Heartbreak Hotel (1988)

User Rating:

5.4/10   

Director:

Chris Columbus

Writer (WGA):

Chris Columbus (written by)

Release Date:

30 September 1988 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

1972. My family needed some help, my town needed a hero, and my band needed a break. So I borrowed Mom's pink Cadillac and I kidnapped Elvis Presley, and our lives were never the same again.

Plot:

When a teen tries to set up a band at his school, his mother who was a big fan of Elvis Presley gets in a wreck he and his band members decides to kidnap Elvis and have him hooked up with his mother.

Plot Keywords:

Elvis Presley | 1970s | Teenage Boy

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

David Keith	...	Elvis Presley
Tuesday Weld	...	Marie Wolfe
Charlie Schlatter	...	Johnny Wolfe
Angela Goethals	...	Pam Wolfe
Jacque Lynn Colton	...	Rosie Pantangellio
Chris Mulkey	...	Steve Ayres
Karen Landry	...	Irene
Tudor Sherrard	...	Paul Quinine
Paul J. Harkins	...	Brian Gasternick (as Paul Harkins)
Noel Derecki	...	Tony Vandelo
Dana Barron	...	Beth Devereux
T. Graham Brown	...	Jerry Schilling
Dennis Letts	...	Alan Fortas
Stephen Lee Davis	...	George Klein
Blue Deckert	...	Jones
Michael Costello	...	Doctor Charles Devereux
John L. Martin	...	Sheriff Abrams
John Hawkes	...	M.C.
Jerry Haynes	...	Mr. Hansen
Clarke Devereux	...	Professor
Miles Mutchler	...	Salesman
Ruth Sadlier	...	Aunt Anne
Al Dvorin	...	Himself
Monica Devereux	...	Monica
Hal Ketchum	...	Steve's Friend
Urban Kneupper	...	Accordion Player
Debra Luijtjes	...	Cheryl
Diane Robin	...	Donna
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Christine Poole	...	Judy (as Christine M. Poole)
Kirk Hunter	...	News Photographer, extra (uncredited)

Directed by
Chris Columbus

Writing credits (WGA)
Chris Columbus		(written by)

Produced by
Stephanie Austin	....	supervising producer
Debra Hill	....	producer
Lynda Obst	....	producer
Stacey Sher	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Georges Delerue

Cinematography by
Steve Dobson		(as Stephen Dobson)

Film Editing by
Raja Gosnell

Casting by
Todd M. Thaler

Production Design by
John Muto

Art Direction by
Dan Webster

Set Decoration by
Anne Kuljian

Costume Design by
M. Nord Haggerty		(as Nord Haggerty)

Makeup Department
Bonnie Clevering	....	hair stylist
Gigi Coker	....	makeup supervisor
Sharon Ray Ely	....	assistant hair stylist (as Sharon Ely)
Ziggy Geike	....	wig maker: David Keith
Deborah Roll	....	assistant makeup artist
Jeffrey Sacino	....	wig maker: Jacque Lynn Colton
Janet Tallent-Dickson	....	additional makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Stephanie Austin	....	production supervisor
Robin S. Clark	....	executive in charge of production
Robin S. Clark	....	production manager
John Muto	....	production manager
Timothy Silver	....	executive in charge of production
Timothy Silver	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
James Giovannetti Jr.	....	second assistant director (as James R. Giovannetti Jr.)
Geoffrey Hansen	....	second second assistant director (as Geoffrey D. Hansen)
Mark Radcliffe	....	first assistant director
Daniel R. Suhart	....	second second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Jonathan Bobbitt	....	assistant property master
Russell Bobbitt	....	property master
Philip Chapnick	....	extra assistant props
Michael T. Daigle	....	lead scenic artist
Tom Dreesen	....	construction coordinator
Theresa Dringenberg	....	sign painter
Bill Jackson	....	art department assistant
Melinda Ritz	....	lead person
David Menefee	....	carpenter (uncredited)
Jeff Stacy	....	set dresser (uncredited)

Sound Department
Michael C. Casper	....	sound re-recording mixer
Roberta Doheny	....	sound re-recording mixer
Bruce Foster	....	sound effects assistant
Richard Friedman	....	adr supervisor (as Dick Friedman)
Roger Jaep	....	sound effects assistant
Fred Judkins	....	supervising sound editor
Bonnie Koehler	....	sound editor
Daniel J. Leahy	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Daniel Leahy)
Tom C. McCarthy	....	supervising sound editor (as Tom McCarthy)
Howard Neiman	....	sound editor (as Howard M. Neiman)
Ed Rossi	....	sound editor
Greg Schorer	....	sound editor (as Greg Chorer)
Steve Sollars	....	boom operator
Don Summer	....	sound mixer (as Donald B. Summer)
Jerry Trent	....	foley artist
Bill Varney	....	sound mixing supervisor
Karen G. Wilson	....	sound editor (as Karen Wilson)
Tom Caton	....	boom operator (uncredited)
Stan Ginsel	....	sound transferer (uncredited)
Jeffrey Kaplan	....	sound recordist (uncredited)
Steve Kohler	....	sound (uncredited)

Special Effects by
James B. Adair	....	assistant special effects
Randy E. Moore	....	special effects coordinator

Stunts
Brad Gilbride	....	stunts
Joe Gilbride	....	stunt coordinator
Tom Morga	....	stunts
Bobby Sargent	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Ivan Bigley	....	additional camera operator
Layton Blaylock	....	additional camera operator
Alicia Craft	....	second assistant camera
Joe Gerber	....	concert lighting consultant
Jeff Graham	....	second assistant camera
Jim Grce	....	gaffer
Anthony T. Marra II	....	key grip (as Anthony Marra II)
Van Redin	....	still photographer
Monty Rowan	....	camera operator
John Sheeren	....	first assistant camera: "c" camera
Tom Stackpoole	....	first assistant camera (as Thomas D. Stackpoole)
Wayne Stroud	....	best boy grip
Tom Taylor	....	first assistant camera
Steve Venetis	....	best boy electric
Glenn Dunn	....	electrician (uncredited)
Kirk Hunter	....	clapper loader (uncredited)
John Johns	....	video playback supervisor (uncredited)

Casting Department
Judie Fixler	....	casting assistant
Jill Greenberg	....	casting assistant
Rody Kent	....	location casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Shari Gray	....	wardrobe assistant
Donna O'Neal	....	wardrobe
Heidi Shulman	....	wardrobe

Editorial Department
Sheri Galloway	....	second assistant editor: Texas
Debbie Goldsmith	....	second assistant editor: Los Angeles
Tim Silano	....	first assistant editor

Music Department
Floyd Cramer	....	musician
Frank Fitzpatrick	....	supervising music editor
Robert Kraft	....	music supervisor
Frank Fitzpatrick	....	music supervisor (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Jerry McKnight	....	transportation coordinator
Phil Schriber	....	transportation co-captain (uncredited)

Other crew
Muriel Anderson	....	assistant: Stephanie Austin
Kathleen Caton	....	production coordinator
Monica Devereux	....	choreographer
Joseph T. Doyle	....	location manager
Jan Evans	....	script supervisor
John Franzetti	....	airbrush artist
Anne Gindler	....	production assistant
Thomas F. Gleason	....	assistant location manager
Gary Goldstein	....	production assistant
Denton Hall	....	production legal services
Eric Horsted	....	production assistant
Diane Zuber Hrechko	....	production assistant (as Diane Hrechko)
Elyse Katz	....	assistant: Debra Hill
Tracy McCollum	....	assistant: Tuesday Weld
Daniel A. Miller	....	production assistant
Frank Roberts	....	neon electronics
Jerry Schilling	....	executive advisor
Jay Stapleton	....	assistant: Chris Columbus
Cheryl A. Stone	....	production auditor (as Cheryl Stone)
Carmen B. Weets	....	assistant: Lynda Obst
Alice Wolke	....	production assistant

Production Companies

• Silver Screen Partners III
• Touchstone Pictures

Distributors

• Buena Vista Pictures (1988) (USA) (theatrical)
• Touchstone Home Video (1990) (USA) (VHS)
• Touchstone Home Video (2002) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• B.M.L. Lighting, Belle Mead, New Jersey  e-l-v-i-s sign builder
• Burgin & Warrens  production legal services
• R.A. Roth Inc.  stage lighting gear
• RCA Records  soundtrack
• Third Coast Extras Casting  extras casting

Runtime:

97 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Australia:M | UK:15 | USA:PG-13 | West Germany:6 | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Austin, Texas, USA

Company:

Silver Screen Partners III

Trivia:

Tuesday Weld, who plays the mom whose a big fan of Elvis Presley in the movie, was in Wild in the Country (1961) which starred Elvis Presley.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Making of 'Bubba Ho-tep' (2004) (V)

Soundtrack:

Drift Away

"Hell no, kid. I didn't do that for you. I did that for rock and roll."

This movie is much better than people seem to think. It's not just fun family entertainment, it really shows Elvis trying to come to terms with what went right and wrong with his life. It goes from a spooky, spiritual opening, where Elvis acknowledges his own mortality in song ("So hush little baby, don't you cry/You know your daddy's bound to die")To a rousing "If I Can Dream" finale. The idea is that Elvis gets everything right here that he got so tragically wrong in real time. He is the perfect father, husband, and artist, and he stands up for what we believe in, instead of just wasting himself. Touching and inspiring film.

What keeps the movie from going soft is the fact that the young rock and roller played by Charlie Schlatter (whatever happened to him?) is initially quite contemptuous of Elvis and his Las Vegas style lounge act. The kid chews Elvis out in a very memorable scene that really represents the feelings of millions of young 70's teens about the way Elvis went soft. The fact that Elvis listens and learns is extremely inspiring, but again, the film stays honest. At the end he tells the family, "I've found something here, and I'm afraid if I leave it will slip away again."

Sadly, it did.