| Killer of Sheep | |
|---|---|
 2007 re-release theatrical poster | |
| Directed by | Charles Burnett |
| Written by | Charles Burnett |
| Produced by | Charles Burnett |
| Starring | Henry G. Sanders Kaycee Moore Charles Bracy Angela Burnett |
| Cinematography | Charles Burnett |
| Edited by | Charles Burnett |
| Distributed by | Third World Newsreel[1] |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 80 minutes[2] |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $10,000 |
| Box office | $416,509[3] |
Killer of Sheep is a 1978 American drama film edited, filmed, written, produced, and directed by Charles Burnett. Shot primarily in 1972 and 1973, it was originally submitted by Burnett to the UCLA School of Film in 1977 as his Master of Fine Arts thesis. It features Henry G. Sanders, Kaycee Moore, and Charles Bracy, among others, in acting roles.
The film depicts the culture of urban African-Americans in Los Angeles' Watts district in a style often likened to Italian neorealism. Critic Dana Stevens described its plot as "a collection of brief vignettes which are so loosely connected that it feels at times like you're watching a non-narrative film."[4] There are no acts, plot arcs or character development, as conventionally defined.
Killer of Sheep premiered at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York on November 14, 1978.[5] It did not receive a general release because Burnett had not secured rights to the music used in its production. The music rights were purchased in 2007 for US $150,000 and the film was restored and transferred from a 16 mm to a 35 mm print. Killer of Sheep received a limited release 30 years after it was completed, with a DVD release in late 2007. The film was restored by the UCLA preservationist Ross Lipman and produced on DVD by Steven Soderbergh and Milestone Films.[6] In 1990, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".[6][7][8]
- ^ "Distributor FAQ: Third World Newsreel". Independent Magazine. October 1, 1998. Retrieved April 22, 2021.
- ^ "KILLER OF SHEEP (12A)". British Film Institute. British Board of Film Classification. September 10, 2007. Retrieved February 11, 2014.
- ^ Killer of Sheep at Box Office Mojo Retrieved February 11, 2014
- ^ "Black Sheep: A legendary film from 1977 gets its due." by Dana Stevens, Slate.com, March 30, 2007
- ^ Maslin, Janet (November 14, 1978). "Screen: 'Killer of Sheep' Is Shown at the Whitney:Nonprofessional Cast". The New York Times. Retrieved September 1, 2018.
- ^ a b Naremore, James (2017). "Charles Burnett: A Cinema of Symbolic Knowledge". Cinéaste. 42 (3): 20–23. ISSN 0009-7004. JSTOR 26356944.
- ^ "Complete National Film Registry Listing". Library of Congress. Retrieved November 18, 2020.
- ^ Gamarekian, Barbara; Times, Special To the New York (October 19, 1990). "Library of Congress Adds 25 Titles to National Film Registry (Published 1990)". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved November 18, 2020.