Miracle Mile (1988)

Director:

Steve De Jarnatt

Writer:

Steve De Jarnatt (written by)

Release Date:

19 May 1989 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Drama | Romance | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

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

Plot:

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.

Plot Keywords:

Nuclear War | Los Angeles California | Single Day | Real Time | Person On Fire

Awards:

1 win & 4 nominations

Cast

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
José Mercado	...	Bus Boy from Diner (as Jose Mercado)
Alan Berger	...	New Person in Catering Truck
Howard Swain	...	Babbler
Raphael Sbarge	...	Chip (voice)
Lucille Bliss	...	Old Woman in Diner
Cynthia Phillips	...	Female Cop
Chad Taylor	...	Male Cop
Edward Bunker	...	Nightwatchman
Brian Thompson	...	Power Lifter
Herbert Fair	...	Leslie
Tina Webster	...	Girl in aerobic class
Kirby Tepper	...	Yuppie at Heliport
Jenette Goldstein	...	Beverly Hills Chick #1
Victoria Powells	...	Beverly Hills Chick #2
Jordana Capra	...	TV Anchorwoman
Bruce Hayes	...	T.V. Anchor Man
Richard Biggs	...	Brian Jones (as Rickie Biggs)
Peter Berg	...	Band Member
Chloe Amateau	...	Schoolteacher
Alan Dillard	...	Lobster Man
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Steve Hammond	...	Young man in burning building
Linda Thomas	...	Jogger
Annie Wood	...	Voice Actor (uncredited)

Directed by
Steve De Jarnatt

Writing credits
Steve De Jarnatt		(written by)

Produced by
Graham Cottle	....	co-producer
John Daly	....	producer
Derek Gibson	....	producer
Eileen Stringer	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Tangerine Dream

Cinematography by
Theo van de Sande		(director of photography) (as Theo Van de Sande)

Film Editing by
Stephen Semel
Kathie Weaver

Casting by
Billy DaMota		(as Billy Da Mota)
Lauren Lloyd

Production Design by
Christopher Horner

Art Direction by
Richard Hoover

Costume Design by
Shay Cunliffe

Makeup Department
Jeanne Van Phue	....	head hair stylist

Production Management
Graham Cottle	....	production supervisor
Daniel Schneider	....	production manager (as Daniel E. Schneider)
Randy D. Thornton	....	post-production supervisor (as Randy Thornton)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
David C. Anderson	....	first assistant director
Leo Zisman	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Barbara Anne Bock	....	storyboard artist
Michael A. Clark	....	carpenter
David Halver	....	on-set art department assistant
David E. Harshbarger	....	property master
Sean Haworth	....	set designer
Roger Kelton	....	construction coordinator
Pamela Marcotte	....	assistant art director
Greg McMickle	....	property master: second unit
Katherine Orrison	....	art director: second unit
Everett D. Wilson	....	scenic artist
Lyndell Wolff	....	carpenter
Richard Bryan Douglas	....	carpenter (uncredited)
David L. Snyder	....	original concept designer (uncredited)

Sound Department
Joseph Holsen	....	sound editor
Val Kuklowsky	....	sound editor
Michael Minkler	....	sound re-recording mixer
Troy Porter	....	adr mixer
Mortesa Rezvani	....	sound mixer
Dan Yale	....	sound effects editor

Visual Effects by
Michael Karp	....	plate camera operator
Michael Lawler	....	visual effects cameraman
Martin Jay Sadoff	....	visual effects supervisor

Stunts
Gary W. Anctil	....	stunts (as Gary Anctil)
Billy Bates	....	stunts (as Bill Bates)
Pamela Bebermeyer	....	stunts (as Pam Bebermeyer)
Michael Carr	....	stunts
John Casino	....	stunts
Fernando Celis	....	stunts
Eugene Collier	....	stunts
Gardner Doolittle	....	assistant stunt coordinator
Gardner Doolittle	....	stunts
Sharie Doolittle	....	stunts (as Shari Doolittle)
John Gillespie	....	stunts
Gene Hartline	....	stunts
Chris Howell	....	stunts
Sim Hubbard	....	stunts
Stephen R. Hudis	....	utility stunts (as Stephen Hudis)
John Hudkins	....	stunts
Dale Jacoby	....	stunts
Ben Jensen	....	stunts
Gary Jensen	....	stunt coordinator
Gary Jensen	....	stunts
Harold Jones	....	stunts
Robyn Keyser	....	stunts
Kim Robert Koscki	....	stunt driver
Kim Robert Koscki	....	stunts (as Kim Koscki)
Al Lee	....	stunts
Ken Lesco	....	stunts
Dennis Madalone	....	stunts
Jason Markham	....	stunts
Paula Marie Moody	....	stunts (as Paula Moody)
Eddie Paul	....	stunts
Byron Quisenberry	....	stunts
Chuck Roberson	....	stunts
Ray Saniger	....	stunts
Lincoln Simonds	....	stunts
John Staples	....	stunts
Cris Thomas-Palomino	....	stunts
Victoria Vanderkloot	....	stunts (as Victoria Van Der Kloot)

Camera and Electrical Department
Keith Banks	....	first assistant camera: second unit (as Brian Keith Banks)
Scott Browner	....	additional camera assistant: second unit
Donald Burghardt	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera
Michael A. Clark	....	construction electrician
Dan Combs	....	electrician
Jim Crandell	....	grip (as James D. Crandell)
Richard Crompton	....	grip (as Richard Crompton Curry)
Brian Devin	....	grip
Sam Emerson	....	still photographer
Michael S. Endler	....	additional camera assistant (as Michael Endler)
Ben Felthouse	....	electrician (as Ben Feldhouse)
Lance Fisher	....	additional camera assistant: second unit
Richard Gale	....	steadicam operator
Robert Gray	....	key grip (as Bob Gray)
Todd Griffith	....	best boy grip
Bruce Hamme	....	dolly grip
Rick Herres	....	grip
Ernest Holzman	....	additional photographer: second unit (as Ernie Holzman)
Paul Hughen	....	first assistant camera
Jono Kouzouyan	....	gaffer
Paul Laufer	....	additional photographer: second unit
Michael Molnar	....	electrician
Fred Nolan	....	electrician
John Pierce	....	electrician (as John Peirce)
Simon Scheeline	....	electrician (as E. Simon Scheeline IV)
Roger Schweitzer	....	video playback operator
Chris Squires	....	director of photography: second unit
Chris Squires	....	steadicam operator
Jack Wallner	....	additional photographer: second unit (as Jack Wollner)
Jack Yanekian	....	best boy electrician
Elizabeth Ziegler	....	steadicam operator

Animation Department
Michael Hyatt	....	rotoscope artist (as Mike Hyatt)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Mary Law Weir	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
Marcy Stoeven	....	first assistant editor (as Marcy Stoeven Gibbens)
F. Scott Taylor	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Brian Hutchison	....	composer: additional music (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Shane Greedy	....	production van driver

Other crew
John Achorn	....	adr voice group
Gary W. Anctil	....	helicopter pilot (as Gary Anctil)
Steve Anderson	....	promotions coordinator
Peter Berg	....	stand-in
Bundy Chanock	....	set medic
Ross Fanger	....	location manager
Kristi Frankenheimer	....	location manager
John Gillespie	....	aerial coordinator
Amy Krell	....	assistant to producer
Brian McMillan	....	head animal trainer
Donna McMullen	....	stand-in
Karen Altman Morgenstern	....	production coordinator
Valerie E. Norman	....	script supervisor (as Valerie Norman-Williams)
Dan Perri	....	title designer: main titles
Burton Sharp	....	adr group coordinator
Linda Thomas	....	production assistant

Thanks
Stephen Rebello	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Hemdale Film
• Miracle Mile Productions Inc.

Distributors

• 20th Century Fox (1990) (France) (theatrical)
• Hemdale Film (1989) (USA) (theatrical)
• Cineplex-Odeon Films (1989) (Canada)
• Columbia Pictures
• Home Box Office Home Video (HBO) (video)

Other Companies

• Animal Rentals Unlimited  animal wrangling
• Available Light Productions  additional animation
• Capitol Production Music  additional music
• Cinema Research  titles and opticals
• Credit Lyonnais Bank (Nederland) N.V.  motion picture banking
• Film Finances  film completion guarantor
• Hollywood Optical Systems  titles and opticals
• Howard Anderson Company, The  titles and opticals
• Mario's Catering  catering
• Moviecam Super Rental  camera and lenses

Also Known As:

Runtime:

87 min | West Germany:81 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Ultra Stereo

Certification:

Iceland:14 | Iceland:16 (video rating) | West Germany:16 | Canada:14A (Ontario) | France:U | Australia:M | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

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

Company:

Hemdale Film

Trivia:

The name of the burger shop that Julie works at is called "Fat Boy". This is a nod to the two atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki: Fat Man and Little Boy.

Goofs:

Boom mic visible: When Harry returns to the diner, after the phone call in the phone ball. There's an reflection of the boom on the window. When Harry gets everyone intention in the diner.

Quotes:

Harry Washello:Does she always sleep this deep?
Lucy Peters:She took a Valium.

Movie 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)

Offbeat, intriguing

I'm a big fan of post-apocalyptic movies; for some reason, the thought of civilization as we know it grinding to a halt on a backdrop of nuclear bombs falling intrigues me to no end.

There are a host of movies that deal with Life After The Bomb, a whole lot more dealing with Life While Preventing The Bomb, but not very many that deal with Life Immediately Before The Bomb. This is one of the latter, and I think it pulls it off really well.

This offbeat movie chronicles a few hours in the life of a character who has just found out that the missiles are on the way.

This movie is rather offbeat; the acting is not bad, but just unlike normal hollywood acting, even despite a few familiar faces. The pacing is different, the sets are different, the colors are different. And in this case, the differences give it an edge that is quite intriguing.

The main character (tom cruise's ill-fated co-pilot in top gun) displays such an acute, personal anxiety that really grabbed my attention and really made the movie hit home.

While some of the other acting is less than stellar, in a movie like this it does not detract.

This movie really did make me think about what I would do in a similar situation. Very thought-provoking.

If you are as intriguied by nuclear war as I am, you should definitely watch this film.

8 / 10