Darkman (1990)

Director:

Sam Raimi

Writers (WGA):

Sam Raimi (story)
Chuck Pfarrer (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

24 August 1990 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Horror | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

Now, Crime Has a New Enemy, And Justice Has a New Face!

Plot:

A hideously scarred and mentally unstable scientist seeks revenge against the crooks who made him like that.

Plot Keywords:

Broken Finger | Impostor | Fall From Height | Shootout | Melting Face

Awards:

2 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

Liam Neeson	...	Peyton Westlake / Darkman
Frances McDormand	...	Julie Hastings
Colin Friels	...	Louis Strack Jr.
Larry Drake	...	Robert G. Durant
Nelson Mashita	...	Yakitito
Jessie Lawrence Ferguson	...	Eddie Black
Rafael H. Robledo	...	Rudy Guzman
Dan Hicks	...	Skip (as Danny Hicks)
Ted Raimi	...	Rick (as Theodore Raimi)
Dan Bell	...	Smiley
Nicholas Worth	...	Pauly
Aaron Lustig	...	Martin Katz
Arsenio 'Sonny' Trinidad	...	Hung Fat
Said Faraj	...	Convenience Store Clerk
Nathan Jung	...	Chinese Warrior
Professor Toru Tanaka	...	Chinese Warrior #2
John Lisbon Wood	...	Carnival Booth Attendant
Frank Noon	...	Side Show Barker
William Dear	...	Limo Driver
Julius Harris	...	Gravedigger
Bridget Hoffman	...	Computer Voice (voice)
Philip A. Gillis	...	Priest
Maggie Moore	...	Nurse
Carl Bresk	...	Policeman #1
Sean Daniel	...	Policeman #2
John Landis	...	Physician
Carrie Hall	...	Screaming Woman
John Cameron	...	Bartender
Craig Hosking	...	Helicopter Pilot
Karl A. Wickman	...	Police Helicopter Pilot
Cliff Fleming	...	Police Helicopter Pilot
Andy Bale	...	Dockworker #1
Neal McDonough	...	Dockworker #2
Stuart Cornfeld	...	Dockworker #3
William Lustig	...	Dockworker #4
Scott Spiegel	...	Dockworker #5
Cary Tyler	...	Dockworker #6
Charles W. Young	...	Dockworker with Bullet in Forehead
Bruce Campbell	...	Final Shemp
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jenny Agutter	...	Burn Doctor (uncredited)
Christopher Doyle	...	Goon at the construction site (uncredited)
Tony Gardner	...	Burn Ward Nurse / Lizard Man (uncredited)

Directed by
Sam Raimi

Writing credits (WGA)
Sam Raimi		(story)
Chuck Pfarrer		(screenplay) and
Sam Raimi		(screenplay) &
Ivan Raimi		(screenplay) and
Daniel Goldin		(screenplay) &
Joshua Goldin		(screenplay)

Produced by
Daryl Kass	....	line producer
Robert G. Tapert	....	producer (as Robert Tapert)

Original Music by
Danny Elfman

Cinematography by
Bill Pope		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Bud S. Smith
David Stiven

Production Design by
Randy Ser

Art Direction by
Phil Dagort

Set Decoration by
Julie Kaye Fanton

Costume Design by
Grania Preston

Makeup Department
Susan Exton-Stranks	....	head of hair department
Tony Gardner	....	special makeup effects designer
Larry Hamlin	....	makeup artist
Deborah K. Larsen	....	key makeup artist
Marlene Stoller	....	effects technician: makeup effects unit
Roland Blancaflor	....	special makeup effects technician (uncredited)

Production Management
Paul Hellerman	....	production manager
Patricia Whitcher	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
John Cameron	....	first assistant director: reshoots
Andrew M. Flinn	....	second second assistant director (as Andrew Flinn)
Carl Goldstein	....	assistant director: re-shoots
Scott Javine	....	first assistant director
Francis R. Mahoney III	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Ginni Barr	....	set designer
Barbara A. Bordo	....	painter
Michael Paul Clausen	....	assistant art director
Kirk Corwin	....	property master
Thomas Fichter	....	assistant art director
Gary Frutkoff	....	assistant art director
John Harrington	....	assistant property master
Thomas D. Krausz	....	propmaker/scenic artist
Janet Kusnick	....	storyboard artist
Roger Nall	....	scenic artist
Michael Poulik	....	assistant set decorator
Michele Poulik	....	assistant set decorator
Edmond Scott Ratliff	....	set dresser
Jonathan Smart	....	set dresser
George Denes Suhayda	....	set designer (as George Suhayda)
Carolyn Thome	....	model maker
Pete von Sholly	....	storyboard artist
Sean Fanton	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Paul Vincent Fusco	....	props (uncredited)
Johnathon Gallagher	....	painter (uncredited)
Richard N. McGuire	....	carpenter (uncredited)

Sound Department
David W. Alstadter	....	foley mixer
Dino Dimuro	....	sound effects editor
Matthew Iadarola	....	sound re-recording mixer
Mark Lanza	....	sound effects editor
Steve Mann	....	sound effects editor
Terry Rodman	....	supervising sound editor
John Rotondi	....	sound engineer: Y4
Don Summer	....	sound mixer
Robert Thirlwell	....	sound re-recording mixer
Bill Voigtlander	....	adr supervisor
Dan Wallin	....	sound re-recording mixer
Jeffrey Wilhoit	....	foley artist
Michael D. Wilhoit	....	sound supervisor
Bruce Campbell	....	sound (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Gabriel Bartalos	....	sculptor: makeup effects unit
Doug Beswick	....	mechanical designer: makeup effects unit
Roger Borelli	....	effects technician: makeup effects unit
Evan Brainard	....	mechanical designer: makeup effects unit
Teresa Burkept	....	bandage costumes: makeup effects unit
Michael Burnett	....	effects technician: makeup effects unit
Caleb Chung	....	mechanical designer: makeup effects unit
Steve Dunham	....	mechanical designer: makeup effects unit
Mike Elizalde	....	sculptor: makeup effects unit
Jim Eustermann	....	effects technician: makeup effects unit
Steve Frakes	....	mechanical designer: makeup effects unit
Linda Frobos	....	sculptor: makeup effects unit
Tony Gardner	....	special makeup effects artist
Loren Gitthens	....	sculptor: makeup effects unit
Ray Greer	....	miniatures
Werner Hahnlein	....	special effects technician
Larry Hamlin	....	special makeup effects artist
Kevin Hudson	....	special effects makeup
Kevin Hudson	....	key mold maker: makeup effects unit
Rick Lalonde	....	gelatin specialist: makeup effects unit
Kent W. Luttrell	....	model maker
Roger McCoin	....	mechanical designer: makeup effects unit
Becky Ochoa	....	effects technician: makeup effects unit
Colin Penman	....	effects technician: makeup effects unit
Greg Polutonovich	....	production painter: makeup effects unit
Wendy Ripley	....	bandage costumes: makeup effects unit
Randy Simper	....	animatronics specialist
Randy Simper	....	mechanical designer: makeup effects unit
Chet Zar	....	key sculptor and painter: makeup effects unit
Yancy Calzada	....	mechanical effects (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Tim Donahue	....	visual effects art director: Introvision
Jammie Friday	....	animator: VCE, Inc.
Paul Gentry	....	elements visual effects unit
Brian Griffin	....	optical line-up: VCE
Mark Gutterud	....	assistant cameraman
Rick Hannigan	....	optical camera
Richard Kilroy	....	matte artist
Michael Lawler	....	visual effects cameraman
Stephen Lebed	....	model maker
Jerry Macaluso	....	additional miniatures: 1/4 scale puppets
John P. Mesa	....	visual effects cameraman
William Mesa	....	visual effects supervisor
Michael Pangrazio	....	matte artist supervisor
Rick Rische	....	matte artist: Introvision
John Scheele	....	motion control and visual effects
Mark A. Shelton	....	visual effects gaffer
Robert Skotak	....	visual effects supervisor: 4-ward productions
Marcus Tate	....	visual effects cameraman
Bob Smithson	....	miniature construction: Introvision (uncredited)
Rick Taylor	....	visual effects cameraman (uncredited)

Stunts
Chuck Borden	....	stunts
John Cade	....	stunts
John Casino	....	stunts
BJ Davis	....	stunts (as B.J. Davis)
Christopher Doyle	....	stunt coordinator (as Chris Doyle)
Christopher Doyle	....	stunts
David Efron	....	stunts (as Dave Efron)
John Escobar	....	stunts
Terry James	....	stunts (as Terrance James)
Karen Laine	....	stunts (as Karen E. Laine)
Lane Leavitt	....	stunts
Gene LeBell	....	stunts
Dennis Madalone	....	stunts (as 'Dangerous' Dennis Madalone)
'Wild' Bill Mock	....	stunts
Manny Perry	....	stunts
Sherry Peterson	....	stunts
Rex Pierson	....	stunts
Tim Trella	....	stunts
Gregory J. Barnett	....	stunts (uncredited)
Tony Cecere	....	stunts (uncredited)
Ernie Jackson	....	stunts (uncredited)
Hubie Kerns Jr.	....	stunt driver (uncredited)
Michael R. Long	....	stunt driver (uncredited)
Spiro Razatos	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Dante Cardone	....	gaffer: visual effects unit
Peter Deming	....	photographer: second unit
Gary Drew	....	helicopter rigging grip
Tim Durr	....	grip: helicopter unit
Kevin 'Rambo' Fitzgerald	....	grip
Melinda Sue Gordon	....	still photographer
Kurt Grossi	....	grip
Frank M. Holgate	....	aerial camera operator (as Frank Holgate)
Tony Jefferson	....	helicopter rigging grip
Wayne Kosky	....	rigging grip: second unit
Max Pomerleau	....	gaffer
Scott Sproul	....	helicopter rigging grip
Gregor Tavenner	....	key focus puller
Tom Jensen	....	additional second assistant camera (uncredited)
Rory Robert Knepp	....	second assistant camera: second unit (uncredited)
Randy Paik	....	additional second assistant camera (uncredited)

Casting Department
Debbie DeRango	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Lisa Burnett	....	set costumer
Lynda Foote	....	set costumer

Editorial Department
Richard Alderete	....	first assistant editor
Pablo Ferro	....	montage
Darrin Navarro	....	assistant editor
Bud S. Smith	....	supervising editor
M. Scott Smith	....	supervising editor

Music Department
Bob Badami	....	music editor
Steve Bartek	....	orchestrator
Sandy DeCrescent	....	orchestra contractor
Robert Fernandez	....	scoring mixer
Shawn Murphy	....	scoring mixer
Robb Navrides	....	music editor: TV version
Jonathan Sheffer	....	composer: additional music

Other crew
Lisa Burnett	....	assistant production coordinator
Michael Burnett	....	foam prosthetic technician
Bundy Chanock	....	set medic
Pablo Ferro	....	title designer: main title sequence
Gerrit V. Folsom	....	location manager (as Gerrit Folsom)
Harry Hauss	....	aerial helicopter pilot
Stacy Ivers	....	unit publicist
April A. Janow	....	first assistant accountant
Bonnie Jordan	....	production services
Heather Ling	....	production assistant: Introvision
Matt Maiellaro	....	set production assistant
Brian McMillan	....	head animal trainer
Bob Murawski	....	director of stock footage
David Pollison	....	production assistant
Clay Loring Roberts	....	location scout
Corinne Saaranen-Welch	....	script supervisor (as Corinne Welch)
Burton Sharp	....	adr group coordinator
Kristin Smith	....	production coordinator
Jim Stubblefield	....	production assistant

Production Companies

• Renaissance Pictures
• Universal Pictures

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1990) (USA) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1990) (France) (theatrical)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (1991) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1992) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (1994) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Universal Home Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD) (HD-DVD)
• CIC Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar (????) (Brazil) (DVD)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (1990) (USA) (DVD) (widescreen)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (1998) (USA) (DVD) (widescreen)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (????) (USA) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Visual Concept Engineering (VCE)
• Introvision International
• 4-Ward Productions (miniature sequences)
• Spectacular Effects Unlimited (mechanical special effects)
• Chiodo Brothers Productions (burning hand animation)
• Matte World Digital ('strack city' visual effects)
• Makeup Effects Laboratories

Other Companies

• California Digital Post  post-production sound services

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

UK:18 (re-rating) (cut) | France:-12 | Portugal:M/16 | Canada:14A (Ontario) | Finland:K-16 (cut) (VHS version) | Germany:18 | Finland:K-15 (uncut) (DVD rating) | Iceland:16 | Australia:M | Finland:K-18 | Norway:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 (original rating) (cut) | USA:R | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

3rd Street Tunnel, Downtown, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Renaissance Pictures

Trivia:

In addition to playing Darkman in his final transformation at the end, Bruce Campbell also voiced some of the screams of characters who fall to their deaths.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Peyton breaks the finger of the fairground worker, the close-up clearly shows it to be made of rubber.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Eddie Black: [on phone] 'Cause he's an asshole! Tell him no. Tell him no, too. Him, tell "fuck you." No, I'm gonna be here a minute. Got some guy coming up who thinks he's gonna muscle me out of my property. Just another tough guy, that's all.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Making of 'The Frighteners' (1998) (V)

Soundtrack:

Give It To Me

Stylish B-Type Super Hero-Revenge Tale

For a Class-B type movie and feel to it, it's pretty good....better than I anticipated. I've seen it twice and enjoyed it more the second time. I had forgotten how stylish-looking it was and it was fun to see.

What I did remember were a couple of wild scenes, such as "Darkman" (Liam Neeson) being swung around in the sky on the end of a chain from a helicopter, and the big fire scene early on which turns Neeson's character into the masked hero.

The villains in the movie are over-the-top, leading with Larry Drake's character "Durant." There also is some outrageous Rambo action which stretches way past credibility, such as people shooting from five feet away and missing our hero!

Overall, not as good as the critics would have you believe, but still entertaining. At least it has two quality actors in Neeson and Frances McDormand. Drake went on to play the infamous "Dr. Giggles." If you liked this crazy film, you'll love that one.