Gabe: I must say, you're a real piece of shit.
Kristel: No.
Eric Qualen: (shooting her) Sacrifice.
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| CLIFFHANGER (1993) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| MORGAN'S RATING | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| For Rocky Mountain Rescue, the mission is almost routine--locate five climbers. With the woman he loves and his best friend, Gabe Walker braves the icy peaks only to discover that the distress call is really a trap--set by merciless international terrorist Eric Qualen. Now millions of dollars and their own lives hang in the balance. Against explosive firepower, bitter cold, and dizzying heights, Walker must outwit Qualen in a deadly game of hide-and-seek. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sylvester Stallone (Gabe Walker), John Lithgow (Eric Qualen), Michael Rooker (Hal Tucker), Janine Turner (Jessie Deighan), Rex Linn (Travers), Caroline Goodall (Kristel), Leon (Kynette), Craig Fairbrass (Delmar), Gregory Scott Cummins (Ryan), Denis Forest (Heldon), Michelle Joyner (Sarah), Max Perlich (Evan), Paul Winfield (Walter Wright), Ralph Waite (Frank), Trey Brownell (Brett), Zach Grenier (Davis), Vyto Ruginis (Matheson), Don S. Davis (Stuart), Derek Hoxby (Agent Hayes), John Finn (Agent Michaels), Bruce McGill (Treasury Agent), Rosemary Dunsmore (Treasury Secretary). | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| HANG ON! | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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PRODUCTION INFORMATION | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| DIRECTOR: Renny Harlin (Die Hard 2). | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| WRITERS: Michael France and Sylvester Stallone, with Ross LaManna, John McCormick and Michael Vickerman (all uncredited). | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| PRODUCERS: Renny Harlin and Alan Marshall. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ASSOCIATE PRODUCERS: Jim Davidson and Tony Munafo. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| CO-PRODUCERS: David Rotman, Gene Patrick Hines and James R. Zatolokin. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Mario Kassar. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| CO-EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Lynwood Spinks. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ORIGINAL MUSIC: Trevor Jones. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| DISTRIBUTOR: TriStar Pictures. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| QUOTES | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FACTS | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Eric Qualen: Your friend just had the costliest funeral ever. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| RELEASE DATE: May 28th, 1993 (USA) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| BOX OFFICE OPENING: $20.4 million (USA) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Eric Qualen: I must say, you're a real piece of work. Gabe: I must say, you're a real piece of shit. |
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| BOX OFFICE RESULT: $84.0 million (USA) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| WORLDWIDE BOX OFFICE: $255.0 million | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Eric Qualen: You want to kill me, don't you, Tucker? Well, get a number and get in line. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| BUDGET: $65 million (USA) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| - Set in Colorado, but filmed in Italy. The American Environmental Protection Agency wouldn't allow filming in America for fear of the damage that could be left by the film crew. Italy was chosen because if had spectacular mountains that are similar to the Colorado Rockies. The production crew paid a very large deposit against clean-up costs. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Gabe: (burning the stolen money) It costs a fortune to heat this place. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Eric Qualen: Kill a few people, they call you a murderer. Kill a million and you're a conqueror. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Eric Qualen: Do you know what real love is, Kristel? Kristel: No. Eric Qualen: (shooting her) Sacrifice. |
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| - In the original cut of the film shown to test audiences, there was a forty-foot jump from one cliff to another that Stallone's character performs. This scene appears in the theatrical trailers, but was cut because test audiences laughed when they saw it and thought it was impossible. The clip of the jump was redone and used for a short jump off a cliff near the end of the film using computer graphics and special effects. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Eric Qualen: Love is a killer, isn't it? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| CRITICAL COMMENTS | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Eye-popping photography, white-knuckle stunts, a swift pace, and entertaining characters add up to what a we--made action film should be: tons of fun. Story is thin, though." -- Leonard Maltin | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "An avalanche of thrillers." -- Jami Bernard, New York Post. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| - 31 well-known climbers were signed up, including Ron Kauk and Wolfgang Gullich. Gullich performed many of the film's stunts. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "The best non-stop action picture of the year!" -- Vernon Scott, UPI | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| - To demonstrate his faith in the safety equipment, director Renny Harlin put on a harness and flung out on a cable over a cliff. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Spectacular, heart-thumping, throat-tightening, pulse-pounding, sweaty palms suspense." -- American Movie Classics. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| - The two-story high cliff built for the climatic battle sequence burned to the ground completely in 8 minutes when the miniature helicopter explosion got out of control. The heat of the fire was so intense it melted one of the cameras. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Movies like this are machines for involving us and thrilling us. Cliffhanger is a fairly good machine." -- Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun Times. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| - Sneak-preview audiences saw a scene where a rabbit gets killed by gunfire. Their reaction was strong enough for Stallone to invest $100,000 of his own money to have the scene re-shot so that the rabbit escaped. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| - Nominated for Best Sound Effects Editing, Best Visual Effects and Best Sound. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| - Nominated for several 1994 Razzie Awards for Worst Picture, Worst Screenplay, Worst Supporting Actor and Worst Supporting Actress. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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