Mad City

19971997
PG-13PG-13
1h 55m

Dustin Hoffman and John Travolta in Mad City (1997)

Home Video Trailer from Warner Home Video

Play trailer0:31

Crime Drama Thriller

A distraught man inadvertently takes a group of children hostage in a museum while a hungry, seasoned reporter tries to resurrect his career covering the story.A distraught man inadvertently takes a group of children hostage in a museum while a hungry, seasoned reporter tries to resurrect his career covering the story.A distraught man inadvertently takes a group of children hostage in a museum while a hungry, seasoned reporter tries to resurrect his career covering the story.

Director
- Costa-Gavras
Writers
- Tom Matthews(screenplay)
- Eric Williams(story)
Stars

See production, box office & company info

See more at IMDbPro

Awards
- 1 nomination

Videos1

Mad City

Photos37

Dustin Hoffman in Mad City (1997)

Mia Kirshner and Bill Nunn in Mad City (1997)

Blythe Danner in Mad City (1997)

Alan Alda in Mad City (1997)

Dustin Hoffman and John Travolta in Mad City (1997)

Dustin Hoffman and John Travolta in Mad City (1997)

Dustin Hoffman, Lucinda Jenney, and Ted Levine in Mad City (1997)

John Travolta in Mad City (1997)

Dustin Hoffman and John Travolta in Mad City (1997)

Cuba Gooding Jr. at an event for Mad City (1997)

Cuba Gooding Jr. at an event for Mad City (1997)

Harry Hamlin and Lisa Rinna at an event for Mad City (1997)

A Civil Action

6.6

Hero

6.5

The General's Daughter

6.4

The General's Daughter

Primary Colors

6.7

Phenomenon

6.4

White Man's Burden

5.3

White Man's Burden

6.1

The Little Apocalypse

6.2

The Little Apocalypse

Lucky Numbers

5.0

Family Council

5.2

Eden Is West

6.8

Wag the Dog

7.1

Sam Baily, upset over losing his job, takes a natural history museum hostage. Max Brackett, journalist, is in the museum when this occurs, and gets the scoop. The story spreads nation wide, and soon it is all anyone talks about. The story itself is the news, not the reason why or the real people behind it. —<freckles@vivid.net>

hostage museum natural history museum news reporter reporter 55 more

Taglines
- This November, the biggest hostage negotiation is about to begin
Genres
Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)
- Rated PG-13 for depiction of a hostage situation, including violence and brief language
Parents guide

Trivia
The pastor in the news montage is an actual pastor of the church where the filming took place for his brief interview. The crew was filming, he was watching and was talking with one of the assistant directors, who then invited him to appear in the movie. He had no prior acting experience.

Goofs
Using a shotgun, Sam shoots a colleague through a glass door - but the glass remains intact.

Quotes
Lou Potts: Jeez, I sent you to cover a piece of fluff, and you come back with a hostage situation.

Connections
Featured in At the Movies: Mad City/Bean/Starship Troopers/Eve's Bayou/The Wings of the Dove (1997)

Soundtracks
Jenny's Garden
Written and Produced by Philippe Sarde

Top review

Intellectually thrilling - one for the grown-ups.

A brilliant examination of our media-driven culture, by a film-maker who has lost none of the passion and intelligence which previously crafted such definitive political thrillers as 'Z' and 'State of siege'. I am staggered that Costa-Gavras could bring this one off while actually working within the American media empire he excoriates!

There's enough stuff here to keep any serious media-studies or political theory courses in seminars and theses for years! I immediately bought a video copy after seeing it - in Glorious SpottiVision - on Britain's quirkily watchable Channel 5; I shall be giving it regular viewings from now on. Few and far between are such examples of intellectually adult and satisfying cinema these days. Truly one to savour, unless you prefer to leave your brains out when watching films.

And Travolta's performance as the wretched ex-guard - a far from simple simpleton - is a revelation: The man is magnificent - Oscar-worthy - the great Hoffman is forced to accept a supporting role!

A great, widely misunderstood film by a true master of cinema.

helpful•11

4

philipdavies
Apr 25, 2003

What is Mad City about?

Release date
- November 7, 1997 (United States)
Country of origin
- United States
Language
- English
Also known as
- Çılgın şehir
Filming locations
- Capital Club Athletics, N. 3rd Street, San Jose, California, USA
Production companies
See more company credits at IMDbPro

Budget
- $50,000,000 (estimated)
Gross US & Canada
- $10,541,523
Opening weekend US & Canada
- $4,649,742
- Nov 9, 1997
Gross worldwide
- $10,541,523

See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

Runtime
1 hour 55 minutes
Color
- Color
Sound mix
Aspect ratio
- 2.35 : 1

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Dustin Hoffman and John Travolta in Mad City (1997)

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