Metro (1997)

User Rating:

5.2/10   

Director:

Thomas Carter

Writer (WGA):

Randy Feldman (written by)

Release Date:

17 January 1997 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Comedy | Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

San Francisco's top police hostage negotiator is about to get more than he ever bargained for.

Plot:

Roper, a hostage negotiator catches a murderous bank robber after a blown heist. The bank robber escapes...

Plot Keywords:

Hostage | Chase | Revenge | Police Officer | Police

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Eddie Murphy	...	Insp. Scott Roper
Kim Miyori	...	Detective Kimura
Art Evans	...	Lt. Sam Baffett
James Carpenter	...	Officer Forbes
Michael Rapaport	...	Kevin McCall
Donal Logue	...	Earl
Jeni Chua	...	Debbie, Earl's Hostage
Dick Bright	...	Bank Manager
David Michael Silverman	...	SWAT Officer Jennings
Denis Arndt	...	Capt. Frank Solis
Frank Sommerville	...	Reporter
Malou Nubla	...	Reporter
Carmen Ejogo	...	Veronica 'Ronnie' Tate
Nino Degennaro	...	Repoman
Michael Wincott	...	Michael Korda
Val Diamond	...	Screaming Lady
Charleston Pierce	...	Greg Barnett
Paul Ben-Victor	...	Clarence Teal
Will Marchetti	...	Detective Glass
Trevor Denman	...	Racetrack Announcer (voice)
Joe Vincent	...	SWAT Captain
Corie Henninger	...	Jewelry Salesgirl #1
Nellie Cravens	...	Jewelry Customer Dotson
Danny Teal	...	John, Jewelry Manager
Karen Kahn	...	Jewelry Salesgirl #2
Jeff Mosley	...	Cable Car Brakeman
Ralph Peduto	...	Bail Bondsman Hawkins
James Cunningham	...	Postrio Waiter
C.W. Morgan	...	Jail Laundry Room Guard
Nick Scoggin	...	Property Room Sergeant Frank
Ia Villatuya	...	Tahitian Waitress (as Marie Villatuya)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Richard Conti	...	Internal Affairs (uncredited)
Brian Danker	...	S.F.P.D. officer (uncredited)
Mario Lara	...	Gambler (uncredited)
Terriel Lara	...	Gambler (uncredited)

Directed by
Thomas Carter

Writing credits (WGA)
Randy Feldman		(written by)

Produced by
Roger Birnbaum	....	producer
Riley Kathryn Ellis	....	executive producer
Randy Feldman	....	co-producer
Mark Lipsky	....	executive producer
Ray Murphy Jr.	....	co-producer
George W. Perkins	....	co-producer
Michael Waxman	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Steve Porcaro

Cinematography by
Fred Murphy		(director of photography)

Casting by
Ellen Chenoweth

Production Design by
William A. Elliott		(as William Elliott)

Art Direction by
Greg Papalia

Set Decoration by
Jerie Kelter
Darren Jon Taylor		(uncredited)

Costume Design by
Ha Nguyen

Makeup Department
Gracie Atherton	....	makeup artist: cable car stunt unit
Donna Dunlop	....	hair stylist
John E. Jackson	....	prosthetic makeup artist
Pauletta O. Lewis	....	key hair stylist (as Pauletta Lewis)
Matthew W. Mungle	....	prosthetic makeup artist
Wynona Price	....	key makeup artist (as Wynona Y. Price)
Leland Sharp	....	hair stylist: Mr. Murphy
Jenny-King Turko	....	makeup artist (as Jennie-King Turko)
Toy Van Lierop	....	makeup artist: Mr. Murphy (as Toy Russell Van-Lierop)

Production Management
Nancy Giebink	....	unit production manager (as Nancy B. Giebink)
Jack L. Murray	....	production supervisor: cable car stunt unit
Pat Rand	....	post-production manager: Caravan Pictures

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Albert Cho	....	first assistant director: cable car stunt unit
Joan Cunningham	....	second assistant director: cable car stunt unit
Christina Fong	....	second second assistant director: cable car stunt unit
Mickey Gilbert	....	second unit director
Julie Herrin	....	second assistant director
Jonathan McGarry	....	second second assistant director (as Jonathan S. McGarry)
Michael Waxman	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Emilio R. Aramendia	....	set dresser (as Emilio Armendia)
Kristin Argue	....	drapery
William Beck	....	set designer (as William R. Beck)
Wayne Billheimer	....	art department production assistant
Chris Buchinsky	....	storyboard artist
James F. Claytor Sr.	....	set designer (as James Claytor)
Richard W. Clot	....	construction coordinator
Robbie Clot	....	construction foreman (as Robert P. Clot)
Gail Dannenberger	....	property master: cable car stunt unit
Fon Davis	....	set carpenter
Joanne Desmond	....	construction liason
Stephen J. Gardner	....	property master (as Steve Gardner)
Marisol Jiménez	....	art department coordinator
Kevin Ladson	....	key property master (as Kevin C. Ladson)
John Lister	....	leadman: cable car stunt unit (as John H. Lister)
Robert Lucas	....	leadman (as Bob Lucas)
George F. Mauricio	....	property assistant
Ray Mondoux	....	assistant construction coordinator (as Raymond E. Mondoux)
Barbara Munch	....	set decorator: cable car stunt unit
Enrico Paronelli	....	construction scenic artist
Robert L. Peden	....	scenic artist
Jim Poynter	....	leadman (as James Poynter)
David Russell	....	storyboard artist (as David B. Russell)
Ken Sly	....	property maker
Dawn Snyder	....	assistant art director
Dawn Swiderski	....	set designer
Teresa Visinare	....	assistant set decorator
J. Michael Davis	....	set dresser (uncredited)

Sound Department
James Ashwill	....	foley mixer
Jeanette Browning	....	sound recordist
Willie D. Burton	....	sound mixer (as Willie Burton)
Rick Canelli	....	adr recordist
John T. Cucci	....	foley artist (as John Cucci)
Teri E. Dorman	....	sound editor (as Teri Dorman)
Juno J. Ellis	....	supervising adr editor
Marva Fucci	....	assistant sound editor
Matthew Harrison	....	foley editor
Denise Horta	....	adr editor
Chris Ingram	....	assistant sound editor
Stephen Janisz	....	adr editor
Suhail Kafity	....	sound editor
Marvin E. Lewis	....	boom operator
Linda Lew	....	foley recordist
James Likowski	....	foley editor
Larry Mann	....	sound editor
Victoria Martin	....	supervising foley editor
Michael Meier	....	cable person (as Michael E. Meier)
Mel Metcalfe	....	sound re-recording mixer
F. Hudson Miller	....	sound editor
Judy Nord	....	pdl
Dan O'Connell	....	foley artist
Thomas J. O'Connell	....	adr mixer
Maggie Ostroff	....	assistant sound editor
R.J. Palmer	....	sound editor
Jerry Pirozzi	....	assistant sound editor
Terry Porter	....	sound re-recording mixer
Greg Thompson	....	assistant sound editor
George Watters II	....	supervising sound editor
Gary Wright	....	sound editor
Dean A. Zupancic	....	sound re-recording mixer

Special Effects by
Lawrence J. Cavanaugh	....	special effects coordinator (as Larry Cavanaugh)
David Fletcher	....	special effects foreman
David Heron	....	special effects crew foreman (as Dave Herron)
David Mesloh	....	special effects technician
Henry Millar	....	special effects foreman
Mike Reedy	....	special effects supervisor
R. Bruce Steinheimer	....	special effects assistant coordinator

Stunts
Kevin Bailey	....	stunts
LaFaye Baker	....	stunts
Christine Anne Baur	....	stunts
Simone Boisseree	....	stunts
Robin Lynn Bonaccorsi	....	stunts (as Robin Bonaccorsi)
Bob Brown	....	stunts
Brian Burrows	....	stunts
Rocky Capella	....	stunts
Paul Crawford	....	stunts
Judie David	....	stunts
Lisa Dempsey	....	stunts
Jeannie Epper	....	stunts
Jon H. Epstein	....	stunts
Joe Finnegan	....	stunts
Lance Gilbert	....	stunts
Mickey Gilbert	....	stunt coordinator
Troy Gilbert	....	stunts
Al Goto	....	stunts
Bo Greigh	....	stunts
Rosine 'Ace' Hatem	....	stunts
Bob Herron	....	stunts
Chuck 'Chaz' Hosack	....	stunts
Cynthia D. Kelley	....	stunts
Brad Lackey	....	stunts
Shawn Lane	....	stunt camera operator
Kevin Larson	....	stunts
Will Leong	....	stunts
Irving E. Lewis	....	stunts
Courtney Loo	....	stunts
Mike Martinez	....	stunts
Tim Meredith	....	stunts
Jeff Mosley	....	stunts
Meghan O'Dea	....	stunts
Debi Parker	....	stunts
Sherry Peterson	....	stunts
Gary Price	....	stunts
Rex Reddick	....	stunts
Roger E. Reid	....	stunts
David D. Renaud	....	stunts (as Dave Renaud)
Mario Roberts	....	stunts
Sharon Schaffer	....	stunts
Gary Toy	....	stunts
Michael S. Walter	....	stunt double: Paul Ben Victor
Michael S. Walter	....	stunts
April Weeden-Washington	....	stunts (as April Weeden)
John Westernoff	....	precision driver
Danny Wynands	....	stunts
Glen Yrigoyen	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Craig Asato	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera
Steve Bellen	....	film loader
Tim Bellen	....	Steadicam operator
Tim Bellen	....	camera operator
Marty Brenneis	....	video playback operator
Richard Brooks Burton	....	gyrosphere technician: aerial unit
Gregory M. Childers	....	key grip: San Francisco
Tom Cloutier	....	best boy: San Francisco
Thomas Crawford	....	best boy grip
Louie DeMarco	....	second assistant camera
Jonathan Doff	....	video assist operator: cable car stunt unit
Lynetta Freeman	....	second assistant camera
Kirk R. Gardner	....	Steadicam operator (as Kirk Gardner)
Martin Glover	....	video assist operator
Dylan Goss	....	aerial camera operator (as Dylan M. Gross)
Jeffrey Greeley	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera (as Jeffrey P. Greeley)
Sheila Greene	....	electrician
Frank Helbig	....	electrician
Don L. Henderson	....	dolly grip
Philip Ho	....	best boy: San Francisco
Rod M. Janusch	....	rigging key grip
Kenny King	....	key grip: cable car stunt unit
Richard Mall	....	key grip
Kim Marks	....	camera operator: "a" camera
Bruce McBroom	....	still photographer
Gary McClendon	....	gaffer: San Francisco
Don McCuaig	....	director of photography: cable car stunt unit (as Donald McCuaig)
Dan Michalske	....	grip (as Daniel J. Michalske)
Mark Nakahara	....	electrician
Dayton Nietert	....	key gaffer
Orlando Orona	....	grip (as Orlando J. Orona)
Bobby Powell	....	rigging gaffer
Medel Ramos	....	rigging best boy
John A. Small	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera (as John Small)
Chris Squires	....	camera operator: "a" camera
Victor Svimonoff	....	best boy electric (as Vic Svimonoff)
John Waldo	....	assistant camera
Johnny Walker	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera (as John M. Walker)
Michael Whitehurst	....	rigging best boy
Darren Jon Taylor	....	electrician (uncredited)

Casting Department
Brennan Dufresne	....	casting assistant: Los Angeles
Gail Goldberg	....	casting associate: Los Angeles
Barbara Harris	....	voice casting
Nina Henninger	....	casting: San Francisco
Cindy Stahl	....	casting assistant: San Francisco
Barbie Stein	....	casting: San Francisco

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Michael Becker	....	set costumer (as Mick Becker)
Fetteroff Colen	....	costumer: Mr. Murphy
Kimberly Guenther	....	costume supervisor
Christopher J. Kristoff	....	assistant costume designer
Christopher J. Kristoff	....	set costumer (as Chris Kristoff)
Molly Mitchell	....	set costumer
Nancy Rhodes	....	key costumer: cable car stunt unit
Mary Elizabeth Still	....	set costumer (as Mary E. Still)

Editorial Department
Jeff Canavan	....	assistant editor
Jonathan Cates	....	assistant editor
John Coniglio	....	assistant editor
Marisa Johnston	....	post-production coordinator: Caravan Pictures
Jim Makiej	....	assistant editor
David Orr	....	color timer
Paul Villasenor	....	apprentice editor (as Paul Villaseñor)

Music Department
Jeff Atmajian	....	orchestrator
Frank Bennett	....	orchestrator
Brent Brooks	....	music editor
Chuck Choi	....	score technical consultant
Brad Dechter	....	orchestrator
Sandy DeCrescent	....	orchestra contractor
Artie Kane	....	conductor
Kenneth Karman	....	supervising music editor (as Ken Karmen)
Aaron Martin	....	technical music coordinator
Michael Mason	....	scoring coordinator
Susan McLean	....	score recordist (as Sue McLean)
Shawn Murphy	....	scoring mixer
Kathy Nelson	....	executive in charge of music: The Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group
Steven L. Smith	....	music preparation
John Van Tongeren	....	composer: additional music
James Newton Howard	....	composer: additional music (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Ed Arter	....	transportation coordinator (as Edward D. Arter)
Hugh Byrne	....	driver: insert car
Patrick M. Doyle	....	transportation captain
Scott Doyle	....	transportation
J. Armin Garza II	....	driver: insert car (as J. Armin Garza)
Cary Kelley	....	transportation captain: cable car stunt unit (as Cary L. Kelley)
David Pappas	....	transportation captain
Jim Stewart	....	driver: insert car
Jon Cosham	....	driver: cast (uncredited)

Other crew
Barbara Amato	....	script supervisor
Cindy Lee Arnold	....	first assistant accountant (as Cindy L. Arnold)
James Arnold	....	police technical advisor (as Jim Arnold)
Cynthia Berry	....	production assistant (as Cynthia L. Berry)
Mark Bosia	....	medic
Laird Bunch	....	location assistant
Darryl Chan	....	personal trainer: Michael Wincott
Bundy Chanock	....	set medic
Kyle Cooper	....	title designer
Melissa K. Cooper	....	production coordinator
Gabe de Kelaita	....	set production assistant
Christopher Desmond	....	medic: cable car stunt unit
Deirdre De Tappan	....	production coordinator: Caravan Pictures
Ned Dowd	....	head of production: Caravan Pictures
Dusty Dukatz	....	set production assistant
Joe Everett	....	unit publicist
Jana Fain	....	executive assistant: Mr. Carter
Michael Floquet	....	production assistant
Derek Freda	....	executive assistant: Mr. Perkins
Jemal Guillory	....	personal assistant: Mr. Murphy
Thomas J. Healy IV	....	assistant location manager
Charisse M. Hewitt	....	executive assistant: Eddie Murphy
Josiah W. Hooper	....	production assistant (as Josiah Hooper)
Saisie M. Jang	....	production assistant
Donnie Johnson	....	personal assistant: Mr. Murphy
Shannon Kane	....	first assistant accountant (as M. Shannon Kane)
Greg Lazzaro	....	location manager
Ellen Lent	....	location manager (as Ellen Winchell)
Todd A. Marks	....	display graphics coordinator (as Todd Marks)
Peter McKernan	....	helicopter pilot: cable car stunt unit (as Peter J. McKernan)
Kevin McNamara	....	office production assistant
Matt V. Messina	....	location assistant (as Matt Messina)
Nicole Mirante	....	assistant: Mr. Carter (as Nicole J. Mirante)
Ray Mullane	....	police technical advisor
Tracy Murphy-Brown	....	executive assistant: Ray Murphy
M. Michelle Nishikawa	....	assistant production coordinator
Laurie Noll	....	location manager: cable car stunt unit
Phil Panzarella	....	police technical advisor
Elaine Patarini	....	assistant location manager
Mark Potter Jr.	....	police technical advisor (as Mark Potter)
Cynthia Quan	....	production accountant
Roger E. Reid	....	personal assistant: Mr. Murphy (as Roger Reid)
Jay Roberts	....	payroll accountant
Lucas Roth	....	office production assistant
Jody Spilkoman	....	key production assistant
Brent Stanton	....	set production assistant: second unit
Tracy A. Sullivan	....	executive assistant: Mark Lipsky
Brian Tanke	....	production coordinator: cable car stunt unit (as Brian M. Tanke)
Kathryn Thouron	....	location coordinator
Tim Tortora	....	assistant accountant
Mark Trapenberg	....	production assistant
Trevor Tuttle	....	stage set constructor
Randy Webster	....	personal assistant: Mr. Murphy
James J. Wilhelm	....	craft service (as Jim Wilhelm)
Marlena Wilkens	....	executive assistant: Mr. Birnbaum, Caravan Pictures
Robert 'Bobby Z' Zajonc	....	helicopter pilot: cable car stunt unit
Michael Greggans	....	stand-in (uncredited)
Saisie M. Jang	....	location assistant (uncredited)
Colman McMahon	....	additional set production assistant (uncredited)

Thanks
Willie Brown	....	thanks (as Mayor Willie Brown)

Production Companies

• Touchstone Pictures (presents)
• Caravan Pictures (in association with)
• Roger Birnbaum Productions

Distributors

• Buena Vista Pictures (1997) (USA) (theatrical)
• Aska Film International (1997) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International Spain (1997) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International (1997) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International (1997) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Filmes Lusomundo (1997) (Portugal) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (2000) (USA) (TV)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (BVHE) (1998) (USA) (DVD)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (2001) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Buena Vista Home Video (1997) (Netherlands) (VHS) (rental)
• Buena Vista Home Video (1999) (Netherlands) (VHS) (retail)
• SBS6 (2002) (Netherlands) (TV) (first national airing)
• Touchstone Home Video (1997) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Walt Disney Home Video (2002) (USA) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Animal Makers (animatronic animals)

Other Companies

• Buena Vista Sound  sound re-recording
• Imaginary Forces  main title sequence
• Jo Anne Kane Music Services  music preparation
• Mann Consulting Multimedia  computer display graphics
• Mario's Catering  catering
• Pacific Title  titles and opticals
• Panavision  cameras and lenses
• Sony Scoring Stage  scoring facility
• Technicolor  prints
• The Conformist  negative cutting

MPAA:

Rated R for strong violence and language.

Runtime:

117 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Australia:M (TV rating) | South Korea:15 | Philippines:R-18 | Netherlands:12 (TV version) | Australia:MA | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:18A | Finland:K-16 | France:U | Germany:16 | Netherlands:16 | New Zealand:R16 | Norway:15 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:NC-16 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Albany, California, USA

Company:

Touchstone Pictures

Trivia:

Filming the cable car chase sequence using real SF cable cars would have required closing down a major thoroughfare for several days, so instead fake cable car tracks were painted on quieter Jones Street and most of the shots filmed there using motorized cars.

Goofs:

Continuity: After the cable car smashes into the back of a red car, the red cars rear is still in perfect condition as it rolls over.

Quotes:

Scott Roper: Okay, stop right there. Close your eyes.
Kevin McCall: Okay.
Scott Roper: Tell me what you see.
Kevin McCall: I see a scumbag behind the counter with a sawed-off. Nine-millimetre tucked away in his waistband. There's a female hostage downin front of the cereal rack... with a red polka-dot dress. Another hostage three feet to her right, with blue jeans and a checkered shirt. A male hostage down, green shirt, white pants, in front of the candy rack. There's a female scumbag behind me with a gun tucked away in her shirt...

Movie Connections:

Features Basic Instinct (1992)

Soundtrack:

YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY

Actually not as bad as it seems

Eddie Murphy plays a hostage negotiator in San Francisco, he lives a dangerous life, but he still thinks it´s pretty okay. One thing he doesn´t think is okay is when his friends gets killed. But that is just what happens, his best friend is murdered by an evil jewel-thief, and now Murphy wants revenge.

The plot in "Metro" did not really impress me when I heard about it. Eddie Murphy as a comical hostage negotiator... It sounds pretty corny to me, but it was actually not as bad as it first seemed. The action scenes are well made, especially the breath taking car chases down the steep streets of San Francisco.

But I can´t really say the movie was good. The plot is not very original, this could actually have been titled "Beverly Hills Cop 4" and no one would have noticed. Between the action scenes there aren´t very much to write home about. Murphy is occasionally funny, but he can be really annoying too.

The best thing in "Metro" is definitely the villain, played by the underrated Michael Wincott. He is truly the perfect bad guy. That rasping voice, that glance in his eyes, wow! He can make even the simplest villain into a terrifying monster, which he should be highly praised for. And I wonder if not this guy holds the record in movie-deaths? I´ve seen Wincott in about ten movies, and he gets to meet his maker in all of them! I almost feel sorry for him, but I don´t think he´s complaining too much. If he dies in "Metro" or not, I´ll let you figure out for yourself.

Back to "Metro" now. If you don´t expect any clever ideas, just some good action sequences with a silly plot, it´s not that bad. But on the other hand, not that good either.

* * ½ out of * * * * *