Mad City (1997)

A disgruntled security guard holds a school trip group hostage, while a news reporter forms a bond with him.

Director:

Costa-Gavras

Writers:

Tom Matthews (screenplay), Tom Matthews (story)

Stars:

John Travolta, Dustin Hoffman, Alan Alda

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
John Travolta	...	Sam
Dustin Hoffman	...	Brackett
Mia Kirshner	...	Laurie
Alan Alda	...	Kevin Hollander
Robert Prosky	...	Lou Potts
Blythe Danner	...	Mrs. Banks
William Atherton	...	Dohlen
Ted Levine	...	Lemke
Tammy Lauren	...	Miss Rose
William O'Leary	...	CTN Junior Executive
Raymond J. Barry	...	Dobbins
Lucinda Jenney	...	Jenny
Akosua Busia	...	Diane
Ebbe Roe Smith	...	Bartholomew
Bingwa	...	Nat Jackson

Storyline

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.

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Plot Keywords:

hostage | museum | natural history museum | news reporter | reporter | 

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Taglines:

This November, the biggest hostage negotiation is about to begin

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for depiction of a hostage situation, including violence and brief language

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

7 November 1997 (USA)

Also Known As:

El cuarto poder

Filming Locations:

Capital Club Athletics, N. 3rd Street, San Jose, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$50,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$4,649,742, 9 November 1997

Gross USA:

$10,541,523

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$10,541,523

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros., Arnold Kopelson Productions, Punch Productions

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Mad City is a 1997 crime drama from director Costa-Gavras and the films stars John Travolta, Dustin Hoffman, Blythe Danner and Alan Alda. In the film, John Travolta stars an angry ex museum guard whom takes his former employer (Blythe Danner) and children hostage unaware a TV reporter (Dustin Hoffman) is hiding in the toilet and has reported the hostage situation live on TV but, an arrogant rival TV reporter (Alan Alda) sets out to bring the TV reporter in the museum down and accuses him of deliberately endangering the lives of the hostages.

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Quotes

Kevin Hollander: This guy's a poster child for the disenfranchised.

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Connections

References 60 Minutes (1968)

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Soundtracks

Is Anybody Listening?
Written by Lou Reed

User Reviews

A Dog Day Afternoon At The Museum

Man, this was some indictment of the television-reporter-mentality! It was exaggerated, of course, but still interesting to see and in many respects good to see because of the onslaught of tabloid-mentality journalism that seems to have taken over the media in recent years. That kind of "reporting" should be exposed and ridiculed.

Whatever, you can enjoy this film for the acting alone with Dustin Hoffman, John Travolta, Alan Alda, Robert Prosky, Mia Kirschner and Ted Levine. These actors, and some good dialog, make the film move along at a good clip despite the absence of much happening on screen.

The story gets you involved and reminds me of the famous 70s film, Dog Day Afternoon, in which much of the film takes place in a bank. Here, it's a museum, and a man is in a predicament something like Al Pacino was in that film except Travolta's character here is totally innocent.

The screenwriters added bit of humor to this involving story and that made it even better. It's very good entertainment and certainly recommended.