Endangered Species (1982)

About a retired New York cop on Vacation in America's West who is drawn into a female sheriff's investigation of a mysterious series of cattle killings.

Director:

Alan Rudolph

Writers:

Judson Klinger (story), Richard Clayton Woods (story),

Stars:

Robert Urich, JoBeth Williams, Paul Dooley

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Robert Urich	...	Ruben Castle
JoBeth Williams	...	Harriet Purdue
Paul Dooley	...	Joe Hiatt
Hoyt Axton	...	Ben Morgan
Peter Coyote	...	Steele
Marin Kanter	...	Mackenzie Castle
Gailard Sartain	...	Mayor
Dan Hedaya	...	Peck
Harry Carey Jr.	...	Dr. Emmer
John Considine	...	Burnside
Margery Bond	...	Judy Hiatt
Joseph G. Medalis	...	Lawyer
Patrick Houser	...	Chester
Alvin Crow	...	Deputy Wayne
Ned Dowd	...	Deputy Bobby

Storyline

Thriller about a New York ex-cop and an attractive female sheriff who fall in love while investigating a string of mysterious cattle mutilations in a small Colorado town. Urich is great as Reuben Castle, the retired alcoholic police lieutenant out visiting the town with his tomboy daughter. At first he tries to stay out of the case but finds himself involved after the mysterious death of his friend Joe Hiatt, the editor of the local paper whose theories about black helicopters have aroused the ire of cattle baron Ben Morgan. Trying miserably to stay sober, Castle finds himself back in danger and in love, as he and the sheriff work together to get to the bottom of the mystery, encountering incredible danger and resistance from the frightened locals.

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Plot Keywords:

sheriff | cattle | female sheriff | investigation | cattle mutilation | 

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Taglines:

What you don't know can kill you.

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Genres:

Drama | Mystery | Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

10 September 1982 (USA)

Also Known As:

A Morte Vem do Céu

Filming Locations:

Colorado, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Alive Enterprises, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

97 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The character Susan is played by Heather Menzies-Urich, co-star Robert Urich's off-screen wife. Menzies is best known as Louisa, one of the children in The Sound of Music.

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Quotes

Steele: We spent a lot of shit on this, Morgan, waiting for the right - the right conditions. We duplicated fucking Moscow here. We're this close, do you understand? Nothing is gonna get in our way. Nothing.

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Connections

Spoofed in Leisure Suit Larry: Magna Cum Laude (2004)

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Soundtracks

"BOOZERS ARE LOOSERS"
Composed and Performed by Hoyt Axton
Courtesy of Jeremiah Records

User Reviews

So-so movie about cattle mutilations

This used to play on WTBS. It's nice to have a movie set in ranch country about ranching. Unfortunately, this movie goes downhill from there. It is pretty far-fetched and unlikely, and you might not even catch the point of it. If there are the evil trucks going down the road, why don't the locals know who they belong to and what they're hauling? The acting is okay. I Remember Peter Coyote as being a deputy involved with Urich's daughter, but it's been a while since I've seen this movie. I have read in The Edge of Evil (Word Publishing, 1989) by Jerry Johnston that some cattle mutilations really are caused by organized Satan worshipers using high-tech equipment. Naturally I remembered this movie when I read that. You have to just enjoy this movie and not use your brain too much.