D.O.A. (1988)

A college professor's day: his top student allegedly commits suicide, his wife presents him with divorce papers and he overnights in a freshman girl's dorm. The next day: more murders around him. Will he find the killer in time?

Directors:

Annabel Jankel, Rocky Morton

Writers:

Charles Edward Pogue (screenplay), Charles Edward Pogue (story)

Stars:

Dennis Quaid, Meg Ryan, Charlotte Rampling

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Dennis Quaid	...	Dexter Cornell
Meg Ryan	...	Sydney Fuller
Charlotte Rampling	...	Mrs. Fitzwaring
Daniel Stern	...	Hal Petersham
Jane Kaczmarek	...	Gail Cornell
Christopher Neame	...	Bernard
Robin Johnson	...	Cookie Fitzwaring
Robert Knepper	...	Nicholas Lang (as Rob Knepper)
Jay Patterson	...	Graham Corey
Brion James	...	Detective Ulmer
Jack Kehoe	...	Detective Brockton
Elizabeth Arlen	...	Elaine Wells
Karen Radcliffe	...	Jane Corey
William Forward	...	Chief Resident
Lee Gideon	...	Mr. Fitzwaring

Storyline

Dexter Cornell, an English Professor, becomes embroiled in a series of murders involving people around him. Dexter has good reason to want to find the murderer but hasn't much time. He finds help and comfort from one of his students, Sydney Fuller.

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Plot Keywords:

english professor | poison | dead on arrival | neo noir | race against time | 

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Taglines:

Someone poisoned Dexter Cornell. He's got to find out who. He's got to find out why. He's got to find out now. In 24 hours, he'll be Dead On Arrival.

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Genres:

Mystery | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

18 March 1988 (USA)

Also Known As:

Dead on Arrival

Filming Locations:

Austin, Texas, USA

Box Office

Gross USA:

$12,706,478

Company Credits

Production Co:

Bigelow Productions, Silver Screen Partners III, Touchstone Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

96 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Black and White (some sequences) Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The picture is bookended by two sequences which are filmed in black-and-white.

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Goofs

At the end of the movie, Dex shoots the villain, who falls out of a window. Dex shot the villain in the front and the villain took several steps backwards without turning around. The next shot shows the villain very obviously jumping out of the window by running up to it facing forward and spinning around in the air.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Dexter Cornell: I need to speak to Detective Ulmer
Desk Sergeant: What for?
Dexter Cornell: I need to report a crime
Desk Sergeant: What crime?
Dexter Cornell: A murder
Desk Sergeant: [confused] Who was murdered?
Dexter Cornell: [finally looks up at him] I Was

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Crazy Credits

The opening Touchstone Logo is in black & white and the logo's flash is accompanied by a thunder clap.

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Connections

Featured in Hollywood's Leading Ladies with David Sheehan (1993)

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Soundtracks

IF YOU SEE ME LAUGHING
Written by Erik Hokkanen
Performed by Erik Hokkanen (as Erik) & The Offbeats

User Reviews

A man is given a deadly , slow-action poison and has only 24 hours to identify his murderous

Someone poisoned named Dexter Cornell (Dennis Quaid as an unsettling college professor) and he's got to find out who . He's got to find out why . He's got to find out now . In 24 hours, he'll be Dead On Arrival. He along with a friend student (Meg Ryan) frantically seek who is responsible and why he was targeted for death . His search for the suspect is further complicated by the fact that he is being sought by the police on phony charges of killing .

Mediocre remake of the 1949 Noir film that contains thrills , suspense , a complex intrigue and plot twists . The starring , Dennis Quaid , relates his own lethal murder become himself in detective and spend his ending moments trying to uncover his hit men . As his time runs out,he has only hours to identify , he desperately seeks to discover who is responsible his death . The search for the suspect is further complicated by the facts of numerous turns , deceits and a twisted intrigue . Passable acting by Dennis Quaid as a teacher becomes embroiled in a series of murders involving people around him and supported by Meg Ryan as a likable but reluctant student , both of whom married after shooting , though nowadays are separated themselves. Supporting cast in frankly enjoyable , such as Charlotte Rampling , Daniel Stern , Jane Kaczmarek , Christopher Neame , Robert Knepper , Jay Patterson and the deceased Brion James .

Colorful cinematography throughout the story , the color in the film begins to drain to monochrome, thus representing the central character's deteriorating health as the poison steadily takes it's toll until it is in black and white as in the opening - presumably showing the flashback catching up to the current time-line of the story . Screeching and inappropriate musical score composed by means of synthesizer .The motion picture was middlingly directed by Rocky Morton ans Annabel Jenkel , the same people who brought ¨Max Headrom¨to TV series . This story results to be a remake from ¨DOA¨ (1969) a dark B-thriller directed by Rudolph Mate with Edmond O'Brien , Luther Adler and Pamela Britton . It was also followed by a inferior remake as ¨Color me dead¨(1969) by Eddie Davis with Tom Tryon , Carolyn Jones and Rick Jason