D.O.A. (1988)

User Rating:

5.9/10   

Directors:

Annabel Jankel
Rocky Morton

Writers:

Charles Edward Pogue (story) and
Russell Rouse (story) ...

Release Date:

18 March 1988 (USA)

Genre:

Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

Someone poisoned Dexter Cornell. He's got to find out who. He's got to find out why. He's got to find out now. In 24 hours, he'll be Dead On Arrival.

Plot:

Dexter Cornell, an English Professor becomes embroiled in a series of murders involving people around him...

Plot Keywords:

English Professor | Professor | Murder | Austin Texas | Remake

Cast

Dennis Quaid	...	Dexter Cornell
Meg Ryan	...	Sydney Fuller
Charlotte Rampling	...	Mrs. Fitzwaring
Daniel Stern	...	Hal Petersham
Jane Kaczmarek	...	Gail Cornell
Christopher Neame	...	Bernard
Robin Johnson	...	Cookie Fitzwaring
Robert Knepper	...	Nicholas Lang (as Rob Knepper)
Jay Patterson	...	Graham Corey
Brion James	...	Detective Ulmer
Jack Kehoe	...	Detective Brockton
Elizabeth Arlen	...	Elaine Wells
Karen Radcliffe	...	Jane Corey
William Forward	...	Chief Resident
Lee Gideon	...	Mr. Fitzwaring

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Black and White | Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Australia:M | Iceland:16 | Finland:K-16 | Portugal:M/16 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R | West Germany:16

Filming Locations:

Austin, Texas, USA

Company:

Bigelow Productions

Trivia:

Throughout the story, the color in the film begins to drain to monochrome, thus representing the central character's deteriorating health as the poison steadily takes it's toll (until it is in black and white as in the opening - presumably showing the flashback catching up to the current time-line of the story).

Goofs:

Continuity: Dexter suddenly gains glasses when he first asks Sydney to join him for a date.

Quotes:

Bernard: I don't think I like what you're inferring, Mr. Cornell...
Dexter Cornell: [condescendingly] Implying. When I say it, that's implying. How you take it, that's inferring.
Bernard: I see. Infer this.
[punches Dexter]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Player (1992)

Soundtrack:

LIFE IS HARD

VASTLY UNDERRATED; QUAID IS EXCELLENT

D.O.A. (1988) *** Dennis Quaid, Meg Ryan, Charlotte Rampling, Daniel Stern. Fast-paced and nifty remake of the 1949 classic about a man being poisoned with time his factor as he tries to solve his own murder. Quaid is top-notch as a college English professor trying to figure out just who his enemies are and Ryan is plucky student aiding him. Cool camera movements and some fine direction from the creators of tv's "Max Headroom", Rocky Morton and Annabel Jankel.