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Killer of Sheep (1979) 7.3
Ratings:
7.3/10 from 2,936 users
Metascore: 94/100
Reviews: 29 user | 83 critic | 21 from Metacritic.com Stan works in drudgery at a slaughterhouse. His personal life is drab. Dissatisfaction and ennui keep him unresponsive to the needs of his adoring wife, and he must struggle against ... See full summary » Director:Charles BurnettWriter:Charles Burnett |
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Title: Killer of Sheep (1979)
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Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Henry G. Sanders | ... |
Stan
(as Henry Gayle Sanders)
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| Kaycee Moore | ... |
Stan's Wife
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Charles Bracy | ... |
Bracy
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| Angela Burnett | ... |
Stan's Daughter
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Eugene Cherry | ... |
Eugene
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| Jack Drummond | ... |
Stan's Son
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Slim |
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Delores Farley |
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Dorothy Stengel |
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Tobar Mayo |
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Chris Terrill |
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Lawrence Pierott |
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Russell Miles |
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Homer Jai |
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Johnny Smoke |
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Plot Summary
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Add Synopsis
Storyline
Stan works in drudgery at a slaughterhouse. His personal life is drab. Dissatisfaction and ennui keep him unresponsive to the needs of his adoring wife, and he must struggle against influences which would dishonor and endanger him and his family. Written by Jim Beaver <jumblejim@prodigy.net>
Genres:
DramaParents Guide:
View content advisory »
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See full technical specs »
Details
Country:
USALanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
20 June 2008 (UK) See more »Also Known As:
Matador de ovejas See more »Box Office
Budget:
$100,000 (estimated)Opening Weekend:
$31,728 (USA) (6 April 2007)Gross:
$339,884 (USA) (19 October 2007)Company Credits
Show detailed
company contact information
on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Sound Mix:
MonoColor:
Black and WhiteAspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1
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Man: [to his older son] You let anyone jump on your brother again, and you just stand and watch - boy, I'll beat you to death! I don't care who started what, or whether he was winnin' or losin'; well, you get a thick oh-oh-oh-oh-oh, a goddam brick, get *anything*, and you knock the shit out of whoever fightin' your brother! 'Cause if anything was to happen to me or your mother, you ain't got nobody except your brother. And this goes for him, too - and he knows! You're the one that keep ...
[...]
See more »
Did You Know?
Trivia
Charles Burnett made this film when he was still at UCLA and for a budget of $5000. See more »Goofs
After Stan and his friend load the engine block on the truck, they drive away and it falls out, and a car is then seen parked along the curb. The car was not there when they carried the engine out. See more »Quotes
Man: [first lines]Man: [to his older son] You let anyone jump on your brother again, and you just stand and watch - boy, I'll beat you to death! I don't care who started what, or whether he was winnin' or losin'; well, you get a thick oh-oh-oh-oh-oh, a goddam brick, get *anything*, and you knock the shit out of whoever fightin' your brother! 'Cause if anything was to happen to me or your mother, you ain't got nobody except your brother. And this goes for him, too - and he knows! You're the one that keep ...
[...]
See more »
Before writing this review, I read the four comments that were already posted- by tvspace, zumlinz, seabiscuit, and bartman. Their ratings ranged from two stars to ten stars, and one reviewer here (in addition to Manhola Dargis of the NY Times) hailed it as a masterpiece.
After viewing the film this afternoon at the IFC Center in Greenwich Village, I have to say that all four reviewers have valid points about the film.
It certainly has an "amateur" feel to it, including the acting of some of the smaller roles, as one of the previous reviewers pointed out. But I found much that was beautiful about it, and saw a sort of perfection in its lack of polish- polish and formula that is so commonplace today in not only big studio pictures, but many independent films as well.
While certainly not about "nothing," it does lack a conventional narrative, as was pointed out previously as well. But it is this absence of an obvious agenda (other than to portray typical, everyday life in Watts from the point of view of one family) that allows the film to work so well as a loosely structured, poetic slice of life. It is an amazing mood piece, and it made me feel quite sad. Yet there was humor, warmth, and hope scattered throughout the generally melancholy film.
I think this is the kind of film that will effect people differently, as is already evident from the first four reviews. If you don't catch this film in the theater this time around, it will be available on DVD in the fall and is well worth watching. Nowadays it seems to be in vogue with hotshot filmmakers to recreate the specific,unique look of older films, using all sorts of advanced technology to turn back the clock. Here's a chance to see the real deal-something raw and authentic from a talented filmmaker as he emerged.