Kissed (1996)

Director:

Lynne Stopkewich

Writers:

Angus Fraser (screenplay) &
Lynne Stopkewich (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

11 April 1997 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

Love Knows No Bounds.

Plot:

Over the years, a child's romantic ideals about death blossom into necrophilia, the study of embalming and the most profound relationship of her life.

Plot Keywords:

Funeral | Funeral Home | Necrophilia | Embalming | Medical Student

Awards:

6 wins & 8 nominations

Cast

Molly Parker	...	Sandra Larson
Peter Outerbridge	...	Matt
Jay Brazeau	...	Mr. Wallis
Natasha Morley	...	Young Sandra
Jessie Winter Mudie	...	Carol
James Timmons	...	Jan
Joe Maffei	...	Biology Teacher
Robert Thurston	...	Detective
Annabel Kershaw	...	Mother Larson
Tim Dixon	...	Father Larson
Amber Warnat	...	Lisa Brown
Bill Finck	...	Minister
Janet Craig	...	Mourner
Edward Davey	...	Embalming Prof.
Hamish Wilson	...	Gurney Goner - Cadaver
Valerie Boeke	...	Cancer Corpse - Cadaver
Jeff Richards	...	Tony the Torso - Cadaver
Noel Boulanger	...	Prep Room Demo - Cadaver
Debra L. Huntley	...	Dead Madonna - Cadaver
John Pozer	...	Class Carcass, a Cadaver
Raul Inglis	...	Lucky Stiff - Cadaver
Andrew Guy	...	Coffin Deceased - Cadaver
David Love	...	Long Gone - Cadaver
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Aleksandra Antonie	...	Extra
Craig Barton	...	Extra
Cyndie Belcourt	...	Extra
Caroline Belgrave	...	Extra
Kelly Berg	...	Extra
Jeremiah Boeke	...	Extra
Kristen Bollman	...	Extra
Brandee Buble	...	Extra
Crystal Bublé	...	Extra
Cindy Cai	...	Extra
Leona Campbell	...	Extra
Tracey L. Clayton	...	Extra (as Tracy Clayton)
Alan Costar	...	Extra
Burtland Cummings	...	Extra
Dayton Davidson-Moore	...	Extra
Kathleen DeVanney	...	Extra
Mark Dmytrenko	...	Extra
Floyd Faircrest	...	Extra
Christine Farley	...	Extra
Mike Farley	...	Extra
James Fawcett	...	Extra
Luydmila Feldman	...	Extra
Jesse Fox	...	Extra
Teresa Gallant	...	Extra
Raoul Ganeev	...	Extra
Joy Ganeev-Davies	...	Extra
Willi Germann	...	Extra
Jeremy Gernier	...	Extra
Samantha Geyer	...	Extra
Diane M. Giles	...	Extra
Ryan Gobolos	...	Extra
Darren Gough	...	Extra
Andrei Grigoriev	...	Extra
Nicole Hyde	...	Extra
John Ingram	...	Extra
David Johns	...	Extra
Jennifer Johns	...	Extra
Paul Johnson	...	Extra
Chance Jory	...	Extra
Ashley Kerr	...	Extra
Ori Kowarsky	...	Extra
Vitaly Kravchenko	...	Extra (as Vitali Kravchenko)
Rollo T. Kromhoff	...	Extra
Miriam Laniado	...	Extra
Annelise Larson	...	Extra
Christopher Lovell	...	Extra
Lisa May	...	Extra
Andrea Milne	...	Extra
William J. Mitchell	...	Extra
Saul Moran	...	Extra
Alexander M. Narolsky	...	Extra
Chris O'Hogan	...	Extra
Alicia O'Krane	...	Extra
Nelson Rodrigues	...	Extra
Peter W. Roeck Sr.	...	Extra
Miranda Schwark	...	Extra
Edward Sherman	...	Extra
Natasha Talbot	...	Extra
Erika Traynor	...	Extra
Elgin Vine	...	Extra
Simon Vine	...	Extra
Terry W. Weaver	...	Extra
Terry H. Wilson	...	Extra

Directed by
Lynne Stopkewich

Writing credits
Angus Fraser		(screenplay) &
Lynne Stopkewich		(screenplay)
Barbara Gowdy		(based upon an original story "We So Seldom Look on Love" by)

Produced by
Dean English	....	producer
Jessica Fraser	....	associate producer
John Pozer	....	executive producer
Lynne Stopkewich	....	producer

Original Music by
Don MacDonald		(original score by) (as Don Macdonald)

Cinematography by
Gregory Middleton		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
John Pozer
Peter Roeck
Lynne Stopkewich

Casting by
Wendy O'Brien		(as Wendy O'Brien Livingstone)

Production Design by
Eric McNab

Art Direction by
Darryl Dennis Deegan

Set Decoration by
Laura Morrison

Costume Design by
Barb Nixon

Makeup Department
Zoleika Brahmand	....	assistant makeup artist
Sylvie Gendron	....	hair stylist: additional photography
Sylvie Gendron	....	makeup artist: additional photography
Naomi Hirano	....	hair stylist: additional photography
Naomi Hirano	....	makeup artist: additional photography
Jason Palmer	....	assistant special effects makeup
Danna Rutherford	....	assistant makeup artist
Adina Shore	....	hair stylist (as Adina)
Adina Shore	....	makeup artist (as Adina)

Production Management
Wendy Hyman	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ingrid Dabringer	....	trainee assistant director
Jessica Fraser	....	third assistant director
Michael Gazetas	....	first assistant director
Peter Roeck	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Kevin J. Andruschak	....	art department assistant (as Kevin Andruschak)
Steve Barlow	....	art department assistant
Bruno Coupe	....	art department assistant (as Bruno Coupé)
Allan Devries	....	art department assistant
Sean Elliot	....	art department assistant
Sabrina French	....	art department assistant
Stephen Hawryshko	....	on-set graphic designer
Lisa Lev	....	on-set dresser
Michael Lien	....	art commando (as Mike Lien)
Don Macaulay	....	assistant art director (as Don MacAulay)
Anne MacDonald	....	set dresser (as Anne Macdonald)
Jayne Mason	....	scenic painter
Martin H. Nielsen	....	set dresser: additional photography (as Martin Nielsen)
Sean Osborne	....	scenic painter
Ward Phillips	....	art department assistant
Jan Wade	....	contributing artist
Gregory Wild	....	set dresser: additional photography

Sound Department
David Ballard	....	location sound mixer
Hal Beckett	....	sound editing facility: Western Post Productions
Francesca Benedetti	....	sound effects recordist
Jacque Blackstone	....	adr recordist (as Jacques Blackstone)
Jacque Blackstone	....	foley recordist (as Jacques Blackstone)
Kelly Cole	....	sound pre-mix
Anthony Couture	....	boom operator: additional photography
Pat Dodds	....	recordist: broadcast
James Fonnyadt	....	sound effects editor
James Genn	....	sound effects editor
Dean Giammarco	....	sound re-recording mixer
John Hazen	....	temporary sound mix
John Locke	....	sound effects recordist
Robert McDonagh	....	location sound mixer: additional photography (as Rob McDonagh)
Marti Richa	....	background editor
Marti Richa	....	sound designer
Marti Richa	....	sound editor
Marti Richa	....	sound effects editor
Paul A. Sharpe	....	sound re-recording mixer
Bill Sheppard	....	sound mix supervisor
Issac Strozberg	....	background editor (as Isaac Strozberg)
Bruce Sweeney	....	boom operator
Susan Taylor	....	dialogue editor
Susan Taylor	....	sound designer
Susan Taylor	....	sound editor
Andrew Tiesson	....	recording assistant
Kerry Uchida	....	sound effects editor
Bill Mellow	....	sound re-recording mixer (uncredited)
Susan Taylor	....	sound effects editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Kevin House	....	special effects props

Stunts
Jim Dunn	....	stunt coordinator
Kevin Stubbs	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Graeme Ball	....	grip
David Ballard	....	still photographer
Rovin Basi	....	lamp operator
Dave Bouskill	....	grip
Robert D. Bowers	....	grip
Anthony Couture	....	grip
Chris Cove	....	grip
James Genn	....	grip
Holly Gregory	....	focus puller
Kharen Hill	....	still photographer
Junichi Hosoi	....	focus puller (as Juni Chi Hosoi)
Simon Jori	....	focus puller
James Kantola	....	grip
Keith MacCrimmon	....	best boy electric
Scott MacDonald	....	focus puller (as Scott Macdonald)
Moniqua Malloy	....	first assistant camera: additional photography
George Margellos	....	lighting equipment: William F. White Inc.
Rod Mawson	....	second assistant camera (as Rob Mawson)
Terry McEwen	....	focus puller (as Terry Mcewen)
John McIntosh	....	gaffer (as John J. McIntosh)
Hugh Meikle	....	gaffer: additional photography
Paula R. Montgomery	....	video: casting
Eric Morin	....	first assistant camera: additional photography
Keith Mukai	....	key grip
Brian Pearson	....	camera operator
Christopher Price	....	grip
Isabelle Rioux	....	second assistant camera
Ed 'Animal' Schulz	....	best boy grip (as Ed Schulz)
Adina Shore	....	still photographer (as Adina)
Paul Sigurdson	....	first assistant camera: additional photography (as Paul Siguerson)
Robert E. Simpson	....	focus puller (as Robert Simpson)
Peter Skadsheim	....	best boy grip
Scott Smith	....	grip
James Tocher	....	grip
Brian Whittred	....	camera operator: additional photography

Casting Department
Blair Law	....	extras casting
Sherry Lynn Smith	....	extras casting (as Sherry-Lynn Smith)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Candace Cruikshank	....	costumer
Deborah Fraser	....	costumer

Editorial Department
Marina Adam	....	post-production assistant
David Armstrong	....	timer: Alpha Cine Services (as Dave Armstrong)
Gay Black	....	negative cutter
Franci Duran	....	post-production coordinator
Larry Engelmann	....	final colorist
Catherine Hamm	....	negative cutter
Allan Lee	....	consultant: editing
Kent McGrew	....	timer: Duart Film & Video
Jon Robertson	....	film transfer: Post Haste
Peter Roeck	....	first assistant editor
Grace Yuen	....	second assistant editor

Music Department
Ric Arboit	....	music consultant: Nettwerk Records
Joseph Pepe Danza	....	musician: percussion (as Joseph 'Pepe' Danza)
Alison Girvan	....	vocals
Don MacDonald	....	score arranger (as Don Macdonald)
Don MacDonald	....	score producer (as Don Macdonald)
Don MacDonald	....	vocals (as Don Macdonald)
Karen Mang	....	vocals
Alexandria Stuart	....	music consultant: Unforscene Music
Kristy Lee Thirsk	....	vocal wailing

Other crew
Paul Adolph	....	production assistant
John H. Andor	....	production assistant
Francesca Benedetti	....	projectionist
Anonda Berg	....	production assistant
Taylor Christian Bickert	....	location assistant
Normand Bouchard	....	projectionist
Theresa Carle	....	craft service: additional photography
Debra Corbeil	....	production assistant
Christian Cullum	....	production assistant
Ingrid Dabringer	....	script supervisor trainee (as Ingrid C. Dabringer)
Ingrid Dabringer	....	script supervisor: additional photography (as Ingrid C. Dabringer)
Robert Egger	....	production assistant
David English	....	production accountant
Douglas Ferris	....	location assistant
Jodi Finley	....	production assistant
Zsuzsi Gartner	....	script consultant
Calli Gazetas	....	production assistant
Michael Gazetas	....	location manager
Michael Gazetas	....	walla group
James Genn	....	location assistant
Michelle N. Graff	....	production assistant
Russ Hamilton	....	walla group
Stephen Hegyes	....	production consultant
Wendy Hyman	....	producer's intern
George Johnson	....	representative: National Film Board Of Canada
Nina Jones	....	production assistant
Susannah Kellett	....	craft service
Jeremy Kinnear	....	location assistant
Dawn Knight	....	assistant production coordinator
Shane Kramps	....	office production assistant
Susan Lambie	....	script supervisor
Annelise Larson	....	production assistant (as Annaliese Larson)
Tracy Laval	....	pre-production coordinator
Ray Little	....	production assistant
Judy Mah	....	typesetter
Hank Mann	....	walla group
Jane Mason	....	production coordinator
Tracy McAuley	....	assistant location manager
Tracy Napier	....	production assistant
Josh Pasnak	....	production assistant
Richard Payment	....	representative: UBC Department of Theatre & Film
Heather Pybus	....	production assistant
Miriam Reid	....	production assistant
Robin Reid	....	production assistant
Barb Rose	....	production assistant
Patrick Sauriol	....	production assistant
Rees A. Savidis	....	production assistant (as Rees Savidis)
Sonja K. Simpson	....	production assistant
Karl Trommeshauser	....	location manager
Craig Volker	....	representative: UBC Department of Theatre & Film
Mike Wattley	....	production assistant
Hamish Wilson	....	production assistant
Marlis Wilson	....	production assistant
Annie Wong	....	production assistant
Karen Wong	....	assistant accountant
John Wright	....	representative: UBC Department of Theatre & Film
Katie Yu	....	production assistant

Thanks
Tom Adair	....	special thanks: IATSE Local 891
Graeme Ball	....	special thanks
Hal Beckett	....	special thanks: Western Post Productions
Rolf Biepper	....	special thanks
Karin Brooks	....	acknowledgment: Hall of Heroes
Ryan Clarke	....	special thanks: Western Post Productions
Brian De Paoli	....	acknowledgment: League of Champions (as Brian Depaoli)
Lisa Doyle	....	special thanks
Frida English	....	special thanks
J.T. English	....	acknowledgment: Patron Saints
Peggy English	....	acknowledgment: Patron Saints (as Peggy)
Michelle Floyd	....	special thanks
Marjorie Fordham	....	special thanks
David Fraser	....	acknowledgment: Patron Saints
Janet Fraser	....	acknowledgment: Patron Saints (as Janet)
Murray Gibson	....	special thanks
William Gordon	....	acknowledgment: League of Champions
Alison Grace	....	special thanks
Linda Hay	....	special thanks (as Linda Guns)
Winston Helgason	....	special thanks
Kelly Herron	....	special thanks: Western Post Productions
Byron Jah	....	special thanks
Sandra Jensen	....	special thanks: ACTRA
Ori Kowarsky	....	special thanks
Allan Lee	....	acknowledgment: Hall of Heroes
Roger Levins	....	special thanks: Greenhouse Studios
R. Marty Lewis	....	special thanks: Keystone Entertainment Inc. (as Marty Lewis)
Greg Malcolm	....	acknowledgment: League of Champions
Leah Mallen	....	special thanks
Richard Martin	....	special thanks
Paul McGillion	....	special thanks
Eric McNab	....	acknowledgment: Hall of Heroes
Wendy Mentiply	....	special thanks
Susan Mundy	....	special thanks: ACTRA
Dianne Neufeld	....	special thanks: BC Film Commission (as Diane Neufeld)
Denise Newvine	....	special thanks: BMS Telephone Services
Joanna Piros	....	special thanks (as Joanna Peiros)
Michael Potkins	....	special thanks: Keystone Entertainment Inc. (as Mike Potkins)
Doris Pozer	....	special thanks
John Pozer	....	acknowledgment: Patron Saints
Leslie Richardson	....	special thanks
Peter W. Roeck Sr.	....	special thanks: P. Rock Ltd. (as Peter Roeck Sr.)
Maria Roeck	....	special thanks: P. Rock Ltd. (as Maria)
Debra Rurak	....	special thanks (as Deb Rurak)
Patty Shom Moffat	....	special thanks
Cal Shumiatcher	....	special thanks (as Cal Schumiacher)
Audrey Skalbania	....	special thanks
Kent Sparling	....	special thanks: Western Post Productions
Kevin Speckmaier	....	special thanks
Diana Stevan	....	special thanks
Emily Stopkewich	....	acknowledgment: Patron Saints (as Emily)
Walter Stopkewich	....	acknowledgment: Patron Saints
Michael Strange	....	acknowledgment: League of Champions
Michael Strange	....	special thanks: Keystone Entertainment Inc.
Carolyn Taylor	....	acknowledgment: League of Champions
Robert Vince	....	acknowledgment: League of Champions
Robert Vince	....	special thanks: Keystone Entertainment Inc.
William Vince	....	special thanks: Keystone Entertainment Inc. (as Bill Vince)
Andrew Walker	....	acknowledgment: League of Champions
Scott Watson	....	special thanks: Western Post Productions
Jan Whitford	....	special thanks: Westwood Creative Artists
Don Woodman	....	acknowledgment: League of Champions
Peter Wunstorf	....	acknowledgment: League of Champions

Production Companies

• Boneyard Film Company Inc. (producer)
• British Columbia Film (produced in association with)
• Canada Council Media Arts (produced with the assistance of) (as The Canada Council - Media Arts Section)
• National Film Board of Canada (NFB) (produced with the assistance of) (as National Film Board Of Canada)
• UBC Department of Theatre & Film (produced with the assistance of)
• Téléfilm Canada (with the participation of) (as Telefilm Canada)

Distributors

• EDKO Film (????) (Hong Kong) (theatrical)
• Goldwyn Films (1997) (USA) (theatrical)
• RCV Film Distribution (????) (Belgium) (theatrical)
• RCV Film Distribution (????) (Luxembourg) (theatrical)
• RCV Film Distribution (????) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Scandinavian Entertainment Group (????) (Norway) (theatrical)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2005) (USA) (VHS)
• Orion Home Video (????) (USA) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Al Sens Animation Ltd.  titles
• Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists (ACTRA)  special thanks (as ACTRA)
• B.C. Film Commission  special thanks (as BC Film Commission)
• BMS Telephone Services  special thanks
• Du Art Film and Video  blow-up (as Duart Film & Video)
• Du Art Film and Video  opticals (as Duart Film & Video)
• Fraser & Beatty  legal services
• Fraser & Company  legal services
• Greenhouse Studios  special thanks
• I.A.T.S.E. Local 891  special thanks (as IATSE Local 891)
• Keystone Entertainment  special thanks
• Lavish Productions  catering
• Michelle Gahagan Law Corporation  legal services
• Nettwerk Records  music consultant
• Original Conforming Services  negative cutter (as Original Conforming)
• P. Rock Ltd.  special thanks
• Post Haste Video  film transfer (as Post Haste)
• Purple Sound  score recorded at
• Royal Bank of Canada  bank
• Sedgwick Insurance  insurance broker (as Sedgwick Group)
• Sharpe Sound Studios  re-recorded at
• Unforscene Music  music consultant
• Unforscene Music  soundtrack available on
• Western Post Productions  sound editing facility
• Western Post Productions  special thanks
• Westwood Creative Artists  special thanks
• William F. White International  lighting equipment (as William F. White Inc.)

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for aberrant sexuality and some language (video version)

Runtime:

78 min | Canada:88 min (Ontario)

Country:

Canada

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Italy:VM14 | Canada:R (Ontario) | USA:R (video version) | Singapore:(Banned) | New Zealand:R18 | Australia:R | France:-16 | Germany:16 | Hong Kong:III | Norway:18 | Switzerland:18 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:18 (canton of Vaud) | UK:18 | South Korea:18

Filming Locations:

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Company:

Boneyard Film Company Inc.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: As Sandra touches the folded hands of the male corpse in the casket at the Wallis Funeral Home you can see the "corpse" breathing; his suit jacket is moving up and down in a breathing motion.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Sandra Larson:When you die, your life... flashes, and you disintegrate, radiating energy. When a thing turns into its opposite, when love becomes hate, there are always sparks. But when life turns into death, it's explosive. There are streaks of light, magical, and electrifying...

Movie Connections:

Featured in Indie Sex: Extremes (2007) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Fumbling Towards Ecstasy

Powerful, passionate and relevant: exactly what a movie should be

There is no more natural preoccupation than death. Everyone is aware that they are going to die but no one knows precisely what death is. We all come to terms with our mortality in our own way. Most of us try to think about death as little as possible, choosing denial. Some turn to religion for comforting beliefs about death, others embrace a "death culture", as Goths do. A very small number of people embrace death to the extent that cadavers become sexually attractive to them.

Kissed is a beautiful story about a young woman named Sandra who explores death through necrophilia. When Matt, a fellow student she becomes romantically involved with, becomes infatuated with her he desperately tries to understand her and to incorporate himself into her necrophilic lifestyle.

They both, each in their own way, use the powerful nature of love and lust to explore their feelings about death.

The acting is both professional and believable and the audience can relate to the complex characters even though none of us is ever likely to personally experience such a bizarre situation. Even when Matt's need to be loved by Sandra makes him strange and frightening, the story only feels more familiar when we realize how much we have changed ourselves for lovers. Isn't life about finding someone to love before the time is up?

The sex and nudity are artistic, not pornographic. I went away from this movie feeling like I had witnessed something important and special. It may be disturbing at times, but Kissed is never revolting. I would not have believed that a movie about this subject matter could be so beautifully and sensitively made. If you ever find yourself anxious about death or plan to die someday, I highly recommend this passionate exploration of our most primal fear.