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

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:

The home of Melanie Griffith and Matthew Modine is not in Pacific Heights at all, but right across town in San Francisco's Potrero Hill district at the corner of Texas & 19th Street.

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:

Carter Hayes: [to Drake] You're a brave and stupid man.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Perdona bonita, pero Lucas me quería a mí (1997)

Soundtrack:

LETHAL TENDENCIES

I got what I expected...

"Pacific Heights" is based on a true story, about a couple who rent out an apartment to a crazy scam man, played by Michael Keaton in the film, who reak havoc. Needless to say, this is a very basic and very predictable "thriller," if that is what you want to call it, but it's more of a character study, and despite its predictability it IS very watchable.

3/5 stars -

John Ulmer