Days of Thunder (1990)

A young hot-shot stock car driver gets his chance to compete at the top level.

Director:

Tony Scott

Writers:

Robert Towne (story), Tom Cruise (story),

Stars:

Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman, Robert Duvall

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 1 win.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Tom Cruise	...	Cole Trickle
Nicole Kidman	...	Dr. Claire Lewicki
Robert Duvall	...	Harry Hogge
Randy Quaid	...	Tim Daland
Cary Elwes	...	Russ Wheeler
Michael Rooker	...	Rowdy Burns
Fred Dalton Thompson	...	Big John
John C. Reilly	...	Buck Bretherton
J.C. Quinn	...	Waddell
Don Simpson	...	Aldo Bennedetti
Caroline Williams	...	Jennie Burns
Donna W. Scott	...	Darlene (as Donna Wilson)
Chris Ellis	...	Harlem Hoogerhyde
Peter Appel	...	Cole's Crew
Stephen Michael Ayers	...	Crewmember

Storyline

Cole Trickle enters the high-pressure world of Nascar racing. He's a hot driver with a hot temper, and this attitude gets him into trouble not only with other drivers, but members of his own team as well.

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Plot Keywords:

driver | nascar | racing | stock car | team | 

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Taglines:

You can't stop the thunder.

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Genres:

Action | Drama | Romance | Sport

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Certificate:

PG-13

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English French

Release Date:

27 June 1990 (USA)

Also Known As:

Días de trueno

Filming Locations:

Bristol, Tennessee, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$60,000,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$82,670,733 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Don Simpson/Jerry Bruckheimer Films, Paramount Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

107 min

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (analog 70 mm prints) CDS (digital 35 mm and 70 mm prints) Dolby SR (analog 35 mm prints)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Reputedly Tom Cruise handpicked Nicole Kidman to be his love interest in the film after seeing her performance in Dead Calm.

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Goofs

At the Daytona race before the big wreck, Cole Trickle is spun out by Rowdy Burns. Cole recovers and catches up to Rowdy. The camera pans out to show a long distance shot of Rowdy leading Cole, but the lead car is clearly the number 3 Goodwrench Chevy of Dale Earnhardt, not the 51 of Rowdy Burns. In fact the whole shot is from the 1990 Daytona 500 and the cars on second and third are Derrike Cope's Purolator Chevy and Terry Labonte's Skoal Oldsmobile.

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Quotes

Cole Trickle: [while in the emergency room after Cole's big wreck at Daytona] All right, tell me what's going on, tell me what's going on. I'm BLIND, goddamnit!
Dr. Claire Lewicki: What's your name?
Cole Trickle: Cole... Trickle
Dr. Claire Lewicki: Cole, would you help us out and lie still please.

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Connections

Referenced in Tosh.0: Risky Business Girls (2010)

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Soundtracks

"LONG LIVE THE NIGHT"
Written by Joan Jett, Randy Cantor and Michael Caruso
Performed by Joan Jett & The Blackhearts (as Joan Jett and The Blackhearts)
Produced by Kenny Laguna/Co-Produced by Thom Panundo
Joan Jett and The Blackhearts courtesy of Blackheart Records/Epic Associated Records/Cheysalis Records

User Reviews

By all standards I shouldn't enjoy this movie.....

First of all this movie has Tom Cruise in it, which to be honest is the reason that I hesitated for so long to see it. Secondly It's about NASCAR for Christ's sake! The problem is, I did enjoy it. I believe its for the reasons that I mentioned that I actually did enjoy it. An escapist sort of entertainment that puts you in a place that you would really never even consider going. I was forced to rent this recently by a friend and after sitting about 15 minutes in to it I just let go and let the colors and sounds wash over me. This movie is the visual equivalent of a music video with dialog. Every scene is short and to the point, and if its forward momentum you are looking for in your movies then you've come to the right place. The entire duration of the movies length I kept thinking that I wish there were more movies made that took you to another world the way this one does. Tony Scott you've done it again sir, Congratulations!