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The Adventures of Ford Fairlane

  • 19901990
  • RR
  • 1h 44m
IMDb RATING
6.4/10
18K
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Andrew Dice Clay in The Adventures of Ford Fairlane (1990)
A vulgar private detective is hired to find a missing groupie and is drawn into a mystery involving a series of murders tied to the music industry.
Play trailer1:33
1 Video
97 Photos
  • Action
  • Adventure
  • Comedy

A vulgar private detective is hired to find a missing groupie and is drawn into a mystery involving a series of murders tied to the music industry.A vulgar private detective is hired to find a missing groupie and is drawn into a mystery involving a series of murders tied to the music industry.A vulgar private detective is hired to find a missing groupie and is drawn into a mystery involving a series of murders tied to the music industry.

IMDb RATING
6.4/10
18K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Renny Harlin
  • Writers
    • Daniel Waters(screenplay)
    • James Cappe(screenplay)
    • David Arnott(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Andrew Dice Clay
    • Lauren Holly
    • Wayne Newton
Top credits
  • Director
    • Renny Harlin
  • Writers
    • Daniel Waters(screenplay)
    • James Cappe(screenplay)
    • David Arnott(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Andrew Dice Clay
    • Lauren Holly
    • Wayne Newton
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 123User reviews
    • 56Critic reviews
    • 24Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 5 wins & 3 nominations

    Videos1

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 1:33
    Official Trailer

    Photos97

    Andrew Dice Clay in The Adventures of Ford Fairlane (1990)
    Andrew Dice Clay in The Adventures of Ford Fairlane (1990)
    Andrew Dice Clay in The Adventures of Ford Fairlane (1990)
    Andrew Dice Clay and Ed O'Neill in The Adventures of Ford Fairlane (1990)
    Lauren Holly, Andrew Dice Clay, and Wayne Newton in The Adventures of Ford Fairlane (1990)
    Andrew Dice Clay and Maddie Corman in The Adventures of Ford Fairlane (1990)
    Andrew Dice Clay and Priscilla Presley in The Adventures of Ford Fairlane (1990)
    Andrew Dice Clay and Renny Harlin in The Adventures of Ford Fairlane (1990)
    The Adventures of Ford Fairlane (1990)
    The Adventures of Ford Fairlane (1990)
    Andrew Dice Clay in The Adventures of Ford Fairlane (1990)
    Andrew Dice Clay in The Adventures of Ford Fairlane (1990)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Andrew Dice Clay
    Andrew Dice Clay
    • Ford Fairlaneas Ford Fairlane
    Lauren Holly
    Lauren Holly
    • Jazzas Jazz
    Wayne Newton
    Wayne Newton
    • Julian Grendelas Julian Grendel
    Priscilla Presley
    Priscilla Presley
    • Colleen Suttonas Colleen Sutton
    Morris Day
    Morris Day
    • Don Clevelandas Don Cleveland
    Maddie Corman
    Maddie Corman
    • Zuzu Petalsas Zuzu Petals
    Gilbert Gottfried
    Gilbert Gottfried
    • Johnny Crunchas Johnny Crunch
    David Patrick Kelly
    David Patrick Kelly
    • Samas Sam
    Brandon Call
    Brandon Call
    • The Kidas The Kid
    Robert Englund
    Robert Englund
    • Smileyas Smiley
    Ed O'Neill
    Ed O'Neill
    • Lt. Amosas Lt. Amos
    Vince Neil
    Vince Neil
    • Bobby Blackas Bobby Black
    Sheila E.
    Sheila E.
    • Club Singeras Club Singer
    David Arnott
    • Club Guyas Club Guy
    Mark Goldstein
    • Club Guyas Club Guy
    Cody Jarrett
    Cody Jarrett
    • Kyle Troyas Kyle Troy
    William Shockley
    William Shockley
    • Punk Gunslingeras Punk Gunslinger
    Mark Zuelke
    • Punk Gunslingeras Punk Gunslinger
    • Director
      • Renny Harlin
    • Writers
      • Daniel Waters(screenplay)
      • James Cappe(screenplay) (story)
      • David Arnott(screenplay) (story)
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Storyline

    Edit
    Ford "Mr. Rock n' Roll Detective" Fairlane is experiencing problems, and it's not with the opposite sex. One of them is that all the rock stars pay him with drum sticks, koala bears, food processors and bicycle shorts. Another one of them is that all his employers that want him to find a girl named Zuzu Petals get killed. Why didn't he become a fisherman's detective instead? A must-see for Andrew Dice Clay fans. —Lars J. Aas <larsa@colargol.edb.tih.no>
    • music industry
    • private detective
    • record executive
    • record company
    • cover up
    • 58 more
    • Plot summary
    • Add synopsis
    • Taglines
      • Kojak. Columbo. Dirty Harry. Wimps.
    • Genres
      • Action
      • Adventure
      • Comedy
      • Crime
      • Music
      • Mystery
    • Certificate
      • R
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Billy Idol was cast as Smiley, but had to pull out of the role after a nearly fatal motorcycle accident. Renny Harlin personally asked Robert Englund, who had previously worked with him on A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master (1988), to take over the role after Idol's accident. Idol's song "Cradle of Love" is playing when the fraternity sister takes Ford Fairlane and Zuzu Petals to her house.
    • Goofs
      Johnny tells Ford to meet him at the radio station at 6:00 p.m. When Ford parks outside the station, the sky is dark. As we learn later in the film, the story is taking place in late July. Sunset in Los Angeles in late July is about 8:00 p.m., so it shouldn't have been dark yet.
    • Quotes

      Ford Fairlane: So many assholes... So few bullets...

    • Connections
      Featured in Billy Idol: Cradle of Love (1990)
    • Soundtracks
      Cradle of Love
      Written by David Werner and Billy Idol

      Produced by Keith Forsey

      Performed by Billy Idol

      Courtesy of Chrysalis Records

    User reviews123

    Review
    Top review
    9/10
    One of the Best comedies of the 90's
    It never ceases to amaze me how many people, who fancy themselves critics, meander off into the political and try to use theatrical jargon to disguise what it is they really dislike about a movie. If you go to a movie which is a vehicle for Andrew Dice Clay who in my estimation is one of the greatest comic minds in history, (and he has the records to prove it, being the only comedian to sell out Madison Square Gardens 2 nights consecutively) how can his brand of humor be used as legitimate criticism in a movie which promotes his brand of comedy to the hilt? It's moronic, if you don't like his shtick, you won't like the movie..end of story. Why did you go see it? and why do you write sprawling reviews ...when you could sum it up in a sentence. I hate Dice's humor so naturally I hated this movie. That much said this movie was "The goods" and would have been one of the top 20 box office earners of 1990 had 20th century fox not caved to political pressure and yanked it after only 3 weeks. 12 million opening week? flop me thinks not. The cinemephotography is some of the best work since michael chapman's work in the Lost Boys. The cast are all wonderful in their cartoon roles, With Dice in the lead and Wayne Newton as the villain steeling the show. The movie is hilarious. But to prove that I am not completely biased as a dice fan, there where some minor elelments that bugged me. The editing towards the middle of the movie seemed to get sloppy, especially during the scenens in which biker hit men descend upon the sorority house. And there is a scene in which ford fairlane is being inducted as an honorary member, this is silly and does not jel with his macho stick. Also Morris Dey in a supporting role, gave a dreadful performance, which is sad because he can act, as anyone who has seen Purple Rain knows. Aside from these minor annoyances, the adventures of ford fairlane delivers all it promised, and should have become a franchise film, had 20th century fox maintained more artistic integrity in the face of controversy, not to mention business savvy as it was still making money when they pulled it despite al the undserved negative publicity. One of the best comedies of the 90s.
    helpful•11
    1
    • robertlauter25
    • Jun 29, 2013

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • July 11, 1990 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Ford Fairlane - Rock'n' Roll Detective
    • Filming locations
      • Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Colorado, USA
    • Production companies
      • Twentieth Century Fox
      • Silver Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $20,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $21,413,502
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $6,374,391
      • Jul 15, 1990
    • Gross worldwide
      • $21,413,502
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 44 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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