Into the Night (1985/I)

User Rating:

6.3/10   

Director:

John Landis

Writer:

Ron Koslow (writer)

Release Date:

15 February 1985 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Drama | Comedy | Thriller

Tagline:

Ed Okin used to have a boring life. Then, one night, he met Diana. Now, Ed's having trouble staying alive.

Plot:

Ed Okin's life is somewhat out of control. He can't sleep, his wife betrays him and his job is dull...

Plot Keywords:

Chase | Iranian | Airport | Mistress | Female Nudity

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Jeff Goldblum	...	Ed Okin
Stacey Pickren	...	Ellen Okin
Michelle Pfeiffer	...	Diana
Dan Aykroyd	...	Herb
Carmen Argenziano	...	Stan
Andrew Marton	...	Freeway Driver
Sue Dugan	...	Freeway Driver
Robert Paynter	...	Security Guard
Elizabeth Solorzano	...	Freeway Driver
David Cronenberg	...	Group Supervisor
Robert Moberly	...	Aerospace Engineer
John Hostetter	...	Aerospace Engineer
Dick Balduzzi	...	Aerospace Engineer
Richard Franklin	...	Aerospace Engineer
Cal Worthington	...	Himself
Wes Dawn	...	L.A.P.D
Christopher George	...	L.A.P.D
Ali Madani	...	Hasi
Michael Zand	...	Savak
Hadi Sadjadi	...	SAVAK
Beruce Gramian	...	SAVAK
John Landis	...	SAVAK
Hope Clarke	...	Airport Cop
Eric Lee	...	Parking Attendant
Jake Steinfeld	...	Larry
Sue Bowser	...	Girl on Boat
Waldo Salt	...	Male Derelict
Viola Kates Stimpson	...	Female Derelict
Bruce McGill	...	Charlie
Jon Stephen Fink	...	Don
Dedee Pfeiffer	...	Hooker (as Deedee Pfeiffer)
Rick Baker	...	Drug Dealer
Colin Higgins	...	Kalijak Actor
Kathryn Harrold	...	Christie
Daniel Petrie	...	Kalijak Director
David Sosna	...	Kalijak Assistant Director
Mark L. Levine	...	Kalijak Grip (as Mark Levine)
William B. Kaplan	...	Kalijak Grip
Jonathan Kaufer	...	Kalijak Script Clerk
Paul Mazursky	...	Bud Herman
Saul Kahan	...	Kalijak Publicist
Rory Barish	...	SAVAK Bimbo
Jean Pelton	...	SAVAK Bimbo
Jonathan Lynn	...	Tailor
Paul Bartel	...	Beverly Wilshire Hotel Doorman
Bill Taylor	...	Host
Jim Bentley	...	Baccarat Dealer
Houshang Touzie	...	Hamid
Slavka	...	Hamid's Girl
Erica Sakai	...	Hamid's Girl
Carl Perkins	...	Mr. Williams
Don Siegel	...	Embarrassed Man
Peggy McIntaggart	...	Shameless Woman (as Peggy Sands)
Jim Henson	...	Man on Phone
David Bowie	...	Colin Morris
Robert Traynor	...	Beverly Hills Cop
Art Evans	...	Jimmy
Jack Arnold	...	Man with Dog
Pete Ellis	...	Himself
Domingo Ambriz	...	Taxi Driver
Amy Heckerling	...	Ships Waitress
Robert LaBassiere	...	Melville's Man
Yacub Salih	...	Melville's Man
Roger Vadim	...	Monsieur Melville
John Roberts	...	Malibu Neighbor (as Jack Roberts)
Diane Roberts	...	Malibu Neighbor
Reid Smith	...	Sheriff Peterson
Rusdi Lane	...	Detective #1
Lawrence Kasdan	...	Detective #2
Richard Farnsworth	...	Jack Caper
Vera Miles	...	Joan Caper
Irene Papas	...	Shaheen Parvici
Hassan Ildari	...	Shaheen's Assistant
Zoreh Ramsey	...	Lady In Waiting
Beulah Quo	...	Mrs. Yakamura
Patricia Gaul	...	Stewardess
Clu Gulager	...	Federal Agent
Jonathan Demme	...	Federal Agent
Tracy Hutchinson	...	Federal Agent
Gene Whittington	...	Federal Agent
Eddy Donno	...	L.A.P.D
Carl Gottlieb	...	Federal Agent
Alma Beltran	...	Cleaning Woman
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Ava Cadell	...	(scenes deleted)
Cynthia Lea Clark	...	Dancer
Lou Costello	...	Wilbur Grey in 'Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein' (archive footage)
Reed Armstrong	...	Driver (uncredited)
John Richard Petersen	...	Marine at Airport (uncredited)

Directed by
John Landis

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Ron Koslow		writer

Produced by
Dan Allingham	....	executive producer
Leslie Belzberg	....	co-associate producer
George Folsey Jr.	....	producer
Ron Koslow	....	producer
David Sosna	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Ira Newborn

Cinematography by
Robert Paynter

Film Editing by
Malcolm Campbell

Casting by
Jackie Burch
Michael Chinich

Production Design by
John J. Lloyd		(as John Lloyd)

Set Decoration by
Jerry Wunderlich

Costume Design by
Deborah Nadoolman

Makeup Department
Silvia Abascal	....	hair stylist
Wes Dawn	....	makeup artist
Jim Kail	....	makeup artist (as James Kail)

Production Management
Dan Allingham	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Carol D. Bonnefil	....	dga trainee (as Carol Bonnefil)
Harry V. Bring	....	second assistant director (additional photography)
George Folsey Jr.	....	second unit director
Maggie Parker	....	additional second assistant director
Robert D. Simon	....	second assistant director (as Robert Simon)
David Sosna	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Robert L. Anderson	....	construction coordinator (as Robert Anderson)
Barry Bedig	....	property master
Nigel A. Boucher	....	set dresser
Jim Callan	....	stand-by painter (as James Callan)
Stan Cockerell	....	assistant property master
Henry Larrecq	....	assistant art director
Charles R. Lipscomb	....	set dresser (as Chuck Lipscomb)
Robert Misetich	....	painter (uncredited)

Sound Department
Bruce Bell	....	sound editor
Peter Berkos	....	sound editor
Don Digirolamo	....	sound re-recording mixer
Robert J. Glass	....	sound re-recording mixer
Gil Hudson	....	adr editor
William B. Kaplan	....	sound mixer
David Kelson	....	cable person
Robert Knudson	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Buzz Knudson)
Angie Luckey	....	sound effects assistant
Ian MacGregor-Scott	....	sound editor (as Ian MacGregor Scott)
Sam Reynolds	....	sound editor
John Roesch	....	foley artist
Joan Rowe	....	foley artist
Earl Sampson	....	boom operator
Sam F. Shaw	....	sound editor (as Sam Shaw)
John Stacy	....	supervising sound editor
Kyle Wright	....	sound editor

Special Effects by
Michael Wood	....	special effects (as Mike Wood)

Stunts
Brass Adams	....	stunts
Gregory J. Barnett	....	stunts (as Greg Barnett)
Sandy Berumen	....	stunts
Janet Brady	....	stunts
Tony Brubaker	....	stunts
David Burton	....	stunts
Danny Costa	....	stunts
Bill Couch	....	stunts
Steve Cremin	....	stunts (as Stephen Cremin)
Steve M. Davison	....	stunts (as Steve Davison)
Justin De Rosa	....	stunts (as Justin Derosa)
Eddy Donno	....	stunt coordinator
Eddy Donno	....	stunts
Kenny Endoso	....	stunts
Gary Epper	....	stunts
Freddie Hice	....	stunts (as Freddy Hice)
Billy Hank Hooker	....	stunts (as Hank Hooker)
Buddy Joe Hooker	....	stunts
Chris Howell	....	stunts
Tommy J. Huff	....	stunts (as Tom Huff)
Tracy Hutchinson	....	stunts
David LeBell	....	stunts (as David LaBell)
Gary McLarty	....	stunts
John Moio	....	stunts
Bennie Moore	....	stunts (as Benny Moore)
Mike Moore	....	stunts
Jimmy Nickerson	....	stunts
Beth Nufer	....	stunts
Frank Orsatti	....	stunts
Charlie Picerni	....	stunts
Chuck Picerni Jr.	....	stunts (as Charlie Picerni Jr.)
Sandy Robertson	....	stunts
Mic Rodgers	....	stunts
Reid Rondell	....	stunts
Michael Runyard	....	stunts (as Mike Runyard)
Steve Santosusso	....	stunts (as Stephen J. Santosusso)
Joe Tornatore	....	stunts
Scott Wilder	....	stunts
Walter Wyatt	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Michael W. Blymyer	....	electrician (as Michael Blymeyer)
Dan Brewer	....	video playback operator
Philip Caplan	....	camera operator
Tom Connole	....	first assistant camera
Romeo De Santis Jr.	....	electrician
Chuy Elizondo	....	camera operator (as Jesus Elizondo)
Michael Franz	....	best boy (as Mike Franz)
Christopher Dunn George	....	second assistant camera (as Christopher George)
James Globus	....	still photographer
Marlin Hall	....	grip
Joe Hicks	....	dolly grip
T. Sano Kwong	....	grip
John London	....	key grip
Johnny London Jr.	....	grip
Ross A. Maehl	....	gaffer (as Ross Maehl)
Tom May	....	second key grip
Montey Menapace	....	best boy
Glenn K. Shimada	....	first assistant camera (as Glenn Shimada)
David St. Onge	....	electrician
Phil Walker	....	electrician

Casting Department
David Gonzales	....	casting assistant
Nancy Nayor	....	casting assistant
Bonnie Timmermann	....	casting: New York
Michelle Troxell	....	casting coordinator

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Sue Dugan	....	costumer: women
Hugo Peña	....	costumer: men
Don Snyder	....	costumer: men

Editorial Department
Margaret Adachi	....	assistant editor
Donah Bassett	....	negative cutter
Vaune Kirby Frechette	....	assistant film editor (as Vaune Kirby)
Lori Hollingshead	....	assistant film editor (as Lorinda Hollingshead)
Bob Noland	....	color timer

Music Department
Jeff Carson	....	music editor
Alf Clausen	....	orchestrator
B.B. King	....	musician
Gary Ladinsky	....	score mixer
Dan Wallin	....	score mixer
Ernie Watts	....	musician: tenor sax

Transportation Department
Bob Bailey	....	transportation captain
Jeff F. Renfro	....	transportation coordinator (as Jeff Renfro)

Other crew
Pamela Alch	....	script supervisor
Jan A. Campbell	....	assistant accountant (as Jan Campbell)
Pam Cornfeld-Walker	....	production coordinator (as Pam Cornfeld)
Dawn Darfus	....	production assistant
Sharon Dolin	....	secretary: John Landis
Nancy Henkle Green	....	production assistant (as Nancy Henkle)
Bruce Hanson	....	craft service
Hassan Ildari	....	advisor: farsi
Saul Kahan	....	unit publicist
David R. Lawson	....	first aid (as David Lawson)
Leanne Moore	....	production accountant
Lori Pfeiffer	....	production assistant
Leslie Schwartz	....	production assistant
Randee Lois Smith	....	assistant: John Landis (as Randee Smith)
Janet L. Wattles	....	assistant accountant (as Janet Wattles)

Thanks
Tom Bradley	....	thanks (as Mayor Tom Bradley)
Rachel Landis	....	thanks
Pat Russell	....	thanks (as Councilwoman Pat Russell)

Production Companies

• Universal Pictures

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1985) (USA) (theatrical)
• GoodTimes Home Video (1998) (USA) (VHS)
• Universal Home Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures (Spain) (2004) (Spain) (DVD)
• Cinéma International Corporation (CIC) (1985) (France) (theatrical)
• CIC Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (VHS)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (????) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)

Other Companies

• Los Angeles International Airport  thanks
• Modern Film Effects  titles and opticals
• TPI/PPI  payroll services
• Todd-AO Studios  re-recording
• Tony's Food Service  catering
• Western Airlines  thanks

Runtime:

115 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Persian | French | Spanish

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Canada:R (Ontario) | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | France:U | Norway:15 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R | West Germany:16 (w) | Singapore:M18

Filming Locations:

Avenue of the Stars, Century City, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

According to a recent book on John Landis, John wanted Gene Hackman to play Jeff Goldblum's character but Universal thought he wasn't big enough box office.

Quotes:

Ed: [faces SAVAK man in the airport. SAVAK man holds gun to Diana's head] This is ridiculous. Big shot, huh? You got a gun. Now what? Shithead, you. Huh? Maniac. Let me ask you something. Maybe you can help me. What's wrong with my life? Why is my wife sleeping with someone else? Why can't I sleep?

Movie Connections:

References The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension (1984)

Soundtrack:

MY LUCILLE

excellent film with a casting twist

A man's depression and insomnia drive him "Into the Night" and a lot of trouble in this enjoyable 1985 film. Goldblum is Ed Okin, an LA aerospace engineer whose sleep problems are causing him difficulty on his demanding job. His friend (Dan Ackroyd) suggests that the next time he has insomnia, he head for Las Vegas where no one sleeps. After he sees his wife cheating on him, that's just what he does. Then Diana (Michelle Pfeiffer) jumps into his car and his night turns into a dangerous adventure. Pfeiffer has smuggled perfect emeralds into the country for a promised fee, except that everybody is now after her and willing to kill to get them.

There are some great, quirky moments in this film, and one of my favorites occurs when Ed and Diana walk into the apartment of her brother (Bruce McGill) which is wall to wall Elvis. Then her brother walks in - he's an Elvis impersonator. Priceless. Diana and Ed take his car which has the words THE KING LIVES painted across it. One faction looking for the emeralds come off like the Middle Eastern version of the Stooges, particularly in a beach house scene where, trying to get out of a door, one of them keeps hitting himself in the face with it.

The unique thing is that director John Landis has cast many of his fellow directors: Lawrence Kasdan, Jonathan Demme, Paul Mazurski, Amy Heckerling, David Cronenberg, Roger Vadim, Jonathan Lynn, Jack Arnold, Don Siegel, Andrew Marton, Richard Franklin, Colin Higgins, Jonathan Kaufer and Carl Gottlieb - that's a partial list. They're all good, too.

The always terrific Jeff Goldblum gives us a shell-shocked Ed who seems to take each moment as it comes with what is either calm or numbness - it's unclear which, but it works in the role. Pfeiffer is a young beauty in this - she has a very brief, distant nude scene - and is certainly the type of gal a man would go out of his way to help. She's very appealing. Old-timer Clu Gulager also makes an appearance toward the end, and David Bowie has a menacing role as one of the people after the emeralds. There are some fun shots of Los Angeles like Hollywood Boulevard in front of Frederick's of Hollywood that are a real kick.

"Into the Night" is offbeat and fun with enough violence to make it somewhat edgy. A real find.