Commando (1985)

User Rating:

6.2/10   

Director:

Mark L. Lester

Writers:

Jeph Loeb (story) &
Matthew Weisman (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

4 October 1985 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Comedy | Thriller

Tagline:

If there's a mission that no man could survive...then *he's* the man for the job.

Plot:

A retired elite commando has only a few hours to find and rescue his daughter from an exiled dictator.

Plot Keywords:

Airplane | General | Rescue | Commando | Exiled Dictator

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Arnold Schwarzenegger	...	John Matrix
Rae Dawn Chong	...	Cindy
Dan Hedaya	...	Arius
Vernon Wells	...	Bennett
James Olson	...	Major General Franklin Kirby
David Patrick Kelly	...	Sully
Alyssa Milano	...	Jenny Matrix
Bill Duke	...	Cooke
Drew Snyder	...	Lawson
Sharon Wyatt	...	Leslie
Michael Delano	...	Forrestal (as Michael DeLano)
Bob Minor	...	Jackson
Michael Adams	...	Harris (as Mike Adams)
Gary Cervantes	...	Diaz (as Carlos Cervantes)
Lenny Juliano	...	Soldier
Charles Meshack	...	Henriques
Chelsea Field	...	Western Flight Attendant
Julie Hayek	...	Western Flight Attendant
Hank Calia	...	Latin Man
Walter Scott	...	Cates
Greg Wayne Elam	...	Biggs (as Gregory W. Elam)
George Fisher	...	Mall Security Guard
Phil Adams	...	Officer in Galleria
Ava Cadell	...	Girl in Bed at Motel
Mikul Robins	...	Boy in Bed at Motel
Branscombe Richmond	...	Vega
Matt Landers	...	Fred
Peter DuPont	...	Daryl
Tom Simmons	...	Kirby's Driver
Bill Paxton	...	Intercept Officer
Richard Royce	...	Intercept Officer
John Reyes	...	Val Verde Heavy
Billy Cardenas	...	Val Verde Heavy
Edward Reyes	...	Val Verde Heavy
Vivian Daily	...	Woman Officer
Thomas Rosales Jr.	...	Young Guerrilla
Ronald C. McCarty	...	Guerrilla
Jim Painter	...	Police Officer
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Rick Sawaya	...	Island Guerrilla (uncredited)

Directed by
Mark L. Lester

Writing credits
Jeph Loeb		(story) (as Joseph Loeb III) &
Matthew Weisman		(story) and
Steven E. de Souza		(story)
Steven E. de Souza		(screenplay)

Produced by
Stephanie Brody	....	co-associate producer
Robert Kosberg	....	co-associate producer
Jeph Loeb	....	associate producer (as Joseph Loeb III)
Joel Silver	....	producer
Matthew Weisman	....	associate producer

Original Music by
James Horner

Cinematography by
Matthew F. Leonetti

Film Editing by
Glenn Farr
Mark Goldblatt
John F. Link

Casting by
Jackie Burch

Production Design by
John Vallone

Set Decoration by
Robert Gould

Makeup Department
Joe McKinney	....	makeup artist
William Turner	....	makeup artist
Joy Zapata	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Larry Kostroff	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
K.C. Colwell	....	second assistant director
Bennie E. Dobbins	....	second unit director
Karen Gaviola	....	dga trainee
Beau Marks	....	first assistant director (as Beau E.L. Marks)
Brad Yacobian	....	additional second assistant director

Art Department
Craig Baron	....	set dresser
William D. Derham	....	lead man
Bruce Di Valerio	....	propmaker foreman (as Bruce DiValerio)
Cal DiValerio	....	construction coordinator
Ron Esposito	....	construction painter
Douglas Forsmith	....	set dresser
Jaymes Hinkle	....	production painter
Nikita Knatz	....	production illustrator
Mark Lapotsky	....	greensman
Douglas E. Madison	....	property master (as Doug Madison)
Daniel Maltese	....	set designer (as Dan Maltese)
David Q. Quick	....	assistant property master (as David Quick)
John M. Schenk	....	assistant property master (as John Schenk)
Tom Shaw Jr.	....	assistant property master
William Boyd	....	construction foreman (uncredited)

Sound Department
Don J. Bassman	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Don Bassman)
Gary Bolger	....	foley recordist
Fred J. Brown	....	special sound effects (as Frederick J. Brown)
Kevin E. Carpenter	....	adr mixer (as Kevin Carpenter)
Kevin F. Cleary	....	sound re-recording mixer
Mike O. Corrigan	....	sound editor (as Michael Corrigan)
Richard Corwin	....	sound editor
Evelyn Dutton	....	foley artist
Jim Fitzpatrick	....	stereo sound consultant: Dolby
William Hartman	....	sound editor
Craig Heath	....	sound recordist
Pieter Hubbard	....	sound editor
David M. Ice	....	sound editor (as David Ice)
Brent Johnson	....	cable person
Donald F. Johnson	....	production sound mixer (as Don Johnson)
Margie O'Malley	....	foley artist (as Margie Denecke)
Richard Overton	....	sound re-recording mixer
Glad Pickering	....	adr editor
Michelle Pleis	....	assistant sound effects editor
Hank Salerno	....	supervising adr editor
Ronald Sinclair	....	adr editor (as Ron Sinclair)
Gail Steele	....	foley artist (as Gail Ganley Steele)
Jules Strasser	....	boom operator
Tim Webb	....	sound re-recordist
Vic Zaslav	....	adr recordist

Special Effects by
Doug Hubbard	....	special effects
Gary L. King	....	special effects (as Gary King)
Jay King	....	special effects
Roger Lifsey	....	special effects
Bill Mattox	....	special effects
Henry Millar	....	special effects coordinator
Mike Millar	....	special effects
John Peyser	....	special effects
Rick Thompson	....	special effects (as Richard Thompson)

Visual Effects by
Jim Danforth	....	matte artist (uncredited)
Jim Danforth	....	matte photographer (uncredited)
Alan G. Markowitz	....	visual effects supervisor (uncredited)

Stunts
Michael Adams	....	stunts
Bruce Paul Barbour	....	stunts
Simone Boisseree	....	stunts
May Boss	....	stunts (as May R. Boss)
Jophery C. Brown	....	stunts (as Jophery Brown)
Tony Brubaker	....	stunts
Jerry Brutsche	....	stunts
Richard E. Butler	....	stunts
Roger Callard	....	stunts
Carl Ciarfalio	....	stunts
Vince Deadrick Sr.	....	stunts
Leon Delaney	....	stunts
Justin De Rosa	....	stunts
Nick Dimitri	....	stunts
Bennie E. Dobbins	....	stunt coordinator
Bennie E. Dobbins	....	stunts
Richard L. Duran	....	stunts
Stephanie Epper	....	stunts
Diamond Farnsworth	....	stunts
George Fisher	....	stunts
Buddy Gilyard	....	stunts
Sandra Lee Gimpel	....	stunts (as Sandra Gimpel)
Bob Harris	....	stunts
Johnny Hock	....	stunts (as John Hock)
Larry Holt	....	stunts
Jeff Jensen	....	stunts
Mike Johnson	....	stunts (as John M. Johnson)
Harold Jones	....	stunts
Steve Kelso	....	stunts
Kimberly King	....	stunts
Joel Kramer	....	stunts
William T. Lane	....	stunts
Lane Leavitt	....	stunts
David LeBell	....	stunts
Gary McLarty	....	stunts
Tom Morga	....	stunts
Jeff O'Haco	....	stunts
Jeff Ramsey	....	stunts
Larry Randles	....	stunts
Mario Roberts	....	stunts
Ronnie Rondell Jr.	....	stunts (as Ronnie Rondell)
Thomas Rosales Jr.	....	stunts
Rick Sawaya	....	stunts (as Rick Sawya)
Ben Scott	....	stunts
John Sherrod	....	stunts
Tony Snegoff	....	stunts
Frank James Sparks	....	stunts (as Frank J. Sparks)
Ceci Vendrell	....	stunts
Michael M. Vendrell	....	stunts
Greg Walker	....	stunts
Rock A. Walker	....	stunts (as Rock Walker)
Dick Warlock	....	stunts (as Richard Warlock)
Jerry Wills	....	stunts
Bob Yerkes	....	stunts (as Brayton W. Yerkes)
Peter Kent	....	stunt double: Arnold Schwarzenegger (uncredited)
Spiro Razatos	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Mark Averill	....	dolly grip
Lloyd Barcroft	....	best boy
Douglas E. Beal	....	second assistant camera (as Doug Beal)
Pat Blymyer	....	best boy (as Patrick Blymyer)
John Donnelly	....	second company grip
Bob Ellis	....	best boy electric
Robert Fiore	....	lamp operator
John R. Leonetti	....	first assistant camera
John J. Linder	....	key grip (as John Linder)
Bruce McBroom	....	still photographer
Tony Rivetti	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Michael St. Hilaire	....	camera operator
Edward R. Thompson Jr.	....	best boy electric (as Ed Thompson)
Frank D. Tobin	....	lamp operator (as Frank Tobin)
Joseph F. Valentine	....	Steadicam operator (as Joe Valentine)
Joseph F. Valentine	....	camera operator: "b" camera (as Joe Valentine)
Dave Wachtman	....	dolly grip (as David Wachtman)

Casting Department
David Gonzales	....	casting associate
Jim Green	....	extras casting
Carl Joy	....	extras casting
Billy DaMota	....	casting assistant (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Kathie Gale	....	costumer: women
Enid Harris	....	costumer
Robert B. Harris	....	costume supervisor (as Bob Harris)
Louis Infante	....	costumer: men (as Lou Infante)

Editorial Department
Paul Anderson	....	assistant film editor
Carrie Ellison	....	assistant film editor
Joseph Guresky	....	assistant film editor
Jack Hooper	....	negative cutter
David Jansen	....	apprentice film editor

Music Department
Thomas A. Carlson	....	assistant music editor (as Tom Carlson)
Raechel Donahue	....	vocal effects advisor
Danny Goldberg	....	special music consultant
Jay Gruska	....	music producer
James Horner	....	music producer
Greig McRitchie	....	orchestrator
Ken Runyon	....	music editor
Dan Wallin	....	music scoring mixer

Transportation Department
Whitey Ellison	....	transportation coordinator
Wayne Morris	....	transportation captain
James Nordberg	....	transportation (uncredited)

Other crew
Anthony Blake Brand	....	production assistant
Dennis Chase	....	craft service
Robert C. Decker	....	location manager (as Robert Decker)
John Gamble	....	helicopter pilot
Debbie Gaudio	....	assistant auditor
Larry Hand	....	production accountant
Paul Hibler	....	caterer
Fred Inman	....	police coordinator
Herb Johnson	....	pilot: Grumman Goose
Howard Keys	....	first aid
Anita Lerner	....	assistant: Arnold Schwarzenegger
Richard Liebegott	....	production coordinator
Andrew Lipschultz	....	publicity coordinator
Peter McKernan	....	helicopter pilot (as Peter McKernan Jr.)
Peter McKernan Sr.	....	helicopter pilot
Steve McNichols	....	production assistant
Lisa Meechan	....	production secretary
John Panzarella	....	location manager
Leslie Paonessa	....	assistant: Mark Lester
George Parra	....	apprentice location manager
Ross Reynolds	....	helicopter pilot
Ron Rotholz	....	assistant: Joel Silver
Jim Schurmann	....	head timer
Arlene Singer	....	teacher
Charles A. Tamburro	....	helicopter pilot (as Charles A. Tamburo)
Michael Tamburro	....	helicopter pilot (as Michael E. Tamburo)
Cliff Taylor	....	apprentice location manager
Mary Thomas	....	assistant: Joel Silver (as Mary C. Thomas)
Elaine K. Thompson	....	production associate
Marion Tumen	....	script supervisor
Michael M. Vendrell	....	martial arts specialist
Al Cerullo	....	helicopter pilot (uncredited)
Jack Crain	....	knife design/manufacturer (uncredited)
Charles A. Tamburro	....	aerial coordinator (uncredited)

Production Companies

• SLM Production Group
• Silver Pictures
• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Distributors

• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation (1985) (USA) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox (1986) (UK) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox of Germany (1986) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1988) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Fox Film (1985) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (????) (USA) (laserdisc)
• 20th Century Fox (2007) (UK) (DVD) (The Definitive Edition)
• CBS/Fox Home Video (????) (New Zealand) (VHS) (original video release)
• CBS/Fox Video (1986) (Belgium) (video)
• CBS/Fox (USA) (laserdisc)
• Media Transfer International (1988) (Sweden) (VHS)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (19??) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2003) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2008) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-Ray Disc)

Special Effects

• L.A. Effects Group (special visual effects)

Other Companies

• Central Casting  extras casting
• Cinema Catering  catering
• DeLuxe Laboratories  color
• L.A. Effects Group  live action inserts
• Pacific Title  opticals
• R/Greenberg Associates  titles
• Varèse Sarabande  score album released by

Runtime:

90 min | 92 min (director's cut) | Sweden:75 min (video version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:16 | West Germany:18 (video premiere) (cut) | Germany:18 (re-release) (2001) (JK/SPIO) (uncut) | Italy:T (re-rating) | Italy:VM14 (orginal rating) | USA:R (certificate #27763) | Finland:K-15 (TV rating) (uncut) | Finland:K-16 (cut) (1992) | Finland:K-18 (cut) (1985) | Australia:MA (Definitive Edition DVD) | France:-12 | Finland:K-18 (DVD rating) (cut) | Sweden:15 (video rating) | Sweden:(Banned) | South Korea:18 | Spain:18 | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:R (Manitoba) | Australia:R | Finland:K-18 | Ireland:18 (cut UK version) | Netherlands:16 | New Zealand:M | Singapore:M18 | UK:18 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Norway:18 (video premiere) (1987) (cut) | Norway:(Banned) (1985-2003) (cinema release) | Germany:BPjM Restricted

Filming Locations:

Beverly Hills, California, USA

Company:

SLM Production Group

Trivia:

Vernon Wells (Bennett) originally auditioned for the role of John Matrix.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: There is an obvious stunt double for Cook during the fight with Matrix.

Quotes:

Lawson: I was afraid you'd miss me!
Cooke: Dont worry, we won't.
[Cooke and his partner execute Lawson]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in L'été en pente douce (1987)

Soundtrack:

WE FIGHT FOR LOVE

A classic guy flick with non-stop action and hilarious one-liners.

Rating: *** 1/2 out of ****

Every time I'm accused by friends of being too tough or too picky on action movies made for pure entertainment (i.e. the works of Jerry Bruckheimer), I point back and tell them to look no further than Mark L. Lester's Commando as the prime example of a pure macho classic and the standard by which all mindless action cinema should be judged.

In its own simplistic ways, Commando is actually the epitome of Arnold Schwarzenegger. Whenever we think of the Austrian muscle-bound star's films; gun battles, fist fights, deadpan one-liners, a total lack of plot, and a ridiculously high body count come to mind. Commando represents all this, directed with high energy flair and a great sense of fun.

Schwarzenegger stars as John Matrix, a former commando who lives in the mountains with his young daughter (Alyssa Milano). Matrix's former teammates are being knocked off one-by-one at the orders of a Latino dictator (Dan Hedaya) who wants Matrix to assassinate a popular South American leader so that he can be instilled back in power. As incentive, Matrix's daughter is kidnapped by renegade military, led by Bennett (Vernon Wells), who was once part of Matrix's team. As soon as Matrix boards his flight, he kills his escort, leaps off the plane, and begins his eleven-hour search for his daughter. Inexplicably joining his search is a flight attendant (Rae Dawn Chong) who gets mixed up in this whole mess.

Commando is one of those critically berated movies that only concerns itself with giving its target audience a good time. Running at a lightning fast ninety minutes, the film is packed to the gunnels with explosive action sequences and quotable one-liners. In fact, the lines are so fun, I have a hard time choosing my favorites. Here are a few examples: "I eat green berets for breakfast and I'm very hungry,""Remember when I said I'd kill you last? I lied," and "Let off some steam, Bennett!"

The script is mindless and idiotic, but serves its purpose by providing just enough plot and enormously entertaining one-liners to keep the momentum from ebbing. There are also plenty of noticeable continuity errors (ask yourself how a guy standing behind a railing atop a balcony could be hit with shotgun pellets without the railing taking the slightest bit of damage!), but that just adds to the movie's list of unique charms.

But you don't watch Commando for plot or technical brilliance, you watch it to see Arnold acting as a one-man army, mowing down scores of enemy thugs and soldiers. Whether it's through the movie's various shootouts, fistfights, or chases, the movie delivers thrilling action one scene after another. The climactic battle sequence, in which he single-handedly takes on at least a hundred men, will either make or break the film for you. Me, I had a blast watching Arnold inflict his brand of justice upon these nasty villains. Unless you don't like Arnold or over-the-top action films, it's unlikely you'll find Commando boring.

Schwarzenegger's charismatic and hugely likable screen presence is undeniable, and his delivery of those classic one-liners is perfect. Luckily, the movie has an equally strong villain in Vernon Wells, who delights in chewing the scenery and generally acting as insane as possible in any given situation. From his manic facial expressions to his questionable tastes in clothing, Wells makes Bennett one of the few villains that really stand out in an Arnold flick. You know the movie's going to boil down to a one-on-one fight between the two, and it's one of those fight scenes where each one takes his turn beating the crud out of the other without one ever truly having the upper hand until the very end (when, obviously, one of them's got to be dead).

For pure mindless mayhem, Commando is a perfect choice for Saturday night entertainment. I first saw the film on its network broadcast premiere, and distinctly remember that in the scene where Arnold hides in the garden house (which is the film's goriest part), the movie is edited in such a way that it appears only one man approaches the house instead of six!