Lethal Weapon 3 (1992)

User Rating:

6.5/10   

Director:

Richard Donner

Writers:

Shane Black (characters)
Jeffrey Boam (story)
(more)

Release Date:

15 May 1992 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Thriller

Tagline:

The magic is back again!

Plot:

Martin Riggs finally meets his match in the form of Lorna Cole, a beautiful but tough policewoman. Together with Roger Murtaugh...

Plot Keywords:

Police | Internal Affairs | Police Officer | Gun | Policeman

Awards:

3 wins & 4 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Sat. July 18	10:00 PM	BRAVO
Sun. July 19	8:00 AM	BRAVO

Cast

Mel Gibson	...	Martin Riggs
Danny Glover	...	Roger Murtaugh
Joe Pesci	...	Leo Getz
Rene Russo	...	Lorna Cole
Stuart Wilson	...	Jack Travis
Steve Kahan	...	Captain Ed Murphy
Darlene Love	...	Trish Murtaugh
Traci Wolfe	...	Rianne Murtaugh
Damon Hines	...	Nick Murtaugh
Ebonie Smith	...	Carrie Murtaugh
Gregory Millar	...	Tyrone
Nick Chinlund	...	Hatchett
Jason Rainwater	...	Young Cop (as Jason Meshover-Iorg)
Alan Scarfe	...	Herman Walters
Delores Hall	...	Delores
Mary Ellen Trainor	...	Dr. Stephanie Woods
Mark Pellegrino	...	Billy Phelps
John Cenatiempo	...	Smitty
Danny Wynands	...	Hershel
Andrew Hill Newman	...	Jaywalker
Kenneth Tigar	...	Ernie - Detective
Pete Antico	...	Henchman #1 / Hubert Bartholomew Smith
Sven-Ole Thorsen	...	Henchman #2
Paul Tuerpe	...	Henchman #3
Veronica Alicino	...	Squad Member #1 (as Ronnie Alicino)
Henry Brown	...	Squad Member #2
Eric Briant Wells	...	Squad Member #3
Miguel A. Núñez Jr.	...	Squad Member #4 (as Miguel Nunez)
Philip Moon	...	Squad Member #5
Bobby Wynn	...	Darryl
Sylvia Webb White	...	Darryl's Mother
Danny 'Big Black' Rey	...	Darryl's Father (as Danny Big Black)
Vince Howard	...	Preacher (as Vincent Howard)
Paul Hipp	...	Doctor
Lauren Shuler Donner	...	Nurse (as Lauren Shuler-Donner)
Stephen T. Kay	...	Movie Director
Michael George Miller	...	Movie Assistant Director
Henry Kingi	...	Movie Gun Punk
Adam Klineberg	...	Movie Cop
Michele Landry	...	Young Woman
Scott Bryce	...	Young Man (as Scott M. Bryce)
Del Emory	...	Shower Cop
John Harms	...	Cop
James Oliver	...	Manager
Marian Collier	...	Patron
Norman D. Wilson	...	George
Thomas A. Geas	...	Man at Hamburger Stand
Gene Williams	...	Gangbanger
Selma Archerd	...	Officer Selma
Harvey Fisher	...	Murtaugh Neighbor
Edward J. Rosen	...	Hockey Spectator #1 (as Edward Rosen)
Jay Della	...	Hockey Spectator #2 (as Jay Fiondella)
Steve Luport	...	Welder
Anthony T. Pennello	...	Dead Guard
Jay Byron	...	Guard
Germain Williams	...	Conductor
David Lee Bynum	...	Construction Worker
Steve Psaros	...	Desk Cop #1
Paul Ganus	...	Desk Cop #2
Don Stanley	...	Highway Patrolman #1
Maryellen Aviano	...	Highway Patrolman #2
Michael Klastorin	...	CDR Worker (as Michael E. Klastorin)
J. Mills Goodloe	...	Eddie - Harbormaster
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Bill Frederick	...	Policeman who says 'Bravo' after explosion
Jack McGee	...	Mickey McGee, the Carpenter (scenes deleted)
Mike Agresta	...	Detective 2 (uncredited)
Jan de Bont	...	Dutch Cameraman (uncredited)
Larry Clardy	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Anthony Johnson	...	Drug Dealer (uncredited)
Mic Rodgers	...	Bomb Scene Cop #1 (uncredited)

Directed by
Richard Donner

Writing credits
Shane Black		(characters)
Jeffrey Boam		(story)
Jeffrey Boam		(screenplay) and
Robert Mark Kamen		(screenplay)

Produced by
Alexander B. Collett	....	associate producer
Richard Donner	....	producer
Michael Klastorin	....	associate producer (as Michael E. Klastorin)
Jennie Lew Tugend	....	co-producer
Steve Perry	....	co-producer
Joel Silver	....	producer

Original Music by
Eric Clapton
Elton John
Michael Kamen
David Sanborn

Cinematography by
Jan de Bont

Film Editing by
Robert Brown
Battle Davis

Casting by
Marion Dougherty

Production Design by
James H. Spencer		(as James Spencer)

Art Direction by
Greg Papalia

Set Decoration by
Richard C. Goddard		(as Richard Goddard)

Makeup Department
Paul Abascal	....	key hair stylist
Scott H. Eddo	....	makeup supervisor
Dino Ganziano	....	hair stylist
Richard Snell	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Geno Escarrega	....	post-production supervisor (as Gene Escarrega)
Steve Perry	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Warren Gray	....	second second assistant director (as Warren D. Gray)
Michael Alan Kahn	....	first assistant director
Steve Perry	....	second unit director
Gregory Kent Simmons	....	second assistant director
Robert J. Smawley	....	second second assistant director
Charlie Picerni	....	second unit director (uncredited)

Art Department
Rick Chavez	....	assistant property master
John Hinkle	....	stand-by painter (as John Dee Hinkle)
Gary F. Kieldrup	....	assistant property master (as Gary Kieldrup)
Michael Muscarella	....	construction coordinator (as Michael A. Muscarella)
Michael Papac	....	property master
Mark Poll	....	set designer
John Schacht	....	lead man (as John A. Schacht)
Edmund Villa	....	property master: second unit
Ciro Vuoso	....	construction foreman
Edward T. Reiff Jr.	....	set constructor (uncredited)

Sound Department
Wayne Artman	....	sound re-recording mixer
Bub Asman	....	sound editor
Petra Bach	....	adr editor
Joseph F. Brennan	....	boom operator (as Joseph Brennan)
Thomas Causey	....	sound mixer
Virginia Cook-McGowan	....	sound editor
Samuel C. Crutcher	....	sound editor
Tom E. Dahl	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Tom Dahl)
Greg Dillon	....	sound editor
Dean Drabin	....	adr mixer
Jay Dranch	....	sound editor (as J. Dranch)
Christopher Flick	....	sound editor
Richard Friedman	....	adr editor
Barbara Gandolfo-Frady	....	sound editor
Eric Gotthelf	....	foley mixer
Allan Hartz	....	sound editor (as Allen Hartz)
Anne Haskell	....	adr mixer
Robert G. Henderson	....	supervising sound editor
David M. Horton	....	sound editor
David L. Horton Jr.	....	sound editor
Frank Jones	....	sound re-recording mixer
James J. Klinger	....	sound editor
Bruce Lacey	....	sound editor
Darrin Martin	....	sound editor (as Darrin V. Martin)
Joe Morrisey	....	sound editor
Joe Mosca	....	sound editor (as Joseph A. Mosca)
Jayme S. Parker	....	sound editor
Lisa M. Risen	....	adr editor (as Lisa Risen)
Solange S. Schwalbe	....	sound editor (as Solange S. Boisseau)
Corinne Sessarego	....	adr editor (as Corrine Sessarego)
James Simcik	....	supervising adr editor
Scott A. Tinsley	....	sound editor (as Scot Tinsley)
Robert Ulrich	....	adr editor (as Robert Gustav Ulrich)
Brooke H. Ward	....	sound editor (as Brooke Henderson-Ward)
Robb Wilson	....	sound editor
Dennis C. Salcedo	....	boom operator: additional photography second unit (uncredited)

Special Effects by
William Aldridge	....	special effects
Jon G. Belyeu	....	special effects coordinator
R. Michael Bisetti	....	special effects (as R. Mike Bissetti)
Chris Burton	....	special effects (as Chris L. Burton)
Ken Ebert	....	special effects
Larry L. Fuentes	....	special effects (as Larry Fuentes)
Don Hathaway	....	special effects
Greg C. Jensen	....	special effects (as Greg Jensen)
Bruce Y. Kuroyama	....	special effects (as Bruce Kuroyama)
Steve Luport	....	special effects
Jeffrey Machit	....	special effects (as J.C. Machit)
Arnold Peterson	....	special effects (as Arnie Peterson)
Steve Purcell	....	special effects
Paul Sabourin	....	special effects
James D. Schwalm	....	special effects (as Jim Schwalm)
Harold Selig	....	special effects (as Hal Selig)
Bob Stoker	....	special effects foreman
Lucinda Strub	....	special effects
Matt Sweeney	....	special effects supervisor
Fred Tessaro	....	special effects (as Frederick H. Tessaro)
Rich E. Cordobes	....	special effects technician (uncredited)
Ray O. Hardesty	....	special effects technician (uncredited)
Richard Ratliff	....	special effects (uncredited)

Stunts
Gregory J. Barnett	....	stunts (as Gregory Barnett)
Bobby Bass	....	stunts
Sandy Berumen	....	stunts
Steve Boyum	....	stunts
Janet Brady	....	stunts
Tony Brubaker	....	stunts
Steven Chambers	....	stunts (as Steve Chambers)
Jeffrey J. Dashnaw	....	stunts (as Jeff Dashnow)
Jadie David	....	stunts
Steve M. Davison	....	stunts
Tim A. Davison	....	stunts
Shane Dixon	....	stunts
Sparky Edmonston	....	stunts (as Sparky Edmunston)
Tony Epper	....	stunts
Roy Farfel	....	stunts
Bill Hart	....	stunts
Billy Hank Hooker	....	stunts
Buddy Joe Hooker	....	stunts
Tommy J. Huff	....	stunts (as Thomas J. Huff)
Matt Johnston	....	stunts
Cher Meier	....	stunts
John Meier	....	stunts
Bennie Moore	....	stunts
Frank Orsatti	....	stunts
Manny Perry	....	stunts
Charlie Picerni	....	stunt coordinator
Chuck Picerni Jr.	....	stunts (as Charles Picerni Jr.)
Paul V. Picerni Jr.	....	stunts (as Paul Picerni)
Steve Picerni	....	stunts
Chad Randall	....	stunts
Mic Rodgers	....	stunt coordinator
Danny Rogers	....	stunts
Pat Romano	....	stunts
Michael Runyard	....	stunts
Tim Trella	....	stunts
Christopher J. Tuck	....	stunts (as Chris Tuck)
Eddie L. Watkins	....	stunts
Cheryl Wheeler-Dixon	....	stunts
Dick Ziker	....	stunts
Kenny Bates	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jeff Bornstein	....	stunt driver (uncredited)
Richard Burch	....	stunts (uncredited)
James Grayford	....	utility stunts (uncredited)
Jim O'Rear	....	stunts (uncredited)
Scott Workman	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Steve Adcock	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Chris Blauvelt	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera, second unit (as Christopher Blauvelt)
Michael Brennan	....	dolly grip
Richmond G. Cogswell	....	video assist operator
Michael J. Coo	....	key grip (as Michael Coo)
John J. Ellingwood	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera
William E. Fitch	....	best boy grip
Martin Glover	....	camera loader (as Martin J. Glover)
Leslie J. Kovacs	....	chief lighting technician (as Les Kovacs)
Gregory Lundsgaard	....	Steadicam operator
J. Steven Matzinger	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera
Benny McNulty	....	assistant chief lighting technician
Aaron Pazanti	....	camera operator: "a" camera, second unit
E. Christopher Reed	....	rigging gaffer
Calmar Roberts	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera (as Cal Roberts)
Michael Scott	....	camera operator: "a" camera
Stephen Vaughan	....	still photographer
Julian Whatley	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera, second unit (as Julian A. Whatley IV)
Alexander Witt	....	director of photography: second unit
David Canestro	....	rigging key grip (uncredited)
Stephen M. Clark	....	camera operator (uncredited)
C.W. Fallin	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Adam Glick	....	set lighting technician (uncredited)
Ron Kunecke	....	musco light operator (uncredited)
Kenny Schneider	....	lighting technician (uncredited)
Stephen Sfetku	....	film loader (uncredited)
Chip Swetnam	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Michael T. Travers	....	grip (uncredited)

Casting Department
Owens Hill	....	casting associate

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Brian Callahan	....	costumer: Mr. Gibson
Nava R. Sadan	....	costumer (as Nava Sadan)
Nick Scarano	....	costume supervisor
Lori Stilson	....	costumer: women
Michael Voght	....	costumer: Mr. Glover

Editorial Department
Norman Buckley	....	assistant film editor
Brian L. Chambers	....	assistant film editor
Sean Hubbert	....	assistant film editor
David Mann	....	assistant film editor
William J. Meshover	....	assistant film editor (as Billy Meshover)
Dallas Puett	....	additional editor (as Dallas S. Puett)
Pattye Rogers	....	assistant film editor
Paul M. Wagner	....	assistant film editor (as Paul Wagner)

Music Department
Christopher Brooks	....	supervising music editor (as Christopher S. Brooks)
J.J. George	....	assistant music editor (as James J. George)
Michael Kamen	....	orchestrator
Stephen McLaughlin	....	music producer
Eric Reasoner	....	music editor
William Ross	....	orchestrator
Jonathan Sacks	....	orchestrator
Bruce Babcock	....	composer: additional music (uncredited)
Bruce Babcock	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Robert Fernandez	....	music score mixer (uncredited)
John Moses	....	musician: clarinetist (uncredited)
Lolita Ritmanis	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Jack Lietzke	....	transportation coordinator
Austin Marcos	....	driver captain
Dan Romero	....	transportation captain
John M. Woodward	....	transportation coordinator
Craig Lietzke	....	driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Jim Barr	....	production accountant
Matthew J. Birch	....	staff assistant
Michael J. Burmeister	....	location manager
Christian Capobianco	....	staff assistant
David Aaron Clemmons	....	staff assistant
Lisa Cogswell	....	assistant: Steve Perry (as Lisa Viole Cogswell)
Dan Cracchiolo	....	assistant: Joel Silver
Nina Davidovich	....	assistant: Jennie Lew Tugend
Frank B. Davis	....	craft service
Karyn Fields	....	researcher
Spencer Franklin	....	production secretary
Gary Gero	....	animal trainer
Edward E. Giddens	....	staff assistant
J. Mills Goodloe	....	assistant: Richard Donner
William Shane Grisco	....	animal trainer (as William Grisco)
Edward T. Hanley	....	hockey technical advisor
Melanie Harris	....	staff assistant
Sati Jamal	....	staff assistant
Laura Lee Kasten	....	staff assistant
Tony Kerum	....	caterer
Avi Korein	....	staff assistant
Delfin Labao	....	staff assistant
Ernest H. Lauterio	....	craft service (as Ernest Lauterio)
Dierdre Levine	....	staff assistant
Mark Marshall	....	assistant: Jennie Lew Tugend
Sherry Marshall	....	assistant production coordinator
Lauren Mathews-Sweeney	....	assistant production accountant
Kari Ann Messina	....	assistant: Mel Gibson
Teresa Ann Miller	....	animal trainer (as Teresa Miller)
Elizabeth Morin	....	staff assistant
Cynthia Neber	....	executive assistant: Richard Donner
John O'Connor	....	staff assistant
Deborah J. Page	....	location manager (as Deborah Page)
Gilbert O. Parra	....	technical advisor (as Art Fransen)
Paul Pav	....	location manager
Kimberly Payne	....	staff assistant
Craig A. Pinckes	....	staff assistant (as Craig Pinckes)
Janice Polley	....	location manager
Jim Porter	....	first aid
Trudy Ramirez	....	script supervisor
Lisa Reardon	....	staff assistant
Anne S. Reilly	....	unit publicist (as Anne Reilly)
Jason Roberts	....	assistant: Richard Donner
Mika Saito	....	staff assistant
Loren Shertzer	....	staff assistant
Louise Weber	....	assistant: Joel Silver (as Louise M. Weber)
Robert R. Willis	....	staff assistant
Tammy Blackburn	....	animal trainer (uncredited)
Jesse Blanco	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Bill Daly	....	post-production accountant (uncredited)
James Grayford	....	stand-in (uncredited)
Paul Guyot	....	stand-in (uncredited)
Rob Klein	....	location representative (uncredited)
Sally Jo Sousa	....	animal trainer: cat (uncredited)
Victoria A. Zamora	....	construction accountant (uncredited)

Thanks
Pete Wilson	....	special thanks (as Governor Wilson of the State of California)

Production Companies

• Silver Pictures
• Warner Bros. Pictures

Distributors

• Warner Bros. Pictures (1992) (USA) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1992) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1992) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1992) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1992) (France) (theatrical)
• Warner Home Video (1992) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (1992) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1994) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Warner Home Video (1993) (Germany) (video) (laserdisc)
• Warner Home Video (1997) (USA) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (1998) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (1998) (Argentina) (VHS) (re-release)
• Warner Home Video (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Interama (1993) (Czech Republic) (theatrical)
• Varus Video (199?) (Russia) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Controlled Demolition (structural implosion effects) (as Controlled Demolition International)

Other Companies

• California Film Commission  special thanks
• City of Clearwater, The  special thanks (as City of Clearwater, Florida)
• City of Lancaster, The  special thanks (as City of Lancaster, California)
• City of Orlando, The  special thanks (as The City of Orlando, Florida)
• City of St. Petersburg, The  special thanks (as City of St. Petersburg, Florida)
• Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors  special thanks
• Los Angeles County Film Office  special thanks
• Los Angeles County Fire Department  special thanks
• Southern California Rapid Transit District  special thanks
• Rail Construction Corporation  special thanks
• The Los Angeles County Transportation Commission  special thanks
• Los Angeles Kings  special thanks
• Vista Group  special thanks
• Central Casting  extras casting
• Greenberg/Schluter  title design: main and end titles
• Movie Movers  trailers
• Movie Movers  transportation
• Panavision  camera and lenses
• Perpetual Motion Pictures  title opticals
• Technicolor  color timing
• Video Image  24-frame video displays
• Warner Bros. Records  soundtrack

MPAA:

Rated R for violence and language.

Runtime:

118 min | USA:121 min (director's cut)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Dolby SR (35 mm prints)

Certification:

USA:R (certificate #31813) | Iceland:14 | Iceland:16 (video rating) | South Korea:15 | New Zealand:M | Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Canada:18A | Chile:14 | Finland:K-16 | France:U | Germany:16 (w) | Ireland:15 | Norway:18 | Singapore:NC-16 | South Korea:18 (director's cut) | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:Unrated (director's cut) | Canada:13+ (Quebec)

Filming Locations:

Century Freeway, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Silver Pictures

Trivia:

The housing construction site was not a set built for the film but an actual real estate project near Lancaster, California. The developers went broke before the homes could be completed. The production company could film there only after agreeing to tear the site down completely after the shoot.

Goofs:

Continuity: When fighting with the criminal in the fake armored car near the beginning, the criminal fires a round at the window. It doesn't leave a hole, showing that it is indeed bullet proof. A few seconds later, Riggs slams on the brakes, and the criminal flies through the same window, shattering it. Also, later in the film, it is said that the bullets in the armored car suspect's gun were armor piercing, so it should have gone through the window.

Quotes:

Riggs: We can't shoot a dog. People? Okay, but not dogs.

Movie Connections:

References "Car 54, Where Are You?" (1961)

Soundtrack:

Runaway Train

A shameful offering from a shameless director

Awful, just awful. Re-watching this, I think part 4 is even slightly better than this heap of time-waste. This rivals Robocop 3 and Mad Max Thunderdome as the worst of the second sequels. I really liked the 1987 original, and the 1989 sequel was passable, but this installment pushes the goof-ball borderline-Three Stooges humor to the forefront, and offers an insipid and politically heavy-handed Donner anti-gun rant masquerading as a plot as the backdrop. I don't want to get too off topic here, but let me just say I find it beyond hypocritical and generally disgusting that a director can accept millions of dollars to make blow 'em up action films his whole life, and at the same time spew strident criticism of America's evil 'gun culture' to his audience in a vein attempt to brush up to certain elites in this country.

Remembering that funny Simpson's episode where the Itchy & Scratchy cartoon added that stoopid Homer pooch to boost it's ratings; so the Lethal Weapon films add first Pesci, then Russo, then Rock/Li in a painfully obvious adherence to sequel cliché. I don't even want to talk about this film it's so uninspired. Just let me say that a bigger budget doesn't mean a more exciting movie, and that turning 3 dimensional characters into 2 dimensional cartoons does not make a movie funnier. Also, an action movie (the Director's Cut I watched) DOES NOT NEED TO BE OVER 2 HOURS when the storyline is so predictable and moves at such a formulaic pace.

I recommend every action fan own the original Lethal Weapon and most fans own Lethal Weapon 2 on whatever format. But leave it at that. Pretend to yourself (like I do) that the LW franchise is a 2 film series along with Beverly Hills Cop, Robocop, and Mad Max.