The Barber
Encyclopedia
The Barber is a 2001 film
that examines the interaction between the mind of a psychopath
and the minds of ordinary people who are fascinated by them. It tells the story of local barber (and serial killer
) Dexter Miles (Malcolm McDowell
) in a town in Alaska
. The geographic location features 24-hour darkness, which serves as a metaphor
for psychological darkness that drives Miles to go on a murderous rampage.
The movie blends the genres of horror, thriller, psychological study, and occasional black comedy
. Miles expresses the essence of the movie in these words:
and the Leo Awards
:
in Canada
.
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
that examines the interaction between the mind of a psychopath
Antisocial personality disorder
Antisocial personality disorder is described by the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, fourth edition , as an Axis II personality disorder characterized by "...a pervasive pattern of disregard for, and violation of, the rights of others that begins in childhood...
and the minds of ordinary people who are fascinated by them. It tells the story of local barber (and serial killer
Serial killer
A serial killer, as typically defined, is an individual who has murdered three or more people over a period of more than a month, with down time between the murders, and whose motivation for killing is usually based on psychological gratification...
) Dexter Miles (Malcolm McDowell
Malcolm McDowell
Malcolm McDowell is an English actor with a career spanning over forty years.McDowell is principally known for his roles in the controversial films If...., O Lucky Man!, A Clockwork Orange and Caligula...
) in a town in Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
. The geographic location features 24-hour darkness, which serves as a metaphor
Metaphor
A metaphor is a literary figure of speech that uses an image, story or tangible thing to represent a less tangible thing or some intangible quality or idea; e.g., "Her eyes were glistening jewels." Metaphor may also be used for any rhetorical figures of speech that achieve their effects via...
for psychological darkness that drives Miles to go on a murderous rampage.
The movie blends the genres of horror, thriller, psychological study, and occasional black comedy
Black comedy
A black comedy, or dark comedy, is a comic work that employs black humor or gallows humor. The definition of black humor is problematic; it has been argued that it corresponds to the earlier concept of gallows humor; and that, as humor has been defined since Freud as a comedic act that anesthetizes...
. Miles expresses the essence of the movie in these words:
Cast
- Dexter Miles – Malcolm McDowellMalcolm McDowellMalcolm McDowell is an English actor with a career spanning over forty years.McDowell is principally known for his roles in the controversial films If...., O Lucky Man!, A Clockwork Orange and Caligula...
- Chief Vance Corgan – Jeremy RatchfordJeremy RatchfordJeremy Ratchford is a Canadian actor. He starred as Nick Vera on the TV series Cold Case.While in Canada, Ratchford played Marvel Comic book character Banshee in a live action version of Generation X TV movie...
- Agent Crawley – Garwin SanfordGarwin SanfordGarwin Sanford is a Canadian actor best known for his portrayal of Narim in Stargate SG-1 and Simon Wallis in Stargate Atlantis....
- Buffalo Sedwick – C. Ernst HarthC. Ernst HarthCary Ernst Harth is a Canadian actor.Harth was born in Galt, Ontario, Canada. He got his first taste of acting in grade school when the drama club cast the school's largest child to play Santa in their Christmas pageant. Harth was just a kindergartner at the time...
Awards
The Barber was nominated for nine awards from the Directors Guild of CanadaDirectors Guild of Canada
The Directors Guild of Canada is a Canadian labour union, founded in 1962, which represents more than 3,700 professionals from 48 different occupations in the Canadian film and television industry. The DGC represents directors, assistant directors, location managers, production assistants and...
and the Leo Awards
Leo Awards
The Leo Awards are the awards program for the British Columbia film and television industry, celebrating excellence in artistic achievement. Held each May in Vancouver, Canada, the Leo Awards honour nominees and winners in 13 program categories and up to 19 craft categories...
:
Locations
This movie was filmed largely in the small town of Revelstoke, British ColumbiaRevelstoke, British Columbia
Revelstoke is a city in southeastern British Columbia, Canada. It is located east of Vancouver, and west of Calgary, Alberta. The city is situated on the banks of the Columbia River just south of the Revelstoke Dam and near its confluence with the Illecillewaet River...
in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.