''The Kill-Off'' is a 1989 American

crime In ordinary language, a crime is an unlawful act punishable by a State (polity), state or other authority. The term ''crime'' does not, in modern criminal law, have any simple and universally accepted definition,Farmer, Lindsay: "Crime, definiti ...

drama Drama is the specific Mode (literature), mode of fiction Mimesis, represented in performance: a Play (theatre), play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on Radio drama, radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a g ...

film written and directed by

Maggie Greenwald Maggie Greenwald is an American filmmaker. Most recognized as an independent writer and director, Greenwald’s most notable films include ''Sophie and the Rising Sun'' (2016), starring an ensemble cast that included Margo Martindale, Julianne N ...

, based on a 1957

novel of the same name A novel is an extended work of narrative fiction usually written in prose and published as a book. The word derives from the for 'new', 'news', or 'short story (of something new)', itself from the , a singular noun use of the neuter plural of '' ...

by Jim Thompson. It was an independent film, produced by Lydia Dean Pilcher and shot by

Declan Quinn Declan Quinn (born 1957) is an American cinematographer. He is a three-time winner of the Independent Spirit Award for Best Cinematography. Early life Born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, Quinn is one of four children. His mother, Teresa, was a ...

in his film debut.

Plot

In a small coastal community in

New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...

, the only action in town is a

nightclub A nightclub or dance club is a club that is open at night, usually for drinking, dancing and other entertainment. Nightclubs often have a Bar (establishment), bar and discotheque (usually simply known as disco) with a dance floor, laser lighti ...

called The Pavilion. The owner, Pete, can barely make the

payroll A payroll is a list of employment, employees of a company who are entitled to receive compensation as well as other work benefits, as well as the amounts that each should obtain. Along with the amounts that each employee should receive for time ...

so in an effort to bring in more business, he hires a sultry

stripper A stripper or exotic dancer is a person whose occupation involves performing striptease in a public adult entertainment venue such as a strip club. At times, a stripper may be hired to perform at private events. Modern forms of stripping m ...

named Danny Lee. Danny Lee's act soon turns the head of Ralph, which is not good news for his bed-ridden wife Luanne. Luanne's nasty talent is her gift for

gossip Gossip is idle talk or rumor, especially about the personal or private affairs of others; the act is also known as dishing or tattling. Etymology The word is from Old English ''godsibb'', from ''god (word), god'' and ''sibb'', the term for the ...

, and when she begins to suspect that Ralph has

adultery Adultery is extramarital sex that is considered objectionable on social, religious, moral, or legal grounds. Although the sexual activities that constitute adultery vary, as well as the social, religious, and legal consequences, the concept ...

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 Fox Jorja Fox (born July 7, 1968) is an American actress. She first came to prominence with a recurring role in the NBC medical drama '' ER'' as Dr. Maggie Doyle from 1996 to 1999. This was followed by another critical success in the recurring rol ...

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 Thompson revival in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The other Jim Thompson novels to be adapted into films were '' The Grifters'' and ''

After Dark, My Sweet ''After Dark, My Sweet'' is a 1990 American neo-noir crime thriller film directed by James Foley, and starring Jason Patric, Rachel Ward and Bruce Dern. It is based on the 1955 Jim Thompson novel of the same name. Plot Ex-boxer Kevin "Kid" ...

.'' ''The Kill Off'''s US release would arrive in the same year as the aforementioned films. Director of photography

shot the film with low lighting; at times, footage of characters more than a few feet from the camera can be difficult to see. This was done to mirror the stylistic photography of the

film noir Film noir (; ) is a style of Cinema of the United States, Hollywood Crime film, crime dramas that emphasizes cynicism (contemporary), cynical attitudes and motivations. The 1940s and 1950s are generally regarded as the "classic period" of Ameri ...

s of the 1940s and 1950s. Filming took place over a twenty-one-day schedule in January 1989 on a budget of less than $1 million. Exterior shots were filmed in the New Jersey seaside town of

Keansburg Keansburg ( )Felzenberg, Alvin''Governor Tom Kean: From the New Jersey Statehouse to the 9-11 Commission'' p. 5. Rutgers University Press, 2006. . Accessed July 25, 2012. "In 1884, after congressman and future U.S. senator John Kean, Tom Kean's ...

, where the Keansburg Amusement Park can be seen in the background. Interior scenes were filmed on sets in New York.

Release

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

Cannes Film Market Cannes (, ; , ; ) is a city located on the French Riviera. It is a commune located in the Alpes-Maritimes department, and host city of the annual Cannes Film Festival, Midem, and Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. The city is ...

on May 17, 1989. It went on to screen at the Women in Film Festival and the

Toronto Festival of Festivals The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF, often stylized as tiff) is one of the most prestigious and largest publicly attended film festivals in the world. Founded in 1976, the festival takes place every year in early September. The organi ...

that year. Later, it was shown at the 1990

Sundance Film Festival The Sundance Film Festival is an annual film festival organized by the Sundance Institute. It is the largest independent film festival in the United States, with 423,234 combined in-person and online viewership in 2023. The festival has acted ...

and Maggie Greenwald was nominated for the Dramatic Grand Jury Prize. In the UK, the film opened at the Screen on the Hill in London on February 9, 1990, grossing $8,775 in its opening week. The film was given a

limited theatrical release __FORCETOC__ Limited theatrical release is a film distribution strategy of releasing a new film in a few cinemas across a country, typically art house theaters in major metropolitan markets. Since 1994, a limited theatrical release in the Unite ...

by Cabriolet Films beginning on October 19, 1990 in

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

. It also opened in

Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

for a week on December 14, 1990 in order to qualify for

Academy Awards The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence in ...

consideration.

Home media

The film was not released onto videocassette in the United States until 1996, when

Xenon Entertainment Xenon Pictures is an American film production and distribution company which releases titles produced by African-American filmmakers for African-American audiences. The label has distribution deals with numerous prominent filmmakers, such as Melv ...

released it onto VHS. In 2014, Films Around the World released the film on a manufactured on demand DVD-R.

Reception

Critical response

Critic

Peter Travers Peter Joseph Travers (born June 27, 1943) is an American film critic, journalist, and television presenter. He reviews films for ABC News and previously served as a movie critic for ''People'' and ''Rolling Stone''. Travers also hosts the film i ...

, writing for ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. The magazine was first known fo ...

'', called the film "a daring, down-and-dirty thriller." In the ''

Austin Chronicle Austin refers to: Common meanings * Austin, Texas, United States, a city * Austin (given name), a list of people and fictional characters * Austin (surname), a list of people and fictional characters * Austin Motor Company, a British car manufac ...

'', critic Marjorie Baumgarten reviewed the film positively, writing the "protagonists and pernicious moral rot are well-captured in Greenwald's film version of ''The Kill-Off.'' The

milieu The social environment, social context, sociocultural context or milieu refers to the immediate physical and social setting in which people live or in which something happens or develops. It includes the culture that the individual was educated ...

is compellingly perverse, and Greenwald and the actors get the seedy tone just right." Critic Dennis Schwartz felt though the film "wasn’t psychologically deep, nor was it morally arresting", it succeeds at "showing a feeling of deep noir malaise", noting "It’s rare that a woman directs a noir film and especially one as hard-boiled as this one." ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'' was less impressed with the film. Critic

Caryn James Caryn James is an American film critic, journalist, university lecturer, and writer. Biography She grew up in Providence, Rhode Island, and obtained her doctorate in English literature at Brown University. She began working as a freelance jour ...

wrote, " hompson's lurid dramais 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."

Accolades

Wins *

Torino Film Festival The Torino Film Festival (also called the Turin Film Festival, TFF) 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. It was f ...

: Jury Special Prize, Maggie Greenwald; 1989. Nominations *

Deauville Film Festival The Deauville American Film Festival () is a yearly film festival devoted to American cinema, which has taken place since 1975 in Deauville, France. It was established by Lionel Chouchan, André Halimi, and then Mayor of Deauville Michel d ...

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

: Critics Award, Maggie Greenwald, 1989. *

: Dramatic Grand Jury Prize, Maggie Greenwald; 1990.

Differences from novel

In the book, the author never reveals the identity of the murderer, in contrast to the film. The film also spares one of the characters that the book does not, and turns the character into a moral center.

References

External links

* * *
''The Kill-Off''
film review by Neil Young {{DEFAULTSORT:Kill-Off, The 1989 films 1989 crime drama films 1989 independent films 1980s American films 1980s English-language films American crime drama films American independent films American neo-noir films English-language crime drama films English-language independent films Films based on American crime novels Films based on Jim Thompson novels Films directed by Maggie Greenwald Films set in New Jersey Films shot in New Jersey Films shot in New York (state)