Firecracker (2005)

A young boy who lives in a dysfunctional home went to the carnival and met a singer. Shortly after, a murder took place. The town's sheriff is seeking answers. The singer is trying to ... See full summary »

Director:

Steve Balderson

Writers:

Steve Balderson, Clark Balderson (translation)

Stars:

Karen Black, Mike Patton, Susan Traylor

5 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Karen Black	...	Sandra / Eleanor
Mike Patton	...	Frank / David
Susan Traylor	...	Ed
Kathleen Wilhoite	...	Jessica
Jak Kendall	...	Jimmy
Brooke Balderson	...	Pearl
Paul Sizemore	...	Officer Harry
Jane Wiedlin	...	Ursula
George McArthur	...	The Bald Man (as George the Giant)
Cathy Berry	...	Maxine, The Lobster Girl
Pleasant Gehman	...	Estelle
Selene Luna	...	Harriet
Susie Legault	...	Buffalola (as Susie Cravens Legault)
Jeff Montague	...	The Announcer
Sean R. Shuford	...	The Other Man (as Sean Shuford)

Storyline

A young boy who lives in a dysfunctional home went to the carnival and met a singer. Shortly after, a murder took place. The town's sheriff is seeking answers. The singer is trying to escape her environment so is the boy. But both has to face their own horror.

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Plot Keywords:

sideshow | kansas | carnival | murder | small town | 

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Taglines:

People say nothing ever happens in Kansas

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

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Details

Official Sites:

Official page

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

11 October 2005 (USA)

Also Known As:

Steve Balderson's Firecracker

Filming Locations:

Black Hills, South Dakota, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$2,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Dikenga Films, Dymax

Technical Specs

Runtime:

112 min

Color:

Black and White Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film was based on a real-life murder that occurred in Wamego in the 1950s, three blocks from the house where Steve Balderson grew up. According to Balderson, a traveling carnival visited the town each year on July 4. The murder victim disappeared on the morning of July 5, as the carnival was leaving town, and was later found to have been killed by his brother. Balderson changed the names and some details of the story for his film. He called the finished film "more fiction than fact" and not a historical piece.

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Soundtracks

J'attendrai
Music by Dino Olivieri
Lyrics by Louis Poterat
Performed by Karen Black

User Reviews

Requiem to lost souls

Co-stars Karen Black and the magnificent Mike Patton, playing dual roles, give what are without question the best performances of their respective careers (plus this is Patton's first role): deftly played, their roles provide emotionally overwhelming impacts more powerful than anything glimpsed in the film. Susan Traylor is also superb but I thought Jak Kendall's performance as Jimmy was poor. I didn't feel anything for him. Patton and Black make up for it, with strong integrity. Their battle with true evil becomes the focus in which all four characters (David, Frank and Elenor, Sandra) confront their various demons, battling for both victory and personal salvation. The screen play is itself a masterwork with intricate twists. And, finally, the composer's exquisite score is a minor classic, a requiem to lost souls.