Doctor Detroit
| Doctor Detroit | |
|---|---|
Theatrical release poster
|
|
| Directed by | Michael Pressman |
| Produced by | Robert K. Weiss |
| Written by | |
| Starring | <templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/> |
| Music by |
|
| Cinematography | King Baggot |
| Edited by | Christopher Greenbury |
|
Production
company |
|
| Distributed by | Universal Studios |
|
Release dates
|
May 6, 1983 |
|
Running time
|
89 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $8 million[citation needed] |
| Box office | $10,375,893[1] |
Doctor Detroit is a 1983 American comedy film directed by Michael Pressman with writing by Bruce Jay Friedman, Carl Gottlieb, and Robert Boris. The film stars Dan Aykroyd, Howard Hesseman, Lynn Whitfield, Fran Drescher, and Donna Dixon, with a special appearance by James Brown.
James Brown performed the theme song "Get Up Offa That Thing/Dr. Detroit." Devo performed "Theme from Doctor Detroit" and "Luv-Luv" and released an EP, including "Theme from Doctor Detroit," "Luv-Luv," and a remix of the theme song. Devo also produced a music video from the theme song incorporating footage from the film.
Contents
Plot
A introverted geek, Clifford Skridlow (Dan Aykroyd), is a professor of comparative literature at the financially strapped (fictional) Monroe College in Chicago.
Smooth Walker (Howard Hesseman), a pimp, owes $80,000 to "Mom" (Kate Murtagh), a gruff Chicago mob boss. Attempting to weasel out of his debt, Smooth invents a fictitious mobster, the flamboyant "Doctor Detroit," who purportedly is overrunning his turf. Aykroyd meets Smooth and his girls (Donna Dixon, Lydia Lei, Fran Drescher, and Lynn Whitfield) and has the best night of his life partying with them. After finding out about their troubles with Mom, Skridlow agrees to assume the role of Doctor Detroit in an effort to help them.
Meanwhile, Monroe College awaits its anticipated corporate endowment, a check to be delivered by one of the executives, Harmon Rousehorn (Andrew Duggan). The film alternates between Skridlow's straight life and his life as the Doctor: Skridlow teaches literature and helps his nervous father (George Furth) secure money for the destitute college, while Dr. Detroit battles Mom, boogies with James Brown, and helps out four prostitutes previously subject to Smooth.
The film was shot on location in Chicago during the summer of 1982.
Cast
- Dan Aykroyd as Clifford Skridlow/Doctor Detroit
- Howard Hesseman as Smooth Walker
- Fran Drescher as Karen Blittstein
- Donna Dixon as Monica McNeil
- Lydia Lei as Jasmine Wu
- T. K. Carter as Diavolo Washington
- Lynn Whitfield as Thelma Cleland
- Kate Murtagh as Mom
- George Furth as Arthur Skridlow
- Nan Martin as Margaret Skridlow
- Peter Aykroyd as Mr. Frankman
- Glenne Headly as Miss Debbylike
- Robert Cornthwaite as Professor Blount
- Parley Baer as Judge Robert E. Lee Davis-Jackson
- John Kapelos as Rush Street Dude
- James Brown as Bandleader (himself)
- Steven Williams as Junior Sweet
- Andrew Duggan as Harmon Rausehorn
- Blackie Dammett as Eddie Four Eyes
Soundtrack
| Doctor Detroit | |
|---|---|
| File:DoctorDetroitSoundtrack.jpg | |
| Soundtrack album by Various artists | |
| Released | 1983 |
| Genre | |
| Length | 35:53 |
| Label | |
| Producer | |
| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   link |
A soundtrack album for the film was released on the labels Backstreet, MCA, and WEA.
Track listing
| Side one | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Performer(s) | Length |
| 1. | "Theme from Doctor Detroit" | Devo | 3:10 | |
| 2. | "Hold Him" | 3:22 | ||
| 3. | "King of Soul" | Newborn | James Brown | 2:40 |
| 4. | "Yo Skridlow" |
|
|
4:40 |
| 5. | "Working Girls" |
|
|
4:48 |
| Side two | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Performer(s) | Length |
| 6. | "Get Up Offa That Thing/Doctor Detroit" | James Brown | James Brown | 3:23 |
| 7. | "Luv-Luv" |
|
Devo | 3:36 |
| 8. | "You Are the One" | Pattie Brooks | 4:05 | |
| 9. | "Get It on and Have a Party" |
|
Pattie Brooks | 6:09 |
|
Total length:
|
35:53 | |||
Reaction and sequel
In her autobiography, Enter Whining, Fran Drescher commented that this film was expected to be a major hit for the summer of 1983, but that it fell short of that expectation; by the time the film ended its run in theaters, it had only managed to make US$10.8 million, on a budget of US$8 million.
The end titles promised the release of Doctor Detroit II: The Wrath of Mom, meant as a gag based on Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, released eleven months previously. Aykroyd was said to have been writing the script; however, the project went unfulfilled due to poor box office results.[2][better source needed]
See also
References
- ↑ Doctor Detroit at Box Office Mojo
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
External links
- English-language films
- Articles with unsourced statements from December 2010
- Pages with broken file links
- Music infoboxes with deprecated parameters
- Articles lacking reliable references from January 2016
- 1983 films
- 1980s comedy films
- American comedy films
- Films set in Chicago, Illinois
- Films shot in Chicago, Illinois
- American independent films
- American films
- Universal Pictures films
- Backstreet Records albums
- Films directed by Michael Pressman
- Screenplays by Carl Gottlieb
- Screenplays by Bruce Jay Friedman
- Film scores by Lalo Schifrin
