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The Bodyguard | |
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Theatrical release poster | |
Directed by | Mick Jackson |
Produced by | Kevin CostnerLawrence KasdanJim Wilson |
Written by | Lawrence Kasdan |
Starring | Kevin CostnerWhitney HoustonGary KempBill CobbsRalph Waite |
Music by | Alan Silvestri |
Cinematography | Andrew Dunn |
Edited by | Donn CambernRichard A. Harris |
Production company | Tig ProductionsKasdan Pictures |
Distributed by | Warner Bros. |
Release date | November 25, 1992 |
Running time | 129 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Budget | $25 million |
Box office | $411 million |
The Bodyguard is a 1992 American romantic thriller film directed by Mick Jackson, written by Lawrence Kasdan, and starring Kevin Costner and Whitney Houston. Costner stars as a former Secret Service agent-turned-bodyguard who is hired to protect Houston’s character, a music star, from an unknown stalker. Kasdan wrote the film in the mid-1970s, originally as a vehicle for Steve McQueen and Diana Ross.
The film was Houston’s acting debut. Although a huge box office hit making $411 million worldwide and being the second-highest-grossing film worldwide released in 1992, it received mixed to negative reviews from critics. The soundtrack became the best-selling soundtrack of all time, selling more than 45 million copies worldwide.
The film received seven Golden Raspberry Award nominations, including for the Worst Picture, Worst Actor (for Costner), and Worst Actress (for Houston).
In addition, Tony Pierce plays the stalker, while the Academy Awards ceremony includes Robert Wuhl as the host, Richard Schiff as a backstage hand, journalist Chris Connelly as the red carpet M.C. and Debbie Reynolds as herself.
In November 1978 the film was going to be made with Ryan O’Neal and Diana Ross. However then Ross pulled out of the movie which went back into development hell.
After Kasdan made his successful directorial debut with Body Heat he was asked to direct The Bodyguard but he was reluctant, preferring to make The Big Chill. Kevin Costner read the script when making Silverado with Kasdan and became enthusiastic about it. The two men decided to produce it together. After Costner became a major star with the success of The Untouchables and Robin Hood, among others, he had the clout to make The Bodyguard.
In April 1991 Costner announced that he would star in the film alongside Whitney Houston.
The Bodyguard received mixed to negative reviews from film critics. As of December 2018, the film holds a 34% rating on the film aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, with the consensus, “The Bodyguard is a cheesy, melodramatic potboiler with occasional moments of electricity from Whitney Houston.” Owen Gleiberman of Entertainment Weekly reviewed the film negatively, stating, “To say that Houston and Costner fail to strike sparks would be putting it mildly.” He added that “the movie gives us these two self-contained celebrity icons working hard to look as if they want each other. It’s like watching two statues attempting to mate.” Other critics were more mixed or positive, including Roger Ebert, who praised the film and gave it three out of four stars, remarking, “The movie does contain a love story, but it’s the kind of guarded passion that grows between two people who spend a lot of time keeping their priorities straight.”
The film is listed in Golden Raspberry Award founder John Wilson‘s book The Official Razzie Movie Guide as one of The 100 Most Enjoyably Bad Movies Ever Made.
In the United States, The Bodyguard opened on November 25, 1992 in 1,717 theaters; it grossed $16.6 million in its opening weekend, ranking third. The film spent 10 weeks in the Top 10, ultimately grossing $121.9 million domestically, and $410.9 million worldwide. It was the seventh highest-grossing film of 1992 in the United States and Canada, and the second highest-grossing film of 1992, worldwide. At the time, it was one of the top 100 highest-grossing films of all- time.
The film was re-released in 2012 and grossed a further $61,020.
Two songs from the film, “Run to You” and “I Have Nothing“, were nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song. The soundtrack was also nominated for four Grammy Awards, winning three, including Album of the Year for its album of the same name. The film was nominated for several MTV Movie Awards, an Image Award, BMI Film & TV Awards, a Golden Screen Award in Germany and an Award of the Japanese Academy, according to the Internet Movie Database.
It received seven Golden Raspberry Award nominations, including Worst Picture, Worst Actor (for Costner), and Worst Actress (for Houston). Houston was also nominated for Worst New Star as was Kevin Costner’s haircut.
The film is recognized by American Film Institute in these lists:
- 2002: AFI’s 100 Years…100 Passions – Nominated
- 2004: AFI’s 100 Years…100 Songs:
- “I Will Always Love You” – #65
The Bodyguard: Original Soundtrack Album became the best-selling soundtrack of all time. It has been certified diamond in the United States (sales of at least ten million) with shipments of over 17 million copies. Worldwide, the sales are over 45 million copies. In addition, Houston’s cover of “I Will Always Love You” sold 20 million units worldwide.
The soundtrack features five songs which were hit singles for Houston: “I Will Always Love You” (a cover of the Dolly Parton song), “I’m Every Woman” (a cover of the Chaka Khan song), the two Oscar-nominated songs, “I Have Nothing” and “Run to You“, and “Queen of the Night“.
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