The Debt Collector (1999)

Director:

Anthony Neilson

Writer:

Anthony Neilson (writer)

Release Date:

25 June 1999 (UK)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Thriller

Plot:

Mean, gritty, dirty and low and that's just the Policeman Gary Keltie (Ken Stott) out for retribution...

Plot Keywords:

Sculptor | Pub | Dead Body | Revenge | Scotland

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Billy Connolly	...	Nickie Dryden
Ken Stott	...	Gary Keltie
Francesca Annis	...	Val Dryden
Iain Robertson	...	Flipper
Annette Crosbie	...	Lana
Alastair Galbraith	...	Colquhoun
Shauna Macdonald	...	Catriona (as Shauna MacDonald)
Sandy Neilson	...	Duncan
Julie Wilson Nimmo	...	Young Girl (as Julie Wilson-Nimmo)
Alan Francis	...	Young man
James Thomson	...	Jobbie
Stephen Duguid	...	Kev (as Steven Duguid)
Matt Costello	...	Policeman (as Matt Costelloe)
Stuart Sinclair Blyth	...	Policeman (as Stuart Blyth)
Gordon Orr	...	Scott
Jenny Foulds	...	Susie
Neil McKinven	...	Radio interviewer
Andrew Neil	...	Macrieff
Ford Kiernan	...	Janitor
Ronni Ancona	...	Valerie's sister (as Ronnie Ancona)
James Logan	...	Valerie's father (as Jimmy Logan)
Una McLean	...	Alice
Dawn Steele	...	Barmaid
Deirdre Davis	...	Doctor
Debbie Murray	...	Tattoo staff member
Phil McKee	...	Tattoo official
Andrew Barr	...	Lawyer
Robbie Smith-Dempsey	...	Policeman in court (as Robbie Smith Dempsey)
Julia Currie	...	Nurse in rest home

Directed by
Anthony Neilson

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Anthony Neilson		writer

Produced by
Graham Broadbent	....	producer
Liz Bunton	....	line producer
Damian Jones	....	producer

Original Music by
Adrian Johnston

Cinematography by
Dick Pope

Film Editing by
John Wilson

Production Design by
Mark Geraghty

Art Direction by
Ken Wheatley

Costume Design by
Trisha Biggar

Makeup Department
Heather Millington	....	assistant makeup artist
Caroline Noble	....	hair designer
Caroline Noble	....	makeup designer

Production Management
Alistair Hopkins	....	post-production supervisor
Brian Kaczynski	....	production manager: second unit

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Mark Murdoch	....	third assistant director
Michael Queen	....	second second assistant director
Josh Robertson	....	second assistant director
Mary Soan	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Paul Curren	....	stand-by painter
Sam Curren	....	chargehand painter
Laura Donnelly	....	assistant art director
Henry Gallagher	....	painter
Bobby Gee	....	painter
Peter Grant	....	property master
Richard Hassall	....	stand-by carpenter
Dennis Knotts	....	dressing props
Peter Knotts	....	carpenter
Sue Morrison	....	production buyer
Emer O'Sullivan	....	art department runner

Sound Department
Tony Cook	....	boom operator
John Falcini	....	sound re-recording mixer
Anthony Faust	....	foley editor
Diane Greaves	....	foley artist
Zane Hayward	....	supervising sound editor
Stewart Henderson	....	dialogue editor
Colin Nicolson	....	sound recordist
Chris Nuttall	....	sound
Jason Swanscott	....	foley artist
Aad Wirtz	....	sound re-recording mixer

Visual Effects by
Robert Duncan	....	digital effects supervisor
Dan Glass	....	digital effects supervisor
Drew Jones	....	digital visual effects producer: CFC

Stunts
Ray De-Haan	....	stunts
Tracey Eddon	....	stunts
Neil Finnighan	....	stunts
Andreas Petrides	....	stunt coordinator
Andreas Petrides	....	stunts
Lee Sheward	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Joss Barratt	....	still photographer
Paul Bates	....	electrician
Lewis Buchan	....	focus puller
Stuart Bunting	....	camera grip
Willie Cadden	....	gaffer
Arthur Donnelly	....	electrician
Stewart Farmer	....	electrician
Lewis Foster	....	camera operator: second camera
Kathy Friend	....	focus puller: second camera
Ossie McLean	....	clapper loader: second camera
Jan Pester	....	director of photography: second nit
Alastair Rae	....	Steadicam operator
Colin Strachan	....	camera grip
Derek Walker	....	clapper loader

Casting Department
Julie Austin	....	casting: Glasgow
Shaheen Baig	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Eleanor Baker	....	wardrobe supervisor
John Laurie	....	wardrobe assistant

Editorial Department
Mark Eckersley	....	first assistant editor
Emily Grant	....	second assistant editor

Music Department
Terry Davies	....	conductor
Peter Fuchs	....	music recording engineer
Steve Lindsey	....	music supervisor
Steve Parr	....	music mixer
Steve Parr	....	music recordist
Paul Talkington	....	music coordinator

Transportation Department
Dave Williams	....	facilities transport captain

Other crew
Drew Cain	....	production runner
Elaine Chin	....	assistant to producers
Wendy Ellerker	....	production accountant
Katie Goodson	....	assistant to producers
Margaret Graham	....	script supervisor
Glen Greer	....	stand-in
Michael Higson	....	assistant location manager
Robert How	....	location manager
Fry Martin	....	assistant accountant
Todd McNaughton	....	stand-in
Ruta Ozols	....	production coordinator
Roger Phillips	....	title designer
Alex Purbrick	....	extras coordinator
Amanda Street	....	international sales: FilmFour

Production Companies

• Channel Four Films
• Dragon Pictures

Distributors

• Madman Entertainment (2000) (Australia) (DVD)
• Nelonen (2005) (2006) (Finland) (TV)

Other Companies

• Lee Lighting  lighting
• Munich Symphony Orchestra  orchestra
• Sapex Scripts  post-production services

Also Known As:

Runtime:

109 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Finland:K-15 (TV rating) (self applied) | Australia:MA | New Zealand:R16 | UK:18

Filming Locations:

Glasgow, Strathclyde, Scotland, UK

Company:

Channel Four Films

Trivia:

As a condition of funding from the Glasgow Film Fund, Glasgow locations stand in for most of the film's Edinburgh settings.

Movie Connections:

References Braveheart (1995)

Soundtrack:

Presto

A truly disturbing, truly bleak movie

My title isn't to imply that this movie isn't worth seeing. If you can stand the despair, this movie is fantastic.

I found that the words of the Greeks came back to me as I was watching The Debt Collector. "Those whom the gods will destroy, they first make mad". It seemed apt for a modern tragedy in the tradition of Sophocles.

The best technique that Neilson used was lighting. It's rare to have a movie that goes from such brightness to such gloom. The wedding scene, for instance, was as bright and cheerful as you expect such a scene to be, but after Keltie's parting shot, we are outside, in the rain, the dark, the gloom... perfect!

The violence is something that others have commented on. It is so unlike the Hollywood violence that we are accustomed to seeing. This violence is very real, and more shocking and horrifying because of it. All the male lead characters were capable of violence, and it made me wonder how close we all are from such displays.

The Debt Collector is a story of hatred gone to extremes. It spoke to me of how hatred and revenge are empty ideas... and how it is much more important, if difficult to forgive those who have harmed you, and not to live in the past.

This movie is not for everyone, but if you are interested in tragedy, then you should see this film.