Blue City (film)
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| Blue City | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Michelle Manning |
| Written by | Lukas Heller Walter Hill |
| Produced by | William Hayward Walter Hill |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Steven B. Poster |
| Edited by | Ross Albert |
| Music by | Ry Cooder, the Textones |
| Distributed by | Paramount Pictures |
Release date |
|
Running time | 83 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $10 million |
| Box office | $6,947,787 |
Blue City is a 1986 drama film based on the 1947 Ross Macdonald novel of the same name about a young man who returns to a corrupt small town in Florida to avenge the death of his father. The film was directed by Michelle Manning, and stars Judd Nelson, Ally Sheedy and David Caruso.[1]
Plot
Returning to the small Florida town where he grew up, Billy Turner (Judd Nelson) learns that his father has been killed. With little help from the police, Billy will take matters into his own hands and go up against a ruthless local mob in a desperate search to find the killer.
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Cast
- Judd Nelson as Billy Turner
- Ally Sheedy as Annie Rayford
- David Caruso as Joey Rayford
- Paul Winfield as Chief Luther Reynolds
- Scott Wilson as Perry Kerch
- Anita Morris as Malvina Kerch-Turner
- Luis Contreras as Lieutenant Ortiz
- Julie Carmen as Debbie Torres
- Allan Graf as Graf
- Hank Stone as Hank
- Tommy Lister, Jr. as Tiny
- Rex Ryon as Rex
- Felix Nelson as Caretaker
- Willard E. Pugh as Leroy
- Sam Whipple as Jailer
- David L. Crowley as Bartender (as David Crowley)
- Paddi Edwards as Kate
- John H. Evans as Young Cop
- Rick Hurst as Redneck
The Textones (Carla Olson, Joe Read, George Callins, Phil Seymour and Tom Jr Morgan) appear in the film performing their song You Can Run as produced by Ry Cooder.
Production
The novel was originally published in 1947.[2] It was compared to the work of Dashiell Hammett, in particular Red Harvest.[3]
Walter Hill wrote the script with Lukas Heller; it was originally intended to star a leading man in his mid-30s but by the mid 1980s a number of popular young male actors had emerged, so the script was rewritten to accommodate one of them. (The lead in the original novel was a man in his early 20s, although a war veteran.) Hill handed over directing duties to Michelle Manning. It was Manning's first film as director although she worked with Sheedy and Nelson on The Breakfast Club as a producer.[4]
"I don't think I'll become Samantha Peckinpah," said Manning, "but I don't think as a woman that I should have to make a movie with girls in locker rooms putting on make up."[4]
Filming started in February 1985.[4] Preview audiences disliked the movie's ending so it was reshot.[5]
Props
The motorcycle used is apparently the same 1978/9 750cc Triumph Bonneville T140E used by Richard Gere in An Officer and a Gentleman (1982) in which David Caruso also appeared.[citation needed]
Release and reception
Blue City was considered a disappointment by critics upon release.[6][7] Judd Nelson's performance was particularly criticised.[8]
Awards
It was nominated for 5 Golden Raspberry Awards in the 7th Golden Raspberry Awards, but won None: Worst Actor (Nelson) (lost to Prince in Under the Cherry Moon) Worst Actress (Sheedy) (lost to Madonna in Shanghai Surprise) Worst Supporting Actor (Scott Wilson) (lost to Jerome Benton in Under the Cherry Moon) Worst Director (lost to Prince for Under the Cherry Moon) Worst Picture (lost in a tie to Howard the Duck and Under the Cherry Moon).[9]
Box Office
The film earned $2.7 million in its first weekend and was a box office disappoinment.[8]
Ally Sheedy later said she "didn't particularly like" the film:
Michelle Manning and I had been close friends. And she was so excited about the chance to direct that my feeling was it would be really great to work with someone I really liked and help contribute to their first big project. I was very naive, I guess, because I kept hoping it would turn out OK, that somehow all the stuff that was missing would miraculously appear when they edited it all together. I guess that's not the way it works, so I was disappointed.[10]
References
- ^ MILLS, NANCY (1986-11-19). "Women Directors: Door Opens - Page 3 - Los Angeles Times". Articles.latimes.com. Retrieved 2012-08-16.
- ^ WILL THE REAL ROSS MACDONALD PLEASE KEEP WRITING? Adler, Dick. Los Angeles Times (1923-Current File) [Los Angeles, Calif] 10 Dec 1967: n79.
- ^ Ross Macdonald, his Lew Archer and other secret selves: Ross Macdonald By JOHN LEONARD. New York Times (1923-Current file) [New York, N.Y] 01 June 1969: BR2.
- ^ a b c FILM CLIPS: YOUTH CALLS THE SHOTS IN 'BLUE CITY' London, Michael. Los Angeles Times (1923-Current File) [Los Angeles, Calif] 15 Feb 1985: l1.
- ^ WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE: MISSING MOVIES OF 1985? BROESKE, PAT H. Los Angeles Times (1923-Current File) [Los Angeles, Calif] 19 Jan 1986: AB3.
- ^ Canby, Vincent (1986-05-02). "Movie Review - Blue City - FILM: 'BLUE CITY,' FLA. - NYTimes.com". Movies.nytimes.com. Retrieved 2012-08-16.
- ^ "Blue City : DVD Talk Review of the DVD Video". Dvdtalk.com. Retrieved 2012-08-16.
- ^ a b BRAT WHAPPING Broeske, Pat H. Los Angeles Times (1923-Current File) [Los Angeles, Calif] 11 May 1986: Q14.
- ^ Razzies.com[dead link]
- ^ FOR A MOVIE STAR, SHE DOESN'T ACT THE PART Goldstein, Patrick. Los Angeles Times (1923-Current File) [Los Angeles, Calif] 13 May 1986: J1.
