Off Limits (1988)

Director:

Christopher Crowe

Writers:

Christopher Crowe (written by) &
Jack Thibeau (written by)

Release Date:

11 March 1988 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Thriller | War | Drama

Tagline:

Being a cop is tough. But in Saigon, 1968, being a cop is crazy.

Plot:

McGriff and Albaby are probably doing the worst law enforcement job in the world - they are plain clothes U.S...

Plot Keywords:

Racism | Prostitution | Undercover | Violence | Helicopter

Cast

Willem Dafoe	...	Buck McGriff
Gregory Hines	...	Albaby Perkins
Fred Ward	...	Dix
Amanda Pays	...	Nicole
Kay Tong Lim	...	Lime Green
Scott Glenn	...	Colonel Dexter Armstrong
David Alan Grier	...	Rogers
Keith David	...	Maurice
Raymond O'Connor	...	Elgin Flowers
Richard Brooks	...	Preacher
Thuy An Luu	...	Lanh (as Thuy Ann Luu)
Richard Lee Reed	...	Colonel Sparks
Woody Brown	...	Co-Pilot
Ken Siu	...	Plowboy
Viladda Vanadurongwan	...	Sister Agnes
Arun Sunantalod	...	Sapper
Suksanti Cherpat	...	Sapper
Chumpon Senetara	...	Sapper
Kim Hoa Nguyen	...	Sapper's Mother
Norah Elizabeth Cazaux	...	Mother Superior
Nam Look	...	Whore #1
Coconut	...	Dead Whore's Baby
Rungsima Kasikranund	...	Whore #2
Mayura Srisittdecharak	...	Bar Girl (as Mayura Srisittidecharak)
Boonchai Jakraworawut	...	ARVN Interpreter
Pradit Prasartthong	...	VC Prisoner
Terd Porn Manophaiboon	...	VC Prisoner
Pravit Piyasirikul	...	VC Prisoner
Tawan Mahathavorn	...	VC Prisoner
Piathip Kumwong	...	Dragonlady
Wasun Uttamayodhin	...	Rogersan
Kovit Vatan	...	VC #1
Pipot Nalinat	...	VC #2
Peter Mackenzie	...	MP (as Peter MacKenzie)
Clive Gray	...	MP
Tom Schroeder	...	MP
Robert Langlois	...	MP
Gregg T. Knight	...	MP (as Greg Knight)
Tongkaow Taverprungsenukul	...	Aborigine
Prae Petchompoo	...	Francine
Jim Kinnon	...	Top
Louis Roth	...	Captain
Kanya Wongsawasdi	...	Nguyen
Kamsine Spinogg	...	General Vin (as Kamsine Spinog)
'Arm' Suvinit Pornvalai	...	VC Taxi Driver
Elizabeth LeCompte	...	Nurse
Father Buncha	...	Bishop
Greg Wayne Elam	...	Batman (as Greg Elam)
Teerapat Tanapum	...	Bar Band
Praput Puuyatip	...	Bar Band
Trachai Chaivan	...	Bar Band
Thommas Pestonvi	...	Bar Band
Jean Phuturoi	...	Vietnamese Interpreter
Somboun Phuturoi	...	Vietnamese Interpreter
Elizabeth Nguyen Thi Hoang Nga	...	Vietnamese Interpreter
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Magnus Bjarne	...	U.S. Soldier (uncredited)
Simone Gad	...	Co-Star: Hippie Girl in the Park (uncredited)

Directed by
Christopher Crowe

Writing credits
Christopher Crowe		(written by) &
Jack Thibeau		(written by)

Produced by
Alan Barnette	....	producer
Michael S. Glick	....	associate producer

Original Music by
James Newton Howard

Cinematography by
David Gribble

Film Editing by
Douglas Ibold

Casting by
Jane Feinberg
Mike Fenton
Judy Taylor

Production Design by
J. Dennis Washington		(as Dennis Washington)

Art Direction by
Scott Ritenour

Set Decoration by
Crispian Sallis

Makeup Department
Felicity Bowring	....	hair stylist
Felicity Bowring	....	makeup department head
Joan Petch	....	hair stylist
Joan Petch	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Michael S. Glick	....	unit production manager
Santa Pestonji	....	production supervisor: Thailand
Jack Roe	....	unit production manager: second unit

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Linda Brachman	....	second second assistant director
Gregg Champion	....	second unit director
Apichart Chusakul	....	additional second assistant director: Thailand (as Abhijati 'Meuk' Jusakul)
Doug Metzger	....	first assistant director
Christopher Ryan	....	additional second assistant director: Thailand (as Chris Ryan)
Thanachit 'Charlie' Sankhavesa	....	additional second assistant director: Thailand
Chris Webb	....	second assistant director
Dick Ziker	....	second unit director (as Richard Ziker)

Art Department
Larry Clark Bird	....	property master (as Larry Bird)
Robert A. Blackburn	....	construction foreman (as Bob Blackburn)
Roger Hulme	....	leadman
Kajeewan Kanjanintu	....	assistant set dresser
Endoo Kenpaisal	....	art department assistant
Suwat Maneerangse	....	construction assistant
Hollywood Mike	....	assistant property master
Edward Piwowarski	....	construction foreman (as Ed Piwowarski)
Paul S. Power	....	illustrator (as Paul Power)
Siripunja Punja	....	art department assistant
Panyawadee Sangchai	....	assistant set dresser (as Panyawadee 'Tim' Navarut Na Ayudhya)
Bob Stevens	....	paint foreman
Kriangsak 'Krian' Viryasiri	....	assistant set dresser
Butch West	....	construction coordinator
Ken Zimmerman	....	assistant property master

Sound Department
Don J. Bassman	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Don Bassman)
Weldon Brown	....	foley mixer
Stephen Bushelman	....	sound editor (as Steve Bushelman)
Irwin Cadden	....	sound editor
Stuart Chasmar	....	sound editor (as Stu Chasmar)
Paul B. Clay	....	supervising sound editor (as Paul Clay)
Kevin F. Cleary	....	sound re-recording mixer
Bill Henderson	....	sound re-recording engineer
Ted Johnston	....	sound editor
John Paul Jones	....	sound editor (as John-Paul Jones)
Mark Keating	....	boom operator
Phil Keros	....	boom operator (as Philip Keros)
David Lee	....	sound mixer
Diane Marshall	....	sound editor
Linda Moss	....	sound editor
Richard Overton	....	sound re-recording mixer
Bruce Stubblefield	....	sound editor
Dean A. Zupancic	....	foley mixer (as Dean Zupancic)

Special Effects by
Joe Digaetano	....	special effects coordinator
David Fletcher	....	special effects crew
Joe Knott	....	special effects crew
Gary Monak	....	special effects crew
Chuck E. Stewart	....	special effects crew (as Chuck Stewart)
Jerry D. Williams	....	special effects: second unit (as Jerry Williams)

Stunts
Nick Ascot	....	stunts
Baricha Bripiri	....	stunts
Danny Costa	....	stunts
Phil Culotta	....	stunts (as Philip Culotta)
Richard L. Duran	....	stunts (as Richard Duran)
Greg Wayne Elam	....	stunts (as Greg W. Elam)
To Hanudomrath	....	stunts
Freddie Hice	....	stunts
Tawan Mahathavorn	....	stunt coordinator
Tawan Mahathavorn	....	stunt coordinator: second unit
Chuck Picerni Jr.	....	stunts (as Charles Picerni Jr.)
Chad Randall	....	stunts
Mic Rodgers	....	stunts
Sarunya	....	stunts
John-Clay Scott	....	stunts
Walter Scott	....	stunt coordinator: second unit
Rick Seaman	....	stunts
Akachai Seatea	....	stunts
Brian Smrz	....	stunts (as Brian Delaney Smrz)
S. Terawithaya	....	stunts
Buddy Van Horn	....	stunt coordinator
Scott Wilder	....	stunts
Danny Wong	....	stunts
Dick Ziker	....	stunt coordinator (as Richard Ziker)

Camera and Electrical Department
Lester Bishop	....	key grip
Malcolm Burrowes	....	assistant camera (as Malcolme Burrows)
John J. Connor	....	director of photography: second unit (as John Connor)
Shaun Conway	....	electrician
D.R. Curtis	....	second gaffer (as Richard Curtis)
Thapana Dunnag Din	....	second camera loader (as Thapana Dunnag [Din])
Warren Grieef	....	third grip (as Warren Grieff)
Jonathan Hughes	....	electrician
Louis Irving	....	camera operator (as Louie Irving)
Gary Lincoln	....	second company grip
Leigh Mackenzie	....	assistant camera (as Leigh MacKenzie)
Charles Minsky	....	additional photographer
Miles Moulson	....	gaffer
Roland Neveu	....	still photographer
Susi Stitt	....	assistant camera
Geoffrey Wharton	....	camera operator (as Geoff Wharton)

Casting Department
Pat McCorkle	....	casting: New York
Rassami Paoluengtong	....	casting: Thailand
Noppamas Pattaragul	....	casting: Thailand
Roxanne Seeman	....	casting: Thailand

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Deborah Kramer	....	costumer
Rattaya Nasongkla	....	assistant wardrobe
Rita Riggs	....	wardrobe consultant
Peter V. Saldutti	....	costume supervisor
Mutita Na Songkla	....	assistant wardrobe
Yingnapa Virastri	....	assistant wardrobe

Editorial Department
Rudolph Freeman	....	assistant editor (as Rudolpho Valentino Freeman)
John Gallas	....	assistant editor
Gregory M. Gerlich	....	first assistant editor (as Gregory Gerlich)
Ron S. Herbes	....	apprentice editor (as Ronald S. Herbes)
Stephen Lovejoy	....	additional editor
Heather MacDougall	....	additional editor (as Heather MacDougal)
Kevin Nolting	....	assistant editor
Scott K. Wallace	....	additional editor (as Scott Wallace)

Music Department
Brad Dechter	....	orchestrator
Martin November	....	assistant music editor (as Marty November)
Marty Paich	....	conductor
Ted Whitfield	....	music editor

Transportation Department
Toom Ratitum	....	transportation captain
Tommy Tancharoen	....	transportation coordinator (as Tom Tancharoen)

Other crew
Antonia Barnard	....	production contact: Australia (as Antonia Bernard)
Elizabeth S. Barton	....	script supervisor (as Elizabeth Barton)
Penchan 'Pet' Buranasamut	....	location assistant
Todd Kane	....	special assistant to producer
Jim Kinnon	....	technical advisor (as James P. Kinnon)
Walter Klenhard	....	production associate
Robert Knoechel	....	auditor (as Bob Knoechel)
Lydia Lipatan-Sarmiento	....	assistant auditor (as Lydia Sarmiento)
Thanachon Manorack	....	nurse
Michael Mason	....	assistant: James Newton Howard
Andrew Montgomery	....	location manager
Kesinee 'Kate' Pongvichipthan	....	production secretary
Krayathvi 'Noot' Prabhawat	....	location assistant
Marsha Robertson	....	publicist
Tom Robinson	....	caterer
Rakngam 'Sunan' Sukhumdecha	....	assistant production secretary
Kathy Trout	....	caterer
Michelle Wright	....	production coordinator

Production Companies

• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation
• American Entertainment Partners L.P. (in association with)

Distributors

• Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation (1988) (USA) (theatrical)
• Fox Network (1990) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Fox Film (1988) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• CBS / Fox Video (1990) (Greece) (VHS)
• CBS/Fox Video (1989) (Belgium) (video)
• MGM Home Entertainment (Europe) (2007) (UK) (DVD)
• Shout! Factory (2011) (USA) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Special Effects Unlimited (special effects equipment, material and services)

Other Companies

• Howard Anderson Company, The  titles and opticals (as Howard A. Anderson Co.)
• Manu Cholumpi Productions  production services: second unit
• Paul Clay and Associates  sound editing
• The Royal Thai Army  military equipment and personnel

Also Known As:

"Saigon: Off Limits" - Philippines (English title)
"Saigon" - Belgium (English title) (video title)

Runtime:

102 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | Norway:15 | Sweden:15 | West Germany:16 | Iceland:16 | UK:18 (original rating) | UK:18 (video rating) (cut) | USA:R (certificate #28772) | Belgium:KNT (original rating) | Australia:R | New Zealand:R18 | Portugal:M/16 | Singapore:M18 | France:-12

Filming Locations:

Bangkok, Thailand

Company:

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

The denouement was shot at UCLA.

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: Just before Gregory Hines takes a hold of the crying baby, a glimpse shot of its face is seen and the child is clearly not upset.

Quotes:

[repeated line]
Buck McGriff:Easy, babe!

Movie Connections:

References "Mod Squad" (1968)

Soundtrack:

Pretty Ballerina

Praise for an overlooked and fine film

Off Limits is a tense and even paced thriller. It concerns two cops is Viet Nam investigating a murder of a prostitute and the first suspect is a high ranking Army Officer. The film contains shock after shock, with plenty of plot twists. The dialogue is snappy and the interplay between Dafoe and Hines is excellent. The supporting actors are convincing as well. Kudos to Keith David who plays a paranoid witness to the murder. And one may not soon forget Scott Glenns portrayal as a crazed Officer. The scene in the helicopter is as tense and thrilling as a scene can get. The film is not a preachy summary of the war in Viet Nam but rather just a good mystery and slam bang action. The ending comes around too fast but you have to check it out for yourself. I suggest this film for a rainy Sunday afternoon if you are looking for a good action flick.