Miracle Mile (1988)

User Rating:

6.8/10   

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 | Phone | Los Angeles California | Police | Single Day

Awards:

1 win & 3 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:
William Schallert	...	Diner patron
Linda Thomas	...	Jogger

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
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

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
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
Mike Hyatt	....	rotoscope artist

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

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

Transportation Department
Shane Greedy	....	production van driver

Other crew
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

• Columbia Pictures Corporation
• Miracle Mile Productions Inc.

Distributors

• Hemdale Film (1989) (USA) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox
• 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 Finance  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

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:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

The punch line to the unfinished joke the loudmouth at the bar was telling (It's the mailman's last day on the job, he goes to a woman's house and she invites him in, makes loves to him, makes him a wonderful breakfast and then gives him 5 dollars) is: Mailman: What was that for? Woman: Well I asked my husband what to do for you on your last day and he said, "Screw him, give him 5 dollars." The breakfast was my idea!

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:

[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.

Movie Connections:

Features "Cosmos" (1980)

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.