The Ninth Configuration (1980)
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- R
- 1h 58min
- Comedy, Drama
- 29 Feb 1980 (USA)
- Movie
A former marine arrives at a mental asylum housed in a remote castle to run it. There he attempts to rehabilitate the patients by letting them act out their craziest fantasies and desires.
Director:
Writers:
Stars:
Awards:
- 3 wins & 4 nominations.
- See more »
Photos and Videos
Complete, Cast awaiting verification
| Stacy Keach | ... |
Col. Vincent Kane
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| Scott Wilson | ... |
Capt. Billy Cutshaw
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| Jason Miller | ... |
Lt. Frankie Reno
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| Ed Flanders | ... |
Col. Richard Fell
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| Neville Brand | ... |
Maj. Marvin Groper
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| George DiCenzo | ... |
Capt. Fairbanks
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| Moses Gunn | ... |
Maj. Nammack
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| Robert Loggia | ... |
Lt. Bennish
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| Joe Spinell | ... |
Lt. Spinell
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| Alejandro Rey | ... |
Lt. Gomez
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| Tom Atkins | ... |
Sgt. Krebs
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| Steve Sandor | ... |
1st Cyclist (Stanley)
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| Richard Lynch | ... |
2nd Cyclist (Richard)
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Gordon Mark | ... |
Sgt. Gilman
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| William Lucking | ... |
Highway Patrolman
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| Stephen Powers | ... |
Sgt. Christian
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| David Healy | ... |
1st General
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William Paul | ... |
2nd General
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Tom Shaw | ... |
Priest
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Gordon K. Kee | ... |
1st Inmate
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| Bruce Boa | ... |
Sergeant in Combat Shack
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Linda Blatty | ... |
Waitress
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Hobby Gilman | ... |
Marine Corporal
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Marilyn Raymon | ... |
Girl Cyclist
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| Bobby Bass | ... |
Driver
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Billy Blatty | ... |
Young Kane
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| Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
| William Peter Blatty | ... |
Lt. Fromme (uncredited)
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| Tim Rossovich | ... |
Biker (uncredited)
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Directed by
| William Peter Blatty | ||
Written by
| William Peter Blatty | ... | (novel "Twinkle Twinkle Killer Kane") |
| William Peter Blatty | ... | (screenplay) |
Produced by
| William Peter Blatty | ... | producer |
| William Paul | ... | executive producer |
| Tom Shaw | ... | associate producer |
Music by
| Barry De Vorzon | ||
Cinematography by
| Gerry Fisher | ... | director of photography |
Film Editing by
| Battle Davis | ... | (as T. Battle Davis) |
| Tony de Zarraga | ||
| Peter Lee-Thompson | ||
| Roberto Silvi | ||
Editorial Department
| Peter Taylor | ... | supervising editor |
Production Design by
| Bill Malley | ... | (as William Malley) |
Art Direction by
| J. Dennis Washington | ||
Set Decoration by
| Sydney Ann Smith-Kee | ... | (as Sydney Ann Kee) |
Costume Design by
| Tom Bronson | ||
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
| Tom Shaw | ... | assistant director |
Art Department
| Tom Shaw Jr. | ... | property master |
| Lajos E. Szabó | ... | stand-by painter |
Sound Department
| Lon Bender | ... | assistant sound editor |
| Colin Charles | ... | sound |
| Jim Cook | ... | re-recording mixer (as James Cook) |
| James A. Corbett | ... | re-recording mixer |
| Gordon Ecker | ... | supervising sound editor (as Gordon Ecker Jr.) |
| Stan Gilbert | ... | dialogue editor |
| Charles Grenzbach | ... | re-recording mixer (as Bud Grenzbach) |
| Robert L. Harman | ... | re-recording mixer |
| Joseph Holsen | ... | sound editor |
| Andrew London | ... | sound editor |
| David Pettijohn | ... | sound editor |
| Marvin Walowitz | ... | sound editor |
| Samuel C. Crutcher | ... | sound editor/design (uncredited) |
| John Roesch | ... | foley artist (uncredited) |
Special Effects by
| Willard Flanagin | ... | special effects |
Stunts
| Bobby Bass | ... | stunt coordinator |
| Gary Epper | ... | stunts (as Gary Eppers) |
| Jeannie Epper | ... | stunts (as Jeannie Eppers) |
| Gábor Piroch | ... | stunts |
| Tim Rossovich | ... | stunts |
| Bobby Bass | ... | stunt biker (uncredited) |
| Gary Epper | ... | stunt biker (uncredited) |
| Jeannie Epper | ... | stunt biker (uncredited) |
| Tim Rossovich | ... | stunt biker (uncredited) |
Camera and Electrical Department
| Egon Endrényi | ... | still photographer |
| Mike Rutter | ... | assistant camera |
| Laurie Shane | ... | gaffer |
| Steve Stafford | ... | camera operator |
| Jimmy Waters | ... | key grip |
Casting Department
| Jack Baur | ... | casting consultant |
Music Department
| John Caper Jr. | ... | music editor |
Script and Continuity Department
| John Franco | ... | script supervisor |
Additional Crew
| Gordon K. Kee | ... | production auditor |
| Frank McKevitt | ... | production consultant |
| Anne Shaw | ... | production coordinator (as Anne M. Shaw) |
| Timea Veress | ... | interpreter (1980) |
Thanks
| Peter Vincent Blatty | ... | in loving memory: remastered prints only (as Peter Vincent Galahad Blatty) |
Production Companies
Distributors
- Warner Bros. (1980) (United States) (theatrical)
- ITC Film Distributors (1980) (United Kingdom) (theatrical)
- Lorimar Motion Pictures (1980) (Non-US) (theatrical)
- Minerva Film AB (1980) (Sweden) (theatrical)
- United Film Distribution Company (1980) (United States) (theatrical) (as "Twinkle Twinkle 'Killer' Kane")
- Lorimar Productions (1980) (Non-US) (tv)
- New Gold Entertainment (1980) (Italy)
- Guild Home Video (1981) (United Kingdom) (VHS)
- Adams Filmi (1982) (Finland) (theatrical)
- Blue Dolphin Film Distribution (United Kingdom) (theatrical)
- Fram Film (1982) (Norway) (theatrical)
- Concorde Film (1985) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
- New World Video (1986) (United States) (VHS)
- Warner Home Video (1998) (United States) (VHS)
- R&G Video (1990) (United States) (VHS)
- Starmaker Entertainment (1990) (United States) (VHS)
- Warner Home Video (2002) (United States) (DVD)
- Full Media (2005) (Japan) (DVD)
- Paradiso Home Entertainment (2006) (Netherlands) (DVD)
- Hen's Tooth Video (2014) (United States) (Blu-ray)
- Hen's Tooth Video (2014) (United States) (DVD)
- Tubi TV (2019) (United States) (video) (streaming)
- Image Entertainment (laserdisc)
Special Effects
- Pacific Title and Art Studio (optical effects)
Other Companies
Storyline
| Plot Summary |
Sent to a converted castle in the Pacific Northwest used by the U.S. government as a psychiatric institution for military personnel who fought in the Vietnam War, the unorthodox psychiatrist, Colonel Kane, has a lot on his plate already, trying to figure out whether the inmates feign insanity or not. Still struggling with his inner demons, Kane is particularly intrigued by the psychotic former astronaut, Captain Cutshaw, whose metaphysical enquiries trigger a feverish recurring nightmare. More and more, as Kane and Cutshaw engage in intense theological debates over the existence of God and evil, the troubled scientist finds himself at a dead-end, in need of a brilliant but reckless plan to determine the root of the soldiers' complex mental breakdowns. Can Colonel Kane provide proof of an afterlife? Written by Nick Riganas |
| Plot Keywords | |
| Taglines | How Do You Fight A War Called Madness? See more » |
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| Parents Guide | View content advisory » |
| Certification |
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Additional Details
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Did You Know?
| Trivia | William Peter Blatty has said that he considers this movie to be the true sequel to The Exorcist (1973) as opposed to a mere follow-up. The novel and film of "The Exorcist" deals with the existence of both good and evil, "The Ninth Configuration" deals with the mystery of good, and the third novel, "Legion", deals with the human's punishment of evil for original sin. Captain Cutshaw is the same astronaut whom Regan warns "You're gonna die up there" in "The Exorcist". book. However, in the Exorcist film, the astronaut is never mentioned by name (not even in the credits). See more » |
| Goofs | When Capt. Cutshaw places the mud pie on Col. Kane's desk it is whole and intact. In the next shot the mud pie is very noticeably crumbled. See more » |
| Movie Connections | Featured in Night of the Creeps: Tom Atkins, Man of Action (2009). See more » |
| Soundtracks | San Antone See more » |
| Quotes |
Col. Vincent Kane:
In order for life to have appeared spontaneously on earth, there first had to be hundreds of millions of protein molecules of the ninth configuration. But given the size of the planet Earth, do you know how long it would have taken for just one of these protein molecules to appear entirely by chance? Roughly ten to the two hundred and forty-third power billions of years. And I find that far, far more fantastic than simply believing in God. See more » |