Gorky Park (1983)

Director:

Michael Apted

Writers:

Martin Cruz Smith (novel)
Dennis Potter (writer)

Release Date:

12 January 1984 (Australia)

Genre:

Drama | Thriller | Crime

Tagline:

It all began with three faceless bodies in the snow ...

Plot:

An investigator on the Moscow police force relentlessly pursues the solution to a triple homicide which occurred in Moscow's Gorky Park...

Plot Keywords:

Conspiracy | Nudity | Place Name In Title | Reform | Skating

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

William Hurt	...	Arkady Renko
Lee Marvin	...	Jack Osborne
Brian Dennehy	...	William Kirwill
Ian Bannen	...	Iamskoy
Joanna Pacula	...	Irina Asanova
Michael Elphick	...	Pasha
Richard Griffiths	...	Anton
Rikki Fulton	...	Maj. Pribluda
Alexander Knox	...	General
Alexei Sayle	...	Golodkin
Ian McDiarmid	...	Prof. Andreev
Niall O'Brien	...	KGB Agent Rurik
Henry Woolf	...	Levin
Tusse Silberg	...	Natasha
Patrick Field	...	Fet
Jukka Hirvikangas	...	James Kirwill
Marjatta Nissinen	...	Valerya Davidova
Heikki Leppänen	...	Kostia Borodin (as Heiki Leppanen)
Lauri Törhönen	...	Director (as Lauri Torhonen)
Elsa Salamas	...	Babushka (as Elsa Salamaa)
Anatoli Davydov	...	KGB Agent Nicky (as Anatoly Davydov)
Lasse Lindberg	...	Shadower
Jussi Parviainen	...	Shadower (as Jussi Parvianen)

Directed by
Michael Apted

Writing credits
Martin Cruz Smith		(novel)
Dennis Potter		(writer)

Produced by
Efrem Harkham	....	associate producer
Uri Harkham	....	associate producer
Gene Kirkwood	....	producer
Hawk Koch	....	producer (as Howard W. Koch Jr.)
Robert E. Larson	....	executive producer (as Bob Larson)

Original Music by
James Horner

Cinematography by
Ralf D. Bode

Film Editing by
Dennis Virkler

Casting by
Mary Selway

Production Design by
Paul Sylbert

Set Decoration by
Michael Seirton

Costume Design by
Richard Bruno

Makeup Department
Alan Boyle	....	makeup artist
Tricia Cameron	....	key hair stylist
Carl Fullerton	....	makeup artist: cadavers
Eija-Leena Lehmuskallio	....	makeup assistant
Ken Lintott	....	makeup artist
Neal Martz	....	assistant makeup artist: cadavers

Production Management
Juhani Jotuni	....	unit manager
Redmond Morris	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Anders Hedin	....	second assistant director
Pirjo Hokkanen	....	third assistant director
Dan Kolsrud	....	first assistant director
Lauri Törhönen	....	second assistant director (as Lauri Torhonen)
Henrik von Sydow	....	third assistant director
Peter Waller	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Lee Apsey	....	construction manager
Barry Arnold	....	stand-by props
Michael L. Benson	....	props (as Lee Benson)
Fredrika Berghult	....	props
Jack Carter	....	construction manager
Sean Casey	....	drapery
Peter Childs	....	assistant art director
John Cope	....	stand-by stagehand
Derek Dackombe	....	stand-by painter
Jeanette D'Ambrosio-Sylbert	....	design coordinator (as Jeanette D'Ambrosio)
Bob Douglas	....	props
Jim Erikson	....	set dressing buyer
Kjell Eriksson	....	set designer assistant
Brian Gamby	....	stand-by props (as Brian Camby)
Brian Humphrey	....	property master
Pertti Kuusela	....	stand-by props
Lars Logårdh	....	stand-by props
Lari Lunkka	....	props
Gordon Phillips	....	props
David Reilly	....	stand-by props (as Dave Reilly)
Dennis Simmonds	....	props
Vesa Tapola	....	assistant art director
David Williamson	....	stand-by carpenter

Sound Department
David Elliott	....	sound editor
Taffy Haines	....	sound maintenance
Michael Hilkene	....	supervising sound editor
Fred Judkins	....	sound editor
Simon Kaye	....	sound mixer
John Kline	....	sound editor
Rick Kline	....	sound re-recording mixer
Robert J. Litt	....	sound re-recording mixer
David Sutton	....	boom operator
Clive Taylor	....	sound recordist
Rusty Tinsley	....	sound editor (as Russ Tinsley)
Elliot Tyson	....	sound re-recording mixer
Christopher T. Welch	....	sound editor

Special Effects by
Candy Flanagin	....	special effects (as Candy Flannagan)
Paul Stewart	....	special effects
Alan Whibley	....	special effects

Stunts
David R. Ellis	....	stunt coordinator (as David Ellis)
Eddie Stacey	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Frank Batt	....	camera grip
Ulf Björck	....	electrician (as Ulf Björk)
John J. Campbell	....	focus puller (as John Campbell)
Frank Connor	....	still photographer
James Crockett	....	stand-by rigger
Martin Evans	....	gaffer
Alan Grosch	....	electrician
Jari Heino	....	electrician
Kari Kekkonen	....	electrician
Ted Lindahl	....	electrician (as Teld Lindahl)
Peter MacDonald	....	camera operator
Ray Meehan	....	best boy
David Morani	....	electrician
Eamonn O'Keeffe	....	clapper loader
George Parish	....	electrician
Brian Sullivan	....	electrician
Alan Williams	....	electrician

Casting Department
Katri Ruotsalainen	....	crowd casting
Bonnie Timmermann	....	casting: New York

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Marjatta Nissinen	....	wardrobe assistant
Patrick Sharkey	....	wardrobe assistant (as Paddy Sharkey)
Juha Tuura	....	wardrobe assistant
Sue Wain	....	costume supervisor
Pat Williamson	....	wardrobe assistant

Editorial Department
Peter Lonsdale	....	assistant film editor
Mary McGlone	....	assistant editor

Music Department
George Brand	....	music editor
James Horner	....	conductor
Greig McRitchie	....	orchestrator
Dan Wallin	....	score mixer

Transportation Department
Dave Bruyea	....	driver
Bob Freeman	....	driver
Timo Nasman	....	picture car coordinator
Nick Perry	....	driver
Tero Porlamo	....	unit transport manager

Other crew
Howard Brandy	....	press agent
Anneli Brummer	....	accounting assistant
Bradley Clayton	....	production associate
Cathy J. Colby-Grauer	....	reconstruction assistant (as Cathy Colby Grauer)
Anatoli Davydov	....	technical advisor
Lotti Fodge	....	production runner
Andrea Fontaine	....	secretary: Mr. Apted
Jim Franklyn	....	production accountant
Rafael García	....	caterer (as Rafael Garcia)
Alan Grabelsky	....	location manager
Heli Hänninan	....	accounting assistant
Mary Holdsworth	....	script supervisor
Ellen Kolsrud	....	accounting assistant
Tusse Lande	....	secretary to producers (as Tusse Nilsson)
Toivo Lehmusvirta	....	assistant location manager (as Toiva Lehmusvirta)
Heidi Nyberg	....	secretary to producers
Michelle Papier	....	assistant: Mr. Koch & Mr. Kirkwood
Asko Partanen	....	assistant location manager
Ann Pollack	....	assistant: Mr. Apted
Jennie Raglan	....	production assistant
Barry Rosenbush	....	production associate
Susanne Ruben	....	assistant location manager
Howard R. Schuster	....	financial services
Guy Travers	....	assistant location manager
Dena Vincent	....	secretary to producers
Fred Wallach	....	controller

Thanks
Eric Ahlstrand	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Eagle Associates

Distributors

• Orion Filmproduktion (1983) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Orion Pictures Corporation (1983) (USA) (theatrical)
• Stockholm Film (1984) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Flashstar Home Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (DVD)
• Roadshow Home Video (Australia) (VHS)
• VCL Communications (Germany) (video)

Other Companies

• Bad Sign  group cast members
• Black Pearls  group cast members
• Costumi d'Arte Peruzzi  uniforms (as Peruzzi)
• DeLuxe Laboratories  prints (as DeLuxe)
• Echo Film Services  sound editing
• Eoin Sprott Studio  reconstruction
• Finnair  thanks
• Joe Dunton & Company  camera equipment provided by (as Joe Dutton)
• Lee Lighting  grip and lighting equipment
• Movie Magic  titles and opticals
• Technicolor  processing (as Technicolor London)

Also Known As:

Gorky Park (Austria) (West Germany) [de]
Brottsplats: Gorkij parken (Sweden) [sv]
Eglima sto Gorky Park (Greece) [el]
El parque Gorky (Colombia) (cable TV title) [es]
Gorkij park (Hungary) [hu]
Gorkin puisto (Finland) [fi]
Mistério no Parque Gorky (Brazil) [pt]
Mordene i Gorkijparken (Norway) [no]
Moskova'da cinayet (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
O Mistério de Gorky Park (Portugal) [pt]
Park Gorki (Serbia) [sr]
Park Gorkiego (Poland) [pl]

Runtime:

128 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Canada:14+ (Ontario) | Netherlands:12 | West Germany:16 (f) | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Gamla Stan, Stockholm, Stockholms län, Sweden

Company:

Eagle Associates

Trivia:

The Irish Coffee Bar where Renko and the others discuss brandy and creme de menthe no longer exists but the Sheraton of course still stands at Tegelbacken.

Goofs:

Factual errors: When Arkady's car stalls on the bridge on the way back to Moscow, the wipers are still running. As Arkady repeatedly tries to re-start the car, we see the wipers still running at full speed. In real life, each time he tried to restart the car, the wipers would slow from the drain of battery power away from the wipers to the starter motor.

Quotes:

Golodkin: Girls like screwing foreigners, don't they? It's almost as good as travel.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: Pod People (#4.3)" (1991)

Soundtrack:

It's So Easy

Suspenseful '80s Cold War Thriller

This is not a great film, but it is an interesting time capsule. "Gorky Park" is based on Martin Cruz Smith's popular book of the same name. I have always liked the movie, but now I realize how well the film captures the Reagan Era. In actuality, back in 1983, it was very shocking (and daring) to see a mainstream American film that took place behind the doors of the 'evil empire' (aka Russia), where the hero is a 'ruskie' (William Hurt) and the main baddie is an American (Lee Marvin). Modern audiences are bound to miss the controversial air surrounding the film, but I think that the story's twists and turns will keep viewers entertained. Hurt is one of my (1980s) favorite actors (I see him as a modern version of Gregory Peck), and he is excellent in one of his few ethnic roles. However, the best thing about the film is actor Marvin in one of his last roles - he is a deliciously evil villain. James Horner's score is appropriately creepy (if a bit derivative) and kudos to the production designer who managed to convince this viewer that the film was actually filmed in Russia. Very entertaining production.