American Movie
Synopsis
American Movie documents the story of filmmaker Mark Borchardt, his mission, and his dream. Spanning over two years of intense struggle with his film, his family, financial decline, and spiritual crisis, American Movie is a portrayal of ambition, obsession, excess, and one man's quest for the American Dream.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
American Movie Official Trailer - HD
Type: Trailer • Published 2009-04-16
Top Cast
Explore Star Directory →
Mark Borchardt
Filmmaker
Mike Schank
Friend / Musician
Tom Schimmels
Actor in 'Coven'
Monica Borchardt
Mark's Mom
Alex Borchardt
Mark's Brother
Chris Borchardt
Mark's Brother
Ken Keen
Friend / Associate Producer
Matt Weisman
Casting Director
Bill Borchardt
Mark's Uncle / Executive Producer
Cliff Borchardt
Mark's Dad
Tom Beach
Production Manager
Joan Petrie
Mark's Girlfriend / Associate Producer
Robert Richard Jorge
Actor in ‘Coven’
Tommy Dallace
The Movie Star
Dawn Borchardt
Mark's Daughter
Miriam Frost
Actor in 'Coven'
Louis Sather
Self (uncredited)
Billy Crystal
Academy Awards Emcee (uncredited)
Release History & Theatrical Window
Toronto International Film Festival
Festival / Special Debut
November 5, 1999
Wide Cinema Exhibition
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
Undisclosed
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$1.2M
Total global ticket sales
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Chris Smith
- Original Score
- Mike Schank
- Original Title
- American Movie
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 44m
- Worldwide Gross
- $1.2M
- Production Studios
- Civilian Pictures, Bluemark Productions, C-Hundred Film Corporation, Library Films
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Chris Smith
Mike Schank
Chris Smith, Sarah Price
Jun Diaz, Barry Poltermann
Chris Smith, Sarah Price
Department Leadership Roster
Chris Smith
Director
Chris Smith
Director of Photography
Chris Smith
Producer
Sarah Price
Producer
Mike Schank
Original Music Composer
Jun Diaz
Editor
Barry Poltermann
Editor
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
R: Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
International Certification Matrix
Mature — Recommended for viewers 15 and older.
Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for American Movie.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring American Movie.
Letterboxd's Top 250 Documentary Films
Letterboxd's official Top 250 documentary feature films, ranked by average member rating. Letterboxd 官方 Top 250 最佳纪录长片榜单： 根据平台用户的平均评分进行排序的纪录长片精选榜单。 *(Updated via Automated ETL Pipeline: 2026-10-19 07:35:45 UTC+8)*
Documentaries
Auto-generated by festival-lists — do not edit by hand.
EclecticMIX
B Gardens
Full library from Vio, Sonarr, and Radarr - 9,053 items
Abstrusest 2
TheList
Automate
Similar Titles to American Movie
Movies sharing stylistic DNA, tone, and thematic storytelling
10.0
6.9
7.6
6.0
7.2
6.0
6.9
6.4
6.7
7.3
6.5
6.8
4.8
More Like American Movie
Recommended titles matching themes, cast, and genres.
Frequently Asked Questions About American Movie
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is American Movie about?
American Movie documents the story of filmmaker Mark Borchardt, his mission, and his dream. Spanning over two years of intense struggle with his film, his family, financial decline, and spiritual crisis, American Movie is a portrayal of ambition, obsession, excess, and one man's quest for the American Dream.
Who directed American Movie?
American Movie was directed by Chris Smith.
Who stars in American Movie?
The principal cast of American Movie includes Mark Borchardt, Mike Schank, Tom Schimmels, Monica Borchardt, Alex Borchardt.
When was American Movie released and how long is it?
American Movie was released in 1999 with a total runtime of 1h 44m.
How much did American Movie make at the box office?
American Movie grossed $1.2M in worldwide ticket sales.
Who composed the musical score for American Movie?
The original motion picture soundtrack for American Movie was composed by Mike Schank.
What is the age rating and content advisory for American Movie?
American Movie holds official age classifications: AU: M (Mature — Recommended for viewers 15 and older.); US: R (Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.).