Race for the Yankee Zephyr (1981)

User Rating:

5.3/10   

Director:

David Hemmings

Writer:

Everett De Roche (written by)

Release Date:

April 1984 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Drama | Adventure

Tagline:

Finding it after four decades is quite a challenge . . . but holding onto it is really an adventure! [USA Theatrical]

Plot:

In a lake high in the mountains of New Zealand hunter Gibbie Gibson discovers a plane wreck from ww-ii...

Plot Keywords:

Wreck | Hunter | Mountain | Inheritance | Agent

Cast

Ken Wahl	...	Barney
Lesley Ann Warren	...	Sally
Donald Pleasence	...	Gilbert Carson
George Peppard	...	Theo Brown
Bruno Lawrence	...	Baker
Grant Tilly	...	Collector
Harry Rutherford-Jones	...	Harry
Robert Bruce	...	The Bartender
Tony Sparks	...	Brown's henchman
Clark Walkington	...	Brown's henchman
Frank Taurua	...	Brown's henchman
Steve Nicolle	...	Brown's henchman
Dick Jones	...	Brown's Henchman
Dennis Hunt	...	Brown's henchman

Directed by
David Hemmings

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Everett De Roche		written by

Produced by
John Barnett	....	producer
Brian W. Cook	....	associate producer
John Daly	....	executive producer
William Fayman	....	executive producer
Michael Fay	....	executive producer
Antony I. Ginnane	....	producer
David Hemmings	....	producer

Original Music by
Brian May

Cinematography by
Vincent Monton

Film Editing by
John Laing

Production Design by
Bernard Hides

Art Direction by
Virginia Bieneman

Costume Design by
Aphrodite Kondos

Makeup Department
Lesley Vanderwalt	....	makeup artist (as Lesley Van der Walt)

Production Management
Tim Sanders	....	unit manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
David Hemmings	....	second unit director
Chris Kenny	....	second assistant director
Murray Newey	....	first assistant director
Chris Short	....	third assistant director

Art Department
Ian Attwood	....	artwork

Sound Department
Graham Morris	....	production sound mixer
Graham Morris	....	sound recordist
Derek Morton	....	sound editor
Don Reynolds	....	dubbing editor
Brian Shennan	....	sound mixer
Brian Shennan	....	sound re-recordist
Lee Tamahori	....	boom operator

Special Effects by
Kevin Chisnall	....	first assistant special effects: second unit
Geoff Jamieson	....	assistant special effects
Chris Murray	....	first assistant special effects: second unit
Ian Wingrove	....	special effects supervisor: second unit

Visual Effects by
Roger Cowland	....	opticals
Richard Wilmot	....	optical effects operator (uncredited)

Stunts
Glenn Boswell	....	stunts
Dennis Hunt	....	stunts
Fiona McConchie	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
David Burr	....	focus puller: second unit
Freddie Cooper	....	camera operator
Douglas Milsome	....	photographer: second unit

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Patricia Murphy	....	wardrober

Editorial Department
Carmen Galán	....	first assistant editor

Music Department
Dave Fraser	....	composer: additional music
Brian May	....	conductor
Roger Savage	....	music recordist

Transportation Department
Bill Clarke	....	jet boat driver
Peter White	....	jet boat driver
Frank Wright	....	jet boat driver
John Rillstone	....	jet boat driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Jennifer Barty	....	production secretary (as Jenny Barty)
Rex Dovey	....	helicopter pilot
Jane Gilbert	....	production assistant
Mark Jaffee	....	production assistant
Colin Robinson	....	jet boat coordinator
Don Spary	....	helicopter coordinator
Barbara Williams	....	production assistant
Ian Wingrove	....	second unit supervisor

Production Companies

• Drake Films Ltd.
• Endeavour Productions
• FGH
• Fay, Richwite
• First City
• Gupta Film Services
• Hemdale Film
• Pact Productions
• Pellinto Investments NV

Distributors

• Eurodis International (1985) (France) (theatrical)
• Succéfilm AB (Sweden) (theatrical)
• ARC (1984) (USA)
• FVI (1984) (USA) (through)
• Greater Union Organisation (GUO)
• International Film Distributors (New Zealand)
• Thorn EMI Video Australia (Australia) (video)

Also Known As:

Gold Hunt (Philippines: English title)
Race to the Yankee Zephyr (Australia) (working title)
Treasure of the Yankee Zephyr (USA)

Runtime:

Australia:108 min | USA:91 min

Country:

Australia | New Zealand | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 (video premiere) | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

New Zealand

Company:

Drake Films Ltd.

Trivia:

The film is dedicated to John Rillstone, Bill Clarke, Colin Robinson who were killed during the filming of the jet boat sequences.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Brown's goons are trying to pull Gib out of the hybrid vehicle, the treads on the vehicle are clearly not moving, even though the vehicle is moving forwards. The hull of the vehicle is different, with the frame extending well in front of the helicopter cabin, giving away the fact that this was a model on rails.

Quotes:

Barney: It's all right. Air's gettin' a little thin.
Sally: Can we go where it's thick?

Movie Connections:

Featured in Not Quite Hollywood: The Wild, Untold Story of Ozploitation! (2008)

Awful Adventure

At the opposite end of the spectrum from RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK is David Hemmings' utterly inferior adventure regarding the salvage of a World War II-era plane with a valuable cargo. Assets include beautiful New Zealand settings, Brian May's energetic music score and some dandy helicopter flying and jet boat chases. The bad, however, far outweighs the good. Donald Pleasence hams as perhaps never before; half of his dialog is almost unintelligible. George Peppard attempts an Australian (I think) accent, then gives it up halfway through. Lesley Ann Warren is at her most irritating. Ken Wahl is, well, Ken Wahl. The dialog is painful to hear and Hemmings' direction is largely inept. The script is not only obvious but terrible. Jokes fall flat, scenes carry no punch and continuity is virtually non-existent. According to the end credits, two men were killed piloting jet boats during the making of the film. What a waste.