454:. It had a tone, that city room. I had no idea news reporters were that sloppy.” However, Borsos would have preferred to adopt a more stylized look. He said, “I preferred to have it look somewhat stylized and slightly unreal, more what you would call a 1950's film-noir type of picture. I think making it slightly abstract can be a way of reaching more people. When something is too real, that can almost be a way of limiting you.” Katzenbach was also a regular on the set as a consultant.
1117:
409:. Borsos said, “I wanted to know what goes on at 3 p.m., at 5 p.m. There's a wonderful flow of traffic at different times of the day. Gradually, the room fills up. Later, there's a ferocious attack at the computer terminals. A lot of newspaper movies have 10 people in the background, or 50, but there's always the same level of action. If the script said 3:10 p.m., and the first edition was an hour off the streets, I wanted to know what would be happening.”
393:, based on his years of experiences and of stories told to him by fellow reporters he knew. He tried to examine what he described as “the nature of reporting and the ambiguity and ambivalence of the job. There's a fundamental dilemma in, on the one hand, thinking 'How can I intrude on these people at the moment of exquisite agony?' and, on the other hand thinking 'My God, I'm sitting on a terrific story!'”
428:
and photographer Tim
Chapman. At first, he couldn’t figure out "how they justify what they do. But I found out that these are very caring people. They may be callous about how they do their jobs, but they're not callous about people. That allowed me, from a reporter's point of view, to have the truth
401:
after the term of the same name that refers to a pattern of weather that occurs in
Florida during the late summer months. Hot mornings with sticky weather lead into violent thunderstorms that blow in from the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico in the afternoon. However, the rain doesn't alleviate the
416:
offices in April 1984, Christopher
Bernard Wilder, a man suspected of kidnapping and killing several young women, shot himself in a confrontation with the police at a gas station in New Hampshire. Borsos remembers “it seemed as though there were about 500 reporters in the office, and everybody was
314:
Malcolm
Anderson is a reporter for a Miami newspaper, who is burned out from years of covering the worst crimes in the city. He promises his girlfriend Christine that they will move away from the city, but he ends up covering a series of grisly murders by a serial killer who calls him telling the
29:
457:
The actual City of Miami Police
Department's SWAT team appeared in a scene where Russell's character enters the house of a victim. Many interiors were also filmed inside the City of Miami Police Department Headquarters as well as the Richard E. Gerstein Criminal Justice Building.
449:
newsroom between the hours of 10:30 p.m. and 6:30 a.m. as opposed to recreating it on a soundstage. None of the actual clutter and look of the place was changed for the film. Foster said, “I don't think we could have had the aroma, the feel we had at the
396:
Producer David Foster, who was also a graduate of the journalism school at the
University of Southern California, was given Katzenbach’s manuscript and agreed to bring it to the big screen along with fellow producer Lawrence Turman. The film was named
490:, Janet Maslin wrote that the film "has a brisk pace and a lot of momentum. It also has a few more surprises than the material needed, since Mr. Borsos, who for the most part works in a tense, streamlined style, likes red herrings." Jack Kroll in
444:
reporters as on-set consultants and extras. Katzenbach told Foster, “that if he made a film about newspapers it was extremely important not to cut corners when presenting the journalistic aspects.” To that end, the production shot in the actual
301:
The film was named after the term of the same name that refers to a pattern of weather that occurs in
Florida during the late summer months. In order to achieve accuracy for the scenes that take place in the busy newsroom, the filmmakers used
1231:
1196:
1121:
1186:
1246:
1181:
591:
648:
1251:
1216:
923:
888:
1206:
516:, Rita Kempley wrote "Overall the film seems a little flat, a little stale. The clouds roil and the thunder claps like a gun report".
1201:
810:
1211:
1166:
1176:
1156:
1010:
1171:
306:
reporters as on-set consultants and extras and shot in the actual newsroom as opposed to recreating it on a soundstage.
1161:
1151:
1081:
1191:
933:
287:
52:
523:, the film holds a rating of 64% from 22 reviews with the consensus: "A thriller that plays at social commentary,
1146:
916:
1241:
1236:
880:
315:
reporter that he will kill again. The lines between covering the story and becoming part of it are blurred.
1226:
1091:
803:
80:
1221:
959:
909:
1030:
349:
796:
1101:
990:
949:
440:
In order to achieve accuracy for the scenes that take place in the busy newsroom, Borsos used
367:
240:
777:
402:
heat and only makes things hotter that evening. This cycle repeats every day for a month.
8:
1141:
872:
617:
478:$ 1.5 million on its opening weekend. It went on to make $ 4.3 million in North America.
739:
1051:
657:
596:
575:
848:
750:
502:
544:
405:
Foster and director
Phillip Borsos spent time studying the way people worked in the
1020:
832:
788:
508:
331:
267:
106:
783:
772:
721:
701:
626:
520:
295:
85:
67:
980:
820:
766:
716:
355:
337:
279:
271:
259:
173:
139:
111:
42:
527:
fumbles with its weightier themes, but does so in a generally watchable way."
361:
283:
1135:
901:
430:
425:
343:
275:
255:
149:
116:
429:
of why
Malcolm was able to press on when some people thought he shouldn't."
1061:
856:
325:
263:
101:
755:
744:
573:
Gross, Jane (February 10, 1985). "An Actor
Explores the Fourth Estate".
420:
In order to prepare for the role, Kurt Russell followed around veteran
129:
496:
28:
1071:
840:
761:
680:
433:
prepared for his role as an editor by spending several days at the
474:
was released on February 15, 1985 in 876 theaters and grossed
290:
under the pseudonym Leon Piedmont, is based on the 1982 novel
512:. It's also not as good as any of these". In her review for
1232:
Films with screenplays by Christopher Crowe (screenwriter)
475:
412:
Coincidentally, when Borsos and his crew arrived at the
678:
Kroll, Jack (February 25, 1985). "Hot and Bothered".
818:
1133:
931:
917:
804:
568:
566:
564:
562:
560:
558:
583:
1197:Films about kidnapping in the United States
889:Far from Home: The Adventures of Yellow Dog
924:
910:
811:
797:
555:
380:
27:
695:Kempley, Rita (February 15, 1985). "Open
610:
1187:Films based on American thriller novels
694:
1134:
688:
646:
640:
589:
1247:English-language crime thriller films
905:
792:
677:
572:
494:wrote "This movie has the weather of
1182:Films based on American crime novels
671:
481:
647:Maslin, Janet (February 15, 1985).
13:
1252:English-language independent films
1217:Films set in Coral Gables, Florida
590:Maslin, Janet (February 1, 1985).
14:
1263:
1207:Films produced by Lawrence Turman
733:
1202:Films directed by Phillip Borsos
1116:
1115:
389:John Katzenbach wrote the novel
506:and the perverse plot-angle of
385:Veteran crime reporter for the
709:
537:
1:
1212:Films scored by Lalo Schifrin
1167:American crime thriller films
881:Bethune: The Making of a Hero
530:
466:
375:
286:. The screenplay, written by
1177:American serial killer films
1157:1980s English-language films
461:
7:
188:February 15, 1985
16:1985 film by Phillip Borsos
10:
1268:
1172:American independent films
941:Films written and directed
1162:1980s serial killer films
1152:1985 crime thriller films
1113:
1042:
971:
940:
827:
391:In the Heat of the Summer
292:In the Heat of the Summer
236:
228:
220:
212:
202:
179:
169:
164:The Turman-Foster Company
155:
145:
135:
125:
94:
73:
63:In the Heat of the Summer
58:
48:
38:
33:Theatrical release poster
26:
21:
1011:The Last of the Mohicans
653:, Reporter vs. Murderer"
1192:Films about journalists
381:Development and writing
370:as Albert O'Shaughnessy
318:
309:
1147:1985 independent films
500:, the moral stance of
334:as Christine Connelly
1242:1980s American films
1237:Orion Pictures films
960:Whispers in the Dark
1227:Films shot in Miami
873:One Magic Christmas
514:The Washington Post
328:as Malcolm Anderson
254:is a 1985 American
1222:Films set in Miami
1052:B. J. and the Bear
819:Films directed by
658:The New York Times
597:The New York Times
576:The New York Times
545:"AFI|Catalog"
488:The New York Times
486:In her review for
282:, Luis Tamayo and
1129:
1128:
1043:TV series created
1031:Homeland Security
934:Christopher Crowe
899:
898:
717:"The Mean Season"
503:Absence of Malice
482:Critical response
288:Christopher Crowe
247:
246:
1259:
1119:
1118:
1106:
1096:
1086:
1082:The Untouchables
1076:
1066:
1056:
1035:
1025:
1015:
1005:
995:
985:
964:
954:
926:
919:
912:
903:
902:
813:
806:
799:
790:
789:
727:
726:
713:
707:
706:
692:
686:
685:
675:
669:
668:
666:
665:
644:
638:
637:
635:
634:
614:
608:
607:
605:
604:
587:
581:
580:
570:
553:
552:
541:
350:Richard Bradford
332:Mariel Hemingway
268:Mariel Hemingway
195:
193:
107:Mariel Hemingway
31:
19:
18:
1267:
1266:
1262:
1261:
1260:
1258:
1257:
1256:
1132:
1131:
1130:
1125:
1109:
1099:
1089:
1079:
1069:
1059:
1049:
1038:
1028:
1018:
1008:
1001:The Mean Season
998:
988:
978:
967:
957:
947:
936:
930:
900:
895:
865:The Mean Season
823:
817:
784:Box Office Mojo
779:The Mean Season
773:Rotten Tomatoes
768:The Mean Season
757:The Mean Season
746:The Mean Season
736:
731:
730:
722:Rotten Tomatoes
715:
714:
710:
702:Washington Post
699:On Reporters".
693:
689:
676:
672:
663:
661:
645:
641:
632:
630:
627:Box Office Mojo
620:The Mean Season
616:
615:
611:
602:
600:
592:"At the Movies"
588:
584:
571:
556:
549:catalog.afi.com
543:
542:
538:
533:
525:The Mean Season
521:Rotten Tomatoes
484:
472:The Mean Season
469:
464:
424:crime reporter
417:going insane.”
399:The Mean Season
383:
378:
373:
364:as Ray Martinez
321:
312:
296:John Katzenbach
262:, and starring
251:The Mean Season
243:4,300,000 (USA)
205:
198:
191:
189:
182:
165:
160:
158:
121:
90:
86:Lawrence Turman
68:John Katzenbach
65:
34:
22:The Mean Season
17:
12:
11:
5:
1265:
1255:
1254:
1249:
1244:
1239:
1234:
1229:
1224:
1219:
1214:
1209:
1204:
1199:
1194:
1189:
1184:
1179:
1174:
1169:
1164:
1159:
1154:
1149:
1144:
1127:
1126:
1114:
1111:
1110:
1108:
1107:
1097:
1087:
1077:
1067:
1057:
1046:
1044:
1040:
1039:
1037:
1036:
1026:
1016:
1006:
996:
986:
981:The Last Chase
975:
973:
969:
968:
966:
965:
955:
944:
942:
938:
937:
929:
928:
921:
914:
906:
897:
896:
894:
893:
885:
877:
869:
861:
853:
845:
837:
828:
825:
824:
821:Phillip Borsos
816:
815:
808:
801:
793:
787:
786:
775:
764:
753:
742:
735:
734:External links
732:
729:
728:
708:
687:
670:
639:
609:
582:
554:
535:
534:
532:
529:
483:
480:
468:
465:
463:
460:
437:’s city desk.
382:
379:
377:
374:
372:
371:
365:
359:
358:as Andy Porter
356:Joe Pantoliano
353:
352:as Phil Wilson
347:
341:
340:as Alan Delour
338:Richard Jordan
335:
329:
322:
320:
317:
311:
308:
280:Joe Pantoliano
272:Richard Jordan
260:Phillip Borsos
245:
244:
238:
234:
233:
230:
226:
225:
222:
218:
217:
214:
210:
209:
206:
203:
200:
199:
197:
196:
185:
183:
180:
177:
176:
174:Orion Pictures
171:
170:Distributed by
167:
166:
163:
161:
156:
153:
152:
147:
143:
142:
140:Duwayne Dunham
137:
133:
132:
127:
126:Cinematography
123:
122:
120:
119:
114:
112:Richard Jordan
109:
104:
98:
96:
92:
91:
89:
88:
83:
77:
75:
71:
70:
60:
56:
55:
50:
46:
45:
43:Phillip Borsos
40:
36:
35:
32:
24:
23:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1264:
1253:
1250:
1248:
1245:
1243:
1240:
1238:
1235:
1233:
1230:
1228:
1225:
1223:
1220:
1218:
1215:
1213:
1210:
1208:
1205:
1203:
1200:
1198:
1195:
1193:
1190:
1188:
1185:
1183:
1180:
1178:
1175:
1173:
1170:
1168:
1165:
1163:
1160:
1158:
1155:
1153:
1150:
1148:
1145:
1143:
1140:
1139:
1137:
1124:
1123:
1112:
1104:
1103:
1098:
1094:
1093:
1088:
1084:
1083:
1078:
1074:
1073:
1068:
1064:
1063:
1058:
1054:
1053:
1048:
1047:
1045:
1041:
1033:
1032:
1027:
1023:
1022:
1017:
1013:
1012:
1007:
1003:
1002:
997:
993:
992:
987:
983:
982:
977:
976:
974:
972:Films written
970:
962:
961:
956:
952:
951:
946:
945:
943:
939:
935:
927:
922:
920:
915:
913:
908:
907:
904:
891:
890:
886:
883:
882:
878:
875:
874:
870:
867:
866:
862:
859:
858:
854:
851:
850:
846:
843:
842:
838:
835:
834:
830:
829:
826:
822:
814:
809:
807:
802:
800:
795:
794:
791:
785:
781:
780:
776:
774:
770:
769:
765:
763:
759:
758:
754:
752:
748:
747:
743:
741:
740:Official site
738:
737:
724:
723:
718:
712:
704:
703:
698:
691:
683:
682:
674:
660:
659:
654:
652:
643:
629:
628:
623:
621:
613:
599:
598:
593:
586:
578:
577:
569:
567:
565:
563:
561:
559:
550:
546:
540:
536:
528:
526:
522:
517:
515:
511:
510:
505:
504:
499:
498:
493:
489:
479:
477:
473:
459:
455:
453:
448:
443:
438:
436:
432:
431:Richard Masur
427:
426:Edna Buchanan
423:
418:
415:
410:
408:
403:
400:
394:
392:
388:
369:
368:William Smith
366:
363:
360:
357:
354:
351:
348:
346:as Bill Nolan
345:
344:Richard Masur
342:
339:
336:
333:
330:
327:
324:
323:
316:
307:
305:
299:
297:
293:
289:
285:
281:
277:
276:Richard Masur
273:
269:
265:
261:
257:
256:thriller film
253:
252:
242:
239:
235:
231:
227:
223:
219:
216:United States
215:
211:
207:
201:
187:
186:
184:
178:
175:
172:
168:
162:
154:
151:
150:Lalo Schifrin
148:
144:
141:
138:
134:
131:
128:
124:
118:
117:Richard Masur
115:
113:
110:
108:
105:
103:
100:
99:
97:
93:
87:
84:
82:
79:
78:
76:
72:
69:
64:
61:
57:
54:
53:Leon Piedmont
51:
49:Screenplay by
47:
44:
41:
37:
30:
25:
20:
1120:
1100:
1090:
1080:
1070:
1062:B.L. Stryker
1060:
1050:
1029:
1019:
1009:
1000:
999:
989:
979:
958:
948:
887:
879:
871:
864:
863:
857:The Grey Fox
855:
847:
839:
831:
778:
767:
756:
745:
720:
711:
700:
696:
690:
679:
673:
662:. Retrieved
656:
650:
642:
631:. Retrieved
625:
619:
612:
601:. Retrieved
595:
585:
574:
548:
539:
524:
518:
513:
507:
501:
495:
491:
487:
485:
471:
470:
456:
451:
446:
441:
439:
434:
421:
419:
413:
411:
406:
404:
398:
395:
390:
387:Miami Herald
386:
384:
326:Kurt Russell
313:
304:Miami Herald
303:
300:
291:
264:Kurt Russell
258:directed by
250:
249:
248:
232:$ 10 million
204:Running time
181:Release date
102:Kurt Russell
81:David Foster
62:
1105:(1998–2001)
1092:The Watcher
1085:(1993–1994)
1065:(1989–1990)
1055:(1979–1981)
651:Mean Season
362:Andy GarcĂa
284:Andy GarcĂa
208:103 minutes
74:Produced by
39:Directed by
1142:1985 films
1136:Categories
1102:Seven Days
991:Nightmares
950:Off Limits
664:2007-09-28
633:2008-04-15
603:2010-02-17
531:References
467:Box office
376:Production
237:Box office
192:1985-02-15
157:Production
130:Frank Tidy
932:Works by
833:Cooperage
509:Tightrope
497:Body Heat
462:Reception
136:Edited by
1122:Category
1072:H.E.L.P.
841:Spartree
762:AllMovie
681:Newsweek
492:Newsweek
221:Language
146:Music by
95:Starring
59:Based on
224:English
213:Country
190: (
159:company
1095:(1995)
1075:(1990)
1034:(2004)
1024:(1996)
1014:(1992)
1004:(1985)
994:(1983)
984:(1981)
963:(1992)
953:(1988)
892:(1995)
884:(1990)
876:(1985)
868:(1985)
860:(1982)
852:(1979)
844:(1977)
836:(1976)
697:Season
452:Herald
447:Herald
442:Herald
435:Herald
422:Herald
414:Herald
407:Herald
229:Budget
849:Nails
1021:Fear
751:IMDb
319:Cast
310:Plot
782:at
771:at
760:at
749:at
519:On
476:USD
294:by
66:by
1138::
719:.
655:.
624:.
594:.
557:^
547:.
298:.
278:,
274:,
270:,
266:,
241:$
925:e
918:t
911:v
812:e
805:t
798:v
725:.
705:.
684:.
667:.
649:"
636:.
622:"
618:"
606:.
579:.
551:.
194:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.