St. Elmo's Fire (1985)

Director:

Joel Schumacher

Writers:

Joel Schumacher (written by) &
Carl Kurlander (written by)

Release Date:

28 June 1985 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

The passion burns deep.

Plot:

A Group of friends, just out of college, struggle with adulthood. Their main problem is that they're all self-centered and obnoxious. |

Plot Keywords:

College | Virgin | Extramarital Affair | Coming Of Age | Infidelity

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Emilio Estevez	...	Kirby Keger
Rob Lowe	...	Billy Hicks
Andrew McCarthy	...	Kevin Dolenz
Demi Moore	...	Jules
Judd Nelson	...	Alec Newbary
Ally Sheedy	...	Leslie Hunter
Mare Winningham	...	Wendy Beamish
Martin Balsam	...	Mr. Beamish
Andie MacDowell	...	Dale Biberman
Joyce Van Patten	...	Mrs. Beamish
Jenny Wright	...	Felicia
Blake Clark	...	Wally
Jon Cutler	...	Howie Krantz
Matthew Laurance	...	Ron Dellasandro
Gina Hecht	...	Judith
Anna Maria Horsford	...	Naomi
Patrick Winningham	...	'The New Breed' Band
Andy Scott	...	The New Breed Band
Christian Iraberen	...	'The New Breed' Band
Daniel Iribarren	...	'The New Breed' Band
Bennet Bowman	...	'The New Breed' Band
James Carrington	...	Guy
Kaaren Lee	...	Welfare Woman
Nora Meerbaum	...	Myra
Don Moss	...	Maitre D'
Whip Hubley	...	Raymond Slater
Michele Winding	...	Chauffeur
Jim Turner	...	Troy
Mario Machado	...	Kim Sung Ho
Judy Kain	...	Judy
Seth Jaffe	...	Wendy's Brother in Law
Jeffrey Lampert	...	Wendy's Brother in Law
Elizabeth Arlen	...	Libby Beamish
Scott Nemes	...	Wendy's nephew
Bernadette Birkett	...	Rachael
Vincent J. Isaac	...	Cop
Dean R. Miller	...	Clayton Beamish
Jamie Anders	...	Tommy Bancroft (as Jamison Anders)
Cindi Dietrich	...	Flirt
David Lain Baker	...	Jules' Date
Daniel Eden	...	Street Tough
Laurel Page	...	Nurse
Thom Bierdz	...	Rowdy Undergrad
J.T. Solomon	...	Hysterical Woman
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Stephanie Feury	...	Jules' Friend (uncredited)

Directed by
Joel Schumacher

Writing credits
Joel Schumacher		(written by) &
Carl Kurlander		(written by)

Produced by
Bernard Schwartz	....	executive producer
Lauren Shuler Donner	....	producer (as Lauren Shuler)
Ned Tanen	....	executive producer

Original Music by
David Foster

Cinematography by
Stephen H. Burum		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Richard Marks

Casting by
Marci Liroff
Jennifer Shull

Art Direction by
William Sandell

Set Decoration by
Robert Gould
Charles Graffeo		(as Charles M. Graffeo)

Costume Design by
Susan Becker

Makeup Department
Verne Caruso	....	hair stylist: Washington D.C.
Robert Jiras	....	makeup artist: Washington D.C. (as B.J. Jiras)
K.G. Ramsey	....	hair stylist (as Ramsey)
Rick Sharp	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Raymond Hartwick	....	production manager (as Ray Hartwick)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Gary Daigler	....	first assistant director
W. Alexander Ellis	....	dga trainee (as Alexander Ellis)
Katterli Frauenfelder	....	second assistant director (as Katterli A. Frauenfelder)

Art Department
William Boyd	....	property foreman (as Bill Boyd)
Christopher Burian-Mohr	....	set designer
Tom Byrd	....	labor foreman
William D. Derham	....	property gang boss (as William Derham)
Bruce Di Valerio	....	construction foreman (as Bruce DiValerio)
Cal DiValerio	....	construction coordinator (as Cal D. DiValerio)
Thomas Gark	....	leadman (as Thomas R. Gark)
Gerald Gates Jr.	....	paint foreman (as Jerry Gates)
Gary F. Kieldrup	....	assistant property master (as Gary Kieldrup)
Donald Krafft	....	leadman (as Donald W. Krafft)
William A. Petrotta	....	property master
Paul S. Power	....	illustrator
Paul S. Power	....	storyboard artist
Doug Rosenberger	....	location foreman
James E. Tocci	....	set designer
Warren Williams	....	gang boss
Donald F. Winter	....	stage foreman (as Don Winter)

Sound Department
Raul A. Bruce	....	boom operator
Gene S. Cantamessa	....	sound mixer (as Gene Cantamessa)
Ken Dufva	....	foley artist
Richard Mario Garza	....	cable person
Leslie Gaulin	....	assistant sound editor (as Leslie Troy Gaulin)
Gary S. Gerlich	....	sound editor
David Hawkins	....	sound editor
J. Paul Huntsman	....	adr editor
J. Paul Huntsman	....	adr supervisor
Doc Kane	....	sound re-recording mixer
Gregg Landaker	....	sound re-recording mixer
Carl Lewis	....	adr editor (as Cari Lewis)
Tony Margulies	....	foley artist (restored version)
Steve Maslow	....	sound re-recording mixer
David Moritz	....	apprentice sound editor
Frank E. Warner	....	supervising sound editor (as Frank Warner)
Bill Wylie	....	sound editor (as William J. Wylie)
Michael Kalifa	....	audio restoration coordinator (2008 restoration) (uncredited)
Donald C. Rogers	....	technical director of sound (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Peter Albiez	....	special effects

Stunts
Reid Rondell	....	stunt double
Steve M. Davison	....	stunt coordinator (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Emmett Brown	....	key grip (as Emmett Allen Brown)
Billy Craft	....	lighting operator
Elliot Davis	....	camera operator
Jon Fauer	....	camera operator: Washington D.C. (as John Fauer)
Rick Fee	....	second assistant camera
Bill Fleming	....	best boy grip (as William J. Fleming)
Robert E. Gaynor	....	dolly grip
Adam Glick	....	set lighting technician
Tim Griffith	....	chief lighting technician (as Timothy J. Griffith)
Howard Hagadorn	....	grip (as Howard R. Hagadorn)
Jim Hovey	....	director of photography: Washington D.C.
Gábor Kövér	....	first assistant camera: Washington D.C. (as Gabor Kover)
Christine M. Loss	....	still photographer (as Christine Loss)
Terry H. Neville	....	best boy: studio
Peter Portizo	....	best boy electric (as Peter G. Portizo)
Lorey Sebastian	....	still photographer: Washington D.C. (as Lorey Sebastien)
Stuart Stein	....	second assistant camera: Washington D.C.
Ralph Stiers	....	electrician
Joel Stout	....	rigging gaffer
Alex Touyarot	....	first assistant camera
Thomas D. Wazney	....	grip (as Thomas Wazney)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Francine Jamison-Tanchuck	....	costume supervisor: women (as Francine Patrice Jamison)
Violette Jones-Faison	....	costumer (as Violette Jones)
James W. Tyson	....	costume supervisor: men (as James Tyson)

Editorial Department
Jane Schwartz Jaffe	....	first assistant editor
Bruce Pearson	....	color timer
Jim Prior	....	apprentice editor
Christy Richmond	....	apprentice editor

Music Department
Bob Badami	....	music editor
David Foster	....	music supervisor
Humberto Gatica	....	music recording mixer
Jay Graydon	....	music arranger

Transportation Department
Hayden D. Anglin	....	transportation coordinator
Ron Riner	....	transportation co-captain
Paul Youds	....	transportation captain

Other crew
James D. Bissell	....	visual consultant (as James Bissell)
Bob Corff	....	voice teacher
Patricia L. DeShields	....	assistant production accountant (as Patricia DeShields)
Scott Doran	....	production assistant (as R.Scott Doran)
Chris Earthy	....	assistant: David Foster
Wayne Fitzgerald	....	title designer
Donna Hart	....	secretary: Joel Schumacher
Phyllis Gardner Hirsen	....	unit publicist
Lisa Rose Horwitch	....	production assistant
Paul Kaplansky	....	assistant: Joel Schumacher
Jan Kemper	....	script supervisor
Karen Kovacevich	....	assistant: Lauren Shuler
Shari Leibowitz	....	production coordinator
Rebecca McCann	....	secretary: Joel Schumacher
Margaret Mitchell	....	production accountant
Kenny Ortega	....	choreographer
Eric Schwab	....	location manager (as Eric B. Schwab)
Wayne Williams	....	chapman crane operator

Production Companies

• Columbia Pictures Corporation (as Columbia Pictures) (presents)
• Delphi IV Productions

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures (1985) (USA) (theatrical)
• Warner-Columbia Film (1985) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment (2000) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (1998) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2009) (UK) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2009) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Universal Pictures Nordic (2000) (Sweden) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Atlantic Records  soundtrack
• Dick's Breath Mystery Theatre  special thanks
• Music Television (MTV)  registered trademark (as MTV Music Television Incorporated)

Runtime:

110 min | Canada:108 min (Ontario)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Canada:R (Ontario) | Australia:M | Iceland:L | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Norway:16 | Canada:PG (Manitoba) | Netherlands:12 | Argentina:13 | Finland:K-12 | Sweden:11 | UK:15 | USA:R (certificate #27681) | West Germany:12 | Singapore:NC-16

Filming Locations:

Georgetown, Washington, District of Columbia, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

The street that the St. Elmo bar is on is in the Universal back lot with several fill in buildings in between sets. About two to three buildings to the left is the Hill Valley Clock Tower from Back to the Future (1985).

Goofs:

Factual errors: The film takes place at and around Georgetown University. However, various characters in the film are seen wearing red/white varsity letter jackets, the colors of the University of Maryland, where the campus scenes were filmed. Georgetown's colors are Blue, Gray, and White.

Quotes:

Billy: So you lost your job? I've lost twenty of them since graduation. Plus a wife and kid. And, in a new development this morning, a handful of hair in the shower drain.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: Merlin's Shop of Mystical Wonders (#11.3)" (1999)

Soundtrack:

STRESSED OUT (CLOSE TO THE EDGE)

The king and the queen went back to the green, but you can never go back there again

I have to admit I've a soft spot for this John Hughes-type stuff. I was surprised to find he wasn't behind it, but is is the sort of thing he was making at the time, and none the worse for that.

With a little perspective (The Atlantic Ocean) it all seems a little self-absorbed but the themes are familiar to anyone going through the educational mill of a Western-style democracy and coming out the other side realising you're still not actually qualified to do anything.

Finding your niche in life is tough, even if you've just graduated from Georgetown University, which I suspect in real life is a top school, like Oxford or Cambridge are here in the UK.

The slushy plot is rescued by sharp dialogue which, while a little too witty and knowing, is entertaining all the same.

The film's stars feature in several of my top ten 80s films. In fact, I'm looking forward to seeing Rob Lowe in A Few Good Men in London in a couple of weeks. How sad is that?!

If this pops up on a TV station near you, give it a go. I loved it when it came out, and while the fanaticism has faded, I still have a place for it in my heart. It strikes a chord with my life at the time (I graduated in the 1980s too) and watch it from time to time, even though it's now a £5.99 bargain bin DVD here!