Lethal Weapon (1987)

Director:

Richard Donner

Writer:

Shane Black (written by)

Release Date:

6 March 1987 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Thriller

Tagline:

If these two can learn to stand each other... the bad guys don't stand a chance.

Plot:

A veteran cop, Murtough, is partnered with a young homicidal cop, Riggs. Both having one thing in common, hating working in pairs. Now they must learn to work with one and other to stop a gang of drug smugglers.

Plot Keywords:

Police | Suicidal | Drugs | Death | Vietnam

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 5 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Mel Gibson	...	Sergeant Martin Riggs
Danny Glover	...	Sergeant Roger Murtaugh
Gary Busey	...	Mr. Joshua
Mitch Ryan	...	General Peter McAllister (as Mitchell Ryan)
Tom Atkins	...	Michael Hunsaker
Darlene Love	...	Trish Murtaugh
Traci Wolfe	...	Rianne Murtaugh
Jackie Swanson	...	Amanda Hunsaker
Damon Hines	...	Nick Murtaugh
Ebonie Smith	...	Carrie Murtaugh
Bill Kalmenson	...	Beat Cop
Lycia Naff	...	Dixie
Patrick Cameron	...	Cop #1
Don Gordon	...	Cop #2
Jimmie F. Skaggs	...	Drug Dealer #1
Jason Ronard	...	Drug Dealer #2
Blackie Dammett	...	Drug Dealer #3
Gail Bowman	...	Cop
Robert Fol	...	Cop
Selma Archerd	...	Policewoman
Richard B. Whitaker	...	Police Officer
Mary Ellen Trainor	...	Dr. Stephanie Woods
Steve Kahan	...	Captain Ed Murphy
Jack Thibeau	...	Sergeant McCaskey
Grand L. Bush	...	Boyette (as Grand Bush)
Ed O'Ross	...	Mendez
Gustav Vintas	...	Gustaf
Paul Tuerpe	...	Mercenary
Chad Hayes	...	Mercenary
Chris D. Jardins	...	Mercenary
Sven-Ole Thorsen	...	Mercenary (as Sven Thorsen)
Peter DuPont	...	Mercenary
Gilles Kohler	...	Mercenary
Cedric Adams	...	Mercenary
Jim J. Poslof	...	Mercenary (as James Poslof)
Al Leong	...	Endo
Michael Shaner	...	McCleary, Attempted Suicide Jumper
Natalie Zimmerman	...	Patrol Cop
Deborah Dismukes	...	Blonde on Bike
Cheryl Baker	...	Girl in Shower #1
Terri Lynn Doss	...	Girl in Shower #2
Sharon K. Brecke	...	Girl in Shower #3
Donald Gooden	...	Alfred
Alphonse Philippe Mouzon	...	Alfred's Friend #1
Shaun Hunter	...	Alfred's Friend #2
Lenny Juliano	...	Patrol Cop
Henry Brown	...	Explosion Scene Detective
Brian Strohm	...	Family Friend
Teresa Kadotani	...	Hooker
Frank Reinhard	...	Beat Cop
John O'Neill	...	Police Officer in Car #1
Tom Noga	...	Police Officer in Car #2
Burbank the Cat	...	Burbank the Cat
Sam the Dog	...	Sam the Dog
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Allison Caine	...	Additional Voice (uncredited)
Larry Clardy	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Renée Estevez	...	Underage Hooker (uncredited)
Mic Rodgers	...	Bus Driver (uncredited)
Joan Severance	...	Girl in Black Playsuit (uncredited)

Directed by
Richard Donner

Writing credits
Shane Black		(written by)

Produced by
Richard Donner	....	producer
Jennie Lew Tugend	....	associate producer (as Jennie Lew)
Joel Silver	....	producer

Original Music by
Eric Clapton
Michael Kamen

Cinematography by
Stephen Goldblatt		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Stuart Baird

Casting by
Marion Dougherty

Production Design by
J. Michael Riva

Set Decoration by
Marvin March

Costume Design by
Mary Malin

Makeup Department
Paul Abascal	....	hair stylist
Scott H. Eddo	....	key makeup artist (as Scott Eddo)
Ramsey	....	hair stylist: Mel Gibson

Production Management
Steve Perry	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Terry Miller	....	second assistant director (as Terry Miller Jr.)
Benjamin Rosenberg	....	first assistant director
Willie E. Simmons Jr.	....	additional second assistant director

Art Department
Eva Anna Andry	....	assistant art director (as Eva Bohn)
Mario Castillo	....	swing gang
Oscar Delgadillo	....	swing gang
Jack Eberhart	....	lead person
Joyce Gordon	....	swing gang
Jaymes Hinkle	....	stand-by painter (as Jimmie J. Hinkle)
Ron Morales	....	labor foreman
Erik L. Nelson	....	property master (as Erik Nelson)
James F. Orendorff	....	construction foreman (as James Orendorff)
Michael Papac	....	assistant property master
Virginia L. Randolph	....	assistant art director
Bob Santaella	....	swing gang
George Stokes	....	construction coordinator
Leslie Warren-Smith	....	art department researcher

Sound Department
Rick Alexander	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Dick Alexander)
Sherrie Bayer Burke	....	assistant sound editor
Milton C. Burrow	....	sound editor
Neil Burrow	....	sound editor
Gordon Davidson	....	sound editor
Juno J. Ellis	....	adr editor
Jay Engel	....	supervising adr editor
Les Fresholtz	....	sound re-recording mixer
Barbara Gandolfo-Frady	....	assistant adr editor (as Barbara Gandolfo)
Dee Dee Goldner	....	assistant sound editor (as Deedee Goldner)
Robert G. Henderson	....	supervising sound editor (as Robert Henderson)
David M. Horton	....	sound editor (as D. Michael Horton)
Bruce Lacey	....	sound editor
Alan Robert Murray	....	supervising sound editor
Bill Nelson	....	production sound mixer
Richard Oswald	....	sound editor (as Richard L. Oswald)
Vern Poore	....	sound re-recording mixer
Mychal Smith	....	cable person
Jim Sparks	....	assistant sound editor
Jules Strasser	....	boom operator (as Jules Strasser III)
Scott D. Jackson	....	foley editor (uncredited)
John Roesch	....	foley artist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Greg John Callas	....	special effects
Joe Day	....	special effects foreman
Chuck Gaspar	....	special effects coordinator
Elmer Hui	....	special effects
Thomas Mertz	....	special effects
Bruce Robles	....	special effects
Harold Selig	....	special effects
Jeffrey A. Wischnack	....	special effects (as Jeff Wischnack)
Dick Wood	....	special effects (as Richard Wood)

Stunts
John Alden	....	stunts
Gregory J. Barnett	....	stunts (as Gregory Barnett)
Bobby Bass	....	stunt coordinator
Jophery C. Brown	....	stunts (as Jophery Brown)
Kelly C. Collins	....	stunts (as Kelly Collins)
Monty Cox	....	stunts
Jeffrey J. Dashnaw	....	stunts (as Jeff Dashnaw)
Steve DeFrance	....	stunts (as Steve M. DeFrance)
Mike De Luna	....	stunts
Shane Dixon	....	stunts
David R. Ellis	....	stunts (as David Ellis)
Richard M. Ellis	....	stunts (as Richard Miller Ellis)
Donna Evans	....	stunts
James W. Gavin	....	stunt pilot (as Jim Gavin)
Diane Hetfield	....	stunts
Freddie Hice	....	stunts
Billy Hank Hooker	....	stunts (as Hank Hooker)
Jeff Imada	....	stunts
Mark Lonsdale	....	stunts
Dana Mackey	....	stunts
R.W. Martin	....	stunt pilot
Bennie Moore	....	stunts (as Bennie E. Moore Jr.)
Jimmy Nickerson	....	stunts (as Jim Nickerson)
Mary Peters	....	stunts
Chad Randall	....	stunts
Dar Robinson	....	stunts
Mic Rodgers	....	stunt double: Mel Gibson
Mic Rodgers	....	stunts
Ronnie Rondell Jr.	....	stunts (as Ron Rondell)
Keith Tellez	....	stunts
Elliott S. Valderrama	....	stunts (as Elliott Valderrama)
Karl A. Wickman	....	stunt pilot (as Karl Wickman)
Randell Dennis Widner	....	stunts (as Randy Widner)
Glenn R. Wilder	....	stunts (as Glenn Wilder)
Steven Burnett	....	stunts (uncredited)
Annie Ellis	....	stunts (uncredited)
Tom Noga	....	stunts (uncredited)
Tony Snegoff	....	stunt rigger (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Kirk Bales	....	dolly grip
Richmond G. Cogswell	....	video assist operator (as Rich Cogswell)
Frank M. Holgate	....	aerial photographer (as Frank Holgate)
Frank M. Holgate	....	underwater photographer (as Frank Holgate)
Bill King	....	electrical best boy
Tim McArdle	....	rigging gaffer
Geary McLeod	....	first assistant camera
Ron Peebles	....	best boy grip
Calmar Roberts	....	first assistant camera (as Cal Roberts)
Charles Saldana	....	key grip
John R. Shannon	....	still photographer
Stephen St. John	....	panaglide operator
Mike Strong	....	gaffer
Ronald Vidor	....	underwater photographer (as Ron Vidor)
Richard Walden	....	camera operator
Rick Whitesman	....	second assistant camera
Bess Wiley	....	second assistant camera
Adam Glick	....	set lighting technician (uncredited)
Michael Hofstein	....	additional camera operator (uncredited)
Jeffrey Norvet	....	additional first assistant camera (uncredited)
Scott Papenfus	....	camera trainee (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Barry Francis Delaney	....	costume supervisor (as Barry Delaney)
Dallas D. Dornan	....	costumer (as Dallas Dornan)
Paki Wolfe	....	assistant costume designer

Editorial Department
Michael Greenfeld	....	assistant editor
William J. Meshover	....	assistant editor (as Billy Meshover)
Bernard Weiser	....	post-production

Music Department
Bruce Babcock	....	additional orchestrator
Chris Boardman	....	additional orchestrator
Christopher Brooks	....	music editor
Steve Chase	....	music producer
Robert Fernandez	....	music recordist: orchestral music (as Bobby Fernandez)
Philip Giffin	....	additional orchestrator
James Guthrie	....	music producer
Michael Kamen	....	conductor
Michael Kamen	....	music producer
Michael Kamen	....	orchestrator
David A. Stewart	....	music producer (as Manu Guiot)
Bruce Babcock	....	composer: additional music (uncredited)
James Guthrie	....	composer: additional music (uncredited)
Tommy Johnson	....	musician: tuba (uncredited)
Michael Kamen	....	musician (uncredited)
William Ross	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
David Sanborn	....	musician (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Jim Barbarino	....	transportation captain
Vern Bautenhahn	....	driver
Don Cannon	....	driver
Cliff Hill	....	transportation captain
Myra Hill	....	transportation coordinator
Ron Kelley	....	driver
Paul Tampourlos	....	driver

Other crew
Cedric Adams	....	special technical advisor: 'Capoeira'
Julie Adams	....	dialogue coach
Gordon Antell	....	unit runner
Matthew Baer	....	production office assistant
Rod Bernsen	....	technical advisor
Allison Caine	....	additional voice
Lauren B. Caplan	....	production office assistant (as Lauren Caplan)
Leah Dunatchik	....	production office assistant
Jan Garner	....	production accountant
Rorion Gracie	....	choreographer
Lindsay Hirsch	....	production office assistant
Laura Hoffman	....	production secretary
David Israel	....	location manager
Michael Alan Kahn	....	unit runner (as Michael Kahn)
George Luis	....	assistant: Joel Silver
Tom Maslow	....	unit runner
Alvin Mears	....	animal trainer
Katherine Ann Moore	....	unit publicist (as Katherine Moore)
Dennis Newsome	....	special technical advisor: 'Jail-House-Rock'
John Panzarella	....	location manager
Michael Papac	....	armorer
Michael Papac	....	weapons specialist
Gilbert O. Parra	....	technical advisor (as Art Fransen)
Jim Porter	....	first aid
Spencer Quinn	....	liaison
Jean Paul Riva	....	production office assistant
Laurie Ryan	....	assistant: Jennie Lew
Ron Saffold	....	craft service
Tatum Share	....	production office assistant
Paula Shaw	....	location manager
Debby Shively	....	production office assistant (as Debbie Shively)
Tamara Smith	....	assistant: Joel Silver
Susan Stern	....	production office assistant
Michael Thau	....	associate to producer (as Michael Benjamin Thau)
Elaine K. Thompson	....	production associate
Marion Tumen	....	script supervisor
Richard Whitaker	....	technical advisor
Ellen Wolff	....	production office assistant
Riley Kathryn Ellis	....	development executive (uncredited)
Rorion Gracie	....	special technical advisor: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (uncredited)
Lynnanne Zager	....	dispatcher (uncredited)

Thanks
Dar Robinson	....	dedicated to the memory of

Production Companies

• Silver Pictures
• Warner Bros. Pictures

Distributors

• Warner Bros. Pictures (1987) (USA) (theatrical)
• ELKE (1987) (Greece) (theatrical)
• Audio Visual Enterprises (1988) (Greece) (VHS)
• Argentina Video Home (1998) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Warner Bros. (1998) (Argentina) (all media) (re-release)
• Argentina Video Home (2002) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (2002) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Argentina Video Home (2009) (Argentina) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1990) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Warner Bros. (Germany)
• Warner Home Video (2007) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Warner Home Video (2007) (Netherlands) (DVD) (HD-DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD) (HD-DVD)
• Warner Home Video (????) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (????) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)

Special Effects

• Makeup Effects Laboratories

Other Companies

• Bacchus Media Group  score album released by
• Pacific Title  opticals
• R/Greenberg Associates  main titles
• R/Greenberg Associates  title design: end titles
• Sequoia  production equipment
• TAJ Soundworks  foley
• Tony's Food Service  catering

Runtime:

110 min | Germany:108 min (cut version) | USA:117 min (director's cut) | Turkey:104 min (TV version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Dolby (35 mm prints)

Certification:

Australia:M | Iceland:16 | Finland:K-15 (director's cut) (DVD version) | Finland:K-18 (1987) | Brazil:16 (1999 re-rating) | Brazil:18 (original rating) | New Zealand:M | Hungary:16 | Italy:VM14 | Argentina:16 | Canada:18A | Chile:18 | France:-12 | Ireland:18 | Norway:18 | Singapore:NC-16 | South Korea:15 | South Korea:18 (director's cut) | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R | USA:Unrated (director's cut) | West Germany:16 (director's cut) | West Germany:18 | Canada:13+ (Quebec)

Filming Locations:

2817 Via Segovia, Palos Verdes Peninsula, California, USA

Company:

Silver Pictures

Trivia:

In his "E! True Hollywood Story" bio, Gary Busey says he was hired to play Joshua because they were looking for someone big and menacing enough to be a believable foe for Mel Gibson. Busey also credits the film for reviving his failing movie career.

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: While chasing Mr. Joshua on foot, smoke blasts can be seen coming from Riggs' machine gun, yet no sound is heard.

Quotes:

Martin Riggs: Do you really wanna jump? Do you wanna? Well, that's fine with me. Come on, I wanna do it, I wanna do it.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Rush Hour (1998)

Soundtrack:

I'll Be Home For Christmas

Will never be matched!

This is not only one of the best cop-buddy movies but it is also by far one of Mel Gibson's best movies. In my opinion it almost matches Braveheart which is by all standards a great movie.

First of all the overall acting in this movie is nothing short of excellent. Especially Mel Gibson portrays the deeply disturbed Martin Riggs with great finesse and his ability to create nuanced characters shines through in this movie. You genuinely feel with him and feel the incredible weight of his wife's death on him. Furthermore one of the things that makes Mel Gibson one of the really great actors in Hollywood is his ability to portray rage. Pure, uncontrolled rage and he certainly lifts the movie a few nudges acting wise. The other lead actor, Danny Glover, is also great in his role as the aging family father and he literally embodies the part of Roger Murtaugh and his line: "I'm too old for this s*h*i*t" has become a legend in the film world. Gary Busey is one of my top 10 screen bad guys. Not because he is an especially talented or great actor but he brings an edge to his character that makes one believe that he is the perfect nemesis for Riggs. Last but not least we have the underused Mitch Ryan (whom we have come to know best in the part of Edward Montgomery in Dharma and Greg) and he also does a great job with the relatively few lines he is given.

In terms of story and interaction between the characters I can only say that it is close to perfection. The meeting between the two main characters is a classic moment and their slowly growing to like each other is also brilliantly done. The on-screen chemistry between the two actors is excellent and I'm tempted to say that they have the best chemistry EVER in film history (perhaps bested only by Anthony Hopkins and Jodie Foster in Silence of the Lambs). In terms of the story the relationship between Riggs and Murtaugh has been weighed more heavily than in the following movies which means that the villains will naturally be less refined than in the following movies and this weighing is very acceptable because the relationship between Riggs and Murtaugh is the carrying element of the movie.

The action in the movie is excellent for an 80s movie. I'll even say that I think that the action in this movie is better than much of the action in movies today because somehow it just seems much more believable in this movie than it does in movies like Die Another Day for example where the action has been amplified so much that it just becomes ridiculous and, lets face it, silly. Most of the action involves Mel Gibson and this works great because he really is one of the greats when it comes to action. He gives the action credibility unlike "actors" like Sylvester Stallone or Steven Segal. You genuinely believe that he could be able to shoot someone with a sniper rifle at a distance of 1 - 2 kilometers.

All in all a movie where basically everything works and is perhaps underrated by the voters of IMDb.

9/10 - watch this movie right now!