Shag (1989)

Director:

Zelda Barron

Writers:

Lanier Laney (story) &
Terry Sweeney (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

21 July 1989 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

On a summer weekend in 1963, four girlfriends made memories that would last a lifetime.

Plot:

Summer of 1963. Carson is getting married to her boyfriend so her friends Melaina, Pudge and Luanne...

Plot Keywords:

Beach | Weekend | Inhibition | Nostalgic | Best Friend

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Phoebe Cates	...	Carson
Scott Coffey	...	Chip
Bridget Fonda	...	Melaina
Annabeth Gish	...	Pudge
Page Hannah	...	Luanne
Robert Rusler	...	Buzz
Tyrone Power Jr.	...	Harley
Jeff Yagher	...	Jimmy Valentine
Paul Lieber	...	The Manager
Donald Craig	...	Senator Clatterbuck
Shirley Anne Field	...	Mrs. Clatterbuck
Leilani Sarelle	...	Suette
Carrie Hamilton	...	Nadine
Jay Baker	...	Big Bob
Joe Seely	...	The Creep
Pearl Jones	...	Elvira
Bonnie Johnson	...	Mrs. Carmichael (as Bonnie Cook)
Janelle Cochrane	...	Mrs. McBride
Barry Thigpen	...	MC
Walker Owens	...	Young Man
William Edward Roberts	...	Dying Cockroach (as William Roberts)
Ezra Sutton	...	Gator Boy
Elliott Phillips	...	Turkey Sandwich
Joey A. McGroaty	...	Reverend Buller
Linda Weatherly Wellman	...	Bathing Beauty
Lise Lang	...	Car Hop
Jane Aiken	...	Ettie Stroos
Robert Jacobs	...	Jack Stroos
The Voltage Brothers	...	Big Dan and the Sand Dollars
Jim Kelly Jr.	...	Big Dan and the Sand Dollars
Garry Goins	...	Big Dan and the Sand Dollars
John Lewis Jr.	...	Big Dan and the Sand Dollars
Douglas Smith	...	Big Dan and the Sand Dollars
Lawrence Whitaker	...	Big Dan and the Sand Dollars
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Steven Anderson	...	Bartender (uncredited)
Adam Avagliano	...	Shag Dancer / Young Boy on Piano (uncredited)

Directed by
Zelda Barron

Writing credits
Lanier Laney		(story) &
Terry Sweeney		(story)
Robin Swicord		(screenplay) and
Lanier Laney		(screenplay) &
Terry Sweeney		(screenplay)

Produced by
Julia Chasman	....	producer
John Daly	....	executive producer
Derek Gibson	....	executive producer
Nik Powell	....	executive producer
Kerry Rock	....	associate producer (as Kerry C. Boyle)
Jeffrey Silver	....	line producer
Stephen Woolley	....	producer

Cinematography by
Peter MacDonald		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Laurence Méry-Clark

Casting by
Elisabeth Leustig

Production Design by
Buddy Cone

Art Direction by
Jon Hutman

Set Decoration by
Kara Lindstrom

Costume Design by
Mary E. Vogt

Makeup Department
Sarah Cherry	....	assistant makeup artist
Laura Connolly	....	assistant hairdresser
Jamil Ina	....	assistant hairdresser
Kathy Shorkey	....	key makeup artist
Jeanne Van Phue	....	key hairdresser

Production Management
Caroline Baron	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Charles Carroll	....	second second assistant director
Chris Edmonds	....	second assistant director
Gregory Jacobs	....	additional second assistant director
Katarina Wittich	....	first assistant director (as Kato Wittich)

Art Department
John Bromell	....	set dresser
Dave M. Garris	....	prop man
Kevin Hardison	....	lead carpenter
Vernon Harrell	....	set dresser
Jim Hill	....	construction coordinator
Linda Kiffe	....	assistant property master
John D. Kretschmer	....	lead man
Paul Oliver	....	lead scenic artist
'Polar Bear' Shaw	....	set dresser (as Polar Bear)
Charles Stewart	....	property master
Brian Stultz	....	scenic chargeman
Theo Van Den Huevel	....	lead carpenter (as Theo Van DenHuevel)

Sound Department
Alan Bell	....	sound effects editor
Barney Cabral	....	supervising sound editor
Paul Carr	....	sound mixer
Alec Jeakins	....	additional dubbing editor
Alec Jeakins	....	assistant sound editor
Peter Krook	....	sound editor
Ed Novick	....	sound mixer
Christopher O'Donnell	....	boom operator
Roger Wilson	....	dialogue editor

Camera and Electrical Department
Logan R. Berkshire	....	grip
Alan Caso	....	camera operator
Joe D'Alessandro	....	first assistant camera: second unit (as Joe C. D'Alessandro)
Scott R. Davis	....	best boy grip
Danny Eccleston	....	gaffer
Rusty Edmonson	....	electrician
Robert Garcia	....	electrician
Frank Godwin	....	camera loader
Rufus Granger Jr.	....	grip
Chip Hackler	....	second assistant camera
Christopher Hall	....	electrician
Herb Harton	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Bobby Huber	....	key grip
Marco Mazzei	....	first assistant camera
Jeff Moore	....	camera operator: second unit
Gene Poole	....	dolly grip
Steve Spallone	....	best boy electrician
Suzanne Tenner	....	still photographer
Mark Weingarten	....	playback operator
Jay W. Yowler	....	generator operator (as Jay Yowler)
Tony Hardmon	....	electrician (uncredited)

Casting Department
Anne Kubik	....	casting assistant
Craig Fincannon	....	extras casting (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Kendall Errair	....	costume supervisor
Joyce Anne Gilstrap	....	costume assistant (as Joyce Gilstrap)

Editorial Department
John Downer	....	assistant editor
Andrew McClelland	....	second assistant editor
Christopher Rouse	....	location assistant editor
Randy D. Thornton	....	post-production: Hemdale (as Randy Thornton)
David Wolowic	....	location apprentice editor

Music Department
Gemma Craven	....	music supervisor
Tim Hollier	....	music supervisor
Peter Krook	....	music editor
Andy Paley	....	producer: original songs
Kerry Rock	....	music supervisor (as Kerry Boyle)
Seymour Stein	....	executive producer: music
Ray Williams	....	music supervisor

Transportation Department
Anthony Forester	....	transportation coordinator (as Anthony 'Bubba' Forester)
Rob Kobrin	....	transportation coordinator
Vicki Lybrand	....	transportation
Jim Speth	....	transportation captain

Other crew
Tammy Ader	....	production coordinator
Alicia Alexander	....	location manager
Trevor Bond	....	title designer
Allan Dawson	....	projectionist
Francine Decoursey	....	event coordinator
Marta Evry	....	set production assistant
Michael Garland	....	assistant production accountant
Charles Hadley	....	dialect coach (as Dr. Charles Hadley)
C. Harper Hellams	....	assistant location manager
Holly Heniford	....	set production assistant
Debbie L. Howard	....	craft service
Susan Johnson	....	assistant to producers: L.A.
Victoria Karle	....	office production assistant
Joshua Krawitz	....	assistant to producers
Kris Krengel	....	set production assistant
Lise Lang	....	assistant choreographer
Annie Loeffler	....	production associate
Andrew MacDonald	....	assistant to director
Olivia Nagel	....	assistant production accountant
Susan E. Novick	....	assistant production coordinator (as Susan E. Kaplan)
Kenny Ortega	....	choreographer
Jeannette Scheibe	....	set production assistant (as Jeanette Scheibe)
Jay Sedrish	....	film finances representative
Ron Servicky	....	set production assistant (as Ronnie Servicky)
Christine A. Soloperto	....	set production assistant
Carmen Soriano	....	script supervisor
Harry Stanback	....	security
Barry Thigpen	....	'shag' instructor
Patricia Martin Thigpen	....	'shag' instructor
Jane Williams	....	unit publicist
Lisa Wills	....	assistant to producers: U.K.
Jonathan Wolf	....	production accountant (as Jonathan D. Wolf)
Christopher S. Capp	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Toula Mavridou	....	publicist (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Palace Pictures

Distributors

• Cineplex Odeon Films (1989) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Hemdale Film (1989) (USA) (theatrical)
• Home Box Office Home Video (HBO) (????) (USA) (video)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (????) (worldwide) (all media)

Other Companies

• Roger Cherrill  post production (as Roger Cherrill's)

Also Known As:

Shag: The Movie

Runtime:

98 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:L | Australia:PG | Argentina:Atp | Sweden:11 | USA:PG | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Florence, South Carolina, USA

Company:

Palace Pictures

Trivia:

Nadine writes "SHAG TILL YOU GAG" on the bathroom wall with her lipstick. This cannot be seen on the VHS version of this movie because it is off screen.

Goofs:

Continuity: When the announcer introduces the judges, Senator and Mrs. Clatterbuck, Mrs. Clatterbuck's hair is parted down the middle and feathered under her pillbox hat. A minute later, in the same scene, she's wearing the same hat but her hair is just combed back with no part and is not feathered.

Quotes:

Luanne: I can't feel my teeth!

Movie Connections:

References "Rocky and His Friends" (1959)

Soundtrack:

Stay

Lots of romancing and a little dancing

Compared to "Dirty Dancing" or "Footloose," movies of the genre, the content of this film doesn't quite gibe with the title. The Shag was a complicated, embellished and sexually- charged dance between a couple; the film could have expanded on that. If dancing was supposed to be the thread throughout the film, this movie fell a little short. However, the fascinating final dance sequence, about a full five minutes, gave 'the Shag' the focus it deserves.

The plot revolves around four recent high school graduates taking a detour from the parentally-mandated, boring summer weekend at Ft. Sumter, NC; instead, they head off for fun and thrills in Myrtle Beach, SC. The trip is one last fling together for the four girls, with one thing on their minds, landing the man of the marrying kind (this is 1963 after all). Actress Phoebe Cates (Carson), Bridget Fonda (Melaina), and Robert Rusler (Buzz) all do a fine job of acting in the film (Fonda a knockout, Cates a hottie, and Rusler, shirtless, looking buff in his jean cutoffs); however, more impressive were scenes by actor Scott Coffey with Annabeth Gish (Caroline), and Coffey with Donald Craig (Senator Clatterback).

If the film was supposed to be a 'breakout' film for Tyrone Power, Jr., his part was so minimal to the film's progress, and his pairing with the Senator's daughter, Luanne, (horribly overplayed by Page Hannah and overdone by the costuming department) is so improbable that one wonders why he bothered to sign on. He might have been more interesting in the part of "Buzz." All in all, an enjoyable film, a great nostalgia trip of beaches, dancin,' cruisin' and cars. Music, crucial to this type of film, included rhythm-and-blues classics such as Lloyd Price's "Stagger Lee" and Billy Ward and His Dominoes' "Sixty Minute Man" (recorded in 1952 and one of the first records to jumpstart rock'n'roll). The final dance sequence was highly enjoyable and endearing, with Coffey and Gish portraying innocent tenderness and joy. One wonders why more weren't included in the film. (Note: A legal dispute ensued regarding the film's soundtrack. This writer review the MGM/UA home entertainment 1998 VHS version. The DVD version, released in 2001, includes the original soundtrack of the theatrical release).