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Nighthawks
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Nighthawks (1981) More at IMDbPro »

Videos (see all 3)
Nighthawks (1981) -- A German terrorist holds the city of New York hostage and it's up to Deke DaSilva (Sylvester Stallone) to take him down.
Nighthawks (1981) -- 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.
Nighthawks (1981) -- Sinematurk - Trailer (Flash)

Overview

User Rating:
6.3/10   5,137 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
No change in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writers:
David Shaber (screenplay)
David Shaber (story) ...
(more)
Contact:
View company contact information for Night Hawks on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
4 April 1981 (USA) more
Genre:
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. more
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. full summary | full synopsis
User Comments:
Hauer steals the show more (87 total)

Cast

  (in credits order)

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:
Wendy Kamenoff ... Dancer

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)
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Directed by
Bruce Malmuth 
Gary Nelson (uncredited)
 
Writing credits
David Shaber (screenplay)

David Shaber (story) and
Paul Sylbert (story)

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 CompaniesDistributorsOther Companies
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Additional Details

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]
more
Runtime:
99 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
The 63rd St. tunnel, then under construction, was used in the underground chase sequence. more
Goofs:
Errors in geography: Near the start of the tramway situation, DaSilva boards an ATAC copter from a near the East River south of the Queensboro Bridge and the Roosevelt Island tram, at approximately 40th St. The copter is shown lifting off and beginning to head uptown (north) towards the bridge (also known as the "59th Street Bridge", which is north of 40th St.). The next cut is to a camera angle from inside the copter looking forward over DaSilva's shoulder, but the particular area of Roosevelt Island shown on his left is its *southern* end, suggesting that the copter is now coming *from* the north and is heading *south*. In the next cut, DaSilva says "go over the bridge", and the copter approaches it from the south, heading north again. more
Quotes:
Det. Sgt. Deke DaSilva: Why'd you kill the woman?
Reinhardt Heymar Wulfgar: I wanted to.
Det. Sgt. Deke DaSilva: So why don't you kill me?
Reinhardt Heymar Wulfgar: In due time.
more
Movie Connections:
Featured in Shooting the Police: Cops on Film (2006) (TV) more
Soundtrack:
Brown Sugar more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
13 out of 18 people found the following comment useful.
Hauer steals the show, 22 August 2004
8/10
Author: getmynannerup from North Carolina

Remember a day when Rutger Hauer starred in good movies that actually saw wide theatrical release? No. Hmmmm. Hauer is one of my favorite actors and stars in two of my top ten favorite movies (Blade Runner and The Osterman Weekend), so it's hard not to already be slightly biased about the movie. I remember first hearing about Nighthawks on the Headliners and Legends biography of Stallone and how it was not as well received as his Rocky and First Blood movies. For shame, because Nighthawks does manage to be a top notch thriller most of the time. I could go into the plot, but I believe in telling people what I liked and disliked instead of parroting the plot details like almost every other review. (See, a movie to me is more fun when I only know a little about the story, instead of the first hour or so, because someone felt that they had to readers digest the entire film.)

Anyway, now that I've ranted, I have to admit that I enjoyed it for the most part, with the exception of the initial pacing. It continues to drag in places towards the middle, and takes a little over an hour to set up the crucial players backgrounds. The only real problem is that every time the film stops to focus on DeSilva (Stallone) and Fox (Williams), it spends twice as much time focusing on Wulfgar. Wulfgar is certainly a well crafted maniac, but when the movie is over we know almost nothing about Fox and only a little about Dee DeSilva. Still, the movie does succeed in making you care about our two main characters, by thrusting them into danger and having them do what is morally right (i.e. Towards the beginning of the film the two are in a drug raid, and refuse to take bribes from the perps who had apparently already paid off the cops from the first raid on their operation.

They're good cops, and it's their good guy image that endears them). I guess it would have been nice also to see a little more of Stallones relation to what's her name. (sorry, I haven't seen this in a about a month now.) I was interested in the prospect of a hero who was torn between the relation with his ex (who he was trying to re-ignite the flame with), and his duty. But, alas, she was just a narrative device who the writers have decided is only important in the last 15 minutes or so.

With all these cons, why did I still like it? Sudden scenes of high impact, good cast and acting all around, a villain who wasn't just a cardboard cutout, and Stallone's bitchin' beard, and a wholly convincing scenario.

The bottom line: This film is more akin to The French Connection than it is to Rocky. Methodical and often stylish, NightHawks deserves to at least be rented and watched with an open mind.

8 Stars out of 10

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