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IMDb > Blue Collar (1978)
Blue Collar
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Blue Collar (1978) More at IMDbPro »

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Blue Collar (1978) -- Trailerfan.com - Trailer (Flash)

Overview

User Rating:
7.4/10   1,871 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 7% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writers:
Paul Schrader (written by) and
Leonard Schrader (written by) ...
(more)
Contact:
View company contact information for Blue Collar on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
10 February 1978 (USA) more
Genre:
Tagline:
Whatever became of the "American Dream"?
Plot:
Three workers, Zeke, Jerry and Smokey, are working at a car plant and drinking their beers together... more | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
NewsDesk:
(5 articles)
USA Network Rules the Basic Cable Roost in 2009
 (From Beyond Hollywood. 29 December 2009, 10:34 AM, PST)

Best. Gay. Week. Ever. (December 11, 2009)
 (From AfterElton.com. 11 December 2009, 4:42 AM, PST)

User Reviews:
An unjustly overlooked classic! more (34 total)

Cast

  (in credits order) (complete, awaiting verification)

Richard Pryor ... Zeke Brown

Harvey Keitel ... Jerry Bartowski
Yaphet Kotto ... Smokey James

Ed Begley Jr. ... Bobby Joe
Harry Bellaver ... Eddie Johnson Union President AAW Local 291
George Memmoli ... Jenkins
Lucy Saroyan ... Arlene Bartowski

Lane Smith ... Clarence Hill, Union Steward

Cliff De Young ... John Burrows
Borah Silver ... Dogshit Miller, Foreman
Chip Fields ... Caroline Brown

Harry Northup ... Hank
Leonard Gaines ... Mr. Bird, I.R.S. Man
Milton Selzer ... Sumabitch
Sammy Warren ... Barney
Jimmy Martinez ... Charlie T. Hernandez, Loan Shark
Jerry Dahlmann ... Superintendent
Denny Arnold ... Thug
Rock Riddle ... Blond Thug
Stacey Baldwin ... Donny Bartowski
Steve Butts ... Bob Bartowski
Stephen P. Dunn ... Flanagan
Speedy Brown ... Blue
Davone Florence ... Frazer Balchin
Eddie Singleton ... Ali Brown
Ava Singleton ... Aretha Brown
Vernetta Royster ... Neighbor
Jaime Carreire ... Little Joe
Victoria McFarland ... Doris
Gloria Delaney ... Party Girl
Rosa Flores ... Party Girl
Crystal McCarey ... Party Girl
Debra Fay Walker ... Party Girl
Gino Ardito ... Detective
Sean Fallon Walsh ... Detective
Vincent Lucchesi ... Newspaper Reporter
Jerry Snider ... TV Reporter

Colby Chester ... TV Reporter
Donl Morse ... Union Member
William Pelt ... Union Member

Tracey Walter ... Union Member
Almeria Quinn ... Union Secretary
Lee McDonald ... Security Guard
Rodney Lee Walker ... Boy in Dime Store
rest of cast listed alphabetically:

Jimmy Williams ... Union member with broken leg (uncredited)
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Directed by
Paul Schrader 
 
Writing credits
Paul Schrader (written by) and
Leonard Schrader (written by)

Sydney A. Glass  source material

Produced by
Robin French .... executive producer
Don Guest .... producer
David Nichols .... associate producer
 
Original Music by
Jack Nitzsche 
 
Cinematography by
Bobby Byrne 
 
Film Editing by
Tom Rolf 
 
Casting by
Vic Ramos 
 
Production Design by
Lawrence G. Paull 
 
Set Decoration by
Peg Cummings 
 
Costume Design by
Ron Dawson 
Alice Rush 
 
Makeup Department
Donel. Sirlord .... makeup artist
Robert L. Stevenson .... hair department head
 
Production Management
Rusty Meek .... production manager (as G.C. Rusty Meek)
 
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Daniel Franklin .... second assistant director (as Dan Franklin)
 
Art Department
Michael C. Ayers .... property master
Ernie Sawyers .... property master (as Michael Ayers)
Mort Zwicker .... construction coordinator
 
Sound Department
Tom Beckert .... sound re-recording mixer
Willie D. Burton .... sound
Marvin E. Lewis .... boom operator
James G. Stewart .... sound re-recording mixer (as Jim Stewart)
Winfred Tennison .... sound
 
Stunts
Jim Connors .... stunt driver (as Matt 'Jim' Connors)
Frank Orsatti .... stunt driver
Glenn R. Wilder .... stunt coordinator (as Glenn Wilder)
Glenn R. Wilder .... stunt driver (as Glenn Wilder)
 
Camera and Electrical Department
William D. Barber .... second assistant camera
Rick Borchardt .... key grip (as Rick Borchart)
James F. Boyle .... gaffer (as Jim Boyle)
Ophelious Braxton .... second grip
Doug J. Campbell .... dolly grip (as Doug Campbell)
William Dear .... additional photographer
Wynn Hammer .... still photographer
Aaron Pazanti .... best boy
Ted T. Sugura .... first assistant camera
Jim Taylor .... still photographer
Robert C. Thomas .... camera operator
 
Editorial Department
Janice Hampton .... assistant editor
 
Music Department
Ry Cooder .... special musical arrangements
 
Transportation Department
Pat Carmen .... transportation coordinator
Gary Littlefield .... transportation coordinator
 
Other crew
Wally Bennett .... assistant to producer
Wally Bennett .... script supervisor
Judy Bornstein .... assistant: Mr. Schrader
Stephen P. Dunn .... assistant: Mr. Schrader (as Stephen Dunn)
Joan McWade .... location auditor
Dan Perri .... title designer: main titles
Beverly Walker .... production consultant
 

Production CompaniesDistributorsSpecial Effects
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Additional Details

Runtime:
114 min
Country:
Language:
Colour:
Colour (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Filming Locations:

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
"Good Times" (1974) can be seen on the TV. Chip Fields, who appears here as Zeke's wife Caroline, had a memorable set of guest appearances on that series as the mother of Penny (Janet Jackson.) more
Quotes:
[last lines]
Smokey James: [voiceover echoing earlier line] They pit the lifers against the new boy and the young against the old. The black against the white. Everything they do is to keep us in our place.
more
Movie Connections:
References Paradise Valley (1934) more
Soundtrack:
Goodbye, So Long more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
6 out of 6 people found the following review useful.
An unjustly overlooked classic!, 4 January 1999
Author: cinefan from California, USA

This is a great film. I knew little about it going in, other than it was supposed to be a very well done, searing drama (this according to several film books, including Leonard Maltin's yearly tomes). I was not disappointed. Paul Schrader - writer of "Taxi Driver," "Raging Bull," and writer/director of "Affliction" - delivers yet another gritty, working-class drama. But the film is not without liberal doses of humor, provided chiefly by Richard Pryor in what I consider to be the best performance of his career. C'mon, people! How can you go wrong with Pryor, Harvey Keitel, and Yaphet Kotto (answer: you can't). The films hooks you right from the great opening credit sequence and doesn't let go 'til the final freeze-frame. I won't give the twists and turns of the plot away, but the film centers on three desperate Detroit auto workers and their corrupt union. It's very disappointing this film is so overlooked today (it also flopped when released)... the level of acting and direction (this was Schrader's directorial debut) is astonishing. See this movie!

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more (34 total)

Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Blue Collar (1978)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
YAPHET KOTTO interview cultfilmfreak
DVD re-release? Pat33Ewing
good movie BigClown
missed the ending!!! angloo
pryor, keital and kotto teejay6682
soundtrack? hannahwig
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