Blue Steel (1989)

Director:

Kathryn Bigelow

Writers (WGA):

Kathryn Bigelow (written by) &
Eric Red (written by)

Release Date:

16 March 1990 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Thriller | Crime | Drama

Tagline:

For a rookie cop, there's one thing more dangerous than uncovering a killer's fantasy. Becoming it.

Plot:

A female rookie in the police force engages in a cat and mouse game with a pistol wielding psychopath who becomes obsessed with her. |

Plot Keywords:

Police | Psychopath | Exercise | Helicopter | Bullet

Awards:

2 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Jamie Lee Curtis	...	Megan Turner
Ron Silver	...	Eugene Hunt
Clancy Brown	...	Nick Mann
Elizabeth Peña	...	Tracy Perez (as Elizabeth Pena)
Louise Fletcher	...	Shirley Turner
Philip Bosco	...	Frank Turner
Kevin Dunn	...	Asst. Chief Stanley Hoyt
Richard Jenkins	...	Attorney Mel Dawson
Markus Flannagan	...	Husband
Mary Mara	...	Wife
Skipp Lynch	...	Instructor
Mike Hodge	...	Police Commissioner
Mike Starr	...	Superintendant
Chris Walker	...	Officer Jeff Travers
Tom Sizemore	...	Wool Cap

Runtime:

102 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Australia:M | South Korea:18 | Philippines:R-18 | Argentina:18 | Chile:18 | Finland:K-16 | Norway:18 (video premiere) | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R | West Germany:16 | Iceland:16

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Lightning Pictures

Trivia:

Tom Sizemore's film debut.

Goofs:

Factual errors: When the killer is in the bathroom near the end of the film, he can clearly be seen to reload his pistol with spent ammunition. Spent cases have an indentation in the primer (the round bit in the middle of the back of the case) which are clearly visible in the rounds used in the scene.

Quotes:

Nick Mann: Y'know what I love about this city? You can throw a stick up in the air and it'll land on a taxi or an ambulance.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Fear in the Dark (1991) (TV)

An under-rated, over-analyzed, forgotten, great Horror!

I am A huge fan of Kathryn Bigelow and Eric Red. I loved "THE HITCHER" (the OG one), "NEAR DARK", and "BODY PARTS". Who cares if there are parts that make you go, "Oh, yeah right, that doesn't really happen to a cop". It is a horror flick, it is designed as a horror flick, not a psychological Morgan Freeman cop thriller. If you can humor a story about Vampires, Zombies, Werewolves, and Killer Toy Dolls, then you can bite into a well made story about a wall street slasher running crazy in the city that uses a GUN instead of a Hook, Claw, Chainsaw, Axe, or whatever tickles you fancy. It is a Scary Movie, nothing more. Like "The Hitcher", the antagonist gets worse and worse and in the end it is a classic Goodguy-vs-Monster battle. Jamie is fantastic, Ron is superb, as always and so is Clancy Brown. A special appearance by Tom Sizmore also makes this movie a cool collector's item.

Many people confuse this movie as a cop suspense thriller and have passed judgment too harshly throughout the years. Most of Kathryn's and Eric's early movies are designed to scare you with the story itself than by using Scary Camera Tricks. It's an old flick, so don't expect any CGI. Many people simply judged it by looking at it as a psychological cop thriller. Don't go out like that. It is an authentic, original, stand-on-its-own, scary movie like "THE HITCHER" and "BODY PARTS". Watch it again as a Horror and you will know what I'm talking about. Be nice. Don't give in to hate. It leads to the Darkside.

Get off the Band Wagon and Enjoy it for what it is. Just watch it and pretend you're living in the 90's for Pete's Sake