Knockin' on Heaven's Door
Short description
Two young men with terminal diagnoses meet as patients in a clinic. Martin, who has a brain tumour, and Rudi, who has bone cancer, have little in common beyond the short time they have left. Rudi has never seen the sea, so the pair leave the hospital, take a fast car and head for the coast. The vehicle belongs to two small-time gangsters, and a large sum of money meant for their boss is in the boot. What begins as an escape becomes a chase, as police and criminals alike pursue them across the country, with the pair's failing health never far behind.
Knockin' on Heaven's Door was released in 1997 and runs 89 minutes. It is a German production mixing crime, action, comedy and drama, and it was the first feature directed by Thomas Jahn, whose next film as director, 80 Minutes, followed in 2008. Jahn wrote the screenplay with Til Schweiger, who also produced and stars as Martin; Jan Josef Liefers plays Rudi. The supporting cast includes Thierry van Werveke, Moritz Bleibtreu, Huub Stapel and Leonard Lansink, among 28 credited performers. Made for about 4 million dollars, the film has found a wide audience: it holds a rating of 7.8 out of 10 on IMDb from around 37,000 votes, and 7.7 out of 10 on TMDB from several hundred.
What's left behind the scenes
- At the 9th minute, two bandits drive a car from one city to another. Along the way, one of them (Abdullah) wants to take the driver's seat. The second (Hank) resists, and then Abdullah pulls out a weapon. Before he draws the gun, the driver's glasses are matte, but when he presses it to the temple, the glasses become glossy, and the filming crew and camera are reflected in them.
- Rutger Hauer filmed his scenes in one day.
- The main characters were named after the famous director and screenwriter—Martin Brest and Rudy Wurlitzer, respectively.
- Director Thomas Jan can be seen in an episodic role as a taxi driver (the scene before the Cadillac Fleetwood purchase).
- On the 72nd minute, Abdull and Hank report to Frankie that both fugitives are right here, as Hank says to Frankie: "They're here," with a microphone visible in the lower frame.
- In the film "Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid" (1973), Bob Dylan's song "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" is heard for the first time.
- The film features a cover version of Bob Dylan's "Knockin' On Heaven's Door" performed by the German band Selig.
Auditions in India
Casting calls in USA
Castingi w Polsce
Кастинги в Україні
