The Hand (1981)

User Rating:

4.9/10   

Director:

Oliver Stone

Writers:

Marc Brandell (novel)
Oliver Stone (screenplay)

Release Date:

24 April 1981 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

It lives. It crawls. And suddenly, it kills.

Plot:

Jon Lansdale is a comic book artist who loses his right hand in a car accident. The hand was not found at the scene of the accident...

Plot Keywords:

Hand | Accident | Comic Book Artist | Comics | Murder

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Michael Caine	...	Jonathan Lansdale
Andrea Marcovicci	...	Anne Lansdale
Annie McEnroe	...	Stella Roche
Bruce McGill	...	Brian Ferguson
Viveca Lindfors	...	Doctress
Rosemary Murphy	...	Karen Wagner
Mara Hobel	...	Lizzie Lansdale
Pat Corley	...	Sheriff
Nicholas Hormann	...	Bill Richamn
Ed Marshall	...	Doctor
Charles Fleischer	...	David Maddow
John Stinson	...	Therapist
Richard Altman	...	Hammond
Sparky Watt	...	Sergeant
Tracey Walter	...	Cop
Brian Kenneth Hume	...	Boy in Classroom
Lora Pearson	...	Girl in Classroom
Oliver Stone	...	Bum
Jack Evans	...	The Country Bumpkins
Scott Evans	...	The Country Bumpkins
Randy Evans	...	The Country Bumpkins
Patrick Evans	...	The Country Bumpkins

Directed by
Oliver Stone

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Marc Brandell		novel
Oliver Stone		screenplay

Produced by
Bert Kamerman	....	associate producer
Clark L. Paylow	....	executive producer
Edward R. Pressman	....	producer

Original Music by
James Horner

Cinematography by
King Baggot

Film Editing by
Richard Marks

Production Design by
J. Michael Riva

Art Direction by
Richard Tom Sawyer

Set Decoration by
Virginia L. Randolph

Costume Design by
Ernest Misko

Makeup Department
Thomas R. Burman	....	special makeup effects artist
Virginia G. Hadfield	....	hair stylist
Tony Lloyd	....	makeup artist
Stan Winston	....	special makeup effects artist

Art Department
Scott W. Leslie	....	assistant property master
Barry Windsor-Smith	....	illustrator: Lansdale's artwork

Sound Department
Richard L. Anderson	....	supervising sound editor
Robert Fernandez	....	re-recording mixer
Stephen Hunter Flick	....	sound effects editor
Stephen Katz	....	sound designer
Mark A. Mangini	....	sound editor
Greg P. Russell	....	sound recordist
John Roesch	....	foley artist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Gabriella Belloni	....	special effects coordinator
Andrew Miller	....	special effects foreman
Carlo Rambaldi	....	special effects
Anthony Tommasetti	....	special effects technician

Stunts
Diane Burgdorf	....	stunts
BJ Davis	....	stunts (as B.J. Davis)
Gary Epper	....	stunts
Donna Garrett	....	stunts
Billy Hank Hooker	....	stunts (as Hank Hooker)
Buddy Joe Hooker	....	stunt coordinator
Hugh Hooker	....	stunts
Richard Humphreys	....	stunts
Mary Peters	....	stunts
Sandy Robertson	....	stunts
Glenn R. Wilder	....	stunts (as Glenn Wilder)

Camera and Electrical Department
Richard Walden	....	first assistant camera
Susan Walsh	....	second assistant camera

Editorial Department
Patricia Lee	....	second assistant editor

Music Department
James Horner	....	conductor (uncredited)

Other crew
Margaret Mitchell	....	financial representative
Dan Perri	....	title designer
Craig Miller	....	marketing consultant (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Orion Pictures Corporation
• Warner Bros. Pictures

Distributors

• Orion Pictures Corporation (1981) (USA) (theatrical)
• Magna-Filmi (1983) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Fazer Musiikki Oy/Fazer Video (1987) (Finland) (video)
• Warner Home Video (1988) (USA) (video)
• Mainostelevisio (MTV3) (1991) (Finland) (TV) (as MTV2)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (1993) (Finland) (TV) (TV1)
• Warner Home Video (2007) (Finland) (DVD)
• Warner Bros. Pictures (through)
• Warner Home Video

Runtime:

104 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Germany:16 (1982 rating) | Australia:M | Finland:K-18 | Norway:16 | UK:18 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Big Bear Lake, California, USA

Company:

Orion Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

Oliver Stone initially wanted Jon Voight to play the lead role, but was turned down by him. Christopher Walken and Dustin Hoffman also declined the role.

Quotes:

Stella: I'm kind of old-fashioned. I like to make it in bed, okay?

Movie Connections:

References All That Jazz (1979)

Soundtrack:

Union City Blue

It's the ending that makes this movie.

I remember watching this movie soon after it came out and the special effects were not bad for the time period that it came out despite what people say. Remember, Star Wars had only been out a few years by this time. As far as the movie goes, Caine does quite well with his part and the plot is believable in the way Freddie Kruger is believable. If you've seen many "creature" movies, then this one could seem to be predictable and thus lose some of it's "boo" effect. Wait until the end and watch closely. If you've seen this movie you should know what I mean, if not then pay close attention. After seeing that final scene you suddenly realize that maybe all wasn't as it seemed. Go back through this movie and keep in mind that last scene. Suddenly the whole movie transcends the Freddie Kruger believable and becomes in fact quite plausible. It's like watching Star Wars Episode 4 after just watching Episode 3, it all takes on new meaning!