''The Wraith'' is a 1986
independently made American
action
Action may refer to:
* Action (narrative), a literary mode
* Action fiction, a type of genre fiction
* Action game, a genre of video game
Film
* Action film, a genre of film
* ''Action'' (1921 film), a film by John Ford
* ''Action'' (1980 fil ...
-
fantasy film
Fantasy films are films that belong to the fantasy genre with fantastic themes, usually magic, supernatural events, mythology, folklore, or exotic fantasy worlds. The genre is considered a form of speculative fiction alongside science fiction f ...
, produced by
John Kemeny, written and directed by Mike Marvin, and starring
Charlie Sheen
Carlos Irwin Estévez (born September 3, 1965), known professionally as Charlie Sheen, is an American actor. He has appeared in films such as ''Platoon'' (1986), ''Wall Street'' (1987), '' Young Guns'' (1988), '' The Rookie'' (1990), ''The Thr ...
,
Sherilyn Fenn
Sherilyn Fenn (born Sheryl Ann Fenn; February 1, 1965) is an American actress and author. She came to attention for her performance as Audrey Horne on the television series ''Twin Peaks'' (1990–1991, 2017) for which she was nominated for a Go ...
,
Nick Cassavetes
Nicholas David Rowland Cassavetes (born May 21, 1959) is an American actor, director, and writer. He has directed such films as ''She's So Lovely'' (1997), ''John Q.'' (2002), ''The Notebook'' (2004), '' Alpha Dog'' (2006), and '' My Sister's Kee ...
, and
Randy Quaid
Randy Randall Rudy Quaid (born October 1, 1950) is an American actor known for his roles in both serious drama and light comedy.
He was nominated for an Academy Award, BAFTA Award and a Golden Globe Award for his role in ''The Last Detail'' i ...
.
["After All These Years ... Mike Marvin Talks The Wraith."](_blank)
''Dread Central'', March 17, 2010. The film was theatrically released November 21, 1986 on just 88 screens in the United States by New Century Vista Film Company (later New Century Entertainment Corporation).
Plot
In the town of Brooks, Arizona, Packard Walsh, the leader of a gang of car thieves, coerces people with fast cars into racing with the winner of the race taking ownership of the loser's car. Packard controls everyone through intimidation including Keri Johnson, whom he views as his property. Keri's boyfriend, Jamie Hankins, was the victim of an unsolved murder and Keri, who was with him, has no memory of the traumatic event.
Jake Kesey arrives in Brooks riding a
dirt bike
The six main types of motorcycles are generally recognized as ''standard'', ''cruiser'', ''touring'', ''sports'', ''off-road'', and ''dual-purpose''. ''Sport touring'' is sometimes recognized as a seventh category or integrated with the ''touring' ...
. He befriends Billy Hankins (Jamie's brother) and Keri. While swimming at a river, Jake is shown to have knife scars on his neck and back.
Packard's control of the illegal races comes to an end when an all-black
Dodge M4S Turbo Interceptor supercar appears with a driver covered head-to-toe in black body armor and helmet, and metal braces resembling those worn by victims of physical trauma. The driver challenges Packard's gang to a race, ending in high-speed, explosive crashes in which two gang members are both killed. Their bodies appear unharmed afterwards except for burned-out eye sockets. The Turbo Interceptor then reconstructs itself and eludes the pursuing Sheriff Loomis in a cloud of glowing light.
Two more gang members, Skank and Gutterboy, are killed when the Turbo Interceptor races through the gang's warehouse, causing an explosion. With Packard's gang mostly gone, Rughead, the gang's tech-geek, figures out why the gang had been targeted. When Loomis arrives at the scene of the destruction, Rughead tells him Packard and his gang had murdered Jamie Hankins.
After Packard witnesses Keri kissing Jake, he kidnaps her and beats up Billy when he tries to intervene. When Packard tries driving to California, Keri resists. As he exits the car and pulls a knife on her, the Turbo Interceptor arrives and challenges Packard to a race. Packard accepts and is then killed in an explosive head-on collision with the Turbo Interceptor, like the rest of his gang were. Loomis calls off the hunt for the mysterious driver, believing it to be futile.
As Keri arrives home that night, the Turbo Interceptor pulls up and Jake emerges. Keri realizes that Jake is a revived form of her dead boyfriend Jamie, who had returned for a chance to rekindle their past relationship. He then asks her to wait for him because he has one last thing to do. Jake then gives his car to Billy. When Billy asks who he is Jake says that Billy already knows and as he rides off on his dirt bike, Billy realizes Jake is Jamie. Jake picks up Keri, whom Loomis is watching from a distance. Together they ride off along the desert highway into the moonlight.
Cast
*
Charlie Sheen
Carlos Irwin Estévez (born September 3, 1965), known professionally as Charlie Sheen, is an American actor. He has appeared in films such as ''Platoon'' (1986), ''Wall Street'' (1987), '' Young Guns'' (1988), '' The Rookie'' (1990), ''The Thr ...
as Jake Kesey / The Wraith / Jamie Hankins
* Matthew Barry as Billy Hankins
*
Sherilyn Fenn
Sherilyn Fenn (born Sheryl Ann Fenn; February 1, 1965) is an American actress and author. She came to attention for her performance as Audrey Horne on the television series ''Twin Peaks'' (1990–1991, 2017) for which she was nominated for a Go ...
as Keri Johnson
*
Randy Quaid
Randy Randall Rudy Quaid (born October 1, 1950) is an American actor known for his roles in both serious drama and light comedy.
He was nominated for an Academy Award, BAFTA Award and a Golden Globe Award for his role in ''The Last Detail'' i ...
as Sheriff G.L. Loomis
*
Clint Howard
Clinton Engle Howard (born April 20, 1959) is an American actor. He is the second son born to American actors Rance and Jean Howard, and younger brother of actor and director Ron Howard. His 200-plus acting credits include feature films such as ...
as "Rughead"
*
Nick Cassavetes
Nicholas David Rowland Cassavetes (born May 21, 1959) is an American actor, director, and writer. He has directed such films as ''She's So Lovely'' (1997), ''John Q.'' (2002), ''The Notebook'' (2004), '' Alpha Dog'' (2006), and '' My Sister's Kee ...
as Packard Walsh
* David Sherrill as Maurice "Skank"
* Jamie Bozian as "The Gutterboy"
*
Griffin O'Neal
Griffin Patrick O'Neal (born October 28, 1964) is an American actor. He has appeared in films such as '' The Escape Artist'', ''April Fool's Day'', ''The Wraith'', '' Assault of the Killer Bimbos'', and '' Ghoulies III''.
Early life and career
O' ...
as Oggie Fisher
* Chris Nash as "Minty"
* Christopher Bradley as Jamie Hankins
* Vickie Benson as The Waitress
* Jeffrey Sudzin as "Redd", Skank's uncle
* Peder Melhuse as Deputy Murphy
* Michael Hundrtford as Deputy Stokes
* Dick Alexander as Deputy Sandeval
* Steven Eckholdt as George, Boy In Daytona
* Elizabeth Cox as Girl In Daytona
* Joan H. Reynolds as Policewoman
Production
Shooting locations
''The Wraith'' was shot entirely in and around
Tucson, Arizona
, "(at the) base of the black ill
, nicknames = "The Old Pueblo", "Optics Valley", "America's biggest small town"
, image_map =
, mapsize = 260px
, map_caption = Interactive map ...
; shots of the hilly road leading into the fictional "Brooks, AZ" were filmed on Freeman Road on the city's south side. Keri's (Sherilyn Fenn) home is located at 2128 East 5th Street; however, "Big Kay's Burgers" was a set built especially for the film at 2755 East Benson Highway, and it no longer exists.
Sheriff Loomis goes to talk to Skank and Gutterboy at the
Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, at the airplane graveyard where they both work. The film's swimming hole is located in
Sabino Canyon
Sabino Canyon is a significant canyon located in the Santa Catalina Mountains and the Coronado National Forest north of Tucson, Arizona, United States. Sabino Canyon is a popular recreation area for residents and visitors of Southern Arizona, pro ...
, off North Upper Sabino Canyon Road. The curvy mountain road where Packard and his gang challenge other cars to deadly races is the General Hitchcock/Catalina/Mount Lemmon Highway that winds through natural stone monoliths north of the city. Skank and Gutterboy chase after Jamie and Keri down North 4th Avenue at East 7th Street. The portion of the chase that leads into a tunnel is the since-redone tunnel on North 4th Avenue, where it crosses under railroad tracks; Jake and Keri are seen riding down the road through Sabino Canyon Recreation Area (near Sabino Lake Dam) northeast of Tucson.
Bruce Ingram, a camera operator, died during the filming of one of the car chases; another crew member was seriously injured.
[
]
Turbo Interceptor
The Dodge M4S Turbo Interceptor used in the film was originally a pace car built by Chrysler Corporation
Stellantis North America (officially FCA US and formerly Chrysler ()) is one of the " Big Three" automobile manufacturers in the United States, headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan. It is the American subsidiary of the multinational automoti ...
and PPG Industries
PPG Industries, Inc. is an American Fortune 500 company and global supplier of paints, coatings, and specialty materials. With headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, PPG operates in more than 70 countries around the globe. By revenue it is ...
. Six copies were made for use in the film: two stunt cars made from molds of the original car and four non-drivable "dummies" that were destroyed during filming. During production, the real Dodge Turbo Interceptor was used in close-ups. That original was located at the Walter P. Chrysler Museum
The Walter P. Chrysler Museum was a car museum in Auburn Hills, Michigan, featuring historically significant vehicles designed and manufactured by Chrysler, Dodge, Plymouth, Jeep, AMC, Nash, Hudson, and Rambler.
It was in operation from O ...
in Auburn Hills, MI
Auburn Hills is a city in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 21,412 at the 2010 census. Before incorporating as a city in 1983, the area was part of the now-defunct Pontiac Township. It is home to Oakland Universit ...
until 2016, when the museum closed permanently.
Soundtrack
The music score was composed and performed by Michael Hoenig
Michael Hoenig (born 4 January 1952) is a German composer who has composed music for several films and games, in addition to two solo albums, including the highly acclaimed 1978 album ''Departure from the Northern Wasteland''. In 1997, he was n ...
and J. Peter Robinson
John Peter Robinson (born 16 September 1945) is an English composer, musician, and arranger known for his film and television scores.
Early years and pop music career
He studied piano and composition at the Royal Academy of Music and enjoy ...
, two famous synth composers of film and TV series Soundtracks. The soundtrack LP was recorded by Rick Hart and entirely played on a NED Synclavier II
The Synclavier is an early digital synthesizer, polyphonic digital sampling system, and music workstation manufactured by New England Digital Corporation of Norwich, Vermont. It was produced in various forms from the late 1970s into the early ...
.
Many famous 1980s rock music hits are included on the film's soundtrack:
* Tim Feehan
Tim Feehan (born April 27, 1957 in Edmonton, Alberta) is a Canadian singer-songwriter, producer, mix master and Los Angeles area studio owner.
Career
Tim Feehan graduated from the University of Alberta in 1980 and began his recording/songwriting ...
– "Where's the Fire"
* Ozzy Osbourne
John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne (born 3 December 1948) is an English singer, songwriter, and television personality. He rose to prominence during the 1970s as the lead vocalist of the heavy metal band Black Sabbath, during which period he adop ...
– "Secret Loser"
* Stan Bush
Stan Bush (born July 10, 1953) is an American singer-songwriter and rock musician. He is perhaps best-known for his song " The Touch", featured in the 1986 movie '' The Transformers: The Movie''.
Career
Bush began with his first studio album i ...
– "Hearts vs. Heads"
* Ian Hunter – "Wake Up Call"
* Mötley Crüe
Mötley Crüe is an American heavy metal band formed in Los Angeles in 1981. The group was founded by bassist Nikki Sixx, drummer Tommy Lee, lead guitarist Mick Mars and lead singer Vince Neil. Mötley Crüe has sold over 100 million albums ...
– " Smokin' in the Boys Room"
* Robert Palmer – " Addicted to Love"
* Nick Gilder
Nicholas George Gilder (born 21 December 1951) is a British-Canadian musician who first came to prominence as the frontman for the glam rock band Sweeney Todd. He later had a successful solo career as a singer/songwriter.
Biography
Born in Lon ...
– "Scream of Angels"
* Lion
The lion (''Panthera leo'') is a large Felidae, cat of the genus ''Panthera'' native to Africa and India. It has a muscular, broad-chested body; short, rounded head; round ears; and a hairy tuft at the end of its tail. It is sexually dimorphi ...
– "Power Love"
* Honeymoon Suite
Honeymoon Suite is a Canadian rock band formed in 1981 in Niagara Falls, Ontario. The band's name was a nod to the fact that Niagara Falls is the unofficial honeymoon capital of the world.
History 1981–1985
The band was originally formed ...
– "Those Were the Days"
* Lion
The lion (''Panthera leo'') is a large Felidae, cat of the genus ''Panthera'' native to Africa and India. It has a muscular, broad-chested body; short, rounded head; round ears; and a hairy tuft at the end of its tail. It is sexually dimorphi ...
– "Never Surrender"
* Bonnie Tyler
Gaynor Sullivan (née Hopkins; born 8 June 1951), known professionally as Bonnie Tyler, is a Welsh singer who is known for her distinctive husky voice. Tyler came to prominence with the release of her 1977 album '' The World Starts Tonight'' a ...
– "Matter of the Heart"
* Mark Tiemans – "Hold on Blue Eyes"
* Billy Idol
William Michael Albert Broad (born 30 November 1955), known professionally as Billy Idol, is a British-American singer, songwriter, and musician. He first achieved fame in the 1970s emerging from the London punk rock scene as the lead singer o ...
– "Rebel Yell
The rebel yell was a battle cry used by Confederate soldiers during the American Civil War. Confederate soldiers used the yell when charging to intimidate the enemy and boost their own morale, although the yell had many other uses. No audio ...
"
* Jill Michaels – "Young Love, Hot Love"
* James House – "Bad Mistake"
Release
''The Wraith'' was released in the United States on November 21, 1986. In the Philippines, the film was released as ''Black Moon Rising: Part-2'' on April 29, 1987, connecting it to the unrelated film ''Black Moon Rising
''Black Moon Rising'' is a 1986 science fiction action thriller film directed by Harley Cokliss, written by John Carpenter, and starring Tommy Lee Jones, Linda Hamilton, Robert Vaughn, Keenan Wynn, and Richard Jaeckel. The plot revolves around ...
'' starring Tommy Lee Jones
Tommy Lee Jones (born September 15, 1946) is an American actor and film director. He has received four Academy Award nominations, winning Best Supporting Actor for his performance as U.S. Marshal Samuel Gerard in the 1993 thriller film '' The ...
. In Germany, it was released on June 11, 1987, under the title "Interceptor - Phantom der Ewigkeit" (Interceptor - Phantom of Eternity).
Critical response
''The Wraith'' received mixed reviews from critics. Film historian and critic Leonard Maltin
Leonard Michael Maltin (born December 18, 1950) is an American film critic and film historian, as well as an author of several mainstream books on cinema, focusing on nostalgic, celebratory narratives. He is perhaps best known for his book of fil ...
dismissed the film as "... for those who favor fast cars and lots of noise." In the ''Time Out
Time-out, Time Out, or timeout may refer to:
Time
* Time-out (sport), in various sports, a break in play, called by a team
* Television timeout, a break in sporting action so that a commercial break may be taken
* Timeout (computing), an enginee ...
'' review, editor John Pym saw ''The Wraith'' having "comic-strip killer car thieves" with "...the best joke having one of the thugs knowing the word 'wraith.'"
Following its theatrical run, the film was featured on television in an episode of ''Cinema Insomnia
''Cinema Insomnia'' is a nationally syndicated American television series presented by horror host Mr. Lobo.
Format
Typically, Mr. Lobo opens each episode by promising to screen a well-known horror or science fiction classic (such as ''Creatu ...
.''["Episode Guide."](_blank)
''Cinema Insomnia''.
Home video
In 1987 the film was released to VHS video by Lightning Video, then on LaserDisc
The LaserDisc (LD) is a home video format and the first commercial optical disc storage medium, initially licensed, sold and marketed as DiscoVision, MCA DiscoVision (also known simply as "DiscoVision") in the United States in 1978. Its diam ...
by Image Entertainment
RLJ Entertainment (formerly Image Entertainment) is an American film production company and home video distributor, distributing film and television productions in North America, with approximately 3,200 exclusive DVD titles and approximately 340 ...
; it was then released in 2003 on DVD by Platinum Disc Corporation
Echo Bridge Entertainment is an American independent distribution company. It acquires and distributes feature films, scripted and non-scripted series, documentaries, and children’s programming for home video, digital and television in the United ...
(now Echo Bridge Home Entertainment
Echo Bridge Entertainment is an American independent distribution company. It acquires and distributes feature films, scripted and non-scripted series, documentaries, and children’s programming for home video, digital and television in the United ...
). In spite of having no special features and only being available in the pan-and-scan
Pan and scan is a method of adjusting widescreen film images so that they can be shown in fullscreen proportions of a standard-definition 4:3 aspect ratio television screen, often cropping off the sides of the original widescreen image to focus ...
format, there is footage retained that was missing on the original VHS and LaserDisc releases. Lionsgate
Lions Gate Entertainment Corporation, doing business as Lionsgate, is a Canadian-American entertainment company. It was formed by Frank Giustra on July 10, 1997, domiciled in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada and is currently headquartered ...
released a widescreen
Widescreen images are displayed within a set of aspect ratios (relationship of image width to height) used in film, television and computer screens. In film, a widescreen film is any film image with a width-to-height aspect ratio greater than t ...
Special Edition DVD on March 2, 2010, which included the previously missing footage."The Wraith Roars Back to DVD Courtesy of Lionsgate!"
''Dread Central,'' December 8, 2009. Retrieved: January 12, 2015.
See also
*
List of American films of 1986
A list of American films released in 1986.
''Platoon'' won the Academy Award for Best Picture.
__TOC__
Highest-grossing films
The highest-grossing American films released in 1986, by domestic box office gross revenue, are as follows:
A
B ...
*
List of film accidents
In the history of film and television, accidents have occurred during shooting, such as cast or crew fatalities or serious accidents that plagued production. From 1980 to 1990, there were 37 deaths relating to accidents during stunts; 24 of these ...
References
Notes
Bibliography
* Maltin, Leonard. ''Leonard Maltin's Movie Guide 2009''. New York: New American Library, 2009 (originally published as ''TV Movies'', then ''Leonard Maltin’s Movie & Video Guide''), First edition 1969, published annually since 1988. .
* Pym, John, ed. "The Wraith." ''Time Out Film Guide.'' London: Time Out Guides Limited, 2004. .
External links
*
*
*
*
Filming locations for The Wraith''The Wraith'' Car– Official Restoration website (loads slowly)
''The Wraith'' Website– ''The Wraith'' Fan Site (Details About DVD/VHS Releases, Photos, Soundtrack and more!)
''The Wraith'' Videos– ''The Wraith'' Videos
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wraith, The
1986 films
1986 horror films
1980s science fiction action films
1986 independent films
1980s science fiction horror films
American action horror films
American ghost films
American independent films
American science fiction action films
American science fiction horror films
1980s road movies
American road movies
American films about revenge
Films based on urban legends
American auto racing films
Films set in Pima County, Arizona
Films shot in Tucson, Arizona
Films scored by J. Peter Robinson
Films scored by Michael Hoenig
Superhero horror films
American superhero films
1980s English-language films
1980s American films