After Hours (1985)

Director:

Martin Scorsese

Writer:

Joseph Minion (written by)

Release Date:

13 September 1985 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Thriller

Tagline:

What is the very worst night you ever had...? [UK Video]

Plot:

An ordinary word processor has the worst night of his life after he agrees to visit a girl in Soho whom he met that evening at a coffee shop.

Plot Keywords:

Coffee | New York | Mob | Suicide | Bouncer

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 3 wins & 7 nominations

Cast

Griffin Dunne	...	Paul Hackett
Rosanna Arquette	...	Marcy Franklin
Verna Bloom	...	June
Tommy Chong	...	Pepe (as Thomas Chong)
Linda Fiorentino	...	Kiki Bridges
Teri Garr	...	Julie
John Heard	...	Thomas 'Tom' Schorr
Cheech Marin	...	Neil
Catherine O'Hara	...	Gail
Dick Miller	...	Diner Waiter (Pete)
Will Patton	...	Horst
Robert Plunket	...	Street Pickup
Bronson Pinchot	...	Lloyd
Rocco Sisto	...	Coffee Shop Cashier
Larry Block	...	Taxi Driver

Also Known As:

A Night in SoHo (USA) (working title)
Lies (USA) (original script title)

Runtime:

97 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Brazil:16 | South Korea:18 | Argentina:18 | Chile:18 | Finland:K-16 | Italy:VM14 | Peru:18 | Singapore:M18 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R | West Germany:12 | Australia:M | Iceland:12 | Canada:14A (Ontario)

Filming Locations:

128 Spring Street, Soho, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Geffen Company, The

Trivia:

The "key drop" shot, where the camera drops vertically while tracking on Griffin Dunne, was done in two takes. In the first take, the camera lens was put through a hole in a wooden board and then the board was dropped from the roof with bungee cords. After the first take was done, producer Amy Robinson, director Martin Scorsese, and cinematographer Michael Ballhaus refused to do the shot like that again for fear of Dunne's safety. According to Robinson, the bungee cords started smoking. Dunne, on the other hand, was oblivious to the danger and was ready to do another take. Ballhaus filmed the second take with a fast crane move.

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: After Paul and Hoarst's exchange about his rudeness to Marcy, Kiki says to Paul "Well it's not too late to finish what you've started" though when she says the word "well" her mouth doesn't move.

Quotes:

Marcy: My husband was a movie freak. Actually, he was particularly obsessed with one movie, "The Wizard of Oz." He talked about it constantly. I thought it was cute at first. On our wedding night, I was a virgin. When we made love - you've seen the movie, haven't you?
Paul Hackett: "The Wizard of Oz"? Yeah.
Marcy: Well, whenever he - you know, when he came...
Paul Hackett: Yeah.
Marcy: ...he would scream out, "Surrender Dorothy!" That's all! Just "Surrender Dorothy!"
Paul Hackett: Wow.
Marcy: Instead of saying something normal like, "Oh, God," or something normal like that. I mean, it was pretty creepy! And I told him I thought so, but he just, he just couldn't stop, he just, he just couldn't stop, he just... couldn't stop.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Dawson's Creek: After Hours (#5.21)" (2002)

Soundtrack:

You're Mine

Surrealistic Adventure in Soho After Hours

While reading the Henry Miller's Tropic of Cancer in a coffee shop, the bored word processor Paul Hackett (Griffe Dunne) meets Marcy Franklin (Rosanna Arquette), and she gives her phone number to him. Close to midnight, Paul decides to call her and she invites him to visit her in the loft of her friend, the sculptor Kiki Bridges (Linda Fiorentino), in Soho. Paul gets a taxi and loses his money through the open window of the cab. Paul arrives in Kiki's place, where begins his surrealistic adventure along the night.

I do not know how many times I have seen this movie along my life, maybe ten times, but it still attracts me and now I have just seen it for the first time on DVD. I love it and it is one of my favorite cult movies. The surrealistic 'saga' of Paul Hackett trapped in Soho without means to return home is fantastic and fascinate me. The cast, direction, soundtrack and camera are excellent. I believe it is the best role and performance of Griffin Dunne in his career. My vote is nine.

Title (Brazil): 'Depois de Horas' ('After Hours (literally)')