Miracle Mile (1988)

Country of Origin: USA
Year of Production: 1988
Running Times: 87m
Length: 7891 ft
Format:
Colour Format: colour
Ratio:
Sound: Ultra Stereo

DIRECTION

Directed by: Steve De Jarnatt

CREW

PRODUCTION
Production Company: Hemdale Film Coporation
Produced by: John Daly and Derek Gibson
Co-producer: Graham Cottle
Associate Producer: Eileen Stringer
Production Supervisor: Graham Cottle
Second Unit Supervisors: Marc Daniel Schiller, Jeffrey Zeitlin
Video Production Supervisor: Terance Power
Production Manager: Daniel E. Schneider
Production Coordinator: Karen Altman Morgenstern
Assistant Production Coordinator: Thomas K. Schellenberg

SCRIPT
Written by: Steve De Jarnatt

DIRECTION
First Assistant Director: David C. Anderson
Second Assistant Director: Leo Zisman
Script Supervisor: Valerie Norman-Williams

PHOTOGRAPHY
Director of Photography: Theo Van de Sande
Second Unit Director of Photography: Chris Squires
Second Unit Additional Photography by: Ernie Holzman, Jack Wollner, Paul Laufer
Steadicam Operators: Chris Squires, Elizabeth Ziegler, Ricardo Gale, Jeff Mart
First Assistant Camera: Paul Hughen
Second Unit First Assistant Camera: Brian Keith Banks
2nd Assistant Camera: Donald Burghardt
Second Unit Second Assistant Camera: John Schultz
Additional Camera Assistant: Michael Endler
Second Unit Additional Camera Assistants: Scott Browner, Lance Fisher
Steadicam Assistant: Paul A. Taylor
Gaffer: Jono Kouzouyan
Second Unit Gaffer: Paul McElwaine, Mark Buckalew, Scott Guthrie
Best Boy Electrician: Jack Yanekian
Electricians: John Peirce, E. Simon Scheeline IV, Michael Molnar, Ben Feldhouse, Dan Combs, Fred Nolan
Second Unit Electricians: Daryl Reynolds, Vince Rapini, Warren Kroeger, Gene Klein, George Ball, Tim Blair, Jerome Seven
Key Grip: Bob Gray
Second Unit Key Grips: Rebel Schunke, Dave Wood
Dolly Grip: Bruce Hamme
Best Boy Grip: Todd Griffith
Grips: Richard Crompton Curry, Rick Herres, James D. Crandell, Brian Duffy, Brian Devin
Second Unit Grips: Al Deamayo, John A. Vohlers, Eugene Kerry, John Overacker, Jerry Harper, John Guitierez
Video Playback: Roger Schweitzer
Still Photographer: Sam Emerson
Cameras and Lenses Supplied by: Max Penner with Moviecan Super Rental
Location Lighting and Camera Equipment Supplied by: Lee America West Ltd.

EDITING AND POST-PRODUCTION
Edited by: Stephen Semel and Kathie Weaver
First Assistant Editor: Marcy Stoeven
Second Assistant Editor: F. Scott Taylor
Apprentice Editor: William Pratt
Post-Production Supervisor: Randy Thornton
Negative Cutter: Mary Duerrstein
Color by: C.F.I.

MUSIC
Music Composed and Performed By: Tangerine Dream
Tangerine Dream Are: Edgar Froese, Paul Haslinger
Music Mixer: Rick Kline
Music Editor: Kenneth Hall
Additional Music Courtesy of: Capitol Music Productions, Ole Georg

SOUND
Sound Mixer: Mortesa Rezvani
Second Unit Sound Mixers: Mark Ulano, Jack Walpa
Boom Operator: Michael Reilly
Second Unit Boom Operators: Patrushka Mierzwa, Lee Shamburger
Re-Recording Mixer: Michael Minkler
Re-Recorded at: Compact Sound Services
Supervising Sound Editor: Michael Redbourn
Sound Editors: Michael Bateman, Daniel Yale, David Spence
ADR Editors: Robert Hefferman, Jack Woods
ADR Supervisor: Burton Sharp
ADR Group Coordinator: Burton Sharp
Foley Editor: Tova Szabo

COSTUMES AND MAKE UP
Costumes by: Shay Cunliffe
Associate Costume Designer: Mary Law Weir
Set Costumer: Denise Anderson
Second Unit Wardrobe Assistants: Leslie Wilshire, Pam Gatell
Makeup Design: Gandhi Bob Arrollo
Second Unit Makeup and Hair: Phyllis Temple
Key Hairdresser: Jeanne Van Phue
Hair and Makeup Assistants: Michael Williams, Gail Hagopian, Phyllis Temple
Second Unit Makeup Assistant: Carrie Lou Mahigan

SPECIAL EFFECTS
Special Effects Coordinator: Robbie Knott
Special Effects Assistants: Jeff Knott, Richard Buckler, Roy Downey, Hugh McAfee
Second Unit Special Effects: Kevin McCarthy
Second Unit Special Effects Camera Operator: Michael Lawler

VISUAL EFFECTS
Visual Effects Supervisor: Jena Holman, Marty Sadoff
Additional Animation Supplied by: Available Light, Jeff Burk
Process Engineer: Donald R. Hansard Jr
Process Projection: John M. Hansard
Process Coordinator: Bill Hansard Jr

TITLES AND OPTICALS
Title Design: Dan Perri
Titles and Opticals: Howard A. Anderson Co, Hollywood Optical, Cinema Research Corp

DESIGN AND SET CONSTRUCTION
Production Designer: Christopher Horner
Art Director: Richard Hoover
Second Unit Art Directors: David Miller, Katherine Orrison
Assistant Art Director: Pamela Marcotte
Second Unit Assistant Art Director: Paul Kowalczyk
Lead Man: Brian Kasch
Second Unit Lead Man: Doug Maxwell
Lead Person, Ohrbach's: Elizabeth Moore
Swing Gang: Chris Martin, Peter A. Tullo
On Set Dressers: Claire Gaul, Jerry Casillas
Set Dressers: Christine Bonnem, Paige Augustine, Kara Hayak
Additional Set Dressers: Katherine Orrison, Steve Adcock, Tanya Edmonds, Martha Godfrey, Patrick Ngu Yen-you, Daniel Espansia
Second Unit Set Dressers: Winter Horton, Michael Yeaman, Rick Rumbagh, Rob Kaplin, Scott Meyer, Jack Shapizian, Judy Levites
Second Unit Set Decorators: Claire Gaul, Johnna Butler
Property Master: David E. Harshbarger
Second Unit Props: Greg McMickle
Assistant Property Master: Peter Mark
Prop Makers: Robert S. Freidin, Anthony Showe
Art Department Coordinator: Caryn Marcus
Production Illustrator: Paul Chadwick
Second Assistant to Property Master: Linda Thomas
Construction Coordinator: Roger Kelton
Construction Foreman: Ken Larson
Construction Electrician: Michael A. Clark
Standby Construction: David Miller
Set Construction: Peter Allen, Sean Peter Flynn, Karen Kornbau, Bill Powell, Thom Rude, Lyndell Dean Wolff
Additional Construction: Richard Bryan Douglas, Humberto de la Torre, Eduardo H. Esparza
Construction Welder: Ken Farnum
Scenic Artists: Cole Lewis, James A. Burkhart
Additional Scenic Artists: Everett D. Wilson, Steven Lipton
Second Unit Scenic Artist: Regina Puksar
Painter: Jeff James

OTHER CREW
Production Accountant: Cathy Mickel Gibson
Assistant Production Accountant: Victoria Hargrave
Production Assistants: Andrew Miller, John Schultz, Greg Hicks, Jeff Harris
Second Unit Production Assistant: John Altschuler, Dan Shapero, Debra Holt
Assistant to Mr Cottle: Amy Krell
Helicopter Pilot: Gary Anctil
Aerial Coordinator: John Gillespie
Transportation Coordinator: J. Renfro
Transportation Captain: Ed Flotard
Transportation Co-Captain: John Conte
Transportation Drivers: Shane Greedy, Dean Black, Ross Ellis, Bruce Hauer
Trolley Driver: Montemayur
Caterer: Mario's Catering
Craft Service: George A. Flynn
First Aid: Henry Humphreys, David Craig Falicki
Diamond Consultant: Albert Robbins
Publicity Consultant: Andrea Jaffe
Production Attorney: Ame D. Vaughan
Insurance Providde by: Albert G. Ruben & Co. Inc., Robert Jellen
Completion Bond by: Film Finances Inc.
Stand-Ins: Donna McMullen, Peter Berg

LOCATIONS
Locations: La Brea Tar Pits, Hancock Park, Los Angeles, California, USA; Miracle Mile, Los Angeles, California, USA; Pan Pacific Auditorium, Fairfax, Los Angeles, California, USA; Santa Monica Pier, Santa Monica, California, USA
Location Managers: Ross Fanger, Kristi Frankenheimer

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Dedicated to Doctor Biobrain
Cosmos footage courtesy of Dennis Film Services

STUNTS
Stunt Coordinator: Gary Jensen
Assistant Stunt Coordinator: Gardner Doolittle
Stunts: Gary Jensen, Stephen Hudis, Gardner Doolittle, Dale Jacoby, Gary Anctil, Harold Jones, Pam Bebermeyer, Robyn Keyser, Michael Carr, Kim Koscki, John Casino, Al Lee, Fernando Celis, Ken Lesco, Eugene Collier, Dennis Madalone, Shari Doolittle, Jason Markham, John Gillespie, Paula Moody, Gene Hartline, Eddie Paul, Chris Howell, Byron Quisenberry, Sim Hubbard, Chuck Roberson, John Hudkins, Ray Saniger, Lincoln Simonds, John Staples, Cris Thomas-Palomino, Victoria Van Der Kloot, Bill Bates

CASTING
Casting by: Lauren Lloyd, Billy Da Mota
Extra Casting: Janet Cunningham

CAST

Anthony Edwards (Harry Washello)
Mare Winningham (Julie Peters)
Mykel T. Williamson (Wilson)
Denise Crosby (Landa)
Kelly Minter (Charlotta)

John Agar (Ivan Peters)
Lou Hancock (Lucy Peters)
Kurt Fuller (Gerstead)
Robert Doqui (Fred)
O-Lan Jones (waitress)
Claude Earl Jones (Harlan)
Alan Rosenberg (Mike)
Danny De La Paz (transvestite)
Earl Boen (drunk man in diner)
Diane Delano (stewardess)
Jose Mercado (bus boy from diner)
Alan Berger (new person in catering truck)
Howard Swain (babbler)
Raphael Sbarge (voice of Chip)
Lucille Bliss (old woman in diner)
Cynthia Phillips (female cop)
Chad Taylor (male cop)
Edward Bunker (nightwatchman)
Brian Thompson (power lifter)
Herbert Fair (Leslie)
Tina Webster (girl in aerobic class)
Kirby Tepper (yuppie at heliport)
Jenette Goldstein (Beverly Hills chick #1)
Victoria Powells (Beverly Hills chick #2)
Jordana Capra (TV anchorwoman)
Bruce Hayes (TV anchorman)
Rickie Biggs (Brian Jones)
Peter Berg (band member)
Chloe Amateau (schoolteacher)
Alan Dillard (lobster man)

PLOT SUMMARY

Musician Harry Washello meets Julie Peters at the La Brea Tar Pits in Los Angeles, also known as Miracle Mile, and falls in love. But he misses their date and ends up outside the diner where she works at four in the morning. When a payphone starts ringing, he answers it and hears a frightened man babbling about how nuclear war has broken out and that the US has just over an hour before the Russian missiles arrive. Is it for real or a horrible practical joke? Fearing the worst, Harry races against time to find Julie and get her out of the city, just in case...

CAPSULE REVIEW

One of the great "forgotten" gems of the 1980s. By turns mystifying, terrifying and deeply moving it's almost real time construction will keep you guessing throughout until it delivers its killer final blow. A victim of the thawing of the Cold War, Miracle Mile had only a patchy release in the late 80s and has all but vanished since. If ever a film was ripe for rediscovery it's this masterpiece and its lack of stature in fan circles is deeply regrettable. (Full Review)

AVAILABILITY

Canada
Theatrical Distributors: Cineplex-Odeon Films

UK
Theatrical Distributors: Hemdale
Video Distributors: RCA Columbia

USA
Video Distributors: HBO Home Video
Laserdisc Distributors: Image (ID 6912 HB)
DVD Distributors: MGM

CENSORSHIP HISTORY

UK
Rating: 15

USA
Rating: R

AWARDS

1989
Catalonian International Film Festival, Sitges, Spain
Best Special Effects - winner

Sundance Film Festival, USA
Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic (Steve De Jarnatt) - nominated

1990
Independent Spirit Awards, USA
Best Screenplay (Steve De Jarnatt) - nominated
Best Supporting Female (Mare Winningham) - nominated

TIMELINE

1988
September
11: Canada - shown at the Toronto Film Festival

1989
May
19: USA - theatrical release

September
28: West Germany - theatrical release

1990
January
31: France - theatrical release

2003
June
3: USA - DVD release (MGM)

POSTER TAGS

You just found out that you have 24 hours to live. What are YOU going to do?

There are 70 minutes to the end of the world. Where can you hide?

ALTERNATIVE TITLES

Appel d'urgence - French title
Cudowna mila - Polish title
Miracle Mile - pelon maili - Finnish title
Nacht der Entscheidung, Die - West German title
Setenta Minutos do Fim, A - Portuguese title
Soluzione finale - Italian title

LINKS

FOOTAGE INCLUDED IN
Los Angeles Plays Itself (2003)

REFERENCES

PERIODICALS

American Film vol.9 no.3 pp.44-50 (USA)
illustrated article (One in a Million by Stephen Rebello)

American Film vol.12 no.6 pp.31-36 (USA)
illustrated article (The Ten Best Unproduced Screenplays by Stephen Rebello)

Cinefantastique vol.20 no.1/2 (November 1989) p.117 (USA)
review (by Taylor White)

Empire no.20 (February 1991) p.26 (UK)
illustrated review (by Kim Newman)

Monthly Film Bulletin vol.58 no.685 (February 1991) pp.51-52 (UK)
credits, synopsis, review (by Philip Strick)

Positif no.350 (April 1990) p.68 (France)
illustrated credits, review (by Philippe Niel)

Starburst no.137 (January 1990) p.24 (UK)
review (by Alan Jones)

Starburst no.191 (July 1994) pp.36-38 (UK)
illustrated interview with Robert DoQui (Robocop - Robo's boss by Pat Jankiewicz)

Variety 7 September 1988 pp.34, 40 (USA)
credits, synopsis, review (by Rich)

KEYWORDS

diners, helicopters, nuclear war, police, riots

Last Updated: 23 September, 2009