Red Scorpion (1989)

Director:

Joseph Zito

Writers:

Jack Abramoff (story)
Robert Abramoff (story)
(more)

Release Date:

19 April 1989 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure

Tagline:

He's a human killing machine. Taught to stalk. Trained to kill. Programmed to destroy. He's played by their rules... Until now.

Plot:

A Russian KGB agent is sent to Africa to kill an anti-Communist black revolutionary. However, he has...

Plot Keywords:

Russian | Agent | Tribe | Africa | Anti Communist

Cast

Dolph Lundgren	...	Lt. Nikolai Rachenko
M. Emmet Walsh	...	Dewey Ferguson
Al White	...	Kallunda Kintash
T.P. McKenna	...	General Vortek
Carmen Argenziano	...	Colonel Zayas
Alex Colon	...	Sgt. Mendez
Brion James	...	Krasnov
Ruben Nthodi	...	Ango Sundata
Vuzi Dibukwana	...	Guerilla Officer
James Mthoba	...	Guerilla Officer
Dinky Motsemme	...	Guerilla Officer
Ernest Ndhlovu	...	Guerilla Guard & Guerilla (as Ernest Ndlovu)
Thapelo Mofokeng	...	Guerilla (as Thapeld Mofokeng)
Mxolisi Hulana	...	Guerilla
Nicky Rebello	...	Occupation Officer (as Nicky Rebelo)
Drummond Marais	...	Occupation Officer
Charles Comyn	...	Occupation Officer
Tullio Moneta	...	Occupation Soldier (as Tulio Moneta)
Jurgen Hellberg	...	Occupation Sergeant
Graham Clarke	...	Soldier
Irene Stephano	...	Cuban Stenographer
Nomsa Nene	...	Noe Kossongo (as Nomse Nene)
Elijah Dhlamini	...	Elano
Patrick Shai	...	African Soldier
Peter Se Puma	...	African Driver
Tu Nokwe	...	Hooker
Salathial Maake	...	Old Man
Regopstaan	...	Gao
Anthony Fridjohn	...	General Callaraga (as Tony Fridjohn)
Greg Latter	...	Russian Soldier
Rob Smith	...	Russian Officer
Neo Matsunyane	...	Beaten Prisoner
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
David Vlok	...	(uncredited)

Directed by
Joseph Zito

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Jack Abramoff		story
Robert Abramoff		story
Arne Olsen		screenplay
Arne Olsen		story

Produced by
Jack Abramoff	....	producer
Robert Abramoff	....	executive producer
Barney Cohen	....	associate producer
Paul Erickson	....	executive producer
Harmon Kaslow	....	associate producer
Moonyeenn Lee	....	associate producer
Mati Raz	....	associate producer
Daniel Sklar	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Jay Chattaway

Cinematography by
João Fernandes		(as Joao Fernandez)

Film Editing by
Daniel Loewenthal		(as Dan Loewenthal)

Casting by
Louis DiGiaimo		(as Lou Di Giaimo)

Production Design by
Ladislav Wilheim

Set Decoration by
Patrick Willis

Costume Design by
Richard Bruno

Makeup Department
Adam Behr	....	special makeup effects artist
Daniel Parker	....	key makeup artist
Alan Scott	....	hair designer

Production Management
Avi Kleinberger	....	executive in charge of production
Gladys Pearce	....	unit production manager
Johan Wicht	....	production manager: South Africa

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Newt Arnold	....	second unit director
John Finnegan	....	second assistant director
Michael Kanski	....	second assistant director
Nico Sachse	....	additional second assistant director
Eddie Stacey	....	second unit director
Andrew Warren	....	assistant director: second unit
Leo Zisman	....	first assistant director
Eddie Ziv	....	additional second assistant director
Ken Shane	....	second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Mike Fowlie	....	property master
Roland Hunter	....	scenic artist (uncredited)
Ashley Waldorf	....	picture car consultant (uncredited)

Sound Department
John A. Larsen	....	supervising sound editor
Bob Newlan	....	sound effects editor
Jay Wilkinson	....	sound effects supervisor

Special Effects by
Tom Savini	....	special effects makeup
John Gant	....	special effects (uncredited)
Robert Nugent	....	special effects technician (uncredited)

Stunts
Peter Diamond	....	stunt coordinator
Gavin Genlloud	....	stunts
Richard Hammatt	....	stunts (as Richard Hammet)
Anger Madaso	....	stunts
Isaac Mavimbella	....	stunts (as Isaac Mauvimela)
Philip Notununu	....	stunts (as Philippe Notuno)
Chris Olley	....	stunts
John Pasternak	....	stunts
Greg Powell	....	stunts (as Gregory Powell)
Sydney Radebe	....	stunts
Raymond Sammel	....	stunts
Eddie Stacey	....	stunt coordinator
Ray Wilson	....	stunts (as Roy Wilson)
Ed Anders	....	stunts (uncredited)
Terry Cade	....	stunts (uncredited)
Gerry Therrien	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
W.C. 'Chunky' Huse	....	key grip

Casting Department
Moonyeenn Lee	....	location casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Laurie Riley	....	costumer (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Mato	....	color timer
Timothy Mozer	....	assistant film editor
Tatiana S. Riegel	....	first assistant editor
Sherril Schlesinger	....	assistant editor

Other crew
Danny Ben Menahem	....	location manager
Lynne Motijoane	....	pre-production accountant
Vaughan Peacock	....	pilot
Cornelia 'Nini' Rogan	....	script supervisor
David Rowe	....	pilot
Ole Dieter Sturm	....	production assistant
Clay Wright	....	aerial supervisor (as Clayton D. Wright)
Wayne Fitzgerald	....	title designer (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Abramoff Production
• Scorpion Film Production

Distributors

• Shapiro-Glickenhaus Home Video (1989) (USA) (theatrical)
• Cineplex-Odeon Films (1989) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Constantin-Filmverleih (1989) (Austria) (theatrical)
• Herald Film Company (1989) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Les Films Jacques Leitienne (1989) (France) (theatrical)
• Scotia-Cannon (1989) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Unirecord Internacional (1989) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Indipendenti Regionali (1990) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Nippon Herald Films (1989) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Ufilms (1989) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Unión Films S.A. (1989) (Spain) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Atlantic Film (2002) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Cineplex-Odeon Home Video (Canada) (VHS)
• Delta Vidéo Diffusion (1990) (France) (VHS)
• Delta Vidéo Diffusion (France) (laserdisc)
• MCA Home Video (1989) (Canada) (VHS)
• Shapiro-Glickenhaus Home Video (19??) (USA) (VHS)
• Simitar Video (1998) (USA) (DVD)
• Vestron UK (1990) (UK) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Castle Oaks Productions  sound post-production
• Varèse Sarabande  soundtrack

Also Known As:

Red Exterminator (Philippines: English title) (new title)

Runtime:

105 min | Germany:98 min (cut version)

Country:

South Africa | USA | Namibia

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

West Germany:16 (heavily cut) | Germany:18 (DVD rating) (uncut) | West Germany:18 (cut) (video premiere) | Finland:K-16 | Spain:18 | Finland:K-15 (DVD rating) | South Korea:15 | Australia:M | France:U | Norway:18 (video premiere) | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R | Singapore:NC-16 | Germany:BPjM Restricted

Filming Locations:

Namibia

Company:

Abramoff Production

Trivia:

The film was shot in South Africa, thereby breaking an international boycott against the country for its practice of apartheid. At one point, funding for the film was pulled, leaving the cast and crew stuck in Johannesburg for three months while they waited for the film's budget to be reclaimed.

Quotes:

Colonel Zayas: [Menacing Nikolai with a grenade] This is such a small space... and this is such a very big grenade!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Resident Alien (1990)

Soundtrack:

Uyandibiza

this probably really was meant to be good but....

it was a good idea but everything was done poorly. Apart from the action scenes which is why it gets more than a one. But only barely. The story had no other surprises. The back of the video box basically told you the end, which i should have just read and then put the film good at the beginning, set in the dark explaining the mission. How ever after this it turns to bad. The acting is horribly bad, the American is the only person to deliver half decent lines. "I could kill for a bacon cheese burger" - that line was delivered classically. The action scenes after are good - until they start killing African villagers. Only Hollywood could imagine villagers having hugely armoured land rovers. The end battle is outstanding with the American again being the highlight. "son of a bitch!" after his car is hit was another classic line. all in all this is horrid but the occasional gun fight and car Chase and the American are highlights. but i would not recommend this film. Not one bit.