A nameless young terrorist threatens to sabotage roller coasters at various American amusement parks if he isn't paid a huge ransom. Safety inspector Harry Calder is reluctantly drawn into a game of cat and mouse, with many lives at risk.
Director:
Writers:
Photos and Videos
Cast verified as complete
| George Segal | ... |
Harry Calder
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| Richard Widmark | ... |
Hoyt
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| Timothy Bottoms | ... |
Young Man
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| Henry Fonda | ... |
Simon Davenport
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| Harry Guardino | ... |
Keefer
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| Susan Strasberg | ... |
Fran
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| Helen Hunt | ... |
Tracy Calder
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| Dorothy Tristan | ... |
Helen
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Harry Davis | ... |
Benny
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| Stephen Pearlman | ... |
Lyons
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Gerald Rowe | ... |
Wayne Moore
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| Wayne Tippit | ... |
Christie
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| Michael Bell | ... |
Demerest
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Charlie Tuna | ... |
Rock Concert M.C.
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Lonny Stevens | ... |
Federal Agent #1
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Tom Baker | ... |
Federal Agent #2
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Ava Readdy | ... |
Hippie Girl
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| Craig Wasson | ... |
Hippie Boy
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| William Prince | ... |
Quinlan
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Dick McGarvin | ... |
Owner #1
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| Quinn K. Redeker | ... |
Owner #2
(as Quinn Redeker)
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| Harry Basch | ... |
Owner #3
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| Arthur Peterson | ... |
Owner #4
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Richard Altman | ... |
Mandell
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| Gloria Calomee | ... |
Jackie
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| Robert Quarry | ... |
Mayor
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| Jean Rasey | ... |
Girl in Line
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| Greg Elliot | ... |
Boy in Line
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| Bruce Kimball | ... |
Bomb Squad #1
(as Bruce Kimbell)
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| Bruce French | ... |
Bomb Squad #2
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| Stephen Mendillo | ... |
Bomb Squad #3
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| Larry Holt | ... |
Bomb Squad #4
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Gene Tyburn | ... |
Bomb Squad #5
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Bill Sorrells | ... |
Selby
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| Monica Lewis | ... |
Tourist Mother
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| Dick Wesson | ... |
Tourist Father
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| Joe George | ... |
Guard
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Gary Franklin | ... |
Radio Reporter
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Dave Milton | ... |
Man in Robe
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| David Byrd | ... |
Pet Store Owner
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| Henry Olek | ... |
Smoking Technician
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Dennis Speigel | ... |
Pierce
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Bill Saito | ... |
Asian Man
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Takayo Doran | ... |
Asian Woman
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| Roger Steffens | ... |
Radio Technician
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Dianne T. Murray | ... |
Pregnant Agent
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Mark Hulcher | ... |
Delivery Boy
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Charles W. Bennett Jr. | ... |
Bomb Squad Man
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John F. Swanson | ... |
Lansing
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Denice Harlow | ... |
Hertz Girl
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Mark Thomas | ... |
Agent with Red Hat
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J. Michael Hunter | ... |
Shooting Gallery Attendant
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| Tara Buckman | ... |
Coaster Attendant
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Louis Weinberg | ... |
Coaster Attendant
(as Louis Weisberg)
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| Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
| Michael Airington | ... |
Man 1 (uncredited)
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| James Bacon | ... |
Reporter (uncredited)
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| Doug Boethin | ... |
Party Dancer (uncredited)
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Paul D'Elia | ... |
Magic Mountain Tourist (uncredited)
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| Cathi Peyton Erman | ... |
Ring Toss Girl (uncredited)
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Gary Greene | ... |
Amusement Park Patron (uncredited)
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| Steve Guttenberg | ... |
Messenger (uncredited)
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| Bob Harks | ... |
Restaurant Patron (uncredited)
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Bob Kelley | ... |
Virg - FBI Agent on Tower (uncredited)
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| Meegan King | ... |
Hotel Clerk (uncredited)
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| Paul LeClair | ... |
Police Officer (uncredited)
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| Ron Mael | ... |
Self (uncredited)
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| Russell Mael | ... |
Self (uncredited)
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| Simon Prescott | ... |
Supporting (uncredited)
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| Roger Til | ... |
Maitre d' (uncredited)
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| Justine Visone | ... |
Strasberg's Girlfriend (uncredited)
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Paul K. Ward | ... |
Boy #1 (Ocean View) (uncredited)
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Directed by
| James Goldstone | ||
Written by
| Sanford Sheldon | ... | (story) and |
| Richard Levinson | ... | (story) & |
| William Link | ... | (story) |
| Tommy Cook | ... | (suggested by a story by) |
| Richard Levinson | ... | (screenplay) & |
| William Link | ... | (screenplay) |
Produced by
| Tommy Cook | ... | associate producer |
| Jennings Lang | ... | producer |
Music by
| Lalo Schifrin | ||
Cinematography by
| David M. Walsh | ... | director of photography |
Editing by
| Edward A. Biery | ||
| Richard M. Sprague | ... | (as Richard Sprague) |
Editorial Department
| Edward Nassour | ... | assistant editor (uncredited) |
Production Design by
| Henry Bumstead | ||
Set Decoration by
| James W. Payne | ||
Costume Design by
| Burton Miller | ||
Makeup Department
| Emile LaVigne | ... | makeup artist (as Emile La Vigne) |
| Lorraine Roberson | ... | hair stylist |
| Rick Sharp | ... | makeup artist |
Production Management
| Wallace Worsley Jr. | ... | unit production manager (as Wallace Worsley) |
| Charles Clement | ... | post production operations head (uncredited) |
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
| Peter Burrell | ... | second assistant director (as Peter J. Burrell) |
| David Sosna | ... | second assistant director (as David O. Sosna) |
| L. Andrew Stone | ... | first assistant director |
| Charles Ziarko | ... | first assistant director |
| Peter Sosna | ... | assistant director (uncredited) |
Sound Department
| James R. Alexander | ... | sound (as Jim Alexander) |
| Robert L. Hoyt | ... | sound |
| Edwin J. Somers Jr. | ... | sound |
| John Stacy | ... | sound effects editor |
| Dennis C. Salcedo | ... | optical sound recordist (uncredited) |
Visual Effects by
| Albert Whitlock | ... | special visual effects (uncredited) |
Stunts
| John Daheim | ... | stunt coordinator |
| Jadie David | ... | stunts (uncredited) |
| Diamond Farnsworth | ... | stunts (uncredited) |
| James W. Gavin | ... | aerial stunts (uncredited) |
| Bob Herron | ... | stunts (uncredited) |
| Larry Holt | ... | stunts (uncredited) |
| Cha Cha Sandoval-McMahon | ... | stunts (uncredited) |
| Jesse Wayne | ... | stunts (uncredited) |
Camera and Electrical Department
| William Birch | ... | additional photographer |
| Vinnie Gerardo | ... | assistant camera (uncredited) |
| Ron Kenyon | ... | lighting technician (uncredited) |
| Louis Niemeyer | ... | assistant camera (uncredited) |
Casting Department
| Shari Rhodes | ... | location casting |
| Martha M. Elcan | ... | casting assistant (uncredited) |
Music Department
| Stephen A. Hope | ... | music editor |
| Charles Clement | ... | music consultant (uncredited) |
| Malcolm McNab | ... | musician: trumpet (uncredited) |
| Ethmer Roten | ... | musician: flute (uncredited) |
| Lalo Schifrin | ... | conductor (uncredited) |
| Louise Di Tullio | ... | musician: flute (uncredited) |
| Dan Wallin | ... | scoring mixer (uncredited) |
Transportation Department
| Eugene Schwartz | ... | transportation coordinator (uncredited) |
Additional Crew
| Howard G. Kazanjian | ... | production executive |
| Cathi Peyton Erman | ... | assistant to director (uncredited) |
| Paul LeClair | ... | stand-in: Timothy Bottoms (uncredited) |
| Gary Zahlen | ... | technical advisor (uncredited) |
Production Companies
Distributors
- Universal Pictures (1977) (United States) (theatrical)
- Cinema International Corporation (CIC) (1977) (United Kingdom) (theatrical)
- Cinema International Corporation (CIC) (1977) (Sweden) (theatrical)
- Cinema International Corporation (CIC) (1977) (Norway) (theatrical)
- Cinema International Corporation (CIC) (1977) (Australia) (theatrical)
- Cinema International Corporation (CIC) (1977) (West Germany) (theatrical)
- Cinema International Corporation (CIC) (1977) (France) (theatrical)
- Cinema International Corporation (CIC) (1978) (Finland) (theatrical)
- Cinema International Corporation (CIC) (1978) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
- Universal Films of India (1979) (India) (theatrical)
- National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1979) (United States) (tv) (broadcast premiere) (pan & scan)
- Sonoro Filme (1980) (Portugal) (theatrical) (sensurround)
- CIC Video (1981) (West Germany) (VHS) (as CIC Taurus Film Video)
- MCA Home Video (1987) (United States) (VHS)
- Esselte Video (Finland) (VHS)
- CIC Video (1993) (Germany) (VHS)
- MCA/Universal Home Video (1993) (United States) (video) (laserdisc)
- Mainostelevisio (MTV3) (1993) (Finland) (tv)
- Universal Home Entertainment (United Kingdom) (VHS)
- Universal Pictures Home Entertainment (UPHE) (1998) (United States) (DVD)
- Universal Home Entertainment (2005) (United Kingdom) (DVD)
- Universal Pictures Finland (2005) (Finland) (DVD)
- Universal Pictures Spain (2005) (Spain) (DVD)
- Universal Pictures (2005) (United Kingdom) (DVD)
- Universal Pictures (2005) (Germany) (DVD)
- Universal Pictures (2005) (Netherlands) (DVD)
- Elephant Films (2016) (France) (video)
- Iris (2016) (Italy) (tv)
- Shout! Factory (2016) (United States) (Blu-ray)
- Koch Media (2017) (Germany) (Blu-ray)
- 101 Films (2018) (United Kingdom) (Blu-ray)
- 101 Films (2018) (United Kingdom) (Blu-ray) (Black Label #003)
- GoodTimes Home Video (United States) (VHS)
Special Effects
Other Companies
- Hollywood Studio Symphony (music performed by)
- Linda Otto Associates (casting)
- Universal Title (titles and opticals)
Storyline
| Plot Summary |
When a roller coaster in California goes off its track, killing several people, safety inspector Harry Calder, who had recently inspected the coaster, is assigned to investigate. After another amusement park suffers a suspicious fire, Calder uncovers a blackmail plot by a psychopathic terrorist. The terrorist seems to know everything Calder and the FBI say and do, and insists that Calder deliver the blackmail money personally at an amusement park in Virginia. After running Calder all over the park, the money drop is made and the terrorist gets away, but he discovers that the FBI had marked the money, making it useless to him. He plots to get revenge by blowing up a giant new roller coaster on its opening day, and it's up to Calder to stop him. Written by Mark Walker |
| Plot Keywords | |
| Taglines | You are in a race against time...and terror. You are pursuing a nameless, faceless man through America's greatest amusement parks...and, for the first time, you are experiencing the most sensational rides of our time, IN SENSURROUND See more » |
| Genres | |
| Parents Guide | View content advisory » |
| Certification |
Additional Details
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Box Office
| Budget | $9,000,000 (estimated) |
Did You Know?
| 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. See more » |
| Goofs | During the catastrophic accident in the beginning of the movie, most of the people in the roller coaster cars are obviously dummies. See more » |
| Movie Connections | Featured in Alan Spencer on Rollercoaster (2014). See more » |
| Soundtracks | Big Boy See more » |
| 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. See more » |