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Over the Top (Film) Information

Over the Top is a 1987 drama film starring Sylvester Stallone, and produced and directed by Menahem Golan about a long haul truck driver who tries to win back his alienated son, played by David Mendenhall, who won two razzies for his worst supporting actor and new star; while becoming a champion arm wrestler. The screenplay was written by Stirling Silliphant and Sylvester Stallone. The original music score is composed by Giorgio Moroder.

Contents

Plot

Lincoln Hawk is a struggling trucker who arm wrestles on the side to make extra cash while trying to rebuild his life. Hawk's estranged wife Christina, who is very ill, asks that Hawk pick up their son Michael from military school so that the two of them can get to know each other; Hawk had left them 10 years earlier. His controlling grandfather Jason Cutler, a wealthy man who hates Hawk and disapproved of his daughter's relationship with him, believes that Hawk has no right to be in his grandson's life. Mike is very distrusting and bitter towards Hawk initially and treats him with contempt at every turn.

Over the course of a cross country trip from Colorado to California, Mike comes to trust Hawk until learning about his mother's death. Feeling he would have been there with her if not for Hawk, he leaves for his grandfather's estate. An attempt to retrieve Mike ends with Hawk being arrested for trespassing. While in jail Mike visits him, and while he forgives Hawk, he tells him that its best that he remain with his grandfather because he feels like he has a home with him.

After his release, Hawk leaves to compete in the World Arm Wrestling Championships in Las Vegas. His hope is to win the grand prize of $100,000 and an expensive new custom semi-truck and thus start his own trucking company. Hawk is a clear underdog, having a size disadvantage over just about every other participant, including an old rival of Hawk's, Bull Hurley, who is the odds on favorite. When he arrives, he sells his truck for $7000 and places a bet on himself for every cent of the money he earned. Meanwhile, Mike finds all the letters that Hawk had sent over the years and realizes that his grandfather has been hiding the truth about his father. Cutler did everything possible to drive his parents apart and had been intercepting and hiding the regular letters Hawk had written to him.

Cutler meets with Hawk and tells him that he's always been a loser and offers Hawk a way out: a brand new semi and $500,000 on the condition that he turn over custody of Mike and stay out of their lives, but Hawk refuses and leaves. Mike, stunned by his grandfather's deceptions, goes to Las Vegas and finds Hawk. Apologizing for misjudging him, Mike gives Hawk the emotional support he needs to compete and he emerges from the contest victorious over Hurley in the finals. As father and son celebrate their world championship win, Cutler (who had followed Mike to the competition) looks on in silence and with grudging respect for all he sacrificed to get Mike back. A triumphant Hawk and Mike take their new truck and hefty earnings and start their own business as planned.

Production

Filming locations

The military academy scenes, portrayed as being in Colorado, were filmed at Pomona College in Claremont, California during the early summer of 1986. The Kirkeby mansion at 750 Bel Air Road, Los Angeles (also the home of the Clampett family on the CBS comedy "The Beverly Hillbillies") was used to portray the Cutler estate.

Inconsistencies

There is some confusion over the actual name of Stallone's character. In the credits, he is listed as Lincoln Hawk. In addition, the door on his original truck says, "Hawk." However, Robert Loggia's character refers to him variously as Hawks and Hawk[1], as do many members of the supporting cast. Finally, Hawk writes a letter to his wife and addresses it to Christina Hawks.

Cast

Multi-time world arm wrestling champion and future professional wrestler Scott Norton also makes an appearance. [2]

Soundtrack

A soundtrack album was released in 1987 to coincide with the release of the movie. It contains music from Frank Stallone, Kenny Loggins (who performs the film's central theme, "Meet Me Half Way"), Eddie Money, and Sammy Hagar.

Track listing:

  1. "Winner Takes It All" - Sammy Hagar
  2. "In This Country" - Robin Zander
  3. "Take It Higher" - Larry Greene
  4. "All I Need Is You" - Big Trouble
  5. "Bad Nite" - Frank Stallone
  6. "Meet Me Half Way" - Kenny Loggins
  7. "Gypsy Soul" - Asia
  8. "The Fight (Instrumental)" - Giorgio Moroder
  9. "Mind Over Matter" - Larry Greene
  10. "I Will Be Strong" - Eddie Money

John Wetton, lead singer of the rock group Asia, sang "Winner Takes It All" for the movie, but after performing the song, it was felt that his voice wasn't "mean" enough, so the song was offered to Sammy Hagar, whose version, featuring a bass guitar solo from Hagar's then-bandmate Edward Van Halen, ended up being the one on the soundtrack.

References

  1. ^ "Over the Top film review at Surfin' Dead."
  2. ^ "Online World of Wrestling". Online World of Wrestling. http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profiles/s/scott-norton.html. Retrieved 2010-09-29.

External links

Film portal
· · Films directed by Menahem Golan
1960s El Dorado (1963) · Shemona B'Ekevot Ahat (1964) · Dalia Vehamalahim (1964) · Fortuna (1966) · Einer spielt falsch (1966) · 999 Aliza: The Policeman (1967) · Tevye and His Seven Daughters (1968) · What's Good for the Goose (1969) · Margo Sheli (1969)
1970s Lupo! (1970) · Attack at Dawn (1970) · Malkat Hakvish (1971) · Katz V'Carasso (1971) · Shod Hatelephonim Hagadol (1972) · Escape to the Sun (1972) · Kazablan (1974) · Lepke (1975) · Diamonds (1975) · Operation Thunderbolt (1977) · Uranium Conspiracy (1978) · The Magician of Lublin (1979)
1980s The Apple (1980) · Enter the Ninja (1981) · Over the Brooklyn Bridge (1984) · The Delta Force (1986) · Over the Top (1987) · Hanna's War (1988) · Mack the Knife (1989)
1990s Zebrácká opera (1991) · Hit the Dutchman (1992) · Silent Victim (1993) · Deadly Heroes (1993) · Superbrain (1995) · Russian Roulette - Moscow 95 (1995) · Die Tunnelgangster von Berlin (1996) · 1998 Lima: Breaking the Silence (1998) · Armstrong (1998) · The Versace Murder (1998)
2000s Death Game (2001) · Crime and Punishment (2002) · Open Heart (2002) · Final Combat (2003) · Days of Love (2005) · A Dangerous Dance (2007) · Marriage Agreement (2008)
· · Works of Sylvester Stallone
Director Paradise Alley (1978) · Rocky II (1979) · Rocky III (1982) · Staying Alive (1983) · Rocky IV (1985) · Rocky Balboa (2006) · Rambo (2008) · The Expendables (2010)
Writer The Lords of Flatbush (1974) · Rocky (1976) · F.I.S.T. (1978) · Paradise Alley (1978) · Rocky II (1979) · Rocky III (1982) · First Blood (1982) · Staying Alive (1983) · Rhinestone (1984) · Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985) · Rocky IV (1985) · Cobra (1986) · Over the Top (1987) · Rambo III (1988) · Rocky V (1990) · Cliffhanger (1993) · Driven (2001) · Rocky Balboa (2006) · Rambo (2008) · The Expendables (2010)
Producer Staying Alive (1983) · Heart of a Champion: The Ray Mancini Story (1985) · Driven (2001) · The Contender (2005–present)
Soundtrack Paradise Alley (1978) · Rhinestone (1984)
Related articles Filmography

Categories: English-language films | 1987 films | 1980s drama films | American drama films | Golan-Globus films | Chase films | Warner Bros. films | Sports films

 

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