Christopher Walken also stars as Walker's slightly corrupt promoter who encourages him to fight whilst hiding from him the fact that one more punch in the wrong place would kill him.

The film was briefly released in some theatres in 1988 by TriStar through their distribution deal with Carolco, but was more widely seen on home video shortly after.

Johnny Walker (Mickey Rourke) is a down-and-out boxer with brain damage who has recently moved into a sea-side resort.

Exterior shots in Asbury Park include the boardwalk, the beach, Paramount Theatre, Cookman Avenue.

Christopher Walken told Film Comment in August 1992: Mickey Rourke and I were in Heaven's Gate together; he had this tiny part and I was playing whatsisname.

[1]In Bob Dylan's first memoir, Chronicles Volume One, he writes of a trip to the movies during the recording of the album Oh Mercy.