Gift

Gift is a movie created by Perry Farrell and Casey Niccoli that the two made during the end of Jane’s Addiction’s initial run.  This movie premiered on February 19, 1993 and was released on VHS on August 24, 1993 by Warner Brothers, and primarily filmed in 1990 during the recording sessions of Ritual de lo Habitual.  Perry Farrell and Casey Niccoli were no longer together when this film was released.

The film itself is a mixture of fantasy and reality.  Perry and Casey play themselves, and there are a number of scenes that include Jane’s Addiction performing music.  Early on in the film, there is a shot of Jane’s Addiction recording the song Three Days.  There is also footage taken from the December 19, 1990 concert at The Palladium in Hollywood, Los Angeles, CA that was used to construct the live video for Ain’t No Right.  The film ends with Jane’s Addiction playing a cover of Sly & The Family Stone’s Don’t Call Me Nigger, Whitey with Ice-T and Ernie C from the band Body Count.

Alternate Versions:

The U.K. PAL format version has a red bar across the bottom of the case with film rating information.

A laserdisc format version was released in Japan.  This version includes Japanese subtitles throughout the film.  Additionally, all shots that include genital nudity are obscured by blur bubbles.  This is done to adhere to societal standards in Japan where the display of public hair in film is considered taboo.

Perry Farrell has said a DVD release is indeed forthcoming, after being rumored for several years.

A promotional video titled Scenes From Gift was shown on MTV in early 1991, which includes clips highly edited from the movie and of an interview Perry did with Kurt Loader about the film.

Release Date: 02/19/1993 (Premiere), 8/17/1993 (Video Premiere), 08/24/1993 (VHS), 03/19/1991 (Scenes From Gift)
Released By: Warner Brothers
ID Number(s): 38185-3 (NTSC VHS), C80318 (Promo)
Medium(s): VHS (NTSC), VHS (PAL), LaserDisc (NTSC-J)
Time: 80min, 20:08 (Scenes From Gift)

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