Road House (1989 film)
Encyclopedia
Road House is a 1989 American action film
partially based on the life of Norman "Storm" Cantwell, directed by Rowdy Herrington
and starring Patrick Swayze
as a bouncer
at a newly-refurbished roadside bar
who protects a small town in Missouri
from a corrupt businessman. Sam Elliot also plays a bouncer, the friend of and foil to Swayze's character. The cast also includes Kelly Lynch
as Swayze's love interest, and Ben Gazzara
as the main antagonist.
) to take over security at his club/bar, the Double Deuce, in Jasper, Missouri
. Tilghman plans to invest substantial money into the club, to enhance its image, and needs a first-rate cooler to maintain stability. Arriving in Jasper, and searching for a place to stay, Dalton eventually takes lodging at a local farm. Dalton is soon introduced to local business magnate (and next door neighbor) Brad Wesley (Ben Gazzara
). Wesley appears to have a strangle hold on the town, and little happens without his knowledge and approval. In the course of cleaning up the violent nightclub, Dalton dismisses several unruly and corrupt employees, some of whom are connected with Wesley. After one particularly violent night where Dalton is forced to use physical contact to force some of Wesley's henchmen out of the club, he gets his side slashed. Upon going to the hospital for stitches, he strikes up a friendship with Dr. Elizabeth "Doc" Clay (Kelly Lynch
) which leads into a romantic relationship.
Wesley summons Dalton to his home in a seemingly innocent attempt to make peace, but has an ulterior motive: Wesley would like Dalton to work for him once he extorts Tilghman's club. When Dalton declines, Wesley begins an assault on Dalton's friends, including interfering with liquor deliveries to the Double Deuce. Dalton's mentor, legendary but aging cooler Wade Garrett (Sam Elliott
), arrives in town after a disconcerting phone call from Dalton and helps him defend a liquor shipment from Wesley's thugs.
That evening, local automotive parts and supplies business owner (Doc's uncle) Red Webster's (Red West
) store is destroyed by a fire after he refuses to give ground to Wesley's persistent extortion demands. Dalton, not wanting to exacerbate matters, allows Wesley and his men entrance to the club that night. The next day, car dealership owner Pete Stroudenmire becomes Wesley's next victim when he too rebuffs Wesley. As a result, Wesley has one of his thugs, Gary Ketchum (Anthony De Longis
), demolish the structure with his monster truck (BIGFOOT #7) as Dalton and his friends look on with contempt. That night, Doc visits Dalton and also attempts to persuade him to leave. However, their conversation is interrupted by a massive explosion. Dalton rescues Emmett from the blaze before the house is completely destroyed. One of Wesley's henchmen, "Jimmy" (Marshall R. Teague
) is responsible, and confronts Dalton in vicious hands-to-hand combat, that Dalton wins when he eventually kills Jimmy by ripping out his throat with his bare hand, which is witnessed by "Doc". Wesley soon realizes that he must escalate the stakes and either run Dalton out of town, or kill him. Dalton comes to realize that the violence needed to defeat Wesley is futile, and decides to leave with Wade. However, events take a tragic turn when Wesley orders Wade's death; Dalton discovers the body of his friend on the bar in the Double Deuce, a knife impaled in his chest, with a note from Wesley addressed to Dalton. Having reached his limit, Dalton jumps into his car, and drives headlong toward Wesley's estate for a final confrontation.
Dalton crashes his car onto Wesley's estate, drawing gunfire from Wesley's henchmen, but they discover the car empty, and the knife that was used to kill Wade stuck in the accelerator. One-by-one, Dalton dispatches each of Wesley's thugs, and eventually comes face-to-face with Wesley, and the two battle until Dalton restrains Wesley. Staring down at Wesley with his hand poised to rip Wesley's throat, he reflects about the error of his past violent ways. As he turns to walk away, Wesley seizes the opportunity to reach for a nearby gun. Clay arrives just in time to witness the men Wesley has bullied and extorted over the years, Red, Emmet, Stroudenmire and Tilghman, come to Dalton's defense and shoot Wesley dead, with Tilghman stating that "this is OUR town, and don't YOU forget it". They stash the weapons prior to the arrival of local law enforcement and proceed to corroborate each others' innocence: "I didn't see nothin'. You see anythin'?" When asked if he saw anything, a dazed Tinker, eying a statue of three monkeys
(hear, speak, see no evil), sheepishly states "a polar bear fell on me", inducing stifled laughter. Each of the characters chuckle, with the implication that what happened in Wesley's house will remain a secret.
. Negative reviews such as one published by Variety is critical of "a flat romantic attachment" between Dalton and Clay while lobbying criticism since its "vigilante justice, lawlessness and wanton violence feel ludicrous in a modern setting." Other reviews are critical of Swayze's role as Dalton. Roger Ebert gave the movie 2 1/2 stars and commented that "'Road House' exists right on the edge between the "good-bad movie" and the merely bad. I hesitate to recommend it, because so much depends on the ironic vision of the viewer. This is not a good movie. But viewed in the right frame of mind, it is not a boring one, either."
Road House was nominated for (but did not win) five Golden Raspberry Awards
: Worst Picture, Worst Actor (Patrick Swayze), Worst Supporting Actor (Ben Gazzara), Worst Director and Worst Screenplay.
, whose band was featured in the film as the house band for the Double Deuce. Cruzados were the band in the opening credits, contributing three songs to the film that never made the soundtrack. The film's score was composed by Michael Kamen
.
, was released directly to DVD in July 2006. Set many years later and telling the story of Dalton's adult son, it featured no one from the original cast and only a few references to Dalton (who was reportedly shot dead before the movie took place). The sequel revealed that Dalton's first name was James which was not mentioned in the original movie (the name is mentioned in the hospital - Dalton historical medical book). At the same time Road House 2 was released, the original film was reissued in a deluxe edition featuring, among other features, separate audio commentary tracks by director Rowdy Herrington, Kevin Smith
and Scott Mosier
, which the duo had expressed an interest in during the introduction of the tenth anniversary Clerks
DVD.
In 2003, an off-Broadway musical production of Road House was staged as a campy
comedy by Timothy Haskell, as seen by its full title of Road House: The Stage Version Of The Cinema Classic That Starred Patrick Swayze, Except This One Stars Taimak
From The 80’s Cult Classic “The Last Dragon
” Wearing A Blonde Mullet Wig. Road House has been parodied by Michael J. Nelson
as the inaugural track for Nelson's Rifftrax
commentary service. In his book, Mike Nelson's Movie Megacheese, Nelson ironically declares Road House "the single finest American film".
On the television series Mystery Science Theater 3000
, Road House was frequently cited as a favorite film of the characters, especially Crow T. Robot
. In Episode 321, the film is referenced when Joel Robinson
and the Bots sing the song "Let's Have a Patrick Swayze Christmas." Swayze reportedly found the tribute quite amusing.
In 2004, WFMU
DJ (and Monk
writer/producer) Tom Scharpling
performed a live, one-man performance of the entire film on his radio program, The Best Show on WFMU. Listeners were encouraged to buy or rent the Road House DVD, and play the movie with the sound off, in synchronization with Scharpling's live radio performance. The performance contained many humorous re-interpretations of the script, such as continually referring to Brad Wesley by Gazzara's actual name, as well as the substitution of the film's original soundtrack with music from '80s synth-pop band Bronski Beat
, Pavement
, The Alarm
, The Smiths
, Wilco
, Nena
, Let's Active
, The Misfits, Belle and Sebastian, Franz Ferdinand
and the '90s Canadian pop-punk band, Cub
.
Road House is established as the favorite film of the protagonists of the Adult Swim
program Squidbillies
in an episode entitled "Swayze Crazy".
In the Family Guy
episode "Brian's Got a Brand New Bag", Peter becomes fixated on using a roundhouse kick
to solve everyday problems (even steering his car) followed by saying "Road House" after watching the film. This joke is followed up in the episode "Business Guy
", which features Hugh Laurie
as Dr. Gregory House
.
Professional Wrestlers Terry Funk
and C.T. Night "The Boss" appeared in the movie.
"Road House" is a nickname for Cincinnati Bengals
Quarterback Andy Dalton
who shares his last name with the main character of the film.
Scenes involving Brad Wesley's house and the house in which Dalton rents a room were filmed outside of Sanger, California
. The Kings River (California)
runs between the two residences.
Action film
Action film is a film genre where one or more heroes is thrust into a series of challenges that require physical feats, extended fights and frenetic chases...
partially based on the life of Norman "Storm" Cantwell, directed by Rowdy Herrington
Rowdy Herrington
Rowdy L. Herrington is a Hollywood director and writer currently residing in Malibu, California. He is married and has no children.-Filmography:-Education:...
and starring Patrick Swayze
Patrick Swayze
Patrick Wayne Swayze was an American actor, dancer and singer-songwriter. He was best known for his tough-guy roles, as romantic leading men in the hit films Dirty Dancing and Ghost, and as Orry Main in the North and South television miniseries. He was named by People magazine as its "Sexiest...
as a bouncer
Bouncer (doorman)
A bouncer is an informal term for a type of security guard employed at venues such as bars, nightclubs or concerts to provide security, check legal age, and refuse entry to a venue based on criteria such as intoxication, aggressive behavior, or attractiveness...
at a newly-refurbished roadside bar
Roadhouse (facility)
A roadhouse is a commercial establishment typically built on a major road or highway, to service passing travellers. Its meaning varies slightly by country.-USA:...
who protects a small town in Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
from a corrupt businessman. Sam Elliot also plays a bouncer, the friend of and foil to Swayze's character. The cast also includes Kelly Lynch
Kelly Lynch
Kelly Lynch is an American actress. Once a model for the Elite modeling agency, Lynch appeared in the film Drugstore Cowboy which starred Matt Dillon, and the film Road House which starred Patrick Swayze....
as Swayze's love interest, and Ben Gazzara
Ben Gazzara
-Early life:Gazzara was born Biagio Anthony Gazzara in New York City, the son of Italian immigrants Angelina and Antonio Gazzara, who was a laborer and carpenter. Gazzara grew up on New York's tough Lower East Side. He actually lived on E. 29th Street and participated in the drama program at...
as the main antagonist.
Plot
Dalton (Swayze) is a professional "cooler" (i.e. specialized doorman, or bouncer) with a mysterious past who is enticed from his current job in New York City by club owner Frank Tilghman (Kevin TigheKevin Tighe
Kevin Tighe is an American character actor primarily known for his roles on television. Tighe is best known for his role as Roy DeSoto, a senior paramedic, on the NBC series Emergency! . He and Randolph Mantooth, his partner in the series, have remained close friends...
) to take over security at his club/bar, the Double Deuce, in Jasper, Missouri
Jasper, Missouri
Jasper is a city in Jasper County, Missouri, United States. The population within the city limits was 931 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Joplin, Missouri Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Jasper is located at ....
. Tilghman plans to invest substantial money into the club, to enhance its image, and needs a first-rate cooler to maintain stability. Arriving in Jasper, and searching for a place to stay, Dalton eventually takes lodging at a local farm. Dalton is soon introduced to local business magnate (and next door neighbor) Brad Wesley (Ben Gazzara
Ben Gazzara
-Early life:Gazzara was born Biagio Anthony Gazzara in New York City, the son of Italian immigrants Angelina and Antonio Gazzara, who was a laborer and carpenter. Gazzara grew up on New York's tough Lower East Side. He actually lived on E. 29th Street and participated in the drama program at...
). Wesley appears to have a strangle hold on the town, and little happens without his knowledge and approval. In the course of cleaning up the violent nightclub, Dalton dismisses several unruly and corrupt employees, some of whom are connected with Wesley. After one particularly violent night where Dalton is forced to use physical contact to force some of Wesley's henchmen out of the club, he gets his side slashed. Upon going to the hospital for stitches, he strikes up a friendship with Dr. Elizabeth "Doc" Clay (Kelly Lynch
Kelly Lynch
Kelly Lynch is an American actress. Once a model for the Elite modeling agency, Lynch appeared in the film Drugstore Cowboy which starred Matt Dillon, and the film Road House which starred Patrick Swayze....
) which leads into a romantic relationship.
Wesley summons Dalton to his home in a seemingly innocent attempt to make peace, but has an ulterior motive: Wesley would like Dalton to work for him once he extorts Tilghman's club. When Dalton declines, Wesley begins an assault on Dalton's friends, including interfering with liquor deliveries to the Double Deuce. Dalton's mentor, legendary but aging cooler Wade Garrett (Sam Elliott
Sam Elliott
Samuel Pack "Sam" Elliott is an American actor. His rangy physique, thick horseshoe moustache, and deep, resonant voice match the iconic image of a cowboy or rancher, and he has often been cast in such roles.-Early life:Sam Elliott was born in Sacramento, California, to a physical training...
), arrives in town after a disconcerting phone call from Dalton and helps him defend a liquor shipment from Wesley's thugs.
That evening, local automotive parts and supplies business owner (Doc's uncle) Red Webster's (Red West
Red West
Red West is an American actor, film stuntman and songwriter.West was born Robert Gene West in Memphis, Tennessee, the son of Lois and Newton Thomas West. He was a close high school friend of rock and roll singer Elvis Presley. An excellent athlete and former U.S...
) store is destroyed by a fire after he refuses to give ground to Wesley's persistent extortion demands. Dalton, not wanting to exacerbate matters, allows Wesley and his men entrance to the club that night. The next day, car dealership owner Pete Stroudenmire becomes Wesley's next victim when he too rebuffs Wesley. As a result, Wesley has one of his thugs, Gary Ketchum (Anthony De Longis
Anthony De Longis
Anthony Charles De Longis is an American actor, stuntman, and choreographer.-Career:*De Longis is well known for his recurring role during the first two seasons of the TV series Star Trek: Voyager, as First Maje Jal Culluh, leader of the Kazon-Nistrim.*A very experienced swordsman, he is also...
), demolish the structure with his monster truck (BIGFOOT #7) as Dalton and his friends look on with contempt. That night, Doc visits Dalton and also attempts to persuade him to leave. However, their conversation is interrupted by a massive explosion. Dalton rescues Emmett from the blaze before the house is completely destroyed. One of Wesley's henchmen, "Jimmy" (Marshall R. Teague
Marshall R. Teague
Marshall R. Teague is an American film and television actor. He is known for his role in the 1989 cult movie Road House and for his recurring role on the 1990s science fiction series Babylon 5 as a Narn named Ta'Lon...
) is responsible, and confronts Dalton in vicious hands-to-hand combat, that Dalton wins when he eventually kills Jimmy by ripping out his throat with his bare hand, which is witnessed by "Doc". Wesley soon realizes that he must escalate the stakes and either run Dalton out of town, or kill him. Dalton comes to realize that the violence needed to defeat Wesley is futile, and decides to leave with Wade. However, events take a tragic turn when Wesley orders Wade's death; Dalton discovers the body of his friend on the bar in the Double Deuce, a knife impaled in his chest, with a note from Wesley addressed to Dalton. Having reached his limit, Dalton jumps into his car, and drives headlong toward Wesley's estate for a final confrontation.
Dalton crashes his car onto Wesley's estate, drawing gunfire from Wesley's henchmen, but they discover the car empty, and the knife that was used to kill Wade stuck in the accelerator. One-by-one, Dalton dispatches each of Wesley's thugs, and eventually comes face-to-face with Wesley, and the two battle until Dalton restrains Wesley. Staring down at Wesley with his hand poised to rip Wesley's throat, he reflects about the error of his past violent ways. As he turns to walk away, Wesley seizes the opportunity to reach for a nearby gun. Clay arrives just in time to witness the men Wesley has bullied and extorted over the years, Red, Emmet, Stroudenmire and Tilghman, come to Dalton's defense and shoot Wesley dead, with Tilghman stating that "this is OUR town, and don't YOU forget it". They stash the weapons prior to the arrival of local law enforcement and proceed to corroborate each others' innocence: "I didn't see nothin'. You see anythin'?" When asked if he saw anything, a dazed Tinker, eying a statue of three monkeys
Three wise monkeys
The Three Wise Monkeys , sometimes called the Three Mystic Apes, are a pictorial maxim. Together they embody the proverbial principle to "see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil"...
(hear, speak, see no evil), sheepishly states "a polar bear fell on me", inducing stifled laughter. Each of the characters chuckle, with the implication that what happened in Wesley's house will remain a secret.
Reception
The film had a mixed reception with critics, earning a 44% "Rotten" Approval rating on Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
. Negative reviews such as one published by Variety is critical of "a flat romantic attachment" between Dalton and Clay while lobbying criticism since its "vigilante justice, lawlessness and wanton violence feel ludicrous in a modern setting." Other reviews are critical of Swayze's role as Dalton. Roger Ebert gave the movie 2 1/2 stars and commented that "'Road House' exists right on the edge between the "good-bad movie" and the merely bad. I hesitate to recommend it, because so much depends on the ironic vision of the viewer. This is not a good movie. But viewed in the right frame of mind, it is not a boring one, either."
Road House was nominated for (but did not win) five Golden Raspberry Awards
Golden Raspberry Awards
A Golden Raspberry Award, or Razzie for short, is an award presented in recognition of the worst in movies. Founded by American copywriter and publicist John J.B. Wilson in 1981, the annual Razzie Awards ceremony in Los Angeles precedes the corresponding Academy Awards ceremony by one day...
: Worst Picture, Worst Actor (Patrick Swayze), Worst Supporting Actor (Ben Gazzara), Worst Director and Worst Screenplay.
Box office
Although the movie was not a major box office success, it did quite well as a home video. Over time, the movie has garnered a Cult followingCult following
A cult following is a group of fans who are highly dedicated to a specific area of pop culture. A film, book, band, or video game, among other things, will be said to have a cult following when it has a small but very passionate fan base...
Soundtrack
The soundtrack for Road House featured the Canadian guitarist Jeff HealeyJeff Healey
Norman Jeffrey "Jeff" Healey was a blind Canadian jazz and blues-rock vocalist and guitarist who attained musical and personal popularity, particularly in the 1980s and 1990s.-Early life:...
, whose band was featured in the film as the house band for the Double Deuce. Cruzados were the band in the opening credits, contributing three songs to the film that never made the soundtrack. The film's score was composed by Michael Kamen
Michael Kamen
Michael Arnold Kamen was an American composer , orchestral arranger, orchestral conductor, song writer, and session musician.-Background:...
.
Cultural impact
A sequel, Road House 2: Last CallRoad House 2: Last Call
Road House 2: Last Call is a 2006 action adventure film. It is the sequel to Road House , and was released direct to DVD.-Plot:...
, was released directly to DVD in July 2006. Set many years later and telling the story of Dalton's adult son, it featured no one from the original cast and only a few references to Dalton (who was reportedly shot dead before the movie took place). The sequel revealed that Dalton's first name was James which was not mentioned in the original movie (the name is mentioned in the hospital - Dalton historical medical book). At the same time Road House 2 was released, the original film was reissued in a deluxe edition featuring, among other features, separate audio commentary tracks by director Rowdy Herrington, Kevin Smith
Kevin Smith
Kevin Patrick Smith is an American screenwriter, actor, film producer, and director, as well as a popular comic book writer, author, comedian/raconteur, and internet radio personality best recognized by viewers as Silent Bob...
and Scott Mosier
Scott Mosier
Scott A Mosier is an American-Canadian film producer, editor, podcaster and actor best known for his work with director Kevin Smith, with whom he co-hosts the weekly podcast, Smodcast.-Early life:...
, which the duo had expressed an interest in during the introduction of the tenth anniversary Clerks
Clerks
Clerks is a 1994 independent comedy film written and directed by Kevin Smith, who also appears in the film as Silent Bob. Starring Brian O'Halloran as Dante Hicks and Jeff Anderson as Randal Graves, it presents a day in the lives of two store clerks and their acquaintances...
DVD.
In 2003, an off-Broadway musical production of Road House was staged as a campy
Camp (style)
Camp is an aesthetic sensibility that regards something as appealing because of its taste and ironic value. The concept is closely related to kitsch, and things with camp appeal may also be described as being "cheesy"...
comedy by Timothy Haskell, as seen by its full title of Road House: The Stage Version Of The Cinema Classic That Starred Patrick Swayze, Except This One Stars Taimak
Taimak
Taimak Guarriello is a martial arts actor and stuntman, best known as Leroy Green in the 1985 martial arts film The Last Dragon...
From The 80’s Cult Classic “The Last Dragon
The Last Dragon
The Last Dragon is a 1985 martial arts musical film produced by Rupert Hitzig for Berry Gordy and directed by Michael Schultz. The film was a critical disappointment but a financial success, The Last Dragon is now considered a cult classic. The film stars Taimak, Vanity, Julius Carry, Christopher...
” Wearing A Blonde Mullet Wig. Road House has been parodied by Michael J. Nelson
Michael J. Nelson
Michael John Nelson is a U.S. comedian and writer, most famous for his work on the cult television series Mystery Science Theater 3000 . Nelson was the head writer of the series for most of the show's 11-year run, and spent half of that time playing the on-air host, also named Mike Nelson...
as the inaugural track for Nelson's Rifftrax
RiffTrax
RiffTrax are downloadable audio commentaries featuring comedians Michael J. Nelson, Kevin Murphy and Bill Corbett heckling films in the style of Mystery Science Theater 3000, a TV show in which Nelson was the head writer, and later the host. The RiffTrax are sold online and delivered by digital...
commentary service. In his book, Mike Nelson's Movie Megacheese, Nelson ironically declares Road House "the single finest American film".
On the television series Mystery Science Theater 3000
Mystery Science Theater 3000
Mystery Science Theater 3000 is an American cult television comedy series created by Joel Hodgson and produced by Best Brains, Inc., that ran from 1988 to 1999....
, Road House was frequently cited as a favorite film of the characters, especially Crow T. Robot
Crow T. Robot
Crow T. Robot is a fictional character from the American science fiction comedy television series Mystery Science Theater 3000 . Crow is a robot, who, along with others, quips and riffs upon poor-quality B movies.- Overview :...
. In Episode 321, the film is referenced when Joel Robinson
Joel Robinson
Joel Robinson is a fictional character featured in the American science fiction comedy television series Mystery Science Theater 3000...
and the Bots sing the song "Let's Have a Patrick Swayze Christmas." Swayze reportedly found the tribute quite amusing.
In 2004, WFMU
WFMU
WFMU is a listener-supported, independent community radio station headquartered in Jersey City, New Jersey, United States, broadcasting at 91.1 MHz FM, presenting a freeform radio format...
DJ (and Monk
Monk (TV series)
Monk is an American comedy-drama detective mystery television series created by Andy Breckman and starring Tony Shalhoub as the titular character, Adrian Monk. It originally ran from 2002 to 2009 and is primarily a mystery series, although it has dark and comic touches.The series debuted on July...
writer/producer) Tom Scharpling
Tom Scharpling
Tom Scharpling is an American radio host, comedian, television writer, producer and music video director. He is best known for hosting the weekly freeform radio call-in comedy program The Best Show on WFMU and for acting as a writer/executive producer for the TV show Monk.Scharpling is also noted...
performed a live, one-man performance of the entire film on his radio program, The Best Show on WFMU. Listeners were encouraged to buy or rent the Road House DVD, and play the movie with the sound off, in synchronization with Scharpling's live radio performance. The performance contained many humorous re-interpretations of the script, such as continually referring to Brad Wesley by Gazzara's actual name, as well as the substitution of the film's original soundtrack with music from '80s synth-pop band Bronski Beat
Bronski Beat
Bronski Beat were a popular British synthpop trio who achieved success in the mid 1980s, particularly with the 1984 chart hit "Smalltown Boy". All members of the group were openly homosexual and their songs reflected this, often containing political commentary on gay-related issues...
, Pavement
Pavement (band)
Pavement is an American alternative rock band that formed in Stockton, California in 1989. In their career, they achieved a significant cult following, and they were called the best band of the 1990s by prominent music critics Robert Christgau and Stephen Thomas Erlewine...
, The Alarm
The Alarm
The Alarm are an alternative rock band that emerged from North Wales in the late 1970s. They started as a mod band and stayed together for over ten years. As a rock band, they displayed marked influences from Welsh language and culture...
, The Smiths
The Smiths
The Smiths were an English alternative rock band, formed in Manchester in 1982. Based on the song writing partnership of Morrissey and Johnny Marr , the band also included Andy Rourke and Mike Joyce...
, Wilco
Wilco
Wilco is an American alternative rock band based in Chicago, Illinois. The band was formed in 1994 by the remaining members of alternative country group Uncle Tupelo following singer Jay Farrar's departure. Wilco's lineup has changed frequently, with only singer Jeff Tweedy and bassist John...
, Nena
Nena
Gabriele Susanne Kerner , better known by her stage name Nena, is a German singer and actress. She rose to international fame in 1983 with the New German Wave song "99 Luftballons". In 1984, she re-recorded this song in English as "99 Red Balloons". Nena was also the name of the band with whom she...
, Let's Active
Let's Active
Let's Active was an American rock musical group formed in Winston-Salem, North Carolina in 1981.-History:The principal songwriter and sole continuous member of Let's Active was Mitch Easter, who kept the band active through most of the 1980s. The band's musical style is sometimes referred to as...
, The Misfits, Belle and Sebastian, Franz Ferdinand
Franz Ferdinand (band)
Franz Ferdinand are a Scottish post-punk revival band formed in Glasgow in 2002. The band is composed of Alex Kapranos , Bob Hardy , Nick McCarthy , and Paul Thomson .The band first experienced chart success when their second single, "Take Me Out", reached #3 in...
and the '90s Canadian pop-punk band, Cub
Cub (band)
Cub was an indie rock band from Vancouver, British Columbia that formed in 1992 and disbanded in 1997. They played a melodic, jangly form of pop punk that was dubbed "cuddlecore" by some music critics...
.
Road House is established as the favorite film of the protagonists of the Adult Swim
Adult Swim
Adult Swim is an adult-oriented Cable network that shares channel space with Cartoon Network from 9:00 pm until 6:00 am ET/PT in the United States, and broadcasts in countries such as Australia and New Zealand...
program Squidbillies
Squidbillies
Squidbillies is an animated television series about the Cuylers, an impoverished family of anthropomorphic hillbilly squids living in the Appalachian region of North Carolina's mountains. The show is produced by Williams Street Studios for the Adult Swim programming block of Cartoon Network and...
in an episode entitled "Swayze Crazy".
In the Family Guy
Family Guy
Family Guy is an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series centers on the Griffins, a dysfunctional family consisting of parents Peter and Lois; their children Meg, Chris, and Stewie; and their anthropomorphic pet dog Brian...
episode "Brian's Got a Brand New Bag", Peter becomes fixated on using a roundhouse kick
Roundhouse kick
A roundhouse kick is a kick in which the attacker swings his leg around in a semicircular motion, striking with the front of the leg or foot. This type of kick is utilized in many different martial arts and is popular in both non-contact and full-contact martial arts competitions...
to solve everyday problems (even steering his car) followed by saying "Road House" after watching the film. This joke is followed up in the episode "Business Guy
Business Guy
"Business Guy" is the ninth episode of the eighth season of the animated television series Family Guy. It originally aired on Fox in the United States on December 13, 2009. The episode centers on Peter as he assumes temporary control of his father-in-law Carter Pewterschmidt's...
", which features Hugh Laurie
Hugh Laurie
James Hugh Calum Laurie, OBE , better known as Hugh Laurie , is an English actor, voice artist, comedian, writer, musician, recording artist, and director...
as Dr. Gregory House
Gregory House
Gregory House, M.D., or simply referred to as House, is a fictional antihero and title character of the American television series House, played by Hugh Laurie. He is the Chief of Diagnostic Medicine at the fictional Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital, where he leads a team of diagnosticians...
.
Professional Wrestlers Terry Funk
Terry Funk
Terrence "Terry" Funk is an American professional wrestler and actor known chiefly for the hardcore wrestling style he adopted in the latter part of his career that inspired many younger wrestlers, including Mick Foley...
and C.T. Night "The Boss" appeared in the movie.
"Road House" is a nickname for Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
Quarterback Andy Dalton
Andy Dalton
Andrew Grant Dalton is an ex-All Blacks rugby union player who captained the side 17 times in tests...
who shares his last name with the main character of the film.
Filming locations
The Double Deuce scenes were filmed in Newhall, Ca. The bar was constructed for the movie and dismantled once filming was completed.Scenes involving Brad Wesley's house and the house in which Dalton rents a room were filmed outside of Sanger, California
Sanger, California
Sanger is a city in Fresno County, California, United States. The population was 24,270 at the 2010 census, up from 18,731 at the 2000 census. Sanger is located east-southeast of Fresno, at an elevation of 371 feet .- Geography :...
. The Kings River (California)
Kings River (California)
The Kings River is a major river of south-central California. About long, it drains an area of the high western Sierra Nevada and the Central Valley. A large alluvial fan has formed where the river's gradient decreases in the Central Valley so the river divides into distributaries...
runs between the two residences.