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40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks
Touchstone Pictures
Not part of a collection.
No one is safe from Son of Sam.
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 Northeast Bronx neighborhood who live in fear and distrust of one another.
John Chard
Mar 28, 2020 · via TMDB
There's a homicidal maniac wandering around the neighbourhood. You don't want to do anything about it? Summer of Sam is directed by Spike Lee and Lee co-writes the screenplay with Victor Colicchio and Michael Imperioli. It stars John Leguizamo, Adrien Brody, Mira Sorvino, Jennifer Esposito, Michael Rispoli, Saverio Guerra, Brian Tarantina, Al Palagonia, Ken Garito, Bebe Neuwirth and Michael Badalucco. Music is by Terence Blanchard and cinematography by Ellen Duras. It was met with some indifference upon release, for many film fans went into it expecting another "Se7en" type serial killer thriller. What we get is Spike Lee doing a clinical character piece of how the residents in a South Bronx neighbourhood react to having a serial killer in their midst. It's 1977 and it's the time of the "Son of Sam" murders in New York City, mistrust and vile character traits start to come to the fore... Lets face it, Spike Lee is often about as subtle as a sledgehammer over the head, but when it comes to characterisations - particularly when it comes to New York - he's one of the best around. He positively revels in dropping a group of unsound characters into a pressure cooker atmosphere and let them play out their respective human fallibilities. Who else could run a concurrent strand of a serial killer with a serial adulterer and produce such edgy and sly rewards?. The musical backdrop to the plotting gives us the move from disco into the punk explosion, with the juxtaposition between good friends - Leguizamo's disco dancing philanderer and Brody's (excellent) punk rocker turning gay tricks to pay for his musical aspirations - proving to be more pivotal than "Son of Sam" (Badalucco off the chain) himself. All while the "hood" lowlifes gather themselves as an army to seek out the serial killer themselves, which unfortunately means anyone remotely not in their circle of friends is a suspect!. It's no Lee masterpiece, for it's a touch too long and could have been trimmed by 15 minutes of pointless sexual exposition, while it sometimes feels like Lee is stuck between blaxploitation verve and mainstream appeasing ticket selling. Yet it's a bold piece of film making, with some genuinely jaw dropping sequences within. Prepare for a film that's big on characters during the reign of a serial killer and you might just appreciate Summer of Sam much more. 8/10
User reviews courtesy of TMDB.
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Amazon Video
Apple TV Store
Google Play Movies
YouTube
Fandango At Home
John Leguizamo
Vinny
Adrien Brody
Ritchie
Mira Sorvino
Dionna
Jennifer Esposito
Ruby
Michael Rispoli
Joey T
Brian Tarantina
Bobby Del Fiore
Al Palagonia
Anthony
Ken Garito
Brian
Bebe Neuwirth
Gloria
Patti LuPone
Helen
Mike Starr
Eddie
Anthony LaPaglia
Detective Lou Petrocelli
Roger Guenveur Smith
Detective Curt Atwater
Ben Gazzara
Luigi
Joe Lisi
Tony Olives
Arthur J. Nascarella
Mario
John Savage
Simon
Michael Badalucco
Son of Sam
Spike Lee
John Jeffries
Lucia Grillo
Chiara
Nelson Vasquez
Officer Cruz
Michael Imperioli
Midnite
Victor Colicchio
Chickie
Peter Maloney
Detective Timothy Dowd
Christopher Wynkoop
Sam Carr
John Turturro
Harvey the Black Dog (voice)
Jim Jensen
Anchorman
Phil Rizzuto
Yankee Broadcaster (voice)
Reggie Jackson
Reggie Jackson
Danielle Burgio
Girl in Parked Car
Peter Epstein
Chuckie
Joseph Lyle Taylor
Ron
Kim Director
Dee
Bill Raymond
Father Cadilli
Michael Sorvino
Bowler at Diner
Phil Campanella
2nd Bowler at Diner
William H. Burns
Officer
Ernest Mingione
Officer
Frank Fortunato
Doorman
Murielle Arden
Simon's Female Friend
Clayton J. Barber
Punk
Joie Lee
Bed Stuy Woman Interviewed
Evander Holyfield
Man in Riot
Jodi Michelle Pynn
Young Woman Shot by Son Of Sam
Jennifer Badger
Woman Victim
Nick Oddo
Husband
Gabriel Barre
Johnny Nasso
Rozie Bacchi
Brian's Girlfriend
Iris Braydon
Lady in Car Window
Nicholas Lundy
Art Direction
Ellen Kuras
Director of Photography
Ruth E. Carter
Costume Design
Otis Sallid
Choreographer
Chuck Jeffreys
Stunts
David S. Lomax
Stunts
Jay Carrado
Stunts
Roy Farfel
Stunts
Spike Lee
Director
Geeta Gandbhir
Assistant Editor
Barry Alexander Brown
Editor
Michael Imperioli
Executive Producer
Tuffy Questell
Extras Casting Assistant
Rafael Osorio
Key Set Production Assistant
Rodney "Bear" Jackson
Key Set Production Assistant
Jon Kilik
Producer
Spike Lee
Producer
Jon Kilik
Production Manager
Terence Blanchard
Conductor
Terence Blanchard
Original Music Composer
Michael Imperioli
Writer
Spike Lee
Writer
Victor Colicchio
Writer
Shelter
The Town
Torment
Lady Sings the Blues
Helter Skelter
Dream Lover
The Raven
Ek Villain
Fort Apache, the Bronx
Titane
A Murder of Crows
Diggers
The Gray Man
Paradise Alley
The Hills Run Red
Face
Albert Fish: In Sin He Found Salvation
The Circle
How to Be a Serial Killer
Sex, Party and Lies
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Once Upon a Time in America
The Departed
Taxi Driver
Casino
The Boondock Saints
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Natural Born Killers
State of Grace
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Hannibal
Suburbia
Red Riding: The Year of Our Lord 1974
Gotti
Cruising
The Valachi Papers
John Doe: Vigilante
Rise of the Footsoldier 3
Sin City: A Dame to Kill For
Cop
Jun 28, 1999
New York City, New York
Jul 2, 1999
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Bicara Cinta
2020
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1965
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Battle your watched movies head-to-head
Community Top Movies
Evil Dead II
1987 · 14 wins
The Dark Knight
2008 · 14 wins
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1978 · 13 wins
Final Destination
2000 · 12 wins
Halloween II
1981 · 11 wins
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