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IMDb > Vital Signs (1990)
Vital Signs
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Vital Signs (1990) More at IMDbPro »

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Overview

User Rating:
5.3/10   355 votes
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Up 51% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writers (WGA):
Larry Ketron (story)
Larry Ketron (screenplay) ...
(more)
Contact:
View company contact information for Vital Signs on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
13 April 1990 (USA) more
Genre:
Tagline:
During one incredible year, seven friends discover that love is alive and living in the 90's. more
Plot:
This movie follows the lives of medical students who are in their third year, which is the time that... more | full synopsis
NewsDesk:
(4 articles)
Whistler 09 Wrap Up
 (From Twitch. 9 December 2009, 8:00 AM, PST)

There are Vital Signs for Philip Ridley's Heartless
 (From ioncinema. 6 July 2009)

User Reviews:
Prototype third year medical students learn about medicine and life more (6 total)

Cast

  (in credits order) (verified as complete)

Adrian Pasdar ... Michael Chatham

Diane Lane ... Gina Wyler

Jack Gwaltney ... Kenny Rose

Laura San Giacomo ... Lauren Rose
Jane Adams ... Suzanne Maloney

Tim Ransom ... Bobby Hayes

Bradley Whitford ... Dr. Donald Ballentine

Lisa Jane Persky ... Bobby

William Devane ... Dr. Chatham
Norma Aleandro ... Henrietta Walker

Jimmy Smits ... Dr. David Redding

Wallace Langham ... Gant

James Karen ... Dean of Students
Leigh C. Kim ... Dr. Chen
Enid Kent ... Vivian
Telma Hopkins ... Dr. Kennan
Dan Ziskie ... Dr. Kelly
Rob Neukirch ... Rita's Resident

Grant Heslov ... Rick
Karen Fineman ... Julie
Laurie Souza ... Mother

Stanley DeSantis ... Loan Officer
Kenia ... Rita
Steve Bean ... OB / GYN Intern
Claudia Harrington ... Pregnant Woman
Seth Isler ... Male Resident

Jay Arlen Jones ... Paramedic
Donna Lynn Leavy ... Cynthia
Matthew Thompson ... Billy (as Matt Thompson)
Jeanne Mori ... Billy's Nurse
Gigo Vorgan ... Nell

Angelo Tiffe ... George

Christine Avila ... Non-Clown Nurse

Mary Pat Gleason ... Rotunda Woman
Perla Walter ... Hispanic Woman
Paul Carlton Bryant ... Pharmacist
Ellaraino ... Phone Nurse
Rose Weaver ... Henrietta's Night Nurse

Myra Turley ... Henrietta's I.V. Nurse
Lou Saint James ... Reddings' Paramedic
Joan Newlin ... E.R. Nurse

Vicki Winters ... Hospital Employee
Doug Robinson ... Competing Swimmer
Charlie Hawke ... Swimmer
Billy Bacon ... Swimmer
Craig Hosking ... Helicopter Pilot
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Gigi Vorgan ... Nell
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Directed by
Marisa Silver 
 
Writing credits
(WGA)
Larry Ketron (story)

Larry Ketron (screenplay) and
Jeb Stuart (screenplay)

Produced by
Tom Joyner .... delegate producer
Laurie Perlman .... producer
Cathleen Summers .... producer
 
Original Music by
Miles Goodman 
 
Cinematography by
John Lindley 
 
Film Editing by
Robert Brown 
Danford B. Greene 
 
Casting by
Margery Simkin 
 
Production Design by
Todd Hallowell 
 
Set Decoration by
Daniel Loren May  (as Dan May)
 
Costume Design by
Deborah Everton 
 
Makeup Department
Susan A. Cabral .... makeup artist (as Susan Cabral)
Bruce Hutchinson .... makeup artist
Dale Miller .... assistant hair stylist
Dave Miller .... hair stylist
Marilyn Patricia Phillips .... hair stylist
 
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Verónica González Rubio .... second assistant director
Betsy Magruder .... first assistant director
Scott Printz .... second assistant director
 
Art Department
Keith Brian Burns .... set designer (as Keith Burns)
Tracy Farrington .... property master
Tracy Harrington .... property master
Steven Curtis Husch .... set dresser
Daniel Maltese .... assistant art director
John Sweeney .... property master
 
Sound Department
Ed Callahan .... sound editor
Dominick De Stefano .... boom operator (as Dominik V. De Stefano)
Susan Dudeck .... dialogue editor
Arnold Finkelstein .... sound effects recordist
Christopher Flick .... foley editor
Allan Hartz .... dialogue editor
Petur Hliddal .... sound
Martin Maryska .... supervising sound editor
Bob Newlan .... sound effects editor
Linda Yeaney .... assistant sound editor
Hugo Weng .... sound editor (uncredited)
 
Stunts
Bret Culpepper .... stunt swimming double: Adrian Pasdar
Matt Norklun .... stunts
Chuck Picerni Jr. .... stunts (as Charles Picerni Jr.)
 
Camera and Electrical Department
Bruce Birmelin .... still photographer
Curtis Foster .... rigging gaffer
Lawrence Karman .... first assistant camera (as Larry 'Doc' Karman)
Tim Pershing .... key grip
Amy Vincent .... second assistant camera
Earl C. Williman .... gaffer
Earl Williman Jr. .... gaffer
Kenneth D. Zunder .... camera operator
 
Casting Department
Franklyn Warren .... extras casting
 
Costume and Wardrobe Department
Kathy O'Rear .... wardrober
 
Editorial Department
Robert W. Hedland .... assistant editor
Jim Prior .... additional editor
Pattye Rogers .... assistant editor
Liza Sullivan .... assistant editor
 
Music Department
Sandy DeCrescent .... orchestra contractor
Steven L. Smith .... music preparation
Jim Weidman .... music editor
 
Transportation Department
Gina August .... driver
Howard Bachrach .... transportation captain
Steve Duncan .... transportation coordinator
 
Other crew
Lori A. Balton .... assistant location manager
Robert Dawson .... title designer
Mary Lou Devlin .... production coordinator
RaeAnn Emery .... stand-in: Diane Lane
Tom Joyner .... production administrator
Tom Joyner .... production controller
Lynn Twentyman .... script supervisor
Robert Wait .... assistant to producer
 

Production CompaniesDistributorsOther Companies
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Additional Details

Runtime:
Germany:99 min | USA:103 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:

Fun Stuff

Quotes:
Dr. David Redding: Third year is like being a rookie pitcher called on to pitch the seventh game of the World Series... blindfolded. more
Soundtrack:
The Machine Stops more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
2 out of 2 people found the following review useful.
Prototype third year medical students learn about medicine and life, 21 December 1999
6/10
Author: wmarti

Why is it that movies about medical school always have the same formula for their characters (reference this movie, Gross Anatomy, Patch Adams...more)? There always has to be the hot-shot male lead for whom everything comes easy...except the good looking, no-nonsense female student, who feels like she has to work harder than everyone else to make up for the fact that she is a woman (and therefore has no time for men). Then there is the wacky friend, and as always there is the uptight, male student we all hate, who works really hard, but just can't seem to beat the protagonist. Surely there is some other way to develop interesting characters in this setting.

Either way, coming from the perspective of a current medical student, I found this movie to be far more interesting, realistic, and believable than any of the other aforementioned movies (yes, I know P.A. was a true story...my statement stands). Granted, you will be infinitely more likely to find third year medical students transporting stool samples and chasing down fast food for their residents than scrubbing in and performing abdominal surgery.

I found the student/patient, student/student, student/resident relationships to be very well developed and believable. The script was interesting, upbeat, and gave a good look at the tempo and pressure of third year. There were plenty of plot intricacies to keep you "tuned in" throughout the movie. The cast is short on big names, but I believe well cast, and believable as students(I've read that they shadowed medical students before filming).

I wouldn't say that this movie is a must-see, but it is the most accurate depiction of medical school that I have seen, and there probably isn't a physician out there whose stomach won't tense up a bit when the attending physicians begin "pimping" the students on Grand Rounds.

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