The China Syndrome (1979)

Director:

James Bridges

Writers:

Mike Gray (written by) &
T.S. Cook (written by) ...
(more)

Release Date:

16 March 1979 (USA)

Genre:

Thriller | Drama

Tagline:

Today, only a handful of people know what it means... Soon you will know.

Plot:

A reporter finds what appears to be a cover-up of safety hazards at a nuclear power plant.

Plot Keywords:

Nuclear Power | Reporter | Television | Cameraman | Cover Up

Awards:

Nominated for 4 Oscars. Another 6 wins & 13 nominations

Cast

Jane Fonda	...	Kimberly Wells
Jack Lemmon	...	Jack Godell
Michael Douglas	...	Richard Adams
Scott Brady	...	Herman De Young
James Hampton	...	Bill Gibson
Peter Donat	...	Don Jacovich
Wilford Brimley	...	Ted Spindler
Richard Herd	...	Evan McCormack
Daniel Valdez	...	Hector Salas
Stan Bohrman	...	Pete Martin
James Karen	...	Mac Churchill
Michael Alaimo	...	Greg Minor
Donald Hotton	...	Dr. Lowell
Khalilah Ali	...	Marge
Paul Larson	...	D.B. Royce
Ron Lombard	...	Barney
Tom Eure	...	Tommy
Nick Pellegrino	...	Borden
Daniel Lewk	...	Donny
Allan Chinn	...	Holt
Martin Fiscoe	...	Control Guard
Alan Kaul	...	TV Director
Michael Mann	...	TV Consultant
David Eisenbise	...	Technical Director
Frank Cavestani	...	News Reporter
Reuben Collins	...	Sportscaster
E. Hampton Beagle	...	Mort
David Pfeiffer	...	David
Lewis Arquette	...	Hatcher
Dennis McMullen	...	Robertson
Rita Taggart	...	Rita Jacovich
James Hall	...	Harmon
Carol Schlanger	...	Waitress (as Carol Helvey)
Trudy Lane	...	Alma Spindler
Jack Smith Jr.	...	Tom
David Arnsen	...	KXLA Cameraman
Betty Harford	...	Woman at Demonstration
Donald Bishop	...	Hearings Chairman
Al Baietti	...	Pro-Nuclear Witness
Diandra Morrell	...	Sasha
Darrell Larson	...	Young Demonstrator
Roger Pancake	...	Gate Guard
Joe Lowry	...	Security Agent
Harry M. Williams	...	Fire Rescue
Dennis Barker	...	Jaws of Life
Joseph Garcia	...	Highway Patrolman
James Kline	...	Jim
Alan Beckwith	...	Technician
Clay Hodges	...	SWAT Squad Leader
Val Clenard	...	Val Clenard
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Robert S. Woods	...	(uncredited)

Directed by
James Bridges

Writing credits
Mike Gray		(written by) &
T.S. Cook		(written by) and
James Bridges		(written by)

Produced by
Michael Douglas	....	producer
Bruce Gilbert	....	executive producer
Penny McCarthy	....	assistant producer
James Nelson	....	associate producer
Jack Smith Jr.	....	assistant producer

Cinematography by
James Crabe		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
David Rawlins

Casting by
Sally Dennison

Production Design by
George Jenkins

Set Decoration by
Arthur Jeph Parker

Costume Design by
Donfeld

Makeup Department
Bernadine M. Anderson	....	make up: Ms. Fonda (as Bernadine Anderson)
Kaye Pownall	....	hairstylist (as Kay Pownall)
Don Schoenfeld	....	makeup artist

Production Management
James Nelson	....	unit production manager
James A. Dennett	....	production manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Kim Kurumada	....	first assistant director
Barrie M. Osborne	....	second assistant director (as Barrie Osborne)
Joel Chernoff	....	second unit director (uncredited)

Art Department
Rafael Caro	....	art department staff
Rick Carter	....	art department staff (as Richard Carter Jr.)
Joseph Hurley	....	art department staff (as Joe Hurley)
Terry E. Lewis	....	property master (as Terry Lewis)
William Maldonado	....	construction coordinator
Richard McKenzie	....	art department staff
Rudy Reachi	....	assistant prop man
Ray Villalobos Sr.	....	paint foreman (as Reynaldo Villalobos)
R. Chris Westlund	....	lead man (as Chris Westlund)
S. Bruce Wineinger	....	construction foreman (as Bruce Wineinger)
William Ladd Skinner	....	set designer (uncredited)

Sound Department
Fred J. Brown	....	sound effects editor (as Fred Brown)
Willie D. Burton	....	sound mixer (as Willie Burton)
Gene Corso	....	sound effects editor
Les Fresholtz	....	re-recording mixer (as Lester Fresholtz)
Marvin E. Lewis	....	boom operator (as Marvin Lewis)
Mary McGlone	....	sound effects editor
Michael Minkler	....	re-recording mixer
Lorane Mitchell	....	sound effects editor
Arthur Piantadosi	....	re-recording mixer
Samuel C. Crutcher	....	assistant sound editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Bruce Mattox	....	special effects assistant
Henry Millar Jr.	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Richard Edlund	....	miniature photography
Michael L. Fink	....	electronic consultant (as Mike Fink)
Richard E. Hollander	....	electronic consultant (as Richard Hollander)
James F. Liles	....	special photographic effects
Matthew Yuricich	....	matte paintings
Stuart Ziff	....	electronic effects

Stunts
Bob Harris	....	stunt coordinator (as Bobby Harris)
Carey Loftin	....	stunt coordinator
Hubie Kerns Jr.	....	stunt driver (uncredited)
Bryce Guy Williams	....	stunt double: Jack Lemmon (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
James O. Blair	....	gaffer (as James Blair)
Robert Duggan	....	best boy grip
Robert Isenberg	....	camera assistant
Tom Prophet Jr.	....	key grip
Daryl Smith	....	best boy electric
Peter Sorel	....	still photographer
Mike Sweeten	....	camera operator
Reynaldo Villalobos	....	second camera (as Ray Villalobos)

Casting Department
Stanzi Stokes	....	assistant casting (as Stanzi Foster)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Aggie Guerard Rodgers	....	costumer: ladies' (as Aggie Rodgers)
Eddie Marks	....	costumer: men's (as Edward Marks)

Editorial Department
Francesca Emerson	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Jim Henrikson	....	music editor
Francesca Emerson	....	assistant music editor (uncredited)
Dan Wallin	....	score mixer (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Eddie Baken	....	transportation captain
Craig Pinkard	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Marty P. Ewing	....	production assistant (as Marty Ewing)
Debbie Getlin	....	assistant: Mr. Bridges (as Deborah Getlin)
Richard Holley	....	helicopter pilot (as Rick Holley)
Alan Kaul	....	technical advisor: news
Ronnie Kramer	....	production secretary
Hal Landaker	....	video consultant
Doe Mayer	....	video sequences designer
Ramon Pahoyo	....	craft service (as Ramone Pahoyo)
Eileen Peterson	....	publicist
Ken Ryan	....	production auditor (as Kenneth Ryan)
Marshall Schlom	....	script supervisor
Gayle Simon	....	research
Teddy Stewart	....	research
Douglas E. Stoll	....	location manager (as Douglas Stall)
Richard Thomason	....	helicopter pilot

Production Companies

• IPC Films

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures (1979) (USA) (theatrical) (presents)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1982) (USA) (TV)
• Columbia Films (1979) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Warner-Columbia Film (1979) (France) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment (2003) (UK) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment (1999) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (19??) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD) (special edition)
• RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video (USA) (VHS)
• RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video (USA) (laserdisc)
• RCA/Columbia Pictures Video (1989) (Japan) (VHS)
• Sony Pictures Entertainment (1993) (Japan) (VHS)
• Sony Pictures Entertainment (1999) (Japan) (DVD)

Other Companies

• City of Los Angeles  the producers wish to thank: for their cooperation
• Compal Inc.  computers
• Fantasy Records  acknowledgement: "Country Girl", "Federico", "Sugar's Delight" courtesy of
• Live Wires Unlimited  singing telegrams
• Los Angeles Department of Water and Power  the producers wish to thank: for their cooperation
• MHB Technical Associates  technical advisors: nuclear
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)  titles (as MGM Title Department)

Runtime:

122 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:PG | Australia:PG | Canada:PG | Argentina:13 | Chile:14 | Finland:K-12 | Norway:12 (original rating) | Norway:15 (re-rating) | Sweden:11 | USA:PG | West Germany:12 | Singapore:PG | Netherlands:AL

Filming Locations:

1000 N. Crescent Drive, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

IPC Films

Trivia:

The model for the control room of the plant was based upon the control room at the Trojan Nuclear Power Plant in Rainier, Oregon (along the Columbia River). At the time, it was the only nuclear plant in the US to offer tours that included a tour of the gallery that looked down into the control room.

Goofs:

Factual errors: The emergency lights in the control room did not go on when the second plant accident occurred just after the SWAT team broke in. This was clearly for dramatic effect; in reality they would be on a backup power source just as the plant controls were.

Quotes:

Evan Mc Cormack: Scram the son of a bitch.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The King of Queens: China Syndrome, Parts 1 and 2 (#9.12)" (2007)

Soundtrack:

Somewhere in Between

What can really be said?

I normally don't comment on movies on IMDB, but in this case I feel like I should. I love movies, and I want to make them, and this movie is a perfect example of fine filmmaking.

This is one of the few movies that I have seen on the small screen (originally seeing it air on AMC, I believe, and then on the DVD I just watched) that made me get that feeling in the pit of my stomach. That little gnawing sensation that the director would hope you feel while watching his thriller.

Jack Lemmon's performance is a fine one, and Jane Fonda and Michael Douglas follow. I felt so much empathy of Lemmon, who's character Jack Godell, only wanted people to listen to his warning.

But what impresses me most about this film is the lack of a score, and this is also what makes it beautiful to me. Apart from the opening titles there are no background music to increase the tension, because none is needed. And while the credits run, white on black, in silence it drives the point home.

I use the movie as an example to anyone who says music makes the movie. I think the movie should make the movie and the music should only amplify that. But for The China Syndrome music is not necessary to get across the realism and the urgency depicted here. The characters portray all of this far better than the music ever could.

I highly recommend this movie, it is one of my favorites. If you like movies, you won't be disappointed. If you like movie soundtracks more, you might not want to give this one a go.