Electra Glide in Blue (1973)

Director:

James William Guercio

Writers:

Robert Boris (screenplay)
Robert Boris (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

4 October 1973 (France)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

He's A Good Cop. On A Big Bike. On A Bad Road.

Plot:

A short Arizona motorcycle cop gets his wish and is promoted to Homicide following the mysterious murder of a hermit...

Plot Keywords:

Hermit | Desert | Motorcycle Cop | Motorcycle | Murder

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 1 nomination

Cast

Robert Blake	...	John Wintergreen
Billy Green Bush	...	Zipper (as Billy 'Green' Bush)
Mitch Ryan	...	Harve Poole (as Mitchell Ryan)
Jeannine Riley	...	Jolene
Elisha Cook Jr.	...	Willie (as Elisha Cook)
Royal Dano	...	Coroner
Hawk Wolinski	...	VW Bus Driver (as David J. Wolinski)
Peter Cetera	...	Bob Zemko
Terry Kath	...	Killer
Lee Loughnane	...	Pig Man
Walter Parazaider	...	Loose Lips
Joe Samsil	...	Sgt. Ryker
Jason Clark	...	L.A. Detective
Michael Butler	...	Truck Driver
Susan Forristal	...	Ice Cream Girl
Lucy Angle Guercio	...	Ice Cream Girl
Melissa Green	...	Zemko's Girlfriend
Jim Gilmore	...	Detective
Bob Zemko	...	The Beard
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Mickey Alzola	...	(uncredited)
Jerry Brutsche	...	(uncredited)
Lew Burch	...	Detective (uncredited)
Doug Burns	...	Bike Rider (uncredited)
Percy Curtis	...	Detective (uncredited)
George Dockstader	...	Police Car Driver (uncredited)
Scott Dockstader	...	(uncredited)
Steve Fagin	...	Commune Guy (uncredited)
Jane Ferris	...	Policewoman (uncredited)
Alan Gibbs	...	(uncredited)
Chester Grimes	...	Bike Rider (uncredited)
Gary Guercio	...	Child (uncredited)
Susan Hail	...	Bike Girl (uncredited)
Kate Hall	...	Child (uncredited)
Adrienne Hayes	...	Bike Girl (uncredited)
Rebacca Kapp	...	Cop's Girlfriend (uncredited)
Richard Karie	...	Bike Rider (uncredited)
Pam Kath	...	Commune Girl (uncredited)
Brett Kaufman	...	Child (uncredited)
Bob Maryon	...	Bike Rider (uncredited)
Gary Nichamin	...	Hospital Attendant (uncredited)
Nick Nolte	...	Hippie Kid (uncredited)
Bob Ott	...	Bike Rider (uncredited)
Michael Phillips	...	Commune Guy (uncredited)
Michelle Powers	...	Waitress (uncredited)
Jeff Ramsey	...	Bike Rider (uncredited)
J.N. Roberts	...	Belly Flop (uncredited)
Ronnie Rondell Jr.	...	(uncredited)
John Scovern	...	Detective (uncredited)
Herb Sells	...	Detective (uncredited)
Rock A. Walker	...	(uncredited)
Jimmie D. Wright	...	Commune Guy (uncredited)

Directed by
James William Guercio

Writing credits
Robert Boris		(screenplay)
Robert Boris		(story) and
Rupert Hitzig		(story)

Produced by
James William Guercio	....	producer
Rupert Hitzig	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
James William Guercio

Cinematography by
Conrad L. Hall		(director of photography) (as Conrad Hall)

Film Editing by
Jim Benson
Gerald B. Greenberg		(as Jerry Greenberg)
John F. Link		(as John F. Link II)

Costume Design by
Rita Riggs

Makeup Department
Frank Griffin	....	makeup artist

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Carl Beringer	....	second assistant director
Bill Hickman	....	second unit director
Tom Shaw	....	assistant director
Mel Efros	....	assistant director (uncredited)
Jerome M. Siegel	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Joseph Hurley	....	production illustrator
Gary Nichamin	....	assistant production illustrator
Joe LaBella	....	property master (uncredited)

Sound Department
Robert Glass	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Bob Glass)
Robert Knudson	....	sound re-recording mixer
William Randall	....	production sound mixer
Sam F. Shaw	....	sound effects editor (as Sam Shaw)
Samuel C. Crutcher	....	assistant sound editor (uncredited)
Robert Dillon	....	sound re-recording mixer (uncredited)
Bill Edmondson	....	production sound mixer: chase sequence (uncredited)
Donald W. Ernst	....	sound effects editor (uncredited)
Phil Mitchell Jr.	....	boom operator: chase sequence (uncredited)
James Nelson	....	supervising sound editor (uncredited)
Charles Randall	....	boom operator (uncredited)
Stan Siegel	....	sound effects editor (uncredited)
Jack R. Woltz	....	sound re-recording mixer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Candy Flanagin	....	special effects
Joe Lombardi	....	special effects: chase sequence

Stunts
Mickey Alzola	....	stunt rider
Jerry Brutsche	....	stunt coordinator: chase sequence
Scott Dockstader	....	stunt rider
Bud Ekins	....	stunt coordinator
Alan Gibbs	....	stunt rider
J.N. Roberts	....	stunt rider
Ronnie Rondell Jr.	....	stunt rider (as Ron Rondell)
Rock A. Walker	....	stunt rider (as Rock Walker)
Bud Ekins	....	stunts (uncredited)
Bill Hickman	....	stunts (uncredited)
Spanky Spangler	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Travers Hill	....	camera operator: chase sequence
Richard A. Kelley	....	director of photography: chase sequence
Thomas Laughridge	....	camera operator
Tom May	....	key grip
Harry Rez	....	key grip: chase sequence
Thor Sundby	....	gaffer
Jim Buchanan	....	best boy (uncredited)
Bob Casey	....	camera assistant: chase sequence (uncredited)
Thomas Del Ruth	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Garret Graham	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Edd Hearn	....	camera assistant (uncredited)
Bill Ion	....	camera operator: chase sequence (uncredited)
Eddie Lara	....	best boy: chase sequence (uncredited)
Ken Marcus	....	still photographer: Monument Valley winter shots (uncredited)
John Rose	....	still photographer: chase sequence (uncredited)
Phil Stern	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Bobby Thomas	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Richard Yuricich	....	camera assistant: chase sequence (uncredited)

Casting Department
Frank Kennedy	....	extras casting (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Dennis Fill	....	costumer

Music Department
Jimmie Haskell	....	orchestrator
Dave Kahn	....	music editor
Armin Steiner	....	music mixer

Transportation Department
Ronnie Baker	....	transportation captain (uncredited)
Gil Casper	....	driver: camera cars (uncredited)
Rick Mercier	....	driver captain: chase sequence (uncredited)
Dan Riportella	....	driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Jack Goudie	....	production assistant
Betty A. Griffin	....	script supervisor (as Betty Griffin)
Gene Levy	....	auditor
William Maldonado	....	production coordinator
Anne Shaw	....	production secretary
Von Dutch	....	technical advisor (uncredited)
Maggie Hickman	....	script supervisor: chase sequence (uncredited)
Susan Smith	....	first aid: chase sequence (uncredited)
Ken Sylk	....	script consultant (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Guercio-Hitzig

Distributors

• United Artists (1973) (USA) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1975) (USA) (TV) (pan/scan)
• MGM/UA Home Video (1988) (USA) (VHS) (pan/scan)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• United Artists Films (1974) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Alive Vertrieb und Marketing (2009) (Germany) (DVD)
• Audio Visual Enterprises (1988) (Greece) (VHS)
• Future Film (2010) (Finland) (DVD)
• Scanvideo (????) (Finland) (video)
• Shout! Factory (2013) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Warner Home Video (19??) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (1989) (1993) (Finland) (TV)

Other Companies

• MGM Optical  opticals (as M.G.M. Optical Dept.)
• Roos-Fenton Casting  casting (as Roos-Fenton)
• Perri & Smith  title design
• Todd-AO Studios  sound (as Todd-AO)
• Panavision  filmed in (as Panavision®)
• DeLuxe Laboratories  color (as De Luxe®)
• Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA)  approval certificate: no. 23602
• International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE)  this picture made under the jurisdiction of (as I.A.T.S.E.)
• Phoenix Film Office  special thanks (uncredited)

Also Known As:

"The Legend of Big John" - USA (reissue title)

Runtime:

114 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Todd-AO) | 4-Track Stereo

Certification:

Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:PG | Iceland:16

Filming Locations:

Arizona, USA

Company:

Guercio-Hitzig

Trivia:

Several members of the popular rock group "Chicago" are featured as hippies. Peter Cetera plays "Bob Zemko", Terry Kath is "Killer", Lee Loughnane is "Pig Man" while Walter Parazaider plays "Loose Lips".

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: As Jolene attempts to make out with Big John in front of jukebox, there's a bearded man visible in the mirror behind the jukebox.

Quotes:

Harve Poole:[to John Wintergreen] I like to find myself out here this time of night. There's a fine young lady I'd like to introduce you to. Fine young lady. She's brought a lot of happiness in my life.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Devil's Rejects (2005)

Soundtrack:

Free from the Devil

This is real Cinema

An incredible piece of film making, this beautifully shot movie really is about as poetic as it's possible for cinema to be and still have a coherent, gripping narrative. It feels like a western with its dramatic monument valley backdrop and masculine themes, but plays more like a European movie, with it's dark characterisations and existential mood . The soundtrack is fantastic and the feeling the movie imparts is unique. I always recommend this film to people because so few have ever seen it. I think it's a tragedy that James Guercio didn't make more movies because this was his first (and only) film and it's up there with the best of Peckinpah/Leone/Boorman/Seigal (whose work is similar). I'll never forget this film and the ending will live with me forever. If you like movies you need to see this film, This is real Cinema.