Days of Thunder

For the NASCAR-style racing series in Europe which used the name "Days of Thunder" from 2003-04, see Stock Car Speed Association.

For the video game based on the movie, see Days of Thunder (video game).

Days of Thunder
Directed by	Tony Scott
Written by	Robert Towne Tom Cruise
Produced by	Don Simpson Jerry Bruckheimer
Starring	Tom Cruise Robert Duvall Nicole Kidman Randy Quaid Cary Elwes Michael Rooker John C. Reilly
Cinematography	Ward Russell
Edited by	Robert C. Jones Chris Lebenzon Bert Lovitt Michael Tronick Stuart Waks Billy Weber
Music by	Hans Zimmer
Production company	Don Simpson/Jerry Bruckheimer Films
Distributed by	Paramount Pictures
Release date	June 27, 1990 (1990-06-27)
Running time	108 minutes
Country	[United States]]
Languages	English French
Budget	US$60,000,000
Box office	$82,670,733

Days of Thunder is an 1990 American romantic drama film released by Paramount Pictures and produced by Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer and directed by Tony Scott. The cast includes Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman, Robert Duvall, Randy Quaid, Cary Elwes and Michael Rooker. The film also features appearances by real life racers, such as Rusty Wallace, Neil Bonnett, and Harry Gant. Commentator Dr. Jerry Punch, of ESPN, has a cameo appearance, as does co-producer Don Simpson.

Plot

Days of Thunder revolved around a talented, hot-shot auto racing rookie, (#46 and 51) Cole Trickle (Tom Cruise), who, after trying his hand in the American open wheel ranks, seeks to win on the NASCAR circuit. His mechanic mentor, Harry Hogge (Robert Duvall), acts as his crew chief. He also develops a romantic relationship with Dr. Claire Lewicki (Nicole Kidman), a young brain surgeon who tries to tame him. Lo and behold, just when he thought it was safe and easy to get back into a race car and drive, an arrogant and dangerous newcomer by the name of Russ Wheeler (Cary Elwes) doesn't make it easy on him, picking on him because he knows he can get away with it. Wheeler not only substitute-drove Trickle's pink Superflo car while Cole was in the hospital, but now he is teammates with Cole under the selfish, bullheaded leadership of car owner Tim Daland (Randy Quaid). Cole slowly tolerates Russ's arrogance until, after a race in which Russ cheats to win the race, Cole has his tires changed, and violently rams Wheeler from the side after the race, a response to their growing rivalry.

Meanwhile, Cole's relationship with "Rowdy" Burns (Michael Rooker) goes on a completely different course. In their first encounter, Cole, using Rowdy's car, impresses everyone by doing a test lap alone that was clocked as being "under Rowdy's time." This does not sit well with Rowdy, who "hazes" Cole during the rookie driver's first few races. However, once Cole gets his confidence, and, under Harry's mentorship, wins some races, he begins to haze Rowdy back, much to the anger of the veteran driver. During one particular race, both drivers are injured, which begins the bonding process the duo go through. When forced to attend dinner with other higher ups of NASCAR and with one another, Cole and Rowdy instead race one another in separate cars to the restaurant, venting their frustrations. From there, Cole and Rowdy begin to bond as close friends, with Cole and Claire going with Rowdy and his wife to their home and seeing their future property. Later, when Rowdy begins to show signs of a medical problem, it is Cole he finally opens up to. Cole, in turn, is the one who convinces him to see a doctor, and when Rowdy is diagnosed as unable to race, it is Cole he asks to race in his place.

The plot was very loosely based on some real-life NASCAR personalities: Robert Duvall's character was based on crew chief Harry Hyde, Cruise's on Tim Richmond, and Randy Quaid's on a composite of several owners, one of whom was Rick Hendrick. Hyde and Richmond were real-life driver and crew chief in the 1986 season for Hendrick Motorsports. Some critics speculate, if not the producers themselves, that Rowdy Burns' part is reflective of Dale Earnhardt and Russ Wheeler (Cary Elwes) of Rusty Wallace. Hendrick also provided the movie cars, driven by then-NASCAR drivers Greg Sacks, Tommy Ellis, Bobby Hamilton, Sr., and Hut Stricklin, with Hamilton making his Cup debut at Phoenix in 1989 in a movie car. Although this was not acknowledged by the film publicly this was obvious to fans from many coincidences between the film and well known events.

Music

The score for Days of Thunder was composed by Hans Zimmer with Jeff Beck making a guest appearance on guitar. A score album was never released, although a bootleg was later available. The "Main Title" track was included on the two-disc The Wings of a Film compilation. However, the track "The Last Note of Freedom" on the soundtrack was co-written by Zimmer and Billy Idol. A soundtrack album was released in 1990 by Geffen. Maria McKee's "Show Me Heaven" was released as a single alongside the movie. The album is also notable for the inclusion of Guns N' Roses' cover of Bob Dylan's "Knockin' on Heaven's Door", a year before the song was released with a different mix on the 1991 album Use Your Illusion II. The soundtrack also included "Trail of Broken Hearts", a song performed by Cher. The song was released on the single "Love And Understanding" and belongs to the recording sessions of her 1991 album Love Hurts.

Soundtrack listing

1. "The Last Note of Freedom" - David Coverdale
2. "Deal for Life" - John Waite
3. "Break Through the Barrier" - Tina Turner
4. "Hearts in Trouble" - Chicago
5. "Trail of Broken Hearts" - Cher
6. "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" - Guns N' Roses
7. "Gimme Some Lovin'" - The Spencer Davis Group
8. "Show Me Heaven" - Maria McKee
9. "Thunderbox" - Apollo Smile
10. "Love Live the Night" - Joan Jett & The Blackhearts
11. "Gimme Some Lovin'" - Terry Reid

Images

• 
  On pit road. This filming took place during the 1989 Autoworks 500 at Phoenix International Raceway. The safety car is the actual track safety car used for the race.
• 
  Tom Cruise during filming
• 
  Camera vehicle leads the cars around the track

External links

• Days of Thunder at IMDb
• Template:Amg movie
• Days of Thunder at Rotten Tomatoes
• Days of Thunder at Box Office Mojo
• Days of Thunder at Metacritic
• Movie stills