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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Did You Know?

Trivia

Dennis Hopper was originally cast as Frank but dropped out before the film was made. Steve Balderson said this was because Hopper's involvement in the film did not result in financing, so he reverted to his "original vision" of having the same actor play the parts of both Frank and David, and Hopper was "forty years too old" to play David.

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Soundtracks

Ole Devil Moon
Written & Performed by Bob Ayres

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.

Details

Official Sites:

Official page

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

11 October 2005 (USA)

Also Known As:

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