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 who is making porno films in the porno pits of Los Angeles.

Plot Keywords:

Runaway | Motel | Sex | Female Pubic Hair | Male Nudity

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
Bob Bishop	...	Stud #1 (as Michael Allan Helie)
Tim Dial	...	Stud #2
Roy London	...	Jim Rucker
Bibi Besch	...	Mary
Tracey Walter	...	Male Teller
Bobby Kosser	...	Film Director
Stephen P. Dunn	...	Film Cameraman
Jean Allison	...	Mrs. Steensma
Reb Brown	...	Manager
James Helder	...	John VanDorn
Dave Thompson	...	Willem
John Otte	...	Grandfather VanDorn
Janet Simpson	...	Anne DeJong
Karen Kruer	...	Marsha DeJong
Henry Vandenbroek	...	Reverend VanTil
Linda Smith	...	Hope / Mistress Victoria
Mary McFerren	...	'Free Press' Teller
Judith Ransdell	...	Ramada's Secretary
Linda Morell	...	'Les Girls' Woman
Gigi Vorgan	...	Teenage Girl
Michael Hatch	...	Nephew #1
David Hockenberry	...	Nephew #2
Joseph Prus	...	Bill
Jean Reed Bahle	...	Ruth
Reinder Vantil	...	Man at Piano
Dee Ann Johnston	...	Bar Maid
Janice Carroll	...	Waitress
Mark Natuzzi	...	Barker #1
Al Cingolani	...	Barker #2
Cherilyn Parsons	...	Girl at Convention
Tracey Ratley	...	Hostess
Antonio Esparza	...	Teenage Mexican
Linda Cremeans	...	Stewardess
Ed Begley Jr.	...	Soldier
Stewart Steinberg	...	Man in Seersucker Suit
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Kevyn Currie	...	Sailor in Bar (uncredited)
Wynn Rowell	...	Lecher (uncredited)
Serena	...	Terry (uncredited)

Directed by
Paul Schrader

Writing credits
Paul Schrader		(written by)

Produced by
Buzz Feitshans	....	producer
John Milius	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Jack Nitzsche

Cinematography by
Michael Chapman		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Tom Rolf

Casting by
Vic Ramos

Production Design by
Paul Sylbert

Art Direction by
Edwin O'Donovan		(as Ed O'Donovan)

Set Decoration by
Bruce Weintraub

Makeup Department
Del Acevedo	....	makeup artist
Vivian McAteer	....	hair stylist

Production Management
John G. Wilson	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Kim C. Friese	....	second assistant director
Richard Hashimoto	....	assistant director

Art Department
Joe Acord	....	construction coordinator (as Joe Accord)
Edward Aiona	....	property master (as Eddie Aiona)
Kevin Chambers	....	swingman
Paul De Santis	....	assistant props
Jerry Luthart	....	construction foreman
Daniel Loren May	....	leadman (as Dan May)

Sound Department
Gordon Daniel	....	sound effects editor
Robert Fernandez	....	dubbing mixer
Walter Goss	....	dubbing mixer (as Walter M. Goss)
Bud Maffett	....	sound mixer
Gilbert D. Marchant	....	sound effects editor (as Gil Marchant)
Michael Minkler	....	dubbing mixer

Camera and Electrical Department
Alan S. Blauvelt	....	second assistant camera (as Alan Blauvelt)
Dustin Blauvelt	....	first assistant camera
Doug Dale	....	electrician
William Dear	....	photographer: second unit
Bob Farnsworth	....	best boy grip
Robert E. Gaynor	....	dolly grip (as Bob Gaynor)
Cary Griffith	....	key grip
Bill Krattiger	....	best boy electric (as Bill Kratteger)
Joe R. Marquette Jr.	....	camera operator (as Joe Marquette)
John Seckar	....	electrician
Don Stott	....	gaffer
Bob West	....	grip (as Bob West Jr.)
Wynn Hammer	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Tony Rivetti	....	first assistant camera: "b"camera (uncredited)

Casting Department
Nancy Pulk McTyre	....	casting assistant
Tina Real	....	extras casting: local (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Alice Rush	....	wardrobe supervisor: women
G. Tony Scarano	....	wardrobe supervisor: men (as Tony Scarano)

Editorial Department
Jacqueline Cambas	....	assistant film editor

Music Department
Jill Fraser	....	composer: electronic music
Rob Miller	....	composer: electronic music
Shinichi Yamazaki	....	music editor

Transportation Department
Paul Casella Jr.	....	transportation coordinator (as Paul Casella)

Other crew
Stephen P. Dunn	....	assistant: Paul Schrader
Saul Kahan	....	publicist (as Saul Kahn)
Elly Mitchell	....	project coordinator
Betsy Norton	....	script supervisor
Jeannine Claudia Oppewall	....	project consultant (as Jeannine Oppewall)
Paul Pav	....	location manager
Judith Ransdell	....	secretary: Paul Schrader
Mary Ellen Trainor	....	assistant to producer

Production Companies

• A-Team
• Columbia Pictures Corporation

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures (1979) (USA) (theatrical)
• RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video (1982) (USA) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (1993) (USA) (VHS)
• Columbia Pictures of Canada (1979) (Canada) (theatrical)
• GoodTimes Home Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• LK-TEL Vídeo (Brazil) (video)

Other Companies

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)  titles and opticals (as MGM)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

109 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Netherlands:16 | Sweden:15 | Canada:18+ (Quebec) | Italy:VM18 | Canada:R (Ontario) | Australia:R | Finland:K-18 | Norway:18 | UK:18 | USA:R | Germany:16

Filming Locations:

Burbank, California, USA

Company:

A-Team

Trivia:

George C. Scott and Peter Boyle both have the same birthday (October 18th).

Goofs:

Continuity: When Jake has returned to L.A. 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:

Big Dick Blaque:[introducing himself during the audition] I'm Big Dick Blaque.

Movie Connections:

References "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson" (1962)

Soundtrack:

Helpless

Hit me "Hard", even though I wasn't yet a father

Now that George C. Scott has passed away, many of my on-line acquaintances were citing selections from the movie "Patton" as their favorite on-screen quotes from the late actor.

My personal favorite, however, comes from what was the turning point of Scott's character in this movie. I pitied what Jake Van Dorn saw (then couldn't bear to see) as he watched his daughter coupling with the stringy-haired porn actor. Then I pitied him more as he unsuccessfully tried to crash the porn world in search of his only child. Finally, Scott made Van Dorn's final desperation palpable as he sat in the dimly lit motel room, head in his hands (although the toupee WAS hilarious) after "interviewing" the parade of hapless "actors" and "actresses".

When Van Dorn raises his tired eyes to see that the individual who just entered his room is the stringy-haired actor ("Jism Jim"), Scott's acting, the camera flashbacks and the music made me lean very close to the screen. As Van Dorn showed his little girl's picture to Jim, who thereupon throws a tantrum ("That BI***, do I have to act with HER? She made my c*** so...") I found myself very happy to watch Van Dorn beat the stuffing out of Jim with the table lamp.

And the quote? Van Dorn's, in George C. Scott's comforting, whiskey-cured voice as he prepares to shove Jim into a cold shower for some interrogation:

"CHEER UP, YOU'RE NOT DEAD!"

R. I. P. Mr. Scott.