Eye of the Tiger (1986)

Returning home from prison, a Vietnam War veteran sets out to clean up his hometown which has come under the control of a violent motorcycle gang.

Director:

Richard C. Sarafian

Writer:

Michael Thomas Montgomery (as Michael Montgomery)

Stars:

Gary Busey, Yaphet Kotto, Seymour Cassel

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Gary Busey	...	Buck Matthews
Yaphet Kotto	...	J.B. Deveraux
Seymour Cassel	...	Sheriff
Bert Remsen	...	Father Healey
Denise Galik	...	Christie Matthews
William Smith	...	Blade
Kimberlin Brown	...	Dawn
Judith Barsi	...	Jennifer Matthews
Eric Boles	...	Doctor (as Eric Bolles)
Joe Brooks	...	Jake
Douglas Dirkson	...	Jimmy
Kathryn Fuller	...	Bingo Lady
Jorge Gil	...	Jamie
Amelia Haas	...	Melody / Mini-Cam Reporter
Ray Habercorn	...	Police Officer

Storyline

Buck Matthews (Gary Busey) is a former Vietnam veteran/ex-con recently released from the state prison. He returns to the small Midwest town where he grew up only to discover the place overrun by a large motorcycle gang bent on causing trouble. When the bikers murder his wife and traumatize his young daughter, Buck finds himself all alone. The corrupt town sheriff (Seymour Cassel) is unsympathetic and unwilling to help Buck (because the sheriff is under control of the biker gang leader Blade (William Smith). So, Buck decides to take matters into his own hands, With the help from a fellow Vietnam vet, Deputy J.B. Deveraux (Yaphet Kotto), as well as Buck's former cell-mate, a drug kingpin living in Miami, Buck arms himself to the teeth and wages a one-man war against the motorcyclists to destroy them once and for all.

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Plot Keywords:

crop duster | hospital | revenge | nurse | small town | 

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Taglines:

'Nam was hell... Prison unbearable... But coming home meant murder.

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Genres:

Action | Drama

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

28 November 1986 (USA)

Also Known As:

A prova di vendetta

Filming Locations:

Valencia, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$3,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Scotti Brothers Pictures (I), International Video Entertainment (IVE), Action Brothers

Technical Specs

Runtime:

92 min

Sound Mix:

Ultra Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Movie was filmed in Valencia, Ca . Valencia is best known for Six Flags magic mountain.

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Goofs

In the scene with the dead paramedics, the bottom paramedic clearly blinks right before the camera passes by him.

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Quotes

[last lines]
Buck Matthews: It's good to see you.
J.B. Deveraux: It's good seeing you.

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Connections

Referenced in Zeg 'ns Aaa: Opwindend (1988)

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Soundtracks

Eye of the Tiger
Written by Jim Peterik and Frankie Sullivan
Performed by Survivor
Courtesy of Scotti Brothers Records and Tapes

User Reviews

An enjoyable no-brainer, starring the world's greatest actor.

Well, let me start by saying that Gary Busey is without doubt, my favourite actor of all time. He has an everyman quality which no one else really posessed in the 80's. Don't get me wrong, I don't think he's Bobby De Niro, but he's cool okay, so get off my back. Eye of the Tiger, then. A highly enjoyable movie from a great director. Yeah, it has no brains and yeah, the plot fits on a stamp, but any movie with this theme music is always gonna bring a smile to peoples faces. There are countless great moments with the ever watchable, Busey and Yaphet Kotto. Admitedly, the pace does slack a little too offen, but the decapitation scene and the questioning scene rank up there with my favourite moments and it does have the best pull-focus of all time. Watch when you want some 80's action with a little more breeding than most.