Spacehunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone (1983)

Director:

Lamont Johnson

Writers:

Stewart Harding (story) and
Jean LaFleur (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

20 May 1983 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Journey with Wolff and Niki, an interstellar adventurer and young rebel. On a mission to rescue three stranded women from a planet no one has warned them about. Because no one has ever returned.

Plot:

Three women makes an emergency landing on a planet plagued with a fatal disease, but are captured by dictator Overdog...

Plot Keywords:

Dictator | Fight | Cyborg | Hang Glider | Laser Gun

Cast

Peter Strauss	...	Wolff
Molly Ringwald	...	Niki
Ernie Hudson	...	Washington
Andrea Marcovicci	...	Chalmers
Michael Ironside	...	Overdog
Beeson Carroll	...	Grandman Patterson
Hrant Alianak	...	Chemist
Deborah Pratt	...	Meagan
Aleisa Shirley	...	Reena
Cali Timmins	...	Nova
Paul Boretski	...	Jarrett
Patrick Rowe	...	Duster
Reggie Bennett	...	Barracuda Leader
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Colin Mochrie	...	Guard (uncredited)
Harold Ramis	...	Voice on Intercom (uncredited)

Directed by
Lamont Johnson

Writing credits
Stewart Harding		(story) and
Jean LaFleur		(story)
David Preston		(screenplay) &
Edith Rey		(screenplay) and
Daniel Goldberg		(screenplay) &
Len Blum		(screenplay)

Produced by
Don Carmody	....	producer
John Dunning	....	producer
Stewart Harding	....	associate producer
André Link	....	producer (as Andre Link)
Ivan Reitman	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Elmer Bernstein

Cinematography by
Frank Tidy		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Scott Conrad

Casting by
Karen Rea

Production Design by
Jackson De Govia

Art Direction by
John R. Jensen
Michael Nemirsky
Brenton Swift		(as Brent Swift)

Set Decoration by
Linda DeScenna		(as Linda Descenna)
Carol Lavoie		(chief set decorator)

Costume Design by
Julie Weiss

Makeup Department
Del Acevedo	....	head makeup artist (as Del Aceveda)
Thomas Booth	....	head hair stylist (as Tom Booth)
Susan Boyd	....	hair stylist
Dale Brady	....	special makeup effects artist (as Dale R. Brady)
Rob Burman	....	special makeup effects artist
Sandra Burman	....	special makeup effects artist
Thomas R. Burman	....	special makeup effects designer
Kathie Clark	....	special makeup effects artist
Eric Fiedler	....	special makeup effects artist
Linda Frobos	....	special makeup effects artist
Kenneth J. Hall	....	special makeup effects artist
Joanne Henderson	....	hairdresser
Steve LaPorte	....	special makeup effects artist (as Steve Laporte)
Frederick Luff	....	special makeup effects artist (as Frederick Luff IV)
Phyllis Newman	....	makeup artist
Kathy Shorkey	....	makeup artist (as Cathy Shorkey)
Marc Tyler	....	special makeup effects artist
Ellis Burman Jr.	....	special makeup effects artist (uncredited)

Production Management
William Zborowsky	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Tony Lucibello	....	first assistant director
Elizabeth Scherberger	....	second assistant director (as Elizabeth Halko)
Erika Zborowsky	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Doug Ball	....	prop builder
Rebecca Cambruzzi	....	prop builder
Stuart Carlisle	....	metal sculptor
Ken Chang	....	construction coordinator
Sharon Chang	....	art department assistant
Lee Cole	....	graphics
Bret Culpepper	....	property maker
Bruce J. Gfeller	....	construction foreman (as Bruce Gfeller)
Richard Gilmore	....	metal sculptor
Dick Girod	....	paint foreman
Geoff Hilliard	....	carpenter
Kim Hix	....	topologist
Richard Honigman	....	metal sculptor
Bill Isen	....	sculptor
Ed Johnson	....	prop builder
Robert Joyce	....	special prop constructor
Tony Leonardi	....	stand-by painter
Ric McElvin	....	leadman (as Rick McElvin)
Perry McLamb	....	prop builder
Trische Miner	....	prop builder
Dan Morris	....	prop builder
Paul Neanover	....	metal sculptor
Erik L. Nelson	....	property master (as Erik Nelson)
David P. Newell	....	assistant props (as Dave Newell)
Frank Parker	....	prop builder
Lee Routly	....	welder foreman
Sharon Seymour	....	prop builder
Gayle Simon	....	prop buyer (as Gail Simon)
Michael Taylor	....	leadman
Betty Thomas Quee	....	prop builder (as Betty Thomas)
Bill Thumm	....	assistant props
John Tyrrell	....	paint foreman (as John Tyrell)
Arthur Wills	....	construction foreman (as Art Wills)
Wayne Zavosky	....	prop builder

Sound Department
Rick Alexander	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Dick Alexander)
George H. Anderson	....	sound editor (as George Anderson)
Lon Bender	....	sound editor (as Lon E. Bender)
Les Fresholtz	....	sound re-recording mixer
Craig Harris	....	sound processor
Scott Hecker	....	supervising sound editor
J. Paul Huntsman	....	adr supervisor
J. Paul Huntsman	....	sound editor (as Paul Huntsman)
Richard Lightstone	....	location sound recordist
Bob Newlan	....	sound editor
Bob Newlan	....	sound effects editor
Arthur Piantadosi	....	sound re-recording mixer
Robert R. Rutledge	....	supervising sound editor (as Robert Rutledge)
Jerry Stanford	....	sound editor (as Jerry R. Stanford)
Wylie Stateman	....	sound editor
Jim Thompson	....	boom operator
Don White	....	foley recording mixer

Special Effects by
Gary F. Bentley	....	special effects (as Gary Bentley)
Bob Burns	....	special effects (as Robert Burns)
Michael Clifford	....	special effects foreman
George Erschbamer	....	special effects
Steve Luport	....	special effects
Dale L. Martin	....	special effects coordinator (as Dale Martin)
Darrell Pritchett	....	special effects
Keith Richins	....	special effects
Paul Smith	....	special effects
Bob Tiller	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Don Bland	....	special visual effects production assistant: Fantasy II Film Effects
Bruce A. Block	....	matte cameraman
Kam Cooney	....	special visual effects model maker: Fantasy II Film Effects
Gary Crawford	....	special visual effects model maker: Fantasy II Film Effects
Ernest D. Farino	....	special visual effects animator
John Grant	....	special visual effects production assistant: Fantasy II Film Effects
Ron Gress	....	special visual effects miniature painter: Fantasy II Film Effects
William Guest	....	special visual effects model maker: Fantasy II Film Effects (as Will Guest)
Linda Henry	....	optical lineup
Tim Huchthausen	....	special visual effects model maker: Fantasy II Film Effects
Phil Huff	....	special optical effects photography: Image 3
John Huneck	....	special visual effects camera operator: Fantasy II Film Effects
Leslie Huntley	....	special visual effects production supervisor: Fantasy II Film Effects
Mark Joyce	....	special visual effects model maker: Fantasy II Film Effects
Michael Joyce	....	special visual effects model maker: Fantasy II Film Effects
Casey Kilbride	....	special visual effects production assistant: Fantasy II Film Effects
Pete Kleinow	....	special visual effects supervisor: Fantasy II Film Effects (as Peter Kleinow)
Laurel Klick	....	special optical effects photography: Image 3
Hal Miles	....	titles director
Michael Minor	....	special models
Michael Minor	....	special visual effects art director: Fantasy II Film Effects
Bret Mixon	....	special visual effects animator
Jane A. Pahlman	....	special visual effects production assistant: Fantasy II Film Effects (as Jane Pahlman)
Jeryd Pojawa	....	special visual effects scenic consultant: Fantasy II Film Effects (as Jerry Pojawa)
Dennis Schultz	....	special visual effects model shop supervisor: Fantasy II Film Effects
William Strom	....	special visual effects scenic consultant: Fantasy II Film Effects (as Bill Strom)
Joe Viskocil	....	special visual effects pyrotechnics: Fantasy II Film Effects (as Joseph Viskocil)
Gene Warren Jr.	....	special visual effects supervisor: Fantasy II Film Effects
Mike Warren	....	special optical effects photography: Image 3
Gary Weeks	....	special visual effects model maker: Fantasy II Film Effects
Vicky Witt	....	optical coordinator

Stunts
Michael Adams	....	stunts (as Mike Adams)
Brad Bovee	....	stunts (as Bradley Bovee)
Tony Brubaker	....	stunts
Cheré Bryson	....	stunts (as Chere Bryson)
Anthony Cecere	....	stunts
Ann Chatterton	....	stunts
Phil Chong	....	stunts
Danny Costa	....	stunts
Peter Cox	....	stunts
Vince Deadrick Jr.	....	stunts
Vince Deadrick Sr.	....	stunts
Bennie E. Dobbins	....	assistant stunt coordinator (as Ben Dobbins)
Bill Ferguson	....	stunts
Jerry Gatlin	....	stunts
Alex Green	....	stunts (as Alex Greene)
Clifford Happy	....	stunts
Melvin Jones	....	stunts
George Josef	....	stunts
Joyce McNeal	....	stunts
Tony Morelli	....	stunts
Beth Nufer	....	stunts
Jacob Rupp	....	stunts
Ben Scott	....	stunts (as Ben R. Scott)
John Scott	....	stunts
John-Clay Scott	....	stunts
Lori Scott	....	stunts
Walter Scott	....	stunt coordinator
Bill Stewart	....	stunts
Betty Thomas Quee	....	stunts (as Betty Thomas)
Greg Walker	....	stunts
John Wardlow	....	stunts
Keith Wardlow	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Robert Reed Altman	....	second assistant camera: second unit
John S. Bartley	....	gaffer (as John Bartley)
Cyrus Block	....	camera operator
Dillard Brinson	....	key grip
John Clothier	....	second assistant camera
Tom Countryman	....	camera car operator
Douglas Craik	....	second assistant camera
Larry Dyer	....	second assistant camera: second unit
Douglas R. Field	....	second assistant camera (as Doug Field)
Tom Fillingham	....	first assistant camera
John Goode	....	first assistant camera: second unit
Dave Gordon	....	dolly grip
James L. Hurford	....	best boy grip (as Jim Hurford)
Stephen Jackson	....	best boy electric
Michael Lund	....	second assistant camera
Ron Orieux	....	camera operator
Curtis Petersen	....	second assistant camera (as Curt Petersen)
Rod Pridy	....	first assistant camera (as Roderick J. Pridy)
Ken Rich	....	crane operator
Ben Rusi	....	set-up grip
John W. Scott	....	lighting technician
Takashi Seida	....	still photographer
Brian Sullivan	....	assistant camera

Casting Department
Annette Benson	....	casting assistant
Lindsay Walker	....	additional casting: Vancouver

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Gail Filman	....	wardrobe

Editorial Department
Don Brochu	....	assistant editor
Anne Couk	....	post-production assistant
David DeGeus	....	assistant editor
Bruce Giesbrecht	....	assistant editor: Vancouver
George A. Martin	....	assistant editor
Michael Smith	....	assistant editor: Vancouver

Music Department
Robert Fernandez	....	score mixer (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Jake Callihoo	....	transportation coordinator
Sanford Hampton	....	transportation co-captain
John Scott	....	transportation coordinator
Ian 'Moss' Urquhart	....	driver captain (as Ian Urquhart)

Other crew
Lorraine Baird	....	production accountant: Vancouver
Victoria Barney	....	assistant: Don Carmody
Oriana J. Bielawski	....	assistant production coordinator (as Oriana Bielawski)
Réjane Boudreau	....	supervising production auditor (as Rejane Boudreau)
Ellis Burman Jr.	....	special designer
Warren Carr	....	location manager
Rob Cowan	....	production assistant
Susan Dukow	....	production coordinator
Sarah Grahame	....	script supervisor
Casey Grant	....	assistant production coordinator
Christie Greblo	....	hang glider pilot
Joe Greblo	....	hang glider supervisor
Rich Grigsby	....	hang glider pilot
Roy Haggard	....	hang glider pilot
James Lansbury	....	production assistant (as Jim Lansbury)
Kay Larlham	....	production accountant: Moab
Hank Lawrey	....	production assistant
Ernest McNabb	....	consultant: 3-D
Greg Norton	....	craft service
Pablo Paul	....	shipping coordinator
Chris Price	....	hang glider pilot
Steven Jay Rubin	....	unit publicist (as Steve Rubin)
Joanne Ryan	....	craft service
Martin Jay Sadoff	....	post-production 3-D advisor
Linda Sheehy-Brownstein	....	production coordinator (as Linda Sheehy)
Gwen Spence	....	production assistant
Tana Tocher	....	caterer
Robert Milicevic	....	stand-in (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Columbia Pictures Corporation
• Delphi I Productions (as Delphi Productions)
• Zone Productions

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures (1983) (USA) (theatrical)
• RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video (1983) (USA) (VHS) (pan and scan)
• Victor Company of Japan (JVC) (1985) (Japan) (video) (VHD)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1987) (USA) (TV)
• Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• GoodTimes Home Video (1989) (USA) (VHS)
• RCA/Columbia Pictures International Video (198?) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Videosonic Arts (1985) (Greece) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Fantasy II Film Effects (special visual effects)
• Image 3 (special optical effects)
• Matte Effects (matte paintings)

Other Companies

• Blue Light Sound  sound design
• Burbank Studios, The  sound facilities
• Cinetech  motion picture equipment
• Creative Film Arts  opticals
• LaDa Productions  music editing
• Metrocolor  prints by
• Panavision  lenses and Panaflex camera
• R/Greenberg Associates  3-D main title design
• William F. White International  motion picture equipment

Also Known As:

"Spacehunter" - USA (DVD box title)

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

Canada | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

UK:15 (video rating) (1986) (uncut) | UK:PG (original rating) (cut) | Australia:PG | Finland:K-12 | Norway:16 | Sweden:15 | Iceland:L | USA:PG (#27017) | Portugal:M/12

Filming Locations:

Moab, Utah, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

While it was common for 3-D movies to also be released simultaneously in flat versions, the two versions of this movie were shown at different ratios. 3-D prints were projected at 2.35:1, while flat prints were only 1.85:1. Thus, the flat widescreen DVD version from Columbia TriStar is correctly presented at 1.85:1 and not 2.35:1, as erroneously listed on the DVD case.

Goofs:

Incorrectly regarded as goofs: "Studio carpark visible when the ship first lands on the planet". The most commonly stated goof, but the error only ever featured in an unfinished workprint of this shot. It occurred because the wrong camera frame type was used for the size of the set. A local news agency obtained a copy of the workprint and incorrectly reported this as an error. The shot was corrected before the film's theatrical release and does not appear on VHS or DVD releases.

Quotes:

Wolff:[Having just kicked and further broken an already malfunctioning comms computer] The communicator is out again.
Chalmers:That's because we need a new auto-correlation spectometer... not to mention a new drive systems regulator, a freon activator and, of course, a complete scan systems overhaul.
Wolff:[Looks Chalmers over with a lustful gaze] I'm still glad I bought you the nightshirt instead!

Movie Connections:

Featured in "At the Movies: The Stinkers of 1983" (1984)

Brain-free fun

Oh boy do I ever enjoy this movie. For some reason I've managed to see it at least once a year since it was released and I never get sick of it and I really have no idea why. Mental disorder, perhaps. This movie redefines camp for post-apocalyptic scifi quest adventure 3-D crap. Peter Strauss and Molly Ringwald are both great in their stock roles--Strauss is refreshingly down-to-earth, so unlike the usual all-knowing megalomaniac space ranger with a girl in every port (his girl is a purchased robot companion, which says things about a guy); Ringwald's whine would give God a

headache, but she's got the right proportion of bravado and vulnerability to create a believable, occasionally endearing space orphan. I like the random nature of their search, designed to place them in situations where the production can use up a set or two that might have been intended for some other movie. Plenty of rubbery creatures abound. And the Thunderdome-esque stuff is actually pretty cool--I'm reminded of Leela's test in that Doctor Who episode (something people who like Spacehunter are a plausible demographic to remember). All in all this is a happily-brainless-yet-somehow-lovable piece of space junk and I'm crazy about it. Or just crazy.