Based on the life of successful poet Charles Bukowski and his exploits in Hollywood during the 60s, 70s, and 80s.
Director:
Writer:
Stars:
Awards:
- 6 nominations.
- See more »
Photos and Videos
Cast verified as complete
| Mickey Rourke | ... |
Henry
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| Faye Dunaway | ... |
Wanda Wilcox
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| Alice Krige | ... |
Tully
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| Jack Nance | ... |
Detective
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| J.C. Quinn | ... |
Jim
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| Frank Stallone | ... |
Eddie
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| Sandy Martin | ... |
Janice
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| Roberta Bassin | ... |
Lilly
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| Gloria LeRoy | ... |
Grandma Moses
(as Gloria Leroy)
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| Joe Unger | ... |
Ben
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Harry Cohn | ... |
Rick
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| Pruitt Taylor Vince | ... |
Joe
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Joe Rice | ... |
Old Man in Bar
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Julie 'Sunny' Pearson | ... |
Hooker in Bar
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Donald L. Norden | ... |
Man in Alley
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Wil Albert | ... |
Carl
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Hal Shafer | ... |
Mike
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Zeke Manners | ... |
Roger
(as Zeek Manners)
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| Pearl Shear | ... |
Helen
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Rik Colitti | ... |
Jack, the Window Washer
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Michael Collins | ... |
'Elbow Inn' Bartender
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| Ronald G. Joseph | ... |
Liquor Store Clerk
(as Ron Joseph)
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Damon Hines | ... |
Black Kid
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| Lahmard J. Tate | ... |
Black Kid
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| Gary Carlos Cervantes | ... |
Cop
(as Carlos Cervantes)
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| Peter Conti | ... |
Cop
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Vance Colvig Jr. | ... |
Alcoholic Man
(as Vance Colvig)
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Stacey Pickren | ... |
Lady Manager
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| Leonard Termo | ... |
Harry
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Gary Cox | ... |
Lenny
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| Fritz Feld | ... |
Bum
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Albert Henderson | ... |
Louie
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Sandy Rose | ... |
Louie's Woman
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Madalyn Carol | ... |
Young Girl Hooker
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| George Marshall Ruge | ... |
Loverbird Man
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Debby Lynn Ross | ... |
Loverbird Woman
(as Debbie Lynn Ross)
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| Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
| Charles Bukowski | ... |
Bar Patron (uncredited)
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| John Forker | ... |
Bar Patron (uncredited)
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Directed by
| Barbet Schroeder | ||
Written by
| Charles Bukowski | ... | (written by) |
Produced by
| Jack Baran | ... | associate producer |
| Yoram Globus | ... | executive producer |
| Menahem Golan | ... | executive producer |
| Tom Luddy | ... | producer (produced by) |
| Fred Roos | ... | producer (produced by) |
| Barbet Schroeder | ... | producer (produced by) |
Music by
| Jack Baran | ||
Cinematography by
| Robby Müller | ||
Editing by
| Éva Gárdos | ||
Editorial Department
| Thomas Paul Croce | ... | assistant editor |
| Denise de Casabianca | ... | consultant: editing |
| Omneya 'Nini' Mazen | ... | post-production coordinator |
| Wende Phifer Mate | ... | assistant editor |
| Wendy J. Plump | ... | assistant editor (as Wendy Plump) |
| Angelo Russo | ... | color timer |
| Anne-Marie Vitello | ... | negative cutter |
| Ron Vitello | ... | negative cutter |
Casting By
| Nancy Lara-Hansch | ... | (as Nancy Lara) |
| Robert MacDonald | ||
| Pat Orseth | ||
Production Design by
| Bob Ziembicki | ||
Set Decoration by
| Lisa Dean | ||
Costume Design by
| Milena Canonero | ||
Makeup Department
| Leslie Ann Anderson | ... | hair stylist |
| Jane Carvell | ... | hair stylist: Ms. Dunaway |
| Ken Diaz | ... | makeup supervisor |
| Genice Jarvis | ... | hair stylist: Mr. Rourke |
| Gary Liddiard | ... | makeup artist: Ms. Dunaway |
| William Snyder | ... | makeup artist |
Production Management
| Michael Alden | ... | post-production supervisor |
| Alain Jakubowicz | ... | post-production supervisor |
| Christopher Pearce | ... | unit production manager |
| Michelle Solotar | ... | production supervisor |
| Roni Ya'ackov | ... | executive in charge of production (as Rony Yacov) |
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
| Jack Baran | ... | first assistant director |
| Nilo Otero | ... | second assistant director |
Art Department
| Milena Canonero | ... | visual consultant |
| Kelly Deco | ... | scenic artist |
| David Esparza | ... | scenic artist |
| Amanda J. Flick | ... | scenic artist (as Amanda Flick) |
| Jonathan R. Hodges | ... | assistant property master |
| Sosie Hublitz | ... | set dresser |
| Kevin Hughes | ... | property master |
| Myron Meisel | ... | artistic consultant |
| John Smart | ... | set dresser |
| Tim Trimble | ... | scenic artist |
| Frank Viviano | ... | construction coordinator |
Sound Department
| Vanessa Theme Ament | ... | foley artist (as Vanessa Ament) |
| Douglas Axtell | ... | boom operator (as Doug Axtell) |
| Barbara Barnaby | ... | dialogue editor |
| Douglas Brumer | ... | assistant sound editor (as Doug Brumer) |
| Baird Bryant | ... | dialogue editor |
| Jeff Burman | ... | apprentice sound editor |
| Christine Danelski | ... | assistant sound editor |
| Zack Davis | ... | effects editor (as Zak Davis) |
| Robert Fitzgerald | ... | sound supervisor (as Robert A. Fitzgerald Jr.) |
| David Gertz | ... | recordist: dubbing, The Disney Sound Facility |
| Stanley B. Gill | ... | sound recordist |
| Tommy Goodwin | ... | adr mixer |
| Robin Harlan | ... | foley artist |
| Petur Hliddal | ... | sound mixer |
| David J. Hudson | ... | re-recording mixer: The Disney Sound Facility (as Dave Hudson) |
| Mel Metcalfe | ... | re-recording mixer: The Disney Sound Facility (as Mel Metcalf) |
| Terry Porter | ... | re-recording mixer: The Disney Sound Facility |
| Hari Ryatt | ... | sound supervisor |
| Hamilton Sterling | ... | effects editor |
| Robert Ulrich | ... | dialogue editor |
| Joel Valentine | ... | effects recordist |
| Fred Wasser | ... | sound effects editor |
| Marian Wilde | ... | foley editor |
| John Duvall | ... | sound editor (uncredited) |
| Ed Fassl | ... | sound editor (uncredited) |
| Tommy Goodwin | ... | foley mixer (uncredited) |
Special Effects by
| Clive R. Kay | ... | special effects contact lenses |
Stunts
| Michael Adams | ... | stunts |
| Diane Hetfield | ... | stunts |
| Steve Kelso | ... | stunts |
| Steven Lambert | ... | stunts |
| Diane Peterson | ... | stunts |
| Debby Lynn Ross | ... | stunts (as Debbie Lynn Ross) |
| George Marshall Ruge | ... | stunts |
| Buddy Van Horn | ... | stunts |
| Webster Whinery | ... | stunt coordinator |
Camera and Electrical Department
| Jack Anderson | ... | additional camera operator |
| Bill Bumby | ... | dolly grip |
| Andrew Cooper | ... | still photographer |
| Paul Ferrara | ... | key grip |
| Jim Grce | ... | electrician |
| Frieder Hocheim | ... | gaffer |
| Mike Hodges | ... | best boy grip (as Michael Hodges) |
| Peter Jensen | ... | steadicam operator |
| Chris Lombardi | ... | first assistant camera (as Cris Lombardi) |
| Kyle T. MacDowell | ... | grip |
| David Sireika Jr. | ... | grip (as David Sireika) |
| Rob Sweeney | ... | second assistant camera |
| Gary H. Swink | ... | best boy electric (as Gary Swink) |
| Patric J. Abaravich | ... | lighting technician (uncredited) |
Casting Department
| Davia Nelson | ... | extras casting |
Costume and Wardrobe Department
| Dayna Cussler | ... | wardrobe assistant |
| Ricki Fournier | ... | key set costume (as Ricki Renee Fournier) |
| Eileen Kennedy | ... | costume supervisor |
Location Management
| Ross Fanger | ... | location manager |
Music Department
| Jack Baran | ... | music editor |
| Donald Dunn | ... | composer: song "Hip Hug-Her" |
| Paula Erickson | ... | music supervisor |
| Stephanie Lee | ... | music coordinator |
Script and Continuity Department
| Leslie Park | ... | script supervisor |
Transportation Department
| Jimmy Jones | ... | transportation coordinator |
| Joel Renfro | ... | transportation coordinator |
Additional Crew
| Alan Abrams | ... | business and legal affairs |
| Frans J. Afman | ... | motion picture banking |
| Wenden K. Baldwin | ... | title designer |
| Francis Ford Coppola | ... | presenter |
| Brian Gendece | ... | head of creative affairs |
| Jerry Goldberg | ... | production assistant |
| Cindy Hochman | ... | supervising production coordinator |
| Leslie Lehr | ... | production coordinator (as Lesli J. Lehr) |
| Rick Nathanson | ... | production executive |
| Kyle Seidenbaum | ... | title designer |
| Joe Straw | ... | production accountant |
| Ann Wright | ... | unit publicist |
Production Companies
Distributors
- The Cannon Group (1987) (United States) (theatrical)
- Pushkar Films (1987) (World-wide)
- Cineplex Odeon Films (1987) (Canada) (theatrical)
- Cannon Film Distributors Ltd. (1987) (United Kingdom) (theatrical)
- Columbia-Cannon-Warner (1987) (United Kingdom) (theatrical)
- Hoyts Distribution (1987) (Australia) (theatrical)
- Europa Vision (1987) (Finland)
- Cannon Tuschinski Film Distribution (1988) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
- Italian International Film (1988) (Italy) (theatrical)
- Izaro Films (1988) (Spain) (theatrical)
- Sandrew Film (1988) (Sweden) (theatrical)
- Scotia-Cannon (1988) (West Germany) (theatrical)
- Syncron Film (1988) (Norway) (theatrical)
- Warner Bros. (1988) (Japan) (theatrical)
- América Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
- Cannon/VMP (1988) (West Germany) (VHS)
- RCA/Columbia-Hoyts Home Video (1988) (Australia) (VHS)
- Vestron Video International (1988) (Australia) (video)
- Warner Home Video (1988) (United Kingdom) (VHS)
- Warner Home Video (1988) (United States) (video) (laserdisc)
- Ízaro-Cannon (1988) (Spain) (video) (Betamax)
- Viacom (1989) (United States) (tv) (syndication)
- WGN (1990) (United States) (tv)
- Yleisradio (YLE) (1993) (Finland) (tv)
- Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical)
- Nelonen (2000) (Finland) (tv)
- Warner Home Video (2002) (United States) (DVD)
- Warner Home Video (2002) (United States) (VHS)
- Koch Media (2009) (Germany) (DVD)
- Future Film (2010) (Finland) (DVD)
- Spaghetti Pictures Italia (2013) (Italy) (video) (vod)
- Concorde Home Entertainment (2019) (Germany) (Blu-ray)
- Concorde Home Entertainment (2019) (Germany) (DVD)
Special Effects
- Pacific Title (opticals)
Other Companies
- Birds & Animals Unlimited (animal handler)
- Disney Digital Studio Services (re-recording)
- Keylite Production Services (equipment)
- Keylite Production Services (production services)
- Pacific Title (main titles)
- Paul Arnold & Associates Inc. (insurance)
- The Arrangment (catering)
- The Mark Baron Company (marketing)
Storyline
| Plot Summary |
Henry Chinaski never cared for the American dream, the thought of needing to become 'something' and fit into the system disgusts him. He believes that life is free and yours to live like you see fit, and if that in some cases involves copious amounts of whiskey then so be it. Henry spends his days drinking and listening to the radio, and he spends his nights drinking and fighting against Eddy who he thinks personifies shallowness and shameless self promoting. Sometimes in the middle of this he finds the time to jot down a few lines of poetry or a short story. After fighting Eddy and winning for a change Henry is thrown out of his regular bar where Eddy is a bartender. This leads him to seek another watering hole where he happens to find Wanda who is a barfly, in her own words "if another man came along with a fifth of whiskey, I'd go with him". Henry is not fazed by this thou and moves in with her. Of course Wanda immediately goes off and sleeps with Eddy, but after some clothes throwing and two visits from the paramedics Henry and Wanda manage to patch up their relationship. Then Henry gets a visit from a literary agent who has decided to publish one of his stories that he sent in because he "liked the name of the mag". He follows the agent home to her place in order to receive his payment and with the help of a little whiskey sleeps with her. When he leaves to go back to the bar and back to Wanda the agent is heartbroken, she sees something special in Henry and has fallen in love with him. She follows him to his usual bar and gets into a cat fight with Wanda that Wanda wins. In celebration of new found love, happiness and money Henry buys a round for everyone at the bar and toasts them "to my friends!"
Written by Erik Wallen |
| Plot Keywords | |
| Taglines | Some people never go crazy. What truly horrible lives they must lead. See more » |
| Genres | |
| Parents Guide | View content advisory » |
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Box Office
| Budget | $3,000,000 (estimated) |
| Opening Weekend United States | $45,900, 18 Oct 1987 |
Did You Know?
| Trivia | The apartment building where Wanda's apartment was located was an actual building where Charles Bukowski and his lover Jane Baker Cooley, the real-life counterparts to Henry and Wanda, had lived. No one knew this until Bukowski, who was watching the filming, remembered. See more » |
| Goofs | When Henry and Wanda, two career alcoholics, meet at the Kenmore, he exclaims after their scotch and waters that he has no money left. But when they go, he leaves behind his half-finished bottle of Miller High Life on the bar. Alcoholics do this all the time. See more » |
| Movie Connections | Featured in Suspect/Killing Time/Barfly/Weeds/Hope and Glory (1987). See more » |
| Soundtracks | Hip Hug-Her See more » |
| Quotes |
Wanda Wilcox:
I can't stand people, I hate them. Henry: Oh yeah? Wanda Wilcox: Do you hate them? Henry: No, but I seem to feel better when they're not around. See more » |