The Hearse (1980)

Director:

George Bowers

Writers:

William Bleich (written by)
Mark Tenser (idea)

Release Date:

June 1980 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

There is a door between life and death and now, that door is open!

Plot:

Jane Hardy decides to stay the summer in the house her aunt left her when she died, to try and recoup from a bad divorce...

Plot Keywords:

Hearse | Antique | Insanity | Living Dead | Religion

Cast

Trish Van Devere	...	Jane Hardy
Joseph Cotten	...	Walter Prichard
David Gautreaux	...	Tom Sullivan
Donald Hotton	...	Reverend Winston
Med Flory	...	Sheriff Denton
Donald Petrie	...	Luke
Christopher McDonald	...	Pete
Perry Lang	...	Paul Gordon
Fred Franklyn	...	Mr. Gordon (as Frederic Franklyn)
Olive Dunbar	...	Mrs. Gordon
Al Hansen	...	Bo Rehnquist
Dominic Barto	...	The Driver
Nicholas Shields	...	Dr. Greenwalt
Chuck Mitchell	...	Counterman
Allison Balson	...	Alice
Jim Gatherum	...	Boy #1 (as Jimmy Gatherum)
Tanya Bowers	...	Schoolgirl

Directed by
George Bowers

Writing credits
William Bleich		(written by) (as Bill Bleich)
Mark Tenser		(idea)

Produced by
Newton P. Jacobs	....	executive producer
Chuck Russell	....	line producer (as Charles Russell)
Mark Tenser	....	producer

Original Music by
Webster Lewis

Cinematography by
Mori Kawa		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
George Berndt

Casting by
Samantha Mansour

Art Direction by
Keith Michl

Makeup Department
Roberto Fernández	....	hair: Miss Van Devere's (as Roberto Fernandez)
Pamela Peitzman	....	make-up/hair

Production Management
Michael Fottrell	....	production manager (as Mike Fottrell)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
John S. Curran	....	first assistant director (as John Curran)
Pete Robinson	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Nancy Auburn	....	assistant art director
Ivo Cristante	....	prop master

Sound Department
Douglas B. Arnold	....	boom man (as Doug Arnold)
Jan Brodin	....	sound mixer
Ron Brody	....	assistant sound editor
John S. Curran	....	sound editor (as John Curran)
Thomas A. Fucci	....	supervising sound editor (as T. Anthony Fucci)
Ken Dufva	....	foley artist (uncredited)
Maurice Schell	....	sound consultant (uncredited)

Stunts
Greg Brickman	....	stunt player
Alan Gibbs	....	stunt coordinator
Glynn Rubin	....	stunt player
Michael Runyard	....	stunt player (as Mike Runyard)
Andree Williams	....	stunt player (as Andreé Williams)

Camera and Electrical Department
Eric Anderson	....	first assistant camera
Tracy Neftzger	....	best boy grip
Willy Nemeth	....	key grip
Johnine Novosel	....	second assistant camera
Raymond Post	....	grip driver
Jeffrey Sudzin	....	best boy electrical (as Jeff Sudsin)
Mike Taylor	....	second electrician
Randy Tepper	....	still photographer
Christopher Tufty	....	gaffer (as Chris Tufty)
Daniel Pearl	....	Steadicam operator (uncredited)

Casting Department
Chris Trainor	....	extra coordinator

Costume and Wardrobe Department
N. Kristine Chadwick	....	wardrobe (as Kristine Chadwick)
Vivianne Johanson	....	second assistant wardrobe (as Vivian Johnson)
John Patton	....	assistant wardrobe

Editorial Department
Annie Lee Hebson	....	assistant editor (as Annie-Laurie Hebson)

Music Department
Greg Poree	....	music orchestration

Other crew
Jim Charleston	....	production assistant
Larry Dyer	....	production assistant (as Lawrence Dyer)
Frank Ferro	....	production assistant
Jay Levine	....	production assistant
Scott Luhrsen	....	location scout
Mort Nathan	....	production assistant
John Panzarella	....	production assistant
Paul Papanek	....	production assistant
Sharron Reynolds	....	production coordinator
Kathryn Zatarga	....	script supervisor (as Cathy Zatarga)

Production Companies

• Marimark Productions (as A Marimark Production)

Distributors

• Crown International Pictures (1980) (USA) (theatrical)
• Saguenay Films (1980) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Astro Distribution (2001) (Germany) (DVD)
• BCI Eclipse (2008) (USA) (DVD)
• Dutch FilmWorks (DFW) (2007) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Media Home Entertainment (video)
• Mill Creek Entertainment (2008) (USA) (DVD)
• Rhino Home Video (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Scorpion Releasing (2012) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Film Train  extra coordinator
• Production Systems Inc.  location equipment supplied by (as Production Systems Incorporated)
• Ryder Sound Services  sound by
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)  titles and opticals by (as MGM)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

95 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Norway:15 (video premiere) | UK:15 (video rating) (1987) | USA:PG | UK:12 (video re-rating) (2002) | Iceland:16 | Netherlands:16 (2007) | Norway:16 (theatrical rating)

Filming Locations:

Griffith Park, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Marimark Productions

Trivia:

William Bleich originally devised this movie as a more teen-oriented slasher outing when he was first hired to write the script.

Goofs:

Continuity: The front grille of the hearse changes from scene to scene.

Quotes:

Jane Hardy:[startled by someone at her back door] Oh!
Reverend Winston:Miss Hardy, please.
Jane Hardy:[laughing, relieved] Oh! You scared the hell out of me!
Reverend Winston:I should probably take that as a compliment. *Ha ha ha ha ha!*

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Ban the Sadist Videos! (2005) (V)

Need a ride?

This very standard early 80's haunted house/possessed souls chiller does feature one ingenious and genuinely creepy gimmick, namely the titular vehicle that mysteriously drives around at night. Barely recovered from personal problems in the big city, Jane Hardy moves to an inherited mansion in a small and very superstitious village. The locals treat her like dirt, especially when they learn Jane is the niece of the previous resident, who worshiped the devil and whose dead body mysteriously vanished when the hearse ran into a bridge and caught fire. It doesn't take long before Jane herself begins to suffer from nightmares and the antique hearse even begins to stalk her! "The Hearse" is very slow but occasionally atmospheric and well-acted. Unfortunately however, the script is full of holes, too predictable and the total lack of spectacle is pretty hard to forgive. I respect the fact there were obviously financial limitations to this production, but to deliver an entirely bloodless film is a tad bit exaggerated. Class actor and horror veteran Joseph Cotton ("Baron Blood", "The Abominable Dr. Phibes", "Island of the Fishmen") is totally wasted in the role of obnoxious attorney. Crap ending, too.