F/X (1986)

A movie special effects man is hired to fake a real-life mob killing for a witness protection plan, but finds his own life in danger.

Director:

Robert Mandel

Writers:

Robert T. Megginson, Gregory Fleeman

Stars:

Bryan Brown, Brian Dennehy, Diane Venora

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Bryan Brown	...	Roland 'Rollie' Tyler
Brian Dennehy	...	Lt. Leo McCarthy
Diane Venora	...	Ellen Keith
Cliff De Young	...	Martin Lipton
Mason Adams	...	Col. Mason
Jerry Orbach	...	Nicholas DeFranco
Joe Grifasi	...	Mickey
Martha Gehman	...	Andy
Roscoe Orman	...	Capt. Jake Wallenger
Trey Wilson	...	Lt. Murdoch
Tom Noonan	...	Varrick
Paul D'Amato	...	Gallagher
Jossie DeGuzman	...	Marisa Velez (as Jossie deGuzman)
Jean De Baer	...	Whitemore
M'el Dowd	...	Joyce Lehman (Miss Lehman) (as M'eL Dowd)

Storyline

A movies special effects man is hired by a government agency to help stage the assassination of a well known gangster. When the agency double crosses him, he uses his special effects to trap the gangster and the corrupt agents.

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Plot Keywords:

fake assassination | faked death | film within a film | special effects | fake murder | 

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Taglines:

Special effetcs are his life...and his death?

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Genres:

Action | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

7 February 1986 (USA)

Also Known As:

F/X - Murder by Illusion

Filming Locations:

6 Varick Street, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$10,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$3,240,695, 9 February 1986, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$20,603,715

Company Credits

Production Co:

Orion Pictures,Dodi Fayed - Jack Wiener

Technical Specs

Runtime:

109 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In this movie, at about 30 minutes in, we see Posters for Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985). Brian Dennehy, who plays the hard-nosed cop Leo McCarthy in this movie played the main crooked cop, Teasle, in the first Rambo movie, First Blood (1982).

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Goofs

The car's condition when it is being deliberately smashed up.

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Quotes

[first lines]
The director: Cut! Cut! Cut! Cut! Cut! Cut! Cut! Cut! Great. Great. Great. We got it. Great. You ladies alright? What about you? You okay?
Rollie Tyler: Ellen, come on out of there.

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Crazy Credits

Just at the start of the end credits, the camera flashes briefly through out-take type shots of the eight principal players (Bryan Brown, Brian Dennehy, Diane Venora, Cliff De Young, Mason Adams, Jerry Orbach, Martha Gehman, and Joe Grifasi). Each actor smiles out-of-character at the camera as though in appreciation to the audience of their performances.

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Alternate Versions

The Australian VHS and television version open with a different title logo. Instead of the domestic gray title card, it has the words F/X, in red on a black background. The letters then glow bright and fade out.

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Connections

References I Dismember Mama (1972)

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Soundtracks

THE HEART OF ROCK AND ROLL
Performed by Huey Lewis & The News (as Huey Lewis and The News)
Written by Johnny Colla (as J. Colla) and Huey Lewis
Courtesy of Chrysalis Records Inc.

User Reviews

Special effects in New York City

A movie special effects man is running for his life in "F/X," a 1986 film starring Bryan Brown, Brian Dennehy, Jerry Orbach, and Mason Adams. Strangely enough, the movie also features two actresses from my alma mater, Diana Venora and Josie de Guzman.

Rollie Tyler (Brown) takes on a rush job for the government - they want it to look as if their primo informant (Orbach) has been murdered to take the danger out of getting him to the courtroom and protecting him afterward. But like Rollie's work, things aren't what they seem, and Rollie finds himself on the run.

Despite its name, F/X isn't a big movie, and the special effects are things you can see on any television show. What makes it unique is the way Rollie uses his wits and skill to elude those after him. One of the most exciting scenes occurs as Rollie, in his F/X van, careens through the streets of New York, using every trick he knows to get away from the police. Not your average car chase.

Australian actor Bryan Brown, who achieved fame and a beautiful wife from the miniseries "The Thorn Birds" is terrific as the desperate Rollie. Brian Dennehy plays a rogue cop - he's funny and effective, and the late Jerry Orbach, whose career spanned stage, films, and television, is the perfect mob informant.

F/X inspired a television show of the same name starring Cameron Daddo and also a sequel. For a little movie, it did quite well, managing to entertain with drama, humor, and thrills. It's a lot of fun.