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Cliffhanger

  • 19931993
  • RR
  • 1h 53m
IMDb RATING
6.5/10
128K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
3,135
153
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Sylvester Stallone in Cliffhanger (1993)
Official Trailer
Play trailer1:28
3 Videos
99+ Photos
  • Action
  • Adventure
  • Thriller

A botched mid-air heist results in suitcases full of cash being searched for by various groups throughout the Rocky Mountains.A botched mid-air heist results in suitcases full of cash being searched for by various groups throughout the Rocky Mountains.A botched mid-air heist results in suitcases full of cash being searched for by various groups throughout the Rocky Mountains.

IMDb RATING
6.5/10
128K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
3,135
153
  • Director
    • Renny Harlin
  • Writers
    • John Long(premise)
    • Michael France(screen story)
    • Sylvester Stallone(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Sylvester Stallone
    • John Lithgow
    • Michael Rooker
Top credits
  • Director
    • Renny Harlin
  • Writers
    • John Long(premise)
    • Michael France(screen story)
    • Sylvester Stallone(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Sylvester Stallone
    • John Lithgow
    • Michael Rooker
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 242User reviews
    • 85Critic reviews
    • 60Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 3 Oscars
      • 1 win & 12 nominations total

    Videos3

    Cliffhanger
    Trailer 1:28
    Cliffhanger
    Cliffhanger
    Trailer 2:05
    Cliffhanger
    Cliffhanger
    Trailer 0:31
    Cliffhanger

    Photos196

    Renny Harlin in Cliffhanger (1993)
    Denis Forest in Cliffhanger (1993)
    Michael Rooker in Cliffhanger (1993)
    Caroline Goodall in Cliffhanger (1993)
    Sylvester Stallone in Cliffhanger (1993)
    Janine Turner and Ralph Waite in Cliffhanger (1993)
    Sylvester Stallone in Cliffhanger (1993)
    John Lithgow in Cliffhanger (1993)
    Craig Fairbrass in Cliffhanger (1993)
    Sylvester Stallone in Cliffhanger (1993)
    John Lithgow and Caroline Goodall in Cliffhanger (1993)
    Sylvester Stallone and Janine Turner in Cliffhanger (1993)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Sylvester Stallone
    Sylvester Stallone
    • Gabe Walkeras Gabe Walker
    John Lithgow
    John Lithgow
    • Eric Qualenas Eric Qualen
    Michael Rooker
    Michael Rooker
    • Hal Tuckeras Hal Tucker
    Janine Turner
    Janine Turner
    • Jessie Deighanas Jessie Deighan
    Rex Linn
    Rex Linn
    • Richard Traversas Richard Travers
    Caroline Goodall
    Caroline Goodall
    • Kristel - Jet Pilotas Kristel - Jet Pilot
    Leon
    Leon
    • Kynetteas Kynette
    Craig Fairbrass
    Craig Fairbrass
    • Delmaras Delmar
    Gregory Scott Cummins
    Gregory Scott Cummins
    • Ryanas Ryan
    Denis Forest
    Denis Forest
    • Heldonas Heldon
    Michelle Joyner
    Michelle Joyner
    • Sarahas Sarah
    Max Perlich
    Max Perlich
    • Evanas Evan
    Paul Winfield
    Paul Winfield
    • Walter Wrightas Walter Wright
    Ralph Waite
    Ralph Waite
    • Frankas Frank
    Trey Brownell
    • Brettas Brett
    Zach Grenier
    Zach Grenier
    • Davisas Davis
    Vyto Ruginis
    Vyto Ruginis
    • Agent Mathesonas Agent Matheson
    Don S. Davis
    Don S. Davis
    • Stuartas Stuart
    • (as Don Davis)
    • Director
      • Renny Harlin
    • Writers
      • John Long(premise)
      • Michael France(screen story) (screenplay)
      • Sylvester Stallone(screenplay)
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Storyline

    Edit
    Whilst crossing a ledge, 4000 feet above the earth, Gabe's friend's equipment fails to work and she slips out of his hand, falling to the ground. Almost a year later, Gabe is asked to go back to the same mountain range and rescue a group of 'stranded' people. The only catch is that these so called 'stranded' people are in fact looking for three boxes filled with $100,000,000 and they need a mountain ranger to lead them to them!! —Michael Feller <Reb@magna.com.au>
    • rock climbing
    • avalanche
    • snowstorm
    • search and rescue
    • guilt
    • 175 more
    • Plot summary
    • Plot synopsis
    • Taglines
      • An avalanche of thrills!
    • Genres
      • Action
      • Adventure
      • Thriller
    • Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)
      • Rated R for violence and language
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The film is in the Guinness Book of World Records for the costliest aerial stunt ever performed. Stuntman Simon Crane was paid $1 million to cross once between two planes at fifteen thousand feet, without the aid of any safety devices or trick photography. The insurance company refused to insure a stuntman for this, so Sylvester Stallone offered to reduce his own fee for the movie by the amount that the stunt cost to produce, in order that the film could be made. The stunt was filmed in the United States, as such a stunt is illegal in Europe, where most of the film was shot. Crane couldn't actually get inside the second plane, but good editing gives the appearance that he does.
    • Goofs
      (at around 30 mins) The plane crashes in the mountains, and appears to have stopped half way off a cliff. When people leave the plane, the plane is fully on the ground.
    • Quotes

      Hal Tucker: Delmar, from me to you, you're an asshole.

      Delmar: Yeah? And you're a loud-mouth punk slag, who's about to die.

      Hal Tucker: Maybe. But in a minute I'll be dead, and you, will always be an asshole. So Go Ahead And Shoot

      [mockingly]

      Hal Tucker: I'm Getting Cold... SHOOT

      Delmar: [grabs Hal by the collar...] Who's Shooting?

      [and head-butts him]

    • Crazy credits
      End credits include a message which explains that the Black Diamond harness used in the opening scene was specially modified so that it would fail.
    • Alternate versions
      British cinema and video versions were edited for violence to achieve a 15 certificate with the video/DVD versions being more extensively cut by the BBFC (losing 1 minute 24 secs in total). Most of the cuts were made to punches and kicks during the fight scenes although the underwater shooting scene was also considerably altered (the uncut version shows Travers being hit by Stallone's pitons). The complete version has been broadcast on Sky's movie channels. The cuts were fully restored in the 2008 Optimum DVD release.
    • Connections
      Edited from Scream of Stone (1991)
    • Soundtracks
      Do You Need Some?
      Written by Matt Mercado

      Performed by Mind Bomb

      Courtesy of Mercury Records

    User reviews242

    Review
    Top review
    6/10
    Don't you see what he's doing! He's hijacking the shipment!
    ***SPOILERS*** Sylvester Stallone as mountain rescue climber Gabe Walker has a chance to show off his muscles in this high climbing adventure while wearing in most of his scenes a sweat drenched t-shirt in sub-zero temperature. That as he tries to get his nerve back that he lost some eight months ago.

    It was back then that Gabe in an attempt to save her life lost his best friend Hal Tucker's, Michael Rooker, girlfriend Sarah's, Michelle Joyner, grip as she was dangling some 4,000 feet above ground level when her security belt gave out! With Sarah's tragic death and his friend Hal holding him responsible for it Gabe just dropped out of sight not willing to face or see anyone for over eight months.

    Now in town to get back with his girlfriend mountain ranger Jessie Deilghan, Jennie Turner, Gabe suddenly finds himself face to face with arch-enemy Hal Tucker as he's reluctantly recruited to save a number of people lost in the high Rockies after their plan crashed. What no one realizes is that the persons trapped in the snow are a gang of skyjackers who sky-jacked a government plane with over 100 million dollars in denominations of $1,000 dollar bills! It's the skyjackers headed by former US Government Intelligence Agent Eric Qualen, John Lithgow, who want Gabe and Hal to find the cash,in three large suitcases, that they lost during the failed skyjacking attempt!

    ****SPOILERS**** It takes a while for both Gabe & Hal as well as Jessie to figure out what Qualen & Co. are really up too but that's after all three ended up getting captured by Qualen and his gang. It's Gabe who escaped, wearing only a t-shirt and pair of torn up pants, and made it to safety who had to save his fellow mountain rescuers Hal and Jessie's lives depended on the Qualen Mob getting the lost money which Gabe was threatened or better yet blackmailed to find. But in what we soon see how Qualen & Co. interacted with each other, by murdering themselves over the slightest mess-up, it's a given that as long as the cash is not recovered that will assure that both Hal & Jessie will remain alive!

    ***MORE SPOILERS*** Great action scenes with both Gabe & Hal really getting worked over by Qualen and his thugs but still having enough left to finally put them out of commission. Incredible final sequence with Gabe & Qualen having out on a disable helicopter hanging by a string, or cable, on the side of a one mile high mountain. Gabe who in all reality should have died from the beatings he's taken as well as the bitter cold, wearing only a wet and unfrozen t-shirt, was able to turn the tables on Qualen at the very last moment. In the end Qualen ended up with his fellow hijacked for all intents and purposes dead and buried in the snow. And as for the 100 million dollars in $1,000.00 dollars bills that Qualen & Co. was after: It ended up burned shredded and blown away to the four winds where,in the high snow covered and impassible Rockie Mountains, no one would ever find it!
    helpful•5
    0
    • sol-kay
    • Nov 25, 2011

    FAQ5

    • Are Gabe and Jessie married at the beginning of the film? I know they have different last names, but Hame is wearing a ring on his left wedding finger when he returns to bring Jessie back with him.
    • What is 'Cliffhanger' about?
    • Is 'Cliffhanger' based on a book?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • May 28, 1993 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • United States
      • Italy
      • France
      • Japan
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Cheo Leo Vách Núi
    • Filming locations
      • Mount Falzarago, Dolomites, Italy
    • Production companies
      • Carolco Pictures
      • Canal+
      • Pioneer
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $70,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $84,049,211
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $16,176,967
      • May 30, 1993
    • Gross worldwide
      • $255,000,211
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 53 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Atmos
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.39 : 1

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