Point Break (1991)

Director:

Kathryn Bigelow

Writers (WGA):

Rick King (story) &
W. Peter Iliff (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

12 July 1991 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Crime | Drama | Sport | Thriller

Tagline:

100% Pure Adrenaline.

Plot:

An FBI agent goes undercover to catch a gang of bank robbers who may be surfers.

Plot Keywords:

Surfer | Undercover | FBI | Mask | Beach

Awards:

1 win & 2 nominations

Cast

Patrick Swayze	...	Bodhi
Keanu Reeves	...	Johnny Utah
Gary Busey	...	Pappas
Lori Petty	...	Tyler
John C. McGinley	...	Ben Harp (also as John McGinley)
James LeGros	...	Roach (as James Le Gros)
John Philbin	...	Nathanial
Bojesse Christopher	...	Grommet
Julian Reyes	...	Alvarez
Daniel Beer	...	Babbit
Chris Pedersen	...	Bunker
Vincent Klyn	...	Warchild
Anthony Kiedis	...	Tone
Dave Olson	...	Archbold
Lee Tergesen	...	Rosie
Sydney Walsh	...	Miss Deer
Christopher Pettiet	...	15
Dino Andino	...	Psycho-Stick
Michael Kopelow	...	Passion for Slashin
Matt Archbold	...	Surf Rat
Julie Michaels	...	Freight Train
Kimberly Martin	...	Fiberglass
Mike Genovese	...	Corey
Jack Kehler	...	Halsey
Galyn Görg	...	Margarita (as Galyn Gorg)
Raymond Forchion	...	Neighbor
Betsy Lynn George	...	Girl at Party
Shannon Brook	...	Fast Food Girl
Gloria Mann	...	Fierce Woman
Ping Wu	...	Dispatcher
Jared Chandler	...	Pilot
John Apicella	...	Security Guard
Richard Grove	...	Cullen
Anthony Mangano	...	Off Duty Cop
Deborah Lemen	...	Miss Jennings
Mick Regan	...	Mr. Duggan
Randy Walker	...	Combat Alley Supervisor
Marsha L. Carter	...	FBI Receptionist
Sedrick J. Azurdia	...	Fruit Vendor
Peter Phelps	...	Australian Surfer
Gary Roberts	...	Australian Cop #1
Owen Rutledge	...	Australian Cop #2
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Mark Atienza	...	Stoned Surfer (uncredited)
Bret Culpepper	...	Irate Driver (uncredited)
Rich Hopkins	...	Surfer (uncredited)
Debra Lamb	...	Flame Blower at Party (uncredited)
Rana Morrison	...	Surfer Chic (uncredited)
Tom Sizemore	...	DEA Agent Deets (uncredited)
Curt Truman	...	Bank Teller (uncredited)

Directed by
Kathryn Bigelow

Writing credits (WGA)
Rick King		(story) &
W. Peter Iliff		(story)
W. Peter Iliff		(screenplay)

Produced by
Peter Abrams	....	producer
James Cameron	....	executive producer
Rick King	....	co-producer
Robert L. Levy	....	producer
Michael Rauch	....	co-producer

Original Music by
Mark Isham

Cinematography by
Donald Peterman		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Howard E. Smith		(as Howard Smith)

Casting by
Sharon Bialy
Richard Pagano

Production Design by
Peter Jamison

Art Direction by
Pamela Marcotte
John Huke		(uncredited)

Set Decoration by
Linda Spheeris

Makeup Department
Paul Abascal	....	hair stylist
Wes Dawn	....	makeup artist
Dino Ganziano	....	additional hair stylist
Greg LaCava	....	makeup artist (as Greg La Cava)
Bunny Parker	....	hair stylist: aerial unit (as Bunny Parker-Adamson)
Don Sheldon	....	hair stylist: second unit

Production Management
Burt Bluestein	....	production manager
Gary Daigler	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
James M. Freitag	....	first assistant director: second unit (as James F. Freitag)
Herb Gains	....	first assistant director
Hilbert Hakim	....	second second assistant director
Jerri Lucas	....	dga trainee
Carla McCloskey	....	first assistant director: aerial unit
Chitra F. Mojtabai	....	second assistant director
Glen Sanford	....	second assistant director: second unit (as Glenn Sanford)
Jason Saville	....	dga trainee
Glenn R. Wilder	....	second unit director (as Glenn Wilder)

Art Department
Randy Brewer	....	swing gang (as John 'Randy' Brewer)
Ed Brown	....	lead man
Edmond Brown	....	leadman (as Edmond H. Brown)
Gary Cole	....	swing gang
Peter Etnoyer	....	art department coordinator
Richard Girod Jr.	....	stand-by painter (as Richard L. Girod Jr.)
Ann Harris	....	set designer
David E. Harshbarger	....	props
Karen Higgins	....	general foreman (as Karen D. Higgins)
Michael P. Hunter	....	property assistant
Stacey S. McIntosh	....	construction coordinator (as Stacey McIntosh)
Jerry Moss	....	property master
Scott Nifong	....	swing gang
Ken Peterson	....	property assistant (as Kenneth Peterson)
Eric Ramirez	....	swing gang
Robert Van Dyke	....	propmaker gangboss
Randy L. Childs	....	propmaker gangboss (uncredited)
Randy Huke	....	art sets (uncredited)
Daniel Turk	....	foreman (uncredited)

Sound Department
Roberta Alstadter	....	foley recordist
Gregg Barbanell	....	foley (as Greg Barbanell)
David Bartlett	....	sound editor
Bob Beemer	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Robert Beamer)
Dean Beville	....	foley editor
Dean Beville	....	sound editor
Denise Cochran	....	sound assistant
John Dunn	....	sound effects
Ezra Dweck	....	foley re-recordist (as Erza Dweck)
Donald Flick	....	sound editor
Judee Flick	....	adr editor
Judee Flick	....	foley editor
Stephen Hunter Flick	....	sound effects (as Stephen Flick)
Leigh French	....	adr group coordinator
Jessica Gallavan	....	adr editor
Baylis Glascock	....	sound assistant
Avram D. Gold	....	supervising adr editor (as Avram Gold)
Dana Gustafson	....	sound assistant (as Dana Gustafon)
Daniel Kent	....	cable operator (as Dan Kent)
David MacMillan	....	sound mixer
David Miranda	....	foley recordist
Donald O. Mitchell	....	sound re-recording mixer
Thomas J. O'Connell	....	foley re-recordist
Geoffrey Patterson	....	boom operator (as Geoff Patterson)
Joan Rowe	....	foley
Greg P. Russell	....	sound re-recording mixer
Curt Schulkey	....	adr editor (as Curtis Schulkey)
Joel Valentine	....	sound editor
David A. Whittaker	....	sound editor (as David Whittaker)
Michael 'Gonzo' Gandsey	....	sound (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Geno Crum	....	special effects assistant (as Geo Crum)
Ken Estes	....	special effects assistant (as Kenneth Estes)
Donald Frazee	....	special effects assistant
Logan Frazee	....	special effects assistant (as Logan Z. Frazee)
Terry D. Frazee	....	special effects coordinator (as Terry Frazee)
Donald Myers	....	special effects assistant (as Donald Myers Jr.)

Visual Effects by
Rhonda C. Gunner	....	computer animation and displays (as Rhonda Gunner)
Richard E. Hollander	....	computer animation and displays (as Richard Hollander)
Gregory L. McMurry	....	computer animation and displays
John C. Wash	....	computer animation and displays (as John Walsh)

Stunts
Pat Banta	....	stunts
Ted Barba	....	aerial stunts
Ron Bonham	....	aerial stunts
Janet Brady	....	stunts
Dustin Courtney	....	stunts (as Dusty Courtney)
Jan M. Davis	....	aerial stunts (as Jan Davis)
Steve M. Davison	....	stunts (as Steve Davidson)
Shane Dixon	....	stunts
Eddy Donno	....	stunts (as Eddie Donno)
Tom Elliott	....	stunts
Michael Endoso	....	stunts
Lance Gilbert	....	stunts
Jeff Habberstad	....	aerial stunts
Tom Harper	....	stunts
Rosine 'Ace' Hatem	....	stunt performer
Freddie Hice	....	stunts
Craig Hosking	....	aerial stunts
Jeff Imada	....	stunts
Jeff Jones	....	aerial stunts
Tony Kahana	....	stunts
Jake Lombard	....	aerial stunts (as Jack Lombard)
Jim McConnell	....	stunt driver
John Meier	....	stunts
Jerry Meyers	....	aerial stunts (as Gerald Myers)
Frank Orsatti	....	stunts
Don Pulford	....	stunts
Steven Rahm	....	aerial stunts
Chad Randall	....	stunts
R.A. Rondell	....	stunts
Steve Santosusso	....	stunts
Gar Stephen	....	stunts
Jim Wallace	....	aerial stunts
Karl A. Wickman	....	aerial stunts (as Karl Wickman)
Glenn R. Wilder	....	stunt coordinator (as Glenn Wilder)
Scott Wilder	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Randy Alderson	....	lamp operator
Michael Anderson	....	grip (as Mike Anderson)
Billy Clevenger	....	camera assistant
Bob Condon	....	photographer: water unit
Ron Condon	....	photographer: water unit
Ray Cottingham	....	camera operator: helmet camera
Lowell Crisp	....	lamp operator (as Lowell E. Crisp)
C.W. Fallin	....	camera operator: second unit
Yuri Farrant	....	photographer: water unit
Richard Foreman Jr.	....	still photographer (as Richard Foreman)
R. Scott Goodrich	....	camera assistant (as Scott Goodrich)
Donald L. Hartley	....	dolly grip (as Don Hartley)
Frank M. Holgate	....	aerial camera operator (as Frank Holgate)
Lydia Hollyfield	....	lamp operator
Tyrone Jackson	....	grip
Randy Jonsson	....	assistant camera (as Randy Johnson)
Frank Keever	....	key grip: second unit (as Frank J. Keever)
Michael Krueger	....	best boy
Jeffrey Laszlo	....	additional camera operator (as Jeff Laszlo)
J. Michael Muro	....	Steadicam operator (as James Muro)
Gary Palmer	....	gaffer
Brad Peterman	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera
Jay Peterman	....	camera assistant
Keith Peterman	....	camera operator
Tom Sanders	....	camera operator: helmet camera
Waverly Smothers	....	best boy
Calvin Sterry	....	key grip (as Cal Sterry)
Michael St. Hilaire	....	additional camera operator
Fred White	....	lamp operator
Steve Yaconelli	....	director of photography: second unit

Casting Department
Bill Dance	....	extras casting
Terrence Harris	....	casting associate
Mariann H.W. Lee	....	extras casting
Anne Mongan	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Colby P. Bart	....	costume supervisor
Leah Brown	....	costumer
Ed Fincher	....	costumer (as N. Edward Fincher)
Louis Infante	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
Sharon Balmuth	....	assistant editor
Gary Burritt	....	negative cutter
Scott Conrad	....	additional editor
Curtis Edge	....	additional editing assistant
Robert Frazen	....	assistant editor
Bert Lovitt	....	additional editor (as Burt Lovitt)
Ann Martin	....	first assistant editor
Karen Schwartz	....	apprentice editor
Mike Stanwick	....	color timer (as Michael Stanwick)

Music Department
Sharon Boyle	....	music supervisor
Sandy DeCrescent	....	orchestra contractor
Gary Goetzman	....	music supervisor
Mark Isham	....	producer: original motion picture score
Stephen Krause	....	engineer: original motion picture score
Stephen Krause	....	mixer: original motion picture score
Stephen Krause	....	producer: original motion picture score
Kathy Nelson	....	music supervisor: MCA Records
David Olson	....	music librarian
Jim Weidman	....	music editor

Transportation Department
George Alden	....	driver
Don Basset	....	driver (as Don Bassett)
David Bassett	....	driver (as Dave Bassett)
Mike Berdrow	....	driver
George Bess	....	driver
Henry Compton	....	driver
Andrew De Nicholas	....	driver
Alan Falco	....	driver
Alex Haapaniemi	....	driver (as Alex Haapeniemi)
Kenneth L. Hardman	....	driver (as Kenneth Hardman)
Steve Imbler	....	transportation coordinator
Michael D. Kuljis	....	transportation captain
Steve Luce	....	driver (as Stephen Luce)
Pamela Luly	....	driver
H. Richard Sanders	....	driver
George F. Sheppard	....	driver (as George Sheppard)
Steve Steere	....	driver
William Vreeland	....	driver
Vincent J. Ybiernas	....	driver (as Vincent Ybiernas)

Other crew
Terry Ahue	....	water safety: water unit
Karyn Alexander	....	production assistant (as Karyn L. Alexander)
Dino Andino	....	montage surfer
Lennie Appelquist	....	production assistant
Matt Archbold	....	surfing double: Mr. Swayze
Robert Wade Baker	....	site advisor
Jon Bell	....	location liaison
Julianne Berdrow	....	assistant production accountant
Mike Cameron	....	researcher (as Michael Cameron)
Jak Castro	....	stand-in
Todd Coffey	....	surfing double
Mark S. Constance	....	set production assistant
Jodie Cooper	....	surfing double: Ms. Petty
Robert Dawson	....	title designer
Darrick Doerner	....	surfing double: "Big Wave"
Kevin Donnelly	....	aerial coordinator
Paul Dunn	....	surfing double
Peter Etnoyer	....	production assistant (as Peter J. Etnoyer)
Terry Fisher	....	first aid
Dianne Ketchum Friedgen	....	location manager: second unit (as Dianne Ketchum)
Julia Gibson	....	aerial effects advisor
Nancy Hansen	....	script supervisor: second unit
T.J. Healy II	....	assistant location manager
Stephen W. Hollocker	....	production assistant
Craig Hosking	....	pilot
Rosemary Hygate	....	assistant: Mr. Swayze (as Rosie Hygate)
Gary Jackson	....	surfing double
Dennis Jarvis	....	surfing advisor
Brian L. Keaulana	....	water safety: water unit (as Brian Keaulana)
Valerie Mickaelian Kucera	....	production coordinator (as Valerie Mickaelian-Kucera)
James F. La Croix	....	craft service
Deborah Laub	....	location manager
Lelaine Lau	....	assistant: Mr. Busey
Joshua Levinson	....	production assistant
Clarence Lindsay	....	first aid: second unit
James Mathews	....	production accountant
Vicki Matlin	....	caterer
Paul J. Memmi	....	translator
Rana Morrison	....	location aide
Diana Leigh Myers	....	location assistant (as Diana Myers)
Rick Neuheisel	....	football advisor
Mickey Nielsen	....	surfing double (as Mickey Neilsen)
Ellen Pasternack	....	unit publicist
Craig Pointes	....	location manager
John Preiskel	....	production assistant
J.J. Shea	....	assistant: Ms. Bigelow
Denise Snyder	....	fitness trainer
Stephanie Spangler	....	location manager: second unit, Hawaii
Lisa Spota-Pastrana	....	assistant: Mr. Abrams & Mr. Levy
Christina Stauffer	....	production assistant (as Tina Stauffer)
P.R. Tooke	....	script supervisor
Lee Tucker	....	projectionist
Randy Walker	....	technical advisor: police
Bryan Wisely	....	surfing double
Mike Wood	....	surfing double
Ralph Younkers	....	surfing double
Laurie Arnow-Epstein	....	construction accountant (uncredited)

Thanks
Wes Dawn	....	in memory of

Production Companies

• JVC Entertainment Networks
• Largo Entertainment

Distributors

• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation (1991) (USA) (theatrical)
• Manuel Salvador (1991) (Spain) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Netherlands (1991) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2005) (USA) (DVD) (widescreen)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2005) (USA) (VHS) (widescreen)
• A-Film Home Entertainment (2009) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Abril Vídeo (199?) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Aquarius TV (2004) (Greece) (TV)
• Fox Network (1994) (USA) (TV)
• Fox Video (1992) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Fox Video (199?) (USA) (VHS)
• Gativideo (199?) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2000) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2001) (Netherlands) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Fantasy II Film Effects
• Video Image

Other Companies

• Bill Dance Casting  extras casting
• Cinema Research  titles composited by
• DeLuxe Laboratories  color timing (as Deluxe)
• Hewlett Packard  forensic lab equipment
• La-La Land Records  score album released by (limited edition)
• MCA Records  soundtrack
• Movie Movers  cast trailers
• Pacific Title  opticals
• Panavision  camera and lenses
• Unique Movie Cars  picture cars
• Warner Hollywood Studios  post-production facilities

Also Known As:

Johnny Utah (USA) (original script title)
Riders on the Storm (USA) (working title)
Gefährliche Brandung (Austria) (Germany) [de]
Caçadores de Emoção (Brazil) [pt]
Dödens utmanare (Sweden) [sv]
Extrême limite (Canada: French title) (TV title) [fr]
Le llaman Bodhi (Spain) [es]
Murdepunkt (Estonia) [et]
Myrskyn ratsastajat (Finland) [fi]
Na fali (Poland) [pl]
Peklenski val (Slovenia) [sl]
Point Break (Sweden) [sv]
Point Break - Extrême limite (France) [fr]
Point break, Punto di rottura (Italy) [it]
Punto de quiebra (Uruguay) [es]
Punto límite (Argentina) [es]
Ruptura Explosiva (Portugal) [pt]
Stin kopsi tou kymatos (Greece) [el]
Tacka prekida (Serbia) [sr]

MPAA:

Rated R for violence, language and brief nudity.

Runtime:

120 min

Country:

Japan | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Dolby SR (35 mm prints)

Certification:

USA:R (Violence) (Adult language) | Iceland:16 | Denmark:15 | Canada:18 | Italy:VM14 | Ireland:18 | South Korea:18 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Chile:14 | Finland:K-16 | France:-12 | Germany:16 | Netherlands:12 | Norway:15 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 (original rating) (cut) | UK:18 (video rating) (uncut) (1992) | USA:R | Singapore:NC-16

Filming Locations:

Beryl Street & N. Catalina Avenue, Redondo Beach, California, USA

Company:

JVC Entertainment Networks

Trivia:

The ex-presidents' masks are of Jimmy Carter, Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan and Lyndon Johnson.

Goofs:

Continuity: In the bank heist, Bodhi comforts Jimmy Carter/Grommet after he's been shot in the neck. The first close-up of Grommet shows his entire lower face covered in blood. When we see him again moments later, there's a tiny streak of blood on the side of his face.

Quotes:

Johnny Utah: [analyzing a hair sample] The beaches are always being closed because of waste spills, right? And surfers are territorial, they stick to certain breaks. If we can get some hair samples, and get a match to a certain beach, we'd know which break the Ex-Presidents surf. You buyin' this?
Pappas: No. But let's do it anyway; it'll drive Harp crazy.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Helix... Loaded (2005)

Soundtrack:

Over the Edge

Great "new age" action thriller

Katheryn Bigelow's 1991 action thriller "Point Break" is still a ground-breaking film of the early nineties. It tells the story of the cop John Utah (Keanu Reaves) hunting a bunch of bank robbers camouflaged with masks of the former U.S. presidents. His investigations leads to a group of surfers and extreme sports worshippers, and the cop becomes fascinated by the free-style philosophies and adrenaline rushes of the gang around the charismatic leader Bodhi (Patrick Swayze). Their close friendship changes to a hard-fought rivalry at the end when cop and gangsters face point blank.

Bigelow uses typically American surf beach settings for this unusual and very stylish action thriller with great stunts like parachuting scenes, bank robberies, a car chase, police raids, martial arts, breath-taking chases and brilliantly photographed surf sequences. Watch out for the Red Hot Chillie Peppers as a gang of brutal surf nazis beating up Keanu Reeves and being captured by him during a hard-fought police raid.

But "Point Break" is even more than that - it also shows the lifestyle of the nineties in many ways. Bodie and his gang are a group of New Age-like grunge guys reaching out for the most extreme adrenaline experiences. They stand for the new style of extreme/fun sport worshippers, ravers and new spiritualists of the post-yuppie era in the nineties who don't care about wealth and status symbols but for fun, action, breaking the limits and finding the sum of all senses. "Point Break" is not only a well-done example of modern action entertainment without computer-generated special effects but also a very philosophical and spiritual study of society in the nineties.