Gorky Park (1983)

Director:

Michael Apted

Writers:

Martin Cruz Smith (novel)
Dennis Potter (screenplay)

Release Date:

12 January 1984 (Australia)

Genre:

Drama | Thriller | Crime

Tagline:

It all began with three faceless bodies in the snow ...

Plot:

An investigator on the Moscow police force relentlessly pursues the solution to a triple homicide which occurred in Moscow's Gorky Park...

Plot Keywords:

Conspiracy | Nudity | Place Name In Title | Reform | Skating

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

William Hurt	...	Arkady Renko
Lee Marvin	...	Jack Osborne
Brian Dennehy	...	William Kirwill
Ian Bannen	...	Iamskoy
Joanna Pacula	...	Irina Asanova
Michael Elphick	...	Pasha
Richard Griffiths	...	Anton
Rikki Fulton	...	Maj. Pribluda
Alexander Knox	...	General
Alexei Sayle	...	Golodkin
Ian McDiarmid	...	Prof. Andreev
Niall O'Brien	...	KGB Agent Rurik
Henry Woolf	...	Levin
Tusse Silberg	...	Natasha
Patrick Field	...	Fet
Jukka Hirvikangas	...	James Kirwill
Marjatta Nissinen	...	Valerya Davidova
Heikki Leppänen	...	Kostia Borodin (as Hekki Leppanen)
Lauri Törhönen	...	Director (as Lauri Torhonen)
Elsa Salamas	...	Babushka (as Elsa Salamaa)
Anatoli Davydov	...	KGB Agent Nicky (as Anatoly Davydov)
Lasse Lindberg	...	Shadower
Jussi Parviainen	...	Shadower (as Jussi Parvianen)
Black Pearls	...	Russian Tea Band
Bad Sign	...	Rock & Roll Band

Directed by
Michael Apted

Writing credits
Martin Cruz Smith		(novel)
Dennis Potter		(screenplay)

Produced by
Efrem Harkham	....	associate producer
Uri Harkham	....	associate producer
Gene Kirkwood	....	producer
Hawk Koch	....	producer (as Howard W. Koch Jr.)
Bob Larson	....	executive producer (as Bob Larson)

Original Music by
James Horner

Cinematography by
Ralf D. Bode		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Dennis Virkler

Casting by
Mary Selway

Production Design by
Paul Sylbert

Set Decoration by
Michael Seirton

Costume Design by
Richard Bruno

Makeup Department
Alan Boyle	....	makeup artist
Tricia Cameron	....	hair stylist
Carl Fullerton	....	makeup artist: cadavers
Eija-Leena Lehmuskallio	....	makeup assistant
Ken Lintott	....	makeup artist
Neal Martz	....	assistant makeup artist: cadavers
David E. Smith	....	assistant makeup artist: cadavers (as David Smith)

Production Management
Juhani Jotuni	....	unit manager
Redmond Morris	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Anders Hedin	....	second assistant director
Pirjo Hokkanen	....	third assistant director
Dan Kolsrud	....	first assistant director
Chris Thompson	....	third assistant director
Lauri Törhönen	....	second assistant director (as Lauri Torhonen)
Henrik von Sydow	....	third assistant director (as Henrik Von Sydow)
Peter Waller	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Lee Apsey	....	construction manager
Barry Arnold	....	stand-by props
Michael L. Benson	....	props (as Lee Benson)
Fredrika Berghult	....	props
Jack Carter	....	construction manager
Sean Casey	....	drapery
Peter Childs	....	assistant art director
John Cope	....	stand-by stagehand
Jeanette D'Ambrosio-Sylbert	....	design coordinator (as Jeanette D'Ambrosio)
Derek Dackombe	....	stand-by painter
Bob Douglas	....	props
Jim Erikson	....	set dressing buyer
Kjell Eriksson	....	set designer assistant
Brian Gamby	....	stand-by props (as Brian Camby)
Brian Humphrey	....	property master
Pertti Kuusela	....	stand-by props
Lars Logårdh	....	stand-by props
Lari Lunkka	....	props
Gordon Phillips	....	props
David Reilly	....	stand-by props (as Dave Reilly)
Dennis Simmonds	....	props
Vesa Tapola	....	assistant art director
David Williamson	....	stand-by carpenter (as Dave Williamson)

Sound Department
David R. Elliott	....	sound editor: Echo Film Services (as David Elliott)
Taffy Haines	....	sound maintenance
Michael Hilkene	....	supervising sound editor
Fred Judkins	....	sound editor: Echo Film Services
Simon Kaye	....	sound mixer
John Kline	....	sound editor: Echo Film Services
Rick Kline	....	sound re-recording mixer
Robert J. Litt	....	sound re-recording mixer
David Sutton	....	boom operator
Clive Taylor	....	sound recordist
Russ Tinsley	....	sound editor: Echo Film Services
Elliot Tyson	....	sound re-recording mixer
Christopher T. Welch	....	sound editor: Echo Film Services

Special Effects by
Candy Flanagin	....	special effects (as Candy Flannagan)
Paul Stewart	....	special effects
Alan Whibley	....	special effects

Stunts
David R. Ellis	....	stunt coordinator (as David Ellis)
Eddie Stacey	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Frank Batt	....	camera grip
Ulf Björck	....	electrician (as Ulf Björk)
John Campbell	....	focus puller
Frank Connor	....	still photographer
James Crockett	....	stand-by rigger
Martin Evans	....	gaffer
Alan Grosch	....	electrician
Jari Heino	....	electrician
Kari Kekkonen	....	electrician
Ted Lindahl	....	electrician (as Teld Lindahl)
Peter MacDonald	....	camera operator (as Peter Macdonald)
Ray Meehan	....	best boy
David Morani	....	electrician (as David Moroni)
Eamonn O'Keeffe	....	clapper loader (as Eamonn O'Keefe)
George Parish	....	electrician
Brian Sullivan	....	electrician
Alan Williams	....	electrician

Casting Department
Katri Ruotsalainen	....	crowd casting
Bonnie Timmermann	....	casting: New York

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Marjatta Nissinen	....	wardrobe assistant
Patrick Sharkey	....	wardrobe assistant (as Paddy Sharkey)
Juha Tuura	....	wardrobe assistant
Sue Wain	....	costume supervisor
Pat Williamson	....	wardrobe assistant

Editorial Department
Peter Lonsdale	....	apprentice editor
Mary McGlone	....	assistant editor

Music Department
George Brand	....	music editor
James Horner	....	conductor
Greig McRitchie	....	orchestrator
Dan Wallin	....	music scoring mixer

Transportation Department
Dave Bruyea	....	driver
Bob Freeman	....	driver
Timo Nasman	....	picture car coordinator
Nick Perry	....	driver
Tero Porlamo	....	transport manager

Other crew
Howard Brandy	....	press agent
Anneli Brummer	....	accounting assistant
Bradley Clayton	....	production associate
Cathy J. Colby-Grauer	....	reconstruction assistant (as Cathy Colby Grauer)
Anatoli Davydov	....	technical advisor
Lotti Fodge	....	production runner
Andrea Fontaine	....	secretary: Mr. Apted
Jim Franklyn	....	production accountant
Rafael García	....	caterer (as Rafael Garcia)
Alan Grabelsky	....	location manager
Mary Holdsworth	....	script supervisor
Heli Hänninan	....	accounting assistant
Ellen Kolsrud	....	accounting assistant
Tusse Lande	....	production secretary (as Tusse Nilsson)
Toivo Lehmusvirta	....	assistant location manager (as Toiva Lehmusvirta)
Michael Miles	....	reconstruction assistant
Heidi Nyberg	....	production secretary
Michelle Papier	....	assistant: Mr. Koch & Mr. Kirkwood
Asko Partanen	....	assistant location manager
Ann Pollack	....	assistant: Mr. Apted
Jennie Raglan	....	production assistant
Barry Rosenbush	....	production associate
Susanne Ruben	....	assistant location manager
Howard R. Schuster	....	financial services
Guy Travers	....	assistant location manager
Dena Vincent	....	production secretary
Fred Wallach	....	comptroller
Polly Wood Holland	....	reconstruction assistant

Thanks
Eric Ahlstrand	....	the producers gratefully acknowledge the cooperation of

Production Companies

• Eagle Associates

Distributors

• Orion Pictures Corporation (1983) (USA) (theatrical)
• Orion Filmproduktion (1983) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Stockholm Film (1984) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Vestron Video (1984) (USA) (VHS) (pan and scan)
• Kinosto (1984) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Flashstar Home Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• Future Film (2010) (Finland) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (DVD)
• Nordic Video (1980s) (Finland) (VHS)
• Roadshow Home Video (Australia) (VHS)
• VCL Communications (Germany) (video)
• VTC-Video (????) (Finland) (VHS)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (1991) (2001) (2002) (Finland) (TV)

Other Companies

• Eoin Sprott Studio  reconstruction
• Carl Fullerton Company  makeup: cadavers
• Echo Film Services  sound editing
• Costumi d'Arte Peruzzi  uniforms (as Peruzzi)
• Movie Magic  titles and optical effects
• Technicolor  processing (as Technicolor® London)
• DeLuxe Laboratories  prints (as DeLuxe®)
• Joe Dunton & Company  camera equipment provided by: Arriflex® cameras (as Joe Dutton)
• Lee Lighting  grip and lighting equipment (as Lee Electric)
• Finnair  the producers gratefully acknowledge the cooperation of
• City of Helsinki  the producers gratefully acknowledge the cooperation of: without which this picture would not have been possible (as The City of Helsinki)
• City Government of Stockholm, The  the producers gratefully acknowledge the cooperation of: without which this picture would not have been possible (as The City of Stockholm)
• Bad Sign  group cast members: Russian tea band
• Black Pearls  group cast members: rock & roll band

Also Known As:

Runtime:

128 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Canada:14+ (Ontario) | Netherlands:12 | West Germany:16 (f) | New Zealand:R16 | Portugal:M/12 | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Bulevardi, Helsinki, Finland

Company:

Eagle Associates

Trivia:

Third last theatrical movie for Lee Marvin. Only Dog Day (1984) and The Delta Force (1986) would follow with a tv movie The Dirty Dozen: Next Mission (1985) (TV).

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: During the final scene pine martens were used for sables, clearly identifiable by the yellow fur at their chests.

Quotes:

Irina Asanova:Well, are you going to arrest me for losing my skates?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in A Personal History of British Cinema by Stephen Frears (1997) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Swan Lake

Cold War Thriller of Highest Order, Fresh Two Decades On

Life is cheap when people are desperate.

Gorky Park is a communal leisure area in Moscow. A place of beauty available to the poorest. It was a tenet of faith of US conservatives of the day that communism had left people poor. US liberals of the day claimed that the truth of communist freedoms was being obscured by conservatives. Few in the west understood Soviet life. Whatever the faults of this film, the characters were real, desperate and flawed.

The hero is part superman in the violence. Both touched and Teflon. Hurt plays the naive observer who is witnessing cracks in the paintwork. An honest cop who knows enough politics to live.

The mystery is disturbing, and things get worse. Soviet Russia was a flawed vision of idealists. Nothing works as it is supposed to, and when some well meaning youths attempt to achieve utopia, establishment has a way of buying souls.

Gorky Park is a vision that might have been set in any of many nations where totalitarian regimes fed on the dreams of youth. This is not a common or average film. The violence is extreme and apparently unnecessary, except in some places in the world, such things happen.

I've not read the book.