Cool Runnings (1993)

Director:

Jon Turteltaub

Writers (WGA):

Lynn Siefert (story) &
Michael Ritchie (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

1 October 1993 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Comedy | Family | Sport

Tagline:

Inspired by the true story of the first Jamaican Olympic bobsled team.

Plot:

Based on the true story of the First Jamacian bobsled team trying to make it to the winter olympics.

Plot Keywords:

Olympics | Bobsled | Coach | Olympic Games | Jamaica

Awards:

2 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Leon	...	Derice Bannock
Doug E. Doug	...	Sanka Coffie
Rawle D. Lewis	...	Junior Bevil
Malik Yoba	...	Yul Brenner
John Candy	...	Irv
Raymond J. Barry	...	Kurt Hemphill
Peter Outerbridge	...	Josef Grool
Paul Coeur	...	Roger
Larry Gilman	...	Larry
Charles Hyatt	...	Whitby Bevil - Sr.
Winston Stona	...	Coolidge
Bertina Macauley	...	Joy Bannock
Pauline Stone Myrie	...	Momma Coffie
Kristoffer Cooper	...	Winston
Bill Dow	...	Registration Official
Jay Brazeau	...	Kroychzech
Campbell Lane	...	Shindler
Matthew Walker	...	German Official
Christopher Gaze	...	British Official
Jack Goth	...	Gremmer
David Lovgren	...	Swiss Captain
Kerwin Kerr	...	Boy #1
Deamion Robinson	...	Boy #2
Beverly Brown	...	Lady #1
Cyrene Tomlinson	...	Lady #2
Oliver Hunter	...	Joseph
Fitz Weir	...	Uncle Ferte
Teddy Price	...	Drunk
Charles Harvey	...	Cop #1
Clive Anderson	...	Cop #2
Michael London	...	Heckler
Lloyd Roache	...	Push Cart Darby Starter
Cheryl Kroeker	...	Hotel Clerk
Karyn J. Scott	...	Line Dancer
Craig Lehto	...	Bobsled Starter
Al Trautwig	...	Himself
John Morgan	...	Himself
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Matthew Robert Kelly	...	Canadian Captain (uncredited)
Rob McEwan	...	News Photographer (uncredited)
Rob Parisien	...	Olympic Messenger (uncredited)

Directed by
Jon Turteltaub

Writing credits (WGA)
Lynn Siefert		(story) &
Michael Ritchie		(story)
Lynn Siefert		(screenplay) and
Tommy Swerdlow		(screenplay) &
Michael Goldberg		(screenplay)

Produced by
Jeffrey Bydalek	....	assistant producer
Susan B. Landau	....	executive producer
Christopher Meledandri	....	executive producer
Dawn Steel	....	producer

Original Music by
Hans Zimmer

Cinematography by
Phedon Papamichael		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Bruce Green

Casting by
Chemin Sylvia Bernard
Jaki Brown		(as Jaki Brown-Karman)

Production Design by
Stephen Marsh

Art Direction by
Rick Roberts

Set Decoration by
Lesley Beale

Costume Design by
Grania Preston

Makeup Department
Veronica Ciandre	....	key hairdresser
Norma Hill-Patton	....	key makeup artist (as Norma Hill Patton)
Donna Fuller	....	assistant makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Tom Benz	....	unit manager: second unit
Casey Grant	....	unit production manager
Natalie Thompson	....	unit production manager: Jamaica

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Douglas Berquist	....	second assistant director: second unit
Jim Brebner	....	third assistant director
Bruce Franklin	....	first assistant director
Avi Kleinberger	....	additional first assistant director: Jamaica
Michael London	....	third assistant director: Jamaica
Grant Lucibello	....	third assistant director
Franz Marzouca	....	second second assistant director: Jamaica
Brad Moerke	....	dgc trainee
Michael D. Moore	....	second unit director (as Micky Moore)
Brian Whittred	....	third assistant director: second unit
Michael A. Williams	....	first assistant director: second unit (as Michael Williams)
Kim H. Winther	....	second assistant director (as Kim Winther)

Art Department
Jennifer Chang Binns	....	assistant art director: Jamaica (as Jennifer Chang)
Curtis Crowe	....	assistant construction coordinator: Jamaica (as Curtis Hudgins Crowe)
Alain Giguère	....	scenic artist: Jamaica (as Alain Giguere)
Dean Goodine	....	assistant props
Sean Gorman	....	property master: second unit
Scott Jacobson	....	set decorator: Jamaica
Jane B. Johnson	....	leadperson: Jamaica (as Jane Johnson)
Gary Kosko	....	art director: Jamaica
Marta McLaughlin	....	assistant props: Jamaica (as Marda Schatz)
Wayne McLaughlin	....	property master (as R. Wayne McLaughlin)
Gary Clayton Ripley	....	scenic artist
Bruce Robinson	....	construction coordinator
Bruce Sinski	....	assistant art director
Wendi Stewart	....	art department production assistant
Mary-Lou Storey	....	assistant set decorator
William Tabor	....	construction coordinator: Jamaica
Bill Merrett	....	props assistant (uncredited)
Melodi Petrigo	....	buyer (uncredited)
Michael Sarley	....	storyboard artist (uncredited)

Sound Department
Per Asplund	....	cableman
Per Asplund	....	sound mixer: second unit
Kevin Bartnof	....	foley artist (as Kevin Bartnoff)
Michael J. Benavente	....	sound editor
Karl Bennett	....	cableman: Jamaica
Julia Evershade	....	supervising adr editor
David Gertz	....	foley mixer
Anthony J. Giacinti	....	boom operator
Warren Hamilton Jr.	....	sound editor
Ellen Heuer	....	foley artist
David J. Hudson	....	sound re-recording mixer
Doc Kane	....	adr mixer
Mark A. Mangini	....	supervising sound editor (as Mark Mangini)
Mel Metcalfe	....	sound re-recording mixer
Oscar Mitt	....	assistant sound editor
Sonny Pettijohn	....	assistant sound editor
Terry Porter	....	sound re-recording mixer
Troy Porter	....	adr mixer
Mary Ruth Smith	....	foley editor
Larry Sutton	....	sound mixer
Julia Evershade	....	sound editor (uncredited)
Stephanie Flack	....	dialogue editor (uncredited)
Rick Mitchell	....	foley editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Lars Lenander	....	foreman
Lars Lenander	....	special effects assistant
T. Dean Merrells	....	special effects assistant
Clovis Nielson	....	special effects assistant: Jamaica (as Clovis Nelson)
William H. Orr	....	special effects coordinator (as Bill Orr)
Randy Shymkiw	....	special effects best boy
Jak Osmond	....	special effects assistant (uncredited)

Stunts
Charles Andre	....	stunts
Brian Bennett	....	stunts
Guy Bews	....	stunts
Yves Cameron	....	stunts
Gregg Dandridge	....	stunts (as Gregg Danridge)
Tom Eirikson	....	stunts (as Tom Eirickson)
Kiante Elam	....	stunts
Ousaun Elam	....	stunts
Errol Gee	....	stunts
Jason Glass	....	stunts
Tom Glass	....	stunts
Ernie Jackson	....	stunts
Ernie Johnson	....	stunts
Kelsee King-Devoreaux	....	stunts (as Kelsee Devoreaux)
Ken Kirzinger	....	stunts
Shane Le Mar	....	stunts (as Shane Lemar)
Irving E. Lewis	....	stunts (as Irving Lewis)
David Mylrea	....	stunts
Robert Paisley	....	stunts
Peter Provebs	....	stunts
Jalon Raney	....	stunts
Ronald Robinson	....	stunts (as Ron Robinson)
Jacob Rupp	....	stunt coordinator
Jacob Rupp	....	stunts
Carlos Spivey	....	stunts
David Stevenson	....	stunts
Dawn Stofer-Rupp	....	stunts
Stuart Thorp	....	stunts (as Stuart Thorpe)
Terrence Walters	....	stunts
Gene Williams	....	stunts
Brent Woolsey	....	stunts
Jim Finkbeiner	....	stunts (uncredited)
Shane Le Mar	....	stunt driver (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Donnie Allen	....	electric best boy
Kirk Chiswell	....	second assistant camera: second unit
Drew Davidson	....	gaffer (as A.W. Davidson)
Vete Dorchak	....	best boy
Vete Dorchak	....	rigging gaffer
Ivan Hawkes	....	key grip: second unit
Dan Heather	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera
James L. Hurford	....	key grip (as Jim Hurford)
Marvin Lee	....	camera loader (as Marin Lee)
Armin Matter	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Rob McEwan	....	still photographer
Terry McEwen	....	second assistant camera (as Terry McEwan)
Rexford L. Metz	....	director of photography: second unit (as Rexford Metz)
Rob Parisien	....	video playback
Joel Ransom	....	camera operator: second unit
Rick Stadder	....	dolly grip
Gordon Tait	....	best boy grip
Pat Williams	....	focus: "b" camera
Andrew D. Wilson	....	first assistant camera (as Andy Wilson)
Peter F. Woeste	....	camera operator
David Emmerichs	....	Steadicam operator (uncredited)
Gordon Schmidt	....	lamp operator (uncredited)

Casting Department
Stuart Aikins	....	casting: Canada
William Haines	....	casting assistant: Canada (as Bill Haines)
Phaedra Harris	....	casting associate
Janet Morrison	....	casting: Jamaica
Maxine Plummer	....	casting: Jamaica
Leslie Swan	....	extras casting
Ian Williams	....	extras casting: Jamaica
Eileen Dillon	....	casting assistant (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Roxroy Dinham	....	additional costumer: Jamaica
Lynda Foote	....	costume supervisor: Jamaica
Melanie Ghisays	....	wardrobe costumer: Jamaica (as Melanie Chisays)
Juul Haalmeyer	....	dresser: John Candy
Joanne Hansen	....	costume supervisor
Carol Case	....	set costumer (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Bruce Giesbrecht	....	assistant editor (as Bruce A. Giesbrecht)
Mark L. Levine	....	assistant editor
David Orr	....	color timer
Fabienne Rawley	....	associate editor
Theresa Repola Mohammed	....	negative cutter
Sheila MacDowell	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Sandy DeCrescent	....	orchestra contractor
Bruce Fowler	....	orchestrator
Nick Glennie-Smith	....	composer: additional music
Nick Glennie-Smith	....	orchestrator
Daryl B. Kell	....	assistant music editor (as Daryl Kell)
Laura Perlman	....	music editor
Jay Rifkin	....	music scoring mixer
Pamela Turbov	....	soundtrack supervisor: A&R
Reggie Wilson	....	music contractor
Nico Golfar	....	score wrangler (uncredited)
Christopher Ward	....	assistant composer (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Nigel Arscott	....	transportation captain: Jamaica
Kevin Craig	....	transportation coordinator: Jamaica
Joe Dodds	....	transportation captain (as Joe A. Dodds)
Joe Dodds	....	transportation coordinator: second unit (as Joe A. Dodds)
John Dodds	....	transportation captain
Ron Reynolds	....	transportation captain: Jamaica (as Ronald Reynolds)
John Scott	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Joene Acord	....	assistant accountant: Jamaica
Guy Adan	....	unit publicist
Kevin Bailey	....	assistant wrangler: Jamaica
Tom Benz	....	location manager
Jean Bereziuk	....	script supervisor
Patricia Blazy	....	representative: Jamaican Bobsled Federation
Christopher Conkling	....	first assistant accountant
George Fitch	....	representative: Jamaican Bobsled Federation
Jeremy Francis	....	location manager: Jamaica
Susan Genard	....	assistant: Jon Turteltaub
Marianne Gray	....	assistant: Dawn Steel
Layne Guise	....	assistant location manager
Michele Hall	....	production assistant: Jamaica
Devon Harris	....	representative: Jamaican Bobsled Federation
P.C. Harris	....	representative: Jamaican Bobsled Federation
Mary Cay Hollander	....	production coordinator: Jamaica
Daighn Jones	....	production assistant: Jamaica
John Lacroix	....	assistant accountant: payroll (as John LaCroix)
Kenroy Lawrence	....	animal wrangler: Jamaica
William Maloney	....	representative: Jamaican Bobsled Federation
Steve McAuliff	....	animal trainer: Jamaica
Yvonne Melville	....	production coordinator
Donovan Mendes	....	production assistant: Jamaica
Kim Moreau	....	script supervisor: second unit
Freddie Powell	....	representative: Jamaican Bobsled Federation
Lizzie Scheck	....	assistant: Susan B. Landau
Chris Stokes	....	representative: Jamaican Bobsled Federation
Dudley Stokes	....	representative: Jamaican Bobsled Federation
Sharon Stone	....	dialect consultant
Sharon Stone	....	on set dialect coach
Michael White	....	representative: Jamaican Bobsled Federation
Cathy Yost	....	assistant production coordinator
Jeff Coopwood	....	adr voice (uncredited)
Robert Dawson	....	title designer (uncredited)
Carmen Franczyk	....	assistant production co-ordinator: Jamaica (uncredited)
Howard Horwitz	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Matthew Kershaw	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Jesse Merz	....	market researcher (uncredited)
Martin Pedersen	....	location production assistant (uncredited)
Denise Rackett	....	office production assistant (uncredited)
Trevor Seitz	....	office production assistant (uncredited)
Trevor Seitz	....	set production assistant (uncredited)
Darryl Solly	....	location production assistant (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Walt Disney Pictures (presents)

Distributors

• Buena Vista Pictures Distribution (1993) (USA) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International (1994) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• C.B. Films (1994) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International (1994) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Gativideo (1994) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Fox Network (1997) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Finnkino (1994) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Gaumont Buena Vista International (GBVI) (1994) (France) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (2003) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Buena Vista Home Video (199?) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Europa Vision (1994) (Finland) (VHS)
• Mainostelevisio (MTV3) (1998) (2010) (Finland) (TV)
• Sub (2008) (Finland) (TV)
• Warner Home Video (1999) (Finland) (DVD)

Other Companies

• ABC Sports  the producers wish to thank
• Alberta Film Commission  the producers wish to thank
• Buena Vista Opticals  opticals (as Buena Vista Optical)
• Buena Vista Sound  sound re-recording
• CTV Television Network  the producers wish to thank
• Canadian Olympic Association  official marks: Olympic marks and symbols, in Canada
• Canadian Olympic Association  permission: Olympic marks
• Cinema Research  titles (as Cinema Research Corporation)
• Columbia Records  soundtrack (as Chaos Recordings)
• International Olympic Committee  permission: Olympic marks
• Jampro  the producers wish to thank
• Lightnin' Production Rentals  transportation equipment (uncredited)
• R.E.D. Productions  title design
• United States Olympic Committee  permission: Olympic marks (as United States Olympic Committee [36 U.S.C. 380])
• Weddington Productions  sound editorial
• William F. White International  grip and lighting equipment

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated PG for mild language and brief violence (Approval No. 32624)

Runtime:

98 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | German | Russian

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Argentina:Atp | Australia:G | Chile:TE | Finland:S | Germany:o.Al. | Netherlands:AL | Spain:T | Sweden:11 | UK:PG | USA:PG (Approval No. 32624) | Singapore:PG | Iceland:L | Peru:PT | South Korea:All | Portugal:M/6

Filming Locations:

Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Company:

Walt Disney Pictures

Trivia:

Contrary to the story in movie, the Jamaican team was met with open arms by the international Bobsledding teams. One of the other teams even went so far as to lend the Jamaican team a back-up sled so they could qualify.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: On the first day of the Olympic competition, there is a shot of flags waving in the wind. The flag of the Russian Federation is shown next to the American flag. However, in 1988, Russia was a part of the Soviet Union and would have used the Soviet Flag.

Quotes:

Yul Brenner:[prior to the final race] Hey, Dreadlocks! Let me kiss your lucky egg!

Movie Connections:

References Tarzan the Ape Man (1932)

Soundtrack:

I Can See Clearly Now

Sweet, disarming film

Hands up all Jamaicans. (There are only 2.6 million people in Jamaica - so I know you don't account for a large percentage of the English-speaking world.) Hands up all those people with any interest at all in bobsledding. Hah! I knew it! No-one.

That's why `Cool Runnings' succeeds. It depends not at all on aggressive nationalism (it couldn't afford to, with a constituency of 2.6 million), and people of all countries are free to participate in the Jamaicans' perfectly reasonable patriotism. (Probably even the Swiss, whose bobsled team comes across as more than a trifle arrogant.) Nor is there any of that worship of a particular sport that makes baseball movies so unendurable for people outside of North America, Cuba and Japan. (Not that I have any evidence that baseball movies are popular in Cuba or Japan.)

There isn't any power-of-positive-thinking psychobabble, either - at least, it doesn't dominate. The four Jamaican bobsledders are separate people with different goals and ways of thinking. The coach (played beautifully by John Candy, who proves that he can act without playing the clown) doesn't ram a particular ideology down his players' throats. I doubt that any sports film has a more civilised and reasonable coach.

It comes down to this: we are given a reason to care about the characters, unrelated to nationality; and we are given a story that's worth following, even if we would never follow the sport itself. The clichés are fewer than usual and never offensive. It's a sweet film, and I doubt there's more than a handfull of people who could resist its charm.