The Killing of America (1981)
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- R
- 1h 30min
- Documentary, Crime
- 05 Sep 1981 (Japan)
- Movie
A provocative examination of extreme violence within American society in an era bookended by the assassinations of John F. Kennedy and John Lennon.
Director:
Writers:
Stars:
Photos and Videos
Cast
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Chuck Riley | ... |
Narrator
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Ed Dorris | ... |
Self
(as Sgt. Ed Dorris Ret.)
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| Thomas Noguchi | ... |
Self
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| Sirhan Sirhan | ... |
Self
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| Wayne Henley | ... |
Self
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| Ed Kemper | ... |
Self (archiveFootage)
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| Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
| Susan Atkins | ... |
Self (archiveFootage)
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| David Berkowitz | ... |
Self (archiveFootage)
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| Kenneth Bianchi | ... |
Self (archiveFootage)
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| Lawrence Bittaker | ... |
Self (archiveFootage)
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| James Brady | ... |
Self (archiveFootage)
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Arthur Bremer | ... |
Self (archiveFootage)
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Sam Brown | ... |
Self (archiveFootage)
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| Louise Bundy | ... |
Self - Ted Bundy's Mother (archiveFootage)
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| Ted Bundy | ... |
Self (archiveFootage)
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| Angelo Buono Jr. | ... |
Self (archiveFootage)
(as Angelo Buono)
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Dean Corll | ... |
Self (archiveFootage)
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Juan Corona | ... |
Self (archiveFootage)
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| Edward Cowart | ... |
Self - Judge at Ted Bundy's Trial (archiveFootage)
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| Richard J. Daley | ... |
Self - Chicago Mayor (archiveFootage)
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| Charles de Gaulle | ... |
Self (archiveFootage)
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Mark Essex | ... |
Self - Howard Johnson Sniper (archiveFootage)
(as Robert Essex)
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| John Wayne Gacy | ... |
Self (archiveFootage)
(as John Gacy)
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Richard Hall | ... |
Self - Hostage (archiveFootage)
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| Tom Hayden | ... |
Self (archiveFootage)
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Mary Henley | ... |
Self - Wayne Henley's Mother (archiveFootage)
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Dorothy Hilligiest | ... |
Self - David Hilligiest's Mother (archiveFootage)
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Fred Hilligiest | ... |
Self - David Hilligiest's Father (archiveFootage)
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| John Hinckley Jr. | ... |
Self (archiveFootage)
(as John Warnock Hinckley)
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James R. Hoskins | ... |
Self (archiveFootage)
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| Leslie Van Houten | ... |
Self (archiveFootage)
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| Jim Jones | ... |
Self (archiveFootage)
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| Linda Kasabian | ... |
Self (archiveFootage)
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| John Kennedy Jr. | ... |
Self (archiveFootage)
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| John F. Kennedy | ... |
Self (archiveFootage)
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| Robert F. Kennedy | ... |
Self (archiveFootage)
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| Martin Luther King | ... |
Self (archiveFootage)
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| Patricia Krenwinkel | ... |
Self (archiveFootage)
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| John Lennon | ... |
Self (archiveFootage)
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| Charles Manson | ... |
Self (archiveFootage)
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| Herbert Mullin | ... |
Self - Serial Killer (archiveFootage)
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| Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis | ... |
Self (archiveFootage)
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| Yoko Ono | ... |
Self (archiveFootage)
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| Lee Harvey Oswald | ... |
Self (archiveFootage)
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| Nancy Reagan | ... |
Self (archiveFootage)
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| Ronald Reagan | ... |
Self (archiveFootage)
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| Jack Ruby | ... |
Self (archiveFootage)
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| Leo J. Ryan | ... |
Self (archiveFootage)
(as Rep. Leo Ryan)
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Robert Benjamin Smith | ... |
Self - Mass Murderer (archiveFootage)
(as Robert Smith)
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Brenda Spencer | ... |
Self - School Sniper (archiveFootage)
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| George Wallace | ... |
Self (archiveFootage)
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Charles Whitman | ... |
Self - The Texas Tower Sniper (archiveFootage)
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Richard O. Hall | ... |
Self (uncredited) (archiveFootage)
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| Lyndon B. Johnson | ... |
Self (uncredited) (archiveFootage)
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Anthony Kiritsis | ... |
Self (uncredited) (archiveFootage)
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Directed by
| Sheldon Renan | ... | (directed by) |
Written by
| Leonard Schrader | ... | (written by) & |
| Chieko Schrader | ... | (written by) |
Produced by
| Betsy Pollock | ... | associate producer |
| Leonard Schrader | ... | producer (produced by) |
| Mataichirô Yamamoto | ... | producer (produced by) |
Music by
| W. Michael Lewis | ... | (original music by) |
| Mark Lindsay | ... | (original music by) |
Cinematography by
| Robert Charlton | ... | (cinematography by) (as Robert Charleton) |
| Tom Hurwitz | ... | (cinematography by) |
| Willy Kurant | ... | (cinematography by) |
| Peter Smokler | ... | (cinematography by) |
Editing by
| Lee Percy | ... | (edited by) |
Editorial Department
| Cynthia Haagens | ... | assistant editor (as Cindy Haagens) |
| E. Shain | ... | second assistant editor |
| Susan Shields | ... | second assistant editor |
Art Direction by
| David Weisman | ||
Sound Department
| Courtney Goodin | ... | sound |
| Val Kuklowsky | ... | sound editor |
| Jane Landis | ... | sound |
| Patrick Malone | ... | sound editor |
| Rebecca Nicolaou | ... | assistant sound editor (as Rebecca Nauert) |
| Nelson Stoll | ... | sound |
| Robert Leader | ... | sound editor (uncredited) |
Camera and Electrical Department
| Steve Crosland | ... | assistant camera (as Steven Jay Crosland) |
| David Eubank | ... | assistant camera |
| Stephen Frisch | ... | still photographer |
| Laurie Gaffin | ... | still photographer |
| Sam Holcombe | ... | assistant camera |
| Barry Levine | ... | still photographer |
| Mike Malone | ... | grip |
| Stephen C. Speidel | ... | still photographer |
| Peter Thomas | ... | assistant camera |
Music Department
| Robert Houston | ... | musical director |
Additional Crew
| Mary Anthony | ... | production assistant |
| Gilles Arnaud | ... | production assistant |
| Chris Baumgart | ... | pilot |
| Michael Blake | ... | production assistant |
| Susan Brill | ... | assistant to producer |
| Stephen Buck | ... | production assistant |
| Patti Callicott | ... | production assistant |
| Amanda Chamberlin | ... | production assistant (as Mandy Chamberlin) |
| Ed Dorris | ... | consultant |
| Rob Fermanek | ... | film and photograph provider |
| John Filo | ... | film and photograph provider |
| Paul Goresh | ... | film and photograph provider |
| David Gottlieb | ... | film and photograph provider |
| Dale Hancock | ... | film and photograph provider |
| Harry Hauss | ... | pilot |
| Lyn Jackson | ... | project coordinator |
| Patrick Kelly | ... | production assistant |
| Nancy King | ... | production assistant |
| Iya Labunka | ... | production assistant |
| Gary Mack | ... | film and photograph provider: Dallas police audio sequence |
| Mary Anne McGowan | ... | production secretary |
| Vincent O'Reilly | ... | consultant |
| Michael Ochs | ... | consultant |
| Ray Poss | ... | pilot |
| James Ruxin | ... | consultant / film and photograph provider |
| William Sandwick | ... | production assistant |
| Richard M. Scott | ... | consultant (as Richard M. Scott M.D.) |
| Susumu Tokunow | ... | film and photograph provider |
| David Weisman | ... | still sequence / title designer |
| Mataichirô Yamamoto | ... | presenter |
| Jacqueline Zambrano | ... | researcher |
Production Companies
- Filmlink International (co-production)
- Towa Productions (co-production)
Distributors
- Toho-Towa (1981) (Japan) (theatrical)
- Embassy Pictures (1982) (Australia) (theatrical) (festival screening)
- Golden Harvest Company (1982) (Hong Kong) (theatrical) (Cantonese narration)
- Laurenfilm (1983) (Spain) (theatrical)
- Roadshow Films (1983) (Australia) (theatrical)
- Svensk Filmindustri (SF) (1983) (Sweden) (theatrical)
- Pony Video (1983) (Japan) (VHS)
- Home Video Hellas (HVH) (1984) (Greece) (VHS)
- Arte Cinema de México (1985) (Mexico) (theatrical)
- Palace Home Video (1985) (Australia) (VHS)
- Exploited Film (2000) (United Kingdom) (DVD)
- Exploited Film (2002) (United Kingdom) (VHS)
- Big Sky Video (2004) (Australia) (DVD)
- Severin Films (2016) (United Kingdom) (DVD)
- Severin Films (2016) (United Kingdom) (Blu-ray) (DVD)
- Severin Films (2016) (United States) (DVD)
- Severin Films (2016) (United States) (Blu-ray) (DVD)
- Videotrónica (Portugal) (VHS)
Special Effects
Other Companies
- CBS (film and photographs provided by)
- CTV Toronto (film and photographs provided by)
- Chicago Sun Times (film and photographs provided by)
- Chronicle Productions (film and photographs provided by)
- Cinema Research (titles and opticals)
- Emlen House (film and photographs provided by)
- Field Enterprises (film and photographs provided by)
- Fox Movietone News (film and photographs provided by)
- KCRA Sacramento (film and photographs provided by)
- KCST San Diego (film and photographs provided by)
- KFMB (film and photographs provided by)
- KNBC (film and photographs provided by)
- KOVR (film and photographs provided by)
- L.A. County Coroner's Office (special thanks)
- L.A.P.D. Air Support Division (special thanks)
- LMH Company (film and photographs provided by) (Zapruder Film)
- Los Angeles Police Department (special thanks)
- MTI Teleprograms Inc. (film and photographs provided by)
- Magic Film Works (thanks)
- Michael Ochs Archive (film and photographs provided by)
- Pyramid Films (film and photographs provided by)
- Renan Productions (line production services)
- Shaper-Panelli Films (film and photographs provided by)
- Sync Film Lab (thanks)
- UPITN (film and photographs provided by)
- WCPO (film and photographs provided by)
- WDSU New Orleans (film and photographs provided by)
- WFSU Tallahassee (film and photographs provided by)
- WFTV (film and photographs provided by)
- WGHP Highpoint N.C. (film and photographs provided by)
- WTHR (film and photographs provided by)
- Wide World Photos (film and photographs provided by)
Storyline
| Plot Summary |
Composed of archival material and exclusive footage, Sheldon Renan and Leonard Schrader's shocking and eye-opening documentary of carnage, madness, and mayhem focuses, with an unapologetic sincerity, on the factual depiction of violence in the industrialised nation of the United States. Featuring a juxtaposition of detailed accounts of terrible acts, brutal behaviour, and interviews from experts and convicted serial killers alike, this grim collection of pain doesn't shy away from real-life, in-your-face, horrifying imagery, and the escalating levels of crime and murder in the United States. The Killing of America also documents two shocking murders: the assassination of John F. Kennedy, which marks the beginning of a new era of violence, and the murder of John Lennon on the evening of December 8, 1980. Written by Nick Riganas |
| Plot Keywords | |
| Taglines | WE DARE YOU! To see the most shocking film ever made See more » |
| Genres | |
| Parents Guide | View content advisory » |
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Additional Details
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Did You Know?
| Trivia | The film opened in one cinema in New York City, but was never commercially distributed in the USA until it finally received an official release in both DVD and Blu-ray formats by Severin Films on October 25, 2016. See more » |
| Movie Connections | Featured in The Madness Is Real: An Interview with Sheldon Renan (2016). See more » |
| Soundtracks | For What It's Worth See more » |
| Crazy Credits | Opening text: "All of the film you are about to see is real. Nothing has been staged." See more » |
| Quotes |
[last lines]
Narrator: While you watched this movie, five of us were murdered. One was the random killing of a stranger. See more » |