Fade to Black (1980)

Director:

Vernon Zimmerman

Writer:

Vernon Zimmerman (written by)

Release Date:

14 October 1980 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

Meet Eric Binford, the ultimate movie buff. If you know someone like him... run!

Plot:

A shy, lonely, film geek goes on a killing spree against those who bully and browbeat him, while at the same time, he stalks his idol; a Marilyn Monroe look-alike.

Plot Keywords:

Film Geek | Death | Delusion | Disturbed Individual | Serial Killer

Awards:

2 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

Dennis Christopher	...	Eric Binford
Tim Thomerson	...	Jerry Moriarty
Gwynne Gilford	...	Officer Anne Oshenbull
Norman Burton	...	Marty Berger (as Normann Burton)
Linda Kerridge	...	Marilyn O'Connor
Morgan Paull	...	Gary Bially
James Luisi	...	Capt. M.L. Gallagher
Eve Brent	...	Aunt Stella Binford (as Eve Brent Ashe)
John Steadman	...	Sam
Marcie Barkin	...	Stacy
Mickey Rourke	...	Richie
Peter Horton	...	Joey
Hennen Chambers	...	Bart
Melinda O. Fee	...	Talk Show Hostess (as Melinda Fee)
Anita Converse	...	Dee Dee
Bob Drew	...	Reverend Shick
Teddi Siddall	...	Jill
Sharon Sharth	...	Mail Girl (as Sharon Schlaerth)
David Daniels	...	Waiter at Food Stand (as Joseph Daniels)
Marilyn Staley	...	Starlet
Al Tafoya	...	Newscaster
Clyde Primm	...	Bookstore Owner
Gilbert Lawrence Kaan	...	Counterman
Sharon McCreedy	...	Frightened Spectator
Bill Stack	...	SWAT Leader
Gregory Sage	...	Peter
J.K. Wiley	...	Gofer
Peggy Kaye	...	Midway Operator
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
James Cagney	...	Cody Jarett (archive footage) (uncredited)
Kathy Griffin	...	Grauman's Chinese Theater Extra (uncredited)
Christopher Lee	...	(uncredited) (archive footage)
Virginia Mayo	...	(archive footage) (uncredited)
Gary Howe Scott	...	SWAT team member (uncredited)
Mews Small	...	Doreen (uncredited)
Robert Stahoviak	...	SWAT Sniper (uncredited)
Richard Widmark	...	Hopalong Cassidy (archive footage) (uncredited)

Directed by
Vernon Zimmerman

Writing credits
Vernon Zimmerman		(written by)

Produced by
George G. Braunstein	....	producer
Ron Hamady	....	producer
Sylvio Tabet	....	executive producer
Joseph Wolf	....	associate producer
Irwin Yablans	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Craig Safan

Cinematography by
Álex Phillips Jr.		(as Alex Phillips Jr.)

Film Editing by
James Mitchell
Barbara Pokras

Casting by
Pamela Basker
Fern Champion

Set Decoration by
Rob Lowy		(as Robert E. Lowy)

Makeup Department
Colin Booker	....	hair stylist
Colin Booker	....	makeup artist
Patricia Bunch	....	additional hair stylist (as Patty Bunch)
Patricia Bunch	....	additional makeup artist (as Patty Bunch)
Justin Chart	....	additional hair stylist
Justin Chart	....	additional makeup artist
Karen Faye	....	additional hair stylist
Karen Faye	....	additional makeup artist

Production Management
Tikki Goldberg	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Paul Chavez	....	second assistant director
Ron Fury	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Loma Lee Brookbank	....	property master
George Herthel	....	swing gang
Lee Lazarow	....	leadman
Michael Miller	....	swing gang
Jeff Staggs	....	set construction coordinator
Greg Wolfsfeld	....	swing gang

Sound Department
Gary Alexander	....	sound re-recording mixer
Douglas B. Arnold	....	boom operator (as Doug Arnold)
Jan Brodin	....	sound mixer
Jack Cheap	....	sound editor
Tom Cornwell	....	sound editor
Peter Harrison	....	sound editor
Fred Judkins	....	sound editor
Michael Minkler	....	sound re-recording mixer
Michael P. Redbourn	....	supervising sound editor (as Michael Redbourn)
Christopher T. Welch	....	sound editor (as Chris Welch)
Jonathon 'Earl' Stein	....	sound mixer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Wayne Beauchamp	....	special effects (as James Wayne)

Stunts
Bruce Paul Barbour	....	stunt coordinator
Michael Cassidy	....	stunts (as Mike Cassidy)
Ann Chatterton	....	stunts
Kerrie Cullen	....	stunts
Diamond Farnsworth	....	stunts (as Hill Farnsworth)
Mike H. McGaughy	....	stunts (as Mike McGaughy)
Conrad E. Palmisano	....	stunt coordinator
Nick Palmisano	....	stunts
Rick Seaman	....	stunts
John Cenatiempo	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
John Egils Avots	....	electrician (as John Avots)
Ed Barger	....	additional photographer
Ben Batzdorff	....	extra camera assistant (as Ben Batzdorf)
Frank D'Angelo	....	extra camera assistant
Donne Daniels	....	best boy grip
Thomas F. Denove	....	additional camera operator (as Tom De Noves)
Greg Gorman	....	special photography
Hank Grattan	....	crane operator
Robert Harmon	....	still photographer (as Bob Harmon)
Bob Harris	....	grip
Irv Katz	....	gaffer
Steve Mathis	....	electrician
George Mooradian	....	second assistant camera
Donald R. Morgan	....	key grip
John Arthur Morrill	....	extra camera assistant (as John Morrill)
Tracy Neftzger	....	grip
Mark Simon	....	additional camera assistant
John Sorich	....	electrician
Mike Taylor	....	grip
Alton Walpole	....	electrician
Tim Williams	....	first assistant camera
David Wisnievitz	....	additional camera operator

Casting Department
Jerry Anderson	....	casting assistant
Loril Hirsch	....	casting assistant
Victor J. Kubitschek	....	extras casting (as Victor Kubichek)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Mark de Paola	....	wardrobe assistant
Doris Lynn	....	wardrobe
Louise O'Brien	....	wardrobe assistant

Editorial Department
Vicki Hiatt	....	assistant editor
Howard Kunin	....	supervising editor
David Ornstein	....	assistant editor
Florent Retz	....	assistant editor
James Ruxin	....	additional editor (as Jim Ruxin)

Music Department
Bob Badami	....	music editor (as Robert Badami)
Trevor Veitch	....	music coordinator
Randall Wixen	....	music consultant

Transportation Department
Greg Gears	....	transportation
Fred Wilferth	....	driver: honeywagon

Other crew
Ami Agmon	....	production assistant (as Ben Ami Agmon)
Jon Foreman	....	unit publicist
Michael Fottrell	....	location coordinator
Jack Freiburg	....	production assistant
Lloyd K. Hamady	....	set physician (as Lloyd Hamady)
Lee Harry	....	production assistant (as Burton Lee Harry)
Allan H. Jones	....	creative consultant (as Allen Jones)
Susan Latempa	....	assistant to director (as Susan La Tempa)
Mark Lyon	....	head production assistant (as Mark Robert Lyon)
Peter Michas	....	caterer
Elliot Nachbar	....	production assistant
John Panzarella	....	production assistant
Amy Rabins	....	production auditor
Sharron Reynolds	....	production coordinator
Randi Rosen	....	production secretary
Sylvio Tabet	....	presenter
Anne Van Der Vort	....	post production secretary
Gary S. Werner	....	production assistant
Irwin Yablans	....	presenter
Kathryn Zatarga	....	script supervisor (as Kathryn A. Zatarga)
Jim Gerwig	....	caterer (uncredited)
Brandon Pender	....	distribution executive (uncredited)

Thanks
Elmer Haynes	....	special thanks
David Wolf	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Leisure Investment Company
• Movie Ventures

Distributors

• American Cinema Releasing (1980) (USA) (theatrical)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (USA) (DVD)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (USA) (VHS)
• Astral Films (Canada)
• CMV Laservision (2012) (Germany) (DVD)
• Media Home Entertainment (1981) (USA) (VHS)

Other Companies

• E.A.T.S.  set construction
• Blue Sky Productions (I)  truck and equipment
• Solters and Roskin  publicity
• Lion's Gate Sound  sound re-recording (as Lion's Gate Sound Company)
• Echo Film Services  sound editing
• Modern Film Effects  titles
• Cinema Research  opticals
• Grauman's Chinese Theatre  special thanks (as Ted Mann's Chinese Theatre)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

102 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:16 | UK:18 | Australia:R | Finland:K-16 | France:-16 | Norway:15 | Norway:16 (1983) | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Grauman's Chinese Theater - 6925 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Leisure Investment Company

Trivia:

'Time Out' called this movie a "darker cousin of Billy Liar (1963)".

Quotes:

[first lines]
Aunt Stella Binford:[cynical tone] Eric! Get up! Well, lookie here. Mister Smart Mouth fell asleep with his nose buried in the screen again! Your one-eyed monster is gonna soften your eyes, much less rot your brain! You spend all your time day dreaming and watching those silly movies on the TV and on your projector.

Movie Connections:

References Frankenstein (1931)

Soundtrack:

Tomorrow Night

Think "Taxi Driver" cross-bred with "Henry Portrait of a Serial Killer" and "Polyester". Somehow.

There is something about the look and feel of this film I love. It reminds me in some ways of "Martin" - my favorite urban vampire flick.

Not that Fade To Black has anything to do with vampires, its about a lost and lonely nobody whose film life takes over from his mundane, put-upon reality to the point where he takes revenge on the world dressed as his fave film figures. Its a cute conceit for a film so obsessed with film references. Dennis Christopher is such a distinctive figure and his sexual scene in this film is just... quaint + oddly saucy. I think this is a cult film ready to be resurrected. Its camp, violent and Mickey Rourke is in it in a bit part. Think "Taxi Driver" cross-bred with "Henry Portrait of a Serial Killer" and "Polyester"