On Deadly Ground (1994)

Director:

Steven Seagal

Writers (WGA):

Ed Horowitz (written by) &
Robin U. Russin (written by)

Release Date:

18 February 1994 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Thriller

Tagline:

His battle to save the Alaskan wilderness and protect its people can only be won...

Plot:

Mystical martial artist/environmental agent takes on a ruthless oil corporation.

Plot Keywords:

Environment | Mercenary | Directed By Star | Alaska | Crooked Businessman

Awards:

1 win & 6 nominations

Cast

Steven Seagal	...	Forrest Taft
Michael Caine	...	Michael Jennings
Joan Chen	...	Masu
John C. McGinley	...	MacGruder
R. Lee Ermey	...	Stone
Shari Shattuck	...	Liles
Billy Bob Thornton	...	Homer Carlton
Richard Hamilton	...	Hugh Palmer
Chief Irvin Brink	...	Silook
Apanguluk Charlie Kairaiuak	...	Tunrak
Elsie Pistolhead	...	Takanapsaluk
John Trudell	...	Johnny Redfeather
Mike Starr	...	Big Mike
Sven-Ole Thorsen	...	Otto (as Swen-Ole Thorsen)
Jules Desjarlais	...	Drunken Eskimo
Moses Wassillie	...	Joseph Ittok
Nanny Kagak	...	Elak
Irvin Kershner	...	Walters
Kenji	...	Rook
Todd Beadle	...	Collins
Ivan Kane	...	Spinks
David John Cervantes	...	Stokes
David Selburg	...	Harold
Arisa Wolf	...	Makeup Girl
Carlotta Chang	...	Dream Girl
Reid Asato	...	Etok
Fumiyasu Daikyu	...	Maktak
Warren Tabata	...	Oovi
Joe Lala	...	Guard
Chic Daniel	...	Chic
Jim Farnum	...	Reporter
Conrad E. Palmisano	...	Richter
Webster Whinery	...	Independent
David Paris	...	Helicopter Pilot
Gary Farrell	...	Helicopter Pilot
Debbie Houk	...	Bar Girl
Brian Simpson	...	Mr. Bear
Peter Navy Tuiasosopo	...	Worker #1
Craig Ryan Ng	...	Worker #2
Nicole Mier	...	Little Girl #1
Summer Holmstrand	...	Little Girl #2
Billie Jo Price	...	Mother of Girl #1 / Medicine People
Patrick Gorman	...	Oil Executive
Chris Dunn	...	Oil Executive
Pía Reyes	...	Dancer
Dianna Wan	...	Dancer
Rossman Peetook	...	Dancer
Mia Suh	...	Dancer
Lisa Nardone	...	Dancer
Gabriel L. Muktoyuk	...	Dancer
Vince Pikonganna	...	Dancer
Edward Tiulana	...	Dancer
Wilfred Anowlic	...	Dancer
Victoria J. Pushruk	...	Dancer
Brenda A. Tiulana	...	Dancer
Seago Blackstar Whitewolf	...	Medicine People
Leslie Gray	...	Medicine People
Bernice Falling Leaves	...	Medicine People
Little Crow	...	Medicine People
Sonny D.M. Peralez	...	Medicine People
Edith Akpik	...	Villager
Helen Hakkila	...	Villager
Mark M. Hiratsuka	...	Villager
Mary Hiratsuka	...	Villager
Rick Jones	...	Villager
Paulette Kniseley	...	Villager
Vergie Kniseley	...	Villager
Jimmy Kniseley	...	Villager
Kathy Kratsas	...	Villager
Darren Mitvitnikoff	...	Villager
Fran Monegan	...	Villager
Emma Nelson	...	Villager
Helmer Olson	...	Villager
Simon Puskruk	...	Villager
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Bart the Bear	...	The Bear
Ericka Bryce	...	Bar Girl #3 (uncredited)
Richard Hale	...	Bruce (uncredited)
Shawn Michael Perry	...	Refinery Worker (uncredited)
Manny Twofeathers	...	Native American (uncredited)

Directed by
Steven Seagal

Writing credits (WGA)
Ed Horowitz		(written by) &
Robin U. Russin		(written by)

Produced by
Peter Burrell	....	associate producer
Robin L. D'Arcy	....	line producer
A. Kitman Ho	....	producer
Edward McDonnell	....	co-producer
Doug Metzger	....	associate producer
Julius R. Nasso	....	producer
Jeffrey Robinov	....	executive producer
Steven Seagal	....	producer
Robert Watts	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Basil Poledouris

Cinematography by
Ric Waite		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Don Brochu
Robert A. Ferretti

Casting by
Pamela Basker

Production Design by
William Ladd Skinner		(as Wm Ladd Skinner)

Art Direction by
Louis Montejano

Set Decoration by
John H. Anderson
Ronald R. Reiss

Costume Design by
Joseph G. Aulisi

Makeup Department
Shanon Ely	....	hair stylist
Jef Simons	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Peter Burrell	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
John P. Aguirre	....	second second assistant director
Sean Kavanagh	....	second assistant director
Doug Metzger	....	first assistant director
Jeff Okabayashi	....	assistant director
Glenn Randall Jr.	....	second unit director
Tracy Rosenthal-Newsom	....	first assistant director: second unit
Mark Tobey	....	second second assistant director

Art Department
Nigel A. Boucher	....	leadman
Mary Buri	....	set dresser
Charles A. Carlsen	....	propmaker
Dale DeStefani	....	foreman
Johnnie Jenkins	....	construction accountant
Charles R. Lipscomb	....	lead man
Sam Moore	....	property master
Penny Smartt-Juday	....	art department coordinator
John Sweeney	....	assistant propmaster
Sally Thornton	....	set designer
Ron Ashmore	....	lead paint foreman (uncredited)
Mark Boucher	....	set dresser (uncredited)

Sound Department
Bobbi Banks	....	adr editor
Lance Brown	....	sound editor
Rickley W. Dumm	....	assistant sound editor
Steven Gerrior	....	first assistant sound editor
Joseph Holsen	....	sound editor
Elliott Koretz	....	sound editor
Lance Laurienzo	....	assistant sound editor
John Leveque	....	supervising sound editor
Steve Mann	....	sound effects editor
Kenneth C. Mantlo	....	boom operator
Anthony Milch	....	sound editor
Jay Nierenberg	....	sound editor
Greg P. Russell	....	sound re-recording mixer
Shawn Sykora	....	supervising foley editor
Edward Tise	....	sound mixer
Tim Tuchrello	....	assistant sound editor
Robert Ulrich	....	adr editor
Marshall Winn	....	sound editor
Richard E. Yawn	....	supervising sound editor
William Jacobs	....	sound effects editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Thomas L. Fisher	....	special effects
Roy Goode	....	pyrotechnician
Andrew Miller	....	special effects foreman
Jay King	....	special effects technician (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Rocco Gioffre	....	matte artist
Adam Hill	....	modelmaker: SVSI
Dennis Michelson	....	visual effects supervisor
Liz Radley	....	video & computer graphics supervisor
Scott Schneider	....	model maker
Mark Stetson	....	miniature effects co-supervisor: Stetson Visual Services

Stunts
Kelly Akai	....	stunts
Seth Arnett	....	stunts
Bruce Paul Barbour	....	stunts
Kenny Bates	....	stunts
Ray Bickel	....	stunts
John Branagan	....	stunts
Nick Brett	....	stunts
Tony Brubaker	....	stunts
Hal Burton	....	stunts
Keith Campbell	....	stunts
Steven Chambers	....	stunts (as Steve Chambers)
Phil Chong	....	stunts
Mike Christopher	....	stunts (as Michael Christopher)
Dan Coffey	....	stunts
David Crago	....	stunts
Charles Croughwell	....	stunts (as Charlie Croughwell)
Phil Culotta	....	stunts
Binh Dang	....	stunts
Alex Desir	....	stunts
Craig Dunn	....	stunts
Kenny Endoso	....	stunts
Danny Epper	....	stunts
Donna Evans	....	stunts
George Fisher	....	stunts
Carlos Gonzales	....	stunts
Jeff Habberstad	....	stunts
Dick Hancock	....	stunts
Eddie Hice	....	stunts
Larry Holt	....	stunts
Chris Howell	....	stunts
Jeff Imada	....	stunts
Terry Jackson	....	stunts
K. Lee Johnson	....	stunts
Steve Kelso	....	stunts
Julius LeFlore	....	stunts
James Lew	....	stunts
Clint Lilley	....	stunts
Mike H. McGaughy	....	stunts (as Mike McGaughy)
Bill McIntosh	....	stunts
Gene McLaughlin	....	stunts
John Meier	....	stunts (as John C. Meier)
Tom Morga	....	stunts
Billy Morts	....	stunts (as William Morts)
Hugh Aodh O'Brien	....	stunts (as Hugh A. O'Brien)
Steven Palmer	....	stunts (as Steve Palmer)
Conrad E. Palmisano	....	stunt coordinator: added scenes
Shelly Peterson	....	stunts (as Shelly Peterson-Boyle)
Chad Randall	....	stunts
Glenn Randall Jr.	....	stunt coordinator
Craig Richards	....	stunts
Troy Robinson	....	stunts
Mic Rodgers	....	stunts
Danny Rogers	....	stunts
John Rottger	....	stunts
Michael Runyard	....	stunts
Lincoln Simonds	....	stunts
Brian Smrz	....	stunts
Gregg Smrz	....	stunts (as Greg Smrz)
Nils Allen Stewart	....	stunts
Lelagi Togisala	....	stunts (as Lelagi Senosa Togisala)
Frank Torres	....	stunts
Tim Trella	....	stunts
Greg Walker	....	stunts
Garrett Warren	....	stunts
Gary J. Wayton	....	stunts (as Gary Wayton)
R. Ruddell Weatherwax	....	stunt double
Michael Jai White	....	stunts (as Michael White)
Mickey White	....	stunts (as Michael White)
Jim Wilkey	....	stunts
Danny Wynands	....	stunts
Merritt Yohnka	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Robert Reed Altman	....	assistant camera
Audie Aragon	....	dolly grip
Carl Boles	....	gaffer
Mike Bonnaud	....	assistant chief lighting technician
Richard Brooks Burton	....	aerial first assistant camera
David Emmerichs	....	steadicam operator
Christopher Goss	....	assistant camera
Kurt E. Soderling	....	assistant camera
Kurt E. Soderling	....	camera operator: second unit
Michael T. Travers	....	best boy grip
Andy Young	....	grip

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Cathy Smith	....	special costume design

Editorial Department
Gordon Antell	....	assistant film editor
Dawn M. Gerrior	....	assistant editor
Stefanie Wiseman	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Tim Boyle	....	score mixer
Budd Carr	....	music supervisor
J.J. George	....	assistant music editor
Greig McRitchie	....	orchestrator
Basil Poledouris	....	conductor
Lolita Ritmanis	....	orchestrator
Curtis Roush	....	music editor

Transportation Department
Steve Boyd	....	transportation coordinator: second unit
Maxwell R. Johnson II	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Jeff Dash	....	payroll accountant
Howard Fannon	....	assistant propmaster: weapons
Jay K. Fishburn	....	head wrangler
Kurt Greufe	....	assistant accountant
Dow Griffith	....	location manager
David 'Cajun' Guilbeau	....	craft service
Maureen Higgins	....	assistant accountant
Larry Jolly	....	miniature helicopter pilot
J. David Jones	....	helicopter pilot
Harry Lu	....	armorer
John Monsour	....	24 frame computer supervising engineer
Robin Mounsey	....	wilderness location specialist
Heather Murphy	....	production coordinator: Washington
David Paris	....	aviation coordinator
Libby Riddles	....	coordinator: dog team logistics
Juan Ros	....	production assistant
Judi Rosner	....	production coordinator
Jewels Satterfield	....	set key production assistant
Larry Schmidt	....	helicopter pilot
Doug Seus	....	bear owner
Doug Seus	....	bear trainer
Laura Sode-Matteson	....	location manager
Brian Wescott	....	technical advisor
Bill Daly	....	post-production accountant (uncredited)
Tom Lent	....	adr voice (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Seagal/Nasso Productions
• Warner Bros. Pictures

Distributors

• Warner Bros. Pictures (1993) (USA) (theatrical)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1996) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Argentina Video Home (Argentina) (VHS)
• Gemini Film (1994) (Czech Republic) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. Pictures (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Bros. (Argentina)
• Warner Bros. (Spain)
• Warner Home Video (1994) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)

Other Companies

• Animal Makers  prosthetic animals
• Varèse Sarabande  soundtrack

Also Known As:

Rainbow Warrior (USA) (working title)
Spirit Warrior (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

102 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Inuktitut

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Philippines:R-18 | Iceland:16 | Netherlands:12 | Argentina:13 | Australia:MA | Finland:K-18 | France:-12 | Germany:18 | Singapore:M18 | South Korea:15 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 (cut) | USA:R | Norway:18 (video premiere) (1994) | Norway:(Banned) (1994-2003) (cinema release)

Filming Locations:

Fletcher Oil Refinery - 24721 Main Street, Carson, California, USA

Company:

Seagal/Nasso Productions

Trivia:

Anthony Hopkins and Alan Rickman were other actors who were wanted for the role of Michael Jennings before Michael Caine stepped in.

Goofs:

Boom mic visible: When Seagal hurls a villain through a pane of glass, a microphone and its operator are very visible to the left of the shot.

Quotes:

Forrest Taft: Whoa! My long lost friend Michael!
Michael Jennings: [referring to Masu] Who's this? Is this the slope bitch you've been banging?
Forrest Taft: Nah. Not her.
Michael Jennings: Is this the one who's got you all concerned about the dirty snow? Jesus, Forrest! You and me, we bought hookers better than this for five bucks in Bangkok!

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in "South Park: Over Logging (#12.6)" (2008)

Soundtrack:

HARD WORKIN' MAN

Nice to see an action movie with a new locale and a few new angles, but a shame that on the whole the film is pretty inept.

What drew me to On Deadly Ground was that it had a few new ideas in its locker that I hadn't come across in many other action movies. The setting was Alaska, which sounded intriguing. The action was backed up by an environmental message, which also sounded intriguing. The hero was played by a wooden martial arts "actor", while the villain was played by a prolific, Oscar-winning superstar, which sounded like an irresistible pairing (just for the novelty value of seeing them on screen together). Add to that the fact that the music was by Basil Poledouris (whose scores for Conan the Barbarian and The Hunt For Red October are all-time great pieces of film music). On Deadly Ground seemed to have the promise and the potential to be something pretty interesting. Alas, the film fulfils very little of its potential. It's a particularly inept action flick.

Troubleshooter Forrest Taft (Steven Seagal) works for an oil company in Alaska fronted by the unpleasant Michael Jennings (Michael Caine, not in his worst ever film but certainly providing his worst ever performance). Taft gradually begins to realize that the company he works for is responsible for appalling environmental damage, but he can't get them to approach their business with a more environmentally-friendly outlook.... so he does the next best thing - he kicks some butt! Taft goes on a worthy crusade against his callous, single-minded bosses. Hired mercenaries are brought in to stop him, but Taft either evades or kills them in the Alaskan wilderness, and ruthlessly closes in on Jennings.

Seagal made a major mistake in directing the film himself. He lacks fluency as a director and has little grasp of how to link scenes correctly. Nor does he seem capable of coaxing decent performances from his surprisingly good cast. The film stumbles with near-random carelessness from one badly-acted scene to the next, diverting occasionally for the odd expensive-but-totally-soulless set piece. There are flashes of pretty cinematography, and in parts the action is crisply and competently choreographed, but generally the film is a disappointment. After the roasting that it received, Seagal's box office appeal took a permanent dip and Michael Caine stopped prostituting his talents in every film that was offered to him and actually started looking for scripts worthy of his ability.