The Meteor Man (1993)

Director:

Robert Townsend

Writer (WGA):

Robert Townsend (written by)

Release Date:

6 August 1993 (USA)

Genre:

Fantasy | Sci-Fi | Comedy

Tagline:

He's coming to save the world, one neighborhood at a time.

Plot:

A high school teacher from a troubled inner city Washington D.C. neighborhood becomes a super-powered hero and takes on the gang that has been terrorizing his streets.

Plot Keywords:

Drugs | Spoof | Gang Violence | Written And Directed By Cast Member | Telekinesis

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Robert Townsend	...	Jefferson Reed
Marla Gibbs	...	Mrs. Reed, Jeff's Mother
Eddie Griffin	...	Michael
Robert Guillaume	...	Ted Reed, Jeff's Father
James Earl Jones	...	Earnest Moses
Roy Fegan	...	Simon, Golden Lord Chief
Cynthia Belgrave	...	Mrs. Harris
Marilyn Coleman	...	Mrs. Walker, Reed's Landlady
Don Cheadle	...	Goldilocks
Bobby McGee	...	Uzi, Golden Lord Gunman
Bill Cosby	...	Marvin
Big Daddy Kane	...	Pirate
Frank Gorshin	...	Byers the Mobster
Sinbad	...	Malik, Stacy's Boyfriend
Nancy Wilson	...	Mrs. Laws the Principal
Luther Vandross	...	Jamison
Romelle 'Ro Ro' Chapman	...	Jr. Lords
Demetrius 'Red' Pugh	...	Jr. Lords
Marliss Pugh	...	Jr. Lords (as Marliss 'Mark' Pugh)
Christopher Sellers	...	Jr. Lords
David 'Lil Dave' Shelton	...	Jr. Lords
Adrian 'G.A.' Witcher	...	Jr. Lords
Tommy 'Tiny' Lister	...	Digit (as Tiny Lister)
Jenifer Lewis	...	Mrs. Williams, Lewis' Mother
Stephanie Williams	...	Stacy a Teacher
Vin Rock	...	Bloods (as Vinnie)
Anthony 'Treach' Criss	...	Bloods (as Treach)
DJ Kay Gee	...	Bloods (as Kaygee)
B-Real	...	Crips
Larry Muggerud	...	Crips
Senen Reyes	...	Crips
Beverly Johnson	...	Woman Doctor
LaWanda Page	...	Old Nurse
Lela Rochon	...	Vanessa the Pretty Nurse
Wallace Shawn	...	Mr. Little
John Witherspoon	...	Clarence James Carter III
Charlayne Woodard	...	Janice Farrell, Ch. 3 News
Tommy Redmond Hicks	...	Officer Patterson (as Tommy R. Hicks)
Asia Dosreis	...	Squirrel, Golden Lord Tryout
Sam Jackson	...	Dre
Barbara Montgomery	...	Dre's Mother
Turean Butler	...	Baby Lords
Reginald Davis	...	Baby Lords
Raynard Holman	...	Baby Lords
Darren Overton	...	Baby Lords
Bryan Young	...	Baby Lords
Jason Young	...	Baby Lords
George S. Allen III	...	Man
Janice Garcia	...	Screaming Woman in Underware
Deborah Lacey	...	T.V. Housewife
Faizon Love	...	Maurice, Screaming Woman's Husband
Stu Gilliam	...	Dr. Jones the Head Physician
Gregory Littman	...	Doctor #1 (as Greg Littman)
Angela Robinson-Witherspoon	...	Nurse (as Angela Robinson)
Joel Weiss	...	Orderly
Larry A. Wiggs II	...	Larry the Karate Kid
Shirley Jenkins	...	Bystander #1
Don Reed	...	Drug Worker #2
Clayton LeBouef	...	Junkie
Dierk Torsek	...	T.V. Newscaster
Another Bad Creation	...	Themselves
Naughty By Nature	...	Themselves
Cypress Hill	...	Themselves
Biz Markie	...	Himself
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jerome Ro Brooks	...	Crip - Gang Member (uncredited)
Mark Norris	...	Cop (uncredited)
William Shipman	...	Gangster (uncredited)
Lester Speight	...	Gang Member (uncredited)
Chris Tucker	...	MC in Mall (uncredited)

Directed by
Robert Townsend

Writing credits (WGA)
Robert Townsend		(written by)

Produced by
Christopher Homes	....	producer
Loretha C. Jones	....	producer
Robert Townsend	....	producer

Original Music by
Cliff Eidelman

Cinematography by
John A. Alonzo

Film Editing by
Adam Bernardi
Richard Candib
Robaire W. Estel
Andrew London
Pam Wise

Casting by
Chemin Sylvia Bernard
Eileen Mack Knight

Production Design by
Toby Corbett

Art Direction by
Greg Papalia		(supervising art director)

Set Decoration by
Kathryn Peters

Costume Design by
Ruth E. Carter

Makeup Department
Sheila Evers	....	makeup artist
Frank Fontaine	....	hair stylist
Tony Gardner	....	special makeup effects artist
Edna Sheen	....	key makeup artist (as Edna Mae Sheen)
Ronald W. Smith	....	hair stylist
Laini Thompson	....	makeup department head

Production Management
Patricia Whitcher	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Rodney Allen Hooks	....	second assistant director
William Jennings	....	second assistant director
Joseph Ray	....	first assistant director
Christopher Swartout	....	second assistant director
Richard A. Wells	....	first assistant director
Diana E. Williams	....	dgc trainee

Art Department
Kathleen Ash	....	production art department coordinator
Byron Blair	....	construction coordinator
Will Blount	....	property master
Glenn M. Carrere	....	lead man
Monica Castro	....	assistant property master (as Monica Ragan)
Ron Churchman	....	stand-by propmaker
F. Dale Davis	....	set dresser
Michael Davis	....	construction coordinator
Jennifer Dawson	....	props
Edward Eyth	....	storyboard artist
Stephanie J. Gordon	....	set designer
Robert R. Graham	....	propmaker
Randy G. Herbert	....	carpenter
Jay Klein	....	lead man: Baltimore
Owen Randolph Lee	....	assistant art director
Ted Lubonovich II	....	propmaker
William J. Newmon II	....	set designer
Michael Sabo	....	set dresser
Mark Siegel	....	action property performer
Mark Siegel	....	sculptor
Thomas Turnbull	....	carpenter
John 'Skip' Weaver	....	assistant property master
Silvija L. Moess	....	scenic artist (uncredited)
Richard Salinas	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Keith Weaver	....	charge scenic (uncredited)

Sound Department
Sandina Bailo-Lape	....	foley editor
Sara Bolder	....	dialogue editor
Dan Engstrom	....	assistant sound effects editor
Frank E. Eulner	....	sound editor
Andre Fenley	....	apprentice sound editor
Ken Fischer	....	sound editor
J.R. Grubbs	....	assistant sound effects editor
Tim Holland	....	supervising sound editor
Richard Hymns	....	supervising sound editor
Tom Johnson	....	sound re-recording mixer
Dennis Leonard	....	sound re-recording mixer
Marilyn McCoppen	....	adr editor
Marnie Moore	....	foley artist
Tom Myers	....	assistant sound designer
Tom Myers	....	foley recordist
Susan Popovic	....	assistant foley editor
Gary Rydstrom	....	sound designer
Gary Rydstrom	....	sound re-recording mixer
Douglas Shamburger	....	boom operator
Michael Silvers	....	dialogue editor
Dennie Thorpe	....	foley artist
Pam Uzzell	....	assistant dialogue editor
Maia Veres	....	assistant dialogue editor
Hugh Waddell	....	adr editor
Mark Weingarten	....	production sound mixer
James Allen	....	sound re-recordist (uncredited)
Ronald G. Roumas	....	sound re-recordist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
William Aldridge	....	special effects assistant
James Camomile	....	special effects gangboss (as James D. Camomile)
M. Ginanne Carpenter	....	assistant to special effects coordinator
Al Di Sarro	....	physical special effects
Robert Finley Jr.	....	special effects
David Heron	....	special effects
Michael Meinardus	....	special effects assistant (as Mike Meinardus)
Joe D. Ramsey	....	special effects foreman
Larry M. Shorts	....	electronics specialist
Bruce Sundstrom	....	special effects assistant
Scott Thompson	....	electronics foreman (as Scott M. Thompson)

Visual Effects by
Jon Alexander	....	optical camera operator
Mark Anderson	....	model maker
Leslie Arvio	....	rotoscope artist
Randall K. Bean	....	scanning operator
Timothy Björklund	....	digital effects animator (as Tim Berglund)
Patricia Blau	....	executive in charge of production
Jean Bolte	....	model maker
Scott Bonnenfant	....	assistant effects animator
Barbara Brennan	....	digital effects artist
Marty Brenneis	....	camera engineer: ILM
Jill Brooks	....	post-production coordinator: ILM
Colin Campbell	....	effects camera operator
Colin Campbell	....	effects camera
Dave Carson	....	digital effects artist
Camille Cellucci	....	visual effects coordinator
Lanny Cermak	....	camera engineer: ILM
Kristen D. Chidel	....	production support engineer: ILM (as Kristen Niederholzer)
Donald Clark	....	optical camera operator
Charlie Clavadetscher	....	effects camera supervisor
Susan Adele Colletta	....	post-production coordinator: ILM (as Susan Colletta-Busalacchi)
Michael Conte	....	computer graphics technical assistant: ILM
Robert Cooper	....	action property performer (as Bob Cooper)
Gail Currey	....	computer graphics production manager (as Gail Curry)
Peter Daulton	....	visual effects cameraman
Jeff Doran	....	optical camera operator
Dick Dova	....	stage technician (as Richard Dova)
Lisa Drostova	....	rotoscope artist
John Ellis	....	optical photography supervisor
Mike Ellis	....	optical processing
Vicki L. Engel	....	visual effects
Rachel Falk	....	digital effects artist
Bob Fernley	....	optical camera operator
Bob Finley III	....	chief stage technician (as Robert Finley III)
Ron Fode	....	editorial assistant
Joe Fulmer	....	chief stage technician (as Joseph Fulmer)
George Gambetta	....	scanning operator
Tim Geideman	....	optical processing
Chris Goehe	....	model maker
Ned Gorman	....	visual effects producer
Tim Guyer	....	assistant effects animator
Joanne Hafner	....	rotoscope artist
James Hagedorn	....	effects camera operator (as Jim Hagedorn)
Margot Hale	....	rotoscope artist
Geoff Heron	....	stage technician
Robert Hill	....	camera assistant
Edward Hirsh	....	stage manager (as Ed Hirsh)
Diane Holland	....	animation coordinator
Sandy Houston	....	rotoscoper
Wade Howie	....	digital effects artist
Peg Hunter	....	optical line-up: ILM
Tom L. Hutchinson	....	CG animator (as Thomas L. Hutchinson)
Erik Jensen	....	model maker
Keith Johnson	....	optical camera operator
Sandra Ford Karpman	....	wire removal artist
Paula Karsh	....	production support engineer: ILM
Pam Kaye	....	production support engineer: ILM (as Pamela Kaye)
Susan Kelly-Andrews	....	production support engineer: ILM (as Susan Kelly)
Ken Koblenzer	....	camera assistant
Jennifer Lee	....	optical line up: ILM
Joe Letteri	....	CG animator
Jeffrey B. Light	....	digital effects artist
James Lim	....	optical camera operator
Greg Maloney	....	digital effects artist
Jim May	....	visual effects assistant editor (as James May)
Michael McGovern	....	visual effects editor
Dan Michalske	....	stage technician
Carl Miller	....	camera assistant
Richard Miller	....	model maker
Craig Mohagen	....	stage technician
Terry Molatore	....	rotoscope artist
Jack Mongovan	....	rotoscope supervisor
Tim Morgan	....	stage technician
Jim Morris	....	general manager: ILM
Ellen Mueller	....	rotoscope artist
Claudia Mullaly	....	visual effects art director
Shawn Murday	....	assistant effects animator
Bruce Nicholson	....	visual effects supervisor
Kate O'Neill	....	camera assistant
Michael Olague	....	stage technician
Joe Pasquale	....	digital artist
Joshua Pines	....	film scanning supervisor
Chuck Ray	....	stage technician (as Charles Ray)
Christopher Reed	....	model maker (as Chris Reed)
Martin Rosenberg	....	key effects cameraman
Thomas Rosseter	....	optical line-up: ILM
Alex Seiden	....	CG supervisor
Mark Siegel	....	action property performer
Debbie Smith	....	rotoscope artist (as Debra Bainum)
Kenneth Smith	....	optical camera operator
Kim Smith	....	model maker
Thomas J. Smith	....	digital effects artist
Douglas Smythe	....	CG animator (as Doug Smythe)
Anthony Stacchi	....	digital effects animator (as Anthony F. Stacchi)
Duncan Sutherland	....	camera engineer: ILM
Wes Takahashi	....	animation supervisor (as Wes Ford Takahashi)
Larry Tan	....	model shop project supervisor
David Tanaka	....	editorial assistant
Kristen Trattner	....	optical line-up: ILM
Lisa Vaughn	....	post-production coordinator: ILM
Bruce Vecchitto	....	optical photography supervisor
Harry Walton	....	stop motion animator
Robert Weaver	....	digital artist
John Whisnant	....	optical line-up: ILM
Jaison Duell Wilson	....	production support engineer: ILM
Debra Wolff	....	optical line-up: ILM
Penny Yrigoyen	....	rotoscope artist
Wendy Bonn	....	visual effects apprentice (uncredited)

Stunts
John Cenatiempo	....	stunts
Eric Chambers	....	stunt performer
Chuck Jeffreys	....	stunts
Jalil Jay Lynch	....	stunts
Gregg Smrz	....	stunts
Jeff Ward	....	stunt coordinator
Eddie L. Watkins	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Antar Abderrahman Jr.	....	electrician (as Antar Abderrahman)
Edwin A. Ambrose Sr.	....	electrician
Don Aros	....	electrician (as Donny Aros)
Gary A. Beaird	....	best boy grip
Gary C. Beaird	....	key grip
Luis G. Benavides	....	grip (as Luis Benavides)
Anthony Lee Beverly	....	grip (as Anthony Beverly)
George M. Chappell	....	electrician
Alan Colbert	....	electrician
Scott Crabbe	....	video playback operator
Sherman Fulton	....	electrician
Van Johnson	....	electrician
Dan Kerns	....	electrician
Richard H. Kryder	....	electrician (as Richard Kryder)
Reginald F. Lake	....	chief lighting technician
Tom Lamont	....	grip
Elliott Marks	....	still photographer
Jeff Murrell	....	electrician
Robert Neville	....	best boy electric
Arnaud Peiny	....	grip
Jeffrey A. Sklar	....	second assistant camera
Gregory W. Smith	....	first assistant camera (as Gregory West Smith)
Keith L. Smith	....	camera loader
Jorge Sánchez	....	clapper loader
Rick Tiedeman	....	Steadicam operator
Richard Turner	....	camera operator
Pernell Youngblood Tyus	....	camera operator (as Pernell Tyus)
David Bruce Walker	....	grip
William M. Weberg	....	grip

Casting Department
Jill Anthony	....	casting assistant
Chemin Sylvia Bernard	....	casting consultant
Gabrielle Franchot	....	casting consultant
Barbara Harris	....	adr voice casting
Sharon D. King	....	casting associate
Andria Mack	....	casting assistant
Sheila W. Moore	....	extras casting
Nicole Roberts	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Dana Lynn Ching	....	assistant to costume designer
Stephanie Colin	....	set costumer
Maritza Garcia-Roddy	....	costume supervisor (as Maritza L. Garcia)
Randy Gardell	....	specialty costume keyperson
Gwenn Hall	....	costumer
Norma Johnson	....	key costumer
Robert Mata	....	set costumer
Reggie Rizzo	....	hero costume
Dana Van Putten	....	costumer
Dana R. Woods	....	assistant costume designer
Donna Beltran	....	costumer (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Gary Burritt	....	negative cutter
Cynthia Harris	....	apprentice editor
Uri Katoni	....	first assistant editor
Alex Olivares	....	first assistant editor
Louis Rivera	....	negative cutter
Saul Saladow	....	first assistant editor
Christy Richmond	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Sharal Churchill	....	music supervisor
George Doering	....	musician
Robin Eidelman	....	music editor
Virginia S. Ellsworth	....	music editor
Stefan Gordy	....	composer: song "Who Can?"
Sharon Heyward	....	music supervisor
William Ross	....	orchestrator
David Slusser	....	music editor
Jacqueline Tager	....	music editor
James Thatcher	....	musician: french horn

Transportation Department
Charles E. Bauer	....	driver
Vashti Desire	....	transportation co-captain
Ellen Gannon	....	picture car coordinator
Gerald 'Jerry' W. Henry	....	transportation captain (as Gerald W. Henry)
Michael Luckeroth	....	driver
Michael McDuffee	....	transportation coordinator (as Mike McDuffee)
Douglas A. Walk	....	driver
Russ Tolliver	....	transportation co-captain (uncredited)

Other crew
Quami Dushon Adams	....	set production assistant
Michele Barnwell	....	executive assistant: Mr. Townsend
Leonard Butler	....	set production assistant
Bundy Chanock	....	set medic
Maxie Collier	....	office production assistant
Bruce Comtois	....	head of security
Cleo Conder-Smith	....	executive assistant: Ms. Jones
Jeff Coopwood	....	adr voice
Samuel Thornton Daniels Jr.	....	assistant location manager
Robert Dawson	....	title designer
Archy Dolder	....	assistant location manager: Los Angeles
Gerrit V. Folsom	....	location manager
Angela Gibbs	....	set production assistant
Howard Gibson	....	set production assistant (as Howard R. Gibson)
Sydney Gilner	....	script supervisor
Carroll C. Grant III	....	office production assistant
Jonathan Harris	....	set production assistant
Lois C. Jackson	....	production secretary
Karen R. Jones	....	unit publicist
Charlie Jordan	....	executive assistant: Mr. Townsend
Charlie Jordan	....	set production assistant
Christopher Kelley	....	production assistant (as Christopher Kelley Snow)
Christopher Kelley	....	production assistant (as D. Christopher Johnson III)
Brian McMillan	....	head animal trainer
Babatunde Myers-Rami	....	set production assistant
Gay P. Pinder	....	production secretary
Samantha Potts	....	set production assistant
Frank Quesada	....	set production assistant
Jewels Satterfield	....	production assistant
Mark Siegel	....	creature maker
Mark Siegel	....	puppeteer
Elizabeth A. Smith	....	production secretary
Warren Washington	....	office production assistant
Earl West	....	co-location manager
Darryl Wharton	....	set production assistant
Rachael Williams	....	set production assistant
Leona Willis	....	set production assistant
Pamella D'Pella	....	location scout (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)
• Tinsel Townsend

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1993) (USA) (theatrical)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (1994) (USA) (VHS)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1997) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Warner Home Video (1994) (Finland) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Industrial Light & Magic (ILM)

Other Companies

• Atlantic Cine Equipment  Kenworthy snorkel camera and remote heads
• Central Casting  extras casting
• Motown Records  soundtrack
• Pacific Studios Inc.  chromatrans background
• Pacific Title  opticals
• Paskal Lighting  lighting equipment
• Skywalker Sound  post-production sound services

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated PG on appeal for children caught up in perils of an urban environment

Runtime:

100 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Germany:12 | UK:PG (cut) | USA:PG-13 (original rating) | USA:PG | USA:PG (re-rating after appeal) | Canada:PG | Canada:G (Quebec) | Singapore:PG | Iceland:12 | Iceland:L (video rating) | Finland:K-12

Filming Locations:

Baltimore, Maryland, USA

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

The community the film takes place in is called Castle Hills

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Jeff is fighting Simon the character Goldilocks can be seen goofing around, as if he's coming out of his character.

Quotes:

Byers the Mobster:What? WHAAAAAT?

Movie Connections:

References Bad (1987) (V)

Soundtrack:

GOTTA KNOW (YOUR NAME)

Seriously silly fun.

I think the previous commentor missed the point of the movie. This movie is intended to be silly fun, not a serious superhero movie. Granted, Townsend's comedy is not always ROFLMBAO hilarious, but the movie has a good message about coming together to fight evil and the showdown at the end, where both antagonists use the powers gained from various books to fight each other, almost makes the movie worth the price of admission. Its a "I've got nothing better to do and some time to kill" matinee movie, but still worth watching once.