The Junkman (1982)

Director:

H.B. Halicki

Writer:

H.B. Halicki

Release Date:

August 1982 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Comedy | Crime | Drama

Tagline:

The chase thriller of the 80s

Plot:

Junkman and movie-maker Harlan Hollis struggles to stay alive when a jealous partner in his company hires goons to kill him...

Plot Keywords:

Chase | Car Chase | Second Part | Car Crash | Jensen Interceptor

Cast

H.B. Halicki	...	Harlan B. Hollis
Christopher Stone	...	Michael Fox
Susan Shaw	...	Susan Clark
Lang Jeffries	...	Arthur Wheeler
Bruce Cameron	...	Bruce
Jack Vacek	...	Jack
Dan Grimaldi	...	Larry Bergleman
Kelly Busia	...	Kelly Hollis
Richard L. Muse	...	Richard Harris Hill
Freddy Cannon	...	Himself
Sharon McCreedy	...	Richard's secretary
Lynda Day George	...	Festival News Reporter
Dennis Stouffer	...	Dennis (security man)
Judi Gibbs	...	Christine
Brian LaBonge	...	Brian
Hoyt Axton	...	Himself / Capt. Gibbs
George Barris	...	Himself
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
The Belmonts	...	Themselves
Phil Boroff	...	Sgt. Gullen
Maureen Coddington	...	Police Dispatcher #1 / Queen Mary Pursuit Dispatcher (voice)
Steve Dargan	...	Ambulance Paramedic
Aubrey Finn	...	Richard's Attorney
Emily Fladland	...	Chevrolet Citation Lady
Gayle Gannes	...	Donna
Chip Giannettino	...	Roadblock Policeman
John Halicki	...	Man in horse carriage
Tracy Hutchinson	...	Karen
Warner E. Leighton	...	Himself
Morgan Lofting	...	Police Dispatcher #2
Dave Logue	...	Magnum
Tom McMullen	...	Himself
Nick Nickolary	...	Himself / Goodyear Blimp Skipper
Joseph Nicoletti	...	Songwriter Record producer
Tony Ostermeier	...	Cover Two
Rita Rickard	...	Blackbird
Jewel Shepard	...	Present Girl
Gregory W. Slane	...	Himself / Deputy Sheriff
Kopi Sotiropulos	...	Frank Spyros
Butch Stockton	...	Datsun crash policeman
Bob Urhausen	...	Himself / Goodyear P.R.
George Whiting	...	Himself / San Luis Obispo County Sheriff
Lewis Wilson	...	Man in Convertible
Ronn Wright	...	FBI Agent Reynolds
Debra Zullo	...	KNX Reporter
Mike Brennan	...	Festival MC / Nursery truck driver (uncredited)
Ronald Halicki	...	Eccentric Pig Farmer (uncredited)
Pat Hartigan	...	Lt. Reed (uncredited)
P.J. Webb	...	Herself (uncredited)

Directed by
H.B. Halicki

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
H.B. Halicki

Produced by
H.B. Halicki	....	producer
Richard L. Muse	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Hoyt Axton

Cinematography by
Daniel Pearl
Tony Syslo

Film Editing by
Warner E. Leighton

Makeup Department
Maureen Coddington	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Jack Vacek	....	production manager

Art Department
Dennis Stouffer	....	props

Sound Department
Michael Brennan	....	sound (as Mick Brennan)
Pat Egan	....	dubbing mixer
Robert W. Glass Jr.	....	dubbing mixer
Tom Gleason	....	sound editor
Kendrick Sweet	....	sound editor
Dan Thomas	....	sound editor
Howard Wilmarth	....	dubbing mixer

Special Effects by
Wayne Beauchamp	....	special effects foreman
Eb Jensen	....	special effects
Tony Ostermeier	....	special effects

Stunts
Jerry Daugirda	....	stunt driver
Larry Dunn	....	stunt driver
Chip Giannettino	....	stunt driver
H.B. Halicki	....	stunt coordinator
H.B. Halicki	....	stunts
Eb Jensen	....	stunt driver
Dave Logue	....	stunt driver
Tony Ostermeier	....	stunt pilot
Eddie Paul	....	stunt coordinator
Eddie Paul	....	stunt driver
Don Pulford	....	stunt driver
Butch Stockton	....	stunt driver
Anian Tunney	....	stunt driver
Bruce Paul Barbour	....	stunt driver (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Chip Giannettino	....	still photographer
J. Michael Popovich	....	assistant camera
Josh Rich	....	assistant camera
Ron Sawade	....	camera operator
Dominic Sena	....	camera operator
Thomas Syslo	....	camera operator (as Tom Syslo)
Jack Vacek	....	camera operator

Editorial Department
P.J. Webb	....	assistant editor

Other crew
Lorra Lea Bartlett	....	script supervisor
Garland Brown	....	firearms advisor
Bruce Cameron	....	creative consultant
Jerry Daugirda	....	mechanic
Aubrey Finn	....	production attorney (as Aubrey L. Finn)
Ronald Halicki	....	creative consultant (as Ron Halicki)
Dennis Stouffer	....	creative consultant
Dennis Stouffer	....	security officer

Thanks
Tom McMullen	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• H.B. Halicki Mercantile Co.
• Junk Yaro

Distributors

• Halicki International (1982) (USA) (theatrical)
• K-tel Home Video (1984) (Australia) (VHS)
• BCI Eclipse (2002) (USA) (DVD) (widescreen)
• Navarre Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Filmways Australasian Distributors (????) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Trans World Entertainment (TWE) (1984) (USA) (VHS)
• Videosonic Arts (1983) (Greece) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Optical House, The  optical effects

Also Known As:

Runtime:

USA:96 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White | Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 | USA:PG | Iceland:L

Filming Locations:

Anaheim, California, USA

Company:

H.B. Halicki Mercantile Co.

Trivia:

This film is based partly on the life of director H.B. Halicki, who moved to Los Angeles from Dunkirk, New York, to start a junkyard business and ultimately become a prominent movie director. All of lead character Harlan Hollis's business, ranch and home locations are Halicki's actual properties, as well as all of the props/vehicles he uses and owns.

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: Susan explains to Harlan that they found his photo in the wreckage of one of the planes sent to kill him, but as the shot switches her mouth is closed.

Quotes:

Jack:Real nice, uh, shortcut, Susan. I like the cows. I especially like the bumps.
Susan Clark:Now, Jack, how was I supposed to know this road was going to be bumpy?
Jack:A big-time newswoman like Barbara Walters, now she would have known. She wouldn't take us on a bumpy road like this.
Susan Clark:Yeah, well Barbara Walters wouldn't be working with you two.
[Bruce and Jack groan mockingly]
Susan Clark:Yeah, all right.

Movie Connections:

Edited into Cold Heat (1989)

As it turned out, Halicki's epitaph!

Eight years on from the original, GONE IN 60 SECONDS 2: THE JUNKMAN (As it was known pretty much everywhere outside the US) was a vastly bigger budgeted exercise in fender-bending. Whilst boasting a couple of the greatest auto stunts ever filmed, including a car flying OVER a plane, the film does not have the rawness of the original that made it the unique experience in auto-wrecking it was. They even managed to get Lynda Day George and Christopher Stone on to the pay roll!

The "chase" this time sees Halicki being pursued by two hitmen and one slinky and mega-cool hitwoman with designer handguns. Much of the car crashes are obviously deliberate and lack the spontaneity of the '74 flick. However the scene wherein Halicki tosses a live grenade over his head on to the guy behind him that blasts the Chev right over Halicki's Caddy, is the one to watch for. Ive never seen better in any action movie.

Heaps of reminders of the original in terms of posters and even a premiere for GONE IN 60 SECONDS. We are even privileged to see the original "Eleanor"....the crushed and battered yellow Mach 1 from the original movie (that Halicki kept for years as his most prized possession!) It infuriated me that Nicolas Cage was permitted to use that name for his Shelby Mustang in the 2000 remake, of which the less said, the better. It could never be anything but Harlan's!

For those of you who do not know, H B Halicki died doing what he loved best in August 1989, attempting an auto stunt for a sequel to GONE IN 60 SECONDS that was never completed. Doubtless he is in his element somewhere in that great garage in the sky!