Heat Wave
“The Watts uprising of '65 turned the police into killers... a community into ashes... and a young black journalist into a hero.”
Synopsis
A rookie black journalist investigates the tensions of the Watts section of Los Angeles in the bloody summer of 1965.
Top Cast
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Cicely Tyson
Ruthana Richardson
Blair Underwood
Bob Richardson
Sally Kirkland
Mrs. Canfield
James Earl Jones
Junius Johnson
Margaret Avery
Roxie Turpin
David Strathairn
Bill Thomas
Glenn Plummer
J.T. Turpin
Vondie Curtis-Hall
Clifford Turpin
Paris Vaughan
Lada
Harold Pruett
John Riggs
Adam Arkin
Art Berman
Robert Hooks
Reverend Brooks
Michael Greene
Mr. Canfield
Charlie Korsmo
Jason (age 12)
T.E. Russell
Dominique Freeman
Stephanie Covington
Florence Blake
Janice McElroy
Rachel Freeman
Christopher M. Brown
Reggie Freeman
Release History & Theatrical Window
August 13, 1990
Wide Cinema Exhibition
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Kevin Hooks
- Screenplay & Story
- Michael Lazarou
- Original Score
- Thomas Newman
- Original Title
- Heat Wave
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 40m
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Kevin Hooks
Michael Lazarou
Thomas Newman
Mark Irwin
Debra Neil-Fisher
Sigurjón Sighvatsson
Department Leadership Roster
Kevin Hooks
Director
Michael Lazarou
Writer
Brad R. Loman
Costume Design
Debra Neil-Fisher
Editor
Mark Irwin
Director of Photography
Jophery C. Brown
Stunt Coordinator
Richard Hoover
Production Design
Thomas Newman
Original Music Composer
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Heat Wave.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Heat Wave.
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MovieLens[30K:40K]
Emmy Award Nominated Titles - IMDb
500 best 90's movies
Emmy Awards: Winners
Emmy Award Winning Titles - IMDb
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Frequently Asked Questions About Heat Wave
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Heat Wave about?
A rookie black journalist investigates the tensions of the Watts section of Los Angeles in the bloody summer of 1965.
Who directed Heat Wave?
Heat Wave was directed by Kevin Hooks.
Who stars in Heat Wave?
The principal cast of Heat Wave includes Cicely Tyson, Blair Underwood, Sally Kirkland, James Earl Jones, Margaret Avery.
When was Heat Wave released and how long is it?
Heat Wave was released in 1990 with a total runtime of 1h 40m.
Who composed the musical score for Heat Wave?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Heat Wave was composed by Thomas Newman.