Red Heat

Red Heat, American action-comedy, colour, 1988, by Walter Hill, Language: English, Subtitles: Hungarian, 104'

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SCREENINGS

09.09. 18:30
Uránia

Directed by Walter Hill
Screenplay by Walter Hill, Harry Kleiner, Troy Kennedy-Martin
Director of photography: Matthew F. Leonetti
Music by James Horner
Cast: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jim Belushi, Peter Boyle, Ed O’Ross, Laurence Fishburne, Gina Gershon
Production: Carolco Pictures, Lone Wolf, Oak Pictures

Budapest has played many cities indeed: it has transformed itself into Paris, London, but it is equally adept at playing Moscow. The fact that this typical 1980s action film was shot here is down to Andy Vajna, and it was made at a time when the Iron Curtain had still not been cut, although the wire cutters were on hand. Rudas Baths appeared as both a gym and steaming hot Turkish bath, but other thermal baths also made appearances, including the famous Lukács. Many excellent Hungarian actors – from Attila Kaszás to Gábor Koncz – undertook supporting roles in the film by Walter Hill: the latter rolled down the steps of the Castle after Ivan Danko, the Russian cop, shot him in revenge for the death of his friend. That is, Arnold Schwarzenegger. This was the first American film during the Cold War to have a few scenes shot not here in Hungary but actually in Moscow itself, on Red Square, without any filmshooting licence, using a hand-held camera by a crew arriving without a visa. In other words, just as the Cold War started to melt. Even if as a film it does not appear to be so very important today, there is no doubt that Red Heat is certainly an important historical requisite.