Crimewave (1985)

User Rating:

5.9/10   

Director:

Sam Raimi

Writers:

Ethan Coen (written by) &
Joel Coen (written by) ...

Release Date:

25 April 1986 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Crime | Horror

Tagline:

Extermination is not just a business. It's a way of life.

Plot:

A pair of whacked-out cartoon-like exterminator/hitmen kill the owner of a burglar-alarm company, and stalk the partner who hired them...

Plot Keywords:

Nerd | Electrocution | Heel | Crime Comedy | Cult Director

Cast

Louise Lasser	...	Helene Trend
Paul L. Smith	...	Faron Crush
Brion James	...	Arthur Coddish
Sheree J. Wilson	...	Nancy
Edward R. Pressman	...	Ernest Trend
Bruce Campbell	...	Renaldo 'The Heel'
Reed Birney	...	Vic Ajax
Richard Bright	...	Officer Brennan
Antonio Fargas	...	Blind Man
Hamid Dana	...	Donald Odegard
John Hardy	...	Mr. Yarman
Emil Sitka	...	Colonel Rodgers
Hal Youngblood	...	Jack Elroy
Sean Farley	...	Jack Elroy Jr
Richard DeManincor	...	Officer Garvey

Runtime:

83 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:14 | Australia:M | New Zealand:R16 | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 | UK:PG | USA:PG-13 | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Detroit, Michigan, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

Vic cries "Tally-Ho!" before jumping from car to car. Sam Raimi later had heroes yell "Tally-Ho!" before jumping in two later films: Army of Darkness (1992) and Spider-Man (2002). Vic asks Nancy if she'd like to "have lunch some evening". Raimi reused this joke in "Spider-Man" in a scene between Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson.

Goofs:

Errors in geography: While the majority of the exterior shots were filmed in Detroit, towards the beginning of the film, the night time distant shot of the city (in red glow) right before the storm hits, is clearly Chicago, as the Sears Tower is quite prevalent in the shot.

Quotes:

Vic Ajax: [after Nancy nearly got run over by the Exterminators] You maniacs! I've never seen anything like that... are you All right?
[Tries to open the door for her]
Vic Ajax: Oh, you've got the key!
Faron Crush: [the car backs up, and Crush comes out] One more thing child... don't you *ever* call me a maniac!
[Punches Vic in the face and bursts into maniacal laughter]

Movie Connections:

References For Pete's Sake! (1934)

Soundtrack:

Rialto

Unknown Sam Raimi film

This film was made when Sam Raimi and the Coen brothers were just beginning to establish themselves. I don't know how to describe it except it has such a comic book feel to it. Bruce Campbell of Evil Dead fame has a supporting part in it, but the ones I really liked were the two garbage men, one of whom played one of the most hideous and frightening villains ever in Midnight Express as the chief guard, only he seems to be doing a lighthearted parody of his role in this. Frances McDormand has a walk-on role as one of the nuns.