Taps (1981)

User Rating:

6.5/10   

Director:

Harold Becker

Writers:

Devery Freeman (novel)
Robert Mark Kamen (writer)
(more)

Release Date:

20 December 1981 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

This school is our home, we think it's worth defending.

Plot:

Military cadets take extreme measures to insure the future of their academy when its existence is threatened by local condo developers.

Plot Keywords:

Military | Military Academy | Rifle | Gunplay | Child As Adult

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe.

Cast

George C. Scott	...	General Harlan Bache
Timothy Hutton	...	Cadet Major Brian Moreland
Ronny Cox	...	Colonel Kerby
Sean Penn	...	Cadet Captain Alex Dwyer
Tom Cruise	...	Cadet Captain David Shawn
Evan Handler	...	Edward West
John P. Navin Jr.	...	Derek Mellott
Billy Van Zandt	...	Bug
Giancarlo Esposito	...	Cadet Captain J.C. Pierce
Donald Kimmel	...	Billy Harris
Tim Wahrer	...	Cadet Major John Cooper
Tim Riley	...	Hulk
Jeff Rochlin	...	Shovel
Rusty Jacobs	...	Rusty
Wayne Tippit	...	Master Sergeant Kevin Moreland
Jess Osuna	...	Dean Ferris
Earl Hindman	...	Lieutenant Hanson
James Handy	...	Sheriff
Steven Ryan	...	Marshal
Jay Gregory	...	Interviewer
Karen Braga	...	Woman Announcer
Ralph Drischell	...	Stewart
Jane Cecil	...	Secretary
Thomas Medearis	...	Male Clerk
Amelia Romano	...	Mrs. Malloy
Sheila Marra	...	Lori Cable
Gary McCleery	...	Townie
Michael Longfield	...	Townie (as L. Michael Craig)
Arnold Mazer	...	Townie (as Arnie Mazer)
Chris Hagan	...	Townie
John Taylor	...	Cadet
Lou Milione	...	Cadet
Eugene Krumenacker	...	Cadet
John McBrearty	...	Cadet
David McGinley	...	Cadet
Frank Chambers	...	Cadet
John Faucher	...	Cadet
John Newmuis	...	Cadet
Declan Weir	...	Cadet
Paul Lyons	...	Cadet
Ryan Helm	...	Cadet
Tom Hutchinson	...	Cadet
Tom Klunis	...	Parent
Elizabeth Perry	...	Parent
Brenda Currin	...	Parent
Jeanne Fisher	...	Parent
Robena Rogers	...	Parent
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
M. James Arnett	...	Parent
John Rittenhouse	...	Townie
Phil Idrissi	...	Cadet in Parade (uncredited)
Matthew Kenna	...	Townie (uncredited)

Directed by
Harold Becker

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Devery Freeman		novel "Father Sky"
Robert Mark Kamen		writer
James Lineberger		adaptation
Darryl Ponicsan		writer

Produced by
Howard B. Jaffe	....	producer
Stanley R. Jaffe	....	producer

Original Music by
Maurice Jarre

Cinematography by
Owen Roizman

Film Editing by
Maury Winetrobe

Casting by
Shirley Rich

Art Direction by
Stan Jolley
Alfred Sweeney

Set Decoration by
Carl Biddiscombe		(as Carl Biddescombe)

Makeup Department
Frank Bianco	....	hair stylist
Robert Jiras	....	makeup artist (as Bob Jiras)

Production Management
Norman A. Cook	....	production manager (as Norman Cook)
Phillip M. Goldfarb	....	production manager (as Phillip Goldfarb)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
M. James Arnett	....	second unit director (as Jim Arnett)
William M. Elvin	....	second assistant director (as Bill Elvin)
Nikita Knatz	....	second unit director
Michael Looney	....	second assistant director
Thomas J. Mack	....	assistant director (as Tom Mack)
Charles Myers	....	first assistant director: second unit

Art Department
Russell Goble	....	property master
Leon Harris	....	production illustrator
Nikita Knatz	....	production illustrator: second unit
Duane R. Marion	....	lead man
Wayne Smith	....	stand-by painter
Ken Walker	....	assistant property master (as Kenny Walker)
Mickey Woods	....	construction coordinator

Sound Department
Ralph Babcock	....	boom operator
Bruce Bell	....	sound editor
Gary C. Bourgeois	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Gary Bourgeois)
Gordon Daniel	....	sound editor
Greg Dillon	....	sound editor
James Fritch	....	sound editor (as Jim Fritch)
Bert Hallberg	....	sound mixer (as Bertil Hallberg)
Arthur Jackson	....	utility sound technician (as Arthur J. Jackson)
James J. Klinger	....	sound editor (as Jim Klinger)
Marvin I. Kosberg	....	sound editor (as Marvin Kosberg)
William L. McCaughey	....	sound re-recording mixer
Joe Nicolo	....	sound recordist
Anthony Palk	....	sound editor (as Tony Palk)
Gary Shepherd	....	sound editor
Howard S. Wollman	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Howard Wollman)

Special Effects by
James Camomile	....	special effects
Fred Cramer	....	special effects
Dennis Dion	....	special effects
Gary Elmendorf	....	special effects (as Garry Elmendorf)
Andrew 'Sandy' Overholtzer	....	special effects (as Andrew Overhaltzer)
Paul Stewart	....	special effects (as Paul H. Stewart)

Stunts
M. James Arnett	....	stunt coordinator (as Jim Arnett)
M. James Arnett	....	stunts (as Jim Arnett)
David R. Ellis	....	stunts (as David Ellis)
Gary Hymes	....	stunts
Bobby Porter	....	stunts
Anthony Redd	....	stunts
J.N. Roberts	....	stunts
R.A. Rondell	....	stunts
Reid Rondell	....	stunts
John Sherrod	....	stunts
Brett Smrz	....	stunts
Brian Smrz	....	stunts
Frank James Sparks	....	stunts (as Frank Sparks)
Reid Rondell	....	stunt double: Tom Cruise (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Garrett Brown	....	Steadicam operator
Ted Churchill	....	panaglide operator
James Glennon	....	camera operator
Craig Haagensen	....	first assistant camera (as Craig Hagenson)
Rob Hahn	....	first assistant camera
Gary Holt	....	gaffer
David Jarrell	....	best boy electric
Larry Orlick	....	first assistant camera: second unit
Scott Rathner	....	second assistant camera
Bob Rose	....	key grip (as Bobby Rose)
Tim Ryan	....	dolly grip (as John 'Tim' Ryan)
George Silano	....	camera operator
William H. Steiner	....	camera operator: second unit
Ladislaus Vidor	....	director of photography: second unit (as Zoli Vidor)
Ronald Vidor	....	Steadicam operator
Josh Weiner	....	still photographer

Casting Department
Jo Doster	....	extras casting
Darilyn Stringer	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Barry Kellogg	....	costumer
Michael J. Long	....	costumer
Eddie Marks	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
Jim Faris	....	additional editor (as James Faris)
Dennis E. Lew	....	first assistant editor
Michael Luciano	....	additional editor
Saul Saladow	....	assistant editor (as Saul R. Saladow)
Eric A. Sears	....	assistant editor
Florence Williamson	....	assistant editor (as Flo Williamson)

Music Department
Jerry MacDonald	....	music editor
Tommy Tedesco	....	musician: guitar
Gary Ulmer	....	scoring mixer

Transportation Department
Aram Betkijian	....	transportation captain
Paul Sullivan	....	transportation co-captain

Other crew
Marion Billings	....	publicist
William Chapman	....	production coordinator (as Bill Chapman)
Sara Colleton	....	assistant: Mr. Becker
Joel L. Fink	....	cadet coordinator
Harry Hauss	....	helicopter pilot (as Harold S. Hauss)
Andrea Jaffe	....	publicist
Robert A. Jaffe	....	location coordinator
Marie Kenney	....	script supervisor
Joanne Knapp	....	production secretary
Harry Litwack	....	teaching coordinator
Michelle Marchetti	....	production secretary
Michel Mention	....	assistant: Mr. Jarre
Craig Nannos	....	technical advisor: military (as J. Craig Nannos)
Kathy Rowe	....	assistant: Mr. Jaffe
Art Smith Jr.	....	technical advisor
Joyce Webb	....	script supervisor: second unit
Paul McKenna	....	technical advisor: military (uncredited)
Paul McKenna	....	technical advisor: military (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Distributors

• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation (1981) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1984) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2004) (Brazil) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Abril Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Pacific Title  titles and opticals
• Paramount Pictures  star trek footage
• Ryder Sound Services  sound re-recording

Also Known As:

The Siege at Bunker Hill: T.A.P.S (UK) (TV title)

Runtime:

126 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | UK:PG | USA:PG (certificate #26439) | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

First feature film for Sean Penn.

Goofs:

Factual errors: During the commencement parade one of the cadets in Company C is wearing sunglasses. This would not be allowed.

Quotes:

Brian Moreland: We have a home here. We think it's something worth defending.

Movie Connections:

Features "Star Trek: Spock's Brain (#3.1)" (1968)

Artistically sound, unnecessarilly brutal

TAPS has some excellent photography. Many shots of the academy are well done. Sadly, TAPS will be better known as having co-star Tom Cruise with a squeaky voice. Amusing to not see him in the opening credits. TAPS has some dull moments but toward the end, the drama and events are extremely brutal and may shock some. Especially since TAPS is a PG movie, there are far more powerful moments than you may anticipate later in the movie.

After 141 years in service, the Bunker Hill Military School is going to be bulldozed to make room for some new condominiums. After a mishap puts the General into custody and later into the hospital, the young cadets take matters into their own hands and take over the school. To them it is their home and everyone outside of those walls is a problem.

Superb photography sells TAPS. The camera direction, the acting and direction are all above average. This does not save TAPS from being dull though and a bit too long in parts. Everyone knows what will happen next and what the outcome would be. TAPS has some very harsh moments toward the end, but seeing a young Tom Cruise and Sean Penn and some half-decent artistic work may be worth the watch.