TV Spot Not on the DVD: Eyewitness (1981, Peter Yates)

Peter Yates and Steve Tesich followed up their award-winning Breaking Away collaboration with this early 1981 NYC-set thriller starring William Hurt, Sigourney Weaver, Christopher Plummer, and James Woods.  Eyewitness (aka The Janitor) was not the critical or financial success that Breaking Away was and it's not a top-grade mystery by any means.  What it does offer, however, is an outstanding collection of leading and character players in well-written, interesting roles and, of course, some choice New York locations, circa 1980.  This is the kind of character-driven, slightly offbeat, mid-range studio picture that went out years ago.  Those looking for an edge-of-your-set, nail-biting suspense picture will be disappointed, as this moves at a leisurely pace and revels in the quirks of its characters more than the machinations of the plot.  The narrative revolves around a Vietnam-vet janitor (a largely sympathetic Hurt, playing one of his few working-class characters) who discovers the murdered body of a wealthy (and criminally-connected) Vietnamese businessman in the office building where he works.  The janitor pretends to know more than he does in order to gain favor with the television newswoman (Weaver) he loves from afar, thereby arousing the interests of the killer, the associates of the murder victim, and the police.

Christopher Plummer co-stars as Weaver's Israel-lobbying fiancé and James Woods is Hurt's unstable best pal and fellow vet.  The cast is filled out by Steven Hill and Morgan Freeman as the lead detectives on the murder case, Pamela Reed as Woods' sister and sometime lover of Hurt, Kenneth McMillan and Alice Drummond as Hurt's parents, Irene Worth and Albert Paulsen as Weaver's parents, Jimmie Ray Weeks as a tv producer, and Chao Li Chi (memorable from Big Trouble in Little China) as Mr. Wong, the murdered man at the center of the story.

The film, Hurt's second, came in the middle of a very impressive 8-month run for the actor, which included his feature film debut, Ken Russell's Altered States (released Christmas '80) as well as Lawrence Kasdan's Body Heat (released late August '81).  Meanwhile, as Eyewitness opened in theaters, he starred in the Circle Repertory's production of Childe Byron.

For those who are interested, as I am, in practical locations (i.e. real locations used for filming), as well as set design, Hurt's workspace was built at the Kaufman-Astoria Studios (formerly Paramount Studios) by production designer Philip Rosenberg.  You can see that very impressive set in the below lobby card:

"Look who's talking."

I've seen Total Recall--the original--a few times over the years, so I don't know it as well as, say, Predator or Commando.  So, it was only after very recently viewing the new "Mind-Bending Edition" Blu-ray that I noticed that Harvard-educated Dean Norris appears as mutant Tony, years before he became famous for playing Breaking Bad's "Joe Six-Pack" DEA agent Hank Schrader.

It is a pretty transformative make-up appliance as you can see above.  I haven't seen the current Recall iteration and, much as I love Bryan Cranston, casting Walter White as the new Cohaagen ain't as cool as spotting Hank stand up to Arnie in the original film (in the below trailer at the 1:28 mark).

It was fun watching a vintage 35mm trailer of the 1990 film at Film Forum, preceding a 35mm screening of The Thing, a couple weeks back.  It's too bad the actual film is being screened via "DCP restoration," albeit one approved by Paul Verhoeven.  Back in the '90s, it's a film I'd have never imagined one day getting one of Film Forum's now-standard special 1-week engagements.  Times change...the Film Forum calendar now devotes much ink-space to "New DCP Restoration!" in lieu of "New 35mm Print!" and they now play new-school fare like Total Recall alongside the umpteenth revival of The Third Man or some other Janus-licensed title in the Rialto catalog!

 "You gotta a lot of nerve showing yer face around here, Hauser."

More Cult Films Within Films

Roy Scheider drags on a cigarette as he brings a slice of pizza to a freezing Gene Hackman in The French Connection.  The corner behind him (or is it a kiosk of sorts?) is plastered with Gimme Shelter flyers.  Interestingly, Gimme Shelter was distributed by Fox in the U.K., which also distributed French Connection.  U.K. lobby card, pictured above, has Fox copyright, if you look closely.

Yellow T-Shirt & Blazer

Bill Murray models a costume in LOST IN TRANSLATION very similar to one he fashioned 20 years earlier in TOOTSIE.  Something Murray or Sofia Coppola had in mind on the set of their film or just an imagined connection that pops into the heads of obsessives like me?

Lana & Phil

After all the times I watched Fast Times at Ridgemont High growing up, the first thing I thought of when I heard that Phil Spector had shot a woman named Lana Clarkson was, "Mrs. Vargas."  Clarkson was a struggling actress and comedienne on the wrong side of 40, when she made an ill-fated late night trip to Spector's mansion.  In the '80s, however she made a string of appearances in small roles in A-pictures such as Scarface and guest spots on sitcoms while also starring in second tier genre films such as Deathstalker, Barbarian Queen, and its sequel.  Her first credited role was a small, but memorable one as the improbably gorgeous wife of science teacher Mr. Vargas (Vincent Schiavelli) in Fast Times.

I know the soundtrack of the film quite well and knew that the Spector-produced "Winter Wonderland" appeared on it, but it wasn't until a 35mm screening of Fast Times last night that it hit me that Phil Spector and Lana Clarkson appeared together in a way, just over 20 years prior to their most tragic final encounter.

Trailer Not on the DVD: Night Shift (1982, Ron Howard)

Just found another, high quality trailer for Night Shift!  This appears to be a teaser, with completely unique footage shot specifically for it.  I'm guessing the teaser does not appear on the DVD because of its use of "Jumpin' Jack Flash".  Stars Henry Winkler and Michael Keaton appear in the video and the v.o. artist's voice is very familiar, but I'm not certain of his identity; I'm sure a reader here will be able to fill in that blank.

"Ronnie" is interviewed in 1982, during the initial release of Night Shift, by Dallas entertainment reporter Bobbie Wygant.  She focuses quite a bit on the "nude scenes" and whether Howard had discomfort filming them.  There is some priceless raw footage of Ms. Wygant re-stating questions and practicing her laughs and reactions following Howard's exit.

Trailer Not on the DVD: Tootsie (1982, Sidney Pollack)

The 30th anniversary of Sidney Pollack's quintessential NYC-set comedy is rapidly approaching.  So, what better excuse is there to showcase this trailer (or, perhaps it's a teaser) which does not appear on the DVD.  The voice-over is performed by director (and supporting player) Pollack.

As per many Sony discs, there is no trailer for the feature presentation, but you can usually count on some "related" trailers being included; these are often not even original theatrical trailers, but rather latter-day made-for-DVD ones:

More Cursive and Graffiti

Ah, what the hell...

A Maestro Passes

Ned Merrill mourns the passing of composer Marvin Hamlisch who died after a brief illness at 68.  Hamlisch made his entrance into feature films with the hauntingly beautiful score to Frank Perry's The Swimmer...music to swim home to.

Vintage Video Logo Mashup

Just under a minute of vintage videocassette and videodisc company logos dating from the late '70s to mid-'80s.  All the clips come directly from pre-recorded VHS cassettes and laserdiscs.