Stand by Me (1986)

Director:

Rob Reiner

Writers:

Stephen King (novel)
Raynold Gideon (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

8 August 1986 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Drama

Tagline:

For some, it's the last real taste of innocence, and the first real taste of life. But for everyone, it's the time that memories are made of.

Plot:

After the death of a friend, a writer recounts a boyhood journey to find a body of a missing boy

Plot Keywords:

Friend | Writer | Dead Body | Brother | Teenager

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 3 wins & 9 nominations

Cast

Wil Wheaton	...	Gordie Lachance
River Phoenix	...	Chris Chambers
Corey Feldman	...	Teddy Duchamp
Jerry O'Connell	...	Vern Tessio
Kiefer Sutherland	...	Ace Merrill
Casey Siemaszko	...	Billy Tessio
Gary Riley	...	Charlie Hogan
Bradley Gregg	...	Eyeball Chambers
Jason Oliver	...	Vince Desjardins
Marshall Bell	...	Mr. Lachance
Frances Lee McCain	...	Mrs. Lachance
Bruce Kirby	...	Mr. Quidacioluo
William Bronder	...	Milo Pressman
Scott Beach	...	Mayor Grundy
Richard Dreyfuss	...	The Writer
John Cusack	...	Denny Lachance
Madeleine Swift	...	Waitress
Popeye	...	Chopper
Geanette Bobst	...	Mayor's Wife
Art Burke	...	Principal Wiggins
Matt Williams	...	Bob Cormier
Andy Lindberg	...	Lardass Hogan
Dick Durock	...	Bill Travis
O.B. Babbs	...	Lardass Heckler #1
Charlie Owens	...	Lardass Heckler #2
Kenneth Hodges	...	Donelley Twin
John Hodges	...	Donelley Twin
Susan Thorpe	...	Fat Lady
Korey Scott Pollard	...	Moke
Rick Elliott	...	Jack Mudgett
Kent W. Luttrell	...	Ray Brower (as Kent Lutrell)
Chance Quinn	...	Gordon's Son
Jason Naylor	...	His Friend

Directed by
Rob Reiner

Writing credits
Stephen King		(novella "The Body")
Raynold Gideon		(screenplay) &
Bruce A. Evans		(screenplay)

Produced by
Bruce A. Evans	....	producer
Raynold Gideon	....	producer
Andrew Scheinman	....	producer

Original Music by
Jack Nitzsche

Cinematography by
Thomas Del Ruth

Film Editing by
Robert Leighton

Casting by
Janet Hirshenson
Jane Jenkins

Production Design by
J. Dennis Washington		(as Dennis Washington)

Set Decoration by
Richard D. Kent

Makeup Department
Cheri Ruff	....	hair stylist
Monty Westmore	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Steve Nicolaides	....	production manager
Jeffrey Stott	....	production supervisor (as Jeff Stott)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jim Behnke	....	second assistant director
Carol D. Bonnefil	....	additional second assistant director (as Carol Bonnefil)
Irby Smith	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Dave Brown	....	construction coordinator (as David Brown)
Richard L. Cowitt	....	assistant props (as Richard Cowitt)
Toni Devereaux	....	signwriter
Russell Goble	....	property master
Michael Hawthorne	....	painter
Darrell Huntsman	....	greensman
Michael Kohan	....	swing gang
Norm Lewis	....	swing gang
Richard McKenzie	....	set designer
Brenda Meyers-Ballard	....	lead woman
Erica Miller	....	swing gang
Jim Ondrejko	....	construction foreman (as James Ondrejko)
David Sherman	....	stand-by painter

Sound Department
Terry Lynn Allen	....	sound editor (as Terry Allen)
Lorna Anderson	....	sound editor
Douglas B. Arnold	....	boom operator (as Doug Arnold)
Rick Ash	....	foley artist
Lon Bender	....	supervising sound editor (as Lon E. Bender)
David E. Campbell	....	sound re-recording mixer
Robert Eber	....	sound mixer (as Bob Eber)
Joe Gilbert	....	assistant sound editor
Stan Gilbert	....	adr editor (as Stanley Gilbert)
Randy Kelley	....	sound editor
Dan O'Connell	....	foley artist (as J. Dan O'Connell)
John T. Reitz	....	sound re-recording mixer
Dan M. Rich	....	sound editor (as Dan Rich)
Gregg Rudloff	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Greg Rudloff)
Sean Rush	....	cable person
Wylie Stateman	....	supervising sound editor
Alicia Stevenson	....	foley artist (as Alicia M. Stevenson)
Amy Vincent	....	assistant sound editor
Dan M. Rich	....	sound re-recording mixer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Henry Millar	....	special effects
Rick Thompson	....	special effects (as Richard L. Thompson)

Visual Effects by
Ken Marschall	....	matte artist
Tim Donahue	....	visual effects art director: Introvision (uncredited)
Jon Macht	....	visual effects editor (uncredited)
William Mesa	....	visual effects supervisor (uncredited)
David Stump	....	effects director of photography (uncredited)
Marcus Tate	....	visual effects cameraman (uncredited)

Stunts
Rick Barker	....	stunt coordinator
Rick Barker	....	stunts
Jerry Brutsche	....	stunts
Jack Carpenter	....	stunts
Brian R. Carson	....	stunts (as Brian Carson)
Doc D. Charbonneau	....	stunts (as Doc Charbonneau)
Gary Cox	....	stunts
Harvey Keith	....	stunts
Sherry Peterson	....	stunts
Richard Seaman	....	stunts
Monty L. Simons	....	stunts (as Monty Simmons)
John Walker	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Bruce Birmelin	....	still photographer
Danny Buck	....	gaffer
Jeff Butters	....	best boy gaffer
Craig Denault	....	camera operator
Romeo De Santis Jr.	....	electrician
David Fay	....	key grip
Buzz Feitshans IV	....	assistant camera
Sherman Fulton	....	electrician
Antonio V. Garrido	....	grip (as Tony Garrido)
Jack Glenn	....	grip
Jerry Glenn	....	electrician
Christopher Ishii	....	assistant camera
Gary B. Kibbe	....	camera operator
Gerald A. King	....	best boy grip (as Jerry King)
Jon L. Kunkel	....	assistant camera
David L. Merrill	....	dolly grip (as David Merrill)
Michael G. Riba	....	assistant camera (as Michael Riba)
Greg Rundo	....	grip
P.J. Sherman	....	grip
Ronald Vidor	....	panaglide operator

Casting Department
Michael Hirshenson	....	casting associate
Katherine Wilson	....	extras casting: Eugene

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Thomas Costich	....	wardrobe (as Tom Costich)
Sue Moore	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
Mallory Gottlieb	....	assistant editor
Terry Haggar	....	color timer
Cathy Rosenstein	....	post-production coordinator
Adam Weiss	....	assistant editor
Lisa Morlas	....	assistant film editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Brian Banks	....	music programmer
Brian Banks	....	musician
Jeff Carson	....	music editor
Mark Curry	....	music recording engineer
Anthony Marinelli	....	music programmer
Anthony Marinelli	....	musician
Celest Ray	....	music supervisor

Transportation Department
Helen Mercier	....	transportation co-captain
Rick Mercier	....	transportation captain
Tim Roslan	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Tom Ajar	....	projectionist
Jerry Atwood	....	projectionist
Peter Benoit	....	unit publicist
Faye Brenner	....	script supervisor
Mark Cooper	....	production assistant
Leslie Cornyn	....	post-production accountant
Tim Danforth	....	production assistant
Tomalene Evans	....	production secretary
Ernie Fuentes	....	first aid
Elizabeth Galloway	....	production coordinator
Rick George	....	craft service
Spencer Howard	....	production assistant
Janet Julian	....	production secretary
K. Lenna Katich	....	production accountant
Elizabeth Latshaw	....	production assistant
Mitch Marcus	....	assistant: Mr. Nicolaides
Steve Mason	....	caterer
Toni E. Mercier	....	assistant production accountant
Karl Lewis Miller	....	dog trainer
James R. Powell	....	production assistant
Jay Smith	....	production assistant
Kimberly Smith	....	production assistant
Madeleine Swift	....	personal assistant: Mr. Reiner
Pam Trzaska	....	first aid
Ron Welch	....	caterer
Ken Young	....	caterer

Production Companies

• Act III (as An Act III Productions Presentation)
• Act III Communications
• Columbia Pictures Corporation (presents) (as Columbia Pictures)
• The Body

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures (1986) (USA) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1988) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Columbia TriStar Films de Argentina (2000) (Argentina) (all media) (re-release)
• Columbia TriStar (Brazil) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar (Brazil) (VHS)
• LK-TEL (19??) (Argentina) (VHS)
• LK-TEL (2000) (Argentina) (DVD)
• LK-TEL (2000) (Argentina) (VHS) (re-release)
• RCA Home Video (video)

Special Effects

• Introvision International (special photo effects) (as Introvision Systems)

Other Companies

• Atlantic Records and Cassettes  original soundtrack album available on
• Compact Sound Services  re-recording at
• D. Bassett & Associates  negative cutting (as D. Bassett and Associates)
• DeLuxe Laboratories  prints by (as de luxe)
• Gooseline Railroad of Cottage Grove, Oregon, The  thanks
• Matte Effects  matte paintings
• McCloud River Railroad  thanks
• Pacific Title  titles and opticals
• People of Brownsville, Oregon  thanks
• Segue Music  music editing
• The Room  music recorded at (as The Room, Hollywood, Ca.)

Also Known As:

The Body (USA) (working title)
Cuenta conmigo (Argentina) (Peru) (Spain) [es]
Compte sur moi (Belgium: French title) (Canada: French title) [fr]
Conta Comigo (Brazil) (Portugal) [pt]
Állj ki mellettem! (Hungary) (TV title) [hu]
Állj mellém! (Hungary) (video title) [hu]
Anni V'Ha-Hevre (Israel: Hebrew title) [iw]
Ostani uz mene (Croatia) [hr]
Sammenhold (Denmark) [da]
Stand by Me - Das Geheimnis eines Sommers (West Germany) [de]
Stand by me - Compte sur moi (France) [fr]
Stand by me - Ricordo di un'estate (Italy) [it]
Stand by me - viimeinen kesä (Finland) [fi]
Stuj pri mne (Czech Republic) [cs]
Venner for livet (Norway) [no]

Runtime:

89 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Brazil:Livre | Iceland:L | Canada:G (Quebec) | South Korea:15 | France:U | Peru:PT | Argentina:Atp | Australia:M | Chile:TE | Finland:K-12 | Netherlands:AL | Norway:12 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:NC-16 | Sweden:11 | UK:15 | USA:R (certificate #28071) | West Germany:6 | Canada:PG

Filming Locations:

Brownsville, Oregon, USA

Company:

Act III

Trivia:

Wil Wheaton's grandfather starred in "Wagon Train" (1957), so Wil's grandmother asked that Wagon Train somehow be worked into the dialogue, and it was.

Goofs:

Incorrectly regarded as goofs: The narrator does not save his work before appearing to shut off his word processor, but that's okay, because in fact he only switches off the monitor, leaving the machine running and his work intact. Also, the shot of the narrator writing has him seated at his desk; when he turns off the word processor, he is standing, studying his work. It is reasonable to presume that a brief moment went by between the shots, and he could easily have saved the work then.

Quotes:

[first lines]
The Writer: [voiceover] I was 12 going on 13 the first time I saw a dead human being. It happened in the summer of 1959-a long time ago, but only if you measure in terms of years. I was living in a small town in Oregon called Castle Rock. There were only twelve hundred and eighty-one people. But to me, it was the whole world.

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in "Clerks: The Clipshow Wherein Dante and Randal Are Locked in the Freezer and Remember Some of the Great Moments in Their Lives (#1.2)" (2000)

Soundtrack:

The Ballad of Paladin

It isn't possible to make a better film.

Perhaps this is a personal bias because I had friends like this when I was 12, but having said that this is one of the best films I have ever seen and it hits every chord perfectly.

There were four of us that were friends and we were known as the Stand By Me Crew. Mike, Gary, Andy and myself were inseparable. And as this film prophesizes correctly, the group has since split up and now I am only good friends with one of them. This movie makes you remember what it was like to have friends when you were 12 and it makes you glad that they were there when they were.

The story involves these four kids going on a weekend hike to find a dead kid that apparently got hit by a train. Now if that is all the movie was about, it would probably be pretty boring. But this film explores the fears and anxieties of what it was like to be 12 again. Twelve year olds deal with a plethora of issues and it is not often that adults listen to what kids have to say or see what they deal with. But this film is honest about it's assessment of how they feel.

The four boys are played brilliantly by Wil Wheaton, Jerry O'Connell

Coosh from Jerry Maguire ), Corey Feldman and River Phoenix. The story moves along and hits a nerve because of the life that these four actors brings to their characters. There is a real sense of comrarderie between the four of them. But ultimately it is Phoenix that brings the most life to his character and I would say that the milk money scene with him and Gordie (Wheaton) is one of the more touching and poignant scenes ever filmed.

What Stand By Me does is brings you back to a time when friendship was more pure and innocent and meant more. You can't help but get caught up in the nostalgia. Perhaps this film means more to me for personal reasons ( as I've already stated ) but it is a wonderful film and it should be enjoyed by everyone.

The last line of the movie is so true. Do we really ever have friends as good as the ones when we were twelve? I doubt it.