Above the Law (1988)

Director:

Andrew Davis

Writers:

Andrew Davis (story) &
Steven Seagal (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

8 April 1988 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

He was a covert agent trained in Vietnam. He has a master 6th degree black belt in Aikido... and family in the Mafia. He's a cop with an attitude.

Plot:

Nico Toscani is a martial arts expert who was recruited by the CIA when he was in Japan, he would be sent to Vietnam...

Plot Keywords:

CIA | Drugs | Vietnam | Martial Arts | Explosive

Cast

Steven Seagal	...	Nico Toscani
Pam Grier	...	Delores 'Jacks' Jackson
Henry Silva	...	Kurt Zagon
Ron Dean	...	Detective Lukich
Daniel Faraldo	...	Tony Salvano
Sharon Stone	...	Sara Toscani
Miguel Nino	...	Chi Chi Ramon
Nicholas Kusenko	...	FBI Agent Neeley
Joe Greco	...	Father Joseph Gennaro (as Joe V. Greco)
Chelcie Ross	...	Nelson Fox
Gregory Alan Williams	...	FBI Agent Halloran (as Gregory Alan-Williams)
Jack Wallace	...	Uncle Branca
Metta Davis	...	Rosa Toscani
Joseph F. Kosala	...	Lieutenant Strozah (as Joseph Kosala)
Ronnie Barron	...	CIA Bartender
Joe D. Lauck	...	Senator Ernest Harrison
Henry Godinez	...	Father Tomasino
Danny Goldring	...	Zagon's Aide
Thalmus Rasulala	...	Deputy Supt. Crowder (as Thalamus Rasulala)
Gene Barge	...	Detective Henderson
Mike James	...	Officer O'Hara
India Cooper	...	Sister Mary, Sanctuary Nun
Michelle Hoard	...	Lucy
Christopher Peditto	...	Alex, the Pimp
Rafael González	...	Carlos Abandano, Cocaine Lawyer (as Rafael Gonzales)
Nydia Rodriguez Terracina	...	Bomb Woman (as Nydia Rodriguez-Terracina)
Cheryl Hamada	...	Watanabe
Ralph Foody	...	Federal Clerk
Vince Viverito	...	Giuseppe
Alex Ross	...	Luigi
Toni Fleming	...	Grandma Zingaro
Gene Hartline	...	Man in Bar
Tom Milanovich	...	Man in Bar
Dan Janecek	...	Man in Bar
Michael Rooker	...	Man in Bar
Lee de Broux	...	CIA Interrogator
Patrick Gorman	...	CIA Interrogator
Gary Goldman	...	CIA Interrogator
Le Tuan	...	Interpreter
Dennis Phun	...	Asian Prisoner
April Tran	...	Asian Prisoner
Chantara Nop	...	Cambodian Irregular
Al Rasho	...	Grocery Store Owner
Mike Coglianese	...	Branca's Bodyguard
Sandy Holt	...	Hostess
Mike Nakayama	...	NBC Show Rep
Zaid Farid	...	Street Dude
Juan Ramírez	...	Machete Man
Mario Nieves	...	Man with Gun
Terry Stewart	...	Machete Man's Buddy
Anthony Cannata	...	Wiseguy Hitman (as Tony Cannata)
Lisa Tejero	...	Refugee Woman
Chris Karchmar	...	Refugee Man
John Drummond	...	TV Reporter
Clare Peck	...	Judge Roberta Alspaugh
Tom Muzila	...	Aikido Fighter
Craig Dunn	...	Aikido Fighter
Marc Katz	...	Aikido Fighter (as Marc Kutz)
Haruo Matsuoka	...	Aikido Fighter
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Fred Degerberg	...	Bar Drunk (uncredited)
Robert Minkoff	...	Bit (uncredited)
Richard Nixon	...	Himself - in Speech (archive footage) (uncredited)
Thi Kim Phuc Phan	...	Herself - Napalmed Young Vietnamese Girl (archive footage) (uncredited)
Timothy W. Tiedje	...	CIA Thug (uncredited)

Directed by
Andrew Davis

Writing credits
Andrew Davis		(story) &
Steven Seagal		(story)
Steven Pressfield		(screenplay) &
Ronald Shusett		(screenplay) &
Andrew Davis		(screenplay)

Produced by
Andrew Davis	....	producer
Steven Seagal	....	producer
Robert H. Solo	....	executive producer (as Robert Solo)
John G. Wilson	....	co-producer (as John Wilson)

Original Music by
David Michael Frank		(as David M. Frank)

Cinematography by
Robert Steadman

Film Editing by
Michael Brown

Casting by
Nan Charbonneau
Billy DaMota		(as Billy Damota)
Richard S. Kordos

Production Design by
Maher Ahmad

Set Decoration by
William Arnold		(as Bill Arnold)

Makeup Department
Jean Austin	....	hair stylist: Vietnam sequence
Robyn Goldman	....	hair stylist
Rodger Jacobs	....	makeup artist
Mike Moschella	....	makeup artist: Vietnam sequence

Production Management
John G. Wilson	....	unit production manager
Joel Chernoff	....	executive in charge of production (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
James A. Dennett	....	first assistant director: Vietnam sequence
Mickey Gilbert	....	second unit director
Peter Giuliano	....	first assistant director
Linnea Ebba Wicklund	....	second second assistant director (as Linnea Wicklund)
Robert J. Wilson	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Eve Cauley	....	leadperson
Howard Cole	....	property master: Vietnam sequence
Thomas M. Jones	....	assistant property master
Edward J. McDonald	....	set decorator: Vietnam sequence (as Ed McDonald)
Ned Parsons	....	art director: Vietnam sequence
Ron Reedy	....	props
Timothy W. Tiedje	....	property master
Larry Verne	....	construction coordinator: Vietnam sequence
Anthony Joseph Fatigato	....	stand-by painter (uncredited)
Paul Stanwyck	....	head painter (uncredited)

Sound Department
Rick Alexander	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Dick Alexander)
Gene S. Cantamessa	....	sound mixer: Vietnam sequence (as Gene Cantamessa)
Teri E. Dorman	....	sound editor (as Teri E. Dormann)
Jay Engel	....	supervising adr editor
Les Fresholtz	....	sound re-recording mixer
Dee Dee Goldner	....	assistant sound editor
Robert G. Henderson	....	supervising sound editor
Denise Horta	....	adr editor
Joseph A. Ippolito	....	sound editor
Dale R. Janus	....	boom operator (as Dale Janus)
Alan Robert Murray	....	supervising sound editor (as Alan Murray)
Vern Poore	....	sound re-recording mixer
Scott D. Smith	....	production sound mixer (as Scott Smith)
Brooke Henderson Ward	....	assistant sound editor
Marshall Winn	....	sound editor
Destiny Borden	....	assistant sound editor (uncredited)
Dennis C. Salcedo	....	boom operator (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Arthur Brewer	....	special effects (as Art Brewer)
Dennis Dion	....	special effects: Vietnam sequence
R.J. Hohman	....	special effects technician
Leo Leoncio Solis	....	special effects (as Leo Solis)

Stunts
Hank Baumert	....	stunts
George Berry	....	stunts (as George L. Berry)
J.D. David	....	stunts (as J.D. Davis)
Paula Dell	....	stunts
Eddie J. Fernandez	....	stunts (as Eddie Fernandez)
Dean Raphael Ferrandini	....	stunts (as Dean Ferrandini)
Joe Finnegan	....	stunts
Glory Fioramonti	....	stunts
George Fisher	....	stunts
Lance Gilbert	....	stunts
Mickey Gilbert	....	stunts
Tim Gilbert	....	stunts
Troy Gilbert	....	stunts
Sandra Lee Gimpel	....	stunts (as Sandy Gimpel)
Peter Horak	....	stunts
J. Max Kirshina	....	stunts
Rick Le Fevour	....	stunts
Stacy Logan	....	stunts
Matt McColm	....	stunts
John Meier	....	stunts
Noon Orsatti	....	stunts
David Perna	....	stunts (as Dave Perna)
Randy Popplewell	....	stunts
Bobby Porter	....	stunts
Karen Price	....	stunts
Bill M. Ryusaki	....	stunts (as Bill Ryusaki)
Spike Silver	....	stunts
Kay Whipple	....	stunts
Mickey Gilbert	....	stunt coordinator (uncredited)
Gene Hartline	....	stunts (uncredited)
K. Lee Johnson	....	stunts (uncredited)
Larry Reynosa	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Art Bartels	....	key grip
James Blanford	....	camera operator (as Jim Blanford)
Alphonse Blumenthal	....	best boy electric (as Al Blumenthal)
Kelly R. Borisy	....	second grip (as Kelly Borisy)
Paolo Cascio	....	second assistant camera (as Paul Cascio)
Eugene F. Crededio	....	gaffer (as Gino Credidio)
Andrew Davis	....	director of photography: Vietnam sequence
Brian C. Glover	....	first assistant camera (as Brian Glover)
Mario Gutierrez	....	second assistant camera
Michael Kohnhorst	....	first assistant camera (as Mike Kohnhorst)
Melton Maxwell	....	gaffer: Vietnam sequence (as Mel Maxwell)
Frank Miller	....	additional photographer
Frank Miller	....	camera operator
Ken Nishino	....	first assistant camera: Vietnam sequence
Keith Peterman	....	camera operator: Vietnam sequence
Tom Ramsey	....	key grip: Vietnam sequence
Randall Robinson	....	camera operator: Vietnam sequence
James Zenk	....	still photographer (as Jim Zenk)
Randall Robinson	....	director of photography: Hawaii (uncredited)

Casting Department
Alan Berger	....	casting assistant
Maureen Corcoran	....	casting assistant
Sue Knutsen	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Hector Morales	....	costume supervisor: Vietnam sequence
Gina Panno	....	set costumer
Carolyn Schraut-Barczak	....	wardrobe supervisor (as Carolyn Schraut Barczak)

Editorial Department
David Holden	....	additional editor
Robert K. Lambert	....	additional editor (as Robert Lambert)
John Morrisey	....	assistant editor
Christopher Rouse	....	assistant editor
Laura Behary	....	assistant film editor (uncredited)
Michael Oleksinski	....	assistant editor (uncredited)
David Young	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
John La Salandra	....	music editor (as John LaSalandra)
George Doering	....	musician (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Patrick Lynn	....	transportation captain (as Pat Lynn)
John P. McAuliffe	....	transportation coordinator (as John McAuliffe)
Daniel Quick	....	transportation coordinator: Vietnam sequence

Other crew
Ken Bernstein	....	production runner
Beth Brown	....	production accountant
Dru Anne Carlson	....	script supervisor (as Druanne Carlson)
James A. Dennett II	....	assistant: Mr. Davis
Joseph T. Doyle	....	location manager
Wayne Fitzgerald	....	title designer
Jay Flynn	....	production runner
Thomas F. Gleason	....	production runner (as Thomas Gleason)
Gary Goldman	....	technical advisor: Vietnam sequence
Joseph F. Kosala	....	technical advisor (as Joseph Kosala)
Dennis Lindbergh	....	craft service (as Dennis Lindberg)
Raeanne Malone	....	assistant: Mr. Seagal
Andy Marx	....	unit publicist
Karyn McCarthy	....	office secretary (as Karen McCarthy)
Kerry Lyn McKissick	....	script supervisor: Vietnam (as Lynn McKissick)
Erik Osborn	....	computer graphic artist
Jeanine Rohn	....	production runner
Brad Ruby	....	production runner
Steven Seagal	....	aikido choreographer
Teresa Tucker-Davies	....	assistant: Mr. Davis (as Theresa Tucker)
Anna Zappia	....	production secretary
Jimmy Jatho	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Jimmy Jatho	....	security officer (uncredited)
Steve Kraus	....	dailies projectionist (uncredited)
Ross L. Kulma	....	set medic (uncredited)
Gary Ryder	....	extras coordinator (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Warner Bros

Distributors

• Warner Bros (1988) (USA) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1988) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Warner Home Video (1988) (USA) (VHS) (pan and scan)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1991) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Warner Home Video (1991) (USA) (VHS) (laserdisc)
• Argentina Video Home (1994) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (1995) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Bros. (1988) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (1998) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (1998) (USA) (DVD)
• Sandrews (1999) (Sweden) (DVD) (cut version)
• Warner Home Video (1999) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2001) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Hollydan Works (2003-????) (Federal Republic of Yugoslavia) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (2009) (Argentina) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Warner Home Video (2009) (Sweden) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Audio Visual Enterprises (1989) (Greece) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (1999) (Germany) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (Germany) (DVD) (uncut)
• Warner Home Video (2009) (Germany) (DVD) (Blu-ray) (uncut)
• Warner Home Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Chicago Audio Works  production sound services
• Chicago Film Office  special thanks (as The Chicago Office of Film and Entertainment)
• D. Bassett & Associates  negative cutting
• Illinois Film Office, The  special thanks
• Pacific Title  opticals
• TAJ Soundworks  foley recording

Also Known As:

Runtime:

99 min | Germany:93 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Australia:R | Finland:K-18 | France:-12 | Norway:18 | Singapore:NC-16 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | Iceland:16 | West Germany:16 (cut) | Finland:K-16 (cut) | Finland:K-18 (cut) (1989) | Netherlands:16 | USA:R (Certificate #29113) | Argentina:18 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:R (original rating) | Canada:18A (re-rating) | Portugal:M/16

Filming Locations:

Chicago, Illinois, USA

Company:

Warner Bros

Trivia:

The sword-fighting sequence was staged using Steven Seagal's own martial arts students.

Goofs:

Continuity: During fight in shop, owner has two pencils in his pocket on the left side of his shirt. But in one shot we could see him standing with only one pencil in his pocket.

Quotes:

[after stopping Salvano's truck, the police open the secret compartment, and find little square packages instead of drugs]
Detective Lukich:What the hell kind of high is this?
Nico Toscani:Sky-high. Military explosives. C-4, my man, C-4.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Psych: Think Tank (#4.14)" (2010)

ENTER....Steven Seagal.

Steven Seagal made his debut with this lean and mean actioner filmed on location in Chicago(My Hometown)Illinois.

Seagal is Nico a Chicago-Cop with a bad past.Once a CIA operative in Vietnam who quit over a torture loving Boss Zagon(Henry Silva)from hell.Cut to the present where his past rears up to bite him in the ass In the form of a Drug Dealer he is trying to put away with Ties to Zagon.As a mini war erupts on the Streets of Chi-Town.

This is Seagal at his best.He starts with the pain right away in a nifty scene that recalls 1985's Underatted Chuck Norris Actioner Code of Silence.(also Filmed in Chi Town)From there on its shoot outs,Bone-breaking's,Heady car chases,and Intrigue.Just when you think its gonna let up it starts roaring again.

Seagal actually does a neat Job channeling Dirty Harry.He's engaging,intimidating,and funny.Veteran actress Pam Grier is along for the ride as his partner.What more can I say?She's Pam Grier!Sharon Stone Pops up as his wife displaying some early acting chops.The always fine Henry Silva adds the slimy menace needed.He very cool.The rest of the supporting cast is just as good.Michael Rooker pops up for a blink and you'll miss him cameo.

Andrew Davis(Code of Silence,The Fugitive) gives the movie style,pace,and gets the best acting out of Seagal yet.At least until they re-teamed for the even-better Under Siege.

8/10