All Night Long

MOVIE DESCRIPTION:

Gene Hackman plays a disgruntled suburbanite who manages the Ultra-Sav, an all-night drugstore. He hates his job, hates his debts and responsibilities, and isn't overly fond of his wife (Diane Ladd) and son (Dennis Quaid). Partly as a form of protest, Hackman enters into an affair with Barbra Streisand, one of his wife's distant relatives (don't ask how she's related - it takes Hackman about thirty seconds to explain it to another character). Streisand doesn't belong in this picture at all, but she can be forgiven her acting excesses because she wasn't the first choice for the role anyway (Lisa Eichhorn dropped out just before shooting began). The best moments in All Night Long involve the steady stream of oddballs and losers who trickle into Hackman's establishment. There is also a cute Apocalypse Now parody involving a battery-operated toy helicopter. The principal attraction of All Night Long is Gene Hackman playing an endearingly recognizable modern type. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

DVD FEATURES:

• Region: 1
• Number of Discs: 1
• Audio: DDM2.0
• Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 (Theatre Wide Screen)
• Screen: Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV
• Features:
  • cc
  • [None specified]

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

• Cast:

  
       Gene Hackman - George Dupler
       Barbra Streisand - Cheryl Gibbons
       Diane Ladd - Helen Dupler
       Dennis Quaid - Freddie Dupler
       Kevin Dobson - Bobby Gibbons
       William Daniels - Richard H. Copleston
       Hamilton Camp - Buggoms
       Terry Kiser - Ultra-Sav day manager
       Charles Siebert - Nevins
       Vernee Watson - Emily
       Raleigh Bond - Ultra-Sav doctor
       Annie Girardot - French teacher
       Ann Doran - Grandmother Gibbons

• Director:

  Jean-Claude Tramont

• Producer:

  Leonard J. Goldberg, Jerry Weintraub

• Screenwriter:

  W.D. Richter

• Cinematographer:

  Philip H. Lathrop

• Composer (Music Score):

  Richard Hazard, Ira Newborn

• Editor:

  Marion Rothman

• Production Designer:

  Peter Jamison, Ray Simm

• Associate Producer:

  Terry Donnelly, Fran Roy

• Set Designer:

  Linda Spheeris

• Costume Designer:

  Nancy McArdle, Albert Wolsky

• Sound/Sound Designer:

  John K. Kean

• Stunts:

  Donna Garrett

REVIEW:

• The recipient of some truly dreadful reviews when first released, All Night Long is actually a moderately entertaining and amusing film, albeit one that does not live up to its promise. Much of the blame goes to director Jean-Claude Tramont and writer W.D. Richter, for the film is not as focused as it must be to make its quirky and often appealing separate components (such as almost every scene in the drug store) come together into a satisfying whole. Barbra Streisand also contributes to the film's unevenness. Her performance actually is quite good, a departure from the kind of role she usually plays and one that calls for a fairly subtle approach, as well as a genuine sexiness. The actress handles all this well, but she's still too large a presence for what is at heart a supporting role. This disrupts the delicate balance of the story and takes attention away from the main character, George. Gene Hackman is very good, making George an endearing, put-upon sad sack that captures the viewer's heart. His performance is carefully modulated, allowing him to move comfortably between extremes as necessary. It's one of his nicest, most appealing performances. On the whole, All Night Long is a decent film with some surprising rewards. ~ Craig Butler, Rovi