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Directed by Menahem Golan
Produced by Menahem Golan
Yoram Globus
Written by Gary Conway &
David Engelbach (story)
Stirling Silliphant &
Sylvester Stallone (screenplay)
Starring Sylvester Stallone
Robert Loggia
Susan Blakely
Rick Zumwalt
David Mendenhall
Music by Giorgio Moroder
Cinematography David Gurfinkel
Editing by James R. Symons
Don Zimmerman
Distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures (USA)
Cannon Films (non-USA)
Release date(s) February 12, 1987
Running time 93 min.
Language English
Budget $15,000,000 (est.)
Gross revenue $16,057,580 (USA)
Allmovie profile
IMDb profile
Over the Top is a 1987 dramatic/action film starring Sylvester Stallone, produced and directed by Menahem Golan about a long haul truck driver who tries to win back his alienated son while becoming a champion arm wrestler. The screenplay was written by Stirling Silliphant and Sylvester Stallone. The original music score is composed by Giorgio Moroder.
Contents
1 Plot summary
2 Critical Reception
3 Miscellaneous
4 Toy line
5 References in popular culture
6 Cast
7 Soundtrack
8 References
9 External links
Plot summary
Lincoln Hawk is a struggling trucker who arm wrestles on the side to make extra cash while trying to rebuild his life. Hawk's wife Christina is very ill at the beginning of the film, and asks that Hawk pick their son Michael up from military school so that he may get to know his son since they have been apart since Hawk left them ten years earlier. His father-in-law Jason Cutler is enraged since he feels his daughter was deserted by Hawk, that his daughter and Hawk should never have been married in the first place, and Hawk has no right to be in his grandson's life.
Over the course of a cross country trip, Mike learns to trust his father until finding out that his mother dies while they are on the road. Feeling he would have been there if not for Hawk, he leaves for his grandfather's estate. The film continues with Mike realizing that his grandfather has been hiding the truth about his father - the grandfather did everything possible to drive his parents apart and has been intercepting and hiding the regular letters Hawk had written to his son over the last few years. Eventually, Lincoln competes in the world arm wrestling competition, held at the Las Vegas Hilton. His hope is to win the grand prize of an expensive, new semi-truck and thus be able to start his own independent trucking business. Mike, stunned by his grandfather's deceptions, goes to the Hilton and finds Hawk. Apologizing for misjudging him, Mike gives Hawk the emotional support he needs to compete and he emerges from the contest victorious. As father and son celebrate, Cutler (who had followed Mike to the competition) looks on in silence, realizing he has lost any chance at regaining Mike's love.
Critical Reception
The movie was not well received by critics[1] who disparaged the film for poor acting,[2][3] and a formulaic plot.[2] Although not highly regarded for its cinematic merits, it has been suggested that Over The Top falls into the "so bad it's good" category.[3] Despite its less-than-stellar box-office take, it is one of the more well known Stallone films.
Miscellaneous
Lists of miscellaneous information should be avoided. Please relocate any relevant information into appropriate sections or articles. (January 2008)
The military academy scenes were filmed at Pomona College in Claremont, California during the early summer of 1986.
The Kirkeby mansion at 750 Bel Air Road, Los Angeles (also the home of the Clampett family on the CBS comedy "The Beverly Hillbillies") was used as the home for Jason Cutler and Michael Cutler (Hawk).
There is some confusion over the actual name of Stallone's character. In the credits, he is listed as Lincoln Hawk. In addition, the door on his original truck says, "Hawk." However, Robert Loggia's character refers to him variously as Hawks and Hawk, as do many members of the supporting cast. Finally, Hawk writes a letter to his wife and addresses it to Christina Hawks.
Toy line
A toy line was released in 1986 by LewCo, based on the film. The line contained figures that you could use to stage your own arm wrestling matches, thanks to a knob on the back. The line was a blend of film characters and real arm-wrestlers, and were endorsed by the International Arm Wrestling Council. The figures are as follows:
Lincoln Hawk (movie character)
John "Golden Boy" Brzenk (actual arm wrestler)
Johnny "Ice Man" Walker (actual arm wrestler)
Johhny Winson Green (All time Great Arm Wrestler, Hall of Fame, 8 time bicep champion, 2 time world arm wrestling champion of the universe, 1 time European Champion, world record holder for longest arm wrestle, 3 hours, 23 minutes and 45 seconds).
John Grizzly (movie character)
Cleve "Armbender" Dean (actual arm wrestler)
Bob "Bull" Hurley (movie character played by actual arm wrestler and five time world wrist-wrestling champion Rick Zumwalt)[1]
There was also a scaled-down table for the figures to wrestle on, as well as a life-size one for kids to wrestle with. In addition, there was a workout set with a set of small weights with a cord with arm and wrist bands and a 20-inch tall version of the Lincoln Hawk figure.
References in popular culture
Lists of miscellaneous information should be avoided. Please relocate any relevant information into appropriate sections or articles. (January 2008)
In the 2007 television series Gossip Girl, the supporting character Rufus Humphrey plays in a rock band called Lincoln Hawk.
On an episode of Cheap Seats where Randy and Jason Sklar covered arm wrestling, at the start of the segment, they reach over the sides of the couch and grab baseball caps, put them on, and turn them around, ala Hawk just before a match in the film.
An episode of The Simpsons called Simpsons Bible Stories features "Winner Takes It All," a song used in the film, in a training sequence where Bart, as King David, trains for a rematch with Goliath (Nelson). In another nod, at one point in the montage, he's seen arm wrestling one of his sheep.
On February 16, 2007, Mike Nelson's RiffTrax service released a humorous audio commentary track for this movie.
An episode of Billy and Mandy, The Grim Reaper challenges a minor character to an arm-wrestling match, turning his cap around and saying "When I turn me hat around, it's like a switch, mon! A switch!". In addition, when Billy sees them, he says "Hey, are you guys playing Over The Top without me?"
In the episode, "The Chrismukkah That Almost Wasn't," of The O.C., Seth Cohen's family is said to have watched Over the Top for "Chrismukkah" one holiday.
During a Saturday Night Live skit featuring Norm Macdonald ranking out Stallone for his poor career choices while he bleeds to death from a car crash, he saves his most biting insults for Over the Top. He sarcastically claims that Kramer vs. Kramer, another movie that deals with child custody, was not as good as Over the Top because it did not feature arm wrestling.
Cast
Sylvester Stallone - Lincoln Hawk(s)
Robert Loggia - Jason Cutler
Susan Blakely - Christina Marie Cutler-Hawk(s)
Rick Zumwalt - Bob "Bull" Hurley
David Mendenhall - Michael Cutler/Michael Hawk(s)
Chris McCarty - Tim Salanger
Terry Funk - Ruker
Bruce Way - John Grizzly
Jimmy Keegan - Richie
Greg 'Magic' Scwartz - Smasher
Allan Graf - Collins
Frank the Tank - Frank Kiefer
John Braden - Col. Davis
Randy Raney - Mad Dog Madison
Paolo Casella - Carl Adams
Jack Wright - Big Bill Larson
Sam Scarber - Harry Bosco
Michael Fox - Jim Olson
Soundtrack
A soundtrack album was released in 1987 to coincide with the release of the movie. It contains music from Frank Stallone, Kenny Loggins (who performs the film's central theme, "Meet Me Half Way"), Eddie Money, and Sammy Hagar.
Track listing
Winner Takes It All - Sammy Hagar
In This Country - Robin Zander
Take It Higher - Larry Greene
All I Need Is You - Big Trouble
Bad Nite - Frank Stallone
Meet Me Half Way - Kenny Loggins
Gypsy Soul - Asia
The Fight [Instrumental] - Giorgio Moroder
Mind Over Matter - Larry Greene
I Will Be Strong - Eddie Money
References
^ Rotten Tomatoes movie rating website |url =http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/over_the_top/ |date accessed = June 15, 2007
^ a b Washington Post movie review |url = http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/st ... a0cabf.htm |author = Rita Kempley |date = February 20, 1987 |date accessed = June 15, 2007
^ a b Phil Villarreal's ReView |url = http://azstarnet.com/accent/106062 |date = 12.09.2005 |date accessed = June 15, 2007