Capricorn One (1977)

Director:

Peter Hyams

Writer:

Peter Hyams (written by)

Release Date:

2 June 1978 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Thriller

Tagline:

The most important event in our nation's history...what if it never really happened?

Plot:

A NASA Mars mission won't work, and its funding is endangered, so they decide to fake it just this once. But then they have to keep the secret...

Plot Keywords:

Mission | Astronaut | NASA | Escape | Journalist

Awards:

4 nominations

Cast

Elliott Gould	...	Robert Caulfield
James Brolin	...	Charles Brubaker
Brenda Vaccaro	...	Kay Brubaker
Sam Waterston	...	Peter Willis
O.J. Simpson	...	John Walker
Hal Holbrook	...	Dr. James Kelloway
Karen Black	...	Judy Drinkwater
Telly Savalas	...	Albain
David Huddleston	...	Hollis Peaker
David Doyle	...	Walter Loughlin
Lee Bryant	...	Sharon Willis
Denise Nicholas	...	Betty Walker
Robert Walden	...	Elliot Whitter
James Sikking	...	Control Room Man (as Jim Sikking)
Alan Fudge	...	Capsule Communicator
James Karen	...	Vice President Price
Virginia Kaiser	...	Mrs. Price
Nancy Malone	...	Mrs. Peaker
Hank Stohl	...	General Enders
Norman Bartold	...	President
Darrell Zwerling	...	Dr. Bergen
Milton Selzer	...	Dr. Burroughs
Lou Frizzell	...	Horace Gruning
Chris Hyams	...	Charles Brubaker, Jr.
Seanna Marre	...	Sandy Brubaker
Paul Picerni	...	Jerry
Barbara Bosson	...	Alva Leacock
Paul Haney	...	Paul Cunningham
Jon Cedar	...	F.B.I. Man Number 1
Steve Tannen	...	Man at Hangar Number 1
Trent Dolan	...	Man at Hangar Number 2
Todd Hoffman	...	N.A.S.A. Usher
Marty Anka	...	Bartender
Kenneth White	...	Tracking Technician (as Ken White)
John Hiscock	...	Reporter Number 1
Bridget Byrne	...	Reporter Number 2
Colin Dangaard	...	Reporter Number 3
James Bacon	...	Reporter Number 4
Sandy Davidson	...	N.A.S.A. Reporter
Ron Cummins	...	F.B.I. Man Number 2
Dennis O'Flaherty	...	F.B.I. Man Number 3
Zack Taylor	...	F.B.I. Man Number 4
Frank Farmer	...	Policeman
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Monty Jordan	...	Army Helicopter Pilot (uncredited)

Directed by
Peter Hyams

Writing credits
Peter Hyams		(written by)

Produced by
Paul Lazarus III	....	producer (as Paul N. Lazarus III)
Michael I. Rachmil	....	associate producer (as Michael Rachmil)

Original Music by
Jerry Goldsmith

Cinematography by
Bill Butler		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
James Mitchell

Casting by
Jane Feinberg
Mike Fenton

Production Design by
Albert Brenner

Art Direction by
David M. Haber

Set Decoration by
Rick Simpson

Costume Design by
Patricia Norris

Makeup Department
Emma M. diVittorio	....	hair stylist (as Emma Di Vittorio)
Michael Westmore	....	makeup artist (as Mike Westmore)

Production Management
Michael I. Rachmil	....	unit production manager (as Michael Rachmil)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jack Frost Sanders	....	second assistant director (as Jack Sanders)
Irby Smith	....	first assistant director
Peter L. Bergquist	....	dga trainee (uncredited)

Art Department
Joe Longo	....	lead man
Ken Orme	....	second prop man (as Kenny Orme)
Julian Sacks	....	assistant art director
George Stokes	....	construction coordinator
Marty Wunderlich	....	property master
Vern Hendrickson	....	swing gang (uncredited)
Nikita Knatz	....	production illustrator (uncredited)

Sound Department
Les Fresholtz	....	re-recording mixer (as Lester Fresholtz)
Jerry Jost	....	sound mixer
Joseph Kite	....	boom man (as Joe Kite)
William Manooch	....	sound recordist (as Bill Manooch)
Michael Minkler	....	sound re-recording mixer
Arthur Piantadosi	....	re-recording mixer
Robert G. Henderson	....	sound effects editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Bruce Mattox	....	special effects
Henry Millar Jr.	....	key special effects
Henry Millar	....	special effects (as Henry Millar Sr.)
Robert Spurlock	....	special effects (as Bob Spurlock)

Visual Effects by
Ernie Huber	....	miniature coordinator

Stunts
Bill Hickman	....	stunt coordinator
Steven Burnett	....	stunts (uncredited)
Carol Daniels	....	stunt double: Brenda Vaccaro (uncredited)
J. David Jones	....	aerial stunts (uncredited)
Monty Jordan	....	utility stunts (uncredited)
Walter Robles	....	stunts (uncredited)
Frank Tallman	....	stunts: aerial (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
David L. Butler	....	aerial camera operator (as David Butler)
Colin J. Campbell	....	gaffer (as Colin Campbell)
Earl L. Clark	....	first assistant camera operator (as Earl Clark)
James R. Connell	....	camera operator
George Hill	....	key grip
J. David Jones	....	pilot: camera helicopter (as David Jones)
Bruce McBroom	....	still photographer
Rene Menoni	....	second assistant camera operator
David B. Nowell	....	assistant aerial camera operator (as David Nowell)
A.D. Presley	....	electrical best boy
George Staubs	....	best boy grip
John Burton Jr.	....	animation camera operator (uncredited)

Animation Department
Bob Richardson	....	animator (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Jered Green	....	costumer number 1 (as Jered Edd Green)

Editorial Department
Nancy Sales	....	assistant film editor
Charles Tetoni	....	associate film editor

Music Department
Aaron Rochin	....	music recordist (as Aron Rochin)
Leonard A. Engel	....	music editor (uncredited)
Arthur Morton	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Ed Arter	....	transportation co-captain
James D. Brubaker	....	transportation coordinator
Russell McEntyre	....	transportation co-captain

Other crew
Lew Grade	....	presenter: for Associated General Films (as Sir Lew Grade)
J. David Jones	....	aerial coordinator (as David Jones)
Karen Jones	....	bookkeeper
Clay Lacy	....	pilot: Lear Jet
George Nolan	....	helicopter pilot
Brent Sellstrom	....	video coordinator
Dr. Seuss	....	Miss Vaccaro's reading of Fox In Socks presented by special arrangement with
Al Shenfeld	....	production auditor
Frank Tallman	....	aerial coordinator
Frank Tallman	....	pilot: Stearman
Ron Underwood	....	location manager (as Ronald B. Underwood)
Karl A. Wickman	....	helicopter pilot (as Karl Wickman)
Marshall J. Wolins	....	script supervisor (as Marshall Wolins)
Tracy Berns	....	secretary to director (uncredited)
Tracy Berns	....	secretary to producer (uncredited)
Dixie J. Capp	....	production secretary (uncredited)
Charles Conley	....	craft service (uncredited)
Carol Shapiro Janson	....	unit publicist (uncredited)
Dan Perri	....	title designer (uncredited)
David Schmoeller	....	intern: American Film Institute (uncredited)
Art Scholl	....	pilot (uncredited)

Thanks
Dr. Seuss	....	Miss Vaccaro's reading of "Fox in Socks" presented by special arrangement with

Production Companies

• Associated General Films (for)
• Incorporated Television Company (ITC) (from) (as ITC Entertainment An ATV Company)

Distributors

• Warner Bros. Pictures (1978) (USA) (theatrical)
• Europa Film (1978) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Filmways Australasian Distributors (19??) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Toho-Towa (1977) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Artisan Entertainment (2001) (USA) (VHS)
• Artisan Home Entertainment (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• Atlantic Film (2004) (Sweden) (DVD)
• CBS/Fox (198?) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Concorde Home Entertainment (2003) (Germany) (DVD)
• Dutch FilmWorks (DFW) (2005) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Elephant Films (2009) (France) (all media)
• Fox Video (199?) (USA) (VHS)
• Fox Video (199?) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• ITV DVD (2007) (UK) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Lionsgate Home Entertainment (2008) (USA) (DVD) (special edition)
• Live Home Video (1997) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Live Home Video (1998) (USA) (DVD)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1980) (USA) (TV)
• Scanbox Entertainment (1996) (Sweden) (VHS)
• Top Tape (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)
• United American Video (1994) (USA) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Van der Veer Photo Effects (special visual effects by) (as Van Der Veer Photo Effects)
• DePatie-Freleng Enterprises (DFE) (uncredited)

Other Companies

• Bureau of Land Management  we gratefully acknowledge (as Ridgecrest Resource Area of the Bureau of Land Management of the United States Department of the Interior)
• Nissan Cars Corporation  Datsun cars supplied by (as Nissan Motor Corporation in U S A)
• General Electric (GE)  television sets courtesy of (as General Electric Company)
• Continental Camera Systems  aerial photographic equipment furnished by (as Continental Camera Systems Inc.)
• Grove Manufacturing / Santa Fe Equipment  we gratefully acknowledge (as Grove Manufacturing Company/Sante Fe Equipment Company)
• Raytheon Data Systems  we gratefully acknowledge (as Raytheon Data Systems Inc.)
• Tallmantz Aviation  we gratefully acknowledge
• Worldstage Division of Intercontinental Satellite Network  we gratefully acknowledge (as Worldstage Division of Intercontinental Satellite Network Inc.)
• Western Helicopter  we gratefully acknowledge (as Western Helicopter Inc.)
• Pacific Telephone  we gratefully acknowledge (as Pacific Telephone Company)
• Birtcher  we gratefully acknowledge (as Birtcher Corporation)
• Clay Lacy Aviation / Gates Aviation  Lear Jet furnished by (as Clay Lacy Aviation/Gates Aviation)
• Cadillac Motor Division  cars supplied by

Also Known As:

Runtime:

123 min | Japan:130 min (original release)

Country:

USA | UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo (35 mm magnetic prints) | 70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Mono (35 mm optical prints)

Certification:

USA:PG (certificate no. 25000) | Iceland:L | Netherlands:12 (DVD rating) | Netherlands:6 | UK:A (original rating) | UK:PG (tv rating) | Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 | Sweden:15 | UK:PG (video rating) (1986) (2000) (2005) | West Germany:12 | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Imperial Valley, California, USA

Company:

Associated General Films

Trivia:

Jerry Goldsmith wrote the soundtrack for Capricorn One (1977) as well as Star Trek: Insurrection (1998). If you listen to the 'Insurrection' soundtrack at about 3:30-3:45 minutes, you will hear the distinct theme of 'Capricorn One'.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When the sun rises behind the launch pad, it is seen to move to the left as it rises. In the northern hemisphere, the rising sun appears to move to the right. The shot is clearly a sunset played in reverse.

Quotes:

Robert Caulfield:You wouldn't know sincerity if it ran over you.
Judy Drinkwater:Not if you were driving it.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: Santa Claus Conquers the Martians (#4.21)" (1991)

First-rate, thought provoking and exciting thriller

I just wish some of those technically minded, nit-picking nerds who submit boring, long winded indictments of really good films would just lighten up and take films for what they're meant to be.....entertainment. I revisited Capricorn One this evening and the 2 hours just flew by. Every film ever made (no matter how great) is flawed. They're not meant to be picked apart, anyone can pick holes in a film. Capricorn One is a very exciting, thought provoking thriller which still stands up today.

Writer/director Peter Hyams deserves great credit in attempting in just 2 hours screen time to construct a film designed to entertain and at the same time get you thinking. To do full justice to the story line would require another 2 hours, but many people are reluctant to sit through a 4 hour film. Of course it has it's faults but it has very much to commend it such as the exciting action sequences, intelligent and at times very humorous script and convincing performances. One doesn't have to accept the film's premise (hoax Mars/Moon whatever landings) to enjoy this fine film. Judge for yourself. My verdict....9 out of 10.