Plot
Spike Lee's take on the "Son of Sam" murders in New York City during the summer of 1977 centering on the residents of an Italian-American South Bronx neighborhood who live in fear and distrust of one another.
Release Year: 1999
Rating: 6.6/10 (21,088 voted)
Critic's Score: 67/100
Director:
Spike Lee
Stars: John Leguizamo, Adrien Brody, Mira Sorvino
Storyline Spike Lee's take on the "Son of Sam" murders in New York City during the summer of 1977 centering on the residents of an Italian-American South Bronx neighborhood who live in fear and distrust of one another.
Writers: Victor Colicchio, Michael Imperioli
Cast: John Leguizamo
-
Vinny
Adrien Brody
-
Richie
Mira Sorvino
-
Dionna
Jennifer Esposito
-
Ruby
Michael Rispoli
-
Joey T
Saverio Guerra
-
Woodstock
Brian Tarantina
-
Bobby Del Fiore
Al Palagonia
-
Anthony
Ken Garito
-
Brian
Bebe Neuwirth
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Gloria
Patti LuPone
-
Helen
Mike Starr
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Eddie
Anthony LaPaglia
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Detective Lou Petrocelli
Roger Guenveur Smith
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Detective Curt Atwater
Ben Gazzara
-
Luigi
Taglines:
The summer of '77 was a killer........
Release Date: 2 July 1999
Filming Locations: Bronx, New York City, New York, USA
Box Office Details
Budget: $22,000,000
(estimated)
Opening Weekend: $7,991,450
(USA)
(4 July 1999)
(1536 Screens)
Gross: $19,283,782
(USA)
(12 September 1999)
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Did You Know?
Trivia:
When Joey and Brian go to CBGB to search for Richie, there is a band playing called "L.E.S Stitches". They are an actual punk band started in the early 90's in NYC.
Goofs:
Anachronisms:
While Vinny and Richie are sitting in a diner and the two guys in pink shirts are hassling them, the song "Psycho Killer" is heard as if on the diner's jukebox. The album (Talking Heads 77) upon which the song is featured wasn't released until Sept of 1977.
Quotes: Anthony:
Yeah, they suck really good. Just like you, Ruby. Ritchie:
Come on. Relax. Ruby:
Yeah, I learned from your mother, dick. Anthony:
You gonna let your sister talk that way to me? Brian:
She's my half-sister. Ritchie:
Come on. Get lost.
User Review
The Son of Sam story is an effective backdrop
Rating: 9/10
I really enjoyed this movie. The Son of Sam killings are just a backdrop to
a slice-of-life story in New York City in the summer of 1977. I believe
that Spike Lee wanted to tell a story about the seventies - the excesses of
sex, drugs and the desperation of the times. He chose a summer that stood
out in the minds of the people who lived through it because of the record
heat, the murders and the blackout. The Son of Sam killer was in one sense
a strongly contrasting back drop and in another sense an extreme sign of the
times. David Berkowitz was out of control and driven by invisible demons,
but that could be said of the main character Vinnie. The difference between
the two could almost be reduced to a matter of degree. I was struck by the
part of the story where a group of friends thought the killer was one of
their own because he was into punk rock and same-sex sex for money. Their
misunderstanding of the killer seemed startling in light of what we know
about serial killers today, but was dead on for the time. Spike Lee reminds
us with this movie how much damage is done when we allow ourselves to be
driven by our ignorance and fear. He makes us uncomfortable, of course, but
the lesson rings so true. As far as the direction went, I thought that it
was classic Spike Lee with a little taken from some other popular young
directors, but if someone imitates something good and does it well, I don't
complain. My favorite scene is where the punk rocker character Richie does
a porno dance to The Who. The soundtrack is also pretty good, by the way.
I gave the movie a 9 out of 10.
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