The Philadelphia Experiment (1984)

User Rating:

6.1/10   

Director:

Stewart Raffill

Writers:

Wallace C. Bennett (story)
Charles Berlitz (book)
(more)

Release Date:

3 August 1984 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Drama | Fantasy | Romance | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Will You Survive?

Plot:

Based on an "actual event" that took place in 1943. About a US Navy Destroyer Escort that disappeared from the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, and sent two men 40 years into the future to 1984.

Plot Keywords:

Philadelphia | US Navy | Experiment | Male Female Relationship | Redhead

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Michael Paré	...	David Herdeg
Nancy Allen	...	Allison Hayes
Eric Christmas	...	Dr. James Longstreet
Bobby Di Cicco	...	Jim Parker
Louise Latham	...	Pamela
Kene Holliday	...	Major Clark
Joe Dorsey	...	Sheriff Bates
Michael Currie	...	Magnussen
Stephen Tobolowsky	...	Barney
Gary Brockette	...	Adjutant / Andrews
Debra Troyer	...	Young Pamela
Miles McNamara	...	Young Longstreet
Ralph Manza	...	Older Jim
James Edgcomb	...	Officer Boyer
Glenn Morshower	...	Mechanic
Rodney Saulsberry	...	Doctor
Vivian Brown	...	Ma Willis
Stephanie Faulkner	...	TV Newscaster #1
Ed Bakey	...	Pa Willis
Michael Villani	...	TV Newscaster #2
Vaughn Armstrong	...	Cowboy
Bill Smillie	...	Evangelist
Lawrence Lott	...	Technician
Stephan O'Reilly	...	Punk Rocker
Clay Wilcox	...	Transvestite (as Clayton Wilcox)
Pat Dasko	...	Dry Wells Newscaster
Pamela Brull	...	Doris
Richard Jewkes	...	Technician
Robin Krieder	...	X-Ray Technician
Pamela Doucette	...	Nurse
Michael Ruud	...	Truck Driver
Deborah E. Dixon	...	Nurse
Mary Lois Grantham	...	Mrs. Waite
Rick Schrand	...	Mandell
Patrick DeSantis	...	Jim Jr.
Charles Hall	...	Commander
David Allen Michaels	...	Prison Guard
Raymond Kowalski	...	Radio Technician
Andrew McCartney	...	Technician
Anthony R. Nuzzo	...	Generator Technician
Joe Moore	...	Commander's Buddy
Don Dolan	...	Driver
Brent S. Laing	...	Radar Technician
Jeffrey S. Smith	...	Sailor
Tony Farrell	...	Bandleader
Andrew Bracken	...	Dazed Sailor
Rudy Daniels	...	Policeman #1
Jay Bernard	...	Engineer
Steve Sachs	...	First Sailor
Bo Parham	...	Radio Operator
Harry Beer	...	Second Sailor
Kerry Lee Maher	...	Radio Operator
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Sharon Doss	...	Violet (uncredited)
Gilbert Girion	...	Policeman (uncredited)

Directed by
Stewart Raffill

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Wallace C. Bennett		story
Charles Berlitz		book
William Gray		writer
Don Jakoby		story
Michael Janover		writer
William L. Moore		book

Produced by
Pegi Brotman	....	associate producer
John Carpenter	....	executive producer
Douglas Curtis	....	producer
Joel B. Michaels	....	producer

Original Music by
Kenneth Wannberg

Cinematography by
Dick Bush

Film Editing by
Neil Travis

Casting by
Linda Francis

Art Direction by
Chris Campbell

Set Decoration by
Diane Campbell

Costume Design by
Joanna Palace

Makeup Department
Joe Giannone	....	hair stylist
Annie Maniscalco	....	makeup artist (as Annie F. Maniscalco)

Production Management
Billy Ray Smith	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Max W. Anderson	....	second unit director
Jeffrey Chernov	....	first assistant director
Pat Kehoe	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Scott H. Campbell	....	model maker
W. Stewart Campbell	....	visual consultant
Robert Van Dyke	....	propmaker foreman
Andrew Probert	....	pre-production design consultant (uncredited)

Sound Department
John K. Adams	....	supervising sound editor
Gary Alexander	....	supervising sound re-recording mixer
Duane Hensel	....	foley artist
Dick Le Grand	....	sound effects
John Post	....	foley artist
Steve Rice	....	dialogue editor
Charles Ewing Smith	....	sound effects (as Chuck Smith)
R.J. Kizer	....	dialogue editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Max W. Anderson	....	special effects
Lawrence J. Cavanaugh	....	special effects
R. Bruce Steinheimer	....	special effects foreman (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Max W. Anderson	....	visual effects
Deborah Gaydos	....	animator
Holly Hudson	....	animator
Katherine Kean	....	animator
Candy Lewis	....	animation assistant
Bret Mixon	....	animation assistant
Juniko Moody	....	animation camera operator
Jonathan Seay	....	visual effects cameramen
Craig Clark	....	special effects animator (uncredited)

Stunts
Fernando Celis	....	stunt coordinator
Monty Cox	....	stunts
Jon H. Epstein	....	stunt double
Jon H. Epstein	....	stunts (as Joe Epstein)
Glory Fioramonti	....	stunts
Ted Gincig	....	stunts
Lee Praggastie	....	stunts
Sherry Peterson	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Roger Olkowski	....	gaffer

Casting Department
Cate Praggastis	....	casting: Utah

Editorial Department
Terry Kelley	....	assistant editor
David M. Perkins	....	final colorist (2000 DVD)

Other crew
Corey Burton	....	adr loop group
Lawrence Doll	....	helicopter pilot
Michael Donner	....	production accountant
Jim Gerwig	....	caterer
Steve Rhea	....	location manager
John D. Sarviss	....	helicopter pilot
Douy Swofford	....	title designer

Production Companies

• Cinema Group Ventures
• New Pictures

Distributors

• New World Pictures (1984) (USA) (theatrical)
• Artédis (1985) (France) (theatrical)
• Succéfilm AB (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (USA) (DVD)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (USA) (VHS)
• Aquarius TV (1993) (Greece) (TV)
• Astro Distribution (1998) (Germany) (VHS)
• Flashstar Home Vídeo (19??) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Manga Films (2004) (Spain) (DVD)
• Roadshow Home Video (Australia) (VHS)
• Thorn EMI (video)

Other Companies

• Inter Video  24 frame video services

Runtime:

102 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:PG | Finland:K-12 | Norway:15 | Sweden:15 | UK:PG | USA:PG | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Charleston, South Carolina, USA

Company:

Cinema Group Ventures

Trivia:

Back in 1980, AVCO Embassay Pictures asked John Carpenter, who serves as an executive producer on this film to both write and direct this film after the success of Halloween (1978) and The Fog (1980). However, Carpenter showed them Escape from New York (1981) (which he wrote years earlier) and they did that instead.

Goofs:

Continuity: The talking alarm clock is still on the bedside table after David picks it up.

Quotes:

Jim Parker: Isn't that - water up ahead?
David Herdeg: No. This is a desert. And that's a mirage.
Jim Parker: [later, walking through the flooded plain] How much longer you think this mirage is gonna last?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Xenogears (1998) (VG)

Soundtrack:

Memories of You

Science friction.

Yes, the idea is spectacular. Yes, the execution is paltry. You'd think with all the technology available and the decent story, the producers could have given us an adult film. Michael Pare' is a limited actor at best. He has a face the camera loves but is really wooden in his expressions. The director did not push him, and if he did, he didn't push hard enough. If this film were made today, there are many quality people who could fill all the characters aptly. Although I personally like Nancy Allen's look, she could expand her acting as well. I know she can act, if only a director would get inside her head and bring out her ability.

As far as the story line goes, again, it could have been handled so much better, It has a cheap made-for-TV quality to it. I hope someone makes it over. Yes, a repeat performance of the Hollywood kind would be greatly appreciated.