The Lottery (TV 1996)

On his deathbed in the hospital, Jason's father asks that his ashes be spread over the top of his wife's grave. Jason, who came to the city with his father at a young age, remembers little ... See full summary »

Director:

Daniel Sackheim

Writers:

Shirley Jackson (short story), Anthony Spinner (television story),

Stars:

Dan Cortese, Keri Russell, Veronica Cartwright

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Dan Cortese	...	Jason Smith
Keri Russell	...	Felice Dunbar
Veronica Cartwright	...	Maggie Dunbar
Stephen Root	...	Graham Dunbar
William Daniels	...	Reverend Hutchinson
William Morgan Sheppard	...	Mayor Warner (as W. Morgan Sheppard)
Joe Chrest	...	Deputy Jeff Simmons
Salome Jens	...	Faith Lloyd
M. Emmet Walsh	...	Chief Davis
Sean Murray	...	Henry Watkins
Jon Huffman	...	Dr. Wasserman
Jeff Corey	...	Albert Smith
Amy Parrish	...	Kelly Malone
Alex Van	...	Craig Lloyd
David Lenthall	...	Postmaster

Storyline

On his deathbed in the hospital, Jason's father asks that his ashes be spread over the top of his wife's grave. Jason, who came to the city with his father at a young age, remembers little of the town or his mother, but he undertakes the charge. It is an idyllic place, but gradually snips of memory return, until he remembers the significance of the fact that most of the tombstones in the town cemetery, including his mothers, bear the same day and month, one death each year. Caught up in the memory of the lottery he saw as a child, and the one he is trapped in today, escape is difficult and retribution is...

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Plot Keywords:

americana | dream | small town | based on short story

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Genres:

Drama | Horror | Thriller

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Certificate:

Unrated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

29 September 1996 (USA)

Also Known As:

A Lotaria

Filming Locations:

Charlotte, North Carolina, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Landsburg Company, Picture Entertainment Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

100 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Connections

Version of Fireside Theatre: The Lottery (1951)

User Reviews

Keri Russell is the only good reason to watch this movie.

Keri Russell was 20 when she made this movie, 2 years before her success in the TV series "Felicity." Here she plays a teacher and part-time librarian in this strange, secluded town, where everyone dies on June 27th!! Even though she generally looks younger than her years, in this film she had to play several years older and did it credibly.

The community is one where a person is stoned to death each June 27th, chosen by lottery. "Don't look at it as murder, Josh, just a different kind of tradition," after her own mother was the most current victim. Turns out his own mother had met that fate years earlier, his investigation showed Josh, after his dad requested on his deathbed that ashes be placed at mother's grave. Josh escapes, but upon returning all towns people stick together, convince the authorities he was crazy, just like his dad, who had made the same accusations.

As other reviewers say, a strange movie, where the ending leads us to assume that another person will be stoned to death next year.