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IMDbPro

Rollercoaster

  • 19771977
  • PGPG
  • 1h 59m
IMDb RATING
6.3/10
6.3K
YOUR RATING
Rollercoaster (1977)
Trailer 1
Play trailer1:25
1 Video
46 Photos
  • Action
  • Crime
  • Drama
A blackmailer threatens to sabotage roller coasters at various American amusement parks if he isn't paid a huge ransom.A blackmailer threatens to sabotage roller coasters at various American amusement parks if he isn't paid a huge ransom.A blackmailer threatens to sabotage roller coasters at various American amusement parks if he isn't paid a huge ransom.
IMDb RATING
6.3/10
6.3K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • James Goldstone
  • Writers
    • Sanford Sheldon(story)
    • Richard Levinson(story)
    • William Link(story)
  • Stars
    • George Segal
    • Timothy Bottoms
    • Richard Widmark
Top credits
  • Director
    • James Goldstone
  • Writers
    • Sanford Sheldon(story)
    • Richard Levinson(story)
    • William Link(story)
  • Stars
    • George Segal
    • Timothy Bottoms
    • Richard Widmark
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 96User reviews
    • 56Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Videos1

    Rollercoaster
    Trailer 1:25
    Rollercoaster

    Photos46

    Rollercoaster (1977)
    Henry Fonda, Timothy Bottoms, George Segal, Susan Strasberg, Richard Widmark, and Harry Guardino in Rollercoaster (1977)
    Henry Fonda, Timothy Bottoms, George Segal, Susan Strasberg, and Richard Widmark in Rollercoaster (1977)
    George Segal in Rollercoaster (1977)
    Richard Widmark in Rollercoaster (1977)
    Timothy Bottoms in Rollercoaster (1977)
    George Segal in Rollercoaster (1977)
    George Segal in Rollercoaster (1977)
    Henry Fonda in Rollercoaster (1977)
    George Segal and Susan Strasberg in Rollercoaster (1977)
    George Segal in Rollercoaster (1977)
    Harry Guardino in Rollercoaster (1977)

    Top cast

    Edit
    George Segal
    George Segal
    • Harry Calderas Harry Calder
    Timothy Bottoms
    Timothy Bottoms
    • Young Manas Young Man
    Richard Widmark
    Richard Widmark
    • Hoytas Hoyt
    Henry Fonda
    Henry Fonda
    • Simon Davenportas Simon Davenport
    Harry Guardino
    Harry Guardino
    • Keeferas Keefer
    Susan Strasberg
    Susan Strasberg
    • Franas Fran
    Helen Hunt
    Helen Hunt
    • Tracy Calderas Tracy Calder
    Dorothy Tristan
    Dorothy Tristan
    • Helenas Helen
    Harry Davis
    • Bennyas Benny
    Stephen Pearlman
    Stephen Pearlman
    • Lyonsas Lyons
    G.F. Rowe
    • Wayne Mooreas Wayne Moore
    • (as Gerald Rowe)
    Wayne Tippit
    Wayne Tippit
    • Christieas Christie
    Michael Bell
    Michael Bell
    • Demerestas Demerest
    Charlie Tuna
    • Rock Concert M.C.as Rock Concert M.C.
    Lonny Stevens
    • Federal Agent #1as Federal Agent #1
    Tom Baker
    • Federal Agent #2as Federal Agent #2
    Ava Readdy
    • Hippie Girlas Hippie Girl
    Craig Wasson
    Craig Wasson
    • Hippie Boyas Hippie Boy
    • Director
      • James Goldstone
    • Writers
      • Sanford Sheldon(story)
      • Richard Levinson(story) (screenplay)
      • William Link(story) (screenplay)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The roller coaster crash that kicks off the film was significantly more graphic, with flying bodies and gore as the cars derail and topple over. The sequence was toned down considerably to avoid an "R" rating.
    • Goofs
      During the catastrophic accident in the beginning of the movie, most of the people in the roller coaster cars are obviously dummies.
    • Quotes

      [speaking to each other over walkie-talkies]

      Young Man: First, Harry, I think I should tell you about the bomb. Would you like to know where it is?

      Harry Calder: Sure!

      Young Man: You're holding it.

    • Alternate versions
      This film was generally released uncut in cinemas and later in the 1980s on VHS. However, at the end of the 1980s/the beginning of the 1990s, a few seconds were removed from the ending of the film (bodies lying on the floor, a one second close-up of the young man's face, bloody and with his eyes open). This version was used worldwide for subsequent TV airings, VHS re-release and then DVDs.
    • Connections
      Referenced in Mystery Science Theater 3000: Daddy-O (1991)
    • Soundtracks
      Big Boy
      Written by Ron Mael

      Performed by Sparks

    User reviews96

    Review
    Top review
    6/10
    Roller-coaster (James Goldstone, 1977) **1/2
    I'd watched this thriller/disaster movie on Italian TV as a kid; I was looking forward to re-acquainting myself with it via the Universal DVD, as part of my ongoing Richard Widmark tribute – but, unfortunately, the viewing was plagued by multiple freezing and jumps (beginning at the 47-minute mark and recurring every quarter of an hour or so thereafter!).

    Despite some pacing problems which render the film a tad overlong, Roller-coaster is entertaining and fairly solid as these things go: once again, the casting sees a star in every major role. George Segal is the safety officer hero (his intelligence concealed by an essentially bemused countenance, he's ideal for playing the slightly neurotic common man suddenly thrust in the midst of a precarious situation), Timothy Bottoms the young extortionist/bomber (whose targets are various amusement parks across the U.S.), and Widmark plays the veteran F.B.I. agent out to get him (he also shares a typically antagonistic relationship with Segal). Henry Fonda appears as the hero's cantankerous boss (though featured in many of these films, his roles were always brief and basically thankless), Susan Strasberg as Segal's current girlfriend, Harry Guardino a local cop (curiously enough, he had appeared with both Widmark and Fonda in MADIGAN [1968], another policier but much classier). By the way, Segal's daughter here is played by a very young Helen Hunt!

    Another interesting connection to an earlier thriller featuring a member of the film's cast is NO WAY TO TREAT A LADY (1968) with Segal; in both titles, the hero is contacted by the killer prior to making his moves (with this in mind, Bottoms' clean-cut appearance lends the latter a chilling quality – though the characterization, in itself, is fairly limited). Incidentally, the film is more concerned with the chase for the killer (generating reasonable suspense towards the end – especially in the way he determines to plant another bomb on an inaugural roller-coaster ride after his initial gizmo is detected) rather than depicting his mayhem; in fact, there's only one major disaster sequence early on (but it's an undeniably spectacular one)! I should mention, at this point, Lalo Schifrin's rather schizophrenic music – the carousel jingle is quite effective, but the scoring of the suspense sequences is gratingly monotonous!

    P.S. Director Goldstone followed this with another star-studded epic – WHEN TIME RAN OUT… (1980), about an erupting volcano – which, however, was a notorious production that brought the disaster movie cycle to a lamentable conclusion. I wouldn't mind revisiting it at this stage, though
    helpful•7
    4
    • Bunuel1976
    • Apr 25, 2008

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • June 17, 1977 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Achterbahn
    • Filming locations
      • Kings Dominion - 16000 Theme Park Way, Doswell, Virginia, USA
    • Production company
      • Universal Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $9,000,000 (estimated)
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 59 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Sensurround
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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