Assault on Precinct 13 (1976)

Director:

John Carpenter

Writer:

John Carpenter (written by)

Release Date:

5 November 1976 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

L.A.'s deadliest street gang just declared war on the cops.

Plot:

The lone inhabitants of an abandoned police station are under attack by the overwhelming numbers of a seemingly unstoppable street gang.

Plot Keywords:

Gang | Police | Street Gang | Police Station | Prisoner

Cast

Austin Stoker	...	Bishop
Darwin Joston	...	Wilson
Laurie Zimmer	...	Leigh
Martin West	...	Lawson
Tony Burton	...	Wells
Charles Cyphers	...	Starker
Nancy Kyes	...	Julie (as Nancy Loomis)
Peter Bruni	...	Ice Cream Man
John J. Fox	...	Warden
Marc Ross	...	Patrolman Tramer
Alan Koss	...	Patrolman Baxter
Henry Brandon	...	Chaney
Kim Richards	...	Kathy
Frank Doubleday	...	White Warlord
Gilbert De la Pena	...	Chicano Warlord (as Gilbert De La Pena)
Peter Frankland	...	Caudell
Al Nakauchi	...	Oriental Warlord
James Johnson	...	Black Warlord
Gilman Rankin	...	Bus Driver
Cliff Battuello	...	First Guard
Horace Johnson	...	Second Guard
Valentine Villareal	...	Chicano Tough
Kenny Miyamoto	...	Oriental Tough
Jerry Viramontes	...	Chicano Hood
Len Whitaker	...	Black Hood
Kris Young	...	Gang Member
Randy Moore	...	Gang Member
Warren Bradley III	...	Gang Member
Joe Woo Jr.	...	Gang Member
William S. Taylor	...	Gang Member (as William Taylor)
Brent Keast	...	Radio Announcer (voice)
Maynard Smith	...	Police Commissioner (voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
John Carpenter	...	Gang member (uncredited)
James Jeter	...	Precinct Captain (uncredited)

Directed by
John Carpenter

Writing credits
John Carpenter		(written by)

Produced by
Steve Fine	....	assistant producer
J. Stein Kaplan	....	producer (as J.S. Kaplan)
Joseph Kaufman	....	executive producer

Original Music by
John Carpenter

Cinematography by
Douglas Knapp		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
John Carpenter		(as John T. Chance)

Art Direction by
Tommy Lee Wallace		(as Tommy Wallace)

Makeup Department
Don Bledsoe	....	makeup artist

Production Management
James Nichols	....	post-production supervisor
John Syrjamaki	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
James Nichols	....	assistant director

Art Department
Dick Girod	....	set painter (as Richard Girod)
Craig Stearns	....	property master

Sound Department
Alan Cassidy	....	boom operator
William Cooper	....	sound recordist
Bill Varney	....	sound re-recordist
Tommy Lee Wallace	....	sound effects (as Tommy Wallace)

Special Effects by
Richard Albain	....	special effects (as Richard Albain Jr.)
Ken Speed	....	special effects technician (uncredited)

Stunts
Rueben Joe Melendez	....	stunt driver
John Roy Rogers	....	stunt driver

Camera and Electrical Department
Jack English	....	gaffer
Michael Everett	....	best boy
Trippy Gafford	....	grip
William E. Mareneck	....	best boy (as William Mareneck)
Douglas Olivares	....	assistant camera
Rena Small	....	still photographer
William Waldman	....	assistant camera
Kurt Young	....	key grip

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Nancy Kyes	....	wardrobe mistress (as Louise Kyes)

Editorial Department
Debra Hill	....	assistant editor
Curt Schulkey	....	second assistant editor

Music Department
Peter Bergren	....	music engineer (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Trippy Gafford	....	driver

Other crew
Tom Hansen	....	production assistant
Debra Hill	....	script supervisor
Marla Miller	....	production assistant
Randy Moore	....	production assistant
Blake Schaefer	....	production assistant
Jocelyne Stoikovitch	....	production assistant
Maxine Syrjamaki	....	payroll

Production Companies

• CKK Corporation, The (presents) (as The C K K Corporation)
• Overseas FilmGroup

Distributors

• Turtle Releasing (1976) (USA) (theatrical)
• Astral Films (1977) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Filmwelt (1979) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Marceau-Cocinor (1978) (France) (theatrical)
• A-Film Home Entertainment (2002) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• A-Film Home Entertainment (2009) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• América Vídeo (1982) (Brazil) (VHS) (as "Trovão das Ruas")
• Arcade Video (1982) (West Germany) (VHS)
• Astro Distribution (2000) (Germany) (VHS)
• Atlantic Film (2003) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Beam Entertainment (????) (Japan) (DVD) (DVD producer)
• Continental Home Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (DVD) (as "Assalto à 13ª DP")
• Creative Axa Co. Ltd. (????) (Japan) (DVD)
• EMS (2005) (Germany) (DVD)
• Image Entertainment (1995) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Image Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD) (special edition)
• Jef Films International (1999) (USA) (VHS)
• Media Home Entertainment (1982) (Belgium) (VHS)
• Media Home Entertainment (1981) (USA) (VHS)
• New Line Home Video (1996) (USA) (VHS)
• Opção (1982) (Brazil) (VHS) (as "Assalto à 13ª DP")
• Stormovie (2008) (Italy) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures (2000) (UK) (DVD)
• Veronica (2007) (Netherlands) (TV)
• Video Sales Network (1982) (Netherlands) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Get Set  set construction
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)  titles and opticals (as MGM)

Also Known As:

John Carpenter's Assault on Precinct 13
The Anderson Alamo (USA) (working title)
The Siege (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

91 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Canada:R (Nova Scotia/Ontario) | Singapore:NC-16 | Netherlands:16 | UK:15 (re-rating) (2008) | Australia:R | Canada:18A (Manitoba) (re-rating) | Canada:PA (Manitoba) (original rating) | Finland:K-18 | France:-16 (cut) | Germany:16 (re-rating) (2005) | Norway:18 | South Korea:15 (cut) | Sweden:15 | UK:18 (video rating) (1986) | UK:X (original rating) | USA:R | West Germany:18 (original rating) (1976) | Iceland:16

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

CKK Corporation, The

Trivia:

Director Cameo: [John Carpenter]as one of the gang members shot trying to climb in through a window

Goofs:

Continuity: Film takes place in Precinct 9, Division 13, not Precinct 13.

Quotes:

Julie: Why would anybody want to shoot at a police station?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Backstory: Halloween" (2002)

A 1970s suspense classic. Absolutely brilliant!

Watching John Carpenter's latest 'Ghosts Of Mars' recently I couldn't help but wonder what happened to Carpenter's vision. 'Assault On Precinct 13' was made 25 years earlier on probably a tenth of the budget and is basically the same movie only ten times better! Carpenter self-consciously uses Hawks' 'Rio Bravo', adds a touch of Romero's 'Night Of The Living Dead' and comes up with arguably the most exciting siege movie of all time. This gem is a perfect example of superior low budget film making. Relative unknowns Austin Stoker ('Abby') and Darwin Joston ('Eraserhead') are both outstanding as the stars of this taut and unpredictable thriller, and the supporting cast includes Laurie Zimmer (sadly her only movie), Nancy Loomis ('Halloween'), Kim Richards ('The Car' - in the movie's most controversial and memorable scene), and Carpenter semi-regular Charles Cyphers ('Escape From New York'). One of Carpenter's best efforts and overall an extraordinarily underrated movie. 'Assault On Precinct 13' is a classic! Add this to your "must see" list immediately!