Hollow Point

{{Short description|1996 film by Sidney J. Furie}} {{Infobox film | name = Hollow Point | image = Hollow_Point.jpg | alt = | caption = | director = Sidney J. Furie | writer = Robert Geoffrion Stewart Harding | narrator = | starring = Thomas Ian Griffith Tia Carrere John Lithgow Donald Sutherland | music = Brahm Wenger | cinematography = David Franco | editing = Yves Langlois | studio = Phoenician Entertainment Filmline International Astral Programming Enterprises | distributor = Vidmark Entertainment (U.S.) Astral Video (Canada) | released = {{Film date|1996|07|22|U.S.|1996|06|29|Canada}} | runtime = 102 minutes | country = United States Canada | language = English | budget = CAD$9.5 million | gross = }} '''''Hollow Point''''' is a 1996 Canadian-American action thriller film directed by Sidney J. Furie and starring Thomas Ian Griffith, Tia Carrere, John Lithgow and Donald Sutherland. In this darkly comedic tale, Griffith and Carrere star as members of rival law enforcement agencies, who are both after a group of criminals connected by their cynical accountant (Lithgow) and their former hitman (Sutherland).

Sometimes considered to be the best of Furie's late career, the film was tarnished by the accidental death of a crew member during a botched pyrotechnics sequence.

==Plot== FBI agent Diane Norwood and DEA agent Max Parrish are both in pursuit of the same criminals—a trio of allied crime bosses and a man named Thomas Livingston, who handles their finances. But, instead of working together, the two agents race to be the first to arrest the suspects and seize their millions in order to claim the money for their agency. After realizing neither one can be beaten or persuaded off the case, the agents reluctantly decide to work together.

Despite a great deal of romantic tension, their strong personalities and different investigative techniques frequently clash; Diane, who is thoughtful, serious and by-the-book, is frustrated by Max's cocky, reckless nature and flippant sense of humor. Eventually, they discover and must team up with an eccentric assassin, Garrett Lawton, who works with Livingston and is their only link to resolving the case.

==Cast== {{cast listing| * Thomas Ian Griffith as Max Parrish * Tia Carrere as Diane Norwood * John Lithgow as Thomas Livingston * Donald Sutherland as Garrett Lawton * David Hemblen as Oleg Krezinsky * Carl Alacchi as Alberto Capucci * Robert Ito as Shin Chan * Andreas Apergis as Ivan Krezinsky * Lisa Bronwyn Moore as Vicky, Diane's Friend * Kliment Denchev as Patriarch }}

== Production == ===Development=== ''Hollow Point'' was the first in a series of mid 1990s to early 2000s projects partnering Los Angeles producer Elie Samaha of Phoenician Entertainment with Montreal-based Nicolas Clermont of Filmline International.<ref name="gaz-27jan99">{{cite news | last=Kelly |first=Brendan |date=Jan 27, 1999 | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/425099955/ | title=Travolta scouting city for locations |newspaper=The Gazette | location=Montreal |page=A1–A2 {{subscription required|via=newspapers.com}}}}</ref><ref name="presse-19apr95">{{cite news |last=Grimaldi |first=Francine |date=April 19, 1995 |url=https://numerique.banq.qc.ca/patrimoine/details/52327/2179711 |title=Mondanité et charité : Hollow Point |newspaper=La Presse |location=Montreal |page=E1 |language=fr}}</ref> The picture had a budget of CAD$9.5 million.<ref name="presse-19apr95"/><ref name="presse-6may95"/> It was backed by Astral Communications, a Montreal-based media conglomerate which was ramping up its investment in movie production at the time.<ref name="gaz-8apr95">{{cite news | last=Brownstein |first=Bill |date=Apr 8, 1995 | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/421028198/ | title=Roll 'em |newspaper=The Gazette | location=Montreal |page=D1, D7 {{subscription required|via=newspapers.com}}}}</ref> While Telefilm Canada did not contribute, the film benefited from other incentives such as tax breaks from Quebec film fund SODEC.<ref name="var-18dec95">{{cite magazine |last1=Kelly |first1=Brandon |date=18 December 1995 |title=Franco fare spurs Quebec prod'n rally |magazine=Variety |location=New York |publisher=Cahners Publishing |volume=361 |issue=7 |page=63}}</ref> Tia Carrere had recently starred in ''The Immortals'' for Samaha, to whom she was married.<ref name="var-15may95">{{cite magazine |date=May 15, 1995 |title=Cannes Preview |magazine=Variety |location=New York |publisher=Cahners Publishing |volume=359 |issue=3 |pages=C66, C68}}</ref> Donald Sutherland was a regular collaborator of Clermont's and appeared in many of his 1990s films, despite initially not getting along on the embattled biopic ''Béthune''.<ref name="gaz-13apr01">{{cite news |last=Kelly |first=Brendan |date=Apr 13, 2001 | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/425916356 | title=Movie producer Clermont dies at 59 |newspaper=The Gazette | location=Montreal |page=D1, D3 {{subscription required|via=newspapers.com}}}}</ref> This was part of a series of shorter roles—it only required a single week—that John Lithgow took at the time, due to the scheduling demands of his TV series ''3rd Rock from the Sun''.<ref name="fdg-19jan96">{{cite news |last=Knutzen |first=Eirik |date=Jan 19, 1996 | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/1098866662/ | title=John Lithgow and son appearing in sitcom |newspaper=The Daily Gleaner |location=Fredericton [agency=Copley New Service |pages=14–15 (Leisure) {{subscription required|via=newspapers.com}}}}</ref>

===Filming=== Photography started on April 20, 1995,<ref name="gaz-21apr95">{{cite news |last=Brownstein |first=Bill |date=Apr 21, 1995 | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/420953279/ | title=Sutherland-Lithgow movie being shot in Montreal |newspaper=The Gazette | location=Montreal |page=D7 {{subscription required|via=newspapers.com}}}}</ref> and was planned for about seven weeks with a wrap on May 30.<ref name="gaz-11may95">{{cite news |last=Wilton |first=Katherine |date=May 11, 1995 | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/420985885/ | title=Botched film stunt kills man on set |newspaper=The Gazette | location=Montreal |page=A3 {{subscription required|via=newspapers.com}}}}</ref><ref name="gaz-12may95">{{cite news |last1=Hustak |first1=Alan |last2=Brownstein |first2=Bill |date=May 12, 1995 | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/420988406/ | title=Death on movie set was accident: police |newspaper=The Gazette | location=Montreal |page=A3 {{subscription required|via=newspapers.com}}}}</ref> Virtually all of the film was shot in Montreal, though some B-roll of Boston's downtown—where the story is set—was used in the opening sequence.<ref name="presse-6may95">{{Cite web |last=Cloutier |first=Mario |date=1995-05-06 |title=Montréal devient Boston pour les besoins d'un film d'action |url=https://numerique.banq.qc.ca/patrimoine/details/52327/2179805?docsearchtext=%22thomas%20ian%20griffith%22 |access-date=2025-01-27 |website=La Presse |language=fr |via=BAnQ numérique}}</ref> Locations include sections of Old Montreal and parts of the West Island, including the Beaconsfield Golf Club.<ref name="presse-6may95"/> One location did have ties to Massachusetts: the Longueuil diner shown in the film had been moved there from Palmer by a local entrepreneur.<ref name="cds-14may95">{{cite news | author= |date=May 14, 1995 | url=https://numerique.banq.qc.ca/patrimoine/details/52327/4553476 | title=De l'action au Memphis Belle juste avant son déménagement : Donald Sutherland et Tia Carrera à Longueuil pour le tournage de 'Hollow Point' |newspaper=Le courier du Sud |location=Longueuil |page=4 (Le courier plus) |language=fr |url-access=subscription |via=newspapers.com}}</ref> Despite the project's relatively modest stature, Sutherland was highly involved in his work and objected to the look of a set representing his character's lair. Although only other actors were seen there, and Sutherland himself did not use it, he insisted that it did not fit his portrayal. Furie agreed to accommodate him and a new one was built. This did not help the director's standing with Clermont, who did not hold him in high regard.<ref name="sjfbio">{{cite book |last1=Kremer |first1=Daniel |date=2015 |url=https://archive.org/details/screen-classics-furie-sidney-j.-kremer-daniel-sidney-j.-furie-life-and-films-201_202409/page/303/mode/2up |title=Sidney J. Furie: Life And Films |location= |publisher=The University Press of Kentucky |pages=304–305 |isbn=978-0-8131-6596-7}}</ref>

===Accident=== On May 10, 1995, during the filming of a car crash on Rachel Street near the former Angus factory,<ref name="presse-21jun96">{{cite news |last=Boisvert |first=Yves |date=June 21, 1996 |url=https://numerique.banq.qc.ca/patrimoine/details/52327/2182101 |title=L'amateurisme d'un artificier dénoncé par le Tribunal du travail |newspaper=La Presse |location=Montreal |page=A4 |language=fr}}</ref> a {{convert|abbr=on|60 × 30|cm|ft}} piece of metal welded under the vehicle to hold an explosive charge was torn apart and struck grips Christian Sauvageau and Jean-François Bourassa.<ref name="gaz-12may95"/><ref name="presse-16may95">{{cite news |last=Colpron |first=Suzanne |date=May 16, 1995 |url=https://numerique.banq.qc.ca/patrimoine/details/52327/2179862 |title=Le tournage d{{'}}''Hollow Point'' reprend dans le deuil |newspaper=La Presse |location=Montreal |page=A16 |language=fr}}</ref><ref name="gaz-27may95">{{cite news | last=Brownstein |first=Bill |date=May 27, 1995 | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/421014855/ | title=Tragedy on film set draws film crew even closer |newspaper=The Gazette | location=Montreal |page=C1, C7 {{subscription required|via=newspapers.com}}}}</ref><ref name="presse-21jun96"/> Sauvageau suffered a open arm fracture,<ref name="presse-21jun96"/> but Bourassa died on his way to the hospital.<ref name="gaz-12may95"/> It was believed to be the first death caused by filming in Canada.<ref name="vansun-17jul96">{{cite news | last=Stevenson |first=Jane |date=July 17, 1995 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/495902788 |title=Dollar, summer, serenity, attract U.S. productions |newspaper=The Vancouver Sun |agency=Canadian Press |page=C2 {{subscription required|via=newspapers.com}}}}</ref> The rigging was overseen by Productions de l'intrigue, the company of Quebec film veteran Louis Craig.<ref name="presse-21jun96"/> Producer Nicolas Clermont argued that he could have done nothing differently,<ref name="presse-16may95"/> with a report mentioning two ambulances, two firetrucks and four paramedics on site.<ref name="cp-12may95">{{cite news |author= |date=May 12, 1995 | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/558693314/ | title=Fiming suspended while movie cast mourns |newspaper=Red Deer Advocate | agency=Canadian Press |page=B4 {{subscription required|via=newspapers.com}}}}</ref> Quebec's film technicians union acknowledged the safety measures taken by the production, but decried the lack of strict regulations for such setpieces in the province,<ref name="gaz-17may95">{{cite news |last=Brownstein |first=Bill |date=May 17, 1995 | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/420997079/ | title=Quebec industry needs safety code: union |newspaper=The Gazette | location=Montreal |page=B4 {{subscription required|via=newspapers.com}}}}</ref> with the CBA only mentioning that every effort must be made to protect the crew.<ref name="gaz-12may95"/> Filming resumed after a five-day break,<ref name="presse-16may95"/> and was extended to mid-June.<ref name="gaz-12may95"/>

Montreal Urban Community Police quickly concluded to the absence of criminal negligence.<ref name="gaz-27may95"/> However, a report by Quebec's Work, Health and Safety Board later determined that the piece of metal had not been soldered strongly enough relative to the large amount of black powder (680 grams or 24 oz) used in the explosion, while the {{convert|abbr=on|28|metre|ft}} safety distance was insufficient.<ref name="gaz-27oct95">{{cite news |last=Moore |first=Lynn |date=Oct 27, 1995 | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/424843009 | title=Safety needs larger role on film sets, panel says |newspaper=The Gazette | location=Montreal |page=E8 {{subscription required|via=newspapers.com}}}}</ref><ref name="presse-27oct95">{{cite news |last=Lamon |first=Georges |date=October 27, 1995 |url=https://numerique.banq.qc.ca/patrimoine/details/52327/2180743 |title=La mort d'un machiniste au tournage de Hollow Point : l'auto devait exploser, mais sans projeter de débris |newspaper=La Presse |location=Montreal |page=A5 |language=fr}}</ref> A witness claimed that the effects team had tested the explosives earlier in the day, but were not satisfied with the blast,<ref name="gaz-11may95"/><ref name="prov-25feb96">{{cite news |last=Middleton |first=Greg |date=Feb 25, 1996 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/503212619/ |title=A Bang for a Buck |newspaper=The Province |location=Vancouver |page=A27 {{subscription required|via=newspapers.com}}}}</ref> which a production executive denied.<ref name="gaz-14may95">{{cite news |last=Hustak |first=Alan |date=May 14, 1995 | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/420992980/ | title=Scholarship honors man on film set |newspaper=The Gazette | location=Montreal |page=A4 {{subscription required|via=newspapers.com}}}}</ref>

==Release== ===Pre-release=== Around the 1995 Cannes Film Market, it was announced that the film had been picked up for international sales by Nu Image,<ref name="var-1may95">{{cite magazine |date=May 1, 1995 |title=Foreign Films |url=https://archive.org/details/sim_variety_may-01-07-1995_359_1/page/n25/mode/2up |magazine=Variety |location=New York |publisher=Cahners Publishing |volume=359 |issue=1 |pages=24}}</ref><ref name="var-22may95">{{cite magazine |date=May 22, 1995 |title=Cannes Market: Late listings for the market |magazine=Variety |location=New York |publisher=Cahners Publishing |volume=359 |issue=4 |page=32}}</ref><ref name="sjtj-1jul95">{{cite news |author= |date=July 1, 1995 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/1111358784 |title=Canadian business briefs |newspaper=Telegraph-Journal |location=Saint John |page=B2 {{subscription required|via=newspapers.com}}}}</ref> who had a working relationship with Samaha at the time, including on ''The Immortals''.<ref name="var-15may95"/> Despite not featuring any fantasy elements, the film was showcased at the Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival held between March 8 and March 28, 1996.<ref>{{cite web | url =https://wiki.bifff.net/edition/edition1996/#edmovies | title =Edition 1996 | author= | website =bifff.net | access-date =April 28, 2024}}</ref>

===Television=== In the U.S., the film premiered on premium cable channel HBO on June 22, 1996, as part of the channel's "HBO World Premiere" line-up.<ref>{{cite magazine |author= |date=June 1996 |title=HBO World Premiere Movie: Hollow Point |url=https://archive.org/details/hboguide-199606/mode/2up |magazine=HBO Guide |location=New York |publisher=Home Box Office |page=2}}</ref> In Canada, the film premiered on premium cable channel The Movie Network on June 29, 1996.<ref name="star-29jun96">{{cite news |author= |date=June 29, 1996 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/949297460/ |title=Saturday June 29 |newspaper=The Toronto Star |page=18 (Starweek) {{subscription required|via=newspapers.com}}}}</ref>

===Home video=== The filmed arrived on both Canadian and U.S. VHS on October 22, 1996.<ref>{{cite news |last=Law |first=John |date=Oct 18, 1996 | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/1016837254/ | title=On Video |newspaper=Niagara Falls Review |page=D2 {{subscription required|via=newspapers.com}}}}</ref><ref name="lat-18oct96">{{cite news |last=King |first=Susan |date=Oct 18, 1996 | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/160239322 | title=Some Candidates to Watch in This Political Season |newspaper=Los Angeles Times/Calendar |page=F30 {{subscription required|via=newspapers.com}}}}</ref> As with other films represented by Nu Image at the time, it was distributed in the U.S.by Vidmark Entertainment.<ref name="lat-18oct96"/> In Canada, it was distributed by Astral Video, whose parent company backed the film.<ref>{{cite web | url =https://vhscollector.com/movie/hollow-point-0 | title =Hollow Point A1038 – Astral Video | author= | website =vhscollector.com | access-date =April 28, 2024}}</ref>

== Reception == ''Hollow Point'' has received mixed to moderately positive reviews. Joe Leydon of trade magazine ''Variety'' called it "a modestly entertaining opus that tries to inject a ''Moonlighting'' style of levity into a routine action-adventure plot. Leads Thomas Ian Griffith and Tia Carrere evidence a potent sexual chemistry and develop a nicely edgy give-and-take". Of Furie's direction, he said that he was "much too fond of igniting explosions whenever the pace flags. Otherwise, he does an adequate job of keeping things moving and amusing."<ref name="var-22dec96">{{cite web |url=https://variety.com/1996/film/reviews/hollow-point-1200448003/ | title =Hollow Point |last1=Leydon |first1=Joe | date =December 22, 1996 | work =Variety | access-date =April 2, 2023}}</ref> Writing for sister publications TV Guide and ''The Motion Picture Annual'', Robert Pardi assessed: "Lacking subtle direction, the film can’t move past its over-plotted back-stabbings. At times the nasty comic edge becomes oppressive, as if the director felt the need to oversell the punch line. But thanks to clever one-liners and Lithgow’s and Sutherland’s puckish performances, ''Hollow Point'' entertains as often as it exasperates."<ref>{{cite book |editor=Grant, Edmond |last1= |first1= |date=1997 |url=https://archive.org/details/motionpicturegui0000unse_b4z0/page/790/mode/2up |title=The Motion Picture Guide – 1997 Annual (The Films of 1996) |location=New York |publisher=Cinebooks |pages=– |isbn=0933997000}}</ref>

Ballantine Books' ''Video Movie Guide'' found that "action hero Thomas Ian Griffith abandons his usual 'style' and plays this explosive shoot-'em-up strictly for cartoon-style laughs. Unfortunately, neither Griffith nor costar Tia Carrere can manage the proper tongue-in cheek tone; both are overshadowed by costar Donald Sutherland, who steals the film as an assassin with principles."<ref>{{cite book |last1=Martin |first1=Mick |last2=Porter |first2=Marsha |date=October 2001 |url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780345420961/page/502/mode/2up |title=Video Movie Guide 2002 |location=New York |publisher=Ballantine Books |page=502 |isbn=0345420969}}</ref> The BBC's ''RadioTimes'' noted that "[Furie's] camera trickery and Griffith’s gun-toting prowess are overshadowed by the two more accomplished members of the cast".<ref name="bbc-rt">{{cite book |editor=Fane Saunders, Kilmeny |title=RadioTimes Guide to Films | date=2000 | edition= | url=https://archive.org/details/radiotimesfilmgu0000unse/page/650/mode/2up |location=London |publisher=BBC Worldwide |pages=1168 |isbn=0563537108}}</ref> ''Blockbuster Entertainment Guide to Movies and Videos'' deemed it "feebly amusing" but "[a] tiny step up from Griffith’s previous films. Lots of things go bang."<ref>{{cite book |editor=Castell, J. Ronald |date=September 1998 |orig-date=1994 |edition=5th |url=https://archive.org/details/blockbusterenter0000bloc/page/538/mode/2up |title=Blockbuster Entertainment Guide to Movies and Videos 1999 |location=New York |publisher=The Philip Lief Group; Island Books |pages=539 |isbn=0440225981}}</ref> Gerald Pratley, author of the book ''A Century of Canadian Cinema'' deemed it "[a] routine action-adventure", but acknowledged that "[t]he actors play this out with a confidence that makes the whole [movie] seem better than it is."<ref>{{cite book |last1=Pratley |first1=Gerald |date=2003 |url=https://archive.org/details/centuryofcanadia0000prat/page/100/mode/2up |title=A Century of Canadian Cinema: Feature film guide, 1900 to the present |location=Toronto |publisher=Lynx Images |page=100 |isbn=1894073215}}</ref> Sidney J. Furie's biographer Daniel Kremer called the film "by far the most successful entry" in his late career series of independent genre films, "an unexpectedly brilliant piece of work and the Furie film of that decade with the most perceptibly customized directorial style."<ref name="sjfbio"/>

===Aftermath=== The film was dedicated to Bourassa's memory. Shortly after his death, it was announced that a scholarship would be named in his honor at Concordia University, where he had studied and played for the varsity football team.<ref name="gaz-14may95"/><ref name="gaz-27may95"/>

In June 1996, a Montreal labor court judge sentenced Productions de l'intrigue to a CAD$7,500 fine for failure to adequately secure the blast zone.<ref name="presse-21jun96"/> Soon after, Christian Sauvageau launched a lawsuit of his own against Productions de l'intrigue and Filmline International for $265,000. The outcome is unknown.<ref name="gaz-6aug96">{{cite news |last=Fitterman |first=Lisa |date=Aug 6, 1996 | url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/424874359/ | title=Technician sues movie companies over blast |newspaper=The Gazette | location=Montreal |page=A4 {{subscription required|via=newspapers.com}}}}</ref><ref name="presse-6aug96">{{cite news | author= |date=Aug 6, 1996 |url=https://numerique.banq.qc.ca/patrimoine/details/52327/2182333 |title=Poursuite de 265 700 $ pour une cascade qui a mal tourné |newspaper=La Presse |location=Montreal |page=A4 |language=fr}}</ref>

Soon after this film, Carrere and Sutherland co-starred in another Montreal-shot Samaha/Clermont co-production, ''Natural Enemy''.<ref name="var-18dec95"/>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * {{IMDb title|id=0113313|title=Hollow Point}} * {{Rotten Tomatoes|hollow_point}}

Category:1996 films Category:Films directed by Sidney J. Furie Category:1996 action thriller films Category:Canadian action thriller films Category:1996 English-language films Category:1996 Canadian films Category:English-language action thriller films