Ablaze (2001 film)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Andrew Stevens
Jim Wynorski
- John Bradley
- Tom Arnold
- Michael Dudikoff
- Ice-T
- Amanda Pays
- Cathy Lee Crosby
- Pat Harrington, Jr.
- Edward Albert
- Mary Jo Catlett
- Melissa Brasselle
- Larry Poindexter
- Carolyn Seymour
- William Zabka
- Richard Biggs
- Michael Trucco
- Michael Cavanaugh
- Eric James Virgets
- David Bowe
- Dorian Lopinto
- Scotty Cox
- Sharron Leigh
- Christian Oliver
- Robert Clotworthy
| Ablaze | |
|---|---|
_Film_Poster.jpg) DVD cover | |
| Directed by | Jim Wynorski (credited as Jay Andrews) |
| Written by | Steve Latshaw |
| Produced by | Alison Semenza Andrew Stevens Jim Wynorski |
| Starring |
|
| Cinematography | Andrea V. Rossotto |
| Edited by | Craig Kitson |
| Music by | Neal Acree |
Production companies | Phoenician Entertainment Firestorm Pictures |
| Distributed by | New City Releasing Firestorm Productions Lionsgate |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 97 min. |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Ablaze is a 2001 American direct-to-video disaster film directed by Jim Wynorski and starring John Bradley, Tom Arnold, and Michael Dudikoff.The film uses stock footage from two other films. The car chase scene at the beginning is from the 1993 film Striking Distance.[1] Ablaze also extensively uses footage from the film City on Fire. The film also contains stock footage from the 1970s TV show Emergency![2]
Andrew Thomas is an agent recording the violations made at an oil refinery next to a suburban town. His brother, Jack, is a firefighter. At the local hospital, Jack's ex-girlfriend, Dr. Jennifer Lewis, defies the orders of her boss, Vivian Sims, to help a pregnant woman named Mindi Hunter.
A young kid named Barry accidentally sets his house on fire. Jack's team is sent by chief Sam Davis to rescue him and his mother, Gwen. Jack is injured and they all end up in the hospital.
Andrew finds numerous violations and discovers a plot to burn the refinery down to collect the insurance money. The planned explosion injures Andrew. The assistant of the refinery's manager, Curt Peters, and worker Rick Woods take Andrew to the hospital.
As the fire spreads across the city, the refinery's manager, Wendell Mays, sends Peters and Woods to retrieve a document from Andrew's office concerning the violations. Peters retrieves the documents, but is burned alive in the process and run over by a car, killing him. Woods decides to forget the document, and drives off.
Davis orders the hospital to be evacuated. He confronts Mayor Phillips for his involvement in the initial explosion. Jack is told that Andrew is in critical condition. He visits Andrew, who gives him one last tearful goodbye before dying.
Barry experiences an asthma attack, although he is taken care of. Mindi gives birth to a girl named Hayley, and the evacuation begins. Wendell and Vivian are evacuated in a truck, but an exploding building causes the truck to catch on fire, killing them.
With the help of news cameraman Tim Vester, Jack evacuates the people in the hospital to various rescue units. However, while racing to the units, Tim is killed by falling scaffolding. Everybody else reaches the rescue units and are taken to makeshift hospitals. Jack and his team send off the last unit before an explosion destroys the entire section of the city. All of the firefighters survive the explosion, and Jack reunites with Jennifer. In the aftermath, Davis arrests Phillips.
Production
Ablaze was directed by Jim Wynorski, a filmmaker known for low-budget genre films. The film uses stock footage from other productions, including Striking Distance (1993) and City on Fire, as well as footage from the television series Emergency!. This approach helped reduce production costs.[3]
Release
Ablaze was released direct-to-video in the United States on July 16, 2002. The film had an earlier release in Greece on June 18, 2001. As a direct-to-video release, it did not receive a wide theatrical distribution and was primarily distributed for home viewing.
Cast
- John Bradley as Jack Thomas, a fire chief.
- Tom Arnold as Wendell Mays, the greedy owner of the oil refinery.
- Michael Dudikoff as Gary Daniels, a member on Jack's team.
- Ice-T as Albert Denning, a police officer.
- Amanda Pays as Dr. Jennifer Lewis, Jack's ex-girlfriend, and the doctor at the hospital.
- Cathy Lee Crosby as Elizabeth Sherman, a former actress who assists the doctors during the firestorm.
- Pat Harrington, Jr. as Dr. Stuart Ridgley, one of the doctors at the hospital.
- Edward Albert as Mayor Phillips, the town's corrupt mayor.
- Mary Jo Catlett as Nurse Winslow, a nurse at the hospital.
- Melissa Brasselle as Mindi Hunter, a pregnant woman about to go into labor who Jennifer and Winslow help during the fire.'
- Larry Poindexter as Andrew Thomas, Jack's estranged younger brother who is sent to report Wendell's violations.
- Carolyn Seymour as Dr. Vivian Sims, the corrupt manager of the hospital who also is a doctor.
- William Zabka as Curt Peters, Wendell's assistant.
- Richard Biggs as Garrison, a member of Jack's team.
- Michael Trucco as Scott, a new member on Jack's team.
- Michael Cavanaugh as Chief Sam Davis, Andrew's boss, and the head of the medical unit.
- Eric James Virgets as Workman, a member of Jack's team.
- David Bowe as Rick Woods, a worker at the refinery.
- Dorian Lopinto as Gwen Christopher, a woman living in the town.
- Scotty Cox as Barry Christopher, Gwen's son.
- Sharron Leigh as Alaina Charles, a news reporter.
- Christian Oliver as Tim Vester, Alaina's cameraman.
- Robert Clotworthy as Harris, a dispatcher on the medical unit.
- Dane Farwell as Freddy, a criminal that Jack and Albert kill early in the film.