Days of Thunder (1990)

User Rating:

5.4/10   

Director:

Tony Scott

Writers (WGA):

Robert Towne (story) and
Tom Cruise (story) ...

Release Date:

27 June 1990 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Drama | Romance | Sport

Tagline:

You can't stop the thunder.

Plot:

A young hot-shot stock car driver gets his chance to compete at the top level.

Plot Keywords:

Driver | Stock Car | Racing | Nascar | Team

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 1 win

Cast

Tom Cruise	...	Cole Trickle
Robert Duvall	...	Harry Hogge
Nicole Kidman	...	Dr. Claire Lewicki
Randy Quaid	...	Tim Daland
Cary Elwes	...	Russ Wheeler
Michael Rooker	...	Rowdy Burns
Fred Dalton Thompson	...	Big John
John C. Reilly	...	Buck Bretherton
J.C. Quinn	...	Waddell
Don Simpson	...	Aldo Bennedetti
Caroline Williams	...	Jennie Burns
Donna W. Scott	...	Darlene (as Donna Wilson)
Chris Ellis	...	Harlem Hoogerhyde
Peter Appel	...	Cole's Crew
Stephen Michael Ayers	...	Crewmember

Runtime:

107 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | French

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (analog 70 mm prints) | CDS (digital 35 mm and 70 mm prints) | Dolby SR (analog 35 mm prints)

Certification:

Iceland:L | Brazil:Livre | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG (Manitoba/Ontario) | Chile:TE | Finland:K-10 | Netherlands:MG6 | Norway:10 | Peru:PT | Singapore:PG | Sweden:Btl | UK:12 (original rating) | UK:15 (video rating) (1991) | USA:PG-13 | West Germany:12 (w) | Canada:A (Nova Scotia)

Filming Locations:

Bristol, Tennessee, USA

Company:

Don Simpson/Jerry Bruckheimer Films

Trivia:

Producer Don Simpson originally intended to take a supporting role as a fellow driver in this film but his role was reduced to only one line.

Goofs:

Continuity: At the Daytona race before the big wreck, Cole Trickle is spun out by Rowdy Burns. Cole recovers and catches up to Rowdy. The camera pans out to show a long distance shot of Rowdy leading Cole, but the lead car is clearly the number 3 Goodwrench Chevy of Dale Earnhardt, not the 51 of Rowdy Burns. In fact the whole shot is from the 1990 Daytona 500 and the cars on second and third are Derrike Cope's Purolator Chevy and Terry Labonte's Skoal Oldsmobile.

Quotes:

[During a pit stop]
Harry Hogge: All right. While we're still under a caution, I want you to go back out on that track and hit the pace car.
Cole Trickle: Hit the pace car?
Harry Hogge: Hit the pace car.
Cole Trickle: What for?
Harry Hogge: Because you've hit every other goddamned thing out there, I want you to be perfect.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Aqua Teen Hunger Force: Creature from the Plaque Lagoon (#6.5)" (2009)

Soundtrack:

THE LAST NOTE OF FREEDOM

Duvall excellent otherwise Top Gun with cars (and Nicole)

In the Top Gun genre although without the homo eroticism. But a great performance from Duvall who lights up the screen every time he is on - which is often. Nicole Kidman lights up the screen as well and not just for her acting! Cruise is OK as the foil to Duvall's Harry. Tony Scott's direction is standard for a Bruckenheimer film and deserves applause.

The plot is entirely predictable and there is little tension. Like Top Gun the bits in between the action are too long and the sub plot of the injured driver coming to terms with his forced retirement is tedious and contributes little. BUT see this if only for Duvall's flawless performance.