End credits also include “Thanks to Mike Stoller for ‘Tango Del Fuego,' and the following acknowledgements: “Tonight Show clip courtesy of Carson Productions, Inc."; “Cinecitta, S. P. A. Rome"; “Paul Segal & Associates, New York City"; “Vascular Diagnostic Associates, P. C., Flushing, New York"; and “Bally’s Park Place Casino/Hotel, Atlantic City, N. J.”
       Although the songs are not listed onscreen, the film includes excerpts from Herman Hupfeld’s “As Time Goes By,” Fred Ebb and John Kander’s “New York, New York,” and Levy Morris and Frank Lymon’s “Why Do Fools Fall In Love.” The character “Miranda Dimitrious” also watches clips from the television show Gunsmoke (CBS, 10 Sep 1955—1 Sep 1975).
       According to a 13 Aug 1982 LAHExam article, writer-producer-director Paul Mazursky wrote his first treatment of The Tempest in 1971, hoping to create a successful project following the poor reception of his film, Alex in Wonderland (1970, see entry). Although the story originated as an adaptation of William Shakespeare’s 1623 play, The Tempest, at this point, Mazursky hoped to diverge from the original work while retaining the playwright’s language. As Mazursky worked on various other feature films, Leon Capetanos edited the screenplay. Mazursky then wrote two additional drafts, which included modifications to Shakespeare’s characters and story to better fit the contemporary setting.
       On 26 Aug 1980, DV announced that Mazursky signed a deal with Columbia Pictures after Twentieth Century-Fox turned down the project. As reported in the 21 Jan 1981 DV, Gena Rowlands was likely required to pass on a role in Neil Simon’s I Ought to Be in Pictures (1982, see entry) in order to honor her commitment to star in Tempest alongside her real-life husband, John Cassavettes. The 3 Aug 1981 DV claimed that characters resembling Richard Nixon, Barbara Streisand, and George Burns were intended to be included in the film, but the only celebrity doppelganger to appear onscreen is credited as “Woody Allen lookalike.”
       According to production notes, following two weeks of rehearsal, the fifteen-week production schedule began 20 Jul 1981 in Atlantic City, NJ, at the abandoned construction site of the Dunes Casino and the Bally Park Place Hotel. The following three weeks were spent in New York City, during which time the production closed down much of the city’s theater district to accommodate filming. Other locations included the Convent of the Sacred Heart, the Westside Highway next to the World Trade Center, a Greenwich Village apartment, MacArthur Park in Long Island, NY, a Greek coffee shop in Astoria, NY, and the Vascular Diagnostic Center in Flushing, NY. On 14 Aug 1981, the production moved for a week to the port of Piraeus and Plastiras Square, in Athens, Greece, before relocating to the Peloponnesus region of Mari, Alypa beach, and the town of Gythion. Mazursky stated that he had previously scouted coastal locations in Sicily, Italy, Yugoslavia, and Malta, but ultimately decided to film the picture in Greece. One week of principal photography was spent filming onboard a yacht. The crew then moved to the Cinecitta Studios in Rome, Italy. The 3 Jan 1982 LAT stated that the foreign studio location was chosen to limit costs on the picture’s $13 million budget. Although the 17 Aug 1981 DV claimed that storm sequences were created in New York City, production notes stated that filmmakers shot the scene on Stage 12 during the final week of filming, using computer controlled cameras, projection equipment, and live smoke effects. A 2 Nov 1981 Columbia press release announced that principal photography had been completed that day.
       Shortly after production began, the 6 Aug 1981 DV “Film Assignments” listed Zoli Vidor as director of photography, but Don McAlpine is credited onscreen.
       The film marked the motion picture debut of actors Molly Ringwald, Sam Robards, and Mazursky’s wife, Betsy Mazursky. Tempest was Mazursky’s third collaboration with editor Donn Cambern, and his sixth feature film with production designer Pato Guzman, who also served as co-producer.
       During post production, the 19 May 1982 Var stated that Mazursky had spent time in Tokyo, Japan, earlier that year to work on the film’s score with composer Stomu Yamashata. Release was originally scheduled for fall or winter 1982.
       A 14 Jul 1982 Columbia press release listed the West Coast benefit premiere for 10 Aug 1982, in Hollywood, CA. According to the 17 Aug 1982 HR, the New York City premiere took place 15 Aug 1982 at the Cinema 5 Theater. LAHExam stated that following Tempest’s 13 Aug 1982 opening in New York City and Los Angeles, CA, Columbia planned a national release the following month.
       The film earned Golden Globe nominations for Best Actor in a Supporting Role – Raul Julia, and New Star of the Year in a Motion Picture – Molly Ringwald.
      Mimicking the curtain call of a stage play, cast credits are superimposed over footage of each character emerging from the doorway of a Greek building and bowing to the audience. End credits list art pieces used as set decoration in the film’s New Year’s Eve party sequence as follows: “‘Dancing,’ by George Segal, courtesy of the Sidney Janis Gallery; ‘Carved Panel Rangitania,’ by Ben Nicholson, courtesy of Gimpel and Weitzenhoffer Gallery; ‘Vase,’ by Larry Poons © 1978; ‘T-Bone Blues,' by Larry Poons © 1976; ‘Untitled,' by Larry Poons © 1980; All courtesy of Paul Jenkins Collection; ‘Turn About,’ by Kenneth Noland © 1981; ‘Red Upturn,’ by Kenneth Noland © 1981; ‘Afresh,’ by Kenneth Noland © 1981; ‘Cote d’Argent,’ by Helen Frankenthaler © 1981; All courtesy of Andre Emmerich Gallery"; and, “‘Booster,” by Robert Rauschenberg © 1967; ‘Maid of the Mist,” by Helen Frankenthaler © 1974, courtesy of the Paul Jenkins Collection; ‘Phenomena Drawn on the Wind,” by Paul Jenkins © 1981; ‘Phenomena Zig Zag at Times Square,’ by Paul Jenkins © 1981; ‘Manhattan Collages,’ by Paul Jenkins © 1981; All courtesy of the Gimpel and Weitzenhoffer Gallery.”