frustrated siblings' attempt to adapt author Susan Orlean's seemingly unfilmable novel The Orchid Thief as a feature film. A weighty role that demanded an actor capable of portraying characters that couldn't differ more emotionally despite their outward appearance, Adaptation found Cage recieving his second Oscar nomination. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

From mm52.com

Birth name : Nicholas Kim Coppola
Birth Location : Long Beach, California, USA
Father August Coppola. Professor of comparative literature
Mother Joy Vogelsang. Dancer and choreographer
Wife Patricia Arquette. Actress
Son Weston, age eight. Mother Christina Fulton, actress.
Education: American Conservatory Theatre in San Francisco, CA (acting)

Regarded as one of the most versatile actors of our time, Nicolas Cage is equally well known for his poignant portrayals in drama and comedy. He earned an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award, as well as Best Actor Awards from the New York Critics Circle, the Los Angeles Film Critics Association, the Chicago Film Critics and the National Board of Review for his performance as an alcoholic who drinks himself to death in "Leaving Las Vegas."

In 1996 he starred opposite Sean Connery and Ed Harris in the blockbuster action film "The Rock." This past summer he starred in the hit action thrillers "Con Air" with John Cusack and John Malkovich, and "Face/Off" with John Travolta. Following his work on "City of Angels," Cage will star in "Snake Eyes" and "Superman Lives," the latter for Warner Bros.

Among Cage's best-known films are "Moonstruck," "Wild at Heart," "Honeymoon in Vegas," "Peggy Sue Got Married," "Vampire's Kiss," "Raising Arizona," "Valley Girl" and "Birdy."
 

Cage was born in Long Beach, California, and lived there until his family moved to San Francisco when he was 12. He began acting at age 15 when he enrolled in San Francisco's American Conservatory Theater, where he appeared in the school's production of "Golden Boy." He later moved to Los Angeles and, while still a high school student, landed a role in the television film "The Best of Times." He made his feature-film debut in "Rumble Fish."

Filmography :
Adaptation (2002) .... Charlie and Donald Kaufman
Windtalkers (2002) .... Sgt. Joe Enders
Christmas Carol: The Movie (2001) (voice) .... Jacob Marley
Captain Corelli's Mandolin (2001) .... Captain Antonio Corelli
Family Man, The (2000) .... Jack Campbell
Gone in Sixty Seconds (2000) .... Randall "Memphis"

Con Air (1997) .... Cameron Poe
Rock, The (1996) .... Dr. Stanley Goodspeed
Leaving Las Vegas (1995) .... Ben Sanderson
Kiss of Death (1995) .... Little Junior Brown
Century of Cinema, A (1994) .... Himself
Guarding Tess (1994) .... Doug Chesnic
It Could Happen to You (1994) .... Charlie Lang
Trapped in Paradise (1994) .... Bill Firpo
Deadfall (1993) .... Eddie
Amos & Andrew (1993) .... Amos Odell
Red Rock West (1992) .... Michael Williams
Honeymoon in Vegas (1992) .... Jack Singer
Zandalee (1991) .... Johnny
Industrial Symphony No. 1: The Dream of the Broken Hearted (1990) (TV) .... Heartbreaking Man
Jonathan Ross Presents for One Week Only: David Lynch (1990) (TV) .... Himself
Tempo di uccidere (1990) .... Enrico Silvestri
Wild at Heart (1990) .... Sailor Ripley
Fire Birds (1990) .... Jake Preston

Awards :
1999 Blockbuster Entertainment Award for "City of Angels" (Best Actor)
1999 Blockbuster Entertainment Award for "Snake Eyes" (Best Actor)
1998 Blockbuster Entertainment Award for "Con Air" (Best Actor)
1998 Blockbuster Entertainment Award for "Face/Off" (Best Actor)
1998 MTV Movie Award for "Face/Off"
1997 Blockbuster Entertainment Award for "The Rock" (Best Actor)
1997 MTV Movie Award for "The Rock"
1996 Oscar for "Leaving Las Vegas"
1996 Golden Globe for "Leaving Las Vegas"
1996 Screen Actors Guild Award for "Leaving Las Vegas"
1995 Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for "Leaving Las Vegas"
1995 National Society of Film Critics award for "Leaving Las Vegas"
1995 New York Film Critics Circle Award for "Leaving Las Vegas"
1995 Silver Seashell Award of San Sebastian International Film Festival for "Leaving Las Vegas"

Internet Compilation

He worked for his father's welding firm before becoming an actor. He made his acting debut in 1983 at the Watermill Theatre in Newbury, Berkshire, England, as Tybalt in Romeo and Juliet. He is best known for his role as the fictional character Boromir in the Lord of the Rings movie series and, in the United Kingdom, as Richard Sharpe in the television series Sharpe. His popularity in the Sharpe series was made into an in-joke in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. Other notable appearances include as an Irish terrorist in the 1992 film adaptation of Patriot Games, and as a Bond villain in 1995's GoldenEye. Bean also featured in Moby's music video "We Are All Made of Stars".

He has been married and divorced three times, and has three daughters: Lorna, Molly and Evi.

Other films:

• The Island (2005) .... as Merrick
• Pride (TV movie) (2004) .... as Dark
• National Treasure (2004) .... Ian Howe
• Troy (2004) .... as Odysseus
• The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) .... as Boromir
• Henry VIII (TV movie) (2003) .... as Robert Aske
• The Big Empty (2003) .... as Cowboy
• The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002) (uncredited) .... as Boromir (extended edition)
• The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (video game) (2002) (archive footage) .... as Boromir
• Equilibrium (movie) (2002) .... as Partridge
• Lord of the Piercing (TV movie)(2002) (TV) (archive footage) .... as Boromir
• Tom & Thomas (2002) .... as Paul Sheppard
• The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) .... as Boromir
• Don't Say a Word (2001) .... as Patrick Koster
• Essex Boys (2000) .... as Jason Locke
• Extremely Dangerous (TV movie) (1999) .... as Neil Byrne
• Bravo Two Zero (1999) .... as Andy McNab
• The Canterbury Tales (1998) (voice)
• Ronin (1998) .... as Spence
• Airborne (movie) (1998) .... as Dave Toombs
• Sharpe: The Legend (1997) .... as Richard Sharpe
• When Saturday Comes (1996) .... as Jimmy Muir
• In Search of James Bond with Jonathan Ross (1995) .... as 006
• GoldenEye (1995) .... as Alec Trevelyan
• Patriot Games (1992) .... as Sean Miller

Compiled from various sites

She is best known for portraying Helen in the movie Troy.

Rated: PG

Amazon.com
Like a Hardy Boys mystery on steroids, National Treasure offers popcorn thrills and enough boyish charm to overcome its rampant silliness. Although it was roundly criticized as a poor man's rip-off of Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Da Vinci Code, it's entertaining on its own ludicrous terms, and Nicolas Cage proves once again that one actor's infectious enthusiasm can compensate for a multitude of movie sins. The contrived plot involves Cage's present-day quest for the ancient treasure of the Knights Templar, kept secret through the ages by Freemasons past and present. Finding the treasure requires the theft of the Declaration of Independence (there are crucial treasure clues on the back, of course!), so you can add "caper comedy" to this Jerry Bruckheimer production's multi-genre appeal. Nobody will ever accuse director Jon Turtletaub of artistic ambition, but you've got to admit he serves up an enjoyable dose of PG-rated entertainment, full of musty clues, skeletons, deep tunnels, and harmless adventure in the old-school tradition. It's a load of hokum, but it's fun hokum, and that makes all the difference. --Jeff Shannon --This text refers to the Theatrical Release edition.

There's a pretty good gimmick with these DVD extras aimed squarely at the pre-teen/early teen audience that ate up this film. Each of the extras (a standard making-of featurette, an alternate ending, and an interesting deleted scene) is followed by a clue afterwards. Decipher the clues and unlock the next set of extras: a nice bit on real treasure hunters, an awful piece on the Knights Templar, and one gem for kids: "Riley Poole's Decode this!" Actor Justin Bartha reprises his role (Nic Cage's techno-sidekick) and lectures a bit on the cooler side of language history and code-breaking with a few simple interactive games. If you get through it all, you unlock a hidden feature, a trivia track. Thankfully, those who do not want to go on the treasure hunt can access these features by reading the printed insert. Also thankfully, director Jon Turteltaub's enthusiasm always makes DVD extras more watchable than most. --Doug Thomas

Riley Poole: Who wants to go down the creepy tunnel inside the tomb first?

from trailer
Riley Poole: It's surrounded by guards... video monitors... and little kids on their eighth grade field trips.

Dr. Abigail Chase: So, you believe that there is a treasure on the back of...
Benjamin Franklin Gates: On the back of the Declaration of Independence.
Dr. Abigail Chase: I'd like to see your proof.
pauses to look at Riley, who shakes head no
Dr. Abigail Chase: And who took it? Bigfoot?

Ben Gates: I'm in a little trouble.
Patrick Gates: Is she pregnant?
to Riley
Riley Poole: Of course not.
Ben Gates: If she is would you leave the mother of your grandchild out in the cold?
Patrick Gates: Come in.

Abigail Chase: You're treasure hunters, aren't you?
Ben Gates: We're more like treasure protectors.

Ben Gates: Do you trust me?
Abigail Chase: Yes.

upset

referring to the underground staircase
Ben Gates: The same way the built the pyramids
Riley Poole: Right... the aliens helped them

said several times

Riley Poole: Let me just take in this moment. Is this how you feel all the time? I mean, other than now.

Abigail Chase: What do you see?
Ben Gates: 2:22.
sighs
Riley Poole: No we didn't. We didn't miss it because... you don't know this? I know something about history that you don't know.
Ben Gates: I'd be very interested to learn about it Riley.
Riley Poole: Hold on one second let me just take in this moment. This is cool. Is this how you feel all the time? Well, except now.
Abigail Chase: Riley!
Riley Poole: Alright! What I know is that day light savings wasn't established until world war 1. If it's 3pm now that means that in 1776 it would be 2pm.
Ben Gates: Riley you're a genius.

hugs the statue

Riley Poole: Are we there yet? I'm hungry. This car smells weird.

Ian Howe: He's got the bloody map.

Dr. Abigail Chase: Are you crying Riley?
Riley Poole: Oh, look. Stairs.

Ben Gates: We have to steal The Declaration of Independence!

Patrick Gates: The status quo has changed.

Sadusky: Door number one, you go to prison for a very long time. Door number two, we get the Declaration back and you go to prison for a very long time.
Benjamin Franklin Gates: Is there another door that doesn't involve me going to prison?

Sadusky: Someone has to go to prison, Ben.

Patrick Gates: I'm the family kook- I have a job, a house, health insurance...

Butcher Lady: If you're not a steak, you don't belong here.
Dr. Abigail Chase: I'm just trying to hide from my ex-husband.
sees Shaw
Dr. Abigail Chase: Yeah.
to Shaw
Shaw: Huh?
Butcher Lady: I said, "Do you want something?"
leaves
to Abigail

speaking through headset
looking in mirror
Riley Poole: Mazel tov!

Benjamin Franklin Gates: If there's something wrong, those who have the ability to take action have the responsibility to take action.

paraphrasing Thomas Edison, about invention of light bulb

listening to Abigail over Ben's wire connection

Ben Gates: This is the preservation room. Do you know what they keep in the preservation room?
Riley Poole: Delicious jams and jellies?

to Abigail
Dr. Abigail Chase: Literally
Riley Poole: I volunteered

Riley Poole: Will someone please explain to me what these magic numbers are?

Ian Howe: Tell me what I need to know Ben
throws flare

Benjamin Franklin Gates: I'm so sorry I dropped you, I had to get the Declaration!
Abigail Chase: It's ok, I would've dropped you too.
Benjamin Franklin Gates: You would?
Abigail Chase: Yeah.
Riley Poole: And I would've dropped you both! Freaks.

 

• Before the movie got its rating, it was under the Touchstone Pictures banner (which is part of Disney). When the film got its rating (which is PG), it was then put under the Walt Disney Pictures banner, as it is clear that it is a more family-friendly movie.
• Although the exteriors of Independence Hall were shot on location, the interiors were done at the Independence Hall replica at Knotts Berry Farm in Buena Park, California during December 2003.
• The last name on Security Guard Mike's jacket is Hawk.
• The movie suggests that something is written on the back of the Declaration of Independence. It is true that something is written on its back. The writing on the back of the Declaration of Independence reads: "Original Declaration of Independence dated 4th July 1776" and it appears on the bottom of the document, upside down. While no one knows for certain who wrote it, it is known that early in its life, the large parchment document (it measures 293/4 inches by 24½ inches) was rolled up for storage. So, it is likely that the notation was added simply as a label.
• Ben, Patrick, and John Gates were all named after founding fathers (Benjamin Franklin, Patrick Henry, and John Adams). Abigail Chase is a combination of Abigail Adams, wife of John Adams, and Salmon P. Chase, Secretary of the Treasury under Abraham Lincoln.
• As the camera pans through the treasure room we can see a statue of a black bird - an homage to _Maltese Falcon, The (1941)_ which was another treasure hidden by a group of knights and sought after by several parties.
• The screenwriting team of Terry Rossio and Ted Elliott (I) were hired by producer Jerry Bruckheimer to do an uncredited script polish for the movie.
• On the DVD, director Joe Turtletaub says the initial rough cut was around four hours long.