Heartbeeps [Blu-ray]

Director: Allan Arkush Allan Arkush

Overview

Heartbeeps stars Andy Kaufman and Bernadette Peters as domestic robots who fall in love and run off together.

Product Details

Release Date:	02/11/2020
UPC:	0738329242268
Original Release:	1981
Rating:	PG
Source:	Kl Studio Classics
Region Code:	A
Language:	English
Time:	1:18:00
Sales rank:	32,189

Special Features

Audio Commentary by Director Allen Arkush and Film Historian/Filmmaker Daniel Kremer; Theatrical Trailer

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Bernadette Peters	AquaCom 89045
Andy Kaufman	ValCom 17485
Randy Quaid	Charlie,Actor
Kenneth McMillan	Max
Melanie Mayron	Susan
Christopher Guest	Calvin
Richard B. Shull	Factory Boss
Dick Miller	Watchman
Kathleen Freeman	Helicopter Pilot
Mary Woronov	Party House Owner
Paul Bartel	Guest
Anne Wharton	Guest
Barry Diamond	Firing Range Technician
Stephanie Faulkner	Firing Range Technician
Jeffrey Kramer	Butler Robot
Irene Forrest	Maid Robot
Karsen Lee Gould	Maid Robot
David Lebell	Forklift Drive Robot
Jack Carter	Catskil voice
Jerry Garcia	Phil
Andy Kaufmann	Actor
John Williams	Composer

Technical Credits

John Hill

Allan Arkush	Director
Douglas Green	Executive Producer
Michael Phillips	Producer
Albert Whitlock	Special Effects
Stan Winston	Special Effects
Debby Porter	Stunts
John Hill	Screenwriter
Jim Alexander	Sound/Sound Designer

Editorial Reviews

This offbeat mixture of science fiction, comedy and romance was a boxoffice dud and is much reviled by sci-fi and cult film fans. However, time has been a little kinder to Heartbeeps than one might expect. John Hill's script has some significant problems (the plotting is weak, the human characters are ciphers) that were exacerbated by studio tampering but there is a sweet, naive quality to the romance between the two robot heroes that is genuinely intriguing. Allan Arkush's direction brings a nice visual sweep to the film, a tactic that is aided nicely by lavish scope-format photography by Charles Rosher, Jr. Tina Hirsch's editing gives everything a punchy pace and John Williams contributes an unique orchestral/electronic musical score that does a lot to set the film's unusual mood. Most importantly, Andy Kaufman and Bernadette Peters manage to infuse their necessarily mannered performances with a level of heart that makes the proceedings more compelling than one might expect. The end result is definitely a specialty item but Heartbeeps can be an amusing if deeply twee diversion for those viewer in the right forgiving mood. One's reaction to it will depend a lot on nostalgia for this era, the performers involved and eccentric Hollywood misfires.