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IMDbPro

Flashpoint

  • 19841984
  • RR
  • 1h 33m
IMDb RATING
6.4/10
2.7K
YOUR RATING
Kris Kristofferson, Treat Williams, Tess Harper, and Jean Smart in Flashpoint (1984)
Two U.S. border patrolmen find a buried 20+ year old jeep in the desert with a skeleton, riffle and $800,000. They keep the money. Suddenly, the FBI shows a lot of interest in the car.
Play trailer0:31
1 Video
43 Photos
  • Action
  • Crime
  • Drama
Two U.S. border patrolmen find a buried 20+ year old jeep in the desert with a skeleton, rifle and $800,000. They keep the money. Suddenly, the FBI shows a lot of interest in the car.Two U.S. border patrolmen find a buried 20+ year old jeep in the desert with a skeleton, rifle and $800,000. They keep the money. Suddenly, the FBI shows a lot of interest in the car.Two U.S. border patrolmen find a buried 20+ year old jeep in the desert with a skeleton, rifle and $800,000. They keep the money. Suddenly, the FBI shows a lot of interest in the car.
IMDb RATING
6.4/10
2.7K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • William Tannen
  • Writers
    • George LaFountaine(based on the book by)
    • Dennis Shryack(screenplay by)
    • Michael Butler
  • Stars
    • Kris Kristofferson
    • Treat Williams
    • Rip Torn
Top credits
  • Director
    • William Tannen
  • Writers
    • George LaFountaine(based on the book by)
    • Dennis Shryack(screenplay by)
    • Michael Butler
  • Stars
    • Kris Kristofferson
    • Treat Williams
    • Rip Torn
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 31User reviews
    • 18Critic reviews
    • 39Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Videos1

    Trailer
    Trailer 0:31
    Trailer

    Photos43

    Kris Kristofferson in Flashpoint (1984)
    Tess Harper in Flashpoint (1984)
    Kurtwood Smith in Flashpoint (1984)
    Kris Kristofferson in Flashpoint (1984)
    Kris Kristofferson and Treat Williams in Flashpoint (1984)
    Rip Torn in Flashpoint (1984)
    Miguel Ferrer, Treat Williams, Jean Smart, Guy Boyd, and Nora Heflin in Flashpoint (1984)
    Treat Williams in Flashpoint (1984)
    Kris Kristofferson, Tess Harper, and Jean Smart in Flashpoint (1984)
    Kris Kristofferson and Treat Williams in Flashpoint (1984)
    Kris Kristofferson and Treat Williams in Flashpoint (1984)
    Flashpoint (1984)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Kris Kristofferson
    Kris Kristofferson
    • Bobby Logan
    Treat Williams
    Treat Williams
    • Ernie Wyatt
    Rip Torn
    Rip Torn
    • Sheriff Wells
    Kevin Conway
    Kevin Conway
    • Brook
    Kurtwood Smith
    Kurtwood Smith
    • Carson
    Miguel Ferrer
    Miguel Ferrer
    • Roget
    • (as Miguell Ferrer)
    Jean Smart
    Jean Smart
    • Doris
    Guy Boyd
    Guy Boyd
    • Lambasino
    Mark Slade
    Mark Slade
    • Hawthorne
    Roberts Blossom
    Roberts Blossom
    • Amarillo
    Tess Harper
    Tess Harper
    • Ellen
    Terry Alexander
    Terry Alexander
    • Peterson
    Ana Auther
    Ana Auther
    • Roget's Date
    • (as Ana Marie Auther)
    Barry Davis
    • Max
    Sam Edelman
    • Van Driver
    Robert Elliott
    • Michael Curtis
    William Frankfather
    William Frankfather
    • Lacy
    Robin Wayne Fugett
    • Border Patrol Agent
    • Director
      • William Tannen
    • Writers
      • George LaFountaine(based on the book by)
      • Dennis Shryack(screenplay by)
      • Michael Butler
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      When director William Tannen hired Tangerine Dream to score the film, he told them not to do the end title song because he had one he was using - "Sympathy For The Devil" by The Rolling Stones. Tangerine Dream said it was the perfect song to end the film with. They scored the entire film but this piece. The studio felt the song was too expensive and instead gave the assignment to an assistant who worked for one of the vice presidents. It was voted "worst" end title song for 1984 by the film critic Leonard Maltin.
    • Goofs
      When Wyatt is supposed to be in the airplane that crashes, there is never a splash in the pond prior to the crash.
    • Quotes

      Ernie: Like my Daddy always said, "If you can't get out of it, get into it."

      Logan: I thought your daddy used to say, "If you can't fix it, fuck it."

      Ernie: He said that, too.

    • Connections
      Referenced in Fast Forward (1985)
    • Soundtracks
      Flashpoint
      Written by Scott Richardson

      Performed by Scott Richardson and The Gems

    User reviews31

    Review
    Top review
    7/10
    Not genius, but a decent mystery
    I remember well watching Flashpoint on HBO in the summer 1984. It was a really good movie then, and remains one of my favorites today. This was one of the earliest filmmaking partnerships the fledgling cable movie network attempted. The success of Flashpoint, and a handful of others, eventually evolved into one of the most innovative film production companies in modern cinema.

    While Flashpoint played in a handful of theaters in a few major markets, it was always intended for the small screen (that's what we called TV when a 27-inch CRT was considered big). I'm quite sure a 16:9 version does not even exist.

    Based on the modestly successful novel by George LaFountaine, the film strays from the original story in many respects. As one might expect, the book is significantly longer, with a vastly more complicated plot. The characters of Logan and Wiatt are reversed in terms of their backgrounds and personalities. Desert Rat "Amarillo" and Sheriff Wells factor more thickly into the tale, and the Feds are even more ruthless - but the twist and payoff are the same.

    Overall, director William Tannen's treatment is well done. It is clearly a modest budget film, I suspect the lion's share was spent on the drug bust scene and Kristofferson's contract. In case you didn't know, Kris was a hot property in the 80s, and commanded steep appearance fees. Treat Williams was a virtual unknown, as was Kurtwood Smith (later to gain fame as the father in "That 70s Show"). Rip Torn and Roberts Blossom are their usual brilliant, crusty, lovable selves. Tess Harper and Jean Smart both have limited roles, but provide a love interest for our protagonists, and additional visual appeal beyond the stunning panorama of the West Texas border country.

    What really keeps this film rolling is the outstanding score by Tangerine Dream. It is alternately compelling and ominous in all the right places. The music is clearly 80s instrumentation, but has a timeless quality that keeps it fresh, even today. The curious choice of a poorly written and awkwardly performed Kristofferson ballad over the closing titles is the only flaw in the soundtrack; but again, that most likely resulted from over excitement at landing such a hot star for such a modest film.

    If you're looking for a cinematic masterpiece, this isn't it. But if you enjoy a well-crafted mystery that brushes lightly against one of the pivotal points of the 20th century, Flashpoint is 90 minutes well spent.
    helpful•5
    2
    • noahsdad-31-285608
    • Apr 18, 2011

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • August 31, 1984 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Flash Point
    • Filming locations
      • Sonoran Desert, Arizona, USA
    • Production companies
      • HBO Pictures
      • Silver Screen Partners
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $10,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $3,854,833
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $1,916,222
      • Sep 3, 1984
    • Gross worldwide
      • $3,854,833
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 33 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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