Pacific Heights (1990)

Director:

John Schlesinger

Writer (WGA):

Daniel Pyne (written by)

Release Date:

28 September 1990 (USA)

Genre:

Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

Where terror lives.

Plot:

A couple works hard to renovate their dream house and become landlords to pay for it. Unfortunately one of their tenants has plans of his own.

Plot Keywords:

Tenant | Landlord | Rent | Apartment | Yuppie

Cast

Melanie Griffith	...	Patty Palmer
Matthew Modine	...	Drake Goodman
Michael Keaton	...	Carter Hayes
Mako	...	Toshio Watanabe
Nobu McCarthy	...	Mira Watanabe
Laurie Metcalf	...	Stephanie MacDonald
Carl Lumbly	...	Lou Baker
Dorian Harewood	...	Dennis Reed
Luca Bercovici	...	Greg
Tippi Hedren	...	Florence Peters
Sheila McCarthy	...	Liz Hamilton
Guy Boyd	...	Warning Cop
Jerry Hardin	...	Bennett Fidlow
Dan Hedaya	...	Loan Officer
James Staley	...	District Attorney
Miriam Margolyes	...	Realtor
Luis Oropeza	...	Revilla
F. William Parker	...	Judge
Nicholas Pryor	...	Hotel Manager
Tony Simotes	...	Desk Clerk
O-Lan Jones	...	Hotel Maid
Seth Isler	...	Sergeant
Dabbs Greer	...	Mr. Thayer
Florence Sundstrom	...	Mrs. Thayer
Noel Evangelisti	...	Mrs. Smith
Nicholas Rutherford	...	Child
Tim Pulice	...	Younger Man
Ray Hanis	...	Older Man
Takayo Fischer	...	Bank Teller
Tom Nolan	...	Al
Daniel MacDonald	...	George
J.P. Bumstead	...	1st Deputy Sheriff
Hal Landon Jr.	...	2nd Deputy Sheriff
Hy Anzell	...	Locksmith
Tracey Walter	...	Exterminator
William Paterson	...	Mr. Hill
D.W. Moffett	...	Bill
Barbara Tyson	...	Amy
John Diaz	...	Shoe Shine Man
Roger Bearde	...	Arresting Cop
Ed Hodson	...	Other Cop
Frank DiElsi	...	Precinct Cop
Michael Parker	...	Man at Police Station
Maggy Myers Davidson	...	Diamond Lady
Bud Ekins	...	Thug
Danny Wynands	...	Thug
David Lloyd Wilson	...	Television Host
Matthew Flint	...	Neighbor
Scott Freeman	...	Neighbor
Alice Barden	...	Neighbor
Danny Kovacs	...	Neighbor
Wat Takeshita	...	Neighbor
Frank Maruoka	...	Neighbor
Tohoru Masamune	...	Neighbor
Aida Anderson	...	Neighbor
Linda Austin	...	Neighbor
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Beverly D'Angelo	...	Ann Miller (uncredited)
Brian Danker	...	Arresting officer (uncredited)
Casey Ledoux	...	Lawyer (uncredited)
Christabel Savalas	...	Bank Teller (uncredited)
John Schlesinger	...	Man in Elevator (cameo) (uncredited)

Directed by
John Schlesinger

Writing credits (WGA)
Daniel Pyne		(written by)

Produced by
Gary Barber	....	co-executive producer
Dennis E. Jones	....	co-producer
David Nicksay	....	co-executive producer
James G. Robinson	....	executive producer
Joe Roth	....	executive producer
Scott Rudin	....	producer
William Sackheim	....	producer

Original Music by
Hans Zimmer

Cinematography by
Amir M. Mokri

Film Editing by
Steven Ramirez		(co-editor)
Mark Warner

Casting by
Mali Finn

Production Design by
Neil Spisak

Art Direction by
Gershon Ginsburg
Michael Marcus
Sharon Seymour

Set Decoration by
Clay A. Griffith
Debra Schutt

Costume Design by
Bridget Kelly
Ann Roth

Makeup Department
Kathy W. Estocin	....	assistant makeup artist
Medusah	....	key hair stylist
Kim Messina	....	assistant hair stylist
Valli O'Reilly	....	key makeup artist
Michele Payne	....	key hair stylist

Production Management
Whitney Green	....	unit production manager: San Francisco
Dennis E. Jones	....	production manager
Jody Levin	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Herb Gains	....	first assistant director
Gwyneth Horder-Payton	....	second assistant director: San Francisco
Chitra F. Mojtabai	....	second assistant director
W. Thomas Snyder	....	key second assistant director: reshoots
Nathalie Vadim	....	second assistant director
Dennis E. Jones	....	second unit director (uncredited)

Art Department
Deana Albers	....	assistant property master
Jamie Arbuckle	....	art production assistant
Jill Bedford	....	set dresser
Jamie Bishop	....	on-set dresser
Mary Boney	....	set dresser
Kevin Coons	....	on-set carpenter
Michael D. Costello	....	scenic artist
David Elliott	....	construction coordinator (as David Elliot)
Ron Ervin	....	carpenter
Maureen Farley	....	property master
Chris Gibbin	....	lead man
Anne Hyvarinen	....	scenic painter (as Ann Hyvarinen)
Michael Anthony Jackson	....	storyboard artist
Kyle Johnstone	....	set dresser
Steve Krynicki	....	scenic artist
Wayne Middleton	....	set dresser
Sandy Reynolds-Wasco	....	set dresser (as Sandy Wasco)
Lisa Roman	....	art department coordinator
Brana Rosenfeld	....	buyer
Mick Rossman	....	lead scenic painter
Tristano Solari	....	construction foreman
Torban Torp-Smith	....	key carpenter: San Francisco
Jeffrey Townsend	....	visual consultant
Greg Wilkinson	....	set dresser
Helen Wilson	....	seamstress
Mark Benton Johnson	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Joel Ross	....	scenic artist (uncredited)

Sound Department
Margaret Carlton	....	assistant sound editor (as Margi Carlton)
Curtis Choy	....	sound maintenance
Jay Dranch	....	sound editor
Michael Dressel	....	foley editor
Teresa García	....	assistant sound editor
Robert Grieve	....	supervising sound editor
J. Paul Huntsman	....	adr supervisor
Jonathan Klein	....	assistant sound editor
Gregg Landaker	....	sound re-recording mixer
Kenneth C. Mantlo	....	boom operator
James Matheny	....	sound editor (as Jim Matheny)
Michael Minkler	....	sound re-recording mixer
John Murray	....	sound editor
Lauren Palmer	....	sound editor
Rodger Pardee	....	sound effects editor
Roy Seeger	....	assistant adr editor
David Spence	....	sound editor
Edward Tise	....	sound mixer
Renee Tondelli	....	sound editor
Jay Wilkinson	....	sound editor
Daniel Yale	....	sound editor
James Ashwill	....	foley mixer (uncredited)
John Roesch	....	foley artist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Kyle Collingsworth	....	special effects technician
J.D. Streett	....	special effects supervisor
Kevin Swigert	....	special effects technician
Pat O'Doul	....	special effects technician (uncredited)

Stunts
Michael Cassidy	....	stunts
Shane Dixon	....	stunts
Tom Elliott	....	stunts
Gary Epper	....	stunts
Bobby J. Foxworth	....	stunt coordinator
Tracy Keehn-Dashnaw	....	stunts
Matt McColm	....	stunts
Debby Porter	....	stunts
Chad Randall	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
James Babineaux	....	best boy
Anthony F. Balderrama	....	key first assistant camera
Robert Bruce	....	lamp operator
Donald Burghardt	....	assistant camera
George M. Chappell	....	electrician
Mark Shane Davis	....	key grip (as Mark Davis)
Brian Devin	....	company grip
Renato Di Giuseppe	....	director of photography: second unit
Mitch Dubin	....	camera operator
Jack English	....	gaffer
Kevin 'Rambo' Fitzgerald	....	key rigging grip
Melinda Sue Gordon	....	still photographer
Irv Gorman	....	company grip
Scott Graves	....	lamp operator
Kurt Grossi	....	grip
Tony Mazzucchi	....	best boy
Peter Mercurio	....	first assistant camera: second unit
Matthew Morrissey	....	assistant camera
Bill Pierson	....	dolly grip
Greg Wardell	....	lamp operator
Kevin Erb	....	best boy rigging grip (uncredited)

Casting Department
Barbara Harris	....	voice casting
Nina Henninger	....	local casting
Emily Schweber	....	casting associate
Eileen Turner	....	extras casting assistant (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Donna Barrish	....	assistant costumer
Marsha Bozeman	....	wardrobe
Lahly Poore	....	costume supervisor
Andrea Wallace	....	assistant costume designer

Editorial Department
Gordon Antell	....	assistant film editor
Gary Burritt	....	negative cutter
Tracey Featherston	....	assistant editor
Donald Likovich	....	first assistant editor
William Pine	....	color timer (as Bill Pine)

Music Department
Steve Bartek	....	additional orchestrator
Christine Cholvin	....	assistant music editor
Sandy DeCrescent	....	orchestra contractor
Bruce Fowler	....	additional orchestrator
Laura Perlman	....	music editor
Shirley Walker	....	conductor
Shirley Walker	....	orchestrator

Transportation Department
Jon Carpenter	....	transportation captain
Alan Collis	....	transportation coordinator
John Downey	....	transportation co-captain
Anthony Muto Jr.	....	picture vehicles (uncredited)

Other crew
Lennie Appelquist	....	set production assistant
Kathy Archer Buck	....	assistant production accountant (as Kathleen Archer-Buck)
Elliot L. Backerman	....	office production assistant (as Elliot Backerman)
Candee Barshop	....	production accountant
Timothy Bird	....	assistant location manager: San Francisco (as Tim Bird)
Christine Bonnem	....	location manager
Kathy Breen	....	assistant: Mr. Nicksay
Craig Chandler	....	stand-in
Glen Coburn	....	office production assistant
Glen Coburn	....	office production assistant
Brett Cole	....	assistant: Mr. Schlesinger
Casey B. Collins	....	office production assistant (as Casey Collins)
Christopher Connors	....	set production assistant
Joset Cook	....	assistant: Mr. Pyne
Gail Crosby	....	assistant: Mr. Sackheim
Sue Edwards	....	assistant: Mr. Schlesinger
Matt Freeman	....	assistant: Scott Rudin
Maxine Garcia	....	assistant production coordinator: San Francisco
Diane Hoopes	....	stand-in
Brenda Johns-Scherrer	....	assistant: Mr. Barber
Sheldon Katz	....	production controller (as Sheldon M. Katz)
Katie Ladyko	....	assistant: Mr. Keaton
Joshua Levinson	....	production assistant
Joshua Levinson	....	set production assistant
William Lybeer	....	craft service (as Bill Lybeer)
Susan Marenco	....	location liaison: San Francisco
David Mastron	....	post-production accountant
Joy Moody	....	assistant: Ms. Griffith
Laurie Noll	....	location manager: San Francisco
Blaise Noto	....	unit publicist
Michael Parker	....	stand-in
Dan Perri	....	title designer: main titles
Ray Simm	....	production auditor
Patricia A. Sonsini	....	production coordinator (as Patricia Sonsini)
Leon Vaught	....	assistant production coordinator
Anne Warner	....	script supervisor
Janet M. West	....	assistant: Mr. Robinson (as Janet West)
Sean Michael Beyer	....	photo-double: Michael Keaton (uncredited)
Melinda Eichberg	....	animal trainer (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Morgan Creek Productions

Distributors

• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation (1990) (USA) (theatrical)
• Spentzos Films (1991) (Greece) (theatrical)
• Abril Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• CBS/Fox (1991) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1994) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Fox Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Gativideo (Argentina) (video)
• Home Video Hellas (HVH) (1991) (Greece) (VHS)
• Roadshow Entertainment Video (Australia) (VHS)
• Roadshow Entertainment
• Roadshow Home Video
• Warner Home Video (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD) (widescreen)

Other Companies

• Bugs Are My Business  bug wrangling
• Chapman Equipment  cranes and dollies
• Cinelease  location production services
• Image Engineering  mechanical effects
• Kona Cutting  negative cutting
• Nancy Hayes Casting  extras casting
• Otto Nemenz International  camera and lenses
• Skywalker Sound South  re-recording facilities
• TAJ Soundworks  foley by
• The Casting Group  extras casting
• Varèse Sarabande  soundtrack

Runtime:

102 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:14 | Iceland:16 (video rating) | France:U | South Korea:15 | Portugal:M/12 | Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Germany:16 | Singapore:NC-16 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Canon Drive, Beverly Hills, California, USA

Company:

Morgan Creek Productions

Trivia:

Director Cameo: [John Schlesinger]man in the hotel elevator.

Goofs:

Continuity: When the Watanabe's are explaining to Patty why they are breaking the lease, movers are taking furniture out of the front door of the house. However, a previous shot of the front of the house showed no moving truck, or any car, out in front.

Quotes:

[initiating sex with Drake]
Patty Palmer: I wish I had spurs.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Showbiz Today: (1991-05-01)" (1991)

Soundtrack:

HANDS ALL OVER

Melanie Griffith looked better before she messed up her lips.

If Fred and Ethel Mertz had ever seen "Pacific Heights", they might have thought twice about giving Lucy and Ricky an apartment - and I don't mean that in a funny way. When San Francisco renters Patty Palmer (Melanie Griffith) and Drake Goodman (Matthew Modine) fix up an apartment, they sell it to newcomer Carter Hayes (Michael Keaton). But something's not quite right about this guy. And when they ask him to leave, things get really ugly.

"Pacific Heights" is one of those movies that show the dangerous side of a certain lifestyle, in this case being a renter. You probably won't want to be a renter after watching this movie. Michael Keaton makes one perplexing character - but he's not perplexing for long. Griffith and Modine really give one the impression of sinking into desperation. You won't want to miss this one - it just might save your life.

Oh, and by the way, Griffith's mom Tippi Hedren also appears in this movie.