Distant Thunder (1988)

Director:

Rick Rosenthal

Writers (WGA):

Robert Stitzel (story) and
Deedee Wehle (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

11 November 1988 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

A hero of war. A casualty of peace, With only one hope for survival...his son.

Plot:

A troubled Vietnam war vet deserts his wife and child shortly after he returns from the war. He returns after 10 years...

Plot Keywords:

Vietnam | Forest | Railway | Valedictorian | Racial Slur

Cast

Ralph Macchio	...	Jack Lambert
John Lithgow	...	Mark Lambert
Kerrie Keane	...	Char
Reb Brown	...	Harvey Nitz
Janet Margolin	...	Barbara Lambert
Denis Arndt	...	Larry
Jamey Sheridan	...	Moss
Tom Bower	...	Louis
John Kelly	...	Andy
Michael Currie	...	Coach Swabey
Hilary Strang	...	Jane
Robyn Stevan	...	Holly
David Longworth	...	Sheriff
Gordon Currie	...	Billy Watson
Walter Marsh	...	Principal
Allan Lysell	...	Buddy
Kate Robbins	...	Waitress
David Glyn-Jones	...	Waiter
Denalda Williams	...	Jeanette
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Chris J. Clayton	...	Telephone Repairman / Surveillance Tech. (uncredited)

Directed by
Rick Rosenthal

Writing credits (WGA)
Robert Stitzel		(story) and
Deedee Wehle		(story)
Robert Stitzel		(screenplay)

Produced by
Richard L. O'Connor	....	executive producer
Robert Schaffel	....	producer

Original Music by
Maurice Jarre

Cinematography by
Ralf D. Bode		(director of photography) (as Ralf Bode)

Film Editing by
Dennis Virkler

Art Direction by
Mark S. Freeborn

Set Decoration by
Rose Marie McSherry

Costume Design by
Tish Monaghan

Makeup Department
Donna Bis	....	head hair stylist
Rosemarie Diekmann	....	assistant hair stylist
Ilona Herman	....	head makeup artist
Jo-Anne Smith-Ojeil	....	assistant makeup artist (as Jo-Anne Smith)

Production Management
Warren Carr	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Richard Coleman	....	second assistant director
Robert Lee	....	dgc trainee
Rhonda Legge	....	third assistant director (as Rhonda Lee Legge)
David W. Rose	....	first assistant director
Curtis Petersen	....	second unit director (uncredited)

Art Department
Gary Pembroke Allen	....	assistant art director (as Gary P. Allen)
Barry W. Brolly	....	set dresser
Gary Brooks	....	greens
Annmarie Corbett	....	set decoration buyer
Bradley Howard Cotterall	....	carpenter
Grant Cotterall	....	carpenter
Robert Cowan	....	artistic consultant
Garry Craig	....	carpenter
Hilary Craig	....	carpenter
Mark Davidson	....	set dresser
R.D. 'Luther' Fairbairn	....	assistant property master (as R. Douglas Fairbairn)
Arthur A. Green	....	greens (as Art Green)
Glen Hierlihy	....	construction foreperson
Sam Higgins	....	art department trainee
Jennifer Hill	....	lead painter
Helen Jarvis	....	assistant set decorator (as Helen V. Jarvis)
Mark Klindt	....	carpenter helper
David Lewis	....	greens (as D. Lewis)
Philip Lunt	....	greens (as Phillip Lunt)
Don Ramsden	....	construction coordinator (as D.K. Ramsden)
Michael J. Siver	....	greens
John Stewart	....	props buyer
Bill Thumm	....	property master
Paul Tomanek	....	carpenter

Sound Department
Gary Alexander	....	sound re-recording mixer
Wallace R. Bearden	....	adr re-recording mixer (as Wally Bearden)
Pamela Bentkowski	....	supervising foley editor
B.J. Clayden	....	boom operator
David M. Cyr	....	cable person (as David Cyr)
John Dunn	....	sound editor
Juno J. Ellis	....	supervising adr editor
Julia Evershade	....	sound editor
David W. Gray	....	stereo consultant: Dolby
Judee Gustafson	....	assistant sound editor
Cecelia Hall	....	supervising sound editor
Doug Hemphill	....	sound re-recording mixer
James J. Isaacs	....	sound editor
Chris Jenkins	....	sound re-recording mixer
Jayme S. Parker	....	sound editor
Craig Sims	....	assistant sound editor (as Craig Simms)
Larry Sutton	....	sound mixer
Butch Wolf	....	foley editor
James Ashwill	....	foley mixer (uncredited)
Ken Dufva	....	foley artist (uncredited)
Jeffrey Kaplan	....	additional dubbing recordist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
William H. Orr	....	special effects coordinator
Lee Routly	....	special effects assistant
Maurice Routly	....	special effects assistant
Mike Vézina	....	special effects assistant (as Mike Vezina)

Visual Effects by
Tim Donahue	....	visual effects art director: Introvision (uncredited)
Jon Macht	....	visual effects editor (uncredited)
William Mesa	....	visual effects supervisor (uncredited)

Stunts
Denny Arnold	....	stunts
Yves Cameron	....	stunts
Al Cheng	....	stunts
Everett Creach	....	stunt coordinator
Alex Green	....	stunts
Ernie Jackson	....	stunts
David Jacox	....	stunts (as David Jacox Jr.)
Ken Kirzinger	....	stunts
William Lawrence	....	stunts
J.J. Makaro	....	stunts
Ray Pichette	....	stunts (as Ray Pickette)
Chuck Waters	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Kevin Black	....	grip
Dave Borden	....	lamp operator (as David Borden)
Fraser Boyle	....	grip
Richard Buckmaster	....	generator operator (as Richard [Bucky] Buckmaster)
John Clothier	....	Steadicam operator
Douglas Craik	....	first assistant camera (as Doug Craik)
David Crone	....	Steadicam operator
Barry Donlevy	....	best boy
Les Erskine	....	chief lighting technician
Harvey Fedor	....	best boy grip
Glen Forrieter	....	dolly grip (as Glen Forreiter)
Dale Garrison	....	lamp operator (as Dale [Tiny] Garrison)
Colin Gregory	....	camera trainee
Chris Harris	....	additional first assistant camera (as Christopher J. Harris)
Tim Hogan	....	key grip
Klaus Melchior	....	video playback
Curtis Petersen	....	second unit: director of photography
Jack Rowand	....	still photographer
John Sprungman	....	second assistant camera
Peter A. Stursberg	....	camera trainee (as Peter A. Sturberg)
Davidson Tate	....	camera remote operator
Andrew D. Wilson	....	additional first assistant camera (as Andy Wilson)
Peter F. Woeste	....	camera operator
Curtis Petersen	....	camera operator: second unit (uncredited)

Casting Department
Michelle Allen	....	casting: Canada
Nancy B. Black	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Vivien Frow	....	costumer
Jean Murphy	....	costume supervisor
Heather O'Mahoney	....	seamstress
Lorraine Stockton	....	costumer (as Lorraine Konst)

Editorial Department
James Garrett	....	assistant editor (as James A. Garrett)
Bruce Giesbrecht	....	assistant editor
Terry Haggar	....	color timer
Kim Nolan	....	apprentice editor
Michael Smith	....	assistant editor
Tracy Steinsapir	....	apprentice editor

Music Department
Jeff Carson	....	music editor: Segue Music, Inc.
Maurice Jarre	....	orchestrator
Joel Moss	....	music scoring mixer
Bob Bornstein	....	music preparation (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Dennis Houser	....	transportation captain
Scott Irvine	....	transportation coordinator (as Scott James Irvine)
Rob Vreugde	....	transportation captain

Other crew
Judy Bauer	....	assistant production auditor
Stewart Bethune	....	location manager
Barbara Chomos	....	publicity trainee
Lynn Elston	....	production auditor (as Lynn Kerrie Elston)
Lara Fox	....	script supervisor
Bruce Fraser	....	assistant production auditor
Jane Groves	....	assistant location manager
Lauren A. Levine	....	assistant: Rick Rosenthal
Tammy Oates	....	production coordinator (as Tammy S. Oates)
Ellen Pasternack	....	unit publicist
Paige Purdy	....	production assistant
Sharon Roesler	....	assistant to the producer
Joanne Ryan	....	craft service
Joanne Ryan	....	first aid
Carol Schafer	....	production secretary
Douy Swofford	....	title design
Peter Talbot	....	production assistant
Emilia Wagner	....	assistant production coordinator (as Emilia M. Wagner)
Greg Jackson	....	production assistant (uncredited)

Thanks
Bruce Webster	....	the producers wish to thank
Char Webster	....	the producers wish to thank

Production Companies

• Paramount Pictures (presents)
• Paramount Pictures Corporation (Canada) (in association with)

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1988) (USA) (theatrical)
• Home Video Hellas (HVH) (1990) (Greece) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Introvision International

Other Companies

• Lynn Stalmaster & Associates  casting by
• Segue Music  music editor
• Record Plant Scoring  music recorded at
• Reel People Inc.  negative cutting by
• Reel Appetites  catering
• Howard A. Anderson Company  titles & opticals by
• Family Counseling Center of Port Angeles, The  the producers wish to thank
• Vietnam Veteran Rap Group, The  the producers wish to thank (as The Vietnam Vet Rap Group)
• International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE)  this picture made under the jurisdiction of (as I.A.T.S.E.® affiliated with A.F.L.-C.I.O.)
• PPI Camera Corporation  camera dollies
• PPI Camera Corporation  camera equipment provided by
• PPI Camera Corporation  grip and lighting equipment
• William F. White International  grip and lighting equipment

Also Known As:

Runtime:

114 min

Country:

USA | Canada

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

USA:R (certificate #28976) | Iceland:16 | West Germany:16

Filming Locations:

British Columbia, Canada

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: The 1966 Pontiac used in the film is not a real GTO. The taillights are single pod lenses making this either a Tempest or LeMans - a real GTO has segmented taillights which spans the rear header panel with a 12 inch blank center section. Also, a real GTO has the grille emblem in the driver side grille opening (same with the final 2004-06 generation) - the emblem is on the passenger side grille (the final muscle-era GTO produced for the 1974 model year has a vinyl graphic GTO logo placed on the passenger-side header panel).

Quotes:

Jack Lambert:My father wants to see me. He sure took his sweet ass-time about it.

Soundtrack:

Distant Thunder

Misfire?

I can't believe that IMDb considers this film to be one of actor John Lithgow's "misfires" (how they can lump it into the same category as SANTA CLAUS: THE MOVIE is just plain baffling). Sure, this isn't a great movie, but it is a good one with many heartfelt moments between the father/son characters played by Lithgow and Ralph Macchio (who proved that he could have been more than just the Karate Kid if the Hollywood System had just given him the chance). This is not a Hollywood movie; rather, it is an independent film that was made in Canada in 1988. Rather than be as overlooked as it was, it should have netted a Best Actor Oscar nomination for John Lithgow, who plays completely against type here. He plays a grizzled Vietnam vet, and speaks with a masculine growl throughout the film; he doesn't sound anything like himself here. It's worth seeing for John Lithgow's performance alone!