Cliffhanger *** (1993, Sylvester Stallone, John Lithgow, Michael Rooker) – Classic Movie Review 8112

Director Renny Harlin’s 1993 adventure thriller Cliffhanger is enjoyably preposterous action entertainment, with Sylvester Stallone as Gabe Walker, a mountain rescuer called in when a plane full of bad guys who have stolen cash from a Denver bank crash-lands in the snowy peaks of the Rocky Mountains. ‘An avalanche of thrills!’ is promised and many are delivered.

The botched heist results in a frantic search for three suitcases filled with $100 million in cash. Gabe is supposed to be rescuing a group of stranded people but they are just looking for their loot.

Stallone shows that he is an amiable, capable action hero, but John Lithgow gives a one note performance (and that is off key) as a ruthless psychotic English villain called Qualen (unfortunately he cannot do the accent).

While the story is low on credibility, with stereotypes instead of characters, the action is commendably non stop, though this is the only sense in which the film delivers. There are a couple of nasty violent bits, but it is all comic-book stuff, as written by Michael France (screen story and screenplay) and Sylvester Stallone (screenplay), based on a premise by John Long.

It was nominated for three Oscars: Best Sound; Best Effects, Sound Effects Editing; and Best Effects, Visual Effects.

Also in the cast are Michael Rooker, Janine Turner, Rex Linn, Caroline Goodall, Paul Winfield, Ralph Waite, Craig Fairbrass, Max Perlich, Michelle Joyner, Leon, Gregory Scott Cummins, Bruce McGill, Zach Grenier, Trey Brownell, Don S Davis, Vyto Ruginis and Denis Forest.

It was on Mount Falzarago, Dolomites, Italy; Cortina d’Ampezzo, Belluno, Veneto, Italy; Durango, Colorado; and in the studio at Cinecittà Studios, Rome, with aerial photography at the actual Rocky Mountains, Colorado, for the hijack on the plane.

The US cinema release was cut for an R rating with all the most violent scenes edited.

It cost a fairly hefty $70,000,000, but was a hit, with a cumulative worldwide gross of $171,000,000.

Cliffhanger is directed by Renny Harlin, runs 112 minutes, is made by Cliffhanger BV Productions, Le Studio Canal +, Pioneer and Carolco, is released by TriStar Pictures (US) and Guild (UK), is written by Michael France and Sylvester Stallone, is shot by Alex Thomson, is produced by Alan Marshall and Renny Harlin, and is scored by Trevor Jones.

Preview audiences hated a scene where a rabbit gets killed by gunfire, so Stallone spent $100,000 to re-shoot it so the rabbit escaped.

© Derek Winnert 2019 Classic Movie Review 8112

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