IMDb > Sudden Impact (1983)
Sudden Impact
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Sudden Impact (1983) More at IMDbPro »

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Sudden Impact -- A rape victim is exacting revenge on her agressors in a small town outside San Francisco. Dirty Harry, on suspension for angering his superiors (again), is assigned to the case.

Overview

User Rating:
6.5/10   20,374 votes »
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Director:
Clint Eastwood
Writers:
Harry Julian Fink (characters) and
Rita M. Fink (characters) ...
(more)
Contact:
View company contact information for Sudden Impact on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
9 December 1983 (USA) See more »
Genre:
Action | Thriller See more »
Tagline:
Two killers are at large. One of them is Dirty Harry. [Video] See more »
Plot:
A rape victim is exacting revenge on her agressors in a small town outside San Francisco. Dirty Harry, on suspension for angering his superiors (again), is assigned to the case. Full summary » | Full synopsis »
Plot Keywords:
See more »
NewsDesk:
(60 articles)
Vintage 1983
 (From FilmExperience. 16 March 2013, 8:29 PM, PDT)
TSRn: New Clint Eastwood DVD & Blu-ray Collections Due June 4, 2013
 (From Scorecard Review. 11 February 2013, 4:45 PM, PST)
Win: Joe Dante’s Piranha On Blu-ray!
 (From Obsessed with Film. 29 January 2013, 10:13 AM, PST)
User Reviews:
lacking in some ways and stronger in others, it's a good- if mixed- Eastwood bag See more (102 total) »

Cast

  (in credits order) (verified as complete)

Clint Eastwood ... Harry Callahan

Sondra Locke ... Jennifer Spencer

Pat Hingle ... Chief Jannings

Bradford Dillman ... Captain Briggs
Paul Drake ... Mick
Audrie Neenan ... Ray Parkins (as Audrie J. Neenan)
Jack Thibeau ... Kruger
Michael Currie ... Lt. Donnelly
Albert Popwell ... Horace King
Mark Keyloun ... Officer Bennett

Kevyn Major Howard ... Hawkins

Bette Ford ... Leah
Nancy Parsons ... Mrs. Kruger
Joe Bellan ... Burly Detective

Wendell Wellman ... Tyrone
Mara Corday ... Loretta - Coffee Shop Waitress
Russ McCubbin ... Eddie
Robert Sutton ... Carl

Nancy Fish ... Historical Society Woman

Carmen Argenziano ... D'Ambrosia
Lisa Britt ... Elizabeth
Bill Reddick ... Police Commissioner
Lois De Banzie ... Judge (as Lois de Banzie)
Matthew Child ... Alby
Mike Johnson ... Assassin (as Michael Johnson)

Nick Dimitri ... Assassin
Michael Maurer ... George Wilburn
Pat DuVal ... Bailiff
Christian Phillips ... Hawkin's Crony
Steven Kravitz ... Hawkin's Crony
Dennis Royston ... Young Guy
Melvin Thompson ... Young Guy

Jophery C. Brown ... Young Guy (as Jophery Brown)
William Upton ... Young Guy (as Bill Upton)
Lloyd Nelson ... Desk Sergeant
Christopher Pray ... Detective Jacobs
James McEachin ... Detective Barnes
Maria Lynch ... Hostess
Ken Lee ... Loomis
Morgan Upton ... Bartender
John X. Heart ... Uniform Policeman
David Gonzales ... Gang Member
Albert Martinez ... Gang Member
David Rivers ... Gang Member
Robert Rivers ... Gang Member
Harry Demopoulos ... Dr. Barton (as Harry Demopoulos M.D.)

Lisa London ... Young Hooker
Tom Spratley ... Senior Man
Eileen Wiggins ... Hysterical Female Customer
John Nowak ... Bank Robber
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
John Bleifer ... Old Man on Tour Bus (uncredited)
Christine Card ... Dancer at Wedding (uncredited)

Michael V. Gazzo ... Threlkis (uncredited)

Camryn Manheim ... Girl in Elevator (uncredited)

Dihlon McManne ... Cop (uncredited)
Meathead ... Bull Dog (uncredited)
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Directed by
Clint Eastwood 
 
Writing credits
Harry Julian Fink (characters) and
Rita M. Fink (characters) (as R.M. Fink)

Joseph Stinson (screenplay) (as Joseph C. Stinson)

Earl E. Smith (story) &
Charles B. Pierce (story)

Dean Riesner  uncredited

Produced by
Clint Eastwood .... producer
Fritz Manes .... executive producer
Steve Perry .... associate producer
 
Original Music by
Lalo Schifrin 
 
Cinematography by
Bruce Surtees (director of photography)
 
Film Editing by
Joel Cox 
 
Production Design by
Edward C. Carfagno  (as Edward Carfagno)
 
Set Decoration by
Ernie Bishop 
 
Makeup Department
Barbara Guedel .... makeup artist (as Barbara Guedell)
Marlene D. Williams .... hair stylist (as Marlene Williams)
 
Production Management
Steve Perry .... unit production manager
 
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Paul Moen .... second assistant director
David Valdes .... first assistant director
 
Art Department
Edward Aiona .... property master (as Eddie Aiona)
Bob Lawless .... stand-by painter
Michael Muscarella .... construction coordinator
 
Sound Department
Rick Alexander .... re-recording mixer (as Dick Alexander)
Bub Asman .... sound effects editor
Les Fresholtz .... re-recording mixer
Robert G. Henderson .... sound effects editor (as Bob Henderson)
Donald F. Johnson .... sound mixer (as Don Johnson)
Alan Robert Murray .... sound effects editor
Vern Poore .... re-recording mixer
Jules Strasser .... boom man
Brooke Henderson Ward .... assistant sound editor (as Brooke Henderson)
 
Special Effects by
Chuck Gaspar .... special effects
 
Stunts
Christine Anne Baur .... stunts (as Christine Baur)
Jadie David .... stunts (as Jade David)
Scott Dockstader .... stunts
Jerry Gatlin .... stunts
Larry Holt .... stunts
Kristy Horak .... stunts
Jack Lilley .... stunts
Carey Loftin .... stunts
Fritz Manes .... stunts
Paula Marie Moody .... stunts (as Paula Moody)
George Orrison .... stunts
Debby Porter .... stunts
Al Silvani .... stunts
Buddy Van Horn .... stunt coordinator (as Wayne VanHorn)
Chuck Waters .... stunts
George Orrison .... stunt double: Clint Eastwood (uncredited)
 
Camera and Electrical Department
Ed Ayer .... bestboy
Kirk Bales .... dolly grip (as Kirk E. Bales)
Jack N. Green .... camera operator (as Jack Green)
Jeff Miller .... camera assistant
Marsha Reed .... still photographer
Charles Saldana .... key grip
Bruce D. Spellman .... second grip (as Bruce Spellman)
Tom Stern .... gaffer
Johnny Walker .... camera assistant (as John Walker)
Víctor Pérez .... lighting technician (uncredited)
 
Casting Department
Marion Dougherty .... casting executive
 
Costume and Wardrobe Department
Darryl M. Athons .... wardrobe: men (as Darryl Athons)
Sue Moore .... wardrobe: women
Glenn Wright .... costume supervisor
 
Editorial Department
John Morrisey .... assistant film editor
 
Music Department
Donald Harris .... music editor
Mike Deasy .... musician (uncredited)
George Doering .... musician (uncredited)
Robert Fernandez .... scoring mixer (uncredited)
 
Transportation Department
Keith Dillin .... transportation captain
Cliff Hill .... transportation coordinator
H. William Miller .... transportation captain (as Bill Miller)
 
Other crew
Marco Barla .... unit publicist
Paul A. Calabria .... animal handler (as Paul Calabria)
Judie Hoyt .... assistant to producers
Linda Sony Kinney .... production secretary (as Linda Sony)
Michael Maurer .... auditor
Lloyd Nelson .... script supervisor
Jim Porter .... first aid
Rik Converse .... production assistant (uncredited)
 
Crew believed to be complete


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Additional Details

Also Known As:
"Dirty Harry 4" - Japan (English title)
See more »
Parents Guide:
View content advisory for parents
Runtime:
117 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Color
Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1 See more »
Sound Mix:
Mono
Certification:
Australia:R | Canada:R | France:-12 | Singapore:M18 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 (DVD rating) | Sweden:15 (re-rating) (heavily cut) | UK:18 | West Germany:18 | Norway:18 (video premiere) (1988) (cut) | Norway:(Banned) (1984-2003) (cinema release) | Germany:BPjM Restricted | Argentina:18 | Iceland:16 | New Zealand:R16 | USA:R (certificate #27193) | Sweden:(Banned) (original rating) | Finland:K-16 (cut) (1993) | Finland:K-18 (heavily cut) (1984) | Netherlands:12 | Finland:K-18 (uncut) (2001) | Australia:M (TV rating) | UK:18 (video rating) (1986) | South Korea:18 | UK:18 (tv rating) | Portugal:M/16 | Finland:K-15 (uncut) (2008) | Australia:MA (Cable TV rating) | Italy:VM18
Filming Locations:
1000-1600 Pacific Avenue, Santa Cruz, California, USASee more »
Company:
Warner BrosSee more »

Did You Know?

Trivia:
First of two consecutive cop films for Clint Eastwood where the main killer shares same or similar personality traits with the detective Eastwood is portraying. The other movie was Tightrope (1984).See more »
Goofs:
Revealing mistakes: When attacked by the mafia, the charges are visible on the car's windshield before being "shot."See more »
Quotes:
D'Ambrosia:When are you gonna learn, Harry? Sixth sense doesn't count any more. You can't bust suspects because you *think* they're dirty. *Psychic* don't *cut it*!See more »
Movie Connections:
Featured in AFI's 100 Years... 100 Movie Quotes: America's Greatest Quips, Comebacks and Catchphrases (2005) (TV)See more »
Soundtrack:
THIS SIDE OF FOREVERSee more »

FAQ

See more »

User Reviews

   (Review this title)
7 out of 10 people found the following review useful.
lacking in some ways and stronger in others, it's a good- if mixed- Eastwood bag, 8 September 2005
Author: MisterWhiplash from United States

It's a strange thing to see a film where some scenes work rather weakly (if only in comparison to other films in its legacy), and others in a 'sub-plot' or supporting story are surprisingly provocative and strong. Sudden Impact is one of those cases, where Clint Eastwood as star/producer/director shows when he can be at his best, or at his lessor of times when dealing with a crime/mystery/detective story in his Dirty Harry fame. We get that 'make my day' line, and un-like in the first film where his 'do I feel lucky' speech was playful and cool the first time and the second time at the end tough as nails, here it's switched around. He gets into another shamble with the department, as usual, when he tries to fight crime 'his' way, in particular with a diner robbery (inspiration for Pulp Fiction?) and with a high speed pursuit with a senior citizen bus. He's told to 'take a vacation', and that's the last thing on his mind. This whole main plot isn't very convincing aside from the expectancy of the story and lines, which just adds to the frustration. But soon his story merges with the sub-plot that Eastwood develops from the start.

Enter Sandra Locke's character, Jennifer Spencer, whom we soon learn after some (appropriately) mysterious scenes that she and her shy sister were victims of a cruel, unjust sexual assault (err, outright rape), and is sleekly, undercover-like, getting revenge. Her scenes and story are the strongest parts of the film, the most intense, and finally when it goes into Callahan's storyline (he's getting facts in the same small town she's in on a murder), the film finally finds a focus between Eastwood's classic form of clearly defined good vs. evil (though sometimes blurred, to be sure). Eastwood films the flashbacks, not to say too much about them, expertly, in a fresh, experimental style; the trademark Lalo Schifrin score is totally atmospheric in these scenes and in others. It almost seems like a couple of times an art-house sensibility has crept into Eastwood's firmly straightforward storytelling style, which helps make the film watchable.

It's a shame, though, that in the end it goes more for the expectable (or maybe not expectable) points, and until the third act Callahan doesn't have much to do except his usual 'it's smith...Wesson...and me' shtick. However, with Locke he gets out of her a very good performance (more subtle and touching than the one in the Gauntlet) and an exciting climax at an amusement park. In a way I do and don't agree with Ebert's remark that it's like a 'music video' in Eastwood's style here. I admit there is comparisons with the simplicity of both, the directness, but the scenes where Eastwood does break form are superior to those of any music video. It's cheesy, it's hard-edged, it's not up to par with the first two 'Harry' pictures, but hey, there could be worse ways to spend a couple hours with the master of the .44.

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