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    Nostalgia Central
    Home»Movies»Movies by Decade»Movies - 1980s
    Movies - 1980s Movies - S 3 Mins Read

    Shakedown (1988)

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    A drug dealer shoots a corrupt police officer in Central Park, New York. Though the drug dealer admits his guilt, he pleads self-defence.

    His lawyer, savvy public defender Roland Dalton (Peter Weller), and honest but unorthodox NYPD narcotics agent Richie Marks (Sam Elliott) work together (both inside and outside the law) to pursue evidence in his favour, encountering opposition from other corrupt police officers, drug dealers, and various street scum.

    Their aggressive investigation makes them moving targets for both the law and the underworld. Dalton’s life is further complicated by the fact that prosecuting attorney Susan Cantrell (Patricia Charbonneau) is a former lover.

    The movie is basically action and stunts – a high-tech series of explosions, hurtling automobiles, shattering glass and impossible feats.

    Exhibit one: A private jet is taking off from LaGuardia airport in New York. Dalton and Marks are chasing it down the runway in a Porsche. At the last moment, Marks leaps from the car and grabs one of the wheels of the plane. As the plane gains altitude, he shoots a bullet through an engine, forcing the pilot to turn back.

    As the plane approaches the runway for an emergency landing, he slips a hand grenade under the wheel well and falls into the water below. The grenade explodes, making it look like the plane crashed, while the cop swims to safety and is hauled ashore by Dalton.

    Elsewhere, Marks leaps out of the third-story of a building onto the piping of the facade which bends to suspend him over Broadway, from where he can drop onto a bus, jump down onto a motorcyclist, steal the bike and chase down a bad guy who stole a police car.

    The body count soars accordingly, with a roller coaster smash up at Coney Island, shoot-outs in Times Square, an accidentally on-purpose electrocution, and other such business-as-usual for the urban warfare game.

    Weller and Elliott are not doing Hamlet here, but they’re pretty good at nailing Hollywood’s favourite 1980s format – the cop buddy drug action movie.

    Roland Dalton
    Peter Weller
    Richie Marks
    Sam Elliott
    Susan Cantrell
    Patricia Charbonneau
    Nicky ‘NC’ Carr
    Antonio Fargas
    Gail Feinberger
    Blanche Baker
    Officer Kelly
    Tom Waites
    Michael Jones
    Richard Brooks
    Patrick O’Leary
    Jude Ciccolella
    Officer Varelli
    George Loros
    Dr Watson
    Daryl Edwards
    Ruben
    Jos Laniado
    Sean Phillips
    John McGinley
    Irma
    Shirley Stoler
    Dean Howland
    Walter Bobbie
    Big Leroy
    Judd Henry Baker
    Billy
    Andrew Johns
    Preacher
    Roy Milton Davis
    Margaret O’Leary
    Kathryn Rossetter
    Rydel
    Larry Joshua
    Bumpers
    Michael Medeiros
    Collins
    Bill Cwikowski
    Stevie ‘Dipshit’
    Everett Mendes III
    Mary
    Mary Beth Lee
    Nancy
    Julia McNeal (as Julia Mueller)
    Monster
    Bari K. Willerford
    Leon
    Roy Thomas
    Steve Rosen
    James Eckhouse
    Larry
    David Proval
    Tommie
    Harold Perrineau
    Ira
    Rockets Redglare
    Suzi
    Lisa Ann Poggi
    Judge Maynard
    Augusta Dabney
    Mr Feinberger
    William Prince
    Mrs Feinberger
    Marya D. Dornya
    Julio
    Anthony Crivello
    Blade
    Richard Epper
    Mastrangelo
    Ronald Maccone
    Muffy
    Marie Marshall

    Director
    James Glickenhaus

    Video

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