Union City (film)

Last updated
Union City
Union City (film).png
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Mark Reichert
Written byMark Reichert
Based on"Union City: The Corpse Next Door"
by Cornell Woolrich
Produced by Monty Montgomery
Starring
Cinematography Edward Lachman
Edited by
  • Lana Jokel
  • J. Michaels
Music by Chris Stein
Production
company
Kinesis Ltd. [1]
Distributed byDaltyn Film Works, Inc. [1]
Release dates
  • May 17, 1980 (1980-05-17)(Cannes)
  • September 26, 1980 (1980-09-26)(New York City)
Running time
87 minutes [2]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$500,000 [1]

Union City is a 1980 American neo-noir [3] crime mystery film directed by Mark Reichert and starring Deborah Harry, Dennis Lipscomb, and Everett McGill. Based on the short story "Union City: The Corpse Next Door" by Cornell Woolrich, the film had its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival on May 17, 1980, before opening in New York City on September 26, 1980, and in Los Angeles on August 5, 1981. [2]

Contents

Plot

In 1953, Harlan is a repressed, uptight accountant living in an apartment block with his beautiful, neglected wife Lillian. He becomes obsessed with discovering who is drinking from the milk bottles left outside his apartment every morning, so he ties some cord to a bottle which will alert him when it is taken, and through this he finds the culprit to be a homeless war veteran. The vagrant apologises but the obsessive Harlan attacks him, knocking him down and seemingly cracking his skull. In a panic he hides the body behind the folding bed in another vacant apartment opposite his own.

Harlan's behaviour becomes ever more irrational, driving Lillian away from him and into the arms of building supervisor Larry Longacre (McGill); he believes another deranged resident known as the Contessa is planning to run away with him, and puts potential residents off the room where he hid the vagrant's body with his bizarre behaviour.

However, eventually a young couple of newly-weds, Alphonse and Jeanette Flourescu move in. Harlan attempts to dissuade Alphonse from opening the bed but is unsuccessful. Alphonse looks at the bloody but empty bed as a terrified Harlan throws himself through the apartment window to his death on the street below. A crowd gathers around his body, watched briefly by the disinterested vagrant, alive with his head bandaged.

Cast

Production

The film starred Everett McGill, Dennis Lipscomb, and Deborah Harry of Blondie fame. The band was relatively unknown in the US at the time Harry was cast, but this changed when "Heart of Glass" reached number one in the United States midway through filming. As director Marcus Reichert later recalled, she was forbidden to sing on the film's soundtrack for contractual reasons, but her experiences led to the recording of the Blondie song "Union City Blue". Reichert also cast singer Pat Benatar, soon to make a mainstream breakthrough on the pop charts, in a featured role. Harry's partner, fellow Blondie member Chris Stein, performed the film's original score.

The short story written by Cornell Woolrich is set in the 1930s but Reichert relocated it to 1953, for he felt the period offered greater psychological possibilities for his interpretation of the material. With the encouragement of the film's originating producer Monty Montgomery, he wrote the screenplay in eight days. Union City was filmed on location on 27th Street off Summit Avenue in Union City, and on 48th Street and Hudson Avenue, in March 1979. Although it was hailed as "an unqualified masterpiece" by critic Lawrence O'Toole when it appeared in The Directors' Fortnight at Cannes in 1980, and United Artists offered to distribute Reichert's finished film, the film was recut by co-producers Kinesis Ltd., who decided to be the American distributor, in order to get a PG rating. The excised material is believed by Reichert to have been destroyed when the Movielab building, in which the film was stored, was sold to Arriflex. Union City has been released on DVD by Tartan Video and Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. The film is now under contract to MGM/UA Pictures.

Critical Reception

Union City received negative to mixed reviews. The film holds a 50% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on six reviews. [4]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blondie (band)</span> American rock band

Blondie is an American rock band formed in New York City in 1974 by singer Debbie Harry and guitarist Chris Stein. The band was a pioneer in the American new wave genre and scene of the mid-1970s.

<i>Best in Show</i> (film) 2000 film by Christopher Guest

Best in Show is a 2000 American mockumentary comedy film co-written by Christopher Guest and Eugene Levy and directed by Guest. The film follows five entrants in a prestigious dog show as they travel to and compete at the show. Much of the dialogue was improvised. Many of the comic actors were also involved in Guest's other films, including Waiting for Guffman, A Mighty Wind, For Your Consideration, and Mascots. The film's score was composed by C. J. Vanston.

<i>Downtown 81</i> 2000 American film

Downtown 81 is a 2000 American film that was shot in 1980-1981. The film was directed by Edo Bertoglio and written and produced by Glenn O'Brien and Patrick Montgomery, with post-production in 1999-2000 by Glenn O'Brien and Maripol. It is a rare real-life snapshot of an ultra-hip subculture of post-punk era Manhattan. Starring renowned artist Jean-Michel Basquiat and featuring such East Village artists as James Chance, Amos Poe, Walter Steding, Tav Falco and Elliott Murphy, the film is a bizarre elliptical urban fairy tale. In 1999, Michael Zilkha, founder of ZE Records, became the film's executive producer.

<i>The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone</i> 1961 film by José Quintero

The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone is a 1961 British romantic drama film made by Warner Bros. It was directed by José Quintero and produced by Louis de Rochemont with Lothar Wolff as associate producer. The screenplay was written by Gavin Lambert and Jan Read and based on the novel by Tennessee Williams. The music score was by Richard Addinsell and the cinematography by Harry Waxman.

<i>Kansas City</i> (film) 1996 American crime film by Robert Altman

Kansas City is a 1996 American crime film directed by Robert Altman, and starring Jennifer Jason Leigh, Miranda Richardson, Harry Belafonte, Michael Murphy and Steve Buscemi. The musical score of Kansas City is integrated into the film, with modern-day musicians recreating the Kansas City jazz of 1930s.

<i>All I Want</i> (film) 2002 Canadian film

All I Want is a 2002 coming-of-age comedy-drama film directed by Jeffrey Porter and written by Charles Kephart. It stars Elijah Wood, Franka Potente and Mandy Moore. The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 10, 2002 and Palm Springs International Film Festival on January 12, 2003.

<i>Spun</i> 2002 film by Jonas Åkerlund

Spun is a 2002 American black comedy crime drama film directed by Jonas Åkerlund from an original screenplay by William De Los Santos and Creighton Vero, based on three days of De Los Santos's life in the Eugene, Oregon drug subculture. It features an ensemble cast, including Jason Schwartzman, John Leguizamo, Mena Suvari, Patrick Fugit, Peter Stormare, Alexis Arquette, Deborah Harry, Rob Halford, Eric Roberts, Chloe Hunter, Nicholas Gonzalez, Brittany Murphy, and Mickey Rourke.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Call Me (Blondie song)</span> 1980 single by Blondie

"Call Me" is a song by the American new wave band Blondie and the theme to the 1980 film American Gigolo. Produced and composed by Italian musician Giorgio Moroder, with lyrics by Blondie singer Debbie Harry, the song appeared in the film and was released in the United States in early 1980 as a single. "Call Me" was No. 1 for six consecutive weeks on the Billboard Hot 100, where it became the band's biggest single and second No. 1. It also hit No. 1 in the UK and Canada, where it became their fourth and second chart-topper, respectively. In the year-end chart of 1980, it was Billboard's No. 1 single and RPM magazine's No. 3 in Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Union City Blue</span> 1979 single by Blondie

"Union City Blue" is a song by the American new wave band Blondie. The song was featured on their 1979 studio album Eat to the Beat. Written by Debbie Harry and Nigel Harrison, the song was inspired lyrically by Harry's experiences while acting in the 1980 film Union City as well as her New Jersey roots. Musically, the song features a drum part composed by drummer Clem Burke.

<i>Brubaker</i> 1980 film directed by Stuart Rosenberg

Brubaker is a 1980 American prison drama film directed by Stuart Rosenberg. It stars Robert Redford as a newly arrived prison warden, Henry Brubaker, who attempts to clean up a corrupt and violent penal system. The screenplay by W. D. Richter is a fictionalized version of the 1969 book, Accomplices to the Crime: The Arkansas Prison Scandal by Tom Murton and Joe Hyams, detailing Murton's uncovering of the 1967 prison scandal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Everett McGill</span> American actor

Charles Everett McGill III is an American retired actor, who rose to prominence for his portrayal of a caveman in Quest for Fire (1981). He went on to have prominent roles in the films Dune (1984), Silver Bullet (1985), Heartbreak Ridge (1986), Iguana (1988), Licence to Kill (1989), The People Under the Stairs (1991) and Under Siege 2: Dark Territory (1995).

<i>Rally Round the Flag, Boys!</i> 1958 film by Leo McCarey

Rally Round the Flag, Boys! is a 1958 American comedy film directed by Leo McCarey from a screenplay he co-wrote with Claude Binyon, based on the 1957 novel of the same name by Max Shulman. Released by 20th Century Fox, the film stars Paul Newman, Joanne Woodward, Joan Collins, and Jack Carson. The title comes from a line in the song "Battle Cry of Freedom".

<i>Wavelength</i> (1983 film) 1983 film by Mike Gray

Wavelength is a 1983 science fiction film written and directed by Mike Gray and starring Robert Carradine, Cherie Currie, and Keenan Wynn.

<i>Roadie</i> (1980 film) American musical comedy film

Roadie is a 1980 American musical comedy film directed by Alan Rudolph about a truck driver who becomes a roadie for a traveling rock and roll show. The film stars Meat Loaf and marks his first starring role in a film. There are also cameo appearances by musicians such as Roy Orbison and Hank Williams Jr. and supporting roles played by Alice Cooper and the members of Blondie.

<i>She Creature</i> 2001 television film directed by Sebastian Gutierrez

She Creature is a 2001 horror made-for-television film, directed by Sebastian Gutierrez and starring Rufus Sewell, Carla Gugino and Rya Kihlstedt in leading roles. It is the first in a series of films made for Cinemax paying tribute to the films of American International Pictures. The films in this tribute series reused the titles of old American International Pictures films, in this case the 1956 film The She-Creature, but are not remakes of the earlier films. This film was shot in 18 days.

<i>Christmas Evil</i> 1980 American slasher film

Christmas Evil is a 1980 American slasher film written and directed by Lewis Jackson and starring Brandon Maggart. The plot follows a deranged man obsessed with Santa Claus who eventually goes on a murderous rampage dressed in a Santa Claus suit. Since its release, it has gained a cult following, including praise and repeated viewings by director John Waters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Debbie Harry</span> American singer-songwriter and actress (born 1945)

Deborah Ann Harry is an American singer, songwriter and actress, best known as the lead vocalist of the band Blondie. Four of her songs with the band reached No. 1 on the US charts between 1979 and 1981.

<i>The Phantom of 42nd Street</i> 1945 film by Albert Herman

The Phantom of 42nd Street is a 1945 American mystery film directed by Albert Herman and starring Dave O'Brien, Kay Aldridge and Alan Mowbray. It was produced by the low-budget Poverty Row studio Producers Releasing Corporation. The film's sets were designed by the art director Paul Palmentola.

<i>Blondie Takes a Vacation</i> 1939 film by Frank R. Strayer

Blondie Takes a Vacation is a 1939 American black-and-white comedy film directed by Frank R. Strayer and starring Penny Singleton, Arthur Lake, and Larry Simms. The film is based on Chic Young's comic strip of the same name.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eddie Duggan</span> British photographer and filmmaker

Eddie Duggan is a British photographer, film-maker, screenwriter, author and academic games historian.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Union City (1980) – History". American Film Institute . Retrieved September 26, 2019.
  2. 1 2 "Union City (1980) – Details". American Film Institute. Retrieved September 26, 2019.
  3. ↑ Silver, Alain; Ward, Elizabeth, eds. (1992). Film Noir: An Encyclopedic Reference to the American Style (3rd ed.). Woodstock, New York: The Overlook Press. ISBN   0-87951-479-5.
  4. ↑ "Union City | Rotten Tomatoes". Rotten Tomatoes .
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.