IMDb > Pacific Heights (1990)
Pacific Heights
Quicklinks
Top Links
trailers and videosfull cast and crewtriviaofficial sitesmemorable quotes
Overview
main detailscombined detailsfull cast and crewcompany creditstv schedule
Awards & Reviews
user commentsexternal reviewsnewsgroup reviewsawardsuser ratingsparents guiderecommendationsmessage board
Plot & Quotes
plot summarysynopsisplot keywordsAmazon.com summarymemorable quotes
Fun Stuff
triviagoofssoundtrack listingcrazy creditsalternate versionsmovie connectionsFAQ
Other Info
merchandising linksbox office/businessrelease datesfilming locationstechnical specslaserdisc detailsDVD detailsliterature listingsNewsDesk
Promotional
taglines trailers and videos posters photo gallery
External Links
showtimesofficial sitesmiscellaneousphotographssound clipsvideo clips

Pacific Heights (1990) More at IMDbPro »

Photos (see all 9 | slideshow) Videos (see all 2)
Pacific Heights (1990) -- A couple works hard to renovate their dream house and become landlords to pay for it. Unfortunately one of their tenants has plans of his own.
Pacific Heights (1990) -- Trailerfan.com - Trailer (Flash)

Overview

User Rating:
6.2/10   6,725 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
No change in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writer (WGA):
Daniel Pyne (written by)
Contact:
View company contact information for Pacific Heights on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
28 September 1990 (USA) more
Genre:
Tagline:
Where terror lives. more
Plot:
A couple works hard to renovate their dream house and become landlords to pay for it. Unfortunately one of their tenants has plans of his own. full summary | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
NewsDesk:
(10 articles)
Ben Runs to Violet's School Before Jetting Off With Jen
 (From Popsugar. 7 December 2009, 2:00 AM, PST)

Orphan (DVD Review)
 (From Fangoria. 30 November 2009, 11:37 AM, PST)

User Comments:
Tenants are the curse of the propertied class more (68 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Melanie Griffith ... Patty Palmer
Matthew Modine ... Drake Goodman

Michael Keaton ... Carter Hayes

Mako ... Toshio Watanabe

Nobu McCarthy ... Mira Watanabe

Laurie Metcalf ... Stephanie MacDonald

Carl Lumbly ... Lou Baker
Dorian Harewood ... Dennis Reed

Luca Bercovici ... Greg

Tippi Hedren ... Florence Peters
Sheila McCarthy ... Liz Hamilton

Guy Boyd ... Warning Cop
Jerry Hardin ... Bennett Fidlow

Dan Hedaya ... Loan Officer

James Staley ... District Attorney
more
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

Runtime:
102 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
In the original script, Carter was a bisexual who sexually threatens Drake and Patty. more
Goofs:
Continuity: Patty's last name is shown to be "Palmer" on her financial statement seen in Carter's briefcase, but the closing credits list her name as "Patty Parker" more
Quotes:
[initiating sex with Drake]
Patty Palmer: I wish I had spurs.
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in "Showbiz Today: (1991-05-01)" (1991) more
Soundtrack:
LETHAL TENDENCIES more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
11 out of 16 people found the following comment useful.
Tenants are the curse of the propertied class, 27 August 1999

This is a carefully programmed yuppie nightmare, something to titillate the emotions betwixt the sushi and the creme de mint, something to remind the upwardly mobile that you have to keep your guard up at all times because there are animals out there waiting to take it all away from you.

Clever plot premise: Yuppie couple, stylishly unmarried, possibly for tax purposes, buy a painted lady in the Pacific Heights district of San Francisco, a Victorian fixer upper for $750,000. It's the 1980's and everybody is getting rich in California real estate. They are now in yuppie heaven since there are two rentals on the property which take care of $2300 of the $3700 monthly mortgage, which leaves them responsible for only $1400, which is less then they were paying before, and now they have a huge tax write-off and hopefully an appreciating property. Of course they are margined to the gills, but what can go wrong?

How about the tenant from hell? Forget about your wild parties and your late-with-the-rent dead beats. This guy (Michael Keaton as a slimy, upper crust psycho genius) doesn't even pay the deposit. He just moves in, squats, and our yuppie couple is helpless to get rid of him since by law he now has possession. He changes the locks, cultivates big ugly oriental cockroaches, and pounds away at all hours of the night, and chases off the other tenant. Seems he has done this before. Seems it is an elaborate scam to gain total possession of the entire property. Next to go are the owners. Naturally the cops and the law seem to work for him, not our adorable couple. (This is a little fictional reality to further excite the passions of the audience, call it poetic license, since we all know that the tenant/landlord laws in California are written by and for the propertied class, as they are anywhere else, as is only right.)

But this is a morality play. Could it be that our yuppies are undeserving of their wealth and are easy prey in the econ jungle because of their naiveté? Could be. But as this is a modern morality tale, you can be sure that the woman, played with worrisome lines under her eyes by the ever adorable Melanie Griffith, will turn the tables and kick some male butt despite the handicap of having a not too bright boyfriend, who is easily manipulated by our villain into some rather stupid male behavior that makes things worse for our heroine. Incidentally, he is played with such annoying exactitude by Matthew Modine that I can hear the rednecks in the audience screaming: "Die yuppie scum!"

It should be noticed that the adversary of the yuppies is not your standard ghetto dweller, but a wayward member of the upper class, a fitting adversary in this yuppie trial by fire.

I'll let you guess who wins.

Was the above comment useful to you?
more (68 total)

Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Pacific Heights (1990)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Ridiculous lagger7
Did anyone else..... *spoilers included* georgiemyler
Damage to House grt50
John Schlesinger psdhart
Monkey CappieGuy
Soundgarden SII_ENTBOB
more

Recommendations

If you enjoyed this title, our database also recommends:
- - - - -
Lo strano vizio della Signora Wardh Dead Ringers Too Scared to Scream Fatal Attraction The Last Seduction
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
Show more recommendations

Related Links

Full cast and crew Company credits External reviews
News articles IMDb Mystery section IMDb USA section
Add this title to MyMovies

You may report errors and omissions on this page to the IMDb database managers. They will be examined and if approved will be included in a future update. Clicking the 'Update' button will take you through a step-by-step process.