Hooper (1978)

Hollywood aging stuntman Sonny Hooper wants to prove that he's still got what it takes to be a great professional in this risky and under-recognized line of work.

Director:

Hal Needham

Writers:

Thomas Rickman (screenplay), Bill Kerby (screenplay)

Stars:

Burt Reynolds, Jan-Michael Vincent, Sally Field

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Burt Reynolds	...	Sonny Hooper
Jan-Michael Vincent	...	Ski
Sally Field	...	Gwen
Brian Keith	...	Jocko
John Marley	...	Max Berns
Robert Klein	...	Roger Deal
James Best	...	Cully
Adam West	...	Adam
Alfie Wise	...	Tony
Terry Bradshaw	...	Sherman
Norman Grabowski	...	Hammerhead (as Norm Grabowski)
George Furth	...	Bidwell
Jim Burk	...	Jimbo
Don 'Red' Barry	...	Sheriff
Princess O'Mahoney	...	Wanda

Storyline

Aging stuntman Sonney Hooper is still on top as one of the best stuntmen in the business. But up and coming Ski is starting to do bigger and better stunts. Hooper has the experience to setup a stunt safely, and Ski lacks the common sense to know when a stunt is too dangerous. Maybe together, along with their fun loving buddies, they can do a stunt together that will surpass anything that anyone has done.

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Plot Keywords:

stuntman | stunt | director | brief female frontal nudity | cowboy hat | 

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Taglines:

The greatest stuntman alive!

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Genres:

Action | Comedy

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

28 July 1978 (USA)

Also Known As:

Hollywood Stuntman

Filming Locations:

Santa Susana Field Laboratory, Santa Susana, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$6,000,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$78,000,000

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$78,000,000

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

99 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Director Roger Deal (Robert Klein)'s last lines - about film being "little pieces of time" - are a paraphrase of remarks by Peter Bogdanovich. In fact, the director character was based on Bogdanovich.

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Goofs

When Sonny is taking the lift to the rooftop, he is inside the basket. The very next shot he is riding on the outside.

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Quotes

Amtrac, SWAT man: [Sonny has smashed the jukebox to get Amtrac's money back] Well, if you wanted to make somebody look like an asshole, boy, you did! That was you.
Sonny Hooper: [counting the SWAT guys] 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12... six against twelve!
Ski: [joins in] Seven.
Sonny Hooper: Seven against twelve. Well, that's a little uneven. Looks like you guys'll have to go back to Houston and get some more guys!

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Crazy Credits

Outtakes from stunts performed in the movie are shown over the closing credits.

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Alternate Versions

TV versions have included numerous outtakes which include a much longer party scene following the fight at the Palomino Club in which: Ski discusses his marital woes with Gwen in Hooper's kitchen (a dropped subplot); an awake, and very rowdy, crowd views "stunt reels" culled from "Deliverance"; and Jocko and Sonny have a lengthier sunrise discussion about babies. Later on, Sonny and Ski also get into a hairy fistfight outside of Sonny's trialer.

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Connections

Spoofed in My Name Is Earl: Two Balls, Two Strikes (2007)

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Soundtracks

Hooper
Sung and Written by Bent Myggen

User Reviews

Irresistible.

"Hooper" is a delightful tribute by star Burt Reynolds and director Hal Needham - both of whom began their careers as stuntmen - to those brave men and women who risk life and limb for the movies. It remains endearing and upbeat throughout, sometimes getting serious but never melodramatic. It's naturally jam packed with amazing stunt work, and quite a few explosions as well. The cast is completely engaging, and everything is played with a respectable amount of humour.

Burt plays Sonny Hooper, an old pro stuntman who realizes that a new day is coming, and that a new breed is emerging: younger, tougher, more daring. A prime example is up and comer "Ski" (Jan-Michael Vincent), who comes to work on the same movie that Sonny is currently gaffing. It's Ski who encourages Sonny to try one of the riskiest car stunts ever filmed.

"Hooper" has just enough story to be involving, and one can't help but like these characters. Burt is charming, with an incredibly foxy Sally Field playing Gwen, the girlfriend who stands by him. Vincent is very likable, as are the supporting performers such as Brian Keith, John Marley, James Best, Adam West (in what is really a nothing role, as the actor for whom Sonny doubles), George Furth, Don 'Red' Barry, Robert Tessier, and Tara Buckman. Comedian Robert Klein is good as Roger Deal, the jerk director of the movie-within-the-movie, who cares not for going over budget or risking lives as long as he gets his shots.

Burt has a great moment right at the end as he acknowledges us in the audience before providing us with an appropriate and satisfying punchline.

Eight out of 10.