Miracle Mile (1988)

Director:

Steve De Jarnatt

Writer:

Steve De Jarnatt (written by)

Release Date:

19 May 1989 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Drama | Romance | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

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

Plot:

A young man hears a chance phone call telling him that a nuclear war has started and missiles will hit his city in 70 minutes.

Plot Keywords:

Nuclear War | Los Angeles California | Single Day | Real Time | Person On Fire

Awards:

1 win & 4 nominations

Cast

Anthony Edwards	...	Harry Washello
Mare Winningham	...	Julie Peters
John Agar	...	Ivan Peters
Lou Hancock	...	Lucy Peters
Mykelti Williamson	...	Wilson (as Mykel T. Williamson)
Kelly Jo Minter	...	Charlotta (as Kelly Minter)
Kurt Fuller	...	Gerstead
Denise Crosby	...	Landa
Robert DoQui	...	Fred the Cook (as Robert Doqui)
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

Runtime:

87 min | West Germany:81 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Ultra Stereo

Certification:

Iceland:14 | Iceland:16 (video rating) | West Germany:16 | Canada:14A (Ontario) | France:U | Australia:M | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Johnie's Diner - 6101 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

According to a story told by casting director Billy DaMota in the documentary I Don't Know Jack (2002) , the role of Fred the Cook was originally offered to Eraserhead (1977) star Jack Nance , who refused the role because he wanted to focus on his day job as a security guard.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Harry lands on the road from the moving van. Before he lands on the ground, his glasses are already on the road and broken.

Quotes:

Lucy Peters: Wait a minute! You just tell me what the hell's going on.
Harry Washello: Mrs. Peters, in a half-an-hour there's going to be a full-on nuclear attack. The missiles are on their way now. L.A.'s going to be a desert again very soon.

Movie Connections:

Features "Cosmos" (1980)

Chilling!

The thing that makes this movie particularly effective is that it feels just like a dream. I've had nuclear holocaust dreams all my life, and when I watched this movie I felt like I was dreaming. I really connected emotionally with the main character. He's a nerd who has suddenly met the girl of his dreams, a nerdy, cute girl with glasses and a sweet demeanor, and at that precise moment the world appears as if it is going to come to an end! And he's not going to get a chance to even kiss her before the world goes poof! hey, it's bad enough to die, but to die with an unfulfilled love is truly nightmarish!

The movie is not exactly illogical, but follows a sort of dream logic, where things just get worse and worse, relentlessly, and the harder you try to run away, the slower you move. The ending is devastating, horrifying and heart warming all at the same time.

After seeing this movie for the first time I shivered for hours, and couldn't bring myself to watch it again for 12 years! Its not that I didn't like it, I just knew that if I saw it again I would lose that special thrilling fear that it instilled in me. But it was so powerful that when i did see it 12 years later I remembered every plot, every character and event. On one viewing it imprinted itself on my brain, which movies hardly ever do.

See it! And see it late at night in a dark room!

cb