Nighthawks (1981)

User Rating:

6.3/10   

Director:

Bruce Malmuth
(more)

Writers:

David Shaber (story) and
Paul Sylbert (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

4 April 1981 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Thriller

Tagline:

Wulfgar, an international terrorist holds the City of New York hostage, but Deke DaSilva, the most dangerous cop known to man, can take him down.

Plot:

Conservative street cop DaSilva reluctantly agrees to terminate an international terrorist who has demanded media attention. But DaSilva's "at-home" tactics are very much put to the challenge.

Plot Keywords:

New York | Decoy | Bomb | Anti Terrorism | Foreign Diplomat

Cast

Sylvester Stallone	...	Det. Sgt. Deke DaSilva
Billy Dee Williams	...	Det. Sgt. Matthew Fox
Lindsay Wagner	...	Irene
Persis Khambatta	...	Shakka Holland
Nigel Davenport	...	Peter Hartman
Rutger Hauer	...	Wulfgar
Hilary Thompson	...	Pam (as Hilarie Thompson)
Joe Spinell	...	Lt. Munafo
Walter Mathews	...	Commissioner
E. Brian Dean	...	Sergeant
Caesar Cordova	...	Puerto Rican Proprietor
Charles Duval	...	Dr. Ghiselin
Tony Munafo	...	Big Mike
Howard Stein	...	Disco Manager
Tawn Christian	...	Disco Hostess
Jamie Gillis	...	Designer
Luke Reilly	...	Conductor
Yvette Hawkins	...	Mrs. Ntembwe
Einar Perry Scott	...	Mr. Sostrom
Erle Bjornstad	...	Mrs. Sostrom
Jacques Roux	...	French Ambassador
Clebert Ford	...	Nigerian Ambassador
Avind Harum	...	Swedish Ambassador (as Eivind Harum)
Obaka Adedunyo	...	Mr. Ntembwe
Corine Lorain	...	Suzanne Marigny
Jean-Pierre Stewart	...	Rene Marigny
Thomas Rosales Jr.	...	Ripper (as Thomas Rosales)
John Shamsul Alam	...	Ripper
José Angel Santana	...	Ripper (as José Santana)
Patrick Fox	...	Reporter
John Cianfrone	...	Mugger
Tim Marquart	...	Mugger
Tony Maffatone	...	Mugger
Tom Degidon	...	Immigration Officer
Rita Tellone	...	Brunette
Al Cerullo	...	Helicopter Pilot (as Al Cerullo Jr.)
Karl A. Wickman	...	Helicopter Pilot (as Karl Wickman)
Cliff Cudney	...	ATAC Man
Randy Francklan	...	ATAC Man
Joe Dabenigno	...	ATAC Man
Roger Caine	...	ATAC Man (as Al Levitsky)
Steve Dash	...	ATAC Man (as Steve Daskawisz)
Richard Noyce	...	ATAC Man
John Devaney	...	ATAC Man
Dar Robinson	...	ATAC Man
Paul Farentino	...	ATAC Man
Judee Wales	...	ATAC Man
Edward Fox	...	ATAC Man
Luke Walter	...	ATAC Man
Zoya Leporska	...	Subway Hostage
Brian Osborne	...	Orchard - London
Robert Pugh	...	Kenna - London
Catherine Mary Stewart	...	Salesgirl - London
Frederick Treves	...	Chief Police Inspector - London
Sue Vanner	...	Screaming Girl at Party - London (as Susan Vanner)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Tieg Thomas	...	Disco Dancer (as Miestorm)
Maria Baan	...	Hostage (uncredited)
Jim Beaver	...	Subway Passenger (uncredited)
Jellybean Benítez	...	DJ at Xenon (uncredited)
Jerry Schram	...	Club Dancer (uncredited)

Directed by
Bruce Malmuth
Gary Nelson		(uncredited)

Writing credits
David Shaber		(story) and
Paul Sylbert		(story)
David Shaber		(screenplay)

Produced by
Bill Badalato	....	line producer
Franklin R. Levy	....	executive producer
Herb Nanas	....	producer
Martin Poll	....	producer
Kathryn Stellmack	....	associate producer
Mike Wise	....	executive producer (as Michael Wise)

Original Music by
Keith Emerson

Cinematography by
James A. Contner		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Stanford C. Allen
Christopher Holmes

Casting by
Cis Corman

Production Design by
Peter S. Larkin		(as Peter Larkin)

Set Decoration by
Frederic C. Weiler

Costume Design by
Robert De Mora		(as Bob DeMora)
John Falabella

Makeup Department
Fern Buchner	....	makeup artist
Romaine Greene	....	hair stylist (as Romaine Green)
Dick Smith	....	special makeup effects artist

Production Management
Bill Badalato	....	production manager
Terry Lens	....	production manager: London
Serge Touboul	....	production manager: Paris
Susan Zwerman	....	assistant unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
William J. Cassidy	....	second unit director (as Bill Cassidy)
Robert V. Girolami	....	first assistant director (as Robert Girolami)
Joseph P. Reidy	....	second assistant director
Duncan Scott	....	second second assistant director

Art Department
Richard T. Allen	....	construction coordinator
Joseph Zackiewicz	....	scenic artist

Sound Department
Bub Asman	....	sound effects editor
Fred J. Brown	....	supervising sound editor
Les Lazarowitz	....	sound mixer
Tod A. Maitland	....	boom operator (as Todd Maitland)
Mel Metcalfe	....	sound re-recording mixer
Robert Sciretta	....	sound recordist (as Bob Sciretta)
Michele Sharp	....	sound effects editor
Richard Tyler	....	sound re-recording mixer
Ray West	....	sound re-recording mixer
Caryl Wickman	....	loop dialogue editor

Special Effects by
Nick Allder	....	special effects: London
Edward Drohan	....	special effects
Walter Tatro	....	special effects

Stunts
Dar Robinson	....	stunt coordinator
Victoria Vanderkloot	....	stunt performer
Cliff Cudney	....	stunts (uncredited)
Tony Farentino	....	stunts (uncredited)
Zoya Leporska	....	stunts (uncredited)
Tony Maffatone	....	stunts (uncredited)
Dar Robinson	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Enrique Bravo	....	camera operator (as Ricky Bravo)
Gene Engels	....	gaffer
Gary Muller	....	assistant camera
Hank Muller	....	assistant camera
Peter Norman	....	camera operator: second unit
Ed Quinn	....	key grip (as Edward Quinn)
Josh Weiner	....	still photographer
Robert Willoughby	....	special still photographer

Casting Department
Louis DiGiaimo	....	additional casting (as Lou Digiamo)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Marilyn Bishop	....	wardrobe: women
Tom Bronson	....	wardrobe: men
William A. Campbell	....	wardrobe: men (as Bill Campbell)
Danajean Cicerchi	....	wardrobe: women

Editorial Department
Darren T. Holmes	....	assistant film editor (as Darren Holmes)
Virginia Katz	....	assistant film editor

Music Department
Harry Betts	....	music arranger
Kenneth Hall	....	music editor
Godfrey Salmon	....	conductor

Transportation Department
Michael Fennell	....	transportation captain (as Mickey Fennell)

Other crew
Charlie Alfano	....	technical advisor: NYPD
Bruce Bahrenburg	....	unit publicist
Fred Baron	....	production assistant
Russell L. Bintliff	....	technical advisor
Nick Chiarolanzio	....	location auditor
Celia D. Costas	....	production assistant (as Celia Costas)
Jane Nerlinger Evans	....	assistant production associate (as Jane Nerlinger)
Jerry Jaffe	....	production assistant
Florence Nerlinger	....	production associate
Gladys Poll	....	assistant to producer
Karen Standard	....	assistant to producer
Barbara Stoia	....	script supervisor

Production Companies

• Universal Pictures
• Martin Poll Productions
• The Production Company

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1981) (USA) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1983) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• C.I.C. (1981) (Norway) (theatrical)
• GoodTimes Home Video (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (1992) (USA) (VHS)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (1996) (USA) (VHS)
• Universal Pictures Benelux (2003) (Netherlands) (DVD) (VHS)
• Universal Studios Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Backstreet Records  soundtrack released by
• Glen Glenn Sound  sound (as Glen Glenn Sound Company)
• R/Greenberg Associates  main and end titles (as R. Greenberg Associates Inc., New York City)

Also Known As:

Night Hawks (USA)
Les faucons de la nuit (Canada: French title) (France) [fr]
Nachtfalken (Austria) (West Germany) [de]
El chacal (Venezuela) [es]
Gece sahini (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
Ghamis qorebi (Georgia) [ka]
Halcones de la noche (Argentina) [es]
I falchi della notte (Italy) [it]
Kadun haukat (Finland) [fi]
Los halcones de la noche (Spain) [es]
Nocny jastrzab (Poland) [pl]
Os Falcões da Noite (Brazil) [pt]
Ta gerakia (Greece) [el]

Runtime:

99 min

Country:

USA

Language:

French | German | English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Canada:R (Nova Scotia) | USA:R (certificate #26087) | Iceland:16 | Ireland:15 | West Germany:16 | Australia:R | South Korea:18 | Philippines:R-18 | Canada:18 (Nova Scotia) | Finland:K-18 | Norway:16 (1981) | Sweden:15 | UK:18

Filming Locations:

174th Street IRT Subway Station, 900 East 174th Street, Bronx, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

As of 2009, the only Stallone film to involve an Arabic terrorist. Although he has a reputation for jingoism, Stallone's films have rarely shown Arabs in a negative light.

Goofs:

Continuity: The train is correctly marked as a B train as Deke and Fox chase it down the platform. When Deke prepares to kick out the window, the route sign directly above him is displaying an S.

Quotes:

Immigration Officer: Are you here for business or pleasure?
Reinhardt Heymar Wulfgar: Pleasure, I hope.
Immigration Officer: Welcome to New York.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Shooting the Police: Cops on Film (2006) (TV)

Soundtrack:

I'm a Man

One of the most underrated films...

This is one of the best action movies out there, even to this day. It's a must see especially for Stallone fans. If he chose more of this type of movie, he would be much more respected in Hollywood. Rutger Hauer is awesome as Wulfgar, the international terrorist. All performances are notable, Billy Dee Williams/Sylvester Stallone pairing works well. Stallone really is a great actor, given the right material, and this one certainly provides it. It's a shame he sold out with the "Rocky" sequels.