Spike of Bensonhurst (1988)

User Rating:

5.6/10   

Director:

Paul Morrissey

Writers:

Alan Bowne (additional dialogue)
Paul Morrissey (story)

Release Date:

11 November 1988 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

One kid's fight for the respect of the neighborhood.

Plot:

Spike Fumo is an Italian kid apsiring to be a boxer. He falls in love with a rich girl, who turns out to be the daughter of a Mafia boss...

Plot Keywords:

Mafia | Cult Favorite | Boxing | Lesbian | Lesbian Mother

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Sasha Mitchell	...	Spike Fumo
Ernest Borgnine	...	Baldo Cacetti
Anne De Salvo	...	Sylvia Cacetti
Sylvia Miles	...	Congresswoman
Geraldine Smith	...	Helen Fumo
Antonia Rey	...	Bandanas Mother
Rick Aviles	...	Bandana
Maria Pitillo	...	Angel
Karen Shallo	...	Blondie
Christopher Anthony Young	...	Carmine
Mario Todisco	...	Tortorella
Rodney Harvey	...	Frankie
Talisa Soto	...	India
Frank Adonis	...	Vinaca
Frank Gio	...	Pete Fumo
Robert Compono	...	Chicago Boxer
Tony Goodstone	...	Mafia Boss
Justin Lazard	...	Justin
Carol Jean Lewis	...	1st Junkie
Tommy Citera	...	2nd Junkie
Paul Dillon	...	1st Cop
Mark Tenore	...	2nd Cop
Angel David	...	Teen Dealer
Ronald Maccone	...	D.A.s Man
Mary Lou Rosato	...	Italian Mother
Patrick Indri	...	Italian Son
Tommy Clark	...	Prison Guard
Ray Iannicelli	...	Photographer
John Capodice	...	Mafia Eater
Arline Miyazaki	...	Cashier
Ida Bernardini	...	Grandmother
Michael Acciarito	...	Spikes Brother
Steve Baker	...	Dealer
Sal Viviano	...	Singer
Anthony Bishop	...	Video Boss
Robert Mantana	...	Bouncer
Ralph Monaco	...	Mafia Man
Tony La Fortezza	...	Mafia Stooge
Gene Amoroso	...	Booth Guard
Larry Ramos	...	Referee
Michael Turney	...	Bar Mitzvah Boy
Jason Cerbone	...	Gang Member
Matthew Cerbone	...	Gang Member
Nicky Feliciano	...	Gang Member
Nick Gionta	...	Gang Member
Julian Scott Urena	...	Gang Member (as Fabio Urena)
Christian Saffran	...	Gang Member
Michael Dallesandro	...	Gang Member
Steven Shubert	...	Soap Actor
Victoria Preminger	...	Soap Actress
Rutger Gat	...	Spike Jr.
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Mario Biazzo	...	Fight Spectator (uncredited)
Robert DiTillio	...	Inmate (uncredited)
Annunziata Gianzero	...	Viva (uncredited)
Richard Goteri	...	Sonny (uncredited)

Directed by
Paul Morrissey

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Alan Bowne		additional dialogue
Paul Morrissey		story and screenplay

Produced by
Ernest Z. Frausto	....	production executive
Sam Grogg	....	executive producer
Jane Holzer	....	associate producer
Nelson Lyon	....	producer
Michael Maiello	....	associate producer
Mark Silverman	....	co-producer
David Weisman	....	producer

Original Music by
Coati Mundi

Cinematography by
Steven Fierberg

Film Editing by
Stan Salfas

Casting by
Leonard Finger

Production Design by
Stephen McCabe

Set Decoration by
Sonja Roth

Production Management
Kevin Dowd	....	production manager
Marcus McWaters	....	executive in charge of production

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Mark Hatfield	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Jeffrey L. Glave	....	scenic chargeperson

Sound Department
Louis Bertini	....	sound editor
Laura Civiello	....	sound editor
Marko A. Costanzo	....	foley artist

Stunts
Danny Aiello III	....	stunt coordinator
Danny Aiello III	....	stunts
Paul Bucossi	....	stunts
Peter Bucossi	....	stunts
Lisa Cain	....	stunts
Mike Cicchetti	....	stunts
Len DeVirgilio	....	stunts (as Len De Virgilio)
Norman Douglass	....	stunts
Roy Farfel	....	stunts
Lance Guecia	....	stunts
Jery Hewitt	....	stunt coordinator
Jery Hewitt	....	stunts
Carlos Lauchu	....	stunts (as Carlos Lauchau)
Edgard Mourino	....	stunts
Phil Neilson	....	stunts
Ron Reynaldi	....	stunts
Richard Romero	....	stunts (as Rick Romero)
Michael Russo	....	stunts
Elliot Santiago	....	stunts (as Elliott Santiago)
Manny Siverio	....	stunts (as Manuel Silverio)
Jeffrey Stokes	....	stunts
Gary Tacon	....	stunts
Roy Thomas	....	stunts
Jeff Ward	....	stunts
Tom Wright	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Ken Ferris	....	camera operator
Jonathan Herron	....	first assistant camera (as Jon Herron)
Eric Swanek	....	second assistant camera
Paul Wachter	....	best boy grip
Tony Whitman	....	key grip
Scott Williams	....	electrician

Costume and Wardrobe Department
John Michael Reefer	....	wardrobe assistant

Editorial Department
Sandra Kaufman	....	associate editor

Other crew
Robert Compono	....	boxing choreographer
Kevin Delaney	....	location manager
Ernest Z. Frausto	....	production executive
Robert Nickson	....	production controller
Cornelia 'Nini' Rogan	....	script supervisor
Jeff Ward	....	boxing choreographer

Production Companies

• FilmDallas Pictures
• Sugarloaf Films Inc.

Distributors

• FilmDallas Pictures (1988) (worldwide) (all media)
• Paris Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• R.C.V.2001 Video (1989) (Belgium) (video)

Also Known As:

The Mafia Kid (Australia) (video title)
Throw Back! (USA) (video title)

Runtime:

100 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:R

Company:

FilmDallas Pictures

Why is everyone so down on this movie?

Spike of Bensonhurst is a lot of fun. It's an only slightly idealized look at life in Brooklyn's ethnic enclaves in the 1980s, by former Warhol co-conspirator Paul Morrissey. With amusing and well deployed performances by Mitchell and by Borgnine as the neighborhood Mob boss he runs afoul of, it's one of the few Brooklyn- or New York-set movies from that era that actually looks like it was filmed there, not on a set. (Even Martin Scorcese's films of the period - although not his 1970s movies, of course - look slick by comparison.)

Maybe people don't like the fact that Spike implies strongly that life goes on even amidst crack, ethnic violence, and corruption and doesn't preach about these things - just presents them as facts of the local situation, without letting them get in the way of humor? Somehow, the movie leaves you amused and feeling good in spite or even because of some of the more graphic stuff it shows you.