Pacific Heights (1990)

User Rating:

6.2/10   

Director:

John Schlesinger

Writer (WGA):

Daniel Pyne (written by)

Release Date:

28 September 1990 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

Where terror lives.

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.

Plot Keywords:

Tenant | Rent | Landlord | Yuppie | Apartment

Cast

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

Runtime:

102 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:14 | Iceland:16 (video rating) | France:U | South Korea:15 | Portugal:M/12 | Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Germany:16 | Singapore:NC-16 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Canon Drive, Beverly Hills, California, USA

Company:

Morgan Creek Productions

Trivia:

The home of Melanie Griffith and Matthew Modine is not in Pacific Heights at all, but right across town in San Francisco's Potrero Hill district at the corner of Texas & 19th Street.

Goofs:

Continuity: When the Watanabe's are explaining to Patty why they are breaking the lease, movers are taking furniture out of the front door of the house. However, a previous shot of the front of the house showed no moving truck, or any car, out in front.

Quotes:

Carter Hayes: [to Drake] You're a brave and stupid man.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Showbiz Today: (1991-05-01)" (????)

Soundtrack:

VIVALDI: SUMMER - THE FOUR SEASONS

Good suspense, directed by John Schlesinger....

who also did "The Believers". This film was made in the early 90's when suspense/thrillers were making a comeback; Michael Keaton, while not a favorite, was quite good.

Melanie Griffith and Matthew Modine portray a young couple wanting to make a real estate investment, so they purchase a Pacific Heights building, and proceed to renovate it. They are not yet married. Griffith still looked good here (prior recent surgeries) Matt Modine is also a sympathetic character.

There is a brief cameo with Beverly D'Angelo, who does not have enough of a part. She usually adds something to most films she is in. Keaton is a mysterious tenant, who offers Modine an all cash deposit and drives late model Jaguar. Although there were several other eligible tenants, Modine opts for Keaton as he seems to have a lot of cash, and is reliable (The operative phrase here is "seems to be").

Basically strange occurrences crop up, Keaton is a sort of con-man, with some added psychopathology thrown in. Laurie Metcalf in a brief role as their attorney, informs Modine that he cannot just throw the psychotic tenant out. The law protects the tenant. While some of the incidents are a bit unbelievable, the story is suspenseful and holds your interest. 8/10.