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'{{short description|1991 film by Michael Lehmann}} {{Infobox film | name = Hudson Hawk | image = Hudson hawk ver2.jpg | image_size = 215px | alt = | caption = Theatrical release poster | director = [[Michael Lehmann]] | producer = [[Joel Silver]] | screenplay = {{plainlist| * [[Steven E. de Souza]] * [[Daniel Waters (screenwriter)|Daniel Waters]] }} | story = {{plainlist| * [[Bruce Willis]] * [[Robert Kraft (composer)|Robert Kraft]] }} | narrator = [[William Conrad]] | starring = {{plainlist| * Bruce Willis * [[Danny Aiello]] * [[Andie MacDowell]] * [[Richard E. Grant]] * [[Sandra Bernhard]] * [[Donald Burton]] * [[James Coburn]] }} | music = {{plainlist| * [[Michael Kamen]] * Robert Kraft }} | cinematography = [[Dante Spinotti]] | editing = {{plainlist| * [[Chris Lebenzon]] * [[Michael Tronick]] }} | studio = [[Silver Pictures]] | distributor = [[TriStar Pictures]] | released = {{Film date|1991|5|24}} | runtime = 100 minutes | country = United States | language = English | budget = {{USD|65 million|link=yes}}<ref>{{cite news|title= FILM; Why the 'Hudson Hawk' Budget Soared So High|work= The New York Times|date=1991-05-26|url= http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F2061EF73A5C0C758EDDAC0894D9494D81|accessdate=2010-10-29|first=James|last=Greenberg}}</ref> | gross = {{USD|17.2 million}}<ref name="boxofficemojo.com">{{cite web|work=[[Box Office Mojo]]|title=Hudson Hawk|url=http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=hudsonhawk.htm}}</ref> }} '''''Hudson Hawk''''' is a 1991 American [[action comedy film]] directed by [[Michael Lehmann]].<ref>{{cite news|title= Hudson Hawk|work= Washington Post|date=1991-05-24|url= https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/longterm/movies/videos/hudsonhawkrhinson_a0a682.htm|accessdate=2010-10-28}}</ref> [[Bruce Willis]] stars in the title role and also co-wrote both the story and the theme song. [[Danny Aiello]], [[Andie MacDowell]], [[James Coburn]], [[David Caruso]], [[Lorraine Toussaint]], [[Frank Stallone]], [[Sandra Bernhard]] and [[Richard E. Grant]] are also featured.<ref>{{cite news|title=`Hawk` Better Fly|work=Chicago Tribune|date=1991-06-02|url=http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1991-06-02/features/9102190255_1_hudson-hawk-film-million-budget|accessdate=2010-10-29}}</ref> It was a [[box office bomb]], losing the studio nearly $50 million.<ref name="insider">{{cite web|url=http://www.thisisinsider.com/movie-flops-over-the-years-2018-2#1978-sextette-1|title=The biggest box office flop from the year you were born|author=Gabbi Shaw|work=Insider |date=February 27, 2017 |accessdate=June 21, 2018}}</ref> The [[live action]] film employs [[Animated cartoon|cartoon]]-style [[slapstick]] heavily, including [[sound effect]]s, which enhances the movie's signature [[surreal humour]]. The plot combines material based on [[Conspiracy theory|conspiracy theories]], [[Secret society|secret societies]], and historic mysteries, as well as outlandish "[[clockpunk]]" technology ''à la'' Coburn's ''[[Our Man Flint]]'' movies of the 1960s.<ref>{{cite news|title= Real 'Hudson Hawk'|work= [[Chicago Tribune]] |date=1991-05-19|url=http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1991-05-19/entertainment/9102140878_1_eddie-hawkins-hudson-river-film|accessdate=2010-10-29|first=Glenn|last=Plaskin}}</ref> A recurring plot device in the film has Hudson and his partner Tommy "Five-Tone" (Aiello) singing songs concurrently but separately, to time and synchronize their exploits. Willis-Aiello duets of [[Bing Crosby]]'s "[[Swinging on a Star]]" and [[Paul Anka]]'s "[[Side by Side (1927 song)|Side by Side]]" are featured on the film's soundtrack. ==Plot== Eddie "Hudson Hawk" Hawkins ([[Bruce Willis]])—"Hudson Hawk" is a nickname for the bracing winds off the [[Hudson River]]—is a master catburglar and [[safe-cracking|safe-cracker]], attempting to celebrate his first day of parole from prison with a cappuccino. Before he can get it, he is [[blackmail]]ed by various entities, including his own parole officer, a minor [[Italian-American Mafia|Mafia]] family headed by the Mario Brothers (not to be confused with the [[Super Mario Bros|video game characters]]), and the [[Central Intelligence Agency|CIA]] into doing several dangerous art heists with his singing partner in crime, Tommy "Five-Tone" Messina ([[Danny Aiello]]). The holders of the puppet strings turn out to be a "psychotic American corporation", Mayflower Industries, run by husband and wife Darwin ([[Richard E. Grant]]) and Minerva Mayflower ([[Sandra Bernhard]]) and their blade-slinging butler, Alfred ([[Donald Burton]]), who kills Hawk’s parole officer. The company, headquartered in the [[Esposizione Universale Roma]], seeks to take over the world by reconstructing ''La Macchina dell'Oro'', a machine purportedly invented by [[Leonardo da Vinci]] (Stefano Molinari) that [[alchemy|converts lead into gold]]. A special assembly of [[crystal]]s needed for the machine to function are hidden in a variety of Leonardo's artworks: the [[maquette]] of the [[Sforza]], the [[Codex Trivulzianus|Da Vinci Codex]], and a scale model of DaVinci's helicopter design. Sister Anna Baragli ([[Andie MacDowell]]) is an operative for a secretive [[Holy See|Vatican]] [[counter-espionage]] agency, which has arranged with the CIA to assist in the Roman portion of Hawk's mission, though apparently intending all along to foil the robbery at [[St. Peter's Basilica]]. Throughout the adventure, Hudson is foiled in attempts to drink a cappuccino. After blowing up an auctioneer to cover up the theft of the Sforza, the Mario Bros. take Hawk away in an ambulance. Hawk sticks syringes into Antony Mario's face and falls out of the ambulance on a gurney, and the Marios try to run him down with the ambulance as his gurney speeds along the highway. The brothers are killed when their driver, startled by the array of syringes in Antony's face, crashes the ambulance. Immediately afterwards, Hawk meets [[CIA]] head George Kaplan ([[James Coburn]]) and his CIA agents–Snickers ([[Don Patrick Harvey|Don Harvey]]), Kit Kat ([[David Caruso]]), Almond Joy ([[Lorraine Toussaint]]), and Butterfinger ([[Andrew Bryniarski]])–who take him to Darwin and Minerva Mayflower. Hawk successfully steals the Da Vinci Codex from another museum, but later refuses to steal the helicopter design. Tommy Five-Tone fakes his death so they can escape. They are discovered and attacked by the CIA Agents, and Kaplan reveals that he and his agents stole the piece, and unlike Tommy and Hudson, had no problem killing the guards. Hawk and Tommy escape when Snickers and Almond Joy are killed -Snickers by a misfired explosive, Almond Joy in the ensuing blast after being incapacitated by a backfired paralysis dart- and pursue the remaining agents. Kit Kat and Butterfinger take Anna to the castle where the ''Macchina dell'Oro'' is being reconstructed. A showdown takes place at the castle between the remaining CIA agents, the Mayflowers, and the team of Hudson, Five-Tone, and Baragli. Kit Kat and Butterfinger are betrayed and killed by Minerva, although Kit Kat frees Baragli before he dies. Tommy fights Darwin and Alfred inside Darwin's speeding limo, and Hudson fights George Kaplan on the roof of the castle. Kaplan topples from the castle and lands of the roof of the limo. Alfred plants a bomb in the limo and escapes with Darwin; Tommy is trapped inside and Kaplan is hanging onto the hood. The bomb detonates as the limo speeds over a cliff. Darwin and Minerva force Hawk to put together the crystal powering the machine, but Hawk intentionally leaves out one small piece. When the Mayflowers activate the machine, it malfunctions and explodes, killing Minerva and Darwin. Hawk battles Alfred, using Alfred's own blades to decapitate him. Hawk and Baragli escape the castle using a da Vinci flying machine and discover Tommy waiting for them at a cafe, having miraculously escaped death through an improbable combination of airbags and a sprinkler system in the limo. With the world saved and the secrets of Da Vinci protected, Hawk finally gets to enjoy a cappuccino. ==Cast== * [[Bruce Willis]] as Eddie Hawkins/Hudson Hawk<ref>{{cite news|title= Summer Movie Special : Bruce & Joel's Q & A Adventure : Partners-in-action Bruce Willis and producer Joel Silver fire away on everything from 'Hudson Hawk' to the press|work= The Los Angeles Times|date=1991-05-19|url= http://articles.latimes.com/1991-05-19/entertainment/ca-3167_1_joel-silver|accessdate=2010-10-28|first=Nina J.|last=Easton}}</ref> * [[Danny Aiello]] as Tommy "Five-Tone" Messina * [[Andie MacDowell]] as Anna Baragli * [[James Coburn]] as George Kaplan * [[Richard E. Grant]] as Darwin Mayflower * [[Sandra Bernhard]] as Minerva Mayflower * [[Donald Burton]] as Alfred * [[Andrew Bryniarski]] as Butterfinger * [[David Caruso]] as Kit Kat * [[Lorraine Toussaint]] as Almond Joy * [[Don Patrick Harvey|Don Harvey]] as Snickers * [[Doug and Steve Martin|Doug Martin]] as Igg * [[Doug and Steve Martin|Steve Martin]] as Ook * [[Leonardo Cimino]] as The Cardinal * [[Frank Stallone]] as Cesar Mario * Carmine Zozzara as Antony Mario * [[Enrico Lo Verso]] as Apprentice * Courtenay Semel as Bratty girl in museum * [[Frank Welker]] as Bunny the Dog (voice) * [[William Conrad]] as The Narrator ==Soundtrack== The soundtrack album was released by [[Varèse Sarabande]] in 1991, there are eleven tracks in all. The film's score (represented by tracks 4-9) was composed and conducted by [[Michael Kamen]] with [[Robert Kraft (composer)|Robert Kraft]]; Kraft also wrote "Hawk Swing" and co-wrote the film's theme with star Bruce Willis. # "Hudson Hawk Theme" - [[Dr. John]] (05:38) # "[[Swinging on a Star]]" - [[Bruce Willis]] and [[Danny Aiello]] (02:53) - Sung in incorrect order of verses (the plot device in the movie refers to the original track length as 5:32) # "[[Side by Side (1927 song)|Side by Side]]" - Bruce Willis and Danny Aiello (02:18) (the plot device in the film refers to the original track length as 6:00) # "Leonardo" (04:55) # "Welcome to Rome" (01:46) # "Stealing the Codex" (01:58) # "Igg and Ook" (02:22) # "Cartoon Fight" (02:54) # "The Gold Room" (05:57) # "Hawk Swing" (03:41) # "Hudson Hawk Theme" (instrumental) (05:18) The song "[[The Power (Snap! song)|The Power]]" by [[Snap!]] is featured, although not included on the soundtrack, when Hudson Hawk is taken for the first time to the headquarters of the Mayflowers. Minerva Mayflower, played by [[Sandra Bernhard]], is sitting on a desk singing the song while it plays on her headphones. ==Release== ===Critical response=== On [[Rotten Tomatoes]], the film had a rating of 26%, based on 34 reviews, as of August, 2016.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/hudson_hawk/ |title= Hudson Hawk |website= Rotten Tomatoes |accessdate= August 30, 2016 }}</ref> On [[Metacritic]], the film has a score of 17 out of 100, based on 15 critics, indicating "overwhelming dislike".<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.metacritic.com/movie/hudson-hawk |title= Hudson Hawk |website= Metacritic |accessdate= August 30, 2016 }}</ref> Audiences polled by [[CinemaScore]] gave the film an average grade of "C+" on an A+ to F scale.<ref name="CinemaScore">{{cite web |url= https://www.cinemascore.com/publicsearch/index/title/ |title= Cinemascore |work= [[CinemaScore]] |url-status= live |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20181220122629/https://www.cinemascore.com/publicsearch/index/title/ |archive-date= 2018-12-20 }}</ref> In the ''[[Chicago Tribune]]'', [[Terry Clifford]] observed that: "The end result is being thrown up on ''selected'' screens this weekend, and the suspicion that this was a pooch turns out to be undeniably correct. Boring and banal, overwrought and undercooked, ''Hudson Hawk'' is beyond bad."<ref>{{cite news|title= Smug `Hudson Hawk` Looks Like A Turkey|work= Chicago Tribune|date=1991-05-24|url= http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1991-05-24/entertainment/9102160454_1_hudson-hawk-eddie-hawkins-heathers|accessdate=2010-10-29|first=Clifford|last=Terry}}</ref> As [[Kenneth Turan]] wrote in the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'': {{cquote|The saddest thing about ''Hudson Hawk'' is that director Lehmann and co-screenwriter Waters were previously responsible for the clever, audacious ''[[Heathers]]'', a film that represented all that is most promising about American film, while this one represents all that is most moribund and retrograde. Perhaps they both earned enough money here so that they won't be tempted to indulge themselves in similar big-budget fiascoes. Here's hoping.<ref>{{cite news|title= Bruce Willis' 'Hudson Hawk' Fails to Fly as Comedy Caper|work= [[Los Angeles Times]] |date=1991-05-24|url= http://articles.latimes.com/1991-05-24/entertainment/ca-2308_1_hudson-hawk |accessdate= 2010-10-28 |first=Kenneth |last=Turan}}</ref>|}} [[Roger Ebert]] and [[Gene Siskel]] gave the film a "two thumbs down" review on their ''At the Movies'' TV show. Ebert described the film as a complete disaster: "every line starts from zero and gets nowhere". Siskel's review was marginally more positive saying that Willis had a few funny moments and furthermore that the film may have been salvaged if Willis and Aiello were the only zany characters against a cast of [[Straight man|straight men]] as opposed to a cast full of [[overacting]] where everyone tried too hard to make each line funny.<ref>{{cite AV Media | url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nq0r-t-xljM | title = Siskel and Ebert review Hudson Hawk | via = [[YouTube]] }}</ref> ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'' called the film "a relentlessly annoying clay duck that crash-lands in a sea of wretched excess and silliness. Those willing to check their brains at the door may find sparse amusement."<ref>{{cite web |url= https://variety.com/1990/film/reviews/hudson-hawk-1200428876/ |title= Hudson Hawk |website= Variety.com |date= December 31, 1990 }}</ref> [[Peter Travers]] of ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' said of the film, "A movie this unspeakably awful can make an audience a little crazy. You want to throw things, yell at the actors, beg them to stop."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/movie/5948221/review/5948222/hudson_hawk |website=Rolling Stone |title=Hudson Hawk |first=Peter |last=Travers |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080616083946/http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/movie/5948221/review/5948222/hudson_hawk |archive-date=2008-06-16 |url-status=dead }}</ref> James Brundage of ''AMC filmcritic'' said the film was "so implausible and so over the top that it lets inconsistency roll off like water on a duck's back."<ref>{{cite web|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071106060928/http://www.filmcritic.com/misc/emporium.nsf/reviews/Hudson-Hawk |archivedate=2007-11-06 |url=http://www.filmcritic.com/misc/emporium.nsf/reviews/Hudson-Hawk |website=Filmcritic |title=Hudson Hawk |first=James |last=Brundage |url-status=dead }}</ref> [[Janet Maslin]] in the ''[[New York Times]]'' called the film "a colossally sour and ill-conceived misfire" and denounced the film for "smirky, mean-spirited cynicism."<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9D0CE2DD173BF937A15756C0A967958260 |title= Review/Film Bruce Willis as a Hip Cat Burglar |first= Janet |last= Maslin |newspaper= The New York Times |date= May 24, 1991 |accessdate= August 30, 2016}}</ref> Writing in ''[[The Washington Post]]'', Joe Brown said, "To say this megamillion Bruce Willis vehicle doesn't fly is understatement in the extreme... ''Hudson Hawk'' offers a klutzy, charmless hero, and wallows dully in limp slapstick and lowest common denominator crudeness."<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/longterm/movies/videos/hudsonhawkrbrown_a0adc7.htm |title= Hudson Hawk |first= Joe |last= Brown |newspaper= Washington Post |date= May 24, 1991 |accessdate= August 30, 2016}}</ref> Chris Hicks wrote in the ''[[Salt Lake City]] [[Deseret News]]'', "What is most amazing is the pervasive silliness that has the cast acting like fools without ever getting a laugh from the audience. It's hard to imagine a major, big-budget movie that could come along this year and be worse than ''Hudson Hawk'', a solid contender for the longest 95 minutes in movie history.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700000828/Hudson-Hawk.html |title= Film review: Hudson Hawk |first= Chris |last=Hicks |newspaper= Deseret News |date= May 27, 1991 |accessdate= August 30, 2016}}</ref> [[Owen Gleiberman]] in ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'' called the film "a fiasco sealed with a smirk."<ref>{{cite magazine |url= http://www.ew.com/article/1991/05/31/hudson-hawk |title= Hudson Hawk |magazine= Entertainment Weekly |date= May 31, 1991 |accessdate= August 30, 2016}}</ref> In his autobiography, ''With Nails'', [[Richard E. Grant]] diarises the production of the film in detail, noting the [[ad hoc]] nature of the production and extensive rewriting and replotting during the actual filming. Willis went on to become one of the leading box-office stars of the 1990s, but has not made any further forays into scriptwriting. ===Box office=== The film was a [[box office bomb]], partly because the film was intended as an absurd comedy, yet was marketed as an action film one year after the success of ''[[Die Hard 2]]''.<ref>{{cite news|title= No Blockbusters Among This Crop of Memorial Day Movies|newspaper= [[The Los Angeles Times]]|date=1991-05-28|url= http://articles.latimes.com/1991-05-28/entertainment/ca-2601_1_memorial-day|accessdate=2010-12-20|first=David J.|last=Fox}}</ref> ===Accolades=== It received three [[1991 Golden Raspberry Awards|1991]] [[Golden Raspberry Awards]] for [[Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Director|Director]] (Lehmann), [[Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Screenplay|Screenplay]] and [[Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Picture|Picture]] with additional nominations for [[Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Actor|Actor]] (Willis), [[Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Supporting Actor|Supporting Actor]] (Grant) and [[Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Supporting Actress|Supporting Actress]] (Bernhard). ===Home media=== When the film came to home video, the tagline "Catch the Excitement, Catch the Adventure, Catch the Hawk" was changed to "Catch the Adventure, Catch The Laughter, Catch the Hawk".<ref>{{cite news|title= 'Backdraft' Burns 'Hawk's' Wings at the Box Office| work= [[The Los Angeles Times]]|date=1991-05-29|url= http://articles.latimes.com/1991-05-29/entertainment/ca-2570_1_box-office|accessdate=2010-10-03|first=David J.|last=Fox}}</ref> ==Home media== The film was released on VHS videocassette in late 1991. It was released twice on DVD, first in 1999 and again in 2007 with new extras. In 2013 [[Mill Creek Entertainment]] released ''Hudson Hawk'' on Blu-ray for the first time; it was included in as a set with ''[[Hollywood Homicide]]''. All extras were dropped for the Blu-ray release.<ref>{{cite web| url= http://www.millcreekent.com/hollywood-homicide-hudson-hawk-bd-double-feature.html| title= Double Feature - Blu-ray: Hollywood Homicide, Hudson Hawk| website= millcreekent.com| publisher= Mill Creek Entertainment | access-date= August 8, 2017}}</ref> ==Video game== A video game based on the film was released in 1991 under the title "[[Hudson Hawk (video game)|Hudson Hawk]]" for various home computers and game consoles. [[Sony Imagesoft]] released versions of the game for the [[Nintendo Entertainment System|NES]] and [[Game Boy]], while [[Ocean Software]] released it for the [[Commodore 64]], [[Amiga]], [[ZX Spectrum]], and [[Atari ST]]. It is a side-scrolling game where the player, as the Hawk, must steal the [[Sforza]] and the [[Codex]] from the auction house and the Vatican, respectively. Then Castle Da Vinci has to be infiltrated in order to steal the mirrored crystal needed to power the gold machine. On his journey, Hawk must face many oddball adversaries, including dachshunds that try to throw him off the roof of the auction house, janitors, photographers, killer nuns, and a tennis player (presumably Darwin Mayflower). ==References== {{Reflist}} ==External links== * {{IMDb title|0102070}} * {{Amg title|23773}} * {{mojo title|hudsonhawk}} * {{rotten-tomatoes|hudson_hawk}} {{S-start}} {{S-ach|aw}} {{Succession box | title=[[Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Picture|Razzie Award for Worst Picture]] | years=[[12th Golden Raspberry Awards]] | before=''[[Ghosts Can't Do It]]'' and ''[[The Adventures of Ford Fairlane]]'' | after=''[[Shining Through]]'' }} {{s-end}} {{Michael Lehmann}} {{Navboxes |title = Awards for ''Hudson Hawk'' |list = {{Razzie Award for Worst Picture}} {{Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Screenplay 1980–2000}} }} {{DEFAULTSORT:Hudson Hawk}} [[Category:1990s action comedy films]] [[Category:1990s crime films]] [[Category:American films]] [[Category:American action comedy films]] [[Category:American crime comedy films]] [[Category:American heist films]] [[Category:English-language films]] [[Category:Films directed by Michael Lehmann]] [[Category:Films produced by Joel Silver]] [[Category:Films set in Italy]] [[Category:Films shot in Budapest]] [[Category:Films shot in Hungary]] [[Category:Silver Pictures films]] [[Category:TriStar Pictures films]] [[Category:Films set in Vatican City]] [[Category:Films scored by Michael Kamen]]'