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Midnight Madness is a 1980 American comedy film produced by Walt Disney Productions and starring David Naughton, Stephen Furst, Eddie Deezen and Maggie Roswell.[2][3]

Midnight Madness
Poster for Midnight Madness
Directed byMichael Nankin
David Wechter
Written byMichael Nankin
David Wechter
Produced byRon Miller
Starring
CinematographyFrank V. Phillips
Edited byNorman R. Palmer
Jack Sekely
Music byJulius Wechter
Production
company
Walt Disney Productions
Distributed byBuena Vista Distribution
Release date
  • February 8, 1980 (1980-02-08)
Running time
112 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$2.9 million[1]

The city of Los Angeles is the game board as five teams of college students attempt to win "The Great All-Nighter", a dusk-to-dawn competition dreamed up by an eccentric graduate student. David Naughton and Stephen Furst are paired with a grab-bag group of fellow students including Michael J. Fox in his first film appearance.[2] The film was directed and written by Michael Nankin and David Wechter.[2]


Plot


Graduate student Leon (Alan Solomon) summons five college students to his apartment and challenges them to participate in his latest game creation: The Great All-Nighter. He tells them about his game and instructs them to form teams. At first, the leaders refuse to play. However, rivalries between them lead all five to change their minds by the game's start time – a scenario Leon has already predicted based on his extensive planning.

Leon, as "game master", keeps track of the teams locations with a giant map, and various radio equipment. The teams are supposed to call and check in at each clue (though many of the teams end up skipping at least one location).

The adventures of the other three teams are subplots, as well as the situation at Leon's apartment ("Game Control"). Here, along with his female assistants Candy and Sunshine (Debi Richter and Kirsten Baker), Leon monitors the progress of the game. Already unpopular with his landlady, Mrs. Grimhaus (Irene Tedrow), for the amount of noise he makes, Leon faces eviction if any of the other tenants complain. Several of them do show up to complain, but as Leon explains the mechanics of the game to them, they become fascinated with it and help run it, much to the annoyance of Grimhaus.

The game culminates in a race-to-the-finish at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel where the yellow team ultimately prevails and wins the game. A huge party consisting of all contestants and game control follows.


Teams


Teams are made up of characters who are broad stereotypes. They wear matching sweatshirts, and ride in vehicles that also match their team color.


Cast



Main


  • David Naughton as Adam Larson – Yellow Team Leader
  • Debra Clinger as Laura – Yellow Team
  • David Damas as Marvin – Yellow Team
  • Joel Kenney as Flynch – Yellow Team (credited as Joel P. Kenney)
  • Michael J. Fox as Scott Larson (credited as Michael Fox)
  • Maggie Roswell as Donna – Red Team Leader
  • Robyn Petty as Berle – Red Team
  • Betsy Lynn Thompson as Peggy – Red Team
  • Carol Gwynn Thompson as Lulu – Red Team
  • Eddie Deezen as Wesley – White Team Leader
  • Marvin Katzoff as Debater #1 – White Team
  • Christofer Sands as Debater #2 – White Team
  • Michael Gitomer as Debater #3 – White Team
  • Brad Wilkin as Lavitas – Green Team Leader
  • Dirk Blocker as Blaylak – Green Team
  • Curt Ayers as Armpit – Green Team
  • Trevor Henley as Cudzo – Green Team
  • Keny Long as Gerber – Green Team

Supporting



Production notes


Paul Reubens (better known as Pee-wee Herman) has a small part as the "Pinball City Proprietor". Other cameos include John Fiedler as Wally Thorpe, one of the other tenants, and Marvin Kaplan as the Bonaventure desk clerk. Future film director Andy Tennant plays a member of the Blue team.

Johnie's Fat Boy was Johnie's Coffee Shop located at the corner of Wilshire Blvd and Fairfax on the western edge of the Miracle Mile. Though it closed in 2000, the building is still used for filming.[4]

Pinball City was Castle Park (later Malibu Castle) Miniature Golf in North Hollywood. Located at 12400 Vanowen St., it closed in 1998.

The Star Fire game in the video arcade that provides the clue to the final destination was an actual arcade game of the period. The game play was real; however a special open cabinet for a standing player had been created for the movie, since the real game cabinet was an enclosed cockpit in which the player was seated.

The movie was novelized in a 1980 paperback, Midnight Madness, by Tom Wright (Ace, 1980) ISBN 0-441-52985-2

This was Michael J. Fox's first motion picture. He is credited as Michael Fox.


Release and reception


Midnight Madness was rated PG—only the second film from the Disney company to receive anything other than a "G" (the first was The Black Hole). Although produced by Disney, the company's name did not appear on the credits.[citation needed]

The film only experienced a limited release, and garnered bad reviews. Roger Ebert, in his review, expressed disappointment at the film, as he was a fan of the early work of Nankin and Wechter.[3] It ultimately grossed $2.9 million in the North American box office.

The film lost Disney a reported $4.5 million.[5]

After a 2001 DVD release from Anchor Bay Entertainment, Midnight Madness was re-released in 2004 by Disney DVD with the "Walt Disney Pictures Presents" logo—the first time that Disney has officially associated itself with the film.


Legacy


Midnight Madness has inspired many spin-offs and other Alternate Reality Games (ARG). Among some of the more popular recreations are:




See also


Films with similar plot elements:


References


  1. Midnight Madness at Box Office Mojo
  2. "Midnight Madness". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved April 25, 2016.
  3. Roger Ebert (March 5, 1980). "Midnight Madness". RogerEbert.com. Retrieved 2018-07-12.
  4. https://www.laconservancy.org/sites/default/files/files/issues/Johnies%20Coffee%20Shop%20Restaurant%20HCM%20NARRATIVE%20ONLY.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  5. EARL C. GOTTSCHALK JR. (23 June 1980). "Teen Formula Eludes Disney Movie-Makers". Wall Street Journal. p. 25.



На других языках


- [en] Midnight Madness (1980 film)

[ru] Полуночное безумие

«Полуночное безумие» (англ. Midnight Madness) — американский комедийный фильм 1980 года, поставленный режиссёрами Майклом Нанкином и Дэвидом Уэктером. По сюжету фильма студенты играют в ночную поисковую игру[2].



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