Forever Young (1992)

Director:

Steve Miner

Writer (WGA):

J.J. Abrams (written by)

Release Date:

16 December 1992 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Time waits for no man but true love waits forever

Plot:

A 1939 test pilot asks his best friend to use him as a guinea pig for a cryogenics experiment. Daniel...

Plot Keywords:

Love | Cryogenics | Pilot | Best Friend | Test Pilot

Cast

Mel Gibson	...	Capt. Daniel McCormick
Jamie Lee Curtis	...	Claire Cooper
Elijah Wood	...	Nat Cooper
Isabel Glasser	...	Helen
George Wendt	...	Harry Finley
Joe Morton	...	Cameron
Nicolas Surovy	...	John
David Marshall Grant	...	Lt. Col. Wilcox USAF
Robert Hy Gorman	...	Felix
Millie Slavin	...	Susan Finley
Michael A. Goorjian	...	Steven
Veronica Lauren	...	Alice
Art LaFleur	...	Alice's Father
Eric Pierpoint	...	Fred
Walton Goggins	...	Gate MP (as Walt Goggins)
Amanda Foreman	...	Debbie
Karla Tamburrelli	...	Blanche Finley
Robert Munns	...	Wrong Harry
JD Cullum	...	Frank (as J.D. Cullum)
Ava Lazar	...	Waitress at Diner, 1992
Richard Ryder	...	Pilot at Airshow
Michael Briggs	...	Pilot at Airshow
Kenneth Ransom	...	Officer at Warehouse
Jared Chandler	...	Officer at Warehouse
Jon Menick	...	Doctor at Airfield
Paul Ganus	...	Airbase Personnel, 1939
Jason Rainwater	...	Airbase Personnel, 1939 (as Jason Iorg)
Mary Ellen Moore	...	Ticket Woman
Miriam Beesley	...	Woman at Picnic
Lisa Savage	...	Woman at Picnic
Cody Burger	...	Boy at Picnic
Dean Hallo	...	Man at Picnic
Greg Allan Martin	...	Man at Picnic
Joel McKinnon Miller	...	Man at Picnic
William Marquez	...	Hospital Doctor
Steve Hinton Jr.	...	Boy with Ice Cream
John Bourg	...	Daniel, Age 11
Ara Maxwell	...	Helen, Age 11
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
David J. Billings	...	Airman (uncredited)
Michael Forte	...	Milkman (uncredited)
Jack Kandel	...	Scientist (uncredited)
Jason Long	...	(uncredited)
Steve Moriarty	...	B-25 Crew Member at Air Show (uncredited)
Mike Muscat	...	Man in hardware store (uncredited)
Christopher Yohe	...	Officer Burton (uncredited)

Directed by
Steve Miner

Writing credits (WGA)
J.J. Abrams		(written by) (as Jeffrey Abrams)

Produced by
J.J. Abrams	....	executive producer (as Jeffrey Abrams)
Bruce Davey	....	producer
Edward S. Feldman	....	executive producer
Mel Gibson	....	executive producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Jerry Goldsmith

Cinematography by
Russell Boyd

Film Editing by
Jon Poll

Casting by
Marion Dougherty

Production Design by
Gregg Fonseca

Art Direction by
Bruce Alan Miller

Set Decoration by
Jay Hart
Jan Pascale

Costume Design by
Aggie Guerard Rodgers

Makeup Department
Greg Cannom	....	special makeup
Lona Jeffers	....	makeup artist
Dick Smith	....	special makeup effects artist
Todd Tucker	....	special makeup effects artist
Keith VanderLaan	....	makeup effects artist

Production Management
Stephen McEveety	....	unit production manager (as Stephen M. McEveety)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Matt Earl Beesley	....	first assistant director
David R. Ellis	....	second unit director
John D. Kuberski	....	second second assistant director
Kimberly Law	....	dga trainee
David N. Schrager	....	second assistant director (as David Schrager)
John G. Scotti	....	second assistant director: second unit
Andy Spilkoman	....	second second assistant director

Art Department
Greg Aronowitz	....	model builder
Kai Blomberg	....	set dresser
Robert J. Carlyle	....	construction coordinator
Kirk Corwin	....	property master
Steven DeSantis	....	propmaker
Ryan Effner	....	mechanical
Jann K. Engel	....	set designer
Elizabeth Flaherty	....	art department coordinator
Curtis Gutierrez	....	set dresser
John Harrington	....	assistant property master
Danny Hinzo	....	painter
Jonas Kirk	....	propmaker foreman
Mark Knapton	....	propmaker
Robert Lucas	....	lead man
Tony Miller	....	plasterer
Glenn H. Roberts	....	on-set dresser
Doug Sieck	....	set dresser
Gary Stel	....	toolman
John Sweeney	....	assistant propmaster
Richard Toyon	....	set designer (as Richard Yanez)
Steven Wolff	....	set designer
G. Roger Abell	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Ron Mendell	....	miniature builder (uncredited)

Sound Department
G.W. Brown	....	supervising adr editor
Raul A. Bruce	....	boom operator
Dane A. Davis	....	supervising sound editor
Avram D. Gold	....	adr editor
Tommy Goodwin	....	foley mixer
Tom Hammond	....	foley editor
Catherine Harper	....	foley artist
Kini Kay	....	sound effects editor
Kimberly Ellen Lowe	....	dialogue editor (as Kimberly Lowe Voigt)
Nash Michael	....	foley editor
Lee Strosnider	....	sound mixer
James M. Tanenbaum	....	production sound mixer
Peter Tomaszewicz	....	sound editor
Todd Toon	....	sound effects editor

Special Effects by
Roland Blancaflor	....	special effects technician: Cannom Creations
Peter Chesney	....	special effects supervisor
Tom Chesney	....	special effects technician
Joe Heffernan	....	special effects technician
Jarn Heil	....	special effects technician
Dean W. Miller	....	special effects foreman
Sandra Stewart	....	special effects technician
Greg R. Stone	....	special effects technician

Stunts
Gregory J. Barnett	....	stunts (as Gregory Barnett)
Steve Boyum	....	stunts
Jack Carpenter	....	stunts
Steven Chambers	....	stunts (as Steve Chambers)
Doc D. Charbonneau	....	stunts
John T. Cypert	....	stunts (as John Thomas Cypert)
Annie Ellis	....	stunts
David R. Ellis	....	stunt coordinator (as David Ellis)
Richard M. Ellis	....	stunts (as Richard Ellis)
Tony Epper	....	stunts
Charlie Picerni	....	stunts
Don Pulford	....	stunts
Mic Rodgers	....	stunt double: Mel Gibson
Mic Rodgers	....	stunts (as Mic Rogers)
Ric Roman Waugh	....	stunts (as Ric Waugh)
Dick Ziker	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Scott Fieldsteel	....	best boy
Lisa Guerriero	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera
Alex Jachno	....	electrician
Annie McEveety	....	first assistant camera
Patrick Murray	....	gaffer
Bradford Ralston	....	video assist operator
Tony Rivetti	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera
Tony Rivetti	....	steadicam
Ty Suehiro	....	grip
Carl A. Vidnic	....	electrician

Music Department
Tom Boyd	....	musician: oboe soloist
Brad Dechter	....	music arranger: title theme
Sandy DeCrescent	....	orchestra contractor
Jerry Goldsmith	....	conductor
Kenneth Hall	....	music editor
Maria Newman	....	musician
Steven L. Smith	....	music preparation
James Thatcher	....	musician: French horn
Nick Vidar	....	music programmer

Transportation Department
Richard Burch	....	driver: insert car
Michael Forte	....	driver: Mel Gibson

Other crew
Serena Baker	....	location assistant
Judith M. Brown	....	studio teacher
Ronald L. Carr	....	location manager
Chris Silver Finigan	....	production accountant
Linda Fox	....	production assistant
James W. Gavin	....	aerial coordinator
Steve Hinton	....	pilot: B-25
June Jordan	....	stand-in
Rob Klein	....	production assistant
Shauna L. Kroen	....	assistant accountant
Mike Muscat	....	acting coach
Chris Winn	....	craft service
Jeff Winn	....	key craft service

Production Companies

• Warner Bros (as Warner Bros.) (presents)
• Icon Entertainment International

Distributors

• Warner Bros (1992) (USA) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1993) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1993) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1993) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1993) (France) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1993) (UK) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1993) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Warner Home Video (1993) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1995) (USA) (TV)
• Warner Home Video (1994) (USA) (VHS) (pan and scan)
• Warner Home Video (1997) (USA) (DVD) (pan and scan)
• Warner Home Video (1999) (UK) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (1999) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2008) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (1999) (USA) (VHS) (pan and scan)
• Argentina Video Home (199?) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (1999) (Germany) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (199?) (Netherlands) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Image Special Effects Company
• Visual Concept Engineering (VCE)

Other Companies

• Big Screen Records  soundtrack
• Bill Dance Casting  extras casting
• Pacific Studios Inc.  chromatrans background

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated PG for some language and domestic conflict

Runtime:

102 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Argentina:Atp | Austria:6 | Chile:TE | Finland:S | Germany:12 | South Korea:15 | Spain:T | Sweden:11 | UK:PG | USA:PG | Peru:PT | Singapore:PG | Canada:G (Quebec) | Iceland:L | Portugal:M/12 | Australia:PG

Filming Locations:

Claremont, California, USA

Company:

Warner Bros

Trivia:

The Light House featured in the film and on the poster is the Point Arena Light House, located on one of the furthest West points of the Continental United States near Manchester, CA. The house in the film was a shell built by the production team and was torn down after filming. The only permanent structures near the light house are some vacation rental units, formerly Coast Guard barracks, and the Light House Keeper's residence which is now a museum maintained by local volunteers. The light house has recently undergone renovations and is open to the public.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Daniel attempts to enter Alexander Field, the gate guard denies him access. In one shot, from behind the guard, he has his left arm extended to physically impede Daniel from entering as he tells him that he cannot allow him to enter. In the next shot, from a reverse angle behind Daniel, the guard now has his right arm extended to block Daniel's progress.

Quotes:

Daniel:Are you Nat Cooper?
Nat Cooper:It's the dead guy!
[Felix runs in to the hallway, and also sees Daniel]
Felix:It's the dead guy!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Seinfeld: The Movie (#4.14)" (1993)

Soundtrack:

You Are My Sunshine

Touching and Enjoyable

This is a very sweet story. It wasn't the face of Mel Gibson that got me, or even the idealistic premise or the laugh that was produced when I saw an extremely young Elijah Woods in yet another dramatic, power-packed role. There was just something about the film...

Daniel McCormick doesn't mind taking chances. A test pilot with a devil-may- care attitude toward death, he performs live stunts, has a great sense of humor, and is passionately in love with his childhood friend Helen. His best friend Harry Findley is a scientist for the war department who has just successfully

completed a test run of his latest invention... which has the ability to successfully freeze a living form for a certain amount of time. He's tested the system on a live chicken and returned it to full health after six weeks of being frozen. The next step up is a human being.

Spring is all around them, and Daniel feels that he should propose to Helen, but the "words just don't get past his throat." Chickening out just before she's due to leave town for a few weeks on-assignment, Daniel gives her a passing

kiss and steps into the nearest phone booth to call up Harry and tell him that he "almost" did it. With horror, he steps out of the booth to find Helen laying on the pavement, having just been hit by a truck. His chance is lost. She lies in a coma for two weeks... three weeks... six weeks...

"I can't bear to see her die, Harry," he tells his friend. And then drops the bombshell... he wants to be frozen for a year. If Helen wakes up, he wants to come back, but if she doesn't, leave him. Somewhat warily, Harry agrees... and Daniel is frozen in time. But something goes wrong... and we flash-forward to the present, in which two little boys, Nat and Felix, are fooling around in an old government warehouse. Pretending that the canister is a submarine, they

accidentally reverse the process and bring Daniel back.



Suddenly it's 1992, and Daniel is in a world with which he has no connections. What happened? Why would Harry leave him frozen? Whatever happened to

Helen? These are questions that must be answered... but as he searches for the truth, Daniel realizes that something is wrong. Something strange is happening to him. And even his newfound friends, Nat and his mother Claire, cannot fully explain the sudden changes in his life.

Forever Young is the kind of film that appeals to romantics at heart. I was

completely unprepared for the turn that the plot took halfway through, but when one reflects, there really is no other ending that would feel right. It has excellent performances by Mel Gibson and Elijah Wood, although the women in the

production seem too pale and under-emphasized. It's a science fiction

adventure, a romance, a comedy, and yet in part a tragedy. It's also the story of growing into manhood, in its own peculiar little way. The charisma is there, the plot is very well thought-out, and yet there's almost a somberness to the ending, which is bittersweet/ There is some language, but it doesn't overly detract from the script and is at times appropriate in shocking Daniel into the modern world.

For a guy who says "heck," "darn," and other mild alternatives to popular

profanities, he's suitably wide-eyed when a woman is verbally venting. There's very little violence except for a fistfight between Daniel and an Claire's abusive ex-boyfriend. Sensuality is present, as is mild backside nudity only seen briefly in the shadows. Some passionate kissing never goes any further, a woman is

seen briefly in her bra (and with a torn shirt); but viewers should be forewarned that Claire's boyfriend shows up, slaps her around, and forces her onto a table. This element surprised me, since I wasn't warned in any of the reviews I read online.

It's definintly a family film, and the type of film I'll watch again and again. It's funny, cute and sweet. I loved it, it may be one of my all time favorites.