The Killing of America

"The film the American authorities didn't want you to see!"

1981 1h 35m EN

👍

7.2

SOLID

⭐

7.5

IMDB

★7.2TMDB · 63★7.5IMDB · 2,716

DocumentaryCrime

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

A documentary of the decline of America, composed of archival material and exclusive footage, carnage, madness, and mayhem with an unapologetic sincerity on the factual depiction of violence in the industrialized nation of the United States. Featuring a juxtaposition of detailed accounts of terrible acts, brutal behavior, and interviews from experts and convicted killers alike.

“The film the American authorities didn't want you to see!”

WhatsApp X Facebook Telegram

Cast

Chuck Riley
Self - Narrator (voice)
Ed Dorris
Self
Thomas Noguchi
Self
Sirhan Sirhan
Self
Wayne Henley
Self
Ed Kemper
Self
Susan Atkins
Self (archive footage)
David Berkowitz
Self (archive footage)

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Sheldon Renan
Writers: Leonard Schrader, Chieko Schrader
Languages: English
Countries: Japan, 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

ERA

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 2 countries: Japan, United States of America.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Sheldon Renan, shot by Peter Smokler. 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 Mark Lindsay. 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 Lee Percy 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

Chuck Riley and Ed Dorris and Thomas Noguchi carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "The film the American authorities didn't want you to see!".

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0157894 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Sheldon Renan directs. Peter Smokler behind the camera. Mark Lindsay scores. Lee Percy cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in Japan, United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

145 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
2International production across 2 countries: Japan, United States of America.
3Directed by Sheldon Renan, shot by Peter Smokler. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by Mark Lindsay. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor Lee Percy shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Chuck Riley and Ed Dorris and Thomas Noguchi carry the top of the cast.
7Marketing tagline: "The film the American authorities didn't want you to see!".
8IMDB entry: tt0157894 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Only 63 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.
10Classified under 14 themes, including "american way of life", "snuff", "murder", "serial killer".