Link (1986)

Country of Origin: UK
Year of Production: 1986
Running Times:
Format: Technicolor
Ratio:
Sound: Dolby

PRODUCTION
Production Companies: The Cannon Group / Thorn EMI Screen Entertainment
Production Executive: Graham Easton
Executive Producer: Verity Lambert
Producer: Richard Franklin
Co-Producer: Rick McCallum
Associate Producer: Selwyn Roberts
Production Coordinator: Clare St. John

SCRIPT
Script: Everett De Roche
Story: Lee Zlotoff, Tom Ackermann

DIRECTION
Director: Richard Franklin
1st Assistant Director: Chris Rose
2nd Assistant Director: John Dodds
3rd Assistant Director: Chris Hall

PHOTOGRAPHY
Director of Photography: Mike Molloy
2nd Unit Director of Photography: Gale Tattersall
Scotland 2nd Unit Director of Photography: Mike Proudfoot
Camera Operator: Gale Tattersall
Camera Loader: Mike Lloyd
Focus Puller: George Binnersley
Gaffer: Roy Rodhouse
Camera Grip: Clive Rivers
Stills: Albert Clarke

EDITING AND POST-PRODUCTION
Editors: Andrew London, Derek Trigg
Assistant Editor: Robert Hambling

MUSIC
Music: Jerry Goldsmith
Songs: Ray Davies (Apeman)
Songs Performed By: The Kinks (Apeman)
Orchestrator: Arthur Morton
Music Supervisor: Diane DeLouise Wessel
Music Editor: Ken Hall

SOUND
Sound Mixer: David Stephenson
Boom Operator: Steve O'Brien
Sound Maintenance: Mike Harris
Dolby Stereo Sound Consultant: Chris David

MAKE UP AND COSTUMES
Make Up: Pat Hay
Hair: Meinir Brock
Costume Designer: Catherine Cook
Wardrobe Supervisor: Terry Smith
Chimp Dresser: Ray Berwick

SPECIAL MAKE UP EFFECTS
Special Make Up: Yvonne Coppard

SPECIAL EFFECTS
Special Effects Supervisor: John Gant
Creature Effects Supervisor: Lyle Conway
Senior Special Effects Technician: Chris Corbould
Special Effects Administrator: Michael Dawson
Animatronics Coordinator: Barbara Griffiths

VISUAL EFFECTS
Title Designer: Richard Morrison
Titles: Optical Film Effects Ltd
Opticals: Camera Effects Ltd; Optical Film Effects Ltd

DESIGN AND SET CONSTRUCTION
Production Designer: Norman Garwood
Art Director: Keith Pain
Set Designer: Steve Cooper
Property Master: Les Benson
Construction Manager: Peter Verard
Sketch Artist: Roy Carnon

MISCELLANEOUS
Script Supervisor: Jean Bourne
Chimp Trainer: Rona Brown
Chimp Handlers: David Frank, Joseph McCarter
Assistant To Director: Alan Miller
Production Associate: Bob Mercer
Unit Publicist: Lynda Levy
Psychological Consultant: Roy Childs
Camera Pilot: Marc Wolff
Catering: J&J Film Foods Ltd

LOCATIONS
Locations: St. Abbs, Scotland, UK
Location Manager: Charles Salmon
Assistant Location Manager: Bob Jordan

STUNTS
Stunt Coordinator: Tony Smart
Stunts: Tracey Eddon

CASTING
London Casting: Priscilla John
Los Angeles Casting: Jackie Burch

CAST
Elisabeth Shue (Jane Chase)
Terence Stamp (Dr Steven Phillip)
Steven Pinner (David)
Richard Garnett (Dennis)
David O'Hara (Tom)
Kevin Lloyd (Bailey)
Joe Belcher (taxi driver)
Daisy Beevers (Becky - uncredited)
Geoffrey Beevers (Mr Miller - uncredited)
Caroline John (Mrs Miller - uncredited)
Linus Roache (uncredited)

Stand-Ins: John Ketteringham, Sue Gentle
Body Double For Elisabeth Shue: Jayne Grosvenor

PLOT SUMMARY

Student Jane begins a new job as a research assistant with Dr Steven Philip, who is conducting experiments with chimpanzees at his remote country home. But when Philips vanishes, Jane is left at the mercy of intruders, three dangerous chimps - and she only has ape butler Link to help her.

An unlikely idea is given some credibility by De Roche's script and Franklin's excellent direction. Elisabeth Shue and Terence Stamp manage to get through it with a straight face and are given a good run for their money by the extraordinary ape actors. Get past the initial silliness of the plot and you'll find a tautly directed and snappily written thriller.

Australia
Video Distributor: Warner Home Video

Germany
DVD Distributor: MCP

USA
Theatrical Distributor: Cannon Films
Video Distributors: HBO Home Video; Anchor Bay Entertainment; Republic Pictures Corporation
DVD Distributor: Anchor Bay Entertainment

Australia
Rating: M

Sweden
Rating: 15

UK
Rating: 15

USA
Rating: R

West Germany
Rating: 16

1986
March
5: France – theatrical release

October
Day Unknown: USA – theatrical release

1987
January
15: West Germany – theatrical release

May
29: Sweden – theatrical release

2001
July
31: Germany - DVD release (MCP)

An Experiment In Terror!

When Man was given mastery over the beasts, someone forgot to tell...

Link, der Butler - West German title

MAGAZINES

American Film vol.12 no.1 (October 1986) p.67 (USA)
review

Cinefantastique vol.17 no.1 (1987) pp.36-39 (USA)
illustrated article (Link by Alan Jones)

Cinema Papers no.72 (March 1989) p.40 (Australia)
article (Box four: Richard Franklin & Link by John Baxter)

City Limits no.271 (11 December 1986) p.27 (UK)
review

L'Écran Fantastique no.6 (March 1986) p.8 (France)
review

Films vol.5 no.3 (March 1985) p.5 (UK)
article

Films and Filming no.387 (December 1986) pp.36-37 (UK)
review

Hollywood Reporter vol.294 no.2 (6 October 1986) pp.3, 17 (USA)
credits, review

Monthly Film Bulletin vol.53 no.635 (December 1986) pp.376-377 (UK)
credits, synopsis, review (by Philip Strick)

Première March 1986 p.13 (France)
review (by Philippe Salanches)

Screen International no.488 (16 March 1985) p.1 (UK)
note

Screen International no.494 (27 April 1985) p.19 (UK)
credits

Screen International no.509 (10 August 1985) p.26 (UK)
review

Soundtrack!: The Collector's Quarterly (6 Mar 1987) p.16
soundtrack review (Link / Jerry Goldsmith by Kevin Mulhall)

Starburst vol.9 no.4 (December 1986) p.13 (UK)
review

Starburst no.100 (1986) (UK)
note

Stills no.20 (June / July 1985) p.30 (UK)
credits

Time Out no.851 (10 December 1986) p.35 (UK)
review

Variety 8 October 1986) p.29 (USA)
credits, review

NEWSPAPERS

The New York Times vol.136 (24 April 1987) p.C10 (USA)
review (Link, a chimp with a roving eye by Walter Goodman)

KEYWORDS

apes, chimpanzees, killer apes

Last Updated: 1 January, 2009