Truck Turner (1974)

Director:

Jonathan Kaplan

Writers:

Michael Allin (writer)
Leigh Chapman (writer)
(more)

Release Date:

19 April 1974 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Thriller

Tagline:

Black, bold and bloody mean!

Plot:

Truck is a bounty hunter who gets a job to track down a guy named Gator. When he and his partner find him...

Plot Keywords:

Bounty Hunter | Vengeance | Hospital | Organized Crime | Convertible

Cast

Isaac Hayes	...	Mac 'Truck' Turner
Yaphet Kotto	...	Harvard Blue
Alan Weeks	...	Jerry
Annazette Chase	...	Annie
Nichelle Nichols	...	Dorinda
Sam Laws	...	Nate Dinwiddie
Paul Harris	...	Richard Leroy 'Gator' Johnson
Charles Cyphers	...	Drunk
John Kramer	...	Desmond
Scatman Crothers	...	Duke
Dick Miller	...	Fogarty
Bob Harris	...	Snow
Jac Emil	...	Reno
Stan Shaw	...	Fontana
Wendell Tucker	...	Wendell
Clarence Barnes	...	Toro
Don Watters	...	Val
Eddie Smith	...	Druggist
Esther Sutherland	...	Black Momma
Earl Maynard	...	Panama
Henry Kingi	...	Candy Man
Lawrence Gabriel Jr.	...	Travis (as Larry Gabriel)
James Millhollin	...	Judge Advocate
Jon Jacobs	...	Dave
Douglas Anderson	...	Charlie
Don Megowan	...	Garrity
Richard Selzer	...	Wino
Ruth Warshawsky	...	Saleslady
Cheryl Sampson	...	Taffy
Edna Richardson	...	Frenchie
Dernadette Gladden	...	Raquel
Tara Strohmeier	...	Turnpike
Lisa Farringer	...	Annette
Sharon Madigan	...	Nurse
Mel Novak	...	Doctor
Donnie Williams	...	Highway Dept. Man
Randy Gray	...	Kid In Hospital
Annik Borel	...	Stalingrad
Matthew 'Stymie' Beard	...	Desk Officer / Clerk
Rhavan Briggs	...	Felice
Johnny Ray McGhee	...	Hired Killer
Clarence Lockett	...	Preacher
John Evans	...	Police Lieutenant
Johnny Dennis	...	Desmond's Guard (as John Dennis)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Earl Jolly Brown	...	Overweight Bar Patron (uncredited)
Jonathan Kaplan	...	Cook (uncredited)

Directed by
Jonathan Kaplan

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Michael Allin		writer
Leigh Chapman		writer
Jerry Wilkes		story
Oscar Williams		writer

Produced by
Paul M. Heller	....	producer (as Paul Heller)
Marty Hornstein	....	associate producer
Fred Weintraub	....	producer

Original Music by
Isaac Hayes

Cinematography by
Charles F. Wheeler

Film Editing by
Michael Kahn

Casting by
John Kramer

Production Management
Marty Hornstein	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Anthony Brand	....	second assistant director (as Tony Brand)
Marty Hornstein	....	first assistant director

Sound Department
Marvin Kerner	....	sound effects
C. Darin Knight	....	sound

Special Effects by
Gene Grigg	....	special effects

Stunts
Eddie Smith	....	stunt coordinator
Nate Long	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Chuck Record	....	key grip
Don Stott	....	gaffer
Ron Vargas	....	camera operator

Editorial Department
Edward Knize	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Dan Wallin	....	score mixer

Other crew
Nate Long	....	dialogue supervisor
Nicole Scott	....	location manager
David Sheldon	....	production executive

Production Companies

• American International Pictures (AIP)
• Sequoia Productions

Distributors

• American International Pictures (AIP) (1974) (USA) (theatrical)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (2001) (USA) (DVD) (widescreen)
• Astral Films (1974) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Orion Home Video (1991) (USA) (VHS)
• Roadshow Home Video (1984) (Australia) (VHS) (as "Black Bullet")

Other Companies

• Panavision  photographic equipment
• Technicolor  color by

Also Known As:

Black Bullet

Runtime:

91 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

France:-16 | West Germany:18 | Australia:R | Netherlands:16 | Sweden:(Banned) | UK:18 | USA:R | Norway:18 (video rating)

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

American International Pictures (AIP)

Trivia:

Originally developed as a film for actor Robert Mitchum. After Mitchum, 'James Coburn' was attached to star as Truck Turner, but that fell through as well. Having already invested in the script, American International Pictures decided to turn it into an "urban picture" and cast a black actor. Dick Anthony Williams, best know for his work in The Mack (1973) and Slaughter's Big Rip-Off (1973) was initially cast, but was quickly replaced by Isaac Hayes, who wanted to get into acting. It was also felt that Hayes had a bigger name draw than Williams.

Quotes:

Dorinda: What's the matter, Blue? Can't you cut the job?
Harvard Blue: I am the job. I came here to get 'em off your ass!
Dorinda: My ass is in good shape.
Harvard Blue: Your ass is into hot water without a boat!

Movie Connections:

Remade as Truck Turner (2010)

One of the best blaxploitation movies ever made

After months of searching, I finally caught up with the Isaac Hayes blaxploitation hit Truck Turner. It's just not fair! This great action movie, Hayes' only lead role ever, is amazingly hard to find! I paid $15 to buy it at a Best Buy store, and I really got my money's worth. While I expected something along the lines of Shaft (and I wasn't disappointed there), I noticed a lot of similarities between this movie, made in 1974, and recent releases like L.A. Confidential and Jackie Brown! The plot: Hayes plays Mack "Truck" Turner, a former football star who was forced to retire due to an injury. Now he works as a bounty hunter with his partner Jerry (Alan Weeks is great!) When he kills his most recent target, a pimp named Gator, he's in trouble with Mack Daddy Harvard Blue and his vicious hoes, as well as a one-eyed assassin and a lot of other unpleasant characters! Isaac Hayes proves that he can act almost as good as he can sing! Nichelle Nicols of "Star Trek" gives the second-best performance in the movie as a hoe, Scatman Crothers is slick as Duke, the only pimp who backs Truck, and Annazette Chase is surprisingly good as Truck's lady! This one is a real classic. If you like Isaac Hayes, or "blaxploitation", and you find this movie somewhere, no matter how much it costs, buy it. It's worth it. **** out of ****