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

Bus Station Radio Songs
Written & Performed by Arthur Dodge

User Reviews

Not your regular film

"Firecracker" is not your regular film; it's done with a technique that is not common in the industry, and therefore has been and probably will be, both criticized and praised. The technique is used by showing realistic moments in merciless (and real) black and white and fantasy moments in dazzling colour. There are some of the most elaborate sequences of any movie ever made. This way of filming shows how the two opposite worlds become one world as the story lines merge. The plot itself does not trail far from the true story it's based on, judging by what's on the official web site. So it's anyone's guess as to what parts of the movie are dramatized and which parts are truth.

Visually, this movie is spectacular. The colors are scorching and add a sense of mystery to the film. The music is exquisite and the performances are perfectly played. This movie hit me in a really hard way.

It's impossible to stop thinking about this movie.