Krush Groove (1985)

Director:

Michael Schultz

Writer:

Ralph Farquhar

Release Date:

25 October 1985 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Music

Tagline:

It's chillin'!

Plot:

In this movie based on the early days of Def Jam Recordings, up-and-coming manager Russell Walker has...

Plot Keywords:

Recording Industry | Church | Nightclub | High School | Loan Shark

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Sheila E.	...	Herself
Joseph Simmons	...	Himself (Run-D.M.C)
Darryl McDaniels	...	Himself (Run-D.M.C.) (as Daryll McDaniels)
Jason Mizell	...	Himself (Run-D.M.C.)
Mark Morales	...	Himself (Fat Boys)
Damon Wimbley	...	Himself (Fat Boys)
Darren Robinson	...	Himself (Fat Boys) (as Darren 'Buffy' Robinson)
Kurtis Blow	...	Himself
Blair Underwood	...	Russell Walker
Ricky Bell	...	Himself (New Edition)
Michael Lamone Bivins	...	Himself (New Edition) (as Michael Bivins)
Bobby Brown	...	Himself (New Edition) (as New Edition)
Ronald De Voe	...	Himself (New Edition) (as New Edition)
Ralph E. Tresvant	...	Himself (New Edition) (as Ralph Tresvant)
LisaGay Hamilton	...	Aisha
Daniel Simmons	...	Reverend Walker
Russell Simmons	...	Crocket
Charles Stettler	...	Terri Beiker
Rick Rubin	...	Rick
Sal Abbatiello	...	Sal
Adam Horovitz	...	Himself (Beastie Boys)
Adam Yauch	...	Himself (Beastie Boys) (as Adam Youck)
Mike D	...	Himself (Beastie Boys)
Donnie Simpson	...	Contest MC
Karen Moss	...	Karen
Andre Harrell	...	Himself (as Dr. Jeckyll)
Mr. Hyde	...	Himself
Galaxy	...	Himself
Chad Elliot	...	Chad
Michael Lewis	...	Mandingo
B-Fine	...	Enforcer #1
Paul Anthony	...	Enforcer #2
Sweet G.	...	Fever D.J
Mr. Magic	...	Himself
LL Cool J	...	Himself
Nayobe	...	Herself
Michael Kaufman	...	Loan Officer
Elaine Shapiro	...	Mrs. Ekhardt
John MacKay	...	Dean
Karl Schröder	...	Car Wash Boss
Heidi Smith	...	Carmen
Leon Stephenson	...	Scar
Benny Rietveld	...	Sheila's Friend / Sheila E.'s Band
Haoui Montaug	...	Danceteria D.J
Julian Jackson	...	Man in Bar
Sunshine Wright	...	Kurtis Blow's Girl
Sandra J. Wright	...	Kurtis Blow's Girl
Jeffrey Fludd	...	Hollis Crew
Douglas Hayes	...	Hollis Crew
Danny Hayton	...	Hollis Crew
Ernest Mobily	...	Hollis Crew
Raymond White	...	Hollis Crew
Terry Williams	...	Hollis Crew
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Richard Gant	...	Jay B (as Richard E. Gant)
Sharon Porter-Phillips
Stephen Birnbaum	...	Sheila E.'s Band (uncredited)
Susie Davis	...	Sheila E.'s Band (uncredited)
Juan Escovedo	...	Sheila E.'s Band (uncredited)
Ken Grey	...	Sheila E.'s Band (uncredited)
Eddie Minnifield	...	Sheila E.'s Band (uncredited)
Coati Mundi	...	Record Shop Owner (uncredited)
Karl Perazzo	...	Sheila E.'s Band (uncredited)
Chris Rock	...	Person Standing Next to Club Phone During Fight (uncredited)
Vicky Ruane	...	Girl Friday (uncredited)
Kara Vallow	...	Hip-Hop dancer (uncredited)

Directed by
Michael Schultz

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Ralph Farquhar

Produced by
Shirley Calloway	....	associate producer
George Jackson	....	executive producer (as George A. Jackson)
Lauren Jones	....	associate producer (as Gloria Schultz)
Robert O. Kaplan	....	executive producer
Doug McHenry	....	producer
Michael Schultz	....	producer
Russell Simmons	....	co-producer
Dwight Williams	....	associate producer

Cinematography by
Ernest R. Dickerson		(as Ernest Dickerson)

Film Editing by
Jerry Bixman
Conrad M. Gonzalez

Casting by
Pat Golden

Production Design by
Mischa Petrow

Set Decoration by
John Lawless
James Sherman		(as James Paul Sherman)

Costume Design by
Dianne Finn-Chapman

Makeup Department
James Hajdukiewicz	....	hair stylist
James Hajdukiewicz	....	makeup artist
Aaron F. Quarles	....	hair stylist
Aaron F. Quarles	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Preston L. Holmes	....	unit production manager
John Orland	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Michea Caye	....	second second assistant director
Larry Lerner	....	second second assistant director
Joseph Ray	....	key second assistant director
Carol L. Vitkay	....	dga trainee
Dwight Williams	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Joan Brockschmidt	....	props
Charles Cecil	....	stand-by carpenter
Jeffrey Crandell	....	production assistant: art department
Anthony Dunne	....	construction coordinator
Melba Katzman Farquhar	....	assistant to production designer (as Melba L. Katzman-Farquhar)
Tyler Kim	....	production assistant: art department
Andrew Lassman	....	property master (as Andy Lassman)
Kristin McNiff	....	assistant to production designer (as Kristin M. McNiff)
David Moon	....	master scenic artist
Rhoda E. Neal	....	set dresser
Mark Nissenholtz	....	stand-by scenic artist
Andrei Petrow	....	production assistant: art department
Richard Lee Sisco Jr.	....	storyboard artist
Lynn Tonnessen	....	set dresser (as B. Lynn Tonnessen)

Sound Department
Alexandra Baltarzuk	....	production assistant: sound department
Elizabeth Heddens	....	production assistant: sound department
David J. Hudson	....	sound re-recording engineer
Dale Johnston	....	sound editor
Lawrence Loewinger	....	sound mixer
Mel Metcalfe	....	sound re-recording engineer
Terry Porter	....	sound re-recording engineer
Sandra J. Tait	....	production assistant: sound department
Jerome R. Vitucci	....	boom operator (as Jerome Vitucci)

Visual Effects by
Michael Cohen	....	video and digital audio technician

Camera and Electrical Department
Michael F. Barrow	....	gaffer
Edward Cohen	....	best boy (as Edward A. Cohen)
Gary R. Farley	....	additional assistant camera
Michael Fedack	....	grip (as Michael John Fedack)
Ken Ferris	....	additional camera operator
David J. Frederick	....	first assistant camera (as David Frederick)
Holly Heinzmann	....	second assistant camera
Haddon Hufford	....	dolly grip
Robert Ippolito	....	second grip (as Robert J. Ippolito)
Jeff Levy	....	additional gaffer
Eric Liebowitz	....	still photographer
Constantine Makris	....	camera operator: second unit
Abbie Carey Miller	....	electrician (as Abbie J. Carey)
David J. Miller	....	second assistant camera
George Pattison	....	key grip
Frank Prinzi	....	additional camera operator
Lowell Schulman	....	electrician
Daniel L. Turrett	....	camera operator (as Dan Turrett)
Li-Shin Yu	....	additional assistant camera
Darryl Walthall	....	camera production assistant (uncredited)

Casting Department
Lauren Craig	....	casting assistant
John McCabe	....	extras casting
Brent Owens	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Ilene Barnes	....	wardrobe assistant
Barbara Krauthamer	....	wardrobe assistant
Susie Money	....	wardrobe supervisor

Editorial Department
Donah Bassett	....	negative cutter (as Donah J. Bassett)
Hubert de La Bouillerie	....	assistant editor (as Hubert de la Bouillerie)
David Ekstrom	....	apprentice editor (as David W. Ekstrom)
Richard B. Hassen	....	post-production coordinator
Alan Kozlowski	....	supervising editor
Carol Oblath	....	assistant editor
Brent Emil Schaefer	....	assistant editor
Gregory Everett	....	apprentice editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Kurtis Blow	....	music supervisor
David Lombard	....	music coordinator

Transportation Department
Patrick J. Feerick	....	transportation coordinator
Thomas Reilly	....	transportation captain (as Tommy Reilly)

Other crew
Katherine Banks	....	production assistant
Sherry Baumgart	....	assistant production coordinator
James Bigwood	....	production auditor
James Bond	....	production assistant
Ed Dessisso	....	location manager
Patricia Anne Doherty	....	assistant location manager
Kevin Dowd	....	assistant location manager
Lori Eastside	....	choreographer
Camilla Fluxman	....	pre-production coordinator
Hélène Guétary	....	special consultant: danceteria sequence
Reginald M. Hampton	....	production assistant
Coral Hawthorne	....	assistant to producers
Laura S. Hay	....	production assistant
Patrick Holmes	....	production assistant
Erin Ickes	....	production assistant
Mark Johnson	....	production assistant
Clarence P. Jones Jr.	....	production assistant
Lauren Jones	....	acting coach
Alan Kozlowski	....	post-production video system designer (as Alan J. Kozlowski)
Adeline Leonard Seakwood	....	production coordinator
Stewart Lewis	....	production assistant
Alberta Lignabou	....	production assistant
Magdalena Mitchell	....	production assistant
Brent Owens	....	promotional products coordinator
Larry Peoples	....	production assistant
David Pomier	....	location assistant
Russell Simmons	....	story consultant
Barry Simpson	....	production assistant
Delphine Snipes	....	production assistant
Laura Stillman	....	assistant production auditor
Sheryl Unsworth	....	producers office assistant
Bruce Wallace	....	choreographer
Dee Howard White	....	production assistant
Christopher A. Williams	....	production assistant
Louise M. Young	....	script supervisor

Thanks
Sal Abbatiello	....	thanks
Clarence Avant	....	thanks
Jac Holzman	....	thanks
Douglas Rosen	....	thanks
Charles Stettler	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Crystalite Productions
• Film Development Fund
• Visual Eyes Productions

Distributors

• Warner Bros. (1985) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros.

Other Companies

• Glen Glenn Sound Company  re-recording
• House of Fun Music Inc.  music publishing: "Feel the Spin"
• Jellybean Music Publishing  music published by
• Sound FX  sound editing
• Van der Veer Photo Effects  titles and opticals
• Warner Bros. Records  soundtrack

Also Known As:

Runtime:

97 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

USA:R | Iceland:L | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:AA (Ontario)

Filming Locations:

Bronx, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Crystalite Productions

Trivia:

The film is a fictionalized account of the early days of Def Jam Recordings and Rush Management. Rick Rubin and almost all of the musical acts played themselves in the movie. Russell Walker, the character played by Blair Underwood, was based on Russell Simmons, who appeared in the film as the club owner who said, "Let's get these kids on stage," just before the infamous Run's House scene.

Goofs:

Continuity: LL Cool J appears as himself in a scene halfway through the film where he auditions for Rick and the other Krush Groove management team. In that scene, it is presumed that LL Cool J is an unknown. However, near the beginning of the film, when Sheila E. is performing "A Love Bizarre" in a club, the name "LL Kool J" (sic) can be seen written on the chalkboard behind her on stage. The chalkboard is still seen during other performances before LL Cool J makes his appearance.

Quotes:

Rick:That guy was a sucker, man. Carmen, file this.
[He hands her the "accounting book" -- a trashed out spiral notebook.]
Carmen:[rolls eyes and files the book by tossing it aside on a nearby table.]
Rick:Damn. Take all my money out of that bank.
Carmen:We don't have an account.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son (2011)

Soundtrack:

If I Ruled The World

the most underrated rock n roll movie of the 1980s

Krush Groove is the most underrated rock n roll movie of the 1980s. Is it the Best music film of the 80s? No that title belongs to Purple Rain. Actually Krush Groove attempts to redo Rain's successful formula, using talented musicians generally playing themselves in a fictitious story with some realistic elements. It actually came out a year or so too early, with rap and hip hop still generally a black phenomenon despite Blondie's #1 pop `Rapture'. (Debbie Harry makes an appearance here portraying a club singer.) The one `Actor' not playing himself was Blair Underwood who played the character Russell Walker (While the REAL Russell Simmons played a stage hand named Crocket)

The story deals with a number of rap artists Run DMC, Kurtis Blow and the Fat boys in their efforts to make it big as hip hop stars. It deals with the good and bad of having a hit record on a small independent record label, competition between two brothers over the heart of a young female singer (Sheila E.), the consequences of borrowing money from a loan shark, the opportunity to sign with a major label and a talent contest looking for new hip hop talent. The contest includes an appearance from New Edition, an all too brief appearance from future superstars The Beastie Boys and an in studio audition from LL Cool J. The film was rated `R' generally for some mild violence and usage of the `F' word. (Six instances where two would automatically mean an `R' rating) It didn't do too hot at the box office. I had stated that the film came out a year or so too early. The reason I stated this was that in 1986, one year following this film's release, Run DMC's cover of Aerosmith's Walk This Way got heavy airplay on white radio, even going to number1 on album rock radio in Aerosmith's homebase of Boston MA. This success opened the door for The Beastie Boys, The Fat Boys, LL Cool J, Will Smith (known at that time as The Fresh Prince) and a large number of other hip hop and rap artists to score BIG on the Pop singles and pop album charts.