Taglines: A dangerous romance.
Into the Night movie storyline. Ed Okin’s life is somewhat out of control. He can’t sleep, his wife betrays him and his job is dull. One night he starts to drive through Los Angeles and he finally ends in the parking garage of L.A. Airport. Moments later a beautiful young lady jumps onto his bonnet and he finds himself being chased by four Iranians. What follows is a wild chase through the streets of Los Angeles and a very funny one too.
Into the Night is a 1985 American comedy-thriller film directed by John Landis, starring Jeff Goldblum and Michelle Pfeiffer. The film is notable for a large number of cameo appearances made by various filmmakers and directors, including Landis himself. The soundtrack features the songs “Into the Night”, “In the Midnight Hour” and “Lucille”, performed by B.B. King.
While making this picture, director Landis was still caught up in the controversy and legalities surrounding his previous release, Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983), during the filming of which a helicopter accident led to the deaths of actor Vic Morrow and two child actors.
About the Story
Upon discovering that his wife is having an affair, depressed insomniac Ed Okin (Jeff Goldblum) drives to LAX on his friend Herb’s (Dan Aykroyd) suggestion. There he is surprised by a beautiful jewel smuggler, Diana (Michelle Pfeiffer), who lands on his car and begs him to drive her away from four Iranians who are chasing her.
She persuades him to drive her to various locations, and he becomes embroiled in her predicament. After becoming increasingly exasperated with her demands, he discovers that Diana has smuggled priceless emeralds from the Shah of Iran’s treasury into the country, and is being pursued by various assorted assailants, including the aforementioned agents of a criminal Iranian expatriate and a British hitman (David Bowie).
The couple’s caper gets increasingly out of hand, until Diana is eventually taken hostage by the thugs at the airport; here, Ed shares his ennui with the man holding a gun to Diana’s head. The man shoots himself instead. Taken to a motel room by federal agents, they are given a fortune in cash from one of Diana’s wealthy friends via a federal agent. Diana showers and Ed finally sleeps. He wakes up after a full night’s rest to an empty hotel room, with most of the money gone. However, when he leaves the room, Diana is waiting for him… with the money, a smile, and an offer of a ride.
About the Soundtrack
The score for Into the Night was written by Ira Newborn (tracks “Enter Shaheen” and “Century City Chase”). Newborn also composed two new songs for the film soundtrack, “Into the Night” and “My Lucille” (both performed by blues singer B.B. King) and also arranged the classic song “In the Midnight Hour”.
The vinyl edition of this soundtrack included two songs composed by Ira Newborn, which are not included on the film soundtrack: “Don’t Make Me Sorry” (co-written by Joe Esposito), performed by Patti La Belle, and “Keep It Light” (co-written by Reginald “Sonny” Burke), performed by Thelma Houston.
The official edition of the soundtrack also includes the songs “Let’s Get It On”, performed by Marvin Gaye, and “I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)”, performed by The Four Tops, both of which appeared during the film. There is no CD issue of this soundtrack, but all songs performed by B.B. King on the film soundtrack are available on Classic B.B.King CD (from “The Universal Masters Collection”).
Into the Night (1985)
Directed by: John Landis
Starring: Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Pfeiffer, Stacey Pickren, Carmen Argenziano, Andrew Marton, Sue Dugan, Elizabeth Solorzano, Dan Aykroyd
Screenplay by: Ron Koslow
Production Design by: John J. Lloyd
Cinematography by: Robert Paynter
Film Editing by: Malcolm Campbell
Costume Design by: Deborah Nadoolman
Set Decoration by: Jerry Wunderlich
Music by: Ira Newborn
Distributed by: Universal Pictures
Release Date: February 22, 1985
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