Meteor (1979)

User Rating:

4.7/10   

Director:

Ronald Neame

Writers:

Stanley Mann (screenplay)
Edmund H. North (screenplay)
(more)

Release Date:

19 October 1979 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

There's No Place On Earth To Hide!

Plot:

After a collision with a comet, a nearly 8km wide piece of the asteroid "Orpheus" is heading towards Earth...

Plot Keywords:

Satellite | Comet | NASA | Meteor Threatens Earth | Disaster Film

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar.

Cast

Sean Connery	...	Dr. Paul Bradley
Natalie Wood	...	Tatiana Nikolaevna Donskaya
Karl Malden	...	Harry Sherwood, NASA
Brian Keith	...	Dr. Alexei Dubov
Martin Landau	...	Major General Adlon
Trevor Howard	...	Sir Michael Hughes
Richard Dysart	...	Secretary of Defense
Henry Fonda	...	The President
Joseph Campanella	...	Lt. Gen. Easton
Bo Brundin	...	Rolf Manheim
Katherine De Hetre	...	Jan Watson
James G. Richardson	...	Alan Marshall
Roger Robinson	...	Bill Hunter
Michael Zaslow	...	Sam Mason
John McKinney	...	Peter Watson
John Findlater	...	Astronaut Tom Easton
Paul Tulley	...	Astronaut Bill Frager
Allen Williams	...	Astronaut Michael McKendrick
Bibi Besch	...	Helen Bradley
Gregory Gaye	...	Russian Premier (as Gregory Gay)
Clyde Kusatsu	...	Yamashiro
Burke Byrnes	...	Coast Guard Officer
Joseph G. Medalis	...	Bartender (as Joe Medalis)
Charles Bartlett	...	Guard
Raymond O'Keefe	...	Guard
Henry Olek	...	Army Captain
Peter Bourne	...	UN President
Stanley Mann	...	Canadian U.N. Representative
Ronald Neame	...	British U.N. Representative
Philip Sterling	...	Russian U.N. Representative
Arthur Adams	...	Ghana U.N. Representative
Fred Carney	...	United States U.N. Representative
Sybil Danning	...	Swiss Girl Skier
Meschino Paterlini	...	Swiss Boy Skier
Johnny Yune	...	Siberian Man (as Jon Yune)
Eileen Saki	...	Siberian Woman
Christine Anne Baur	...	Communications Center Technician (as Chris Baur)
Paul Camen	...	Communications Center Technician
Dorothy Catching	...	Communications Center Technician
Bill Couch	...	Communications Center Technician
William Darr	...	Communications Center Technician
Joan Foley	...	Communications Center Technician
Paul Laurence	...	Communications Center Technician
John Moio	...	Communications Center Technician (as Johnny Moio)
Read Morgan	...	Communications Center Technician
Conrad E. Palmisano	...	Communications Center Technician (as Conrad Palmisano)
Tony Rocco	...	Communications Center Technician
Jesse Wayne	...	Communications Center Technician
Carole Hemingway	...	Gladys, Sherwood's Secretary
Clete Roberts	...	Network Newscaster
Stu Nahan	...	Football Announcer
Osman Ragheb	...	Osman Ragheb
Yu Wing	...	Chinese Fisherman
Yau Tsui Ling	...	Chinese Fisherman's Wife
Ricker Slaven	...	Canteen Worker (as Rick Slaven)
James Bacon	...	News Reporter
Yani Begakis	...	News Reporter
Selma Archerd	...	Woman in Subway
Domingo Ambriz	...	Boy with Radio
Peter Donat	...	Opening Sequence Narrator (voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Simon Cadell	...	BBC News Reporter (uncredited)
George Golden	...	Newspaperman (uncredited)
John Spencer	...	Control center worker (uncredited)
Arthur Tovey	...	Newspaperman (uncredited)

Directed by
Ronald Neame

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Stanley Mann		screenplay
Edmund H. North		screenplay
Edmund H. North		story

Produced by
Sandy Howard	....	executive producer
Gabriel Katzka	....	executive producer
Arnold H. Orgolini	....	producer (as Arnold Orgolini)
Theodore R. Parvin	....	producer (as Theodore Parvin)
Run Run Shaw	....	producer

Original Music by
Laurence Rosenthal

Cinematography by
Paul Lohmann		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Carl Kress

Casting by
Lynn Stalmaster

Production Design by
Edward C. Carfagno		(as Edward Carfagno)

Art Direction by
David A. Constable

Set Decoration by
Barbara Krieger

Costume Design by
Albert Wolsky

Makeup Department
Del Armstrong	....	makeup artist
Sugar Blymyer	....	hair stylist
Edwin Butterworth	....	makeup artist
Lynn Del Kail	....	hair stylist
Hallie Smith-Simmons	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Frank Baur	....	production supervisor
Lam Chua	....	production manager: Hong Kong
Jere Henshaw	....	executive in charge of production
Chris Holenia	....	production manager: Europe

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
D. Scott Easton	....	second assistant director
Daniel McCauley	....	first assistant director
Albert M. Shapiro	....	second assistant director

Art Department
David Evans	....	assistant property master
Jack M. Marino	....	property master
Gary Martin	....	construction coordinator
Tom Southwell	....	assistant property master
Kevin Shanks	....	drapery man/floor covering (uncredited)

Sound Department
Joe Kenworthy	....	boom operator
Michael J. Kohut	....	sound re-recording mixer
Tom McCarthy Jr.	....	sound editor
William L. McCaughey	....	sound re-recording mixer
Charles E. Moran	....	sound editor
Aaron Rochin	....	sound re-recording mixer
Jack Solomon	....	sound mixer
Mark Winitsky	....	sound editor

Special Effects by
Glen Robinson	....	special effects supervisor
Robert Staples	....	special effects supervisor
Wayne Rose	....	special effects crew (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Margo Anderson	....	visual effects supervisor
Byron Bauer	....	visual effects unit
Allen Blaisdell	....	visual effects operator
Dave Cornell	....	visual effects unit
William Cruse	....	visual effects
Alessandra De Clario	....	visual effects unit
Sam DiMaggio	....	visual unit camera operator
Jim Doyle	....	visual effects unit
Marcia Dripchak	....	visual effects unit
Mimi Gramatky	....	visual effects unit
John Greenleigh	....	visual effects unit
Ron Kolman	....	visual effects unit
Dennis Michelson	....	visual effects unit
Charles Naddour	....	visual effects unit
Martin Jay Sadoff	....	visual effects editor
Catherine Schlesinger	....	visual effects unit
Clyde Tichenor	....	physicist: visual unit
Paul Kassler	....	model maker (uncredited)
Paul Kassler	....	sculptor (uncredited)

Stunts
Robbie Banks	....	stunts
Bruce Paul Barbour	....	stunts
Leah Creed	....	stunts
Roger Creed	....	stunt coordinator
Ted Duncan	....	stunts
Larry Duran	....	stunts
Barbara Eaton	....	stunts
Kenny Endoso	....	stunts
Martha Garza	....	stunts
Len Glascow	....	stunts
Leslie Hoffman	....	stunts
Marilyn Jones	....	stunts
Valerie Kelly	....	stunts
Jack Lilley	....	stunts
Nick Palmisano	....	stunts
George Robotham	....	stunts
Sonny Shields	....	stunts
Jesse Wayne	....	stunts
Al Wyatt Sr.	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Mike Ferra	....	assistant camera
Ron Frantzvog	....	assistant camera
James Globus	....	still photographer
Gerald A. King	....	key grip
Edmond L. Koons	....	camera operator
J. Michael Marlett	....	gaffer
Guy Polzel	....	key grip
Thomas Thatcher	....	best boy
Doug Byers	....	electrician (uncredited)
Bruce Chimerofsky	....	rigging grip (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Darryl M. Athons	....	costumer
Barry Kellogg	....	costumer
Bucky Rous	....	costumer
Peggy Thorin	....	costumer

Editorial Department
Dee D'Orazio	....	additional film editor (as Etter Vincent D'Orazio)
Dody Dorn	....	assistant film editor
Carrie Ellison	....	assistant film editor
Janice Hampton	....	associate film editor
Marsha Hoke	....	assistant film editor
Jibralta Merrill	....	assistant film editor
Dale Mishkin	....	assistant film editor
Toni Morgan	....	assistant film editor
Maureen O'Connell	....	assistant film editor

Music Department
Derek Brechin	....	music editor
Allison Caine	....	vocal effects advisor
Jack Hayes	....	orchestrator
Arthur Morton	....	orchestrator
William Saracino	....	music editor
Herbert W. Spencer	....	orchestrator

Transportation Department
Michael McDuffee	....	transportation coordinator (as Mike McDuffee)
Tim Roslan	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Frank Bonner	....	cast coordinator
Renee F. Brown	....	production accountant
Melinda Clark-Bell	....	assistant to accountant
Carolyn Effler	....	research assistant
Bill Ewing	....	cast coordinator
Dona Friedberg	....	production liaison
Penny Gillman	....	assistant to accountant
Connie Greenwood	....	post-production accountant
Ken Hardie	....	craft service
Craig Hundley	....	electronic effects
John James	....	location manager
Ginger Mason	....	assistant to director
Ray Quiroz	....	script supervisor
George Rubinstein	....	advisor: Russian language
John Small	....	technical advisor
Doug Ward	....	technical advisor
Robert Werden	....	unit publicist
Anna Zappia	....	production coordinator
David Hakim	....	publicity writer (uncredited)

Production Companies

• American International Pictures (AIP)
• Meteor Joint Venture
• Palladium Productions

Distributors

• American International Pictures (AIP) (1979) (USA) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1982) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Ambassador Film Distributors (Canada)
• GoodTimes Home Video (video)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (USA) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (1984) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)

Runtime:

107 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Russian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo

Certification:

West Germany:12 | Italy:T | Argentina:13 | Chile:14 | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 (1979) | Sweden:15 | UK:PG | USA:PG | Singapore:PG | UK:A (original rating)

Company:

American International Pictures (AIP)

Trivia:

Some of the background radio chatter in the Hercules control room is taken from recordings of Apollo missions.

Goofs:

Factual errors: There are numerous scientific errors.

Quotes:

Dr. Paul Bradley: Why don't you stick a broom up my ass? I can sweep the carpet on the way out.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Deep Impact (1998)

Sean Connery's All-Star Version of 'Armageddon'!

With the hoopla surrounding the 1998 releases of 'Armageddon' and 'Deep Impact', many have forgotten that Hollywood had done a previous big screen version of the 'Asteroid on Collision Course with Earth' premise, the 1979 Samuel Z. Arkoff production of 'Meteor'. Panned when first released, the film is dated (Cold War tensions with the Soviet Union are a major plot device), and has some unintentionally campy moments, but is still GREAT fun, with a fabulous cast!

Sean Connery stars, as an American scientist who had left NASA when his designs for a 'asteroid-killer' space missile platform were turned into a weapon aimed at the Soviet Union. After a comet passing through the Asteroid Belt collides with a a city-sized chunk, releasing a five-mile large rock, and launching it towards Earth, he is drafted into leading the American team assigned to turn the platform around, and fire our missiles at the deadly visitor.

Unfortunately, the combined nuclear capacity of the U.S. space arsenal isn't great enough to deflect it from it's path, so an uneasy alliance with the Russians, who ALSO have illegal strategic missiles in space, is achieved. It then becomes a race against time, as pieces of the asteroid obliterate various parts of earth, to coordinate the two missile systems, and launch a strike at the huge rock.

The cast is first-rate; Natalie Wood (in one of her final roles) plays a Russian scientist/interpreter, who is romantically drawn towards Connery; Brian Keith nearly steals the picture as the gregarious Russian team leader; Karl Malden is warm and winning as Connery's best friend, and NASA liason; Martin Landau does a campy bit as a paranoid military liason; and Henry Fonda, looking haggard, appears in a small role as the President. Watch for Sybil Danning (before B-movie stardom), in a cameo, as a doomed Swiss skier!

The FX range from excellent (some of the space scenes), to hokey (the tidal wave in Hong Kong); among the film's pluses is a stirring, beautiful (if at times, overpowering) score by Laurence Rosenthal ('Fantasy Island').

Is 'Meteor' a classic? Certainly not! But it is no worse than the later asteroid films, and Sean Connery is ALWAYS a joy to watch! Take a chance on 'Meteor'...I like it, and I think you will, too!