D.O.A.

"Someone poisoned Dexter Cornell. He's got to find out who. He's got to find out why. He's got to find out now. In 24 hours, he'll be Dead On Arrival."

1988 1h 36m EN

😐

6.3

MID

★6.3TMDB · 234

MysteryThriller

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Dexter Cornell, an English Professor becomes embroiled in a series of murders involving people around him. Dexter has good reason to want to find the murderer but hasn't much time. He finds help and comfort from one of his student, Sydney Fuller.

“Someone poisoned Dexter Cornell. He's got to find out who. He's got to find out why. He's got to find out now. In 24 hours, he'll be Dead On Arrival.”

WhatsApp X Facebook Telegram

Cast

Dennis Quaid
Dexter Cornell
Meg Ryan
Sydney Fuller
Charlotte Rampling
Mrs. Fitzwaring
Daniel Stern
Hal Petersham
Jane Kaczmarek
Gail Cornell
Christopher Neame
Bernard
Robin Johnson
Cookie Fitzwaring
Robert Knepper
Nicholas Lang

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Annabel Jankel
Writers: Charles Edward Pogue, Doug Lefler, Charles Edward Pogue
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 🍿

1 / 7

ERA

Did you know

38 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Annabel Jankel, shot by Yuri Neyman. 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 Chaz Jankel. 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 Raja Gosnell 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

Dennis Quaid and Meg Ryan and Charlotte Rampling carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 7

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "Someone poisoned Dexter Cornell. He's got to find out who. He's got to find out why. He's got to find out now. In 24 hours, he'll be Dead On Arrival.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 7

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0094933 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Annabel Jankel directs. Yuri Neyman behind the camera. Chaz Jankel scores. Raja Gosnell cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

138 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
2Directed by Annabel Jankel, shot by Yuri Neyman. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
3Original score by Chaz Jankel. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
4Editor Raja Gosnell shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
5Dennis Quaid and Meg Ryan and Charlotte Rampling carry the top of the cast.
6Marketing tagline: "Someone poisoned Dexter Cornell. He's got to find out who. He's got to find out why. He's got to find out now. In 24 hours, he'll be Dead On Arrival.".
7IMDB entry: tt0094933 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
8Classified under 9 themes, including "race against time", "toxication", "literature professor", "culprit".

The technical file

Cinematography: Yuri Neyman
Original score: Chaz Jankel
Editing: Raja Gosnell
Production design: Richard Amend
Makeup / hair: Ronnie Specter
Sound: Gary C. Bourgeois
Stunt coordinator: Randy Fife
Runtime: 96 min · 1h 36m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Box office: $12,706,478
Original language: EN
Certification (US): R
IMDB: D.O.A. (1988)

Also by

Annabel Jankel

Stills · wallpapers

Selected frames

Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.

Wallpaper

Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

Community reviews

What people are saying

John Chard2014-09-26
★ 6.5/10
Who was murdered? He was! D.O.A. is directed by Annabel Jankel and Rocky Morton and adapted to screenplay by Charles Edward Pogue from a story by Russell Rouse and Clarence Greene. It stars Dennis Quaid, Meg Ryan, Daniel Stern, Charlotte Rampling, Jane Kaczmarek and Christopher Neame. Music is by Chaz Jankel and cinematography by Yuri Neyman. A loose remake of the 1950 film noir of the same name, the story finds Professor Dexter Cornell (Quaid) staggering into a police station proclaiming that he is dying because someone has poisoned him. Told in flashback by Cornell, we see the events that led up to the point he was poisoned, but not who did it, and then track the frantic Professor as he tries to solve the who done it mystery before he keels over and dies. Not as bad as the poor box office returns suggest it is, D.O.A. is still very much a frustratingly shaky experience. Lifting only the basic idea of the 1950 movie, the makers stamp their own mark on the premise but add too many red herrings to the already fishy stew. Some plot developments are daft, as is the casting of Meg Ryan in the key femme role - seriously she is just too cookie cute and homely for this material - while the motive reveal is a bit much to swallow. Yet there's still a lot to enjoy and sample here for the neo-noir faithful. Visually the picture is stylish and appreciative to its noir roots. Opening in black and white to set the story in motion, Jankel and Morton then infuse the film with angled shots and frame distortions. Shadows often come into play, with Venetian blinds and roof rafters impacting, while the addition of a spiral staircase late in the day is most pleasing. Quaid is ever watchable in what is a tricky role that calls for him to garner sympathy whilst not being likable! While elsewhere Stern and Rampling provide good characterisations, even if as written the roles are too small given the importance the characters have to the plot shenanigans. A bit over cooked on the page, and basically a race against time thriller dressed up in neo-noir clothing, D.O.A. is still none the less worthy of a viewing. 6.5/10

Production companies