Hardcore (1979)

Director:

Paul Schrader

Writer:

Paul Schrader (written by)

Release Date:

27 April 1979 (West Germany)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

"Oh my God, that's my daughter."

Plot:

A conservative Midwest businessman ventures into the sordid underworld of pornography in California to look for his runaway teenage daughter whom is making porno films in the porno pits of Los Angeles.

Plot Keywords:

Runaway | Racial Slur | Assault | Christmas | Underage Sex

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

George C. Scott	...	Jake VanDorn
Peter Boyle	...	Andy Mast
Season Hubley	...	Niki
Dick Sargent	...	Wes DeJong
Leonard Gaines	...	Ramada
Dave Nichols	...	Kurt (as David Nichols)
Gary Graham	...	Tod (as Gary Rand Graham)
Larry Block	...	Detective Burrows
Marc Alaimo	...	Ratan
Leslie Ackerman	...	Felice
Charlotte McGinnis	...	Beatrice (as Charlotte McGinnes)
Ilah Davis	...	Kristen VanDorn
Paul Marin	...	Joe VanDorn
Will Walker	...	Jism Jim
Hal Williams	...	Big Dick Blaque

Also Known As:

The Hardcore Life (UK)

Runtime:

109 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Netherlands:16 | Australia:R | Finland:K-18 | Norway:18 | UK:18 | USA:R | Germany:16

Filming Locations:

Burbank, California, USA

Company:

A-Team

Trivia:

Paul Schrader originally had Scott's character discover that his daughter was been killed in a totally unrelated car crash, at which point he simply goes back home. He changed it to Scott finding her against his better judgment.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Jake has returned to LA and fires his detective, he creates a list of establishments to do his own research and that evening and drives around visiting places on his list. The first place he visits has a street number of 739 (visible in frame) but in looking at address detail in the long shot of the list itself, there are no references to a street number of 739 anywhere.

Quotes:

Andy Mast: A lot of strange things happen in this world. Things you don't know about in Grand Rapids. Things you don't want to know about. Doors that shouldn't be opened.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Cat People: An Intimate Portrait by Paul Schrader (2002) (V)

Soundtrack:

Man's Depravity

Like 88mm only better

After seeing 8 mm I decided to check this out- Scott does a good job of portraying the distraut father who a detective has found showing up in porno flicks. A believable portrait of the lengths a dad will go to save his daughter from what he perceives is a life of depravity. Peter Boyle is a good addition to this- making the world seem real... all its players and the picture given of "the life" is seamy and real- especially how he dumps the girl who helped him find his daughter. One scene that really got to me was when Scott had to watch the scenes with his daughter in the movie- how he squirmed in his seat- revolted but attracted to the lurid details...a movie that uncovers and disturbs