Hardcore

Year:

1979

Duration:

109 min

Genres:

Drama | Thriller

IMDB rate:

6.9

Director:

Paul Schrader

Awards:

1 nomination

Details

Country: USA

Release Date: 1979-04-27

Filming Locations: First United Methodist Church - 6817 Franklin Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Cast

Actor

Character

Bibi Besch

George C. Scott

Jake VanDorn

Peter Boyle

Andy Mast

Season Hubley

Niki

Dick Sargent

Wes DeJong

Leonard Gaines

Ramada

Dave Nichols

Kurt (as David Nichols)

Gary Graham

Tod (as Gary Rand Graham)

Larry Block

Detective Burrows

Marc Alaimo

Ratan

Leslie Ackerman

Felice

Charlotte McGinnis

Beatrice (as Charlotte McGinnes)

Ilah Davis

Kristen VanDorn

Paul Marin

Joe VanDorn

Will Walker

Jism Jim

Hal Williams

Big Dick Blaque

Bob Bishop

Stud #1 (as Michael Allan Helie)

Tim Dial

Stud #2

Roy London

Jim Rucker

Tracey Walter

Male Teller

Bobby Kosser

Film Director

Stephen P. Dunn

Film Cameraman

Jean Allison

Mrs. Steensma

Reb Brown

Manager

James Helder

John VanDorn

Dave Thompson

Willem

John Otte

Grandfather VanDorn

Janet Simpson

Anne DeJong

Karen Kruer

Marsha DeJong

Henry Vandenbroek

Reverend VanTil

Linda Smith

Hope / Mistress Victoria

Mary McFerren

'Free Press' Teller

Judith Ransdell

Ramada's Secretary

Linda Morell

'Les Girls' Woman

Gigi Vorgan

Teenage Girl

Michael Hatch

Nephew #1

David Hockenberry

Nephew #2

Joseph Prus

Bill

Jean Reed Bahle

Ruth

Reinder Vantil

Man at Piano

Dee Ann Johnston

Bar Maid

Janice Carroll

Waitress

Mark Natuzzi

Barker #1

Al Cingolani

Barker #2

Cherilyn Parsons

Girl at Convention

Tracey Ratley

Hostess

Antonio Esparza

Teenage Mexican

Linda Cremeans

Stewardess

Ed Begley Jr.

Soldier

Stewart Steinberg

Man in Seersucker Suit

Kevyn Currie

Sailor in Bar (uncredited)

Wynn Rowell

Lecher (uncredited)

Serena

Terry (uncredited)

Did you know?

Trivia

Lead actor George C. Scott plays a Calvinist religious character in this movie. The film was released in the 20th Anniversary year of Scott's first ever cinema movie The Hanging Tree (1959). In that debut film, Scott had also played a religious character, the zealot George Grubb.

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Adult actress Marilyn Chambers was considered for the role of "Niki" but was turned down because producers felt she didn't look enough like a porn star.

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The film's "Hardcore" title had two meanings according to publicity for the picture. An edition of Movie News magazine published in 1979 stated that "Hardcore is modern slang for what used to be called smut - or pornography. It's also an adjective used to described unwavering religious faith and old-fashioned values".

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Goofs

When Jake has returned to L.A. and fires his detective, he creates a list of establishments to do his own research and that evening and drives around visiting places on his list. The first place he visits has a street number of 739 (visible in frame) but in looking at address detail in the long shot of the list itself, there are no references to a street number of 739 anywhere.

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Panties suddenly appear on Niki's fully nude body in the peep booth. This goof is seen on old video and cable un-matted versions. (On DVD, the portion showing that Nikki has panties is properly cropped out and doesn't show.)

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Quotes

Jake VanDorn: Turn it off! Turn if off! TURN IT OFF! 1 of 1 found this interesting Interesting? Yes No | Share this Share this: Facebook | Twitter | Permalink Hide options [about pornography] Andy Mast: Nobody makes it. Nobody shows it. Nobody sees it. It's like it doesn't even exist.

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Niki: Look, how important do you think sex is?

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Andy Mast: A lot of strange things happen in this world. Things you don't know about in Grand Rapids. Things you don't want to know about. Doors that shouldn't be opened.

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Faq

Q

How accurate is this film's portrayal of what the porn industry in Los Angeles was actually like?

A

Hardcore is very accurate in its depictions of the porn industry in L.A. in the late 70s. For one, all of the porn stores and clubs George C. Scott is seen going into were real, as were all of the magazines and sex devices being sold inside of them. Sexually explicit film actor and model agent Bill Margold provided Schrader with many actual locations to film in and fact checked the script for accuracy. X Rated film actress Serena can been seen in a cameo role as the other woman in the motel sex scene with Season Hubley. That scene is very reminiscent of how lower budget hardcore movies were shot in the late 70s as many such films were shot in rented apartments or motel rooms. Also, the described hierarchy of pornography is also accurate to what actually existed, with cheap 8mm films being the cheapest and most common films in existance to higher budget 16mm and 35mm features which were frequently shot over the course of a couple weeks with larger casts and crews, as shown when Scott visits a higher bdget pruduction being shot on a highway by Vince Ramada.

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