Firestarter

Year:

1984

Duration:

114 min | Germany:101 min

Genres:

Action | Horror | Sci-Fi | Thriller

IMDB rate:

6

Director:

Mark L. Lester

Awards:

2 nominations

Details

Country: USA

Release Date: 1984-05-11

Filming Locations: 176 Elkwood Dr., Lake Lure, North Carolina, USA

Earnings

Budget: $15,000,000

Gross: $15,100,000 (USA)SEK 1,586,987 (Sweden)

Cast

Actor

Character

Drew Barrymore

Firestarter

George P. Wilbur

David Keith

Andrew 'Andy' McGee

Freddie Jones

Doctor Joseph Wanless

Heather Locklear

Victoria 'Vicky' Tomlinson McGee

Martin Sheen

Captain Hollister

George C. Scott

John Rainbird

Art Carney

Irv Manders

Louise Fletcher

Norma Manders

Moses Gunn

Doctor Pynchot

Antonio Fargas

Taxi Driver

Drew Snyder

Orville Jamieson

Curtis Credel

Bates

Keith Colbert

Mayo

Dick Warlock

Knowles

Jeff Ramsey

Steinowitz

Jack Magner

Young Serviceman

Lisa Anne Barnes

Serviceman's Girlfriend

Larry Sprinkle

Security Guard

Cassandra Ward-Freeman

Woman in Stall

Scott R. Davis

Bearded Student

Nina Jones

Grad Assistant

William Alspaugh

Proprietor

Laurens Moore

Old Man

Anne Fitzgibbon

Old Lady

Steve Boles

Mailman

Stanley Mann

Motel Owner

Robert Miano

Blinded Agent

Leon Rippy

Blinded Agent

Carole Francisco

Joan Dugan

Wendy Womble

Josie

Etan Boritzer

DSI Technician

Joan Foley

DSI Technician

John Sanderford

Albright

Orwin C. Harvey

DSI Orderly

Carey Fox

Agent Hunt

Laura Warner

Girl in Country Store (uncredited)

Did you know?

Trivia

Prophetically, when Drew Barrymore was six and a half years old before she was cast in this movie, her mother thought that Drew looked liked the girl on the source novel's paperback dust-jacket. Drew once said: My mom had seen this book at the grocery store with a picture of a little girl on it and she said 'Gee, this looks kinda like you'. She said it was OK if I bought it and so I did. When I read it, I came into the kitchen where my mom was making dinner and said 'I'm the Firestarter. I'm Charlie McGee! But she didn't know what I was talking about".

Share this

The cast featured three actors who had won Academy Awards for acting. George C. Scott and Art Carney had won Best Actor Oscars for Patton (1970) and Harry and Tonto (1974) respectively whilst Louise Fletcher had won a Best Actress Oscar for One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975).

Share this

The sequel Firestarter 2: Rekindled (2002) wasn't made for another eighteen years after this movie was first released.

Share this

Goofs

When Charlie throws the three agents in silver fire suits out of the barn after setting them on fire, the wires used to pull them back are clearly visible as the barn door breaks.

Share this

When Andy is walking with Captain Hollister and is about to 'push' him, you can see a dark bloody line under Andy's nose. But this only occurs after he 'pushes' someone. This would appear to indicate the scene was shot repeatedly.

Share this

At the beginning when Andy and Charlie are in New York city at one point you clearly see the Washington monument.

Share this

Quotes

Captain Hollister: [referring to Charlie] When we find out all we need to know from her...

Share this

Irv Manders: You men are tresspassin. Show me a warrant or get off my land.

Share this

Captain Hollister: What's to stop me from having you erased right here and now?

Share this

Faq

Q

How much sex, violence, and profanity are in this movie?

A

For detailed information about the amounts and types of (a) sex and nudity, (b) violence and gore, (c) profanity, (d) alcohol, drugs, and smoking, and (e) frightening and intense scenes in this movie, consult the IMDb Parents Guide for this movie. The Parents Guide for Firestarter can be found here.

Q

What was Lot Six supposed to do?

A

In the novel, Dr. Wanless (Freddie Jones) describes Lot Six as "a synthetic copy of a pituitary extract, a powerful painkiller-hallucinogen that we did not understand then and that we don't understand now." One thing they do know, he says, is that "Lot Six somehow changed the physical composition of the pituitary glands of those who participated in the experiment" and that "Lot Six was responsible in some way for the occasional flashes of psi ability that nearly all human beings demonstrate from time to time."

Q

A Note Regarding Spoilers

A

The following FAQ entries may contain spoilers. Only the biggest ones (if any) will be covered with spoiler tags. Spoiler tags have been used sparingly in order to make the page more readable.

Share this