faces:
 

• Harry Dean Stanton
• alternative dance track _Harry Dean Stanton_ MP3 (256k) by Pop Will Eat Itself off of _The Looks Or The Lifestyle_ (1992)
• Emilio Estevez
• Circle Jerks

Directed by Alex Cox
Writing credits  Alex Cox
Genre: Comedy / Sci-Fi

 Repo Man (1984)

• Many of the characters are named after beers.
• All purchasable items are labeled generically: "Food", "Beer", etc. This came about after the producers failed to attract any offers of payment for product placement.

 

• All cars (plus the police motorcycle) have Christmas tree air fresheners.
• The Repo Man's code is a parody of Issac Asimov's  Three Laws of Robotics.
• The man who drives around with the dead aliens in his car looks like Asimov.
• William S. Burroughs/_Naked Lunch_ (1992)  allusions: "Paging Dr.  Benway" in the hospital and mentioning Bill Lee.
• Miller talks about the cosmic unconsciousness: "You'll be thinking about a plate of shrimp, and all of a sudden someone will say plate, or shrimp,   or plate of shrimp."  Later, the two Latinos who've stolen the "Asimov" car park outside a diner which features a huge sign in one of its windows reading: PLATE O' SHRIMP $2.95.
• Graffiti behind the punks dancing in the alley says "Circle Jerks", which is the name of the band which appears later in the film.
• Lite gives Otto a book called _Diuretics_  to "help change your life".    This is a reference to cult leader and fraud  L. Ron Hubbard's _Dianetics_.
• When the entourage enters Bud's hospital room looking for him, the preacher on the television can be heard saying "He has risen!"
• The movie was made by Edge City Productions - edge city is a recurring  theme in Tom Wolfe's  _Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test_.
• The destination placard on the bus that Otto takes back to his folks' house reads "Edge City".

• track _It's My Mind That Works_ MP3 (192k) by Future Sound Of London (FSOL) off of _ISDN_ CD on Astralwerks (1995)
• samples from the film _Repo Man_:  "you know the way that everybody's into weirdness right now?  it's all part of a cosmic unconsciousness..."
• hip hop track _The Repo Man Sings For You_ MP3 (256k) by The Coup feat. Del Tha Funkee Homosapien off of _Steal This Album_ on Dogday (1998)
  • title is in reference to _Steal This Book_ by Abbie Hoffman

Otto and Miller in vacant lot under bridge

Otto holds up book he's about to throw in burning garbage can. Book says "Dioretix: The Science of Matter over Mind. By A. Rum Bi..." (reference to L. Ron Hubbard's _Dianetics_)

Miller: A lot of people don't realize what's really going on. They view life as a bunch of unconnected incidences and things. They don't realize that there's this like, lattice of coincidence that lays on top of everything. I'll give you an example, show you what I mean. Suppose you're thinking about a plate of shrimp. Suddenly somebody will say like, plate or shrimp, or plate of shrimp out of the blue no explanation. No point in looking for one either. It's all part of a cosmic unconsciousness. 

Otto: You eat a lot of acid Miller back in the hippie days?

Miller: I'll give you another instance. You know the way everybody's into weirdness right now? Books in all the supermarkets about Bermuda triangles, UFO's, how the Mayans invented television. That kind of thing?

Otto: I don't read them books.

Miller: Well the way I see it it's exactly the same. There ain't no difference between a flying saucer and a time machine. People get so hung up on specifics. They miss out on seeing the whole thing. Take South America for example. In South America thousands of people go missing every year. Nobody knows where they go. They just like disappear. But if you think about it for a minute, you realize something. There had to be a time when there was no people. Right?

Otto: Yeah. I guess.

Miller: Well where did all these people come from? hmmm? I'll tell you where. The future. Where did all these people disappear to? hmmm?

Otto: The past?

Miller: That's right! And how did they get there?

Otto: How the fuck do I know?

Miller: Flying saucers. Which are really? Yeah you got it. Time machines. I think a lot about this kind of stuff. I do my best thinking on the bus. That's how come I don't drive, see?

Otto: You don't even know how to drive.

Miller: I don't want to know how. I don't want to learn. See? The more you drive, the less intelligent you are.

Bud and Otto in a car

Bud: Credit is a sacred trust. It's what our free society is founded on. You think they give a damn about their bills in Russia? [yelling] I said do you think they give a damn about their bills in Russia?!

Otto: They don't pay bills in Russia. It's all free.

Bud: All free? Free my ass, what are you a fucking commie? Huh?

Otto: No I ain't no commie.

Bud: Well you'd better not be... I don't want any commies in my car. No christians either.

Otto and Bud in car in alley

[Bud snorting a line: Jesus Christ.]

Bud: Never broke into a car. Never hot-wired a car. Kid. I never broke into a trunk. I shall not cause harm to any vehicle nor the personal contents thereof. Nor through inaction let that vehicle or the personal contents thereof come to harm. That's what I call the repo code kid. Don't forget it, etch it in your brain. Not many people got a code to live by anymore.
 

Bud: Hey! Hey look at that. Look at those assholes over there. Ordinary fucking people I hate 'em.

Otto: Me too.

Bud: What do you know? See an ordinary person spends his life avoiding tense situations. Repoman spends his life getting into tense situations. Assholes! Lets go get a drink.

Michael Nesmith presents.. an Edge City Production...
(Mike Nesmith was a member of The Monkees) 

Repo Man (1984)

Directed by
Alex Cox

Writing credits
Alex Cox

Genre: Comedy / Sci-Fi

Tagline: ...It's 4 A.M., do you know where your car is?

Plot Summary: Otto is working at the grocery when he loses his temper and quits. Befriended by a Repo Man, Otto sees vehicle repossession as a kind of modern buckaneering. He is attracted by the adventure and the 'who gives a damn' attitude of the other Repo men. At the same time a package is taken from a government lab that has strange effects on anyone who sees it.  It is hidden in a car which the government lists for reposession with a hefty reward.

Cast (in credits order) complete

Harry Dean Stanton  ....    Bud
Emilio Estevez  ....  Otto
Tracey Walter ....   Miller
Olivia Barash  ....  Leila
Sy Richardson ....    Lite
Susan Barnes ....   Agent Rogersz
Fox Harris  ....   J. Frank Parnell
Tom Finnegan ....   Oly
Del Zamora  ....   Lagarto
Eddie Velez ....   Napo
Zander Schloss (Circle Jerks) ....   Kevin
Jennifer Balgobin ....   Debbi
Dick Rude  ....   Duke
Miguel Sandoval  ....   Archie
Vonetta McGee  ....  Marlene
Richard Foronjy  ....   Plettschner
Bruce White ....   Reverend Larry
Biff Yeager ....  Agent B
Ed Pansullo ....   Agent E
Steve Mattson ....  Agent S
Thomas R. Boyd  ....  Agent T
Charles Hopkins  ....   Mr. Humphries
Helen Martin ....   Mrs. Parks
Jon St. Elwood  ....   Miner
Kelitta Kelly ....  Delilah
Varnum Honey ....  Motorcycle Cop
Sue Kiel  ....  Ms. Magruder
David Chung  ....  Sheriff
Cynthia Szigeti   .... U.F.O. Lady
Dorothy Bartlett  ....   English Dustbin Lady
Jonathon Hugger  ....   Otto Dad
Sharon Gregg  ....  Otto Mom
Dale Reynolds  ....   Peason
Jac McAnelly ....   Pakman
Shep Wickham  ....   Additional Blond Agent
Gregg Taylor   ....   Additional Blond Agent
Jon Fondy  ....   Additional Blond Agent
Keith Miley  ....   Additional Blond Agent
Michael Bennett   ....   Additional Blond Agent
Brad Jamieson ....   Additional Blond Agent
Jimmy Buffett  ....   Additional Blond Agent
Janet Chan  ....   Repo Wife #1
Angelique Pettyjohn  ....   Repo Wife #2
Logan Carter ....  Repo Wife #3
Laura Sorrenson  ....   Repo Wife #4
George Sawaya  ....   First Repo Victim
Connie Ponce  ....   Repo Victim's Wife
Bob Ellis  ....   Soda Jerk
Quentin Gutierrez  ....   Tow Truck Driver
Richard Surukawa   ....  Liquor Store Clerk #1
'Earthquake' Hesson  ....   Liquor Store Clerk #2
Keith Morris  ....   The Circle Jerks (Nightclub Band) Member
Greg Hetson (Bad Religion) ....   The Circle Jerks (Nightclub Band) Member
Chuck Biscuits   (DOA, Danzig) ....   The Circle Jerks (Nightclub Band) Member
Earl Liberty  ....   The Circle Jerks (Nightclub Band) Member
Clyde Grimes  ....    The Untouchables (Scooter Guys) Member
Chuck Askerneese  ....  The Untouchables (Scooter Guys) Member
Kevin Long  ....    The Untouchables (Scooter Guys) Member
Jerry Miller  ....    The Untouchables (Scooter Guys) Member
Rob Lampron   ....  The Untouchables (Scooter Guys) Member
Josh Harris  ....   The Untouchables (Scooter Guys) Member
Herman Askerneese  ....   The Untouchables (Scooter Guys) Member
Kim Williams   ....   Laundry Person
Michele Person  ....    Laundry Person
Wally Cronin  ....   Doctor
Monona Wali  ....    Nurse
Delores Delux  ....  Nurse
Cosmo Mata  ....  Bouncer
Rodney Bingenheimer  ....   Club Owner
Jorge Martínez ....   Tennis Player
Melanie Schloss  ....  Tennis Player
Nancy Richardson  ....   Tennis Player
Con Covert  ....  Harry Pace
Harry Hauss   ....   Helicopter Pilot
 

Directed by
Alex Cox

Writing credits
Alex Cox

Produced by
Peter McCarthy

Michael Nesmith (executive)
Gerald T. Olson (associate)
Jonathan Wacks

Original music by
Steven Hufsteter
Tito Larriva
Iggy Pop ("Repo Man theme")

Cinematography by
Robby Müller

Film Editing by
Dennis Dolan

Casting
Victoria Thomas

Art Direction
Lynda Burbank
J. Rae Fox

Set Decoration
Cheryl Cutler

Costume Design by
Theda DeRamus

Production Management
Allen Alsobrook ....  production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Betsy Magruder ....   first assistant director
Rip Murray ....   second assistant director (as William 'Rip' Murray)

Sound Department
Donald Flick  ....  sound editor
Warren Hamilton Jr.  ....  supervising sound editor
Michael Minkler  ....   sound re-recording mixer
Steve Nelson ....   sound
David E. Stone  ....  sound editor

Special Effects
Roger George ....  special effects
Robbie Knott ....  special effects

Stunts
Rick Barker ....  stunts
Thomas R. Boyd  ....  stunts
Will Dawson  ....  stunts
Eddie Hice ....  stunt co-ordinator
                       stunts
Danny Kosta .... stunts
Fred Schweiller .... stunts
Rick Seaman  .... stunts
Harry Wowchuk  .... stunts

Other crew
Chuck Collett  .... technical advisor
Robert Dawson   ....  main title sequence designer
Greg Fulginiti  ....  music engineer (uncredited)
Daniel Hainey  .... second camera
Martin J. Layton  ....  first assistant camera
Michael E. Little  ....  first assistant camera: additional photography
Chris Lombardi  ....  second assistant camera: additional photography
Bruce McKrimmon  .... video technical director
Tom Musca  ....   video camera
Amy Ness   ....  production executive
Stephen L. Posey   ....  camera operator: second unit
Brant Reiter  ....  creative consultant
Sharron Reynolds  ....  script supervisor
Robert Richardson  ....  camera operator: additional photography
Tom Richmond  ....   second camera: additional photography
Dick Rude   ....  creative consultant
Thomas Vanghele  ....  second assistant camera
Brenda Weiman  .... script supervisor
Abbe Wool ....   video coordinator

Production Companies
Edge City

Runtime: USA:92
Country: USA
Language: English
Color: Color (DeLuxe)
Sound Mix: Mono
Certification: USA:R / UK:18

soundtrack 12" (1984)

• Iggy Pop - _Repo Man_
• Black Flag - _TV Party_ MP3
• Suicidal Tendencies - _Institutionalized_ MP3
• Circle Jerks - _Coup d'Etat_ MP3
• Plugz - _El Clavo y la Cruz_
• Fear - _Let's Have A War_ MP3 (160k)
• Circle Jerks - _When The Shit Hits The Fan_ MP3
• Juicy Bananas - _Bad Man_
• Plugz - _Reel Ten_

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