Best Seller (1987)

Director:

John Flynn

Writer:

Larry Cohen (written by)

Release Date:

25 September 1987 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

A hired assassin. A cop turned author. Together they're rewriting the rulebook on the Mob.

Plot:

Hit man Cleve approaches writer/cop Dennis about a story for his next book: How Cleve made a living...

Plot Keywords:

Armoury | Reference To Al Pacino | Psychopath | World Trade Center New York | Anti Villain

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

James Woods	...	Cleve
Brian Dennehy	...	Dennis Meechum
Victoria Tennant	...	Roberta Gillian
Allison Balson	...	Holly Meechum
Paul Shenar	...	David Madlock
George Coe	...	Graham
Anne Pitoniak	...	Mrs. Foster
Mary Carver	...	Cleve's mother
Sully Boyar	...	Monks
Kathleen Lloyd	...	Annie
Charles Tyner	...	Cleve's Father (as Harold Tyner)
E. Brian Dean	...	Taxi Driver
Jeffrey Josephson	...	Pearlman
Edward Blackoff	...	Thorn
Branscombe Richmond	...	Longshoreman #1
J.P. Bumstead	...	Rothman
William Bronder	...	Foley
Jenny Gago	...	Woman in Laundry
Michael Crabtree	...	Man in Bar
Clare Fields	...	Bartender
Claudia Stenke	...	Woman at Bar
David Byrd	...	Quentin
Loyda Ramos	...	Female Officer
Obaka Adedunyo	...	Man in Car
Ted Markland	...	Man in Bar
Phil Hoover	...	Roud
David Blackwood	...	Senator
David Ursin	...	Meechum's Lawyer
Jay Ingram	...	Turner
Daniel Trent	...	Jarvis
Gary Kirk	...	Jason
Dean Abston	...	Cabot
David S. Cass Sr.	...	Cop in Depository
Bill R. Mitchell	...	El Paso TV Anchor
John Howard Swain	...	Man at Airport
Dennis Acree	...	Bodyguard #1
Mark Venturini	...	Bodyguard #2
Larry Holt	...	Bodyguard #3
Jeff Ramsey	...	Bodyguard #4
James Winburn	...	Supervisor
Peter Stader	...	Dock Worker
Hank Stone	...	Man #2
Brian Gaffikin	...	Waiter
Michael White	...	Young Cop
Martin West	...	Mature Cop
Wally Burr	...	Talk Show Host
Arlin Miller	...	News Reporter
Sands Hall	...	Teacher
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Sam Baldoni	...	Man #1 (uncredited)
Seymour Cassel	...	Carter (uncredited)
Sydney Urshan	...	Drug Kingpin (uncredited)

Directed by
John Flynn

Writing credits
Larry Cohen		(written by)

Produced by
John Daly	....	executive producer
Carter DeHaven	....	producer (as Carter De Haven)
Derek Gibson	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Jay Ferguson

Cinematography by
Fred Murphy		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
David Rosenbloom

Casting by
Diane Dimeo
Michael McLean

Production Design by
Gene Rudolf

Art Direction by
Robert Howland

Set Decoration by
Chris Butler

Makeup Department
Deborah Figuly	....	makeup artist
Pamela Peitzman	....	hair stylist
Pamela Peitzman	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Paul Kurta	....	unit production manager: New York
Jack Roe	....	production manager
Randy D. Thornton	....	post-production supervisor (as Randy Thornton)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
David C. Anderson	....	first assistant director (as David Anderson)
Karen Miller Ehrlich	....	second second assistant director
Leo Zisman	....	second assistant director (as Leonid Zisman)

Art Department
Richard Baum	....	assistant property master (as Rich Baum)
Randy Bostic	....	swing gang
Susan Kaufman	....	set decorator: New York
David Lux	....	storyboard artist
James A. Rathbun	....	property master
Robert G. Santarella	....	leadman (as Robert G. Santaella)
Paul Toft	....	swing gang

Sound Department
Lee Alexander	....	production sound mixer
James Ashwill	....	foley mixer
Ellen Heuer	....	foley artist
Pieter Hubbard	....	sound editor
Joseph A. Ippolito	....	sound editor (as Joe Ippolitto)
Rick Kline	....	sound re-recording mixer
Donald O. Mitchell	....	sound re-recording mixer
Dan O'Connell	....	foley artist
Kevin O'Connell	....	sound re-recording mixer
Bill Phillips	....	supervising sound editor
John Phillips	....	assistant sound editor
Hal Sanders	....	sound editor
Steve Stephens	....	boom operator
Mike Warner	....	sound editor
Ed Golya	....	adr mixer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Peter Kunz	....	special effects: New York
Robert L. Olmstead	....	special effects (as Robert Olmstead)
Ken Speed	....	special effects

Stunts
Roydon Clark	....	additional stunt coordinator
Chuck Hicks	....	stunt double
Steven Lambert	....	stunt coordinator (as Steve Lambert)
Glenn Randall Jr.	....	additional stunt coordinator (as Glenn Randall)
Bruce Paul Barbour	....	stunt performer (uncredited)
Conrad E. Palmisano	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Ben Batzdorff	....	best boy electric
David Bodin	....	best boy grip
Tim Collins	....	grip (as Timothy Collins)
Ric Delgado	....	electrician
Don Devine	....	first assistant camera
Philip Lee	....	second assistant camera
Greg R. McCullough	....	electrician (as Greg McCullough)
Curtis Pepper	....	electrician
Lorey Sebastian	....	still photographer
Dylan Shephard	....	dolly grip (as Dylan Shepard)
Dylan Shephard	....	key grip (as Dylan Shepard)
R. Michael Stringer	....	gaffer
Woogie Thomas	....	grip (as Larry 'Woogie' Thomas)
Christopher Tufty	....	camera operator (as Chris Tufty)
Eric Ward	....	electrician

Casting Department
Barbara Harris	....	voice casting
Rick Montgomery	....	extras casting
Dan Parada	....	extras casting (as Danny Parada)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Dorothy Amos	....	wardrobe
Sandra Culotta	....	wardrobe (as Sandi Culotta)
Murshel Lewis	....	wardrobe (as Murschel C. Lewis)
Raggs	....	wardrobe
Mary Law Weir	....	wardrobe (as Mary Weir)

Editorial Department
Jody Gaber	....	second assistant film editor (as Jody Levine)
Phill Norman	....	montage
Deborah Zimmerman	....	assistant film editor

Music Department
Budd Carr	....	music supervisor
Allan K. Rosen	....	music editor (as Allan Rosen)
Joanne Weiss	....	music coordinator

Transportation Department
Fritz Braden	....	transportation coordinator
Benson Jones	....	driver
J.D. Orlebeck	....	driver
Dave Robling	....	driver
Tim Roe	....	driver
Lawrence J. Romanoff	....	transportation captain (as Larry Romanoff)
Jonathan A. Rosenfeld	....	transportation co-captain (as Jonathan Rosenfeld)
Charlie Rothstein	....	driver: production van
Valdimar Thoransky	....	driver: honeywagon
Ron Zimmerman	....	driver

Other crew
Frans J. Afman	....	motion picture banking
Marilyn Bailey	....	script supervisor
Julianne Berdrow	....	assistant production accountant
Eileen Eichenstein	....	production office supervisor: New York
Jenny Fitzgibbons	....	production accountant: New York
Tammy Green	....	production office coordinator: New York
Graham Henderson	....	production executive
Robert Jellen	....	insurance
Jennifer Leimbrook	....	production assistant
Jim Mathews	....	production accountant
Michael Neale	....	location manager
Phill Norman	....	title designer
Kenny Payton	....	craft service
Ron Ratner	....	first aid
Tony Schwartz	....	production assistant
Debby Shively	....	production secretary
Janet Lee Smith	....	production coordinator
Ame D. Vaughan	....	legal services
Kurt Wehrs	....	location scout
Joel Wein	....	production assistant
Mary Carroll Zumbrook	....	assistant: Mr. De Haven

Production Companies

• Hemdale Film

Distributors

• Orion Pictures Corporation (1987) (USA) (theatrical)
• Spentzos Films (1987) (Greece) (theatrical)
• Avid Video (1995) (USA) (video)
• Home Video Hellas (HVH) (1988) (Greece) (VHS)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• RCA/Columbia Pictures International (1988) (Italy) (VHS)
• Vestron Video (1988) (USA) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Albert G. Ruben and Company  insurance
• Credit Lyonnais Bank (Nederland) N.V.  motion picture banking
• Film Finances  completion guarantee
• Freeze Frame  opticals
• Goldwyn Sound Facility  re-recorded by (as Goldwyn Sound Facilities)
• Keylite Production Services  production services and equipment
• Otto Nemenz International  camera and lenses
• Unique Catering  catering

Also Known As:

Runtime:

110 min | UK:95 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Finland:K-18 | France:-12 | Norway:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | West Germany:16 | Australia:M | Iceland:16 | USA:R (certificate #28242) | Portugal:M/12

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Hemdale Film

Goofs:

Anachronisms: While the robbery at the beginning of the movie was set in 1972, the robbers are driving a 1975-1978 Ford Econoline van.

Quotes:

Cleve:[after killing someone in a bathroom] You forgot to flush.

Soundtrack:

REVERIE

Cult Movies 6

6. BEST-SELLER (action, 1987) In 1972, Policeman Meechum (Brian Dennehy) survives an armed robbery, which in turn inspires him to write a book about his ordeal. It becomes a best seller. Years later he meets Cliff (James Woods), a mysterious loner who saves his life. Cliff knows many personal things about Meechum's life and tells him that he can provide him with another assured best seller. In order for Meechum to believe him, Cliff takes him on a tour of his previous work as a hit-man. An uneasy alliance is formed, as Cliff's darkest secrets reveal his own.

Critique: There are many reasons to like Best-Seller. It has a good, entertaining premise (a rogue assassin on the loose), the moody cinematography (another Adam Greenberg job), and displays a strong performance from the always reliable Brain Dennehy. But best of all, it has what I consider to be James Woods' best role to date.

This capriciously underrated 1-time character-actor has given excellent performances in many films including: the sleazy TV-producer in David Cronenberg's interesting, albeit obscured masterpiece 'Videodrome' (1983), his red-neck southerner in 'The Onion Field' (1979-his breakthrough film), and in Oliver Stone's sadly neglected 'Salvador' (1986- for which he received an Academy Nominee).

In most of his films, Woods has specialized in playing low-life has-beens, who have few redeeming qualities. The only fault I saw in his earlier roles was immaturity, and the lack thereof of making his characters work. In Best-Seller, he plays it cool. The character of Cliff knows what he wants and how to get it, and proves himself worthy of Meechum's respect. What better actor to give us a tour through the life of a criminal, hit-man, sleaze-ball, all-nice guy?

QUOTES: Cliff: "Will power is what distinguishes the amateur from the professional. Do you have it Dennis? Will power?..Let's hope so."