Lethal Weapon
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| Lethal Weapon | |
|---|---|
| Image:Lethal Weapon Poster.jpg Lethal Weapon poster | |
| Directed by | Richard Donner |
| Produced by | Richard Donner Joel Silver |
| Written by | Shane Black |
| Starring | Mel Gibson Danny Glover Gary Busey Mitchell Ryan Darlene Love Traci Wolfe Lycia Naff |
| Music by | Michael Kamen Eric Clapton Bruce Babcock (uncredited) |
| Cinematography | Stephen Goldblatt |
| Editing by | Stuart Baird |
| Distributed by | Warner Bros. |
| Release date(s) | March 6, 1987 (USA) |
| Running time | 110 min. 117 min. (director's cut) |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $15,000,000 US (est.) |
| Followed by | Lethal Weapon 2 (1989) |
| Official website | |
| All Movie Guide profile | |
| IMDb profile | |
Lethal Weapon is the first in a series of American movies that were released in 1987, 1989, 1992, and 1998, all directed by Richard Donner and starring Mel Gibson and Danny Glover as a mismatched pair of LAPD detectives. These movies fall into the action-comedy, thriller genre (though the first is less of a comedy), and are generally considered to typify the "buddy cop" plot device.
Contents |
[edit] Production
Recent UCLA graduate Shane Black wrote the screenplay in mid-1985. His agent sent it to producer Joel Silver, who loved the story and worked with Black to further develop the script. After they took it to Warner Bros. in early 1986, studio production executives offered it to director Richard Donner, who also loved it. With those key elements in place, the search began for the right combination of actors to play Riggs and Murtaugh.
Casting director Marion Dougherty first suggested teaming Mel Gibson and Danny Glover. She arranged for Gibson to fly in from his home in Australia, while Glover was flown in from Chicago, where he was appearing in a play, to read through the script.
According to Donner, "It took about two hours and by the time we were done, I was in seventh heaven. They found innuendoes; they found laughter where I never saw it; they found tears where they didn't exist before; and, most importantly, they found a relationship -- all in just one reading. So if you ask about casting... it was magical, just total dynamite."
Explains Gibson, "This particular story was a cut above others I had passed on, because the action is really a sideline which heightens the story of these two great characters. I picture Riggs as an almost Chaplinesque figure, a guy who doesn't expect anything from life and even toys with the idea of taking his own. He's not like these stalwarts who come down from Mt. Olympus and wreak havoc and go away. He's somebody who doesn't look like he's set to go off until he actually does."
The draw for Danny Glover was equally strong. Fresh from his success as Mister in The Color Purple, he felt the role of Roger Murtaugh offered a whole new range of character expression and experience. "Aside from the chance to work with Mel, which turned out to be pure pleasure, one of the reasons I jumped at this project was the family aspect. The chance to play intricate relationships and subtle humor that exist in every close family group was an intriguing challenge, as was playing a guy turning 50. Murtaugh's a little cranky about his age until everything he loves is threatened. His reawakening parallels Riggs'."
Both actors were signed by early spring, '86. Gibson and Glover then flew home to pack, and, returning to Los Angeles, began an intensive two months of physical training and preparation. Meanwhile, the crucial role of the ruthless Joshua was settled when Gary Busey asked for a chance to read for the part. An established star since his Oscar-nominated performance in The Buddy Holly Story, Busey hadn't auditioned for longer than he could remember. "I had butterflies," he realized. "I'd never played a bad guy. And no one had seen me since I'd lost 60 pounds and got back into shape. But I decided to take the initiative in order to have the opportunity to work with Dick, Joel, Mel and Danny. I'm constantly looking for someone to pull the best performance out of me and any of those guys could. They even talked me into dying my hair!"
Stunt coordinator Bobby Bass planned and supervised all phases of Gibson's and Glover's intense pre-production training; physical conditioning, weight workouts, and weapons handling and safety. Bass administered the latter category according to the strict guidelines of the National Rifle Association. Bass also used his own military experiences to bring a greater depth of understanding to the Riggs character. To familiarize the actors with the specialized skills and sensibilities acquired by undercover cops, arrangements were made for Gibson and Glover to spend time in the field accompanying working L.A.P.D. police officers. And throughout filming, technical advisors from the L.A.P.D. as well as the Sheriff's Department worked closely with Donner and the actors to ensure authenticity.
Lethal Weapon began principal photography in early August, 1986, shooting on locations throughout the Los Angeles area, as well as on the backlot facilities of Burbank Studios. Filming began in Long Beach, with helicopter camera work that would set the tone for the opening title sequence and the first spectacular stunt of the movie. The company then moved to Palos Verdes, Santa Monica, Studio City, West Hollywood, and Inglewood with one week out-of-town in El Mirage, an enormous dry lake bed outside Victorville, California.
From the early pre-production stages of Lethal Weapon, Richard Donner wanted Mel Gibson's final fight sequence to be unique, yet also to make a strong statement about the characters involved. Coincidentally, assistant director Willie Simmons had an avid interest in unusual forms of martial arts, and he invited several practitioners to the set to demonstrate for Donner. The result was the hiring of three technical advisors, each a master of a particular martial arts style.
Cedric Adams was the first expert brought in. "Adams thought the best possible way to show just how lethal Riggs really is -- is to show his mastery of a form of martial arts never before seen onscreen," said Donner. Adams taught the actors the movements of Capoeria. A second technical advisor, Dennis Newsome, brought Jailhouse rock to the fight sequence. The third technical advisor was Rorion Gracie, who specialized in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
The filming was spread over four complete nights, shooting from dusk to dawn, resulting in an edited sequence that would last minutes on screen. Principal photography was completed in mid-November 1986.
[edit] Plot
The story begins on the night of December 14, 1987 with the apparent suicide of Amanda Hunsacker (Jackie Swanson), the daughter of Michael Hunsacker (Tom Atkins), an old friend and former army buddy of LAPD Detective Sergeant Roger Murtaugh (Danny Glover). A veteran cop of 20 years, Roger Murtaugh gets stuck with a new partner on his 50th birthday. That partner is 37-year-old Detective-Sergeant Martin Riggs (Mel Gibson), whose wife was killed in a car accident three years earlier (later revealed as murder in Lethal Weapon 2). As a result, Riggs is a suicidal, borderline alcoholic, who has become so reckless and violent that he is considered a "lethal weapon". Sergeant Murtaugh first believes that his new partner is "trying to draw a psycho pension" and is horrified to learn that he genuinely is "crazy." However, he is soon indebted to his new partner for saving his life.
While investigating Amanda Hunsacker's death, the two uncover a heroin-smuggling operation run by Vietnam War special forces troops, known as 'Shadow Company' (see Air America). The scheme is masterminded by a ruthless retired General, Peter McAllister (Mitchell Ryan) - the former commander of Shadow Company - and his chief enforcer, Mr. Joshua (Gary Busey). Murtaugh and Riggs - also Vietnam War veterans - discover that Michael Hunsacker was laundering the profits through his bank. McAllister had ordered the murder of his daughter to keep his laundryman under control. As Riggs and Murtaugh confront Michael Hunsacker, Mr. Joshua makes a surprise appearance in a helicopter and shoots him in the back with a sniper rifle.
As Riggs and Murtaugh discover more about Shadow Company's network, the increasingly violent members of Shadow Company kidnap Murtaugh's daughter Rianne to pressure him to reveal which of their drug shipments have been compromised. Riggs, though initially captured by McAllister and brutally tortured with electric shocks, frees himself and then liberates both Murtaugh and Rianne. The pair then declare war on Shadow Company, gunning down most of its members. McAllister is caught in a car accident and accidentally blows himself up with a hand grenade (along with his heroin shipment). Both Riggs and Murtaugh shoot Mr. Joshua after Riggs beats him in an unarmed combat fight on Murtaugh's front lawn.
Murtaugh and Riggs are now solid friends, and Riggs spends Christmas Day at the Murtaugh home with Roger's family; Riggs brings his dog Sam to be a friend to the Murtaugh family cat, Burbank. Riggs also gives Murtaugh a symbolic gift, the unfired hollow point bullet which he had been saving to commit suicide.
[edit] Reception
Released on March 6, 1987, Lethal Weapon grossed $65 million dollars at the box office and was nominated for an Academy Award for Sound. In 2007, Entertainment Weekly named it the #24 greatest action movie of all time. It scores 89% at Rotten Tomatoes and a 7.5 at IMDB.
[edit] Alternative Versions
In addition to the theatrical release of the film, an extended "Directors Cut" version was released later on DVD. The Directors Cut version is longer (117 minutes) than the original theatrical release version (110 minutes), and features additional scenes. One notable extended scene is where Riggs confronts a sniper who has been shooting at children in a playground. Riggs walks into the playground, seemingly without any fear, and shoots the sniper who is hiding inside a building.
Director Richard Donner also filmed alternate opening and closing scenes. These scenes are available on the DVD version of Lethal Weapon 4, a sequel in the Lethal Weapon series. IMDB. Retrieved on 2007-11-26.
[edit] See also
- Lethal Weapon – soundtrack album
- Lethal Weapon – video game
[edit] External links
- Official Website
- Lethal Weapon at the Internet Movie Database
- Lethal Weapon at Rotten Tomatoes
- Lethal Weapon at Box Office Mojo
Films directed by Richard Donner |
|---|
| X-15 • Salt and Pepper • Twinky • The Omen • Superman • Inside Moves • The Toy • The Goonies • Ladyhawke • Lethal Weapon • Scrooged • Lethal Weapon 2 • Radio Flyer • Lethal Weapon 3 • Maverick • Assassins • Conspiracy Theory • Lethal Weapon 4 • Timeline • 16 Blocks • Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut |
Lethal Weapon films | |
|---|---|
| Films | Lethal Weapon (1987) • Lethal Weapon 2 (1989) • Lethal Weapon 3 (1992) • Lethal Weapon 4 (1998) |
| Characters | Martin Riggs • Roger Murtaugh |
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