Miracle Mile (1988)

A young man hears a chance phone call telling him that a nuclear war has started and missiles will hit his city in 70 minutes.

Director:

Steve De Jarnatt

Writer:

Steve De Jarnatt

Stars:

Anthony Edwards, Mare Winningham, John Agar

1 win & 4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Anthony Edwards	...	Harry Washello
Mare Winningham	...	Julie Peters
John Agar	...	Ivan Peters
Lou Hancock	...	Lucy Peters
Mykelti Williamson	...	Wilson (as Mykel T. Williamson)
Kelly Jo Minter	...	Charlotta (as Kelly Minter)
Kurt Fuller	...	Gerstead
Denise Crosby	...	Landa
Robert DoQui	...	Fred the Cook (as Robert Doqui)
O-Lan Jones	...	Waitress
Claude Earl Jones	...	Harlan
Alan Rosenberg	...	Mike
Danny De La Paz	...	Transvestite
Earl Boen	...	Drunk Man in Diner
Diane Delano	...	Stewardess

Storyline

A young man meets and falls in love with a young woman at the La Brea Tar Pits in Los Angeles. This area is known as Miracle Mile, and the whole movie takes place there. They make a date, which he misses, and while he is searching for her, he accidentally finds out that we (the United States) are about to start a nuclear war with the Soviet Union. He frantically searches for her so that they can escape Los Angeles.

---

Plot Keywords:

nuclear war | helicopter | chaos | single day | person on fire | 

---

Taglines:

You just found out that you have 24 hours to live. What are YOU going to do?

---

Genres:

Action | Drama | Romance | Sci-Fi | Thriller

---

Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

19 May 1989 (USA)

Also Known As:

70 minutos para morir

Filming Locations:

Johnie's Diner - 6101 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$3,000,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$1,145,404 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Hemdale Film, Miracle Mile Productions Inc.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

87 min

Sound Mix:

Ultra Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The script was considered for Twilight Zone: The Movie before Steven Spielberg was brought in on that project. The film would of consisted of only this story (instead of the four segments it eventually became) and would have had a slightly different ending with a Twilight Zone twist. Steve De Jarnatt did not like the change in the ending and the idea was eventually scrapped.

---

Goofs

When Harry lands on the road from the moving van. Before he lands on the ground, his glasses are already on the road and broken.

---

Quotes

[after their first kiss]
Julie Peters: Third date, Harry, I'm gonna screw your eyes blue.
Harry Washello: Yup! Just your basic old-fashioned girl.

---

Crazy Credits

Dedicated to Doctor Biobrain

---

Connections

Featured in Siskel & Ebert: Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade/Miracle Mile/Pink Cadillac/Road House/Scenes from the Class Struggle in Beverly Hills (1989)

User Reviews

Incredibly good plot

This is actually my favourite American movie ever, and also my favourite thriller ever. I've seen it three times, and I've been blown away on each occasion. Some elements may be compared to Terry Gilliam's Twelve Monkeys, but I find Miracle Mile superior to it.

The plot is incredibly good, with much more depth than I thought after seeing it the first time - at that time I mistakenly thought it was a little flawed. The use of colours is also noteworthy.

While the movie is extraordinarily captivating overall, I think a few scenes in the beginning have a somewhat cheesy 80s feeling to them, but they're still strangely hypnotic.

One might also wish that some of the acting were a little better. Nevertheless, I see now that Anthony Edwards makes an absolutely outstanding acting performance in the lead role. The Tangerine Dream soundtrack is also excellent. By all means, don't let the movie's quite apparent weaknesses deceive you into thinking that this is just another second-rate, one-dimensional thriller.