Blue Collar (film)

Blue Collar
Theatrical release poster
Directed byPaul Schrader
Written by
Produced byDon Guest
Starring
CinematographyBobby Byrne
Edited byTom Rolf
Music byJack Nitzsche
Production
company
Distributed byUniversal Pictures
Release date
  • February 10, 1978 (1978-02-10) (United States)
Running time
114 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$1.7 million[1]
Box office$6.5 million[2]

Blue Collar is a 1978 American crime drama film directed by Paul Schrader in his directorial debut. Written by Schrader and his brother Leonard, the film stars Richard Pryor, Harvey Keitel and Yaphet Kotto.[3] The film is both a critique of union practices and an examination of life in a working-class Rust Belt enclave.

Schrader, who wrote the script for Taxi Driver (1976), recalls the shooting as being very difficult because of the artistic and personal tensions he had with the actors (including the stars themselves). Schrader has also stated that while making the film, he suffered an on-set mental breakdown, which made him seriously reconsider his career.[4]

The film was shot in Detroit and Kalamazoo, Michigan.

  1. ^ Kilday, Gregg (Apr 6, 1977). "Writing His Way to the Top". Los Angeles Times. p. e20.
  2. ^ "Blue Collar Box Office Information". Box Office Mojo.
  3. ^ "Blue Collar". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved March 15, 2016.
  4. ^ The Back Row, Robin's Underrated Gems: Blue Collar (1978)