IMDb on iPhone and iPod touch Learn more Learn more Download from the App Store
IMDb > The Dead Pool (1988)
The Dead Pool
Quicklinks
Top Links
trailers and videosfull cast and crewtriviaofficial sitesmemorable quotes
Overview
main detailscombined detailsfull cast and crewcompany creditstv schedule
Awards & Reviews
user reviewsexternal reviewsnewsgroup reviewsawardsuser ratingsparents guiderecommendationsmessage board
Plot & Quotes
plot summarysynopsisplot keywordsAmazon.com summarymemorable quotes
Fun Stuff
triviagoofssoundtrack listingcrazy creditsalternate versionsmovie connectionsFAQ
Other Info
merchandising linksbox office/businessrelease datesfilming locationstechnical specslaserdisc detailsDVD detailsliterature listingsNewsDesk
Promotional
taglines trailers and videos posters photo gallery
External Links
showtimesofficial sitesmiscellaneousphotographssound clipsvideo clips

The Dead Pool (1988) More at IMDbPro »

Photos (see all 28 | slideshow) Videos (see all 3)
The Dead Pool (1988) -- Dirty Harry Callahan must stop a sick secret contest to murder local celebrities, which includes himself as a target.
The Dead Pool (1988) -- Dirty Harry Callahan must stop a sick secret contest to murder local celebrities, which includes himself as a target.
The Dead Pool (1988) -- Trailerfan.com - Trailer (Flash)

Overview

User Rating:
6.0/10   10,878 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
No change in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writers (WGA):
Harry Julian Fink (characters) and
Rita M. Fink (characters) ...
more
Contact:
View company contact information for The Dead Pool on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
13 July 1988 (USA) more
Genre:
Tagline:
Dirty Harry Just Learned A New Game
Plot:
Dirty Harry Callahan must stop a sick secret contest to murder local celebrities, which includes himself as a target. full summary | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
User Reviews:
Good farewell Harry Callahan more (85 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Clint Eastwood ... Insp. 'Dirty' Harry Callahan

Patricia Clarkson ... Samantha Walker

Liam Neeson ... Peter Swan
Evan C. Kim ... Insp. Al Quan
David Hunt ... Harlan Rook / Ed Butler
Michael Currie ... Capt. Donnelly
Michael Goodwin ... Lt. Ackerman
Darwin Gillett ... Patrick Snow
Anthony Charnota ... Lou Janero
Christopher P. Beale ... Dist. Atty. Thomas McSherry
John Allen Vick ... Lt. Ruskowski
Jeff Richmond ... Freeway Reporter #1
Patrick N. Van Horn ... Freeway Reporter #2 (as Patrick Van Horn)
Sigrid Wurschmidt ... Freeway Reporter #3

Jim Carrey ... Johnny Squares (as James Carrey)
more
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

Also Known As:
Dirty Harry in The Dead Pool (USA) (poster title)
more
Runtime:
91 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Certification:

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Cameo: [Guns N' Roses]the members of Guns N' Roses (W. Axl Rose, Slash, Izzy Stradlin, Duff McKagan and Steven Adler) appear into the film in the funeral sequence. Also, the Guns N' Roses song "Welcome to the Jungle" is used in the film. more
Goofs:
Continuity: During the final chase scene, Callahan and the bad guy are running down a wharf. In one view, Callahan is running through a column of steam. in the next cut, he is well beyond the steam, and the bad guy is running through it. Yet again, in the next cut, Callahan is exiting the column of steam. more
Quotes:
Peter Swan: Do you mind, gentlemen? I happen to be at a funeral.
Harry Callahan: Like to talk to you about your list.
Peter Swan: It's no big secret. Most of the cast and crew knew about it. I didn't tell you because the dead pool is just a harmless game.
Harry Callahan: Sounds pretty sick to me.
Peter Swan: Let me tell you something, Callahan. People... people are fascinated with death and violence. That's why my films make money. They're an escape, a vicarious release of fear. Same thing with this game. Nobody takes my films *or* the dead pool seriously.
Harry Callahan: Well, someone gave Squares the drugs that killed him - maybe it was you.
Peter Swan: You can't tie me into Johnny's death just because of a coincidence. My assistant and my effects supervisor were playing the game too, why don't you talk to them?
Harry Callahan: Oh, we will - but nobody on their list is dead yet.
Peter Swan: Hey, look, Callahan, Johnny was a major drugs user, and I predicted he'd die this year, but that's all I did. Don't you get it? The whole idea is to pick celebrities who aren't going to make it, because they're old, or because they're sick or because they're in a high-risk profession.
Harry Callahan: Like police work?
[...]
more
Movie Connections:
Soundtrack:
WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
1 out of 1 people found the following review useful.
Good farewell Harry Callahan, 19 December 2009
7/10
Author: psagray from Spain

A list of eight famous people runs for San Francisco and are becoming macabre bets, which are to guess who these people will die first. One of the names is the famous inspector Callahan, which is investigating the case. This film is the fifth delivery of the saga police born with "Dirty Harry", starring the controversial police inspector of Los Angeles, Harry Callahan (Cilnt Eastwood).

"Dirty Harry" (1971) was a success in its time and the beginning of another cinema of action police, its main idea was based on the charisma of its protagonist and the hardness of police response to the criminals.

17 Years later, the character has moved with great success within the world cinema, has been the umbrella of many opposing views and has prevailed their jargon without going to be a "dinosaur" aged by their own ideological criteria. "The Dead Pool" is not a bad film, i believe that attempts to meet a goal that is especially maintain a level worthy, something that if you get. It is a film with some fluctuations, which must be attributed to a script that presents two fighting different, with the character and another with its history. The director, Buddy Van Horn, play well to the error with the viewer to assume things that after change unexpectedly and fails to maintain the thriller until the end, through a history well developed and defunct.

The merit of this film is in the side effect that puts the figure of Eastwood, its presence and credibility, sympathy that transmits with ease and that leads us to worry about him and not by the rest of the victims of the list. The pithy sayings of Clint Eastwood remain ironically sensational.

We have the opportunity to see Jim Carrey in the beginning of his career and Liam Neeson Starring that also began his career film, but certainly in the movie is Eastwood a giant among the major that closes one of the stages of his brilliant career.

Was the above review useful to you?
more (85 total)

Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for The Dead Pool (1988)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
The Music Video bit babydoll-1
Car chase scene had me thinking..... chalky60
Richard Karn ? global_global
Dirty Harry 6?? Tifa_Lockhart
Movie Trivia: Jim Carrey in a Dirty Harry flick??? will7370
Another film with the RC car chase? insinyur
more

Recommendations

If you enjoyed this title, our database also recommends:
- - - - -
Magnum Force Sudden Impact Dirty Harry The Enforcer A History of Violence
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
IMDb User Rating:
Show more recommendations

Related Links

Full cast and crew Company credits External reviews
News articles IMDb Action section IMDb USA section
Add this title to MyMovies

You may report errors and omissions on this page to the IMDb database managers. They will be examined and if approved will be included in a future update. Clicking the 'Update' button will take you through a step-by-step process.