Flesh+Blood (1985)

Director:

Paul Verhoeven

Writers:

Paul Verhoeven (screenplay)
Gerard Soeteman (screenplay)
(more)

Release Date:

30 August 1985 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Drama

Tagline:

A timeless adventure, a passion for wealth and power. Only the strongest will survive

Plot:

A band of medieval mercenaries take revenge on a noble lord who decides not to pay them by kidnapping the betrothed of the noble's son...

Plot Keywords:

Mercenary | Noble | Plague | Revenge | Kidnapping

Awards:

2 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Rutger Hauer	...	Martin
Jennifer Jason Leigh	...	Agnes
Tom Burlinson	...	Steven
Jack Thompson	...	Hawkwood
Fernando Hilbeck	...	Arnolfini (as Fernando Hillbeck)
Susan Tyrrell	...	Celine
Ronald Lacey	...	Cardinal
Brion James	...	Karsthans
John Dennis Johnston	...	Summer
Simón Andreu	...	Miel
Bruno Kirby	...	Orbec
Kitty Courbois	...	Anna
Marina Saura	...	Polly
Hans Veerman	...	Father George
Jake Wood	...	Little John
Héctor Alterio	...	Niccolo
Blanca Marsillach	...	Clara
Nancy Cartwright	...	Kathleen
Jorge Bosso	...	Sterz
Mario De Barros	...	Herman
Ida Bons	...	Roly Poly
Jaime Segura	...	Lord of the Castle
Bettina Brenner	...	Lady of the Castle
Siobhan Hayes	...	Child of the Castle
Susan Beresford	...	Sturdy Woman
Mònica Lucchetti	...	Tongueless Girl
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Anne Lockhart	...	Wife (uncredited)

Directed by
Paul Verhoeven

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Gerard Soeteman		screenplay
Gerard Soeteman		story
Paul Verhoeven		screenplay

Produced by
José Antonio Sáinz de Vicuña	....	associate producer
Gijs Versluys	....	producer (as Gys Versluys)

Original Music by
Basil Poledouris

Cinematography by
Jan de Bont

Film Editing by
Ine Schenkkan

Casting by
Jane Feinberg
Mike Fenton
Valorie Massalas

Art Direction by
Félix Murcia

Costume Design by
Yvonne Blake

Makeup Department
Francisca Guillot	....	hair stylist
Kathy Kühne	....	makeup artist
Miguel Sesé	....	chief makeup artist (as Miguel Sese)

Production Management
Malcolm R. Harding	....	production supervisor (as Mack Harding)
David Middlemas	....	post-production supervisor
Carlos Orengo	....	local production manager
Marta Pérez Ferrándiz	....	first assistant production manager
Carlos Ramón	....	first assistant production manager
Remmelt Remmelts	....	unit production manager
Walter Saxer	....	second unit manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Steven-Charles Jaffe	....	second unit director
Jindra Markus	....	first assistant director
Mischa Muller	....	assistant director: spata

Art Department
César Benítez	....	property master (as Cesar Benitez)
Elly Claus	....	artistic coordinator
Julián Martín	....	painter
Laura Moreno	....	second assistant art director
Ramón Moya	....	construction manager (as Ramon Moya)
Luis Vallés	....	assistant art director

Sound Department
Danniel Danniel	....	sound editor
Marcel De Hoogd	....	head sound assistant
Kees Linthorst	....	sound editor
Nick Meijer	....	sound mixer
Marc Nolens	....	sound editor
Ad Roest	....	foley mixer
Ad Roest	....	foley recordist
Ad Roest	....	sound re-recording mixer
Ad Roest	....	sound
John Tak	....	sound recordist
Tom Tholen	....	sound recordist
Tom Tholen	....	sound

Special Effects by
Reyes Abades	....	special effects chief technician
Joe Digaetano	....	special effects coordinator
Carlos Paradela	....	special effects makeup
Antonio Parra	....	special effects chief technician
David Domeyer	....	special effects (uncredited)

Stunts
Mario De Barros	....	assistant stunt coordinator
Solier Fagundez	....	stunts
Juan Maján	....	stunt coordinator
Joaquin Olivas	....	stunts
José Panizo	....	stunts
Javier Piementel	....	stunts
José Sacristán	....	stunts
Victoriano Terrón	....	stunts
Camilo Vila	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Peter De Bont	....	operator: second unit
Marc Koninckx	....	Steadicam operator
José Luis Martínez	....	gaffer (as Jose Luis Martinez)
Hugo Van Baren	....	key grip
Robert Wiesmann	....	assistant camera
Alexander Witt	....	first assistant camera

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Adoración Almela	....	wardrober
Martín Díaz Porras	....	wardrobe master
Martín Díaz Solaz	....	wardrober
Isabel Díaz	....	wardrober
Pablo Espinosa	....	wardrober
Joaquín Montero	....	wardrober
Isabel Perales	....	wardrober
Delfín Prieto	....	wardrober
Marina Rodríguez	....	wardrober

Editorial Department
Genevieve Saifi	....	assistant editor

Other crew
Frans J. Afman	....	motion picture banking
Paco Ardura	....	horse master
Javier Chinchilla	....	production assistant
Anastasio Diaz	....	wrangler
Robert Easton	....	dialect coach
Tom Elliott	....	safety officer
Francisco González	....	wrangler
Rachel Griffiths	....	script supervisor
John L. Hargreaves	....	post-production representative
Fabienne Hulsebos	....	production secretary
Timoteo Navado	....	wrangler
Susana Prieto	....	production secretary
Carlos Alonzo Roco	....	wrangler
Lucas Uranga	....	wrangler
Joyce van Rijn	....	assistant to producer

Production Companies

• Riverside Pictures
• Impala (co-production)

Distributors

• Orion Pictures Corporation (1985) (USA) (theatrical)
• Cannon Tuschinski Film Distribution (1985) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox (1985) (France) (theatrical)
• Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical) (35mm print)
• Kinosto (1986) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Rank Film Distributors (198?) (UK) (theatrical)
• Cinema Classics (19??) (USA) (VHS)
• Continental Home Vídeo (2005) (Brazil) (DVD)
• FS Film Oy (2005) (Finland) (DVD)
• Globo Vídeo (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Mainostelevisio (MTV3) (1995) (Finland) (TV)
• Nelonen (1999) (Finland) (TV)
• Nordic Video (1980s) (Finland) (VHS)
• Roadshow Home Video (19??) (Australia) (VHS)
• Simitar Entertainment (1991) (USA) (VHS)
• Universal Pictures Benelux (2007) (Netherlands) (DVD)

Other Companies

• DeLuxe Laboratories  prints by (as DeLuxe)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

126 min | Netherlands:125 min | Sweden:117 min

Country:

Spain | USA | Netherlands

Language:

English | Latin

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Australia:R | USA:R (cut) | New Zealand:R16 | USA:Unrated (DVD rating) | USA:X (original rating) | Netherlands:16 | Brazil:16 | Finland:K-18 (1986) | France:-12 | Norway:16 (1986) | Norway:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | West Germany:18 | Finland:K-16 (1996)

Filming Locations:

Belmonte, Cuenca, Castilla-La Mancha, Spain

Company:

Riverside Pictures

Trivia:

Director Paul Verhoeven's first English-language film, following a very successful career in the Netherlands, notably including Soldier of Orange (1977) ("Soldier of Orange") and Spetters (1980).

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: Toward the end of the film, a bright set light seen reflected in Summer's sword blade.

Quotes:

Hawkwood:I didn't see the damn thing!
Martin:I did sir
[helps Hawkwood]
Martin:.
Hawkwood:Bless you Martin, your reward is in heaven.
Martin:I'd rather get paid sooner sir if you don't mind.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Blonde Poison: The Making of 'Basic Instinct' (2001) (V)

Soundtrack:

Throughout the Years

Gloriously over the top

Gloriously over the top middle ages saga from Verhoeven,who certainly makes sure the film lives up to its title!This is an exraordinarily bloody film,and apart from the gore we get dead babies,brain damaged nuns,plague infected flesh,raping,pillaging,and some terrible table manners.This is hugely enjoyable stuff,with some terrific black humour.Verhoeven also stages some excellent action sequences.The opening battle to take back the city is good,as is the amazing contraption to scale the castle that gets destroyed,and the final battle inside the castle is gripping.Rutger Hauer is reliably excellent in this,not so much a loveable rogue as a steely eyed psycho.Even better is Jennifer Jason Leigh as the kidnapped princess,who turns out to be a cunning,scheming,bitch.Witness the scene where she turns the tables on Hauer,who is attempting to rape her.There's good support also from Susan Tyrrell as a revolting whore,and Ronald Lacey as a demented priest who seems to have stepped straight out of the film 'The Devils'.This is miles better than all the other sword and sorcery films that were around at the time,because Verhoeven pulls no punches,and instills the film with a savage wit.Great music as well from 'Conan' composer,Bazil Poleduris.This film deserves a sequel!