Night Game (1989)

A police detective tracks a serial killer who is stalking young women on a beach front after each game that a baseball pitcher wins.

Director:

Peter Masterson

Writers:

Spencer Eastman (story), Spencer Eastman (screenplay)

Stars:

Roy Scheider, Karen Young, Lane Smith

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Roy Scheider	...	Mike Seaver
Karen Young	...	Roxy
Lane Smith	...	Witty
Richard Bradford	...	Nelson
Paul Gleason	...	Broussard
Carlin Glynn	...	Alma
Anthony Palmer	...	Mendoza
Alex Morris	...	Gries
Matt Carlson	...	Diddee
Rex Linn	...	Epps
Alex Garcia	...	Sil Baretto
Michelle Cochran	...	Cindy Baretto
Bob Allen	...	Baseball Announcer
Marco Perella	...	Color Man
Lisa Hart Carroll	...	Blonde #1 (Loretta Akers)

Storyline

A police detective tracks a serial killer who is stalking young women on a beach front after each game that a baseball pitcher wins.

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Plot Keywords:

police detective | beach | serial killer | detective | baseball | 

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Taglines:

STRIKE ONE - there's a killer on the loose... STRIKE TWO - you never know where he'll strike next... STRIKE THREE - too late.

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Did You Know?

Trivia

The finale was filmed at the Balinese Room located at Seawall Boulevard @ 21st Street; sadly, the entire structure was destroyed September 13, 2008 by Hurricane Ike. A few scenes were filmed underneath the Balinese Room (including the Murdoch's Pier and Ocean Grill (later the original Hooters Galveston) where the Flagship Hotel is seen in the background - the aftermath of Hurricane Ike in 2008 which devastated the Balinese Room and Hooters Galveston resulted in the redevelopment of the Flagship Hotel into the Galveston Pleasure Pier now owned by Landry's Restaurants. A new Hooters was opened off 61st Street in 2017, replacing the former destroyed by Hurricane Ike.

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Connections

References Kansas (1988)

User Reviews

A passable time waster.

Roy Scheider plays Mike Seaver, a Texas police detective (and former ballplayer) who picks up the trail of a serial killer in this very pedestrian thriller. The hook here is that the killers' attacks are tied in to night games at the Houston Astrodome. Roy's impending marriage to the much younger Roxy (Karen Young) forms a subplot, as does Roy's vendetta against a fellow detective, Broussard (Paul Gleason) whom he believes to be corrupt.

A rock solid cast does the best that it can with this routine script by Spencer Eastman and Anthony Palmer. (Palmer also plays the supporting role of Mendoza.) Peter Masterson is a good director, and the movie isn't incompetently made, but it's of no real distinction. It's pretty predictable, although it might hold the attention of some viewers because of its brutal murders, location filming, and fine performances. It's gorgeously shot by Fred Murphy, and the score by Pino Donaggio is okay but it's definitely not as memorable as the scores he composed for features such as "Carrie", "Piranha", "Dressed to Kill", and "The Howling". Pacing is mostly decent, but the movie is just not that exciting, even in its final act when Seaver realizes who the killer is and races to prevent them from committing another murder.

Scheider is fine as always in the lead, even not having that much to work with. Young is radiant and appealing as his love interest. Gleason is amusing in one of his typical jerk roles, and Richard Bradford glowers and rants adequately as Scheiders' commanding officer. Lane Smith is rather wasted as a government man named Witty. Carlin Glynn (Mastersons' wife) plays Scheiders' domineering future mother-in-law; Rex Linn of 'CSI: Miami' makes one of his earliest feature film appearances.

This is watchable enough but completely forgettable once it's over.

Five out of 10.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 September 1989 (USA)

Also Known As:

Night Game

Filming Locations:

Galveston, Texas, USA

Box Office

Gross USA:

$337,812

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$337,812

Company Credits

Production Co:

Epic Productions, Sarliu/Diamant

Technical Specs

Runtime:

95 min

Sound Mix:

Ultra Stereo

Color:

Color (Technicolor)