Action Jackson (1988)

Director:

Craig R. Baxley

Writer:

Robert Reneau (written by)

Release Date:

12 February 1988 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Comedy | Crime | Thriller

Tagline:

NAME: Jericho Jackson NICKNAME: "Action" HOME: Detroit PROFESSION: Cop EDUCATION: Harvard Law HOBBY: Fighting Crime WEAPON: You're looking at 'em

Plot:

Vengence drives a tough Detroit cop to stay on the trail of a power hungry auto magnate who's systematically eliminating his competition.

Plot Keywords:

Power | Murder | Police | Union | Motor Car Manufacturer

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Carl Weathers	...	Sgt. Jericho 'Action' Jackson
Craig T. Nelson	...	Peter Dellaplane
Vanity	...	Sydney Ash
Sharon Stone	...	Patrice Dellaplane
Thomas F. Wilson	...	Officer Kornblau
Bill Duke	...	Capt. Earl Armbruster
Robert Davi	...	Tony Moretti
Jack Thibeau	...	Detective Kotterwell
Roger Aaron Brown	...	Officer Lack
Stan Foster	...	Albert Smith
Mary Ellen Trainor	...	Secretary
Ed O'Ross	...	Frank Stringer
Bob Minor	...	Gamble
David Glen Eisley	...	Thaw
Dennis Hayden	...	Shaker
Brian Libby	...	Marlin
David Efron	...	Birch
Alonzo Brown	...	Big Lady with Purse
Diana James	...	Hooker
Matt Landers	...	Desk Sgt. #1
Thomas Wagner	...	Desk Sgt. #2
Deidre Conrad	...	Policewoman
William H. Burton	...	Policeman (as Bill Burton Sr.)
Preston Hanson	...	Master of Ceremonies
Ivor Barry	...	Stuffy Old Guy
Al Leong	...	Dellaplane's Chauffeur
John Lyons	...	Yacht Guard #1
Glenn R. Wilder	...	Yacht Guard #2 (as Glenn Wilder)
Steve Vandeman	...	Yacht Guard #3
Michael McManus	...	Lionel Grantham
De'voreaux White	...	Clovis (as De'Voreaux White)
Melissa Prophet	...	Newscaster
Prince Hughes	...	Edd (as Prince A. Hughes)
Jim Haynie	...	Morty Morton
Edgar Small	...	Raymond Foss
James Lew	...	Martial Arts Instructor
Nicholas Worth	...	Cartier
Chino 'Fats' Williams	...	Kid Sable
Christopher Broughton	...	Pickpocket (as Chris Broughton)
Charles Meshack	...	Poolroom Bartender
Miguel A. Núñez Jr.	...	Poolroom Thug #1 (as Miguel Nunez)
Branscombe Richmond	...	Poolroom Thug #2
Richard L. Duran	...	Poolroom Thug #3 (as Richard Duran)
The Knudsen Bros	...	Streetsingers
Armelia McQueen	...	Dee
Sonny Landham	...	Mr. Quick
Susan Lentini	...	VW Driver (as Sue Lentini)
Kenneth B. Belsky	...	Red Devil Bartender
Francis X. McCarthy	...	Oliver O'Rooney (as Frank McCarthy)
Ronnie Carol	...	Party Guest
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Tom Druilhet	...	Undercver Cop (uncredited)
J. Mills Goodloe	...	Man in Bar (uncredited)
Dominic Jack Pizzo Sr.	...	Extras (uncredited)

Directed by
Craig R. Baxley

Writing credits
Robert Reneau		(written by)

Produced by
Steve Perry	....	associate producer
Joel Silver	....	producer

Original Music by
Herbie Hancock
Michael Kamen

Cinematography by
Matthew F. Leonetti

Film Editing by
Mark Helfrich

Casting by
Karen Rea

Art Direction by
Virginia L. Randolph		(as Virginia Randolph)

Set Decoration by
Philip Leonard		(as Phil M. Leonard)

Costume Design by
Marilyn Vance		(as Marilyn Vance-Straker)

Makeup Department
Paul Abascal	....	hair stylist
Scott H. Eddo	....	makeup artist

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

Art Department
Joseph C. Fama	....	construction foreman
Jaymes Hinkle	....	production painter (as Jimmy J. Hinkle)
Don Kaeding	....	leadman
Michael Muscarella	....	construction coordinator
Michael Papac	....	assistant property master
Enrico Paronelli	....	paint foreman
Tommy 'Tom' Tomlinson	....	property master (as Tommy Tomlinson)

Sound Department
Alex Algarin	....	dubbing projectionist
Carmen Baker	....	adr assistant
Ron Bartlett	....	foley editor
Don J. Bassman	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Don Bassman)
Michael J. Benavente	....	sound effects editor (as Mike Benavente)
Sherrie Bayer Burke	....	dialogue assistant (as Sherrie Burke)
Kevin F. Cleary	....	sound re-recording mixer
Robert Deschaine	....	foley mixer (as Bob Deschaine)
Phyllis Drury	....	assistant sound re-recordist (as Phillis Drury)
Ezra Dweck	....	assistant sound editor
Christopher Flick	....	foley editor
Stephen Hunter Flick	....	sound effects (as Stephen Flick)
Aaron Glascock	....	assistant sound editor
Cecelia Hall	....	adr editor (as Cece Hall)
Bill Henderson	....	sound re-recording engineer
Sarah Jacobs	....	foley artist
Richard King	....	sound effects editor
Nicholas Vincent Korda	....	dialogue editor (as Nicholas Korda)
Bud Maffett	....	production sound mixer: second unit
Harrison D. Marsh	....	cable person
Oscar Mitt	....	assistant sound editor
Richard Overton	....	sound re-recording mixer
Michael Perry	....	boom operator: second unit (as Michael V. Perry)
Bernard F. Pincus	....	dialogue editor (as Bernard Pincus)
Robert Renga	....	sound re-recordist
Dennis Rogers	....	sound re-recordist
Hank Salerno	....	adr editor
Norman B. Schwartz	....	post-production dialogue
Catherine Shorr	....	sound effects editor (as Cathy Shorr)
Richard Shorr	....	sound effects
John Shouse	....	supervising dialogue editor
James Simcik	....	adr editor
Ronald Sinclair	....	adr editor
Edward M. Steidele	....	foley artist (as Ed Steidel)
Douglas Vaughan	....	boom operator (as Doug Vaughan)
James E. Webb	....	production sound mixer (as Jim Webb)
Rosemarie Wheeler	....	adr assistant (as Rosemary Wheeler)

Special Effects by
Jay Bartus	....	special effects propmaker
James Camomile	....	special effects foreman (as Jim Camomile)
Al Di Sarro	....	special effects coordinator
Andrew Sebok	....	special effects propmaker (as Andy Sebok)
Arthur Vacca	....	special effects propmaker
Bruno Van Zeebroeck	....	special effects prop shop

Stunts
Jamie Anderson	....	stunts
Bobby Bass	....	stunts
Gary Baxley	....	stunts
Paul Baxley	....	stunts
Simone Boisseree	....	stunts
John Borland	....	stunts
Steve Boyum	....	stunts
Janet Brady	....	stunts (as Janet S. Brady)
Alonzo Brown	....	stunts
Jophery C. Brown	....	stunt coordinator (as Jophery Brown)
Jophery C. Brown	....	stunts (as Jophery Brown)
Tony Brubaker	....	stunts
Jim Burk	....	stunts
Steven Chambers	....	stunts (as Steve Chambers)
Doug Coleman	....	stunts (as Douglas R. Coleman)
Eugene Collier	....	stunts
Jim Connors	....	stunts
Leon Delaney	....	stunts
Eddy Donno	....	stunts
Andy Epper	....	stunts (as Andrew Epper)
Allan Graf	....	stunts (as Allen Graf)
Norman Howell	....	stunts (as Norm Howell)
Tommy J. Huff	....	stunts (as Thomas J. Huff)
Henry Kingi	....	stunts
Joel Kramer	....	stunts (as Joel J. Kramer)
Myron Lapka	....	stunts
Julius LeFlore	....	stunts
Dwayne McGee	....	stunts
Paula Marie Moody	....	stunts (as Paula-Marie Moody)
Bennie Moore	....	stunts
Bob Orrison	....	stunts
Diane Peterson	....	stunts
Wally Rose	....	stunts
Fred Scheiwiller	....	stunts
Ron Stein	....	stunts
Steve Vandeman	....	stunts
Louis Viscolosi	....	stunts
Gerard G. Williams	....	stunts (as Gerard Williams)

Camera and Electrical Department
Mike Amorelli	....	electrician (as Michael Amorelli)
Mike Amorelli	....	gaffer: second unit (as Michael Amorelli)
Bill Barcroft	....	grip
Lloyd Barcroft	....	best boy
John Baron	....	gaffer: second unit
Douglas E. Beal	....	assistant camera
Bob Bergdahl	....	camera operator: second unit
Pat Blymyer	....	gaffer (as Patrick R. 'Goldie' Blymer)
Arthur R. Botham	....	director of photography: Detroit (as Buddy Botham)
Peter Davidian	....	electrician: second unit
Bob Fillis	....	best boy (as Robert Fillis)
Bob Fiore	....	electrician
Antonio V. Garrido	....	dolly grip (as Tony Garrido)
Richard Hartley	....	electrician: second unit (as Richard Hartley Jr.)
Michael Laws	....	electrician: second unit (as Mike Laws)
John R. Leonetti	....	camera operator: "b" camera (as John Leonetti)
John R. Leonetti	....	camera operator: second unit (as John Leonetti)
John J. Linder	....	key grip (as John Linder)
Johnny London Jr.	....	grip
Edward Morey III	....	Steadicam operator: second unit
John Oteri	....	camera operator: Detroit
Alan Shultz	....	grip: second unit
Peter Sorel	....	still photographer
Michael St. Hilaire	....	camera operator
William J. Taylor	....	grip: second unit (as William Taylor)
Stephen J. Ullman	....	assistant camera
Michael D. Weldon	....	assistant camera (as Mike Weldon)

Casting Department
Bess Gilbert	....	extras casting
Glenn F. Haines	....	casting associate

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Florence Kemper	....	set costumer: women (as Florence B. Kemper)

Editorial Department
Mark Elson	....	first assistant editor
Frank E. Jimenez	....	associate editor

Music Department
Christopher Brooks	....	supervising music editor
Jackie Krost	....	music supervisor
Stephen McLaughlin	....	music scoring mixer (as Stephen McLaughin)
Richard Perry	....	song producer

Transportation Department
Mike Fenster	....	transportation captain

Other crew
Paula Abdul	....	choreographer
Aurorah Allain	....	assistant choreographer
Gordon Antell	....	production assistant
Corey Burton	....	adr loop group
Jack Crain	....	knife design/manufacturer
Riley Kathryn Ellis	....	production executive
Vic Heutschy	....	publicity coordinator
Luca Kouimelis	....	script supervisor
Greg Lazzaro	....	location manager
Michael Papac	....	armorer
Peter M. Robarts	....	location manager (as Peter Robarts)
Steve Share	....	assistant location manager (as Steven Share)
Tamara Smith	....	production associate
Charles A. Tamburro	....	aerial coordinator
Charles A. Tamburro	....	helicopter pilot (as Charles Tamburro)
Michael Tamburro	....	helicopter ground coordinator
Elaine K. Thompson	....	production associate
Ladd Vance	....	assistant: Joel Silver (as Ladd Rosenberg-Vance)

Production Companies

• Lorimar Film Entertainment
• Silver Pictures

Distributors

• Lorimar Film Entertainment (1988) (USA) (theatrical)
• Cineplex-Odeon Films (1988) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Laurenfilm (1988) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (2000) (Argentina) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Argentina Video Home (1988) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Argentina Video Home (2000) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (1998) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Atlantic Recording Corporation Inc.  soundtrack published by
• Cenex Casting  extras casting
• Leonetti Cine Rentals  cameras and lenses provided by
• Lorimar Studios  opticals
• R/Greenberg Associates  additional opticals
• R/Greenberg Associates  main and end titles
• Segue Music  music editing

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

Argentina:18 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:R (Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Ontario) | USA:R (certificate #28927) | Germany:16 (re-rating) (2005) | West Germany:18 (original rating) | Finland:K-16 (heavily cut) | Australia:MA (Cable TV rating) | Australia:R | Finland:K-18 | New Zealand:R16 | Norway:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | Iceland:16

Filming Locations:

Denver, Colorado, USA

Company:

Lorimar Film Entertainment

Trivia:

The car seen at the mansion, the Halley, is actually a 1987 Pontiac Fiero with body effects that make the car resemble a Ferrari Testarossa coupe.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Carl Weathers and Vanity jump out of the hotel window, if you look carefully at "Vanity's" legs you can see that the stunt double didn't shave his legs for this scene, and his feet could never fit in her shoes.

Quotes:

Peter Dellaplane: You have this nickname - what is it, excitement, enthusiasm, esprit de corps-
Action Jackson: [cutting off Dellaplane] -It's ACTION!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Deadly Mantis (#9.4)" (1997)

Soundtrack:

PROTECT AND SERVE

Great 80s Fun

Okay, now what isn't there to like about a movie that stars Carl Weathers, Craig T. Nelson, a young Sharon Stone (scrumptious), Bill Duke, Vanity (good googly moogly) and tons of other recognizable 80s actors? Nothing! This movie rules. In the words of my roommate, "you come for Carl Weathers and you stay for Craig T Nelson." Carl Weathers is great as straight ahead copper Action Jackson, but Craig T Nelson steals the show here as the evil Mr. Delaplane. He is such a twisted jerk that being the richest man in Detroit and having a young Sharon Stone as his wife isn't enough, he needs to shoot Vanity full of heroin, too. (Side note: Vanity was extremely strung out on crack cocaine at this time, read Motley Crue's book: "The Dirt" for more info.) The action and laughs are nonstop. If you love dumb 80s big budget action, this is a must see. 8/10.