The Kill-Off
Encyclopedia
The Kill-Off is a neo-noir
written and directed by Maggie Greenwald
, based on a 1957 novel of the same name
by Jim Thompson
. It was an independent film, executive produced by Lydia Dean Pilcher and shot by Declan Quinn
.
where the only action in town is a nightclub
called The Pavilion. The owner, Pete (played by Jackson Sims), can barely make the payroll
so in an effort to bring in more business, he hires a sultry stripper
named Danny Lee (Cathy Haase
).
Danny Lee's act soon turns the head of Ralph, which is not good news for his bed-ridden wife Luanne (Loretta Gross). Luanne's nasty talent is her gift for gossip
, and when she begins to suspect that Ralph has adultery
on his mind, she starts spreading more ugly rumors that have just enough basis in fact to stick. Soon things spin out of control and a wave of violence begins.
revival in the late 1980s. At that time, the film was one of three Jim Thompson novel adaptations to be made into a film within one year. The others were The Grifters
and After Dark, My Sweet
.
and at times the images shot of anyone more than a few feet from the camera can be difficult to see. As such, it mirrors the stylistic photography of the film noirs of the 1940s and 1950s.
; and other locations in New Jersey
.
, writing for the Rolling Stone
, called the film, "...a down-and-dirty thriller...". And film critic Marjorie Baumgarten liked the film and the direction of Maggie Greenwald and wrote in the Austin Chronicle
, "[the] protagonists and pernicious moral rot are well-captured in Greenwald's film version of The Kill-Off. The milieu
is compellingly perverse, and Greenwald and the actors get the seedy tone just right."
The New York Times
was less impressed. Critic Caryn James wrote, "[Thompspon's lurid drama] is tossed away by Ms. Greenwald's flaccid script and scenes so badly paced that the actors seem to be holding their breath between lines, waiting for their next cues"
Nominations
The film premiered at the Toronto Film Festival on September 12, 1989. Later, it was shown at the Sundance Film Festival
and Maggie Greenwald was awarded the Dramatic Grand Jury Prize. The film opened in a limited release on October 19, 1990 in New York City
but it was never widely shown. The film was not released onto videocassette in the United States until 2001, when Xenon Entertainment released it onto VHS. The film has yet to premiere onto DVD.
and contains very little of its dialogue. In addition, the film differs from the book in a few ways. First, the movie shows us who the murderer is where the book leaves that a mystery. Second, the movie also spares one of the characters that the book does not, thus turning the character into a moral center.
Neo-noir
Neo-noir is a style often seen in modern motion pictures and other forms that prominently utilize elements of film noir, but with updated themes, content, style, visual elements or media that were absent in films noir of the 1940s and 1950s.-History:The term Film Noir was coined by...
written and directed by Maggie Greenwald
Maggie Greenwald
Maggie Greenwald is an American film, television director and screenwriter.She is most recognized for writing and directing Songcatcher and The Ballad of Little Jo...
, based on a 1957 novel of the same name
The Kill-Off (novel)
The Kill-Off is an American crime novel by Jim Thompson first published in 1957, and reprinted by Vintage Crime/Black Lizard in 1999. The novel is a bleak tale of murder in a small, dying resort town being torn apart by gossip, racism, incest , alcoholism and financial difficulties...
by Jim Thompson
Jim Thompson (writer)
James Myers Thompson was an American author and screenwriter, known for his pulp crime fiction....
. It was an independent film, executive produced by Lydia Dean Pilcher and shot by Declan Quinn
Declan Quinn
Declan Quinn is an Irish-American cinematographer and a three-time winner of the Independent Spirit Award for Best Cinematography.Born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, Quinn is one of five children. His four siblings, the most famous of whom is Aidan, are actors...
.
Plot
The film is set in a small coastal community in New JerseyNew Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
where the only action in town is a nightclub
Nightclub
A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
called The Pavilion. The owner, Pete (played by Jackson Sims), can barely make the payroll
Payroll
In a company, payroll is the sum of all financial records of salaries for an employee, wages, bonuses and deductions. In accounting, payroll refers to the amount paid to employees for services they provided during a certain period of time. Payroll plays a major role in a company for several reasons...
so in an effort to bring in more business, he hires a sultry stripper
Striptease
A striptease is an erotic or exotic dance in which the performer gradually undresses, either partly or completely, in a seductive and sexually suggestive manner...
named Danny Lee (Cathy Haase
Cathy Haase
Cathy Haase is an American stage and film actress, writer and educator. She attended Franconia College in New Hampshire. Since 1996, she has taught acting at the School of Visual Arts in New York City....
).
Danny Lee's act soon turns the head of Ralph, which is not good news for his bed-ridden wife Luanne (Loretta Gross). Luanne's nasty talent is her gift for gossip
Gossip
Gossip is idle talk or rumour, especially about the personal or private affairs of others, It is one of the oldest and most common means of sharing facts and views, but also has a reputation for the introduction of errors and variations into the information transmitted...
, and when she begins to suspect that Ralph has adultery
Adultery
Adultery is sexual infidelity to one's spouse, and is a form of extramarital sex. It originally referred only to sex between a woman who was married and a person other than her spouse. Even in cases of separation from one's spouse, an extramarital affair is still considered adultery.Adultery is...
on his mind, she starts spreading more ugly rumors that have just enough basis in fact to stick. Soon things spin out of control and a wave of violence begins.
Cast
- Loretta Gross as Luan
- Andrew Lee Barrett as Bobbie Ashton
- Jackson Sims as Pete Pavlov
- Steve Monroe as Ralph
- Cathy Haase as Danny Lee
- William Russell as Rags
- Jorja FoxJorja FoxJorja-An Fox , is an American actress, musician and songwriter. She first came to prominence as a guest star on the television drama ER, portraying the recurring role of Dr. Maggie Doyle from 1996 to 1999. This was followed by another critical success in the recurring role of Secret Service Agent...
as Myra Pavlov - Sean O'Sullivan as The Doctor
- Ellen Kelly as Lily Williams
- Ralph Graff as Henry Williams
Production
The Kill-Off was a part of the so-called Jim ThompsonJim Thompson (writer)
James Myers Thompson was an American author and screenwriter, known for his pulp crime fiction....
revival in the late 1980s. At that time, the film was one of three Jim Thompson novel adaptations to be made into a film within one year. The others were The Grifters
The Grifters (film)
The Grifters is a 1990 neo-noir film directed by Stephen Frears and produced by Martin Scorsese. It stars John Cusack, Anjelica Huston and Annette Bening and is based upon The Grifters, a pulp novel by Jim Thompson.-Plot:...
and After Dark, My Sweet
After Dark, My Sweet
After Dark, My Sweet is a neo-noir film directed by James Foley starring Jason Patric, Bruce Dern, and Rachel Ward. It is based on the 1955 Jim Thompson novel of the same name.-Plot:...
.
Film noir look
This neo-noir is very darkly filmed by Declan QuinnDeclan Quinn
Declan Quinn is an Irish-American cinematographer and a three-time winner of the Independent Spirit Award for Best Cinematography.Born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, Quinn is one of five children. His four siblings, the most famous of whom is Aidan, are actors...
and at times the images shot of anyone more than a few feet from the camera can be difficult to see. As such, it mirrors the stylistic photography of the film noirs of the 1940s and 1950s.
Filming locations
The filming locations include: The Keansburg Amusement Park, Keansburg, New JerseyKeansburg, New Jersey
Keansburg is a borough in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 10,105.Keansburg was formed as a borough by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 26, 1917, from portions of both Middletown Township and Raritan Township ,...
; and other locations in New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
.
Critical response
The film received some good press. Critic Peter TraversPeter Travers
Peter Travers is an American film critic, who has written for, in turn, People and Rolling Stone. Travers also hosts a celebrity interview show called Popcorn on ABC News Now and ABCNews.com.-Career:...
, writing for the Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
, called the film, "...a down-and-dirty thriller...". And film critic Marjorie Baumgarten liked the film and the direction of Maggie Greenwald and wrote in the Austin Chronicle
Austin Chronicle
The Austin Chronicle is an alternative weekly, tabloid-style newspaper published every Thursday in Austin, Texas, United States. The paper is distributed through free news-stands, often at local eateries or coffee houses frequented by its targeted demographic...
, "[the] protagonists and pernicious moral rot are well-captured in Greenwald's film version of The Kill-Off. The milieu
Social environment
The social environment of an individual, also called social context or milieu, is the culture that s/he was educated or lives in, and the people and institutions with whom the person interacts....
is compellingly perverse, and Greenwald and the actors get the seedy tone just right."
The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
was less impressed. Critic Caryn James wrote, "[Thompspon's lurid drama] is tossed away by Ms. Greenwald's flaccid script and scenes so badly paced that the actors seem to be holding their breath between lines, waiting for their next cues"
Awards
Wins- Torino Film FestivalTorino Film FestivalThe Torino Film Festival is an international film festival held annually in Turin, Italy. Held every November, it is the second largest film festival in Italy, following the Venice Film Festival...
: Jury Special Prize, Maggie Greenwald; 1989.
Nominations
- Deauville Film Festival, FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
: Critics Award, Maggie Greenwald, 1989. - Sundance Film FestivalSundance Film FestivalThe Sundance Film Festival is a film festival that takes place annually in Utah, in the United States. It is the largest independent cinema festival in the United States. Held in January in Park City, Salt Lake City, and Ogden, as well as at the Sundance Resort, the festival is a showcase for new...
: Dramatic Grand Jury Prize, Maggie Greenwald; 1990.
Distribution
The producers used the following tagline when marketing the film:- The closer you look, the less you want to know.
The film premiered at the Toronto Film Festival on September 12, 1989. Later, it was shown at the Sundance Film Festival
Sundance Film Festival
The Sundance Film Festival is a film festival that takes place annually in Utah, in the United States. It is the largest independent cinema festival in the United States. Held in January in Park City, Salt Lake City, and Ogden, as well as at the Sundance Resort, the festival is a showcase for new...
and Maggie Greenwald was awarded the Dramatic Grand Jury Prize. The film opened in a limited release on October 19, 1990 in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
but it was never widely shown. The film was not released onto videocassette in the United States until 2001, when Xenon Entertainment released it onto VHS. The film has yet to premiere onto DVD.
Comparison to novel
Thompson's noted style was his ironic plots and language, yet Greenwald's film eliminates many of the intertwined plots that run through the bookThe Kill-Off (novel)
The Kill-Off is an American crime novel by Jim Thompson first published in 1957, and reprinted by Vintage Crime/Black Lizard in 1999. The novel is a bleak tale of murder in a small, dying resort town being torn apart by gossip, racism, incest , alcoholism and financial difficulties...
and contains very little of its dialogue. In addition, the film differs from the book in a few ways. First, the movie shows us who the murderer is where the book leaves that a mystery. Second, the movie also spares one of the characters that the book does not, thus turning the character into a moral center.
External links
- The Kill-Off film review by Neil Young