| Police Academy (First) | |
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Theatrical release poster |
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| Directed by | Hugh Wilson |
| Produced by | Paul Maslansky Anne Kopelson Arnold Kopelson |
| Written by | Neal Israel Pat Proft Hugh Wilson |
| Starring | Steve Guttenberg Kim Cattrall Bubba Smith David Graf George Gaynes Michael Winslow |
| Music by | Robert Folk |
| Cinematography | Michael D. Margulies |
| Editing by | Robert Brown Zach Staenberg |
| Studio | The Ladd Company Le Studio Canal+ Regency Enterprises Alcor Films Kopelson Entertainment |
| Distributed by | Warner Bros. Pictures |
| Release date(s) | March 23, 1984 |
| Running time | 96 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $4,500,000 |
| Box office | $81,198,894 |
Police Academy is a 1984 comedy film directed by Hugh Wilson, and starring Steve Guttenberg, Kim Cattrall and G.W. Bailey. It grossed approximately $146 million worldwide and spawned six more films in the Police Academy series.
Contents |
Due to a shortage of Police Officers, the newly-elected female Mayor of an unnamed American city has announced a policy requiring the Police Department to accept all willing recruits, effectively abolishing fitness requirements, educational levels and medical standards. Not everyone in the Police Force is happy about the new changes.
Carey Mahoney is an easygoing man who has repeatedly gotten himself in trouble with the law when standing up to arrogance. Mahoney is forced to join the Police Force as an alternative to jail; a proposal by Captain Reed who has been lenient on Mahoney because of knowing his father, who was also a Policeman. Mahoney reluctantly agrees to this, deciding that he will get himself thrown out as a loophole. However, the Chief of Police, outraged by the Mayor's lowered requirements, decides that the new cadets should be forced to quit rather than being thrown out. Lieutenant Thaddeus Harris, who trains the cadets, agrees with the plan and employs tactics to make their lives as miserable as possible so that they do in fact quit. Mahoney tries many schemes to get thrown out as he cannot quit, since as part of the deal he made with Captain Reed, if he quits, he will be sent to jail. But eventually has a change of heart and decides to stay for good, having fallen in love with another cadet, Karen Thompson.
While in the Academy, Mahoney becomes friends with fellow cadets Larvell Jones; a human beatbox, Gerorge Martin; a ladies man who speaks with a fake Spanish accent to attract women, Eugene Tackleberry; a military obsessed adrenaline junkie, Leslie Barbara; an overweight wimp and Moses Hightower; a giant of a man who is actually quite shy and keeps away from violence. Mahoney helps Hightower prepare for the critical driving test and after he passes, Hightower is very thankful to Mahoney. Unfortunately, the quit policy does not apply to Hightower, who gets himself kicked out of the Academy because of an incident. After the hated cadet Chad Copeland racially insults Hightower's friend and fellow cadet Laverne Hooks, an angered Hightower lifts and turns over the Police car in which Copeland is seated.
Shortly after this, Mahoney gets involved in a lunchroom brawl after another cadet Kyle Blankes, punches Barbara in the face. Mahoney takes the blame for throwing the first punch, which finally gives Lt. Harris the green light to expel his most despised cadet. Before Mahoney actually leaves the premises, however, a major riot breaks out downtown. The resulting Police emergency forces the cadets into real action for the first time. During the riot, a wanted criminal manages to steal two Police revolvers from Blankes and Copeland. The outlaw then proceeds to capture Harris in the confusion, taking the Officer to the roof of a nearby building as a hostage. Mahoney, putting aside his uneven past with Harris, bravely attempts a rescue, which is promptly fumbled, allowing Mahoney to be taken as a second hostage. Just as both are about to be killed, it is none other than Hightower who suddenly appears on the rooftop. The former cadet manages to fool the madman into thinking he is a fellow crook and demands that he kill Harris. However, when the criminal does try to pull the trigger, Hightower easily knocks him unconscious.
Mahoney and Hightower both graduate from the Academy a few days later and for their rescue of Lt. Harris and capture of his kidnapper, also receive the Academy's highest commendation. All of the cadets graduate with flying colours, finally winning a respectful salute from Harris.
The film was shot entirely in and around the city of Toronto, Canada. The studio scenes were shot at Lakeshore Studios; the city scenes were filmed in various parts of Toronto.[1]
The film grossed $81,198,894 in 1,587 theaters, making it the sixth biggest grossing film in the US in 1984. The film was also a success worldwide, grossing approximately $146 million. Although it was a commercial success, it did garner some criticism.[2] The film currently has a 47% Fresh rating at the film review aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes, which includes 7 positive and 8 negative reviews out of 15 reviews.[3] Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times, gave the film zero stars out of a possible four stars, commenting that "It's really something. It's so bad, maybe you should pool your money and draw straws and send one of the guys off to rent it so that in the future, whenever you think you're sitting through a bad comedy, he could shake his head, and chuckle tolerantly, and explain that you don't know what bad is".[4] Respected critic Vincent Canby of The New York Times however, did give the film a favorable review. The film's critical reception, however, is still better than its sequels, which have been universally panned by critics since they started being released.[5]
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