FILMFACTS
PRODUCTION
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There's a time for playing it safe and a time for Risky Business.
"If you're smart, you won't make me come back here"
Production
Go behind the scenes on the 1983 Teen Drama movie starring Tom Cruise, Rebecca De Mornay, Joe Pantoliano, Bronson Pinchot
Curtis Armstrong, Richard Masur, Nicholas Pryor, Janet Carroll, Shera Danese, Raphael Sbarge, Bruce A. Young, Kevin Anderson Update Cast
We believe the following info is all legit. If it's bogus or you have additional info, please update us.
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The love scenes filmed on the famous "eL" railway in Chicago were filmed in a car that was actually going round in between real rail cars.Thanks to Stephanie &Amp; Courtney
Michael J. Fox, Tom Hanks and Nicolas Cage auditioned for the part of Joel.Rewind Archive
All alcoholic drinks served at Joel's houseparty were watered down Gatorade and Coca Cola.Thanks to Gerard Kaszubowski
It was over 100 degrees Fahrenheit that summer but the filmmakers required all extras to wear pullover sweaters!Thanks to Khatreonni
Tom Cruise was supposed to kick his father in his "area", but test audiences thought "why in the heck would he kick his own dad in his 'area' for no reason?"Thanks to Lewis
A second Porsche 928 was used in the movie, but apparently only for one scene. It can be seen in the scene where Lana accidentally bumps the car out of gear right before it rolls into the lake. Notice the interior door skin has a different color combination as well as an extra speaker and the seats are cream colored, not light brown like all of the other car scenes. This is clearly a different car.Thanks to Frankie
In an effort for Tom Cruise to look more "teenage" in appearance, the producers of Risky Business (1983) put him though an unusual bit of physical training. Cruise worked out 7 days a week in order to lose ten pounds. Once that had been accomplished, he immediately ceased working out and ate extremely fatty foods in order to add a layer of baby fat. This is how he achieved that "fresh-faced" teenage look.Thanks to Carson
The Porsche 928 that Tom Cruise drove in the movie and learned to drive a stick shift in with a little help from the producer, was one of 4 Porsches used in the film. You can read more here.Thanks to brent slama
Nicolas Cage is an extra in the party scene at Joel's house. He is in the background coming down from the top of the stairs.Thanks to Greg
The original ending was darker, but test audiences didn't like it so it was changed to the current version. Editors note: Read more in the alternate versions section.Rewind Archive
If the 'Porsche into the lake' scene hadn't worked correctly first time, the film would have been in serious trouble budget-wise... Thankfully, the elaborately planned stunt came off perfectly.Next Section: Deleted Scenes
Deleted Scenes
There are often scenes cut from the final version of a movie. Sometimes these will have been seen by preview audiences, or be included in Blu-ray or DVD extras etc.
The following missing scenes from Risky Business are believed legit. If you disagree or have additional info, please update us.Thanks to Bud Keyes
After Joel says "looks like it is University of Illinois" some of his buddies rush the room and yell "YEAH"!!! One kid even jumps on the coffee table with him.Next Section: Alternate Versions
Alternate Versions
Sometimes, there will be several versions of a movie floating about on cable, tv or video etc. Other times, a Director may release a special cut of the movie on Blu-ray or DVD.
The following versions of Risky Business are apparently real. If you disagree or have additional info, please update us.Thanks to GhostriderTom
As you'll have read elsewhere on this page, there was an original, darker ending finished which preview audiences and the studio didn't take to. However, up until recently, we didn't have the chance to see it. That has been rectified by the new special edition DVD & Blu-ray.It's sometimes reported that in the original, darker, ending as intended by writer/director Paul Brickman, Joel doesn't get to Princeton. In fact, he still does -and still talks to Lana at the sky view restaurant - but what is different is that the restaurant scene is the final dialogue of the movie. At the end we see Joel comforting Lana, who seems more vulnerable and melancholic. The ending is a bit darker but not that much. It is revealing more from the characters and showing they probably have a chance together... Joel's ending speech is also slightly different...
..Read on...
The released original ending in the 25th Ann. Edition DVD/Blu-Ray is very interesting I must say - I am an absolute fan of this movie and this new ending is what I thought and wanted Joel and Lana (As we have seen them in the movie) should act like at the end. For the fans I say grab the SPECIAL EDITION if you have the chance and see it for yourself. And after that, come back here and give us your views on it, especially about the previously unreleased "Brickman ending".
I personaly think that the "Brickman ending" is better and more corresponds with the atmosphere of the movie and both main characters - I also believe that it brings more light on all the events.
My opinion:
JOEL
We can see in the final scene that Joel is a real nice guy and that he would probably NOT continue in any activities like he was forced to do due to the U-Boat incident. Now he knows that this happens just once in a life - he grabbed the chance and took the risk and it was not all clean as we know, but it made him stronger and proved who he really was - I see it that at Princeton he would be a "Good Son" again but with all the new experiences and more mature view on life.
I have a feeling that he knows that things in life cannot be accomplished like he did with the Porsche, but that risky business pushed him further in his life and maybe made him comfortable with the nice guy he really is (but that he was a little uncomfortable with in the beginning of the movie). We see that he is a MAN now and he understands Lana more and gives her support in end (She seems to feel the same about Joel and welcomes the comfort).
LANA
The conversation at the end reveals her more as a person and completes her as a character. She is a sensitive being, even though she is a callgirl. She has a chance now. Her feelings for Joel are also revealed as more serious and most likely she is saying the truth about her not being involved in Joel's set-up (more probably than in the original cut - I am not saying she wasn't saying it in the theater cut but now it seems more explained).
I like the theater cut ending too but the ORIGINAL ENDING you can find on the new DVD / Blu-Ray 25th Ann. release is a winner for me.
It explains more about Lana and also completes here more as a character. Same for Joel - In my opinion it is more "real Joel character" than in the theater ending - It just doesn't fit to Joel to make the joke about that 20 dollars... I allways felt that he took the matters more seriously and also that all the events made him more of a man and Lana recognized that at the absolute ending scene.
In summary, the Brickman ENDING is not as open as the theater cut version but is more fitting.
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1983 Warner Bros.
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