The Osterman Weekend (1983)

User Rating:

5.8/10   

Director:

Sam Peckinpah

Writers:

Robert Ludlum (novel)
Ian Masters (adaptation)
(more)

Release Date:

14 October 1983 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

The one weekend of the year you won't want to miss.

Plot:

The host of an investigative news show is convinced by the CIA that the friends he has invited to a...

Plot Keywords:

Conspiracy | Friend | Weekend | CIA | Panties

Awards:

2 wins

Cast

Rutger Hauer	...	John Tanner
John Hurt	...	Lawrence Fassett
Craig T. Nelson	...	Bernard Osterman
Dennis Hopper	...	Richard Tremayne
Chris Sarandon	...	Joseph Cardone
Meg Foster	...	Ali Tanner
Helen Shaver	...	Virginia Tremayne
Cassie Yates	...	Betty Cardone
Sandy McPeak	...	Stennings
Christopher Starr	...	Steve Tanner
Burt Lancaster	...	Maxwell Danforth
Cheryl Carter	...	Marcia Heller
John Bryson	...	Honeymoon Groom
Anne Haney	...	Honeymoon Bride
Kristen Peckinpah	...	Tremayne's Secretary
Marshall Ho'o	...	Martial Arts Instructor
Jan Triska	...	Mikalovich
Hansford Rowe	...	General Keever
Merete Van Kamp	...	Zuna Brickman
Bruce A. Block	...	Floor Manager (as Bruce Block)
Buddy Joe Hooker	...	Kidnapper
Tim Thomerson	...	Motorcycle Cop
Deborah Chiaramonte	...	Nurse
Walter Kelley	...	Agent #1
Brick Tilley	...	Agent #2
Eddy Donno	...	Agent #3
Den Surles	...	Assailant
Janeen Davis	...	Stage Manager #1
Bob Kensinger	...	Stage Manager #2
Buckley Norris	...	Technician (as Buckley F. Norris)
Gregory Joe Parr	...	Helicopter Pilot
Don Shafer	...	Helicopter Agent
Irene Gorman Wright	...	Executive Assistant
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Julie Wakefield	...	Secretary (uncredited)
Jimmy Williams	...	CIA agent (uncredited)

Directed by
Sam Peckinpah

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Robert Ludlum		novel
Ian Masters		adaptation
Alan Sharp		writer

Produced by
Guy Collins	....	executive producer
Peter S. Davis	....	producer
Don Guest	....	associate producer
Larry N. Jones	....	executive producer (as Larry Jones)
Larry Jones	....	executive producer
E.C. Monell	....	associate producer
Michael T. Murphy	....	executive producer (as Michael Timothy Murphy)
William N. Panzer	....	producer
Marc W. Zavat	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Lalo Schifrin

Cinematography by
John Coquillon

Film Editing by
Edward M. Abroms		(as Edward Abroms)
David Rawlins

Casting by
Michael McLean

Production Design by
Robb Wilson King		(uncredited)

Art Direction by
Robb Wilson King

Set Decoration by
Keith Hein

Makeup Department
Paul Abascal	....	hair stylist
Shirley Padgett	....	hair stylist
Robert Sidell	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Don Guest	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Rodney Amateau	....	second unit director (as Rod Amateau)
Laura Andrus	....	first assistant director: second unit
Win Phelps	....	first assistant director
Robert Rooy	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Richard Baum	....	set dresser
Nick F. Caprarelli	....	assistant property master (as Nick Caprarelli)
Cheryl Cutler	....	set dresser
Rick Cutler	....	construction coordinator
J. Rae Fox	....	set dresser (as Rae Fox)
Eva Giera	....	assistant to art director
Eric A. Holst	....	set dresser (as Eric Holst)
Douglas E. Madison	....	property master (as Douglas Madison)
Louise Sharp	....	set dresser
Frederick B. Van Brunt	....	lead man (as Fred Van Brunt III)

Sound Department
David D. Caldwell	....	sound editor (as David Caldwell)
Bayard Carey	....	sound recordist
Carl Fischer	....	boom operator (as Carl Alan Fischer)
Richard Bryce Goodman	....	sound mixer
Russ Hill	....	sound editor (as Russell Hill)
Alan Howarth	....	electronic sound designer
Bruce Lacey	....	sound editor
Anthony Magro	....	sound editor
William L. McCaughey	....	sound re-recording mixer
Mel Metcalfe	....	sound re-recording mixer
Tally Paulos	....	adr supervisor (as Tally J. Paulos)
Terry Porter	....	sound re-recording mixer
Richard Raderman	....	sound editor
Kevin Spears	....	sound editor
David E. Stone	....	sound editor (as David Stone)
James Troutman	....	sound supervisor (as Jim Troutman)
Clancy T. Troutman	....	sound designer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Peter Chesney	....	special effects coordinator
Wayne Beauchamp	....	pyrotechnician (uncredited)
Rodd Matsui	....	special effects technician (uncredited)

Stunts
Joanne Anderson	....	stunts
Bobby Bass	....	stunts
Janet Brady	....	stunts
Carl Ciarfalio	....	stunts
Steve M. Davison	....	stunts
Justin De Rosa	....	stunts
Donna Garrett	....	stunts
Norman Howell	....	stunts
Tommy J. Huff	....	stunt coordinator
Steve Hulin	....	stunts
Alan Oliney	....	stunts
Rex Pierson	....	stunts
Fred M. Waugh	....	stunts (as Fred Waugh)
George P. Wilbur	....	stunts
Glenn R. Wilder	....	stunts
Scott Wilder	....	stunts
Spiro Razatos	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Mike Benson	....	camera operator (as Michael Benson)
Margot Blair	....	electrician
Nathaniel James Dunn	....	key grip (as Nathaniel Dunn)
Eugene Earle	....	assistant camera
Don E. FauntLeRoy	....	assistant camera (as Don Fauntleroy)
Carl Alan Fischer	....	electrician
Jacques Haitkin	....	cinematographer: second unit
Stephen King	....	best boy
Julio Macat	....	assistant camera
Dick McNartis	....	assistant camera
Arthur Mele	....	special photography
Roger Olkowski	....	gaffer
Roger Sandler	....	still photographer
Mike Ansbach	....	camera operator: video segments (uncredited)
Wick Finch	....	lighting consultant (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
George L. Little	....	key costumer (as George Little)
Bernadene C. Mann	....	costumer
Priscilla Panzer	....	assistant costumer

Editorial Department
Douglas Clark	....	apprentice film editor
David H. Lloyd	....	assistant editor (as David Lloyd)
Randy D. Thornton	....	first assistant film editor

Music Department
Dan Carlin Sr.	....	music editor
David Franco	....	music supervisor
Rick Riccobono	....	music mixer
Gary Stockdale	....	electronic music assistant

Transportation Department
Michael McDuffee	....	transportation captain
Richard Padgett	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Katie Carlson	....	assistant to producers
Richard Davis Jr.	....	location manager (as Richard Davis)
Bonnie Engels	....	assistant: Mr. Peckinpah
Susan Figueroa	....	assistant: Mr. Peckinpah
Jeff Freedman	....	promotion service
Susan Gelb	....	computerized accounting system
Todd Grodnick	....	video coordinator
Bob Kensinger	....	production assistant (as Robert Kensinger)
Janeen Davis Magorien	....	first aid
Susan Malerstein	....	script supervisor
Dianne Mapp-Cheek	....	assistant production coordinator (as Dianne Lisa Cheek)
Gene Margoluis	....	producer's representative
Ray Mercer	....	title designer
David Mirsky	....	promotional services
Karen Altman Morgenstern	....	production coordinator (as Karen Altman)
Karen Morris	....	assistant: Patricia Roedig
Cheryl Parker	....	welfare worker
Debbie Pinthus	....	production assistant
Judith Pritchard	....	production coordinator
Pattee Roedig	....	representative: Cine Guarantors (as Patricia Roedig)
Jeffrey Semel	....	computer programmer
Anne Thompson	....	unit publicist
James Thompson	....	location manager (as Jim Thompson)
Patrick Wachsberger	....	distribution consultant
Robert Weatherwax	....	animal trainer
Ray Zimmerman	....	assistant production accountant
Tom Lackey	....	location scout (uncredited)
Beth Tate	....	location scout (uncredited)

Thanks
Helmut Dantine	....	dedicatee
Andrea Rabb	....	special thanks
Dan River	....	special thanks
Andrew Wald	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Osterman Weekend Associates

Distributors

• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation (1983) (USA) (theatrical)
• Image Entertainment (1991) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• e-m-s the DVD-Company (2000) (Germany) (DVD)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (UK) (2004) (UK) (DVD)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Adams Filmi (1984) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Jugendfilm-Verleih (1983) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox (UK)
• Future Film (2000) (Finland) (DVD) (VHS)
• Mainostelevisio (MTV3) (1998) (Finland) (TV)
• Oy Europa Vision AB (1988) (Finland) (video)
• R-Video (????) (Finland) (video)
• Scanbox Entertainment (2005) (Denmark) (DVD)
• Scanbox Entertainment (2005) (Finland) (DVD)
• Showtime (????) (Finland) (video)
• TV3 (1990) (Finland) (TV)

Other Companies

• Inter Video  24 frame video services

Also Known As:

Mission CIA (Philippines: English title)

Runtime:

103 min | USA:116 min (director's cut)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Finland:K-16 (2000) | Finland:K-18 (1983) | Norway:15 (re-rating) | Norway:16 (original rating) | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 (video re-rating) (2004) | UK:18 (original rating) | UK:18 (video rating) (1986) | USA:R (certificate #27156) | West Germany:16 | Australia:M

Company:

Osterman Weekend Associates

Trivia:

According to Jason Robards, Robert Ludlum offered to rewrite the overly complex and confusing script for free, but differences between the producers and director Sam Peckinpah, who'd expressed his concern from the beginning, prevented this from happening.

Goofs:

Miscellaneous: When Tanner is warning the others to get out of the camper, he writes "Get out now". Richard is reading it aloud as "Get out of the camper now".

Quotes:

Lawrence Fassett: [the RV has just exploded, killing all four inside as Osterman and Tanner watch] And then there were two.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Easy Riders, Raging Bulls: How the Sex, Drugs and Rock 'N' Roll Generation Saved Hollywood (2003)

Peckinpah's last

After the utterly ridiculous good-ol'-boy trucker film CONVOY in 1978, Sam Peckinpah languished for five years before returning in 1983 with what would prove to be his final film--THE OSTERMAN WEEKEND, based on Robert Ludlum's maddeningly complex 1972 spy novel.

Despite the fact that it is often cold and sometimes confusing, this film's weakest moments are far superior to even the strongest moments of CONVOY. Rutger Hauer stars as a hard-hitting TV talk show host with a habit of skewering people inside the U.S. government. As this film opens, he is about to have a reunion with five friends of his from the good old days of 1960s radical college politics.

But then a CIA operative (John Hurt) drops a bombshell on him: Those friends of his (Craig T. Nelson, Dennis Hopper, Helen Shaver, Cassie Yates, Chris Sarandon) are supposedly traitors working for the Soviets in a scheme involving germ warfare sabotage. The result is that Hurt, with Hauer's reluctant acceptance, sets up surveillance equipment throughout Hauer's property to document further evidence of his friends' betrayal. When those people start coming unglued, however, more is at stake than just national security or the Cold War. So are peoples' lives!

Though Peckinpah was clearly on his last run while making it, THE OSTERMAN WEEKEND shows that he still could deliver the goods when it came to setting up great action sequences. The final shootout between Hurt's CIA underlings and Hauer and Nelson is edited in such a way as to resemble THE WILD BUNCH, while its actual filming suggests still another Peckinpah masterpiece, STRAW DOGS. Lalo Schifrin's score brilliantly accentuates things. Peckinpah, in depicting the head of the CIA (Burt Lancaster) as the heavy, also clearly makes a statement against America's heavy-handed approach toward Communism in the Reagan era.

All in all, despite its slight confusion, THE OSTERMAN WEEKEND works for those willing to give it a go.