Tagline: "High-Rise Terror at its Peak."
If you were browsing the action section of a Blockbuster Video in the mid-90s, you couldn't miss the box art. It featured Anna Nicole Smith, clad in a tight black dress, clutching a firearm with a towering inferno behind her. It promised adrenaline, sex appeal, and explosions. While 1996’s Skyscraper delivered on all three, it did so in a way that has cemented its status as a fascinating time capsule of 90s B-movie glory.
"Skyscraper" is an action-thriller film released in 2018. The movie was directed by Rawson Marshall Thurber and produced by Flynn Co. and Seven Bucks Productions. The screenplay was written by James Vanderbilt. The film stars Dwayne Johnson, a well-known actor and former professional wrestler, along with Neve Campbell, Chin Han, and Ed Harris. skyscraper 1996 wwwddrmoviesactor unrated h top
The search term "unrated" attached to this movie is significant. Skyscraper was released direct-to-video by Prism Entertainment, and it was a staple of the "late night cable" era.
The "unrated" version of the film is often sought after because it represents the peak of the "erotic thriller" aesthetic that dominated the 90s home video market. The film includes extended sequences that serve no narrative purpose other than to showcase Smith’s sexuality. Cinema of the Absurd: A Deep Dive into
However, unlike pure "softcore" films of the era, Skyscraper balances these scenes with genuine action choreography. It creates a weird hybrid genre: an action movie that pauses for lengthy erotic interludes, then returns to people getting shot in the head. This "unrated" label was a marketing goldmine in the 90s, promising the viewer something forbidden, even if the actual content was relatively standard for R-rated cinema of the time.
Critics savaged it. IMDb score hovers around 2.5–3/10. But for fans of “so bad it’s good” action, Skyscraper is a masterpiece of unintentional comedy: wooden dialogue, improbable stunts, and Anna Nicole delivering lines like she’s reading a grocery list. Budget: Estimated $2–3 million
Let’s break this strange chunk.
Directed by Raymond Martino and starring Anna Nicole Smith (in her only leading role), Skyscraper follows Carrie Wisk (Smith), a helicopter pilot turned lone wolf security operative. She’s hired by a ruthless tycoon to protect a state-of-the-art L.A. skyscraper. Of course, terrorists — led by a villain played by Charles Lucia — seize the building, taking hostages. Wisk must climb, fight, and fly her way through 50 floors of mayhem.
The film is essentially Die Hard in a single building, but with more slow-motion walking, inexplicable martial arts, and the gravitational presence of Anna Nicole Smith (former Playmate of the Year, model, and later reality TV icon).