Barfly (1987)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

Barbet Schroeder

Writer:

Charles Bukowski (writer)

Release Date:

16 October 1987 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

Some people never go crazy. What truly horrible lives they must lead.

Plot:

Henry Chinaski never cared for the American dream, the thought of needing to become 'something' and fit into the system disgusts him...

Plot Keywords:

Bar | Whiskey | Bartender | Radio | Fight

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 3 nominations

Cast

Mickey Rourke	...	Henry Chinaski
Faye Dunaway	...	Wanda Wilcox
Alice Krige	...	Tully Sorenson
Jack Nance	...	Detective
J.C. Quinn	...	Jim
Frank Stallone	...	Eddie
Sandy Martin	...	Janice
Roberta Bassin	...	Lilly
Gloria LeRoy	...	Grandma Moses
Joe Unger	...	Ben
Harry Cohn	...	Rick
Pruitt Taylor Vince	...	Joe
Joe Rice	...	Old Man in Bar
Julie 'Sunny' Pearson	...	Hooker in Bar
Donald L. Norden	...	Man in Alley
Wil Albert	...	Carl
Hal Shafer	...	Mike
Zeke Manners	...	Roger (as Zeek Manners)
Pearl Shear	...	Helen
Rik Colitti	...	Jack, The Window Washer
Michael Collins	...	Elbow Inn Bartender
Ronald G. Joseph	...	Liquor Store Clerk (as Ron Joseph)
Damon Hines	...	Black Kid
Lahmard J. Tate	...	Black Kid
Gary Cervantes	...	Cop (as Carlos Cervantes)
Peter Conti	...	Cop
Vance Colvig Jr.	...	Alcoholic Man (as Vance Colvig)
Stacey Pickren	...	Lady Manager
Leonard Termo	...	Harry
Gary Cox	...	Lenny
Fritz Feld	...	Bum
Albert Henderson	...	Louie
Sandy Rose	...	Louie's Woman
Madalyn Carol	...	Young Girl Hooker
George Marshall Ruge	...	Loverbird Man
Debby Lynn Ross	...	Loverbird Woman (as Debbie Lynn Ross)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Charles Bukowski	...	Bar Patron (uncredited)

Directed by
Barbet Schroeder

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Charles Bukowski		writer

Produced by
Jack Baran	....	associate producer
Yoram Globus	....	executive producer
Menahem Golan	....	executive producer
Tom Luddy	....	producer
Fred Roos	....	producer
Barbet Schroeder	....	producer

Original Music by
Jack Baran

Cinematography by
Robby Müller

Film Editing by
Éva Gárdos

Casting by
Nancy Lara-Hansch		(as Nancy Lara)
Robert MacDonald
Pat Orseth

Production Design by
Bob Ziembicki

Set Decoration by
Lisa Dean

Costume Design by
Milena Canonero

Makeup Department
Leslie Ann Anderson	....	hair stylist
Jane Carvell	....	hair stylist: Ms. Dunaway
Ken Diaz	....	makeup supervisor
Genice Jarvis	....	hair stylist: Mr. Rourke
Gary Liddiard	....	makeup artist: Ms. Dunaway
William Snyder	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Michael Alden	....	post-production supervisor
Alain Jakubowicz	....	post-production supervisor
Christopher Pearce	....	unit production manager
Michelle Solotar	....	production supervisor
Rony Yacov	....	executive in charge of production

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jack Baran	....	first assistant director
Nilo Otero	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Milena Canonero	....	visual consultant
Kelly Deco	....	scenic artist
Amanda J. Flick	....	scenic artist (as Amanda Flick)
Jonathan R. Hodges	....	assistant property master
Kevin Hughes	....	property master
Myron Meisel	....	artistic consultant
Jonathan Smart	....	set dresser
Tim Trimble	....	scenic artist
Frank Viviano	....	construction coordinator

Sound Department
Vanessa Theme Ament	....	foley artist (as Vanessa Ament)
Douglas Axtell	....	boom operator (as Doug Axtell)
Jeff Burman	....	apprentice sound editor
Robert Fitzgerald	....	sound supervisor
David Gertz	....	dubbing recordist
Tommy Goodwin	....	adr mixer
Tommy Goodwin	....	foley mixer
Robin Harlan	....	foley artist
Petur Hliddal	....	sound mixer
David J. Hudson	....	sound re-recording mixer
Mel Metcalfe	....	sound re-recording mixer
Terry Porter	....	sound re-recording mixer
Hari Ryatt	....	sound supervisor
Hamilton Sterling	....	sound effects editor
Robert Ulrich	....	dialogue editor

Special Effects by
Clive R. Kay	....	special effects contact lenses

Stunts
Michael Adams	....	stunts
Diane Hetfield	....	stunts
Steve Kelso	....	stunts
Steven Lambert	....	stunts
Diane Peterson	....	stunts
Debby Lynn Ross	....	stunts (as Debbie Lynn Ross)
George Marshall Ruge	....	stunts
Buddy Van Horn	....	stunts
Webster Whinery	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Jack Anderson	....	additional camera operator
Bill Bumby	....	dolly grip
Andrew Cooper	....	still photographer
Paul Ferrara	....	key grip
Frieder Hocheim	....	gaffer
Mike Hodges	....	best boy grip
Peter C. Jensen	....	Steadicam operator (as Peter Jensen)
Chris Lombardi	....	first assistant camera (as Cris Lombardi)
Kyle T. MacDowell	....	grip
Rob Sweeney	....	second assistant camera
Gary H. Swink	....	best boy electric (as Gary Swink)

Casting Department
Davia Nelson	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Dayna Cussler	....	wardrobe assistant
Ricki Fournier	....	key set costume (as Ricki Renee Fournier)
Eileen Kennedy	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
Thomas Paul Croce	....	assistant editor
Denise de Casabianca	....	consultant: editing
Omneya 'Nini' Mazen	....	post-production coordinator
Wende Phifer Mate	....	assistant editor
Wendy J. Plump	....	assistant editor (as Wendy Plump)
Angelo Russo	....	color timer
Anne-Marie Vitello	....	negative cutter
Ron Vitello	....	negative cutter

Music Department
Jack Baran	....	music editor
Donald Dunn	....	composer: song "Hip Hug-Her"
Paula Erickson	....	music supervisor
Stephanie Lee	....	music coordinator

Transportation Department
Jimmy Jones	....	transportation coordinator
Joel Renfro	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Alan Abrams	....	business and legal affairs
Wenden K. Baldwin	....	title designer
Francis Ford Coppola	....	presenter
Ross Fanger	....	location manager
Cindy Hochman	....	supervising production coordinator
Lesli J. Lehr	....	production coordinator
Rick Nathanson	....	production executive
Leslie Park	....	script supervisor
Kyle Seidenbaum	....	title designer
Joe Straw	....	production accountant
Ann Wright	....	unit publicist

Production Companies

• Golan-Globus Productions
• Zoetrope Studios

Distributors

• Cannon Group, The (1987) (USA) (theatrical)
• Cineplex-Odeon Films (1987) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Scotia-Cannon (1988) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• América Vídeo (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (1988) (USA) (laserdisc)
• Warner Home Video (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2002) (USA) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Arrangment, The  catering
• Birds & Animals Unlimited  animal handler
• Keylite Production Services  production services
• Mark Baron Company, The  marketing
• Pacific Title  main titles
• Pacific Title  opticals
• Paul Arnold & Associates Inc.  insurance

Runtime:

USA:97 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (TVC)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:MA (TV rating) | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R | West Germany:16 (f) | Iceland:16

Filming Locations:

Bryson Hotel - 2701 Wilshire Boulevard, Downtown, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Golan-Globus Productions

Trivia:

In its obituary of Bukowski, "The New York Post" used a photo of Mickey Rourke as Henry Chinaski in "Barfly" instead of a photo of the poet himself.

Quotes:

Henry: [Voice over] And as my hands drop the last desperate pen, in some cheap room, they will find me there and never know my name, my meaning, nor the treasure of my escape.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Strákarnir okkar (2005)

Soundtrack:

Poem of Ecstasy

One of Mickey Rourke's best performances in a darkly funny film

"Barfly" was a fairly successful film when it was released and garnered generally favorable reviews. Roger Ebert gave it four out of four, and along with "Angel Heart," it helped solidify 1987 as the Year of Mickey Rourke.

However, almost twenty years later it isn't talked so much about anymore, and I feel it deserves to be. Rourke gives one of his finest performances as Henry, a loner who walks hunched over like the Hunchback of Notre Dame. Henry works at a bar as a runner - delivering orders and such. But he's always getting into drunken brawls with the bartender, usually losing.

One day Henry's life takes a turn when he meets a downtrodden woman (Faye Dunaway) and they embark on a relationship.

"Barfly" is a great film. Rourke was vocal later on in his career about his dislike of director Barbet Schroeder, but Schroeder's direction is part of what makes this film so good.

However, the absolute best aspect of the movie is Rourke's performance. Embodying the late writer Charles Bukowski (whose work this was based upon, and who had a brief cameo in the film), Rourke is unrecognizable - like Billy Bob Thornton in "Sling Blade," his entire demeanor and physicality seems to change.

I highly recommend "Barfly" - it's funny, dark, witty, touching and downright enjoyable. One of the best films of the '80s.