Bustin' Loose (1981)

User Rating:

5.7/10   

Director:

Oz Scott
(more)

Writers:

Lonne Elder III (adaptation)
Richard Pryor (story)
(more)

Release Date:

22 May 1981 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

He's mad, he's bad, and he's Bustin' Loose!

Plot:

Joe Braxton is an ex-con who has been given a second chance to freedom after violating his probation...

Plot Keywords:

School | Bus | Farm | Teacher | Bus Driver

Cast

Richard Pryor	...	Joe Braxton
Cicely Tyson	...	Vivian Perry
Ángel Ramírez	...	Julio
Jimmy Hughes	...	Harold
Edwin DeLeon	...	Ernesto
Edwin Kinter	...	Anthony
Tami Luchow	...	Linda
Janet Wong	...	Annie
Alphonso Alexander	...	Martin
Kia Cooper	...	Samantha
Robert Christian	...	Donald
George Coe	...	Doctor Wilson T. Renfrew
Bill Quinn	...	Judge Antonio Runzuli
Roy Jenson	...	Klan Leader
Fred Carney	...	Alfred Schuyler
Peggy McCay	...	Gladys Schuyler
Luke Andreas	...	Loader
Earl Billings	...	Man at Parole Office
Mathew Clark	...	Dwayne
Nick Dimitri	...	Frank Munjak
Les Engel	...	Wino
Michael A. Esler	...	Cop
Paul Gardner	...	Anchorman
Ben Gerard	...	Man
Gary Goetzman	...	Store Manager
Joe Jacobs	...	Watchman
Paul Mooney	...	Marvin
Lee Noblitt	...	Farmer
Ines Pedroza	...	Herself
Morgan Roberts	...	Uncle Humphrey
Vern Taylor	...	Highway Patrolman #1
Rick Sawaya	...	Highway Patrolman #2
Shila Turna	...	Girl in Card Game
Gloria Jewel Waggener	...	Aunt Beedee
Jonelle White	...	Sales Clerk
Jewell Williams	...	Miss Thomas
Sunny Woods	...	Linette Peasley
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Craig Richards	...	Courtroom Bailiff (uncredited)

Directed by
Oz Scott
Michael Schultz		(uncredited)

Writing credits
Lonne Elder III		(adaptation)
Richard Pryor		(story)
Roger L. Simon		(screenplay)

Produced by
Michael S. Glick	....	producer
William Greaves	....	executive producer
Richard Pryor	....	producer

Original Music by
Mark Davis		(musical score composed by)

Cinematography by
Dennis Dalzell		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
David Holden
Harry Keramidas
Skip Lusk

Casting by
Anita Dann

Art Direction by
John W. Corso		(as John Corso)
Charles R. Davis

Set Decoration by
John M. Dwyer
Marc E. Meyer Jr.		(as Mark Meyer)

Costume Design by
Stephen Loomis
Bill Whitten

Makeup Department
Michael F. Blake	....	makeup artist (as Michael Blake)
Chuck House	....	makeup artist (as Charles House)
Tony Lloyd	....	makeup artist
Omar	....	hair stylist
Ron Snyder	....	makeup artist
Gerald Solomon	....	hair stylist
Ann Wadlington	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Robert Latham Brown	....	unit production manager
Charles Washburn	....	unit production manager (as Charles C. Washburn)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Maximilian Bing	....	first assistant director (as Maximiliano Bing)
Clifford C. Coleman	....	first assistant director
Hope R. Goodwin	....	second assistant director (as Hope Goodwin)
David Holden	....	second unit director
Kalai Strode	....	first assistant director: second unit
John Syrjamaki	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Clint Robinson	....	property master
Gerald Wade	....	property master
Curtis A. Schnell	....	set designer (uncredited)

Sound Department
James R. Alexander	....	sound (as Jim Alexander)
Glenn Hoskinson	....	sound effects editor
Robert L. Hoyt	....	sound re-recordist
Vince Melandri	....	loop dialogue editor
Stanley H. Polinsky	....	sound re-recordist (as Stan Polinsky)
John Stacy	....	sound effects editor
John J. Stephens	....	sound re-recordist (as John Stephens)
John Hayward	....	sound re-recording mixer (uncredited)
Roger Sword	....	sound editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Melbourne A. Arnold	....	special effects (as Melbourne Arnold)

Stunts
Phil Chong	....	stunts
Erik Cord	....	stunts
Jadie David	....	stunts
Ted Duncan	....	stunts
Ron Oliney	....	stunts
George Sawaya	....	stunts
Rick Sawaya	....	stunt coordinator
Sharon Schaffer	....	stunts
Peter Stader	....	stunts (as Peter T. Stader)
Michael M. Vendrell	....	stunts (as Mike Vendrell)
Kym Washington	....	stunts (as Kim Washington)
Richard Washington	....	stunt coordinator
Richard Washington	....	stunts
Rick Sawaya	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
William Jay Gahret	....	camera operator (as Bill Gahret)
Fred Goodich	....	director of photography: second unit
Ronald E. High	....	assistant camera (as Ron High)
Bob Jones	....	assistant camera
Lee Krosskove	....	key grip
Carl Manoogian	....	key grip
Marc Margulies	....	assistant camera: second unit
Geary McLeod	....	assistant camera
Jeffrey Norvet	....	assistant camera (as Jeff Norvett)
Tony Rivetti	....	assistant camera: second unit
John Toll	....	camera operator: second unit
Earl Williman Jr.	....	gaffer (as Earl Williman)
Robert Woodside	....	gaffer (as Bob Woodside)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Alice Daniels	....	costume supervisor
Robert Ellsworth	....	costume supervisor (as Bob Ellsworth)

Editorial Department
Bette Jane Cohen	....	assistant film editor
Michael T. Elias	....	assistant film editor (as Michael Elias)
William Essary	....	assistant film editor (as Bill Essary)
Rick Mitchell	....	assistant film editor

Music Department
Allison Caine	....	vocal effects advisor
Mark Davis	....	conductor: musical score
Roberta Flack	....	composer: original songs
Roberta Flack	....	singer: original songs
Robert Mayer	....	music editor

Transportation Department
Tom Garris	....	transportation captain (as Tom Garras)
Eugene Schwartz	....	transportation captain (as Gene Schwartz)
John Feinblatt	....	transportation captain (uncredited)

Other crew
Mabel Collins	....	production associate
Pat Faye	....	production assistant: Washington
Wilma Garscadden-Gahret	....	script supervisor (as Wilma Garscadden)
Betty A. Griffin	....	script supervisor (as Betty Abbott Griffin)
Max Manlove	....	production secretary
James Maull	....	location auditor (as Jim Maull)
Phill Norman	....	title designer
Richard Pryor Jr.	....	production assistant
Julie Reid	....	production secretary
Susan Royal	....	location auditor
Gloria Schultz	....	dialogue coach
Kimberly Sizemore	....	production assistant

Production Companies

• Richard Pryor Productions
• Universal Pictures

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1981) (USA) (theatrical)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1983) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)

Also Known As:

Family Dreams (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

94 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Iceland:L | UK:15 | Australia:M | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Ellensburg, Washington, USA

Company:

Richard Pryor Productions

Trivia:

During production of this film, Richard Pryor suffered serious injury when he accidentally set himself on fire in a drug-related mishap.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Joe Braxton is hanging on the side of the bus as it begins to go down the hill, you can clearly see the cable of his safety harness attached to the rail of the bus.

Quotes:

Joe Braxton: [yelling at the kids after they learned of the possible farm loss and are whining amongst themselves] Shut up!
Ernesto: [to Joe] Go take a hike!
Joe Braxton: [smacks him across the face hard enough to knock him down] Shut up!

Movie Connections:

Followed by "Bustin' Loose" (1987)

Soundtrack:

Hittin' Me Where It Hurts

Good comedy

This is one of those movies that, unless you have too many expectations, turn out to be quite entertaining. It stars Richard Pryor as an ex-con who agrees to transport a teacher (Cicely Tyson) and eight misfit children from Philadelphia to Washington, as part of his probation. Richard Pryor is known for his abilities in physical comedy. Surprisingly enough, the best part of the film are the more emotional scenes, where he gets to interact with the children. However, there are some other scenes, clearly going for the big laughs, that are not as successful, like the one with the KKK or the ones in the bank near the end of the film, and they threaten to spoil the fun. "Bustin' loose" is a good comedy, although it would have been even better if the script had relied more on Pryor's relationship with the children than on the physical comedy parts. It is definitely not a masterpiece, but if you need an evening of relaxation in front of the TV, then this film is for you.

Rating: 7/10, or B1