Spontaneous Combustion (1990)

Country of Origin: USA
Year of Production: 1990
Running Times: 97 mins
Format: colour
Ratio:
Sound: Dolby Stereo

CREDITS

PRODUCTION
Production Companies: VOSC / Black Owl Productions
Executive Producers: Henry Bushkin, Arthur Sarkissian
Production Executive: Glenn Sobel
Producer: Jim Rogers
Co-Producer: Jerrold W. Lambert
Associate Producer / Production Manager: Sanford Hampton
Production Coordinator: Rochell Goodrich
Additional Photography Unit Production Coordinator: Mike Treas

SCRIPT
Script: Tobe Hooper, Howard Goldberg
Story: Tobe Hooper

DIRECTION
Director: Tobe Hooper
1st Assistant Director: Paul Moen
2nd Assistant Directors: Kristi 'Kat' Morias, Michael Looney

PHOTOGRAPHY
Director of Photography: Levie Isaacks
2nd Camera Operator: Michael Lund
Steadicam Operator: John Nuler
1st Assistant Camera: Dana Gonzales
2nd Assistant Camera: Brian Bernstein
Clapper Loader: Monica Silvera
Gaffer: David Hayball
Additional Photography Unit Gaffers: Stephanie Blakemore, Robert Moreno
Electricians: John Cheshire, Charlie Waldren, Ann-Marie Fendrick, Bill Swift, Jon Kealy, William Koski
Additional Photography Unit Electrician: Darryl Murchison
Best Boy Electric: Molly Cheshire
Additional Photography Unit Best Boy Electrical: Larry Roth
Key Grip: Todd Griffith
Additional Photography Unit Key Grip: Jerry Madore
Best Boy Grip: Monty Spillers
Additional Photography Unit Best Boy Grip: Gary Shaw
Dolly Grip: Richard Crompton
Grips: Marcus 'Rod' Flower, Tom Cook, William Holdsworth, Michael Stocks, Basil Schmidt, Simon Scheeline, Brian Liberman, Bob Clancy
Additional Photography Unit Grip: Jim Phillips
Additional Photography Unit Swing Grip / Electrical: Jim Hooker
Stills: Eric Lasher
Colour Timer: Jeff Smithwick
Location Equipment: Sequoia Rentals
Studio Equipment: Hollywood Rentals Inc
Lighting: Ego Lighting
Cameras and Lenses: Panavision
Lab: Alpha Cine Laboratories

EDITING AND POST-PRODUCTION
Editor: David Kern
Assistant Editors: Mark L. Levine, Arthur J. Codron
2nd Assistant Editor: David Fletcher
Negative Cutters: Sid Cole / Magic Filmworks

MUSIC
Music: Graeme Revell
Songs: The Word (How Could I've Known)
Songs Performed By: The Ink Spots (I Don't Want To Set The World On Fire); Patti Page (You Belong To Me); The Word (How Could I've Known)
Music Editor: Dick Bernstein
Music Sampler: J. Valentine

SOUND
Sound: Moviesound Inc
Location Sound: Skyland Sound
Sound Mixers: Craig Felburg, Cameron Hamza
Additional Photography Unit Sound Mixer: Vic Carpenter
Boom Operators: Christopher Taylor, Ken Stephens
Additional Photography Unit Boom Operator: Herbert L. Swann
Re-Recording: Ryder Sound Services
Sound Re-Recording Mixers: Don MacDougall, Stan Kastner
Supervising Sound ADR Editor: Barney Cabral
Sound Editors: Mark Hollingsworth, Phil Haberman, Ascher Yates, Don Lee Jorgensen, Scott Wolf
Assistant Sound Editors: Kelly Cabral, Tim Chilton
Apprentice Sound Editors: Lisa Cabral, Jane McCord

MAKE UP AND COSTUMES
Make Up: Bill Miller-Jones
Melinda Dillon's Make Up: Doreen Schultz
Hair: Kerry Mendenhall
Costume Designer: Carin Hooper
Costume Supervisor: Julia Gombert
Costumer: Janet Sobel

SPECIAL MAKE UP EFFECTS
Special Make Up Effects Created By: Steve Neill
Make Up Effects Crew: Gillian Neill, Beth Hathaway, Mark Rappaport, Michael F. Hoover, Michael R. Jones, Tony Hooper, Eric Lasher, Stan Giesea

SPECIAL EFFECTS
Pyro and Floor Effects: Guy Faria
Assistant Pyro Effects: Duncan W, Puett, Pat Patterson, Lou Carlucci, Panacus Callas
Additional Photography Unit Special Effects Man: Terry Woolman
Additional Photography Unit Special Effects Assistant: Ronald 'Dizzy' Everett
Special Mechanical Effects: Tony Hooper

VISUAL EFFECTS
Special Visual Effects: Stephen Brooks
Model Supervisor: Gary Bailard
Titles and Additional Opticals: Hollywood Optical Systems Inc

Apogee Productions Inc
President: Dean Sharits
Vice President Production: Bob Shepherd
Special Effects Consultant: John Dykstra
Optical and Visual Effects Supervisor: Stephen Brooks
Post Production Optical Supervisor: Roger Dorney
Optical Printer Operator: Jerry Pooler
Optical Line-Up: Dennis Doorney, Jim Seltenreich
Film Processing: Alan Spilkoman
Animation Supervisor: Clint Colver
Animators: Harry Moreau, John Shourt
Optical Fire Effects: Tony Hooper
Optical Stills: Michael Middleton
Optical Effects Editor: Joseph Yanuzzi
Production Liaison: John Swallow

DESIGN AND SET CONSTRUCTION
Production Designer: Gene Abel
Assistant Art Director: Richard McGuire
Set Decorator: Ann Job
Set Dresser: Timothy Keating
Assistant Set Dresser: Charlie Doane
Prop Masters: Frank Bertolino, Bill Roberts
Carpenters: Earl Vodry, Jim Vodry, Susan Finnegan, Bob Sturtevant, Allam Murray, Lee Borisof
Standby Carpenter: Neil Kinsella
Supervising Scenic Artist: Lance Simco
Scenic Artist: Blake Beltram
Assistant Scenic Artist: Richard G. Huston
Sign Painter: Gary Graber
Draftsman: Gary Frutkoff
Leadman: Fred Hampton
Typography: Carl Martin
Paranormal Consultant: Zachary Selig

MISCELLANEOUS
Script Supervisor: Nancy Karlin
Additional Script Supervisor: Jeanne Talbot
Production Accountant: Marc Kunis
Production Secretary: Lisa Van Cott
Assistant to Executive Producers: Sean Doyle Williams
Assistants to Producer: Mike Treas, Camilla Fluxman
Assistant to Director: Rita Bartlett
Production Assistants: Robinson Miller, Ashley Friedman, Darrel Green, Chris Kincaid, Mark Batza, Nog Callas
Transportation Coordinator: Lawrence Morgan
Additional Photography Unit Transportation Coordinator: Chris Hampton
Transportation Captain: 'Buffalo' Bob Lang
Driver: Mike Moore
Picture Cars: Bob & Herman Hadler Enterprises; Chrysler Motors Corporation; Mazda Motors Inc; Carpenter Cars
Journalist: Stan Giesea
Unit Publicist: Nan Herst
Caterer: Taste Buds
Craft Service: Christine Scott, Kim Fusch
First Aid: Molly Malloy
Security: Mike Lang
Location Security: Mark Vance
Stage Manager: John Garrett
Marketing Consultant: Stephen Manpearl
Legal: Richard Trugman
Welfare Worker: Barbara Yarbrough

LOCATIONS
Locations: Los Angeles, California, USA
Location Manager: Seth Cirker

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Special Thanks To: The Image Organization; Denise Wheeler / Film Permits Unlimited; Linsley Parsons / Film Finances Inc; Mike Edmonds / First Los Angeles Bank; David Dart; The Sharper Image; Brainin & Davenport Crystals; Jazz Furniture; Korbel Champagne Cellars; Campbell Soup; Pepsi-Cola Company; Morton Salt; Young Generators; Mex Kleven and Blue Bean Inc; Cohen Insurance; Brittany Enterprises Inc

STUNTS
1st Unit Stunt Coordinator: Greg Gault
2nd Unit Stunt Coordinator: Rick Barker
Stunts: Richard Warlock, Monty Cox, Don Pike, Paula Moody, Glory Fioramonti, Debbie Ross

CASTING
Casting: Carol Lewis
Casting Assistant: Mimi Wearn
Extras Casting: Jacov Bresler
Extra Coordinator: Pat Gallagher

CAST
Brad Dourif (Sam)
Cynthia Bain (Lisa Wilcox)
Jon Cypher (Dr Marsh)
William Prince (Lew Orlander)
Melinda Dillon (Nina)
Dey Young (Rachel)
Tegan West (Springer)
Michael Keys Hall (Dr Cagney)
Dale Dye (General)
Dick Butkus (Lt General)
Joe Mays (Dr Persons)
Stacy Edwards (Peggy Bell)
Brian Bremer (Brian Bell)
Frank Whiteman (young Orlander)
Judy Prescott (student director)
Judy Behr (school nurse)
Betsy Thomas (nurse at hospital)
John Landis (radio technician)
Jaime Alba (Walter)
Mark Roberts (Dr Simpson)
Richard Warlock (Mr Fitzpatrick)
Judith Jones (Jennifer)
Bill Forward (scientist)
Ron Blair (maitre 'd)
Mimi Wearn (Vicky)
Sandy Ignon (doctor in 50's)
Nick Gambella (student in theater)
Patricia Gallagher Layton (maid)
Barbara Leary (Amy Whitaker)
Paul Barresi (hospital guard)
George 'Buck' Flower (preacher on radio)

Stand-Ins: Adriano DeFreitas, Leslie Lahoda

PLOT SUMMARY

A young man whose parents took part in nuclear testing before he was born finds that he has the power to spontaneously start fires.

AVAILABILITY

Australia
DVD Distributors: Umbrella Entertainment

Brazil
Video Distributors: Look Vídeo

USA
Theatrical Distributors: Taurus Entertainment Company
Video Distributors: Media Home Entertainment
DVD Distributors: Anchor Bay (DV12056); Anchor Bay (DV12646 (on double bill with Society (1989)))

CENSORSHIP HISTORY

Argentina
Rating: 16

Australia
Rating: M

UK
Rating: 18

USA
Rating: R

West Germany
Rating: 16

AWARDS

1991
Fantasporto, Portugal (International Fantasy Film Awards)
Best Film (Tobe Hooper) - nominated

TIMELINE

1990
February
23: USA – theatrical release

June
7: West Germany – theatrical release

1991
February
Day Unknown: Portugal – shown at the Fantasporto Film Festival

2002
October
8: USA - DVD release (Anchor Bay (DV12056))

2003
September
9: USA - DVD release (Anchor Bay (DV12646 (on double bill with Society (1989))))

ALTERNATIVE TITLES

Combustão Espontânea - Portuguese title
Combustión espontánea - Argentinean / Venezuelan title
Conspiração Atômica - Brazilian title
Eldmärkt - Swedish title
Il figlio del fuoco - Italian title
Fire Syndrome - West German title
Polttava kuolema - Finnish title

LINKS

SEE ALSO
Firestarter (1984)
Firestarter (2005)

REFERENCES

OTHER SOURCES

screen
credits

KEYWORDS

pyrokinesis, scientists, spontaneous human combustion

Last Updated: 1 January, 2009