Kids (1995)

Director:

Larry Clark

Writers:

Harmony Korine
Larry Clark (story)
(more)

Release Date:

28 July 1995 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama

Plot:

An amoral, HIV-positive skateboarder sets out to deflower as many virgins as possible while a local girl who contracted his disease tries to save his next target from her same fate.

Plot Keywords:

New York | Sex | Virgin | New York City | Teen

Awards:

1 win & 4 nominations

Cast

Leo Fitzpatrick	...	Telly
Sarah Henderson	...	Girl #1
Justin Pierce	...	Casper
Joseph Chan	...	Deli Owner
Johnathan Staci Kim	...	Korean Guy (as Johnathan S. Kim)
Adriane Brown	...	Little Girl
Sajan Bhagat	...	Paul
Billy Valdes	...	Stanly
Billy Waldeman	...	Zack
Javier Núñez	...	Javier (as Javier Nunez)
Luis Núñez	...	Luis (as Luis Nunez)
Christian Bruna	...	Christian
Alex Glen	...	Alex
Chloë Sevigny	...	Jennie (as Chloe Sevigny)
Rosario Dawson	...	Ruby
Julia Mendoza	...	Susan
Gillian Goldstein	...	Linda
Priscilla Forsyth	...	Diane
Francine Fuertes	...	Jennie's Nurse
Deborah Draper	...	Ruby's Nurse
Alan Wise	...	Accordion Player
Billy Solomon	...	Dancing Boy
Johanna Ignatov	...	Singing Woman
Raymond Batista	...	Legless Man
Julie Stebe-Glorius	...	Telly's Mom
Christiana Stebe-Glorius	...	Telly's Little Brother
Dr. Henry	...	Rasta Drug Dealer
Harold Hunter	...	Harold
Jon Abrahams	...	Steven
Hamilton Harris	...	Hamilton
Jeff Pang	...	Jeff
Atabey Rodriguez	...	Misha
Giovanni Estevez	...	Kid in Park
Karyn Grupski	...	Kid in Park
Mike Hernandez	...	Kid in Park
Peter Bici	...	Kid in Park
Ryan Sikorski	...	Kid in Park
Jim Gordy	...	Kid in Park
Louie Louie	...	Kid in Park
John Perez	...	Kid in Park
Eddie Peel	...	Kid in Park
Rich Arbitelle	...	Kid in Park
Nuri Bell	...	Kid in Park
Medwin Pang	...	Kid in Park
Jamie Story	...	Kid in Park
Jeff Simmons	...	Kid in Park
JAM	...	Kid in Park (as Jam)
Daniel Phillips	...	Kid in Park
Jamal Simmons	...	Kid in Park
Thierry Oddo	...	Kid in Park
Ronald Hunter	...	Kid in Park
Frank Natiello	...	Kid in Park
John Carter	...	Kid in Park
John Dean	...	Kid in Park
Jimmy Lalputan	...	Kid in Park
Tony Morales	...	Jungle Fever Couple #1
Walter Youngblood	...	Jungle Fever Couple #2
Ellsworth 'Cisco' Davis	...	Hoodlum
Joseph Knopfelmacher	...	Taxi Driver
Michele Lockwood	...	Kim
Carisa Glucksman	...	Joy
Scot Schwartz	...	Bennie
Yakira Peguero	...	Darcy
Sidney Prawatyotin	...	Sid
Carl Ly-Min	...	Security Guard
Avi Korine	...	Fidget (credit only)
Darice Liguidi	...	Kid from Jersey
Beth Weinstein	...	Kid from Jersey
Jason Inconstanti	...	Kid from Jersey
Alexandra Karabell	...	Kid from Jersey
Zulaika Velazquez	...	Gertie
Nick Lockman	...	Nick
Joey Alvarez	...	Joey
Gerry Smith	...	Gerry
Lavar McBride	...	Lavar
Julie Ho	...	Tamara
Lila Lee	...	Girl at Party
Regina Mei	...	Girl at Party
Amy Moy	...	Girl at Party
Lisa Acevedo	...	Girl at Party
Corina Deleon	...	Girl at Party
Suzanne Wood	...	Girl at Party
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Harrison Freed	...	Subway Rider (uncredited)
Harmony Korine	...	Club Kid (uncredited)
Stefanie Marco	...	NASA Girl (uncredited)
Edwin J. Nunez	...	Skateboarder (uncredited)
Exile Ramirez	...	Kid on Stoop (uncredited)
Kara Raynaud	...	Dancer in Club (uncredited)

Directed by
Larry Clark

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Larry Clark		story
Harmony Korine
Jim Lewis		story

Produced by
Leigh Blake	....	associate producer
Michael Chambers	....	executive producer
Cathy Konrad	....	co-producer
Patrick Panzarella	....	executive producer
Christine Vachon	....	co-producer
Gus Van Sant	....	executive producer
Cary Woods	....	producer
Lauren Zalaznick	....	co-producer

Original Music by
Lou Barlow
John Davis

Cinematography by
Eric Alan Edwards		(director of photography) (as Eric Edwards)

Film Editing by
Christopher Tellefsen

Casting by
Alysa Wishingrad		(as Alyssa Wishingrad)

Production Design by
Kevin Thompson

Set Decoration by
Ford Wheeler

Costume Design by
Kim Marie Druce		(as Kim Druce)

Makeup Department
Kara Raynaud	....	hair designer (as Kara Crean)
Tracy Warbin	....	hair stylist
Tracy Warbin	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Ann Ruark	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Robert Bauer	....	assistant director
Van Hayden	....	assistant director
Annie Tan	....	assistant director

Art Department
Jennifer Alex Nickason	....	set dresser (as Jennifer H. Alex)
Michael Preston	....	set dresser

Sound Department
Laurel Bridges	....	boom operator
Wendy Hedin	....	supervising sound editor
Charles R. Hunt	....	production sound mixer
George A. Lara	....	foley mixer
Jan McLaughlin	....	production sound mixer
David Novack	....	sound re-recording mixer
Tim O'Heir	....	audio recording engineer
Angela Organ	....	apprentice sound editor
Brian Vancho	....	foley artist

Stunts
Manny Siverio	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Brett Colombo	....	electrician
Jon Hokanson	....	electrician
Todd S. Klein	....	key grip
Christopher T. Paul	....	second assistant camera
Kate Phelan	....	electrician
Christopher Porter	....	gaffer
Alison C. Rosa	....	still photographer (as Alison Rosa)
Jon W. Rosenbloom	....	best boy grip
Richard Rutkowski	....	first assistant camera

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Exile Ramirez	....	assistant costume designer

Editorial Department
Misako Shimizu	....	assistant editor
Patricia Sztaba	....	negative matcher
Stan Sztaba	....	negative matcher
Philip Whitfield	....	telecine operator: rushes

Music Department
Randall Poster	....	music supervisor

Other crew
Eric R. Bellamy	....	production accountant
Joseph Buoye	....	production assistant (as Joe Buoye)
Michel Burstein	....	press attache: France
Andy Clark	....	assistant location manager
Dana Eshghi	....	production assistant
Christopher Gambale	....	assistant to Harvey Weinstein
Neil Hobbs	....	production office intern
Chiemi Karasawa	....	script supervisor
Takahide Kawakami	....	production assistant
Kelly MacManus	....	assistant: Cary Woods
Exile Ramirez	....	graffiti artist
Lizzie Schwartz	....	assistant: Mr. Woods
Thomas J. Whelan	....	location manager (as T. Whelan)

Thanks
Granz Henman	....	film dedicated to
Nicholas Taylor	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Guys Upstairs
• Independent Pictures (II)
• Kids NY Limited
• Killer Films
• Miramax Films
• Shining Excalibur Films

Distributors

• Shining Excalibur Films (1995) (USA) (theatrical)
• Lions Gate Films (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Trimark Video (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• Bac Films (1995) (France) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Films AB (1996) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Egmont Film (1996) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Filmes Castello Lopes (1996) (Portugal) (theatrical)
• Focus Film AG (1995) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Laurenfilm (1995) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Miramax International (1995) (worldwide) (theatrical)
• Senator Film (1995) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Spentzos Films (1995) (Greece) (theatrical)
• Spentzos Films (1996) (Greece) (theatrical)
• Alliance Atlantis Home Video (199?) (Canada) (video)
• Arcade Movie Company (1998) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• BMG Video (2001) (Germany) (DVD)
• Egmont Film (1997) (Sweden) (VHS)
• Momentum Pictures (1995) (UK) (video)
• New Films International
• PlayArte Home Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• Premiere Digital (Russia) (DVD)
• RCV Home Entertainment (2006) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Spentzos Film Home Video (1996) (Greece) (VHS)
• Toshiba Digital Frontiers (TDF) (1999) (Japan) (DVD)
• Universum Film (UFA) (2001) (Germany) (DVD)
• Universum-Film GmbH (2001) (Germany) (DVD)
• Vidmark Entertainment (USA) (VHS)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

91 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:14 | Iceland:16 (video rating) | UK:18 (cut) | France:-12 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) (re-rating) (2005) | Canada:16+ (Quebec) (original rating) | Netherlands:16 (1996) | Switzerland:18 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:18 (canton of Vaud) | Mexico:B15 (re-rating) (2010) | Mexico:C | Australia:R | Canada:18A | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:R (Nova Scotia) | Chile:18 | Denmark:16 | Finland:K-16 | Germany:16 (w) | Hong Kong:III | Ireland:18 (cut) | Italy:VM18 | New Zealand:R18 | Norway:15 | Portugal:M/16 | South Africa:16 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | USA:NC-17 (original rating) (rating surrendered) | USA:Unrated

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Guys Upstairs

Trivia:

Oliver Stone, after reading the script for Kids, actually tried to court Harmony Korine into writing him a similar screenplay.

Goofs:

Continuity: When the crowd is attacking the man, Harold has his shirt on in one shot, but not in the next.

Quotes:

Kim:So this is your new girl, huh?
Telly:I hope so. For now.
Kim:You like 'em kinda young, right? Babies?
Telly:I like 'em new. Not like you.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Sex at 24 Frames Per Second (2003) (V)

Soundtrack:

Word Is Bond

Clark's brilliant and hauntingly accurate portrait of the bad side of humanity in our younger generation grips you by the throat and never lets go.

There are two highly, and deservedly, controversial movies dealing with the issues of drug and alcohol abuse, underage sex, lack of control, and the preteen and teenage minority of urban America. One of them is "Kids" and the other is "Bully." The former is a haunting work of art; the latter is a clunk of garbage. Both were directed by the same man, Larry Clark. I saw "Bully" first about a year ago and I was blown out of my mind by how offensive and atrociously cruel that movie was and how it redeemed itself in no way. I initially condemned Mr. Clark as a director and vowed never to see another movie of his again.

Then I happened to see the Siskel & Ebert review for his first movie "Kids" and after much deliberation, decided to give this controversial filmmaker a second chance. I am so glad that I did.

In many respects, "Kids" and "Bully" are much the same movie. They're both frighteningly brutal, appalling in their explicit content and vulgar dialogue, and they expose the nasty undercurrents in the younger generations of today, especially in urban cities where parental control (or control of any kind) seems all but present. So why is "Kids" a great movie and "Bully" an awful one? Because while "Bully" only pretended to have a purpose, "Kids" *has* a purpose and it never once dumbs down on that. It's a sick and disgusting picture, but it's also somewhat of a wake-up call. And I can fairly say now that as a reviewer and film-goer, I can forgive Mr. Clark.

"Kids" is set in the drug-riddled streets of New York. We see very little of parents, or adults for that matter, and focus on a group of rambunctious, vulgarity-spitting, lecherous teenagers who are devoted to getting drunk, abusing drugs, and giving away their virginity. The most sickening of them is Telly (Leo Fitzpatrick). Not because he can charm young girls enough to seduce them into deflowering them, but because he's simultaneously signing their death warrants with the HIV virus. One of his victims (Chloe Sevigny) discovers she has AIDS because of her one-night stand with him and as she slowly suffers, searches the city to confront him. Meanwhile, Telly is trying to seduce his next victim while he and a group of other nasty individuals roam unsupervised through a place as horrific as any drug underworld. More shocking is that this is just a day in the life for them.

Even more shocking is the daunting realization that this is one hundred percent accurate and we must commend Mr. Clark and screenwriter Harmony Korine, the latter in particular. His screenplay is the core of why this picture is so powerful. He writes his dialogue without any apparent flow or structure, as if the behavior of his characters are not even up to him. The actions of the characters are unpredictable, as they would be. I also really commend him for his choice to not close up with an obligating-style ending, but to choose a really haunting, crusher of one instead. And Mr. Clark shoots his film in a strong, visual-focused documentary approach with long takes from his camera swinging back and forth between the gossiping teenagers. He also pays good attention to their surroundings, showing the conditions and lack of concern from their peers and elders that resulted in their being this way. Because he has a screenplay that is focused and sharp ("Bully" did not) his movie has a purpose and even his seemingly pornographic shots have a purpose as well.

The content is oftentimes appalling, but it also has a purpose. This time I must appreciate Mr. Clark's boldness and reluctance to be contrived. Whereas I got the sense he was indulging the drug use and sex in "Bully," here he clearly defines his intentions of turning our stomachs. These particular kids are scum and they are a product of their scummy environment. He wants to show us that. So the scenes of underage sex are jaw-dropping. They do not turn on the audience; they appall. Furthermore, he does not flood the screen with images of naked teenage bodies and relies on our imagination at crucial moments to exploit the real horror. He balances the explicit and implicit with professional craftsmanship.

"Kids" is a very tough movie to watch and tough to enjoy, but I must confess that it is, to my mind, a truly great film. As I sat there watching it, I was appalled and disgusting and flabbergasted, but at the same time, I was drawn in. Mr. Clark's brilliant portrait of the bad side of humanity in our younger generation grips you by the throat and he never lets go. Not once. He's also got some very strong performances from his cast which include Leo Fitzpatrick, a very young Rosario Dawson, Chloe Sevingy, and the late Justin Pierce whose brilliant performance reminds me so much of the scumbags that I had the displeasure to know in my adolescent years. I personally managed to avoid their paths of life and now looking at "Kids," I am even more thankful that I did.