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ERA
Did you know
41 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
MoodPlayr · trivia#01
The Mean Season
"A time between summer... and murder."
1985 1h 43m EN
😐
6.2
MID
🍅
64%
FRESH
😬
55
METACRITIC
⭐
6.1
IMDB
★6.2TMDB · 121🍅64%Rotten Tomatoes●55Metacritic★6.1IMDB · 5,231
MysteryThriller
Synopsis
Spoiler shield
A routine investigation of a shocking murder takes a bizarre twist when the killer contacts the reporter and appoints him his personal spokesman. As the killer's calls and clues increase, the reporter is lured into a deadly trap.
“A time between summer... and murder.”
Cast
Kurt Russell
Malcolm Anderson
Mariel Hemingway
Christine Connelly
Richard Jordan
Alan Delour
Richard Masur
Bill Nolan
Richard Bradford
Phil Wilson
Joe Pantoliano
Andy Porter
Andy Garcia
Ray Martinez
Rose Portillo
Kathy Vasquez
Credits
Behind the camera
- Director
- Phillip Borsos
- Writers
- Leon Piedmont
- Languages
- English
- Countries
- United States of America
Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.
Did you know?
Fun facts 🍿
2 / 7
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Directed by Phillip Borsos, shot by Frank Tidy. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
MoodPlayr · trivia#02
3 / 7
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Original score by Lalo Schifrin. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
MoodPlayr · trivia#03
4 / 7
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Editor Duwayne Dunham shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
MoodPlayr · trivia#04
5 / 7
CAST
Did you know
Kurt Russell and Mariel Hemingway and Richard Jordan carry the top of the cast.
MoodPlayr · trivia#05
6 / 7
FACT
Did you know
Marketing tagline: "A time between summer... and murder.".
MoodPlayr · trivia#06
7 / 7
WILD
Did you know
IMDB entry: tt0089572 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
MoodPlayr · trivia#07
Cinephile deep dive
The take
Phillip Borsos directs. Frank Tidy behind the camera. Lalo Schifrin scores. Duwayne Dunham cuts. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.
Trivia
Things worth knowing
- 141 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
- 2Directed by Phillip Borsos, shot by Frank Tidy. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
- 3Original score by Lalo Schifrin. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
- 4Editor Duwayne Dunham shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
- 5Kurt Russell and Mariel Hemingway and Richard Jordan carry the top of the cast.
- 6Marketing tagline: "A time between summer... and murder.".
- 7IMDB entry: tt0089572 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
- 8Released under 25 different titles around the world.
The technical file
- Cinematography
- Frank Tidy
- Original score
- Lalo Schifrin
- Editing
- Duwayne Dunham
- Production design
- Philip M. Jefferies
- Costume design
- Julie Weiss
- Makeup / hair
- Craig Reardon
- Sound
- Gary Summers
- Stunt coordinator
- Dick Warlock
- Runtime
- 103 min · 1h 43m
- Aspect ratio (typical)
- 1.37:1 (Academy)
- Status
- Released
- Original language
- EN
- Certification (US)
- R
- Rotten Tomatoes
- 64% 🍅 Fresh
- Metacritic
- 55/100
- IMDB rating
- 6.1/10 · 5,231 votes
- MPAA
- R
- US box office
- $4,349,446
Awards
1 win
Also by
Phillip Borsos
Stills · wallpapers
Selected frames
Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.
Trailers & featurettes
Watch the pieces
Production companies
Who made it
- DA
David Foster Productions
US
- TH
The Turman-Foster Company
US
Orion Pictures
US
Key crew
- Stunt CoordinatorDick Warlock
- Unit Production ManagerSteve Perry
- Second Assistant DirectorMichelle Marx
- Camera OperatorMike McGowan
- First Assistant CameraWilliam D. Barber
- Second Assistant CameraRobert Heine
- Set DecorationDon K. Ivey
- Production Sound MixerBill Nelson
- First Assistant EditorJay Ignaszewski
- Sound SupervisorGary Summers
- Sound Re-Recording MixerGary Summers
- Sound Re-Recording MixerRandy Thom
- Supervising Dialogue EditorGloria S. Borders
- ADR EditorLaurel Ladevich
- Supervising Music EditorDaniel Allan Carlin
- Sound Effects EditorRichard Hymns
- Sound Effects EditorVictor Livingston
- Sound Effects EditorRob Fruchtman
- Makeup DesignerCraig Reardon
- Hair DesignerDiane Johnson
- Dolly GripEdward Knott III
- Key GripEd Knott Jr.
- Transportation CoordinatorMichael McDuffee
- Property MasterRichard Helfritz
Release history · US
When it landed
- Theatrical1985-02-15R
Also known as
International titles
- Llamada a un reporteroES
- HőhullámHU
- Поганий сезонUA
- Cinayet MevsimiTR
- Acımasız SezonTR
- Het linjeSE
- Скверный сезонRU
- Šesta žrtevSI
- Vreme zlaRS
- Telefonul mortiiRO
- A Última ReportagemPT
- Niebezpieczna auraPL
- Noticias escritas con sangrePE
- Morderen ringerNO
- In het heetst van de zomerNL
