Detroit 9000
| Detroit 9000 | |
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Film poster
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| Directed by | Arthur Marks |
| Produced by |
Arthur Marks Chuck Stroud |
| Written by | Orville H. Hampton |
| Starring |
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| Music by | Luchi de Jesus |
| Cinematography | Harry May |
| Distributed by | General Film Corporation (original release) Rolling Thunder Pictures (1998 re-release) |
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Release date
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Running time
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106 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $3,179 (1998 re-release) $1,200,000 (US/ Canada rentals) |
Detroit 9000 is a 1973 American cult film directed by Arthur Marks from a screenplay by Orville H. Hampton. Originally marketed as a blaxploitation film, it had a resurgence on video 25 years later.
Street-smart white detective Danny Bassett (Alex Rocco) teams with educated black detective Sgt. Jesse Williams (Hari Rhodes) to investigate a theft of $400,000 at a fund-raiser for Representative Aubrey Hale Clayton (Rudy Challenger).
Actor Alex Rocco was cast as a result of director Arthur Marks' positive experience working with him on their 1973 film Bonnie's Kids.
Unlike many films set in Detroit (such as Robocop and Bird on a Wire), Detroit 9000 was shot on location in downtown Detroit and close-in neighborhoods. A number of now demolished landmark buildings can be seen including the J.L. Hudson Company, and the Fort Street Terminal train station. Fort Street Station was already closed when filming was taking place and the approach tracks to the station were used for a chase scene. The now restored Book Cadillac Hotel was used in the reception scenes, including the hotel's famed crystal ballroom. Although the hotel closed in 1983 and sat dormant for over 20 years, it was restored and reopened by the Westin Hotel group in 2009. Although Detroit suffered from race rioting in July 1967, and the riots are referred to in the movie, the film avoided showing areas that still showed signs of heavy damage from the rioting.
The final shootout takes place in historic Elmwood Cemetery. Sacred Heart Seminary stands in for the "Longview Sanitarium," where Bassett goes to visit his institutionalized wife. The hospital is Detroit Memorial Hospital on St. Antoine St. (The building was torn down in 1987.) Detroit Police headquarters at 1300 Beaubien Street is also shown.
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