Letters from a Killer (1998)

Director:

David Carson

Writers:

Nicholas Hicks-Beach (screenplay) &
Shelley Miller (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

1998 (Mexico)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

Don't Open The Mail.

Plot:

A man is falsely convicted of the murder of his wife. During his time in jail, he finds comfort from four women with whom he corresponds...

Plot Keywords:

Prison | Murder | Wrongful Conviction | Copycat Murder | Stalker

Cast

Patrick Swayze	...	Race Darnell
Gia Carides	...	Lita
Kim Myers	...	Gloria Stevens
Olivia Birkelund	...	Stephanie
Tina Lifford	...	Elizabeth
Elizabeth Ruscio	...	Judith Sutton
Roger E. Mosley	...	Horton
Bruce McGill	...	Brinker
Mark Rolston	...	O'Dell
Don Stark	...	Geary
Katy Selverstone	...	Singleton
Michael Bowen	...	Parker
Kevin Chamberlin	...	Cutler
Sam Atkinson	...	Morgan
Rock Reiser	...	Singing Inmate
James Staszkiel	...	Lunging Inmate (as Jim Staszkiel)
Scott Lincoln	...	Crying Inmate
Robert 'Duckie' Carpenter	...	Teen Inmate (as Robert 'Ducky' Carpenter)
Thomas Rosales Jr.	...	Headbanging Inmate
Gary Roberts	...	Prison Guard
Charles Hutchins	...	Judge
Carey Webber	...	T.V. Reporter
Raye Hollitt	...	Reporter #1
Lane Lenhart	...	Supporter #1
Natalia Ongaro	...	Supporter #2
Fulvio Cecere	...	Angry Man
Thom Vernon	...	Ed
Alan Echeverria	...	Marshall Prentise
Steve Ireland	...	Deejay
Jay Morran	...	Detective Hudson (as Jay Moran)
Joe Hulser	...	Kansas City Cop
Patrick N. O'Brien	...	Country Bar Cop #1
Frank T. DiResta	...	Country Bar Cop #2
Lucas Dudley	...	Helicopter Pilot
Greg Travis	...	State Trooper
Randal Keith	...	Man on Bus
Brad Blaisdell	...	Taxi Driver
Katie Hagan	...	Young Lita
Jon Gale	...	Lita's Ex-Husband
Chris Byrne	...	Lita's Dad
Michael Adler	...	Building Manager
Roger Hewlett	...	Officer
James Willett	...	Officer
Ron Roggé	...	Sniper (as Ron Rogge)
Steven R. Barnett	...	Lead Prosecutor
Thomas J. Hamilton	...	The Witness
Michael G. Wilkinson	...	DNA Expert
M. Sharon Madigan	...	Jury Foreman
Zane Graham	...	Kid #1
Brigitte Graham	...	Kid #2
Linda J. Dyer	...	Country Bar Band
Sonja L. Dyer	...	Country Bar Band
Elsa J. Dyer	...	Country Bar Band
James H. Hall	...	Country Bar Band
Kurt Fries	...	Country Bar Band
Dan A. Hughart	...	Country Bar Band
Howard Yearwood	...	Country Bar Band
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Letters From a Killer	...	Country Bar Bartender
Chad Borden	...	(uncredited)
Darrell Bryan	...	Utah State Trooper #1 (uncredited)
Eva Ford	...	Bar Patron (uncredited)
Marcy Goldman	...	Flower Shop Owner (uncredited)
Michael Haddad	...	Cab Driver (uncredited)
Lyle Kanouse	...	Bus Driver (uncredited)
John Lizzi	...	Detective at Crime Scene (uncredited)
Marilyn Monrovia	...	Country Bar Waitress (uncredited)
Lisa Niemi Swayze	...	Woman in Crowd (uncredited)
Mary Ann Schmidt	...	Casino Cocktail Waitress (uncredited)
Brian Smallwood	...	FBI Agent (uncredited)
Sterling Wolfe	...	Marksman (uncredited)

Directed by
David Carson

Writing credits
Nicholas Hicks-Beach		(screenplay) &
Shelley Miller		(screenplay)
John Foster		(story)

Produced by
Nicholas Hicks-Beach	....	executive producer
Marty Hornstein	....	line producer (as Martin Hornstein)
Michael Jackman	....	associate producer (as Michael A. Jackman)
Shelley Miller	....	executive producer
Bertil Ohlsson	....	producer
Peter Snell	....	producer

Original Music by
Dennis McCarthy

Cinematography by
John A. Alonzo		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Lance Luckey

Casting by
Karen Rea

Production Design by
Stephen J. Lineweaver

Art Direction by
Clayton Hartley		(as Clayton R. Hartley)

Set Decoration by
Marvin March

Costume Design by
Lyn Paolo

Makeup Department
Paul Abascal	....	hair stylist: Mr. Swayze
Janice Alexander	....	key hair stylist (as Jan Alexander)
Wade Daily	....	assistant makeup artist (as Wade Daly)
Matt Danon	....	hair stylist
Scott H. Eddo	....	makeup artist: Patrick Swayze (as Scott Eddo)
Michael Mills	....	key makeup artist
Elaine L. Offers	....	assistant makeup artist (as Elaine Offers)
Cheri Ruff	....	hair stylist
Dione Taylor	....	key hair stylist
Derik Wingo	....	special makeup effects artist

Production Management
Marty Hornstein	....	unit production manager (as Martin Hornstein)
Cindy Ichikawa	....	production supervisor (as Cindy M. Ichikawa)
Michael Jackman	....	post-production supervisor (as Michael A. Jackman)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
J. Stephen Buck	....	first assistant director (as Stephen Buck)
Albert Cho	....	first assistant director: second unit
Bud Davis	....	second unit director
Susan E. Fiore	....	second assistant director (as Susan Fiore)
Venita Ozols	....	first assistant director (as Venita Ozols-Graham)
Kristina M. Peterson	....	second second assistant director (as Kristina Peterson)
David K. Riebel	....	second second assistant director (as David Riebel)
David Ticotin	....	second assistant director (as David A. Ticotin)

Art Department
Henry Alberti	....	set designer
Daril Alder	....	lead person
Dawn Ascher-Trevino	....	art department coordinator (as Dawn Ascher)
Todd Bennett	....	plaster foreman
James Buckley	....	assistant property master (as Jamie Buckley)
Laurence Castello	....	set paint foreman (as Larry Castello)
Rich Chirco	....	set dresser
Larry Guy Clause	....	general foreman (as Larry Clause)
Donna Cline	....	storyboard artist
Denis Cordova	....	propmaker gang boss
John R. Elliott	....	construction coordinator (as John Elliot)
Geno Ghiselli	....	set dresser
Tim Gomes	....	paint foreman
Erik Grasteit	....	property master
Alex Hill	....	storyboard artist (as Alex J. Hill)
Michael P. Hunter	....	set dresser (as Michael Hunter)
Don Kaeding	....	set dresser (as Don Keading)
Charles 'Chuck' Lungren	....	standby painter (as Chuck Lungren)
Greg Lynch	....	set dresser
Mike Medina	....	labor foreman
Michael Mikita	....	standby painter
Janet Pett Davies	....	art production assistant
Wendy Riva	....	assistant art director
Eric W. Senate	....	propmaker foreman (as Eric Senate)
Richard D. Wright	....	set dresser (as Richard Wright)
John Zemansky	....	property master

Sound Department
Jimmy 'Coach' Armstrong	....	cable person
George Berndt	....	adr supervisor
Andrew Bock	....	sound assistant
Joseph F. Brennan	....	boom operator (as Joe Brennan)
Thomas Causey	....	sound mixer
Chris David	....	sound re-recording mixer
Robert Deschaine	....	adr mixer
Robin Harlan	....	foley artist
Allen Hartz	....	dialogue editor (as Alan Hartz)
Richard Kite	....	utility sound
Karen Minahan	....	sound assistant
Sarah Monat	....	foley artist
Mark Pappas	....	foley supervisor
Rodger Pardee	....	sound effects editor
Jeffrey Perkins	....	supervising re-recording mixer
Randy Singer	....	foley mixer (as Randy K. Singer)
Hamilton Sterling	....	supervising sound editor
John Joseph Thomas	....	sound effects editor
Hugo Weng	....	dialogue editor
Chris Main	....	cable person (uncredited)

Special Effects by
David Dion	....	special effects foreman
Dennis Dion	....	special effects coordinator
Christopher McCann	....	special effects foreman (as Chris McGann)
Mike Phillips	....	special effects makeup
Russell Thornton	....	special effects assistant

Visual Effects by
Bill Hansard	....	projection effects: H.E.I. (as Billy Hansard)
Adam Howard	....	visual effects supervisor: POP Film

Stunts
Jennifer Badger	....	stunt player (as Jennifer S. Badger)
Steve Blalock	....	stunt player
Diane Branagan	....	stunt player
Ritchie Copenhaver	....	stunt player (as Robert Ritchie Copenhaver)
Bud Davis	....	stunt coordinator
Dennis Dion	....	stunt player
Scott Doyle	....	stunt player
Jared S. Eddo	....	stunt player
Kristi Frankenheimer	....	stunt player
Randy Gagne	....	stunt player
Al Goto	....	stunt player
Kevin Grevioux	....	stunt player
Randy Hall	....	stunt player
Gene Hartline	....	stunt player
Michael Haynes	....	stunt player
Kim Robert Koscki	....	stunt player
Hannah Kozak	....	stunt player
Cheryl Lawson	....	stunt player
Fred Lerner	....	stunt player
Diana R. Lupo	....	stunt player (as Diana Rene Lupo)
Cliff McLaughlin	....	stunt player
Jim Palmer	....	stunt player (as James Stewart Palmer)
Dan Plum	....	stunt player
Gary Price	....	stunt player (as Gary Knight Price)
Danny Rogers	....	stunt player (as Dan Rogers)
Lynn Salvatori	....	stunt player
Felipe Savahge	....	stunt player
Ben Scott	....	stunt player
Dennis Scott	....	stunt player (as Dennis Ray Scott)
Lincoln Simonds	....	stunt player
Erik Stabenau	....	stunt player (as Erik F. Stabenau)
Jill Stokesberry	....	stunt player
Don Swayze	....	stunt player
Keith Woulard	....	stunt player
Austin B. Church	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jeannie Grelier Church	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Gary A. Beaird	....	key grip (as Gary Beaird)
Mike Booth	....	electrician
Mike Brooker	....	grip
Greg Cantrell	....	rigging lighting technician
Jesse Chavez	....	dolly grip
Richard Clark	....	24 frame playback operator
Sean Patrick Crowell	....	rigging key grip (as Sean P. Crowell)
Pat Dames	....	grip best boy
Herbert Davis	....	camera operator: "a" camera (as Herb Davis)
Herbert Davis	....	director of photography: second unit (as Herb Davis)
James Etheridge	....	camera operator: "a" camera (as Jim Etheridge)
James Etheridge	....	director of photography: second unit (as Jim Etheridge)
Mark Figueroa	....	first assistant camera
Megan Forste	....	second assistant camera
Jeffrey Greeley	....	first assistant camera (as Jeff Greeley)
Alex Haapaniemi	....	second assistant camera
Joe Hanes	....	set lighting
Jerry D. Knight	....	assistant chief lighting technician (as Jerry Knight)
Christopher J. Lama	....	assistant rigging lighting technician (as Chris Lama)
Tom Lamont	....	grip
Jim MacDonald	....	grip
Elliott Marks	....	still photographer (as Elliott S. Marks)
Stan McClain	....	aerial director of photography
Richard B. McCormick	....	dolly grip (as Richard McCormick)
Rexford L. Metz	....	aerial director of photography (as Rex Metz)
Bob Myers	....	grip
Reginald Powell	....	set lighting (as Reggie Powell)
Bradford Ralston	....	video assist operator (as Brad Ralston)
Joshua Reno	....	grip (as Joshua T. Reno)
Jonathon E. Salzman	....	set lighting (as Jon Salzman)
Paul Santos	....	set lighting
Todd Slyapich	....	first assistant camera (as Todd Slypich)
Gregory W. Smith	....	Steadicam operator (as Greg Smith)
Gregory W. Smith	....	camera operator: "b" camera (as Greg Smith)
James Sobiegraj	....	set lighting
Stuart A. Spohn	....	chief lighting technician (as Stuart Spohn)
Jim Thorpe	....	set lighting
Wayne Tidwell	....	video assist operator
Wayne Viespi	....	rigging key grip
Dave Walker	....	rigging grip best boy
Glenn Fishel	....	grip (uncredited)
Richard Foreman Jr.	....	additional still photographer (uncredited)
Andrew Osborne	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Jorge Sánchez	....	assistant camera (uncredited)

Casting Department
Susan Maas	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Lisa Eisler	....	costumer
Christine Heinz	....	key set costumer
Nicholas Heinz	....	set costumer
Thomas E. Mastrolia	....	set costumer (as Tom Mastrolia)
Radford Polinsky	....	set costumer
Cheryl Scarano	....	costume supervisor
Steven Zimbelman	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
John R. Grant	....	post-production coordinator
Todd Harris	....	apprentice editor
Travis Harrison	....	assistant editor (as Travis Rendich)
Sean Hubbert	....	additional editor
Daniel Kupresan	....	apprentice editor (as Danny Kupresan)
Angie Luckey	....	assistant editor (as Angela Luckey)
Patrick Magee	....	additional editor (as Patrick W. Magee)
Dennis McNeill	....	color timer
Steve New	....	negative cutter (as Steven New)

Music Department
Jim Cox	....	musician
George Doering	....	musician
Ralph Humphrey	....	musician
Mark Kilian	....	music editor
Tim May	....	musician
Dennis McCarthy	....	conductor
Tom Ranier	....	musician
John Rosenberg	....	music contractor
Blaine Tringham	....	music copyist
Ken Wild	....	musician
Rick Winquest	....	music scoring mixer

Transportation Department
Todd Adair	....	driver
Chris Arnold	....	driver
Paul Avicola	....	driver
Bob Bailey	....	driver
Gary Claridge	....	driver
Scott Doyle	....	driver
Dennis Folven	....	driver
Thomas Garris	....	driver (as Tom Garris Jr.)
Fulton 'Greg' Gilson	....	transportation captain (as Greg Gilson)
Jack Hess	....	driver
Bruce Holland	....	driver
Jim Kojaku	....	driver
Ralph Landolfi	....	driver
Kenny Lee	....	driver
Bill Liversage	....	driver (as William Liversage)
Marvin Masterson	....	driver
Dean Meyer	....	driver
Kenneth Newland	....	transportation coordinator
Steven Nickle	....	driver (as Steve Nickle)
Sonny Pasqua	....	driver
Theresa M. Roehner	....	driver (as Theresa Roehner)
Danny Routhicaux	....	driver (as Danny Routhieaux)
Jerry Shore Jr.	....	driver (as Jerry Shore)
Sean Swayze	....	driver
Jay Thompson	....	driver
Frank Whiteley	....	driver
Paul Youds	....	driver
Hedy Phil Balani	....	production driver (uncredited)
Maryalyce Sager	....	transportation (uncredited)
Dean Winton	....	driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Michael Alvarado	....	production assistant (as Miguel Alvarado)
Samuel F. Arroyo	....	craft service (as Sam 'I Am' Arroyo)
Paula Barrett-Barbier	....	script supervisor (as Paula Barrett)
Kevin Beard	....	production assistant
Howard Behar	....	legal (as Howard D. Behar)
Anne M. Bianco	....	body double: Olivia Birkelund
John Brimley	....	animal wrangler: Utah
Terri L. Burns	....	office production assistant: Sacramento and Woodland
Anita Cahill	....	assistant: Mr. Carson
Kevin A. Canamar	....	on-set medic
Christopher Cilluffo	....	production assistant
Dennis Curren	....	location manager: New Orleans
Ron Davis	....	assistant accountant
Carlos De La Torre	....	production assistant
Helen de Vivien	....	production assistant
Linda Emmons-Cunningham	....	location liaison: Sacramento
Louis Farah	....	location medic
Nora L. Ferris	....	insurance broker
Charlie French	....	medic: New Orleans
John R. Grant	....	assistant: Mr. Snell & Mr. Ohlsson
Gabriela Gutentag	....	unit publicist
Craig Hosking	....	helicopter pilot
Rosemary Hygate	....	assistant: Mr. Swayze (as Rosi Hygate)
Kevin Jackson	....	production assistant
George Larson	....	location manager
David B. Leener	....	product placement (as David Leener)
Mark R. Leins	....	technician: Tyler Mount
Mark A. Mancinelli	....	plaster leading hand
Elizabeth Maxwell	....	caterer
Michael Maxwell	....	caterer
Robert Mazaraki	....	assistant production coordinator
Jim McCarthy	....	production accountant (as James McCarthy)
Douglas W. McHenry	....	post-production accountant
Bruce Nahin	....	film commissioner
Richard Nelson	....	technical advisor: prison
Morrie Nierenberg	....	assistant accountant (as Morris Nierenberg)
Janet Pett Davies	....	production assistant
Alex Reid	....	assistant location manager
Jennifer Reiss	....	key set production assistant
Paul 'Sled' Reynolds	....	animal wrangler (as Sled Reynolds)
Bill Rodenbaugh	....	assistant accountant (as William Rodenbaugh)
Albert G. Ruben	....	insurance: AON
Sheri Sabbag	....	assistant accountant
Debbie Schwab	....	production coordinator
Jim Selzer	....	assistant location manager (as James Selzer)
Todd Spears	....	assistant accountant
Rick S. Sulier	....	assistant accountant (as Rick Sulier)
Patsy Swayze	....	choreographer
Christopher Tricarico	....	legal
Dirk Vahle	....	helicopter pilot
Wayne Witherspoon	....	key set production assistant
Kurt Woolner	....	completion bond: Film Finances
Susan Yount	....	forensic technical advisor
Jo Haskin	....	stand-in (uncredited)
Michael C. Lund	....	production assistant: preparation (uncredited)
Scott Remick	....	production assistant: preparation (uncredited)
Dan Rudert	....	helicopter pilot (uncredited)

Production Companies

• J&M Entertainment
• LFAK Inc.

Distributors

• Filmes Lusomundo (1999) (Portugal) (theatrical)
• Opening Distribution (1999) (France) (theatrical)
• Victor Company of Japan (JVC) (2000) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Emerald (2007) (Argentina) (DVD) (re-release) (platinum edition)
• H.O.M. Vision (2000) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Kinowelt Home Entertainment (1999) (Germany) (DVD)
• LW Editora (2005) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Lions Gate Films Home Entertainment (2000) (USA) (VHS)
• Lions Gate Films Home Entertainment (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Magna Pacific (2003) (Australia) (DVD)
• PlayArte Home Vídeo (199?) (Brazil) (VHS)
• SBP (1999) (Argentina) (DVD)
• SBP (1999) (Argentina) (VHS)
• SBS6 (2002) (Netherlands) (TV)
• Sterling Home Entertainment (2000) (USA) (DVD) (special edition)
• Sterling Home Entertainment (2000) (USA) (VHS)
• Umbrella Entertainment (2008) (Australia) (DVD)
• Umbrella Entertainment (2008) (Australia) (video) (VOD)
• Umbrella Entertainment (2012) (Australia) (TV)

Special Effects

• POP Film

Other Companies

• AON  insurance
• Ashfield Film & Video  telecine (as Ashfield)
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera cranes and dollies
• DeForest Research  production research (as DeForest Research Associates)
• Deborah Ross Film Design  main title design
• Direct Tools & Fasteners  expendables
• Film Finances  completion guarantor
• Gentle Jungle  animals
• Home on the Range  caterer
• Howard Anderson Company, The  optical effects (as Howard Anderson Co.)
• Inter Video  24 frame video services
• International Recording Co.  post-production sound services (as International Recording Corporation)
• J.L. Fisher  dollies provided by
• Judy Garland & Associates  travel
• Media Casting  extras casting: Sacramento
• Movie Movers  cast trailers
• Proskauer Rose  legal
• R.C. Baral & Company  post-production accounting
• Rogers & Cowan  public relations
• Sapex Scripts  post-production script services
• f-Stop  optical effects (as F-Stop)

Also Known As:

"Voice Letter" - Japan (English title)

Runtime:

104 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Certification:

Argentina:16 | France:-12 | Germany:16 | Netherlands:16 | Portugal:M/16 | Spain:13 | UK:18 | USA:R | Philippines:R-18 | Iceland:16 | South Korea:18 | Netherlands:12 (TV version) | Australia:MA (2008) | Australia:MA (2003) | Australia:M (DVD rating)

Filming Locations:

Echo, Utah, USA

Company:

J&M Entertainment

Trivia:

During filming on 9 May 1997, Patrick Swayze broke both legs and tore four tendons in his shoulder when his horse threw him into a tree. He said he grabbed the horse's mane and flipped himself around so that he wouldn't hit the tree with his head.

Soundtrack:

Everything Bitter Tastes Sweet

Very good thriller

I taped this off HBO largely because it was in HD and might be OK. It turned out to be a very competent thriller, nicely constructed and at about 100 minutes pretty much perfect time, and should keep you guessing to the end. I wasn't a fan of Patrick Swayze but I have to say he is perfectly cast in this, and turns in a very credible and watchable performance. If you are looking for a movie with action and twists for a wet afternoon that doesn't insult your intelligence, you could do an awful lot worse than to watch this. Interestingly line dance scene was choreographed by swayze's mother (Patsy Swayze).