White Sands

"The most dangerous way to solve a murder... become the victim."

1992 1h 41m EN

😐

5.9

MID

★5.9TMDB · 184

CrimeThrillerActionAdventure

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

A small southwestern town sheriff finds a body in the desert with a suitcase and $500,000. He impersonates the man and stumbles into an FBI investigation.

“The most dangerous way to solve a murder... become the victim.”

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Cast

Willem Dafoe
Deputy Sheriff Ray Dolezal
Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio
Lane Bodine
Mickey Rourke
Gorman Lennox
Samuel L. Jackson
Greg Meeker
M. Emmet Walsh
Bert Gibson
James Rebhorn
FBI Agent Flynn
Maura Tierney
Noreen
Beth Grant
Roz Kincaid

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Roger Donaldson
Writers: Daniel Pyne
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Earned back only 41% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

34 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Roger Donaldson, shot by Peter Menzies Jr.. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Patrick O'Hearn. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Nicholas Beauman shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Willem Dafoe and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio and Mickey Rourke carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "The most dangerous way to solve a murder... become the victim.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0105813 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Roger Donaldson directs. Peter Menzies Jr. behind the camera. Patrick O'Hearn scores. Nicholas Beauman cuts. A commercial under-performer on release. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Earned back only 41% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.
234 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
3Directed by Roger Donaldson, shot by Peter Menzies Jr.. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by Patrick O'Hearn. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor Nicholas Beauman shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Willem Dafoe and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio and Mickey Rourke carry the top of the cast.
7Marketing tagline: "The most dangerous way to solve a murder... become the victim.".
8IMDB entry: tt0105813 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.