Sudden Death (film)
Encyclopedia
Sudden Death is a 1995
American
action film
starring Jean-Claude Van Damme
and Powers Boothe
. The film's story was written by Karen Elise Baldwin, the wife of then-Penguins owner Howard Baldwin
. It also features Dorian Harewood
and Raymond J. Barry
, and is directed by Peter Hyams
. It has been rated R by the Motion Picture Association of America
. The film was shot during the 1994–95 NHL lockout. The film also was the first appearance of Iceburgh, the Penguins mascot.
with the Pittsburgh Fire Bureau
who suffered a personal crisis after he was unable to save a young girl from a house fire. Now removed from active duty, McCord handles fire security at Civic Arena. While attending Game 7 of the Stanley Cup
Finals with his daughter Emily and his son Tyler, he discovers a criminal operation occurring in the arena. A group led by former United States government
employee Joshua Foss (Boothe) is holding Vice President of the United States
Daniel Binder (Barry) and several other VIPs at gunpoint in a luxury suite. Foss has the arena wired with explosives, and plans to blow it up at the end of the game while having hundreds of millions of dollars wired into several off-shore accounts. McCord must not just stop Foss, but somehow send the game into overtime
and save his children simultaneously.
McCord is first pulled into the plot when Emily is kidnapped by a hitwoman disguised as Iceburgh, the Pittsburgh Penguins
' mascot. Emily witnesses the woman kill several people, and is spared when the killer runs out of ammunition. She places Emily in the suite with the other hostages. McCord, who had given pursuit, is left to search in vain. Realizing she has been "made", the killer returns to deal with McCord and a long fight breaks out. McCord proves to be more than a match for the killer. He manages to kill the woman by kicking her into a large dishwasher, which pulls on her penguin's head strap and strangles her.
McCord finds a security guard, but this man is a hostile in disguise. McCord gets the upper hand this time, though, and forces information out of the thug before stabbing him in the neck. McCord heads up to the executive offices and finds a mobile phone, with which he calls the police. They put him in touch with Secret Service
Agent Matthew Hallmark (Harewood), who advises that McCord stand by while the agents take charge. McCord angrily refuses, saying that he will handle this himself.
The Secret Service, and the Pittsburgh Police team up to surround and cordone off the Arena and a standoff ensues. Meanwhile, McCord manages to find a few of the bombs and disable them, whilst Foss goes about killing several hostages. Eventually, Hallmark manages to sneak inside and meet with McCord. It quickly transpires that Hallmark is yet another puppet of Foss's, influenced by money. McCord kills Hallmark and uses Hallmark's phone to contact Foss, who taunts McCord with the news that he is holding his daughter captive.
As time quickly ticks down, McCord manages to disable more bombs, but is severely slowed by confrontations with Foss' men. At one point, McCord must pretend to be the Pittsburgh goalie to escape the thugs and ends up successfully defending a shot. The third period runs down, but the Penguins, who up to this point have been losing by one goal, score the equalizer in the last second, bringing the game to sudden death--prolonging the game, but only until the next goal is made. McCord decides that there's no time left to find the bombs and climbs up to the roof of the arena. He advances upon the owner's box from above and forces his way in, rescuing Emily and the remaining hostages.
Foss manages to escape and blend in with the chaos that has ensued by a thug falling through the score display earlier and blowing it up. Foss sets off one of the bombs, flooding part of the arena, and recaptures Emily. They head up towards the top of the arena, where a helicopter is waiting to lift Foss away. McCord intervenes and saves his daughter, then brings the helicopter down, which explodes and promptly kills Foss.
As McCord is being led to a waiting ambulance
, his son and daughter comment to the paramedics about how their father is a hero, while Tyler had before told Emily that their father was too scared to be a fireman again. A contented McCord is put inside the ambulance as the film ends.
on the weekend of December 22, 1995 in 8th place, making only $4,782,445 at 1681 theatres, with a poor $2,845 per screen average, and meek $20,350,171 final tally. Internationally it fared a little better, with a worldwide gross of nearly $64 million. In other countries, it made close to 50 million in profit with video sales. Most have cited its domestic failure due to its ill-timed release date in the crowded field of Christmas blockbusters.
1995 in film
-Top grossing films:-Events:* March 22 - The Dogme 95 movement is officially announced in Paris by Danish directors Lars von Trier and Thomas Vinterberg.* March 28 - Actress Julia Roberts and singer Lyle Lovett announce their plans for separation....
American
Cinema of the United States
The cinema of the United States, also known as Hollywood, has had a profound effect on cinema across the world since the early 20th century. Its history is sometimes separated into four main periods: the silent film era, classical Hollywood cinema, New Hollywood, and the contemporary period...
action film
Action film
Action film is a film genre where one or more heroes is thrust into a series of challenges that require physical feats, extended fights and frenetic chases...
starring Jean-Claude Van Damme
Jean-Claude Van Damme
Jean-Claude Camille François Van Varenberg , professionally known as Jean-Claude Van Damme, is a Belgian martial artist and actor, best known for his martial arts action films, the most successful of which include Bloodsport , Kickboxer , Double Impact , Universal Soldier , Hard Target , Timecop ,...
and Powers Boothe
Powers Boothe
Powers Allen Boothe is an American television and film actor. Some of his most notable roles include his Emmy-winning 1980 portrayal of Jim Jones and his turn as Cy Tolliver on Deadwood, as well as Vice-President Noah Daniels on 24....
. The film's story was written by Karen Elise Baldwin, the wife of then-Penguins owner Howard Baldwin
Howard Baldwin
Howard Baldwin is an American entrepreneur and film producer. He is the CEO of Baldwin Entertainment, which has produced films such as the Academy Award-nominated Ray. Baldwin founded the New England Whalers ice hockey franchise in the WHA and has also owned part of the Minnesota North Stars and...
. It also features Dorian Harewood
Dorian Harewood
W. Dorian Harewood is an American actor. He first garnered attention for his portrayal of Simon Haley in the ABC miniseries Roots: The Next Generations.-Career:...
and Raymond J. Barry
Raymond J. Barry
Raymond John Barry is an American film, television and stage actor.-Personal life:Raymond John Barry was born in Hempstead, New York . His father, Raymond Barry, worked in sales. His mother, Barbara Barry , was also an actor, known professionally as B. Constance Barry...
, and is directed by Peter Hyams
Peter Hyams
Peter Hyams is an American screenwriter, director and cinematographer, probably best known for directing the 1984 science fiction adventure 2010 , Capricorn One, the comic book adaptation Timecop and the Arnold Schwarzenegger horror/action film End of Days.-Family:Hyams was born in New York...
. It has been rated R by the Motion Picture Association of America
Motion Picture Association of America
The Motion Picture Association of America, Inc. , originally the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America , was founded in 1922 and is designed to advance the business interests of its members...
. The film was shot during the 1994–95 NHL lockout. The film also was the first appearance of Iceburgh, the Penguins mascot.
Plot
Darren McCord (Van Damme) is a Canadian-born firefighterFirefighter
Firefighters are rescuers extensively trained primarily to put out hazardous fires that threaten civilian populations and property, to rescue people from car incidents, collapsed and burning buildings and other such situations...
with the Pittsburgh Fire Bureau
Pittsburgh Fire Bureau
The Pittsburgh Bureau of Fire is the 630-strong fire department of the City of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania. The Bureau dates its history back to September 12, 1793, with the initial purchase of a fire engine and the opening of a fire station at the corner of First Avenue and Market Street in...
who suffered a personal crisis after he was unable to save a young girl from a house fire. Now removed from active duty, McCord handles fire security at Civic Arena. While attending Game 7 of the Stanley Cup
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
Finals with his daughter Emily and his son Tyler, he discovers a criminal operation occurring in the arena. A group led by former United States government
Federal government of the United States
The federal government of the United States is the national government of the constitutional republic of fifty states that is the United States of America. The federal government comprises three distinct branches of government: a legislative, an executive and a judiciary. These branches and...
employee Joshua Foss (Boothe) is holding Vice President of the United States
Vice President of the United States
The Vice President of the United States is the holder of a public office created by the United States Constitution. The Vice President, together with the President of the United States, is indirectly elected by the people, through the Electoral College, to a four-year term...
Daniel Binder (Barry) and several other VIPs at gunpoint in a luxury suite. Foss has the arena wired with explosives, and plans to blow it up at the end of the game while having hundreds of millions of dollars wired into several off-shore accounts. McCord must not just stop Foss, but somehow send the game into overtime
Overtime (sports)
Overtime or extra time is an additional period of play specified under the rules of a sport to bring a game to a decision and avoid declaring the match a tie or draw. In most sports, this extra period is only played if the game is required to have a clear winner, as in single-elimination...
and save his children simultaneously.
McCord is first pulled into the plot when Emily is kidnapped by a hitwoman disguised as Iceburgh, the Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the league's original...
' mascot. Emily witnesses the woman kill several people, and is spared when the killer runs out of ammunition. She places Emily in the suite with the other hostages. McCord, who had given pursuit, is left to search in vain. Realizing she has been "made", the killer returns to deal with McCord and a long fight breaks out. McCord proves to be more than a match for the killer. He manages to kill the woman by kicking her into a large dishwasher, which pulls on her penguin's head strap and strangles her.
McCord finds a security guard, but this man is a hostile in disguise. McCord gets the upper hand this time, though, and forces information out of the thug before stabbing him in the neck. McCord heads up to the executive offices and finds a mobile phone, with which he calls the police. They put him in touch with Secret Service
United States Secret Service
The United States Secret Service is a United States federal law enforcement agency that is part of the United States Department of Homeland Security. The sworn members are divided among the Special Agents and the Uniformed Division. Until March 1, 2003, the Service was part of the United States...
Agent Matthew Hallmark (Harewood), who advises that McCord stand by while the agents take charge. McCord angrily refuses, saying that he will handle this himself.
The Secret Service, and the Pittsburgh Police team up to surround and cordone off the Arena and a standoff ensues. Meanwhile, McCord manages to find a few of the bombs and disable them, whilst Foss goes about killing several hostages. Eventually, Hallmark manages to sneak inside and meet with McCord. It quickly transpires that Hallmark is yet another puppet of Foss's, influenced by money. McCord kills Hallmark and uses Hallmark's phone to contact Foss, who taunts McCord with the news that he is holding his daughter captive.
As time quickly ticks down, McCord manages to disable more bombs, but is severely slowed by confrontations with Foss' men. At one point, McCord must pretend to be the Pittsburgh goalie to escape the thugs and ends up successfully defending a shot. The third period runs down, but the Penguins, who up to this point have been losing by one goal, score the equalizer in the last second, bringing the game to sudden death--prolonging the game, but only until the next goal is made. McCord decides that there's no time left to find the bombs and climbs up to the roof of the arena. He advances upon the owner's box from above and forces his way in, rescuing Emily and the remaining hostages.
Foss manages to escape and blend in with the chaos that has ensued by a thug falling through the score display earlier and blowing it up. Foss sets off one of the bombs, flooding part of the arena, and recaptures Emily. They head up towards the top of the arena, where a helicopter is waiting to lift Foss away. McCord intervenes and saves his daughter, then brings the helicopter down, which explodes and promptly kills Foss.
As McCord is being led to a waiting ambulance
Ambulance
An ambulance is a vehicle for transportation of sick or injured people to, from or between places of treatment for an illness or injury, and in some instances will also provide out of hospital medical care to the patient...
, his son and daughter comment to the paramedics about how their father is a hero, while Tyler had before told Emily that their father was too scared to be a fireman again. A contented McCord is put inside the ambulance as the film ends.
Cast
- Jean-Claude Van DammeJean-Claude Van DammeJean-Claude Camille François Van Varenberg , professionally known as Jean-Claude Van Damme, is a Belgian martial artist and actor, best known for his martial arts action films, the most successful of which include Bloodsport , Kickboxer , Double Impact , Universal Soldier , Hard Target , Timecop ,...
– Darren McCord - Powers BoothePowers BoothePowers Allen Boothe is an American television and film actor. Some of his most notable roles include his Emmy-winning 1980 portrayal of Jim Jones and his turn as Cy Tolliver on Deadwood, as well as Vice-President Noah Daniels on 24....
– Joshua Foss - Raymond J. BarryRaymond J. BarryRaymond John Barry is an American film, television and stage actor.-Personal life:Raymond John Barry was born in Hempstead, New York . His father, Raymond Barry, worked in sales. His mother, Barbara Barry , was also an actor, known professionally as B. Constance Barry...
– Vice President Binder - Whittni WrightWhittni WrightWhittni Wright was an American child actress.Wright made her movie debut in 1994's I'll Do Anything as the bratty daughter of actor Nick Nolte. She was nominated for the Best Performance by an Actress Under Ten in a Motion Picture at the 16th Youth In Film Awards...
– Emily McCord - Ross MalingerRoss MalingerRoss Aaron Malinger is an American actor who co-starred as Jonah Baldwin in the 1993 romantic film Sleepless In Seattle. He starred in the 1997 comedy Toothless, along with Kirstie Alley, portraying the second main character of the film...
– Tyler McCord - Dorian HarewoodDorian HarewoodW. Dorian Harewood is an American actor. He first garnered attention for his portrayal of Simon Haley in the ABC miniseries Roots: The Next Generations.-Career:...
– Hallmark - Brian HutchisonBrian HutchisonBrian Hutchison is an American actor based in New York City. Most of his professional career has been spent in the theater, but he has also appeared in several major movies and US television series....
- Young Secret Service Agent
Hockey figures
- Jay CaufieldJay CaufieldJohn Jay Caufield is a former NHL right winger. Jay was raised in the Towamencin Township, Pennsylvania, area about a mile outside of Lansdale borough. He graduated from North Penn High School.-Playing career:...
– Tolliver - Bill Clement – Pre-game announcer
- Cleveland Lumberjacks playersCleveland LumberjacksThe Cleveland Lumberjacks were an International Hockey League team based in Cleveland, Ohio.-Facts:The Cleveland Lumberjacks were an International Hockey League team based in Cleveland, Ohio.-Facts:...
- Chicago Blackhawks players - Ian MoranIan MoranIan Patrick Moran is a professional ice hockey defenceman, who currently is a free agent.-Early years:Moran grew up in Acton, Massachusetts, a suburb of Boston...
- Chris CheliosChris CheliosChristos Kostas Tselios is a retired American professional ice hockey defenseman. He is currently the Executive Advisor to Ken Holland, the general manager of the Detroit Red Wings, a role that Steve Yzerman held before leaving to become general manager of the Tampa Bay Lightning.Chelios played... - Jeff JimersonJeff JimersonJeff Jimerson is a Pittsburgh-based singer, best known as the national anthem singer for the Pittsburgh Penguins. He also performs with Airborne, a Pittsburgh-based band....
– Himself (credited "Anthem Singer") - Mike LangeMike LangeMike Lange is the radio play-by-play broadcaster for the Pittsburgh Penguins. In 2001, he received the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award for his outstanding work as an NHL broadcaster....
– Himself (credited "Play-by-Play Announcer") - Luc RobitailleLuc RobitailleLuc Robitaille is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player. During his 19-season National Hockey League career, Robitaille won a Stanley Cup in 2001–02 with the Detroit Red Wings, and played for the Pittsburgh Penguins and New York Rangers, but is most known for his fourteen seasons,...
– Himself - Paul SteigerwaldPaul SteigerwaldPaul Steigerwald is an American sports announcer.-Minor leagues:Steigerwald became a hockey fan growing up in Pittsburgh's South Hills. One of his neighbors was Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Jack Riley, who would provide tickets for the poorly-attended games...
– Himself (credited "Color Commentator") - Markus NäslundMarkus NäslundSten Markus Näslund is a Swedish ice hockey general manager for Modo Hockey and a retired professional winger. He played in the National Hockey League for the Pittsburgh Penguins, Vancouver Canucks and New York Rangers, as well as in the Elitserien with Modo Hockey...
– Himself (uncredited) - Bernie NichollsBernie NichollsBernard Irvine Nicholls is a former professional ice hockey centre. His junior career was spent with the Kingston Canadians, where he established himself as a dynamic scorer and a multi-faceted talent. He was selected by the Los Angeles Kings in the fourth round of the 1980 NHL Entry Draft, 73rd...
– Himself (uncredited) - Ken WreggetKen WreggetKenneth Wregget is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender. He won the Stanley Cup in 1992 with the Pittsburgh Penguins.-Playing career:...
– Himself (uncredited) - John BarberoJohn BarberoJohn Barbero was the longtime public address announcer for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League, a job he held for 36 years, Barbero also served as a principal for Waynesburg Central High School....
- PA Announcer (uncredited)
Box office
Sudden Death opened in the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
on the weekend of December 22, 1995 in 8th place, making only $4,782,445 at 1681 theatres, with a poor $2,845 per screen average, and meek $20,350,171 final tally. Internationally it fared a little better, with a worldwide gross of nearly $64 million. In other countries, it made close to 50 million in profit with video sales. Most have cited its domestic failure due to its ill-timed release date in the crowded field of Christmas blockbusters.