Bang Bang You're Dead (film)
Bang Bang You're Dead is a 2002 American crime thriller drama film starring Tom Cavanagh and Ben Foster. It is based on the 1999 play of the same name by William Mastrosimone. The film was first screened publicly at the Seattle International Film Festival in June 2002.[1]
Bang Bang You're Dead | |
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Film poster | |
Directed by | Guy Ferland |
Produced by | Norman Stephens William Mastrosimone Deboragh Gabler |
Written by | William Mastrosimone |
Based on | Bang Bang You're Dead by William Mastrosimone |
Starring | Tom Cavanagh Ben Foster Randy Harrison Janel Moloney Jane McGregor David Paetkau Eric Johnson |
Music by | Reinhold Heil Johnny Klimek |
Cinematography | Robert Aschmann |
Edited by | Jill Savitt |
Production companies | |
Distributed by | Showtime |
Release date | October 13, 2002 |
Running time | 93 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Plot
16-year-old Trevor Adams (Ben Foster) attends an American high school where he is one of the outcasts harassed and humiliated by the school's jocks. Probably to attract attention, he made a false threat to bomb the school a few months ago, narrowly escaping expulsion. Since then, Trevor has been trying to fit back in to normal high school life. He joined a theater group and has been chosen to star in a school play about school shootings called Bang Bang You're Dead as the main character, Josh. After parents and the community hear of the play and its lead actor, they call for it to be canceled.
But Trevor's theater activity, alone, is not sufficient to let off the steam of his boiling resentment. Using his video camera, he has been documenting bullying at school, creating a "diary of violence".
Trevor and his friends Sean, Mark and Kurt, make plans to storm the school with guns and kill as many of the hated athletes as possible. Trevor meets Jenny, also 16, who stays by him and stands up for him. Through her, Trevor begins to doubt whether the act he plans is right.
In the end, he is the only one to realize that bloodshed only fuels more violence and hatred, and evacuates the school with his art teacher, Mr. Duncan (Tom Cavanagh). At the last minute, Trevor prevents bloodshed by overwhelming Kurt, Sean and Mark.
The film ends with the play premiering successfully, despite the initial protests of the students' parents.
Cast
- Tom Cavanagh as Mr. Val Duncan
- Ben Foster as Trevor Adams
- Randy Harrison as Sean
- Janel Moloney as Ellie Milford
- Jane McGregor as Jenny Dahlquist
- David Paetkau as Brad Larkin
- Garry Chalk as Chief Bud McGee
- Eric Johnson as Mark Kentworth
- Kristian Ayre as Kurt
- Brent Glenen as Zach
- Gillian Barber as Principal Meyer
- Eric Keenleyside as Bob Adams
- Glynis Davies as Karen Adams
- Fred Henderson as Dan Dahlquist
- P. Lynn Johnson as Tanya Dahlquist
- Richard de Klerk as Jessie
- Steven Grayhm as Michael
- Mark Holden as Officer Willow
Promotion
The song "Runaway Train" by post-grunge band Oleander was featured in the film. A music video for the song was then shot and incorporated footage from the movie. On November 19, 2002 the band released their Runaway Train EP. The film was released on DVD on January 27, 2004 without any special features.[2]
Awards
Year | Award | Title | Recipient | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
2002 | Nantucket Film Festival Audience Award |
Best Feature | Guy Ferland William Mastrosimone |
Won |
2003 | Peabody Award[3] | Area of Excellence | Showtime Networks Inc., in association with Viacom Productions Inc., and A Jersey Guys Production | |
Directors Guild of America Award | Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Children's Programs | Guy Ferland | ||
Daytime Emmy Award | Outstanding Children's Special | William Mastrosimone Norman Stephens Paul Hellerman Deboragh Gabler | ||
Outstanding Directing in a Children's Special | Guy Ferland | |||
Outstanding Performer in a Children's Special | Ben Foster | |||
Outstanding Writing in a Children's Special | William Mastrosimone | |||
Outstanding Performer in a Children's Special | Tom Cavanagh | Nominated | ||
References
- Bang Bang co director Interview
- Oleander 'Joyride' album MusicRemedy.com (2003) Archived 2008-07-26 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved on 5-12-09.
- 62nd Annual Peabody Awards, May 2003.
External links
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