Killer of Sheep
(1977)

Director: Charles Burnett

Key Cast: Henry G. Sanders, Kaycee Moore, Charles Bracy, Angela Burnett, Eugene Cherry and Jack Drummond,

Rating: Not Rated

Genre(s): Drama

"Killer of Sheep" Movie Trailer

"Killer of Sheep" is a critically-acclaimed movie by Charles Burnett.

"Killer of Sheep" is about an African American man named Stan (Henry G. Sanders), who works at the slaughterhouse in the Los Angeles area where they kill sheep. He lives in Watts,  is married and has two children. However, his life is not all that he wants it to be.

As you follow Stan in "Killer of Sheep," you learn more about his life, his desires, his family and his friends. Shot in Black and White, "Killer of Sheep" also provides a good feel for African-American life in Watts during the early seventies.

This highly-acclaimed film was made using everyday people, not actors. The director, Charles Burnett, used friends and family to make the film. It was shot over a series of weekends and Burnett used it to help get his Master's degree in Film at the University of California at Los Angeles. (UCLA)

"Killer of Sheep" was shown underground for many years because it was hard to get the approvals for all of the music that is used in the movie. The director, Charles Burnett, uses music from a large variety of entertainers including such notables as Etta James, Dinah Washington and Earth, Wind & Fire.

It wasn't until the UCLA Film & Television Archive decided to restore the movie and get approval for all the rights that "Killer of Sheep" was finally made available on DVD for public viewing.

"Killer of Sheep" is considered a masterpiece and was selected for inclusion in the U.S. Library of Congress National Film Registry. It is one of the few films made by an African-American director that is included in the National Registry.

• Because of problems with getting music rights, "Killer of Sheep" was not released in theatres for over thirty years.  It received limited theatre release in 2007 and was then made available on DVD for the first time in late 2007.

• Charles Burnett directed, wrote and produced this film.  He spent an entire year filming it on weekends in 1972 and 1973.  He eventually used it as his Master of Fine Arts thesis for the University of California, Los Angeles School of Film.

• Many notable African-American musicians and singers are a part of the soundtrack for Killer of Sheep, such as, Dinah Washington, Paul Robeson, Louis Armstrong and Earth, Wind & Fire.

• Charles Burnett stated that he also wanted to film’s soundtrack to reflect the history of African-American music which is why he used a variety of different songs from different eras.

• Because of budget constraints, Charles Burnett used family and friends to film "Killer of Sheep."

Buy Killer of Sheep: The Charles Burnett Collection
"Killer of Sheep" is the much heralded film by African-American
film director, Charles Burnett.

This film was unavailable for 30 years until it was digitally
restored by the UCLA Film and Television Archives.

This two-disc DVD set also contains another Charles Burnett film,
"My Brother's Wedding."

More DVD Extras!
Three short films: Several Friends, The Horse, When It Rains
Documentary about the making of "Killer of Sheep"
Commentary with Charles Burnett and Richard Pena.

 
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These are other movies that have been directed by Charles Burnett. If you like "Killer of Sheep",
might also consider some of these other Charles Burnett movies.
(Click on the movie title for details.)

Nightjohn  

The Glass Shield  

Selma, Lord, Selma