Flight to Fury | |
---|---|
Directed by | Monte Hellman |
Screenplay by | Jack Nicholson |
Story by |
|
Produced by |
|
Starring |
|
Cinematography | Mike Accion |
Edited by |
|
Music by | Nestor Robles |
Production companies |
|
Distributed by | Feature Film Corp. of America |
Release date |
|
Running time |
|
Countries |
|
Languages |
|
Budget | US$80.000 [1] |
Flight to Fury is a 1964 film starring Jack Nicholson, Fay Spain, Vic Diaz and Dewey Martin. The film was directed by Monte Hellman and filmed back to back with Back Door to Hell in the Philippines in 1964. [2]
Nicholson was one of the writers of the screenplay. The film is about a battle over stolen jewels after a plane crash in the Philippines. A version in Filipino titled Cordillera, directed by Eddie Romero, was also released. [3]
An American man identifying himself as a tourist, Jay Wickham, introduces himself to Joe Gaines in an Asian casino. After accompanying Lei Ling to her room, Wickham begins searching for a cache of diamonds believed to be in her possession, but is unable to find them.
On the only available plane leaving for the Philippines, the passengers include Gaines, Wickham and Ling, along with a man named Ross who is Ling's associate and carrying the diamonds, Lorgren (the rightful owner of the gems) and the latter's mistress, Destiny Cooper. A crash landing results in the death of some and serious injury to Ross, who hands Joe the gems before he dies.
Natives begin approaching the plane, ready to kill any survivors and take their possessions. Wickham finds the jewels, kills Lorgren, shoots Destiny and flees, but is wounded by Joe. Before he dies, Wickham tosses the diamonds into a river, as Joe awaits the dangerous natives and his fate.
The film was based on an outline by Hellman and Fred Roos. Jack Nicholson adapted it into a script over a three-week period on a boat from the US to the Philippines. They did it as a homage to Beat the Devil and the film was originally entitled The Devils Game. [3]
Hellman directed the film while editing Back Door to Hell at the same time. He fell ill in between directing the two films. [4]
Lino Brocka worked as Hellman's assistant. [5]
Lippert was unhappy with the comedic tone of the film and had it re-edited for its theatrical release losing 11 minutes. Hellman was able to re-insert the footage for the video release. [3]
Eddie Romero directed a Filipino language version of the film titled Cordillera for release in the Philippines. According to Romero, he added some scenes and slightly changed the story. [3]
Roger William Corman is an American film director, producer, and actor. Known under various monikers such as "The Pope of Pop Cinema", "The Spiritual Godfather of the New Hollywood", and "The King of Cult", he is known as a trailblazer in the world of independent film. Many of Corman's films are based on works that have an already-established critical reputation, such as his cycle of low-budget cult films adapted from the tales of Edgar Allan Poe.
Warren Mercer Oates was an American actor best known for his performances in several films directed by Sam Peckinpah, including The Wild Bunch (1969) and Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia (1974). Another of his most acclaimed performances was as officer Sam Wood in In the Heat of the Night (1967). Oates starred in numerous films during the early 1970s that have since achieved cult status, such as The Hired Hand (1971), Two-Lane Blacktop (1971), and Race with the Devil (1975). Oates also portrayed John Dillinger in the biopic Dillinger (1973) and as the supporting character U.S. Army Sergeant Hulka in the military comedy Stripes (1981). Another notable appearance was in the classic New Zealand film Sleeping Dogs (1977), in which he played the commander of the American forces in the country.
Ride in the Whirlwind is a 1966 American Western film starring Cameron Mitchell, Millie Perkins, Jack Nicholson, and Harry Dean Stanton, and directed by Monte Hellman. Nicholson also wrote and co-produced the film. A trio of cowboys are forced to become outlaws due to a case of mistaken identity by the local authorities.
The Shooting is a 1966 American Western film directed by Monte Hellman, with a screenplay by Carole Eastman. It stars Warren Oates, Millie Perkins, Will Hutchins, and Jack Nicholson, and was produced by Nicholson and Hellman. The story is about two men who are hired by a mysterious woman to accompany her to a town located many miles across the desert. During their journey, they are closely tracked by a black-clad gunslinger, who seems intent on killing all of them.
The Terror is a 1963 American independent horror film produced and directed by Roger Corman. The film stars Boris Karloff and Jack Nicholson, the latter of whom portrays a French officer who is seduced by a woman who is also a shapeshifting devil.
Will Hutchins is an American actor most noted for playing the lead role of the young lawyer Tom Brewster, in the Western television series Sugarfoot, which aired on ABC from 1957 to 1961 for 69 episodes.
China 9, Liberty 37 is an Italian-Spanish 1978 Western film directed by Monte Hellman, starring Warren Oates, Jenny Agutter, and Fabio Testi. Noted director Sam Peckinpah has a small, rare acting role. The film was shot in locations in Spain and Italy by cinematographer Giuseppe Rotunno. Pino Donaggio composed the musical score. The English title refers to a sign seen at the beginning of the movie on U.S. Route 90 in Beaumont, Texas. Monte Hellman, utilized the scenic location of the highway to enhance the authenticity of its setting. Its inclusion adds an interesting detail to the narrative and showcases the attention to detail in the production. The film had a very sparse theatrical release in the United States, and did not play in some cities until as late as 1984.
Back Door to Hell is a 1964 Filipino-American war film concerning a three-man team of United States soldiers preparing the way for Gen. MacArthur's World War II return to the Philippines by destroying a Japanese communications center. It was produced on a relatively small budget and received lukewarm reviews.
Edgar Sinco Romero,, commonly known as Eddie Romero, was a Filipino film director, film producer and screenwriter.
Robert Lenard Lippert was an American film producer and cinema chain owner. He was president and chief operating officer of Lippert Theatres, Affiliated Theatres and Transcontinental Theatres, all based in San Francisco, and at his height, he owned a chain of 139 movie theaters.
The Ace of Spades is a 1925 American silent Western film serial directed by Henry MacRae. The serial is considered to be a lost film.
Dewey Dallas Martin was an American film and television actor.
13 Hours by Air is a 1936 American drama film made by Paramount Pictures and directed by Mitchell Leisen. The film stars Fred MacMurray and Joan Bennett. The screenplay was written by Kenyon Nicholson and Bogart Rogers, based on story Wild Wings by Rogers and Frank Mitchell Dazey. 13 Hours by Air was also the forerunner of the disaster film, a genre featuring a complex, heavily character-driven ensemble cast, exploring the personal dramas and interactions that develop among the passengers and crew as they deal with a deadly onboard emergency.
Annabelle Huggins is a retired Filipino actress. In 1964 she starred alongside Jack Nicholson in Back Door to Hell, and later became famous when she was kidnapped by taxi driver Ruben Ablaza.
Damon Runyon Theater is an American television program that presented dramatized versions of Damon Runyon's short stories. Hosted by Donald Woods, the program aired for a total of 39 episodes on CBS from April 1955 through February 1956.
Spirit Warriors: The Shortcut is a 2003 Filipino fantasy horror adventure film directed by Chito S. Roño, and a sequel to the 2000 film Spirit Warriors. The film was written and directed by Chito S. Roño with screenplay by Roy C. Iglesias. It was distributed by Regal Films.
The Filmgroup was a production and distribution company founded by filmmakers Roger Corman and Gene Corman in 1959. Corman used it to make and distribute his own movies, as opposed to ones he was making for American International Pictures. The company ultimately folded, however, lessons from running the company helped Corman make a success later of New World Pictures. Filmgroup also produced early feature work of Francis Ford Coppola, Peter Bogdanovich, Charles B. Griffith, Curtis Harrington, Jack Hill, Monte Hellman, Robert Towne and Jack Nicholson.
Thunder Island is a 1963 American action film directed by Jack Leewood, written by Don Devlin and Jack Nicholson, and starring Gene Nelson, Fay Spain, Brian Kelly, Míriam Colón, Art Bedard and Antonio Torres Martino.
Klondike Fury is a 1942 American drama film directed by William K. Howard, produced by the King Brothers, and released through Monogram. It stars Edmund Lowe.
Gary Kent was an American film director, actor, and stuntman notable for his appearances in various independent, grindhouse, and exploitation films. A native of Washington, Kent studied at the University of Washington before later embarking on a film career. He made his feature film debut in Battle Flame (1959) and had roles in several additional low-budget films in the 1960s, including The Black Klansman (1966) and the biker film The Savage Seven (1968). He also served as a stunt double for Bruce Dern in Psych-Out (1969).