Heathers (1988)

Director:

Michael Lehmann

Writer:

Daniel Waters (written by)

Release Date:

31 March 1989 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Crime

Plot:

A girl who half-heartedly tries to be part of the "in crowd" of her school meets a rebel who teaches her a more devious way to play social politics.

Plot Keywords:

Heather | Suicide | Clique | High School | Diary

Awards:

3 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Winona Ryder	...	Veronica
Christian Slater	...	J.D.
Shannen Doherty	...	Heather (Duke)
Lisanne Falk	...	Heather (McNamara)
Kim Walker	...	Heather (Chandler)
Penelope Milford	...	Pauline Fleming
Glenn Shadix	...	Father Ripper
Lance Fenton	...	Kurt Kelly
Patrick Labyorteaux	...	Ram
Jeremy Applegate	...	Peter Dawson
Jon Matthews	...	Rodney
Carrie Lynn	...	Martha Dunnstock aka Dumptruck
Phill Lewis	...	Dennis
Renée Estevez	...	Betty Finn (as Reneé Estevez)
John Zarchen	...	Country Club Keith
Sherrie Wills	...	Country Club Courtney
Curtiss Marlowe	...	Geek
Andrew Benne	...	Fat Cynic (as Andy David)
Kevin Hardesty	...	1st Heavy Metaller in Pkg. Lot
Josh Richman	...	2nd Heavy Metaller in Pkg. Lot
Bess Meyer	...	Female Stoner
Jennifer Rhodes	...	Veronica's Mom
William Cort	...	Veronica's Dad (as Bill Cort)
Larry Cox	...	David
Kent Stoddard	...	Brad
John Ingle	...	Principal Gowan
Stuart Mabray	...	Counselor Paul Hyde
Betty Ramey	...	Teacher in Conference Room
Aaron Mendelsohn	...	Nerd in Pauline's Class
Kirk Scott	...	Big Bud Dean
Mark Bringleson	...	Officer McCord (as Mark Bringelson)
Chuck Lafont	...	Officer Milner
Christie Mellor	...	Squealing Girl in Pkg. Lot
Mark Carlton	...	Kurt's Dad
James 'Poorman' Trenton	...	'Hot Probs' D.J
Adrian Drake	...	Gruff Teacher
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Sylvia Tobias	...	(uncredited)
Jeffrey Weissman	...	Voice Actor (uncredited)

Directed by
Michael Lehmann

Writing credits
Daniel Waters		(written by)

Produced by
Denise Di Novi	....	producer
Iya Labunka	....	associate producer
Christopher Webster	....	executive producer

Original Music by
David Newman

Cinematography by
Francis Kenny		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Norman Hollyn

Casting by
Sally Dennison
Julie Selzer

Production Design by
Jon Hutman

Art Direction by
Kara Lindstrom

Costume Design by
Rudy Dillon

Makeup Department
Julie Hewett	....	makeup artist
Angela Moos	....	assistant hair stylist (as Angela Margolis)
Angela Moos	....	assistant makeup artist (as Angela Margolis)
Kenny Myers	....	special makeup (as Ken Myers)
Scott Williams	....	hair stylist
Carrey Gibbons	....	makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Iya Labunka	....	production manager
'Skitchee' Rocco	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Benita Allen	....	second assistant director
Tom Lowe	....	second second assistant director
Jeffrey Wetzel	....	additional second assistant director
Mary Ellen Woods	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Rick Bailey	....	carpenter
Todd Ellis	....	dresser
David W. Ford	....	leadman
Greg J. Grande	....	propmaster (as Greg Grande)
Ted Hardwick	....	dresser
Don Larson Jr.	....	construction coordinator
Monti Santilli Rainbolt	....	assistant propmaster
Jonathan Smart	....	dresser
Dana Torrey	....	assistant art director
Ellen Totleben	....	dresser
Lori M. Turchin	....	assistant propmaster
Pete von Sholly	....	storyboard artist (uncredited)

Sound Department
Rick Ash	....	sound re-recording mixer
James Ashwill	....	foley recordist (as Jim Ashwill)
Douglas Axtell	....	sound mixer
Bob Baron	....	adr mixer
Kevin Bartnof	....	foley artist
George Berndt	....	adr editor
Don Digirolamo	....	sound re-recording mixer
Ann Ducommun	....	assistant sound editor
John Duvall	....	foley editor
Peter Friedberg	....	assistant sound editor
Sarah Goldsmith	....	dialogue editor (as Sarah Rothenberg)
Doug Hemphill	....	sound re-recording mixer (as D.M. Hemphill)
Ellen Heuer	....	foley artist
Chris Ingram	....	assistant sound editor
John Morris	....	dialogue editor
Lorie O'Shatz	....	dialogue editor (as Lorrie O'Shatz)
Jerry Ross	....	supervising sound editor
Rob Scott	....	boom operator
Hamilton Sterling	....	sound effects editor

Special Effects by
Martin Bresin	....	special effects (as Marty Bresin)
Kevin Pike	....	special effects supervisor: second unit (uncredited)

Stunts
Dan Bradley	....	stunt coordinator
Debbie Evans	....	stunt player
Joe Gilbride	....	stunt player
Jeff Habberstad	....	stunt player
Allen Jones	....	stunt coordinator
Sandy J. Leavenworth	....	stunt player (as Sandi Leavenworth)

Camera and Electrical Department
Mitchell Amundsen	....	focus puller (as Mitchell Gundar Amundsen)
Deirdre Arbucci	....	second assistant camera (as Dee Arbucci)
Vinnie Biscaino	....	grip
Jon Caradies	....	grip
John G. Danza	....	electrician
Mitch Dubin	....	camera operator (as Mitchell Dubin)
Ali Farboud	....	electrician
Charley Gilleran	....	best boy
Jan M. Heyneker	....	best boy (as Jan Heyneker)
Ivan H. Migel	....	grip
Aristides Pappidas	....	gaffer
Michael Paris	....	still photographer
Christopher Rogers	....	dolly grip
Marc David Schultz	....	electrician
John Schwartzman	....	additional camera operator
Lon Thompson	....	electrician
Thaddeus Wadleigh	....	key grip (as Thad Wadleigh)
Charlie Waldron	....	grip (as Charles Westbrook Waldron)
Dennis Young	....	electrician
Dhamarata Dhiensuwana	....	grip (uncredited)
Amy Vincent	....	second assistant camera (uncredited)

Casting Department
Patrick Rush	....	casting associate

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Sandra Araya Jensen	....	costume set supervisor (as Sandra Araya)
Beverly Kline	....	costumer (as Beverly Klein)
Lizz Wolf	....	wardrobe assistant

Editorial Department
Alan Edward Bell	....	second assistant editor
Dennis Brookins	....	negative cutter
Michael Millikan	....	color timer (as Mike Millikan)
Maureen Mitchell	....	first assistant editor

Music Department
Scott Grusin	....	music editor
Tim Boyle	....	score mixer (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Dean Curtis Black	....	driver
Chester Brooks	....	driver co-captain
Lloyd Campbell	....	driver
Ross Ellis	....	driver
Edward Flotard	....	transportation coordinator (as Eddie Flotard)
Michael Ladin	....	driver
Ted Neale	....	driver

Other crew
Jerry Ariganello	....	location manager
Claire Baker	....	production coordinator
Irene Brafstein	....	studio teacher
Jane Covner	....	publicist
Kimberly Edwards	....	production accountant
Leigh French	....	adr group coordinator
Elana Golden	....	script supervisor
Carolyn Hagan	....	assistant to producer
Brian Hardwick	....	craft service
Allen Kupetsky	....	production assistant
Thomas Titus McCue	....	production assistant
Margi Newquist	....	production assistant
Perry Patterson	....	assistant location manager
Caroline Pham	....	assistant production coordinator (as Caroline Pham Johnson)
Carlos Ramírez	....	security (as Carlos Ramirez)
Spike Rinaldi	....	production assistant
Vicki Rocco	....	production coordinator (as Vicki Berthelot Rocco)
Jane Talman	....	production assistant
Carlton Thomas	....	extras coordinator
Louis Walencewicz	....	assistant production accountant
Bundy Chanock	....	set medic (uncredited)
Eric Simon	....	stand-in (uncredited)
Brad Stephens	....	publicist (uncredited)

Thanks
R.J.C. Butler	....	with special thanks to: Arbuthnot Leasing International, Ltd.
Sister Catherine	....	we want to express our appreciation to
M.G.J. Chesterman	....	with special thanks to: Arbuthnot Leasing International, Ltd.
I.C. Clarke	....	with special thanks to: Arbuthnot Leasing International, Ltd.
Leonora Hewson	....	we want to express our appreciation to
Lora Lee	....	we want to express our appreciation to
Randy Levinson	....	we want to express our appreciation to
Cheri Pann	....	we want to express our appreciation to
Holland Sutton	....	we want to express our appreciation to
Sister Virginia	....	we want to express our appreciation to
Jean Wahlstrom	....	we want to express our appreciation to
Steve White	....	we want to express our appreciation to

Production Companies

• New World Pictures (presents)
• Cinemarque Entertainment (in association with)

Distributors

• New World Pictures (1989) (USA) (theatrical)
• Arena Filmtrade (1990) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Succéfilm AB (1990) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (UK) (2006) (UK) (DVD)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2008) (USA) (DVD) ('The Cult Classic Film Series')
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2008) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-Ray Disc)
• Aquarius TV (1993) (Greece) (TV)
• Atlantic Film (2003) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video
• Paris Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• RCV Home Entertainment (2006) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Starmaker Video (1996) (USA) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Arrangment, The  catering
• Cinema Research  titles & optical effects (as Cinema Research Corporation)
• Clairmont Camera  camera assistance
• Directors Sound  adr recorded at
• Heap O Fleurs  we want to express our appreciation to
• Inter Video  video playback
• Lee America West  grip and lighting equipment
• Lion's Gate Sound  production transfers and facilities (as Lion's Gate Studios)
• Rescues Unlimited  first aid
• Sharper Image, The  we want to express our appreciation to
• Showroom 504  we want to express our appreciation to
• Star Casting Service  extras casting
• TAJ Soundworks  foley by
• Technicolor  prints by (as Technicolor®)
• Todd-AO/Glen Glenn Studios  re-recorded by (as Todd-AO/Glen-Glenn Sound)
• Varèse Sarabande  soundtrack

Also Known As:

Fatal Game (USA) (working title)
Lethal Attraction (USA) (working title)
Westerberg High (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

103 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Singapore:NC-16 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | South Korea:15 | France:-16 | Canada:18A (Canadian Home Video rating) | UK:15 (re-rating) | Australia:M | Canada:14A | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R (NO. 29338) | West Germany:18

Filming Locations:

Corvales High School - 2921 Laurel Canyon Boulevard, Laurel Canyon, Hollywood Hills, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

New World Pictures

Trivia:

Christian Slater has stated that his performance was heavily inspired by Jack Nicholson. He claims that he wrote a letter to Nicholson asking him to watch the film but did not receive an answer.

Goofs:

Incorrectly regarded as goofs: Moby Dick does not contain the word "Eskimo", but does contain "Esquimaux".

Quotes:

Heather Duke: Veronica, why are you pulling my dick?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Veronica Mars: Weapons of Class Destruction (#1.18)" (2005)

Soundtrack:

Teenage Suicide Don't Do It

so VERY!!!

Winona Ryder, back when she only used to steal movie scenes, plays Veronica Sawyer, a girl sick of being a lackey to the "Heathers" which is the cool girls clique. She meets J.D (Christian Slater), a deeply troubled young man who's quick to resort to violence (So Christian was PERFECT for the part). This film is what every dark comedy should seek to be. Biting, vicious, mean, and utterly hilarious. The 80's had so many good movies and this stands among the best. The funny thing is that if they stuck to their guns and kept the original ending as scripted it would've been even better, but that's just a minor nitpick. So the next time a teeny-bopper starts fawning over how "great" and "true to life" "Mean Girls" was, give them a copy of this and show them a REAL movie.

Anchor Bay S.E. DVD Extras: Audio commentary with director Michael Lehmann, producer Denise Di Novi and writer Daniel Waters ; "Swatch Dogs and Diet Coke Heads" documentary (30mins); Screenplay excerpt: original ending; Talent biogs; and Theatrical Trailer

My Grade: A+