Spontaneous Combustion (1990)

Director:

Tobe Hooper

Writers:

Tobe Hooper (story)
Tobe Hooper (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

23 February 1990 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Plot:

A young man finds out that his parents had been used in an atomic-weapons experiment shortly before he was born, and that the results have had some unexpected effects on him. |

Plot Keywords:

Pyrokinesis | Science | Spontaneous Combustion | Nuclear | Independent Film

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Brad Dourif	...	Sam
Cynthia Bain	...	Lisa Wilcox
Jon Cypher	...	Dr. Marsh
William Prince	...	Lew Orlander
Melinda Dillon	...	Nina
Dey Young	...	Rachel
Tegan West	...	Springer
Michael Keys Hall	...	Dr. Cagney
Dale Dye	...	General
Dick Butkus	...	Lt. General
Joe Mays	...	Dr. Persons
Stacy Edwards	...	Peggy Bell
Brian Bremer	...	Brian Bell
Frank Whiteman	...	Young Orlander
Judy Prescott	...	Student Director
Judy Behr	...	School Nurse
Betsy Thomas	...	Nurse at Hospital
John Landis	...	Radio Technician
Jaime Alba	...	Walter (as Jamie Alba)
Mark Roberts	...	Dr. Simpson
Dick Warlock	...	Mr. Fitzpatrick (as Richard Warlock)
Judith Jones	...	Jennifer
William Forward	...	Scientist (as Bill Forward)
Ron Blair	...	Maitre 'D
Mimi Wearn	...	Vicky
Sandy Ignon	...	Doctor in 50's
Nick Gambella	...	Student in Theater
Patricia Gallagher Layton	...	Maid
Barbara Leary	...	Amy Whitaker
Paul Barresi	...	Hospital Guard
George 'Buck' Flower	...	Preacher on Radio
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Patrick Brock	...	Paramedic (uncredited)
André De Toth	...	Vandenmeer (uncredited)
Deb Havener	...	Military Dancer / Hostess (uncredited)

Directed by
Tobe Hooper

Writing credits
Tobe Hooper		(story)
Tobe Hooper		(screenplay) and
Howard Goldberg		(screenplay)

Produced by
Henry Bushkin	....	executive producer
Sanford Hampton	....	associate producer
Jerrold W. Lambert	....	co-producer
Jim Rogers	....	producer
Arthur M. Sarkissian	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Graeme Revell

Cinematography by
Levie Isaacks

Film Editing by
David Kern

Casting by
Carol Lewis

Production Design by
Gene Abel

Art Direction by
Richard N. McGuire		(uncredited)

Set Decoration by
Ann Job

Costume Design by
Carin Hooper

Makeup Department
Tony Hooper	....	makeup effects
Michael R. Jones	....	special makeup effects artist
Eric H. Lasher	....	special makeup effects artist
Kerry Mendenhall	....	head hair stylist
Bill Miller-Jones	....	makeup artist
Steve Neill	....	special makeup effects
Doreen F. Schultz	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Sanford Hampton	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Stephen David Brooks	....	second unit director
Michael Looney	....	second assistant director
Robinson Miller	....	second second assistant director
Paul Moen	....	first assistant director
Kristi 'Kat' Morias	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Frank Bertolino	....	property master
Bill H. Roberts Jr.	....	property master
Christine H. Scott	....	set dresser
Lance Simco	....	supervising scenic artist
Robert A. Sturtevant	....	lead propmaker
John Eaves	....	storyboard artist (uncredited)

Sound Department
Kelly Cabral	....	sound editor
Patrick Cabral	....	foley artist
Tim Chilton	....	foley artist
Craig Felburg	....	sound mixer
Cameron Hamza	....	sound mixer
Stanley Kastner	....	sound re-recording mixer
Don MacDougall	....	sound re-recording mixer
Ken Stephens	....	boom operator
Christopher M. Taylor	....	boom operator (as Christopher Taylor)

Special Effects by
John Dykstra	....	special effects consultant
Tony Hooper	....	special mechanical effects
Eric H. Lasher	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Stephen David Brooks	....	optical and visual effects supervisor (as Stephen Brooks)
Clint Colver	....	animation supervisor
Roger Dorney	....	post-production optical supervisor
Tony Hooper	....	optical fire effects
Michael Douglas Middleton	....	visual effects optical still photographer
Joseph Yanuzzi	....	optical effects editor

Stunts
Rick Barker	....	stunt coordinator: second unit
Monty Cox	....	stunts
Glory Fioramonti	....	stunts
Greg Gault	....	stunt coordinator: first unit
Paula Marie Moody	....	stunts (as Paula Moody)
Don Pike	....	stunts
Pat Romano	....	stunts
Debby Lynn Ross	....	stunts (as Debbie Ross)
Dick Warlock	....	stunts (as Richard Warlock)

Camera and Electrical Department
Brian Bernstein	....	second assistant camera
Monica Carey	....	assistant camera
Molly Cheshire	....	best boy electric
Richard Crompton	....	dolly grip
Dana Gonzales	....	first assistant camera
Todd Griffith	....	key grip
David Hayball	....	gaffer
William K. Koski	....	electrician
Eric H. Lasher	....	still photographer
Michael Lund	....	second assistant camera
John Nuler	....	Steadicam operator
Mónica Silvera	....	clapper loader
Monty Spillers	....	best boy grip

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Julia Gombert	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
Syd Cole	....	negative cutter
Jeff Smithwick	....	color timer

Music Department
Dick Bernstein	....	music editor

Transportation Department
Herman Hadler	....	picture cars
Lawrence Morgan	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Seth Cirker	....	location manager
Stan Giesea	....	journalist
Rochell Linker Goodrich	....	production coordinator
Nan Herst	....	unit publicist
Nancy Karlin	....	script supervisor
Marc Kunis	....	production accountant
Zachary Selig	....	consultant: paranormal phenomena
Jeanne Talbot	....	additional script supervisor

Production Companies

• Black Owl Productions
• Project Samson
• VOSC

Distributors

• Delta Filmverleih (1990) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• A-Film Home Entertainment (2005) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (USA) (DVD)
• Hollywood DVD Ltd. (2002) (UK) (DVD)
• Look Vídeo (199?) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Media Home Entertainment (video)
• RCA/Columbia Pictures International Video (1990) (Germany) (VHS)
• Taurus Entertainment Company
• Umbrella Entertainment (2004) (Australia) (DVD)

Runtime:

97 min | Argentina:96 min | Finland:89 min (cut)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Netherlands:16 | Iceland:16 | West Germany:16 (nf) | Argentina:16 | Australia:M | UK:18 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Black Owl Productions

Trivia:

Director Cameo: [Tobe Hooper]man with his back to the camera, lighting a cigar, when Sam enters the rest room at the restaurant.

Goofs:

Continuity: The position of the syringe stuck in Lisa, changes.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Ring (2002)

Soundtrack:

YOU BELONG TO ME

The Last Great Tobe Hooper Film

Unlike most reviews of this movie that talk about how bad this movie is and how this was one of Tobe Hoopers worst films, all those reviews I completely disagree with. This is easily Hoopers last great film and a very well executed film at that. The story line is simple, Brad Dourif plays the role of Sam in the movie. He finds out that his parents were part of an experiment that had to do with the atomic bomb and that later would kill them. As an adult, Sam discovers he has a great power to control fire and electricity but with horrible results to his body after using them. This all lead to a very odd and some what anticlimactic ending. This is good because the movie plays very dramatically and at times can be almost depressing. Brad Dourif plays a very good role in this movie (Unlike what other reviewers say) and the rest of the cast does a good job also. The only downside of the movie is the special effects were mediocre and could have been better. But, this does not take away from the movie at all. Also, to set the record straight, the only similarity to this and "Firestarter" is the main character can control fire. Other than that, these are two completely different movies. So, if you have been disappointed in Tobe Hooper's work in the past 10 to 12 years and you have not seen this movie, I say buy it. This truly is a great movie. 9 stars