The Specialist (1994)

User Rating:

4.9/10   

Director:

Luis Llosa

Writers (WGA):

John Shirley (Specialist novels) (suggestion)
Alexandra Seros (written by)

Release Date:

7 October 1994 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Thriller

Tagline:

The government taught him to kill. Now he's using his skills to help a woman seek revenge against the Miami underworld.

Plot:

A woman entices a bomb expert she's involved with into destroying the mafia that killed her family.

Plot Keywords:

Parent | CIA | Revenge | Miami Florida | Explosives Expert

Awards:

3 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Sylvester Stallone	...	Ray Quick
Sharon Stone	...	May Munro (aka Adrian Hastings)
James Woods	...	Ned Trent
Rod Steiger	...	Joe Leon
Eric Roberts	...	Tomas Leon
Mario Ernesto Sánchez	...	Charlie
Sergio Doré Jr.	...	Strongarm
Chase Randolph	...	Stan Munro, May's Dad
Jeana Bell	...	Alice Munro, May's Mom
Brittany Paige Bouck	...	Young May
Emilio Estefan Jr.	...	Piano Player
LaGaylia Frazier	...	Singer #1
Ramón González Cuevas	...	Priest at Cemetery
Tony Munafo	...	Tony
Cheito Quinonez	...	Singer at Party
Tony Tatis	...	Backup Singer
Mercedes Enriquez	...	Pregnant Woman on Bus
Yeniffer Behrens	...	Schoolgirl on Bus
Scott Blake	...	Punk #1
Rex Reddick	...	Punk #2
Allan Graf	...	Bus Driver
Juan F. Cejas	...	Latin Thug
Marcela Cardona	...	Tina
Brent Sexton	...	Manny
Yamilet Hidalgo	...	Hooker (as Yami Hildalgo)
Alfredo Álvarez Calderón	...	Bomb Expert
Steve Raulerson	...	Danny, Chief of Police
David Caprita	...	OPS Buddy
Mayte Vilán	...	Ordinance Expert
Bud Ekins	...	Veteran Cop
John Archie	...	Cop #1
Frank A. DeVito III	...	Young Squad Expert
Bobbi Evors	...	Woman at Poker Game
Jon Curry	...	Parking Attendant
Chris Conrad	...	Officer
Carmen More	...	Cop #3
Anabel Gracia	...	Young Girl at Funeral
Guillermo Gentile	...	Priest
Ashley Nolan	...	Hotel Clerk
Victoria Bass	...	Socialite
Mario Roberts	...	Kitchen Thug #1
Jeff Moldovan	...	Kitchen Thug #2
Gene Hartline	...	Kitchen Thug #3
Antoni Corone	...	Marksman
Steve Gladstone	...	Teckie
Jackie Davis	...	Grocery Store Owner
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Robert Apisa	...	Ned´s thug in hotelroom (uncredited)
Jeff Bornstein	...	Punk #3 (uncredited)
Robert Leon Casey	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Carl Ciarfalio	...	Ned´s thug in hotelroom (uncredited)
Vincent De Paul	...	Restaurant Host (South Beach) (uncredited)
Scott Waugh	...	Punk #1 (uncredited)

Directed by
Luis Llosa

Writing credits (WGA)
John Shirley		(Specialist novels) (suggestion)
Alexandra Seros		(written by)

Produced by
Steve Barron	....	executive producer
Chuck Binder	....	executive producer
Susan Ekins	....	associate producer
R.J. Louis	....	co-producer
Jeff Most	....	executive producer
Tony Munafo	....	associate producer
Jerry Weintraub	....	producer

Original Music by
John Barry

Cinematography by
Jeffrey L. Kimball

Film Editing by
Jack Hofstra

Casting by
Jackie Burch

Production Design by
Walter P. Martishius

Art Direction by
Alan E. Muraoka

Set Decoration by
Scott Jacobson

Costume Design by
Judianna Makovsky

Makeup Department
Paul Abascal	....	hair stylist
Jay Cannistraci	....	makeup artist: Rod Steiger
Scott H. Eddo	....	makeup artist: Sylvester Stallone
Sharon Kalb	....	additional makeup artist
Steve LaPorte	....	key makeup/makeup effects
Gwyne Redner	....	hair stylist
Tricia Sawyer	....	makeup artist: Sharon Stone
Peggy Semtob	....	key hair stylist

Production Management
Fred Fontana	....	production supervisor
R.J. Louis	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
John E. Gallagher	....	second assistant director
Allan Graf	....	second unit director
Joe Lotito	....	second second assistant director
Dennis Maguire	....	first assistant director

Art Department
John Balling	....	charge scenic
Michael Calabrese	....	lead man
Curtis Carlin	....	additional props
Michael Charboneau	....	construction foreman (as Mike Charboneau)
Harold Collins	....	construction coordinator
Nicklas Farrantello	....	scenic foreman
Michael J. Flynn	....	greensman
Audrey A. Johnson	....	assistant property master
Cheryl C. Johnson	....	stand-by painter (as Cheryl Johnson)
Kent H. Johnson	....	property master
Kevin Long	....	props
John Mann	....	effects designer
Arturo Mendez	....	painter
Eric Weiler	....	set dresser
Steven Hintz	....	propmaker (uncredited)

Sound Department
Kevin Bartnof	....	foley artist
Barbara J. Boguski	....	adr editor
David E. Campbell	....	sound re-recording mixer
Paul Timothy Carden	....	dialogue editor
Kevin Cerchiai	....	cable person
Clayton Collins	....	sound editor
Zack Davis	....	adr editor
Victor Ray Ennis	....	assistant sound editor
Julie Feiner	....	foley editor
Mark Gordon	....	sound effects editor
Eric Gotthelf	....	foley mixer
Dan Hegeman	....	dialogue editor
A. Elizabeth Tobin Kurtz	....	assistant sound editor
Peter J. Lehman	....	sound effects editor
Brian McPherson	....	sound effects editor
Glenn T. Morgan	....	sound effects editor
David Moritz	....	foley editor
Thomas J. O'Connell	....	adr mixer
Mark Ormandy	....	additional sound
John T. Reitz	....	sound re-recording mixer
John Rice	....	assistant sound editor
Katie Rowe	....	foley artist
Gregg Rudloff	....	sound re-recording mixer
Sean Rush	....	boom operator
Christopher Sheldon	....	sound effects editor
Frank Smathers	....	dialogue editor
Frank Smathers	....	sound editor
Mark P. Stoeckinger	....	supervising sound editor
Ted Swanscott	....	adr mixer
Nancy Tracy	....	foley editor
Bill Voigtlander	....	adr supervisor
Andy Wiskes	....	production sound mixer
Mark Johnston	....	sound recordist (uncredited)
Rick Morris	....	sound editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Al Broussard	....	special effects
Donald Connor	....	special effects
Mike Edmonson	....	special effects
Ken Gorrell	....	special effects
William D. Harrison	....	special effects
Marc Mercury	....	special effects
Hans Metz	....	special effects supervisor
Clay Pinney	....	special effects coordinator
Steve Riley	....	special effects
Richard Scioli	....	special effects
Christine Onesky	....	pyrotechnician (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Brian Callier	....	computer graphic artist
Jenny Fulle	....	visual effects producer
Karin Joy	....	visual effects coordinator
Neil Krepela	....	visual effects supervisor
David C. Lawson	....	imaging assistant

Stunts
Robert Apisa	....	stunts (as Bob Apisa)
Chick Bernhardt	....	stunts
Butch Brickell	....	stunts
Harold Burns	....	stunts
Andrew Castillo	....	stunts
Carl Ciarfalio	....	stunts
Gary Compton	....	stunts
Mark De Alessandro	....	stunts
Dennis Deveaugh	....	stunts
Alex Edlin	....	stunts
Donna Evans	....	stunts
Bobby J. Foxworth	....	stunts
Lex D. Geddings	....	stunts (as Lex Geddings)
Mickey Giacomazzi	....	stunts
Allan Graf	....	stunt coordinator
A. Kalani	....	stunts
John Kockelman	....	stunts
Steven Lambert	....	stunts (as Steve Lambert)
Sidney S. Liufau	....	stunts (as Sidney Liufau)
Marc Macaulay	....	stunts
Kathy Marshall	....	stunts
Manny Ramirez	....	stunts
Mike Rumain	....	stunts
Gar Stephen	....	stunts
Jeff Winn	....	stunts
Scott Workman	....	stunts
John Zimmerman	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Carl Boles	....	rigging gaffer
Dan Delgado	....	chief lighting technician
Tim Dunford	....	second assistant camera
Michael Franz	....	assistant chief lighting technician (as Mike Franz)
Thomas Gibson	....	best boy grip (as Tom Gibson)
Michael Logan	....	rigging key grip (as Mike Logan)
Gregory Lundsgaard	....	camera operator
Mollie S. Mallinger	....	second assistant camera (as Mollie Mallinger-Helfand)
Mike McGowan	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera, second unit
James A. Miller	....	rigging gaffer (as James Miller)
Dick Montagne	....	first assistant camera
David Norris	....	camera technician: Wescam camera
Michael D. O'Shea	....	director of photography: second unit
Greg Patterson	....	best boy rigging grip
Ron Phillips	....	still photographer
J. Michael Popovich	....	key grip
Gregory J. Schmidt	....	first assistant camera
Michael Scott	....	camera operator
Owen Stephens	....	lamp operator
Larry Sweet	....	dolly grip

Casting Department
Sandy Holt	....	adr voice casting
Ellen Jacoby	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Brad Anderson	....	costumer
Carole Brown-James	....	costume supervisor
Kent James	....	costume supervisor
Marion Kirk	....	key set costumer
Helen Monaghan	....	costumer
Barbara Shiff	....	costumer

Editorial Department
Christopher S. Capp	....	first assistant film editor
Mo Henry	....	negative cutter
Lynn Leonhard	....	assistant editor
Bob Putynkowski	....	color timer
Gaston Santiso	....	assistant editor

Music Department
John Barry	....	conductor
Emilio Estefan Jr.	....	music supervisor
Cliff Kohlweck	....	music editor
Greig McRitchie	....	orchestrator
Shawn Murphy	....	score mixer

Transportation Department
Joyce M. Lark	....	transportation captain: Miami
Dan Romero	....	transportation coordinator
Stanley Storc	....	transportation captain

Other crew
Ricou Browning Jr.	....	marine coordinator (as Ricou Browning)
Maria K. Chavez	....	location manager
Sheri Davidson	....	assistant: Mr. Weintraub
Thomas A. Davila	....	production accountant
Marty Elfalan	....	assistant accountant
Gary J. Engel	....	production assistant
Kristine Harlan	....	assistant: Sharon Stone
Kent H. Johnson	....	weapons specialist
David Manzanares	....	location scout
Liz Mersky	....	assistant production coordinator
Marshall J. Nord	....	production associate
Edward V. Pannozzo	....	accounting assistant
Edward V. Pannozzo	....	staff assistant (as Edward Pannozzo)
Pedro Pablo Pena	....	choreographer
Marlis Pujol	....	assistant to director
Tanya Ryno	....	production assistant
Brad Scheel	....	staff assistant
Peter J. Silbermann	....	unit publicist
Joanne Small	....	script supervisor
Peter Sobich Jr.	....	assistant production coordinator
Stephanie Stears	....	staff assistant
Owen Stephens	....	arc operator
Jeff Winn	....	craft service
Bill Daly	....	post-production accountant (uncredited)
Arthur J. Miller Jr.	....	assistant location manager: Tennessee (uncredited)
Kenny Rivenbark	....	remote head technician (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Iguana Producciones
• Jerry Weintraub Productions
• Warner Bros. Pictures

Distributors

• Gemini Film (1995) (Czech Republic) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (Argentina) (video)
• Warner Bros. Pictures
• Warner Bros. (Argentina)
• Warner Bros. (Germany)
• Warner Bros. (Spain)
• Warner Home Video (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (USA) (laserdisc)

Other Companies

• Birds & Animals Unlimited  animals provided by
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera cranes and dollies
• Cinesite  digital film services
• Ellen Jacoby Casting  extras casting
• Epic Soundtrax  soundtrack
• Movie Movers  star trailers
• Movie Movers  transportation
• Nina Saxon Film Design  titles
• Pacific Title and Art Studio  titles and opticals
• Variety Cinema Catering  catering

Also Known As:

El especialista (Peru)

Runtime:

110 min

Country:

Peru | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Finland:K-18 (original rating) | Iceland:16 | South Korea:18 | Philippines:R-18 | Singapore:M18 (re-rating) | Singapore:PG (cut) | Argentina:16 | Australia:MA (original rating) | Australia:M (TV rating) | Canada:14A | Finland:K-16 | Germany:16 | Netherlands:16 | Norway:18 | Peru:18 | Poland:15 | Portugal:M/16 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | USA:R | UK:15 (original rating) | UK:18 (video rating)

Filming Locations:

Cookeville, Tennessee, USA

Company:

Iguana Producciones

Trivia:

When Sylvester Stallone enters his computer to activate the massive explosion of his home near end of film, the password he uses is "Top of the world, Ma." This is a slight paraphrase of Jimmy Cagney's last line in White Heat (1949), just before Cagney shoots into the large gas storage unit he's standing on, causing massive explosions. ("Made it, Ma. Top of the world!")

Goofs:

Continuity: The blood on May Munro's lower lip disappears and reappears during a confrontation with Ned Trent.

Quotes:

Ned: Good, nice sense of irony, blowing up the bomb unit. Ned, you may ask yourself, why is it my turn to die. Ask God. he kills all the time. Why shouldn't I?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in To Wong Foo Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar (1995)

Soundtrack:

Mental Picture

A terrible 'action' film that is more accidentally humorous than seriously suspenseful.

Although Stallone was already a big budget Hollywood star with many a title under his belt with Sharon Stone who also had a few films (most noticeably 'Basic Instinct') going for her and James Woods, again, with some reasonably successful outings (most notably in my opinion a 'Simpsons' episode), 'The Specialist' fails to live up to its talent hype and attempt as a film noir come action film.

What struck me upon looking this film up after seeing it was the director. He'd had hardly any experience previous to this film and thinking back to the film itself; it's no wonder it really turned out the way it did. A big budget and a big cast with a screenplay that wasn't terrible probably demanded a bigger and better director. I could kick around a few names like 'John Woo' but I won't get too into that.

Fatally, The Specialist doesn't do right what it's supposed to do right. The camera work is bad (I actually spotted one instance of camera shake in this film), the fight scenes are poorly choreographed and badly executed, the dialogue is a bit iffy at best and is rather clichéd at times and the stereotypes of Colombian drug lords are laughable. With the action scenes, the extras just sit up waiting to be hit and are poorly put together in a way that you can see Stallone's next move as he wins the punch-up from a beaten position. The dialogue put across via the recorded phone messages feels forced and they snap back at one another too quickly. The character played by Rod Stieger is a little too stereotypical and his pronunciation of the word 'you' like 'jew' can only be taken seriously for so long before a serious scene involving intense dialogue is broken up by a smirk here and there.

What makes the film also rather cheesy is the editing at some points. Early on in the film, a character threatens Stallone at knife point and asks him a question. Cut to a reaction shot of a silent Stallone and immediately, the character asks the question again – not even giving Stallone the time it takes to blink to reply. This was very noticeable and good editing, as they say, is un-noticeable. One other incident is where Stallone sneaks up on a pistol wielding guard during a hotel evacuation and knocks him out from behind in the lobby area. We keep on the same camera and pan as he runs away. From this, we see that for the entire time, people (extras) have been running right past, merely feet from the assault and don't even batter an eyelid at what just happened as Stallone runs off in the OPPOSITE direction.

Every action film has its effects and this films' was poor. The blatant blue screen effect of the water getting closer and closer via the window as the suite breaks off the side of the hotel and falls to the sea as a guy waves frantically at the camera crashing towards him without trying to get away really brought out a long shake of the head from me. The fact when one of the bombs went off in the room, one guy fell down before the other was also laughable. These are the action scenes of the film and should be suspenseful and nerve-wracking – not humorous, instead.

If you're looking for a decent Stallone action-based film from the mid-nineties, avoid this and see 'Assassins' instead. That film's particularly large cast rivals this one and the direction and script are a lot better.