HOT TOMORROWS

1977 · 1h 13m · NR · Drama / Romance · IMDB TMDB

A portrait of a young man, Michael, so obsessed with death that he decorates his room with a life-size Grim Reaper. One night Michael's closest buddy, Louis, joins him for an adventure in Hollywood on Christmas Eve.

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Quick Answer

What is Hot Tomorrows about?

Hot Tomorrows is a 1977 American drama and romance film directed by Martin Brest about Michael, a young writer in Los Angeles whose obsession with death leads to a peculiar Christmas Eve with his friend Louis.

Programmer's Pick

If you’ve ever wondered what a morbid Christmas Eve looks like in 1970s Hollywood, Hot Tomorrows delivers—with a life-size Grim Reaper for décor and a supporting cast that includes Hervé Villechaize and Danny Elfman before his Oingo Boingo days. Martin Brest’s student film roots are showing, but so is a streak of dark wit.

— SassyFlix Programmer

Overview

Michael, a young writer newly arrived in Los Angeles from New York, spends his days delving into themes of mortality and chronicling the life of his elderly aunt. His fixation with death is made literal by the life-size Grim Reaper occupying his room. On Christmas Eve, Michael is joined by his friend Louis, and together they wander through the city, visiting a mortuary and a retirement home. Through their somber and curious journey, the film paints a unique portrait of youthful obsession and existential exploration set against the backdrop of Hollywood during the holidays. The tone is reflective, weaving oddball encounters with meditations on friendship and the allure of life’s darker edges.

Details & Specs

Director: Martin Brest
Writer: Martin Brest
Release: 1977
Runtime: 1h 13m
Country: United States of America
Language: English
Genres: Drama, Romance

Why This Matters

Made as a student film by Martin Brest at the American Film Institute, this production features early appearances by Hervé Villechaize and The Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo, with Orson Welles lending his voice for a funeral home radio ad.

— SassyFlix Curator

Cast & Crew

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Director: Martin Brest Writer: Martin Brest

Ken Lerner Michael

Ray Sharkey Louis

Hervé Villechaize Alberict

Victor Argo Tony

George Memmoli Man in Mortuary DD Donne Daniels Night Embalmer RM Rose Marshall Tante Ethel

Marina Anderson Lead Dancer

Danny Elfman Singer ME Marie-Pascale Elfman Singer SL Shelby Leverington Hospital Receptionist VP Vincent Palmieri Man in Car

Orson Welles Parklawn Mortuary (voice) MB Marian Beeler Waitress SB Sonia Berman Old Woman Watching Television

Janet Brandt Old Woman in bus

David Garfield Dr. Stern EG Edith Gwinn Old Woman in Mortuary PS Paul Schumacher Lecturer DM Dennis Madden Bartender SL Sondra Lowell Polly EC Esther Cohen Old Woman With Postcard

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Independent Film Death Two Word Title Low Budget Film Young Friendship Obsession Student Writer Band Christmas Hollywood Christmas Eve Grim Reaper Film Clip Student Film