True Romance (1993)

User Rating:

7.9/10   

Director:

Tony Scott

Writer:

Quentin Tarantino (written by)
(more)

Release Date:

10 September 1993 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Romance | Thriller

Tagline:

Stealing, Cheating, Killing. Who said romance is dead?

Plot:

Clarence marries hooker Alabama, steals cocaine from her pimp, and tries to sell it in Hollywood, while the owners of the coke try to reclaim it.

Plot Keywords:

Pimp | Coke | Cocaine | Hollywood | Gangster

Awards:

6 nominations

Cast

Christian Slater	...	Clarence Worley
Patricia Arquette	...	Alabama Whitman
Dennis Hopper	...	Clifford Worley
Val Kilmer	...	Mentor
Gary Oldman	...	Drexl Spivey
Brad Pitt	...	Floyd - Dick's Roommate
Christopher Walken	...	Vincenzo Coccotti
Bronson Pinchot	...	Elliot Blitzer
Samuel L. Jackson	...	Big Don
Michael Rapaport	...	Dick Ritchie
Saul Rubinek	...	Lee Donowitz
Conchata Ferrell	...	Mary Louise Ravencroft
James Gandolfini	...	Virgil
Anna Levine	...	Lucy (as Anna Thomson)
Frank Adonis	...	Frankie
Victor Argo	...	Lenny
Paul Bates	...	Marty
Chris Penn	...	Nicky Dimes
Tom Sizemore	...	Cody Nicholson
Said Faraj	...	Clerk
Gregory Sporleder	...	Burger Stand Customer
Maria Pitillo	...	Kandi
Kevin Corrigan	...	Marvin
Paul Ben-Victor	...	Luca
Michael Beach	...	Wurlitzer
Joe D'Angerio	...	Police Radio Operator
John Bower	...	Detective
John Cenatiempo	...	Squad Cop #1
Eric Allan Kramer	...	Boris
Patrick John Hurley	...	Monty
Dennis Garber	...	Lobby Cop #1
Scott Evers	...	Lobby Cop #2
Hilary Klym	...	Running Cop
Steve Gonzales	...	I.A. Officer
Laurence Mason	...	Floyd 'D'
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
David Dean	...	Cop (uncredited)
Ed Lauter	...	Police Captain Quiggle (uncredited)
Enzo Rossi	...	Elvis, Alabama's and Clarence's Son (uncredited)
Nancy Young	...	Hotel Hostage (uncredited)

Directed by
Tony Scott

Writing credits
Quentin Tarantino		(written by)
Roger Avary		uncredited

Produced by
Gary Barber	....	producer
Lisa Cogswell	....	associate producer
Don Edmonds	....	co-producer
Spencer Franklin	....	associate producer
Samuel Hadida	....	producer
Gregory Manson	....	associate producer (as Gregory S. Manson)
Steve Perry	....	producer
James G. Robinson	....	executive producer
James W. Skotchdopole	....	co-producer
Bill Unger	....	producer
Bob Weinstein	....	executive producer
Harvey Weinstein	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Hans Zimmer

Cinematography by
Jeffrey L. Kimball

Film Editing by
Michael Tronick
Christian Wagner

Casting by
Risa Bramon Garcia
Billy Hopkins

Production Design by
Benjamín Fernández

Art Direction by
James J. Murakami

Set Decoration by
Thomas L. Roysden

Costume Design by
Susan Becker

Makeup Department
Mary Barnard	....	wigs
Ron Scott	....	hair stylist
Ellen Wong	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Jody Levin	....	post-production supervisor
Steve Perry	....	unit production manager (as S.H. Perry)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Carey Dietrich	....	second assistant director
Craig A. Pinckes	....	second second assistant director (as Craig Pinckes)
James W. Skotchdopole	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Mike Blaze	....	property master (as Michael Blaze)
Larry Boyd	....	set dresser
Rick Chavez	....	assistant property master
Joseph C. Fama	....	gang boss (as Joseph Fama)
Tom J. Furginson	....	swing gang
Nancy Garber	....	assistant art director
Lloyd Hardy	....	gang boss
John Hinkle	....	stand-by painter (as John Dee Hinkle)
Ronald C. Jacobs	....	lead man
Ernest H. Lauterio	....	assistant property master
Mark Mahoney	....	tattoo designer
Joe Mendoza	....	drapery foreman (as Joe F. Mendoza)
Louis Montejano	....	assistant art director (as Lou Montejano)
Jason Muscarella	....	propmaker
Joseph Muscarella	....	labor foreman
Michael Muscarella	....	construction coordinator (as Michael A. Muscarella)
Anthony Paronelli	....	construction painter (as Anthony L. Paronelli)
Charles Sperber	....	gang boss
Ciro Vuoso	....	general foreman
Danny Wynands	....	gang boss

Sound Department
Bub Asman	....	sound effects editor
William C. Carruth	....	adr editor
Virginia Cook-McGowan	....	sound editor
Samuel C. Crutcher	....	sound editor
Greg Dillon	....	sound editor
Eric Gotthelf	....	foley mixer (as Eric Gotthef)
Robin Harlan	....	foley walker (as Robin Harllon)
Robert G. Henderson	....	supervising sound editor
Bob Hile	....	stage loader
David M. Horton	....	sound editor
David L. Horton Jr.	....	foley editor
William B. Kaplan	....	production sound mixer
Rick Kline	....	sound re-recording mixer
Darrin Martin	....	assistant sound editor
Sarah Monat	....	foley walker
Kevin O'Connell	....	sound re-recording mixer
Jayme S. Parker	....	sound editor
Matt Patterson	....	stage recordist
Charleen Richards	....	adr mixer
Lisa M. Risen	....	assistant adr editor (as Lisa Risen)
Earl Sampson	....	boom operator (as Earl F. Sampson)
James Simcik	....	supervising adr editor
Greg Steele	....	adr recordist
Jules Strasser	....	cable person (as Jules Strasser III)
Scott A. Tinsley	....	foley editor (as Scot A. Tinsley)
Brooke H. Ward	....	assistant sound editor (as Brooke Henderson Ward)
Dorothy Wright	....	foley recordist
Jerry Jacobson	....	sound editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Robert S. Henderson	....	special effects (as Robert Henderson)
Michael Meinardus	....	special effects coordinator (as Mike Meinardus)
Francisco X. Pérez	....	prosthetic makeup design (as Frank Carrisosa)
Larry M. Shorts	....	special effects (as Larry Shorts)

Stunts
Todd J. Adelman	....	stunts (as Todd Adelman)
Joni Avery	....	stunts
Kenny Bates	....	stunts (as Ken Bates)
Steve Boyum	....	stunts
Keith Campbell	....	stunts
Steve Hulin	....	stunts
Eric Mansker	....	stunts
Noon Orsatti	....	stunts
Steve Perry	....	stunts (as S.H. Perry)
Charlie Picerni	....	stunt coordinator (as Charles Picerni)
Chuck Picerni Jr.	....	stunts
Paul V. Picerni Jr.	....	stunts (as Paul Picerni)
Steve Picerni	....	stunts
Tony Rich	....	stunts
Robby Robinson	....	stunts
Ric Roman Waugh	....	stunts (as Ric Waugh)
Big Daddy Wayne	....	stunts
Nancy Young	....	stunts
Nick Brett	....	utility stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Clyde E. Bryan	....	first assistant camera: second unit
Richmond G. Cogswell	....	video assist operator
William Cueto	....	lighting technician (as Bill Cueto)
Ray De La Motte	....	camera operator: second unit (as Ray De la Motte)
Dan Delgado	....	gaffer
Michael Franz	....	lighting technician (as Mike Franz)
Michael Genne	....	camera operator (as Michael A. Genne)
Warren Burke Gerrard	....	lighting technician
Thomas Gibson	....	best boy (as Thomas M. Gibson)
Daniel C. Gold	....	first assistant camera (as Dan Gold)
Hilary Klym	....	grip
Gregory Lundsgaard	....	Steadicam operator
Frank Mathews	....	assistant chief lighting technician
Mark Meyers	....	grip
Leo J. Napolitano	....	camera operator: second unit (as Leo Napolitano)
Ken Nishino	....	first assistant camera (as Kenny Nishino)
Frank Parrish	....	camera loader (as Frank D. Parrish)
Olivia Patton	....	camera intern (as Olivia L. Patton)
Aaron Pazanti	....	camera operator: second unit
Ron Phillips	....	still photographer
J. Michael Popovich	....	key grip
Rick Rader	....	grip (as 'Slick' Rick Rader)
Gregory J. Schmidt	....	camera operator: second unit (as Gregory Schmidt)
Mike Schwake	....	dolly grip (as Michael L. Schwake)
Dennis Seawright	....	second assistant camera
Nick Shuster	....	second assistant camera
Gregory Lundsgaard	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Bill Pecchi	....	underwater camera operator (uncredited)

Casting Department
Barbara Harris	....	voice casting
Suzanne Smith	....	casting associate
Mary Vernieu	....	casting associate

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Greg Hall	....	costumer
Dawn Y. Line	....	key costumer
Hugo Peña	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
Ken Blackwell	....	first assistant film editor (as Kenneth B. Blackwell)
Tony Ciccone	....	first assistant film editor (as Tony S. Ciccone)
Saul Escobedo	....	color timer
Ray Morfino	....	color timer
Joe Mosca	....	assistant film editor
Boyd Steer	....	negative cutter
Paul M. Wagner	....	assistant film editor
Jay Wiechman	....	negative cutter

Music Department
Susan Abrams	....	music coordinator
Maureen Crowe	....	music supervisor
Mark Mancina	....	composer: additional music
Thomas Milano	....	music editor
Jay Rifkin	....	score mixer
Jay Rifkin	....	score recordist
Marie Snyder	....	music coordinator
John Van Tongeren	....	composer: additional music
Bruce Fowler	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Laura Perlman	....	music editor (uncredited)
Christopher Ward	....	assistant to composer (uncredited)
Rick Winquest	....	music scoring mixer (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Steve Bonner	....	driver
Sparky Edmonston	....	transportation captain
Dennis Sean Fahey	....	driver
Jerry Gordon	....	driver (as Jerry L. Gordon)
Jim Haag	....	driver
William Hogue	....	driver (as Bill Hogue)
Gene R. Johnson	....	driver (as Gene Johnson)
Jerry F. Johnson	....	driver (as Jerry Johnson)
Linda Johnson	....	driver (as Linda 'T.S.' Johnson)
Pete Johnson	....	transportation coordinator
Jim Kojaku	....	driver
Ralph Landolfi	....	driver
John Kris Larsen	....	driver
Douglas Miller	....	driver (as Doug Miller)
Kenneth Newland	....	driver (as Kenny Newland)
Ted Reed	....	driver
Frank Reinhard	....	driver
Jeffery Duke Stevens	....	driver
Jim Sullivan	....	driver
John L. Sullivan	....	driver
Patrick L. Winton	....	driver
Paul Youds	....	driver (as Paul John Youds)

Other crew
Todd J. Adelman	....	first aid (as Dr. Todd J. Adelman)
Jennifer Amerine	....	assistant: Bill Unger
Maryellen Aviano	....	on-set coordinator
Linda C. Azevedo	....	accounting assistant (as Linda Azevedo)
Stuart Raven Barter	....	location scout
Mady Manson Burza	....	assistant production accountant (as Mady Burza)
Paul A. Calabria	....	animal trainer (as Paul Calabria)
Frank B. Davis	....	craft service
Ed Eppersen	....	motorcycle officer
Joanna Farrand	....	production assistant
Spencer Franklin	....	production coordinator
Tom Garner	....	motorcycle officer
Edward E. Giddens	....	production secretary
Lesley Grant	....	assistant: Christian Slater (as Lesley C. Grant)
Jerry Heiss	....	assistant: Tony Scott
David Linck	....	unit publicist
Gregory Manson	....	production accountant (as Gregory S. Manson)
Deborah J. Page	....	assistant location manager
Michael Papac	....	armorer
Cathy Perry Marshall	....	stand-in
Debbie Pinckes	....	production associate
Janice Polley	....	location manager
Don Stanley	....	motorcycle officer
Lisa Marie Stetler	....	assistant production coordinator
Susie Thompson	....	production assistant
P.R. Tooke	....	script supervisor
Richard E. Wacker	....	stand-in
Richard Clark	....	playback supervisor (uncredited)
Scott Hamilton	....	media publicist (uncredited)
Michael Kallio	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Michael Mendelsohn	....	financial consultant (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Morgan Creek Productions
• Davis-Films
• August Entertainment

Distributors

• Warner Bros. Pictures (1993) (USA) (theatrical)
• Metropolitan Filmexport (1993) (France) (theatrical)
• TriPictures (1993) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Warner Home Video (1994) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Roadshow Entertainment (1994) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Warner Home Video (1997) (USA) (DVD) (VHS)
• Arcade Movie Company (1998) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2001) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Dutch FilmWorks (DFW) (2003) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• EuroVideo (2004) (Germany) (DVD)
• Egmont Film (1993) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Svensk Filmindustri (SF) (1993) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Art Free (Greece) (DVD)
• Atlantic Film (2004) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Gativideo (Argentina) (VHS)
• Roadshow Entertainment Video (Australia) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Cinema Research  titles and opticals
• Completion Bond Company  completion bond
• Hansard  process compositing
• Inter Video  24 frame video playback
• Morgan Creek Records  soundtrack published by
• Nina Saxon Film Design  title design
• Skywalker Sound  sound re-recorded at
• Tony's Food Service  catering

Also Known As:

Breakaway (Philippines: English title)
True Romance (France)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong violence and language, and for sexuality and drug use.

Runtime:

120 min | USA:121 min (unrated director's cut)

Country:

USA | France

Language:

English | Italian

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Netherlands:16 (DVD rating) | Finland:(Banned) (original rating) | Iceland:16 | Philippines:R-18 | Canada:18A (British Columbia) (1999) | Canada:R (Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Ontario) | Argentina:16 | Australia:R | Denmark:15 | Finland:K-18 | France:-16 | Germany:18 | Hong Kong:III | New Zealand:R18 | Norway:18 | Peru:18 | Singapore:M18 (re-rating) | Singapore:NC-16 (edited for re-rating) | Singapore:R(A) (original rating) | South Korea:18 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 (director's cut) | USA:R | USA:Unrated (director's cut)

Filming Locations:

Ambassador Hotel - 3400 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Morgan Creek Productions

Trivia:

The roller coaster scene was originally written to have taken place in a zoo. Director Tony Scott changed it to give the movie an "adrenaline rush".

Goofs:

Continuity: The vomit on Elliot's sweater at the amusement park.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Clarence Worley: In Jailhouse Rock he was everything rockabilly's about. I mean, he is rockabilly. Mean, surly, nasty, rude. In that movie he couldn't give a fuck about nothing except rockin' and rollin', living fast, dying young and leaving a good-looking corpse.

Movie Connections:

References "T.J. Hooker" (1982)

Soundtrack:

Raga Yaman

Enough memorable scenes and talented stars to fuel a half a dozen blockbusters.

With at least 12 `starring actors' in character and supporting rolls, half of them legends or mega stars; this Tarantino tale defies a short review. The different levels on which this movie works are impressive. As a love story we begin to believe that the quirky `loser' couple is unconditionally bound together. As a pseudo `film noir' we begin to care about the fate of the central characters. In the suspense/thriller/crime drama mode there are plenty twists and turns to push us to the edge and pull us back just in time. The action scenes are deliciously violent and unlike most other films, this one gives us pinches of humor sprinkled in amidst the mayhem. Even `the King' alter ego is woven in credibly enough to improve our understanding of the Clarence Worley character.

The plot, albeit original, fresh and mesmerizing, seems somehow secondary to the characters and the characterizations. Any of several rolls could have been performed over the top by what seemed to be an ensemble cast. But director Scott lets the talent go just far enough. Even the remainder of the supporting cast is wonderful; Saul Rubinek in particular does a terrific job as the puffed-up/ego-feeding movie producer. Hollywood missed giving this movie and its cast proper recognition.

With enough memorable scenes and talented stars to fuel a half a dozen blockbusters, True Romance gives us the `best bang for our buck' in years. The Walken/Hopper scene alone is worth the `price of admission' not to mention the Gandolfini/Arquette and Slater/Oldman match ups. This can only be described as a `wonderfully wicked movie' for its tantalizing content, smart dialog and toothsome violence.

Put the kiddies to bed, be prepared for rough language, adult themes and graphic violence and enjoy a `not for the faint of heart' masterpiece.