Natural Born Killers (1994)

Country of Origin: USA
Year of Production: 1994
Running Times: 118 mins     122 mins (director's cut)
Format: black and white / Technicolor     Super 8mm     Scooptic 16mm     35mm     Betacam SP
Ratio: 1.85:1
Sound: DTS     Dolby Digital

CREW

PRODUCTION
Production Companies: Alcor Films / Ixtlan Productions / J D Productions / New Regency Pictures / Regency Enterprises / Warner Bros
Executive Producers: Arnon Milchan, Thom Mount
Producers: Clayton Townsend, Don Murphy, Jane Hamsher
Co-Producer: Rand Vossler
Associate Producers: Richard Rutowski, Risa Bramon Garcia
Unit Production Manager: Leeann Stonebreaker
Production Coordinator: Pamela Hochschartner
Assistant Production Coordinator: Carole Nix
Assistant Production Coordinator (Chicago): Angela H. Brice
Assistant Production Coordinator (Los Angeles): Leslie Godfrey

SCRIPT
Script: David Veloz, Richard Rutowski, Oliver Stone
Story: Quentin Tarantino

DIRECTION
Director: Oliver Stone
2nd Unit Director: Philip Pfeiffer
1st Assistant Director: Herb Gains
2nd Assistant Directors: Scott Senechal, Noga Isackson
2nd 2nd Assistant Director: David Venghaus Jr
DGA Trainee: Adam Rosen

PHOTOGRAPHY
Director of Photography: Robert Richardson
Time-Lapse Photographer: Wayne Goldwyn
1st Assistant Camera: Gregor Tavenner
1st Assistant Camera (Chicago): Robert C. Carlson
2nd Assistant Camera: Keith Smith, Amy Vincent
2nd Assistant Camera (Chicago): Richard Sobin
Chief Lighting Technician: Reinhart 'Rayteam' Peschke
Assistant Chief Lighting Technician: Eddy Maloney
Electrician: Brett Mabry
Key Grip: Chris Centrella
Dolly Grip: Brad Rea
Best Boy Grip: Dean M. King
Rigging Key Grip: Scott Gillis
Best Boy Rigging Grip: Michael Mendez
Colour Timer: David Orr
Stills: Sidney Baldwin
Video Assist Operator: Marty Kassab
Video Advisor: Paul Stajanovich
Cameras: Beaulieu Cine 8mm; Panavision; Sony Betacam
Camera Dollies and Cranes: Chapman / Leonard Studio Equipment Inc
Lighting: Paskal Lighting
Lab: Technicolor
Film Stock: Kodak 7276 Plus X Reversal; Kodak ASA 800

EDITING AND POST-PRODUCTION
Editors: Brian Berdan, Hank Corwin
1st Assistant Editor: Thomas J. Nordberg
Assistant Editors: Quincy Zane Gunderson, Christine Lee, Eric Whitfield, John Venzon, Julie Dole
Post-Production Supervisor: Bill Brown
Post-Production Staff Assistants: Charles R. Bunn, Calvin Wimmer
Negative Cutting: D. Bassett and Associates Inc

MUSIC
Music: Brent Lewis, Trent Reznor
Additional Music: tomandandy
Additional Music: Alban Berg (Wozzeck); Giacomo Puccini (Madame Butterfly); Carl Orff (Carmina Burana); Modest Mussorgsky (A Night on Bare Mountain)
Additional Music Performed By: Paris National Opera Orchestra and Chorus, Pierre Boulez, Walter Berry, Isabel Strauss (Wozzeck); The Sofia National Opera Chorus and Orchestra (Madame Butterfly); Prague Festival Orchestra and Chorus (Carmina Burana); Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra, J. Sandor (A Night on Bare Mountain)
Songs Performed By: L7 (Shitlist); tomandandy (Control Room; Snake Field; Love to Hank; Shower; Wild Drone; Mallory Cello; Interview); Dan Zanes (Moon over Greene County); Victor Young and His Singing Strings (La Vie en Rose); Elmer Bernstein (Black Strait Jacket); Shangri-las (Leader of the Pack); Duane Eddy (Rebel-Rouser); Duane Eddy (The Trembler; Shazam!); Patti Smith (Rock and Roll Nigger); Steven Jesse Bernstein (Me and Her Outside); Cowboy Junkies (Sweet Jane); Cowboy Junkies (If You Were the Woman and I Was the Man); Scott Grusin (Wild Plate Rubs); Bob Dylan (You Belong to Me); Richard Gibbs (Cartoonicide; B Swell); Remmy Ongala and Orchestre Super Matimila (Kipenda Roho); Patsy Cline (Back in Baby's Arms); Peter Gabriel and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan (Taboo); Jane's Addiction (Ted Just Admit It); Diamanda Galas (I Put a Spell On You; Judgement Day; Vena Cava; The Lord is My Shepherd); A.O.S. (History (Repeats Itself)); Nine Inch Nails (Something I Can Never Have; A Warm Place; Burn); Russell Means (I Will Take You Home); The Hollywood Persuaders (Drums A-go-go); Barry Adamson (On the Wrong Side of Relaxation; Under Wraps; Checkpoint Charlie; ; The Violation of Expectation); Peter Gabriel (The Heat; In Doubt); Brent Lewis and Richard Hardy (Reed My Lips); Peter Kater and R. Carlos Nakai (Earth); Juliette Lewis (These Boots are Made for Walking; Born Bad); Dr Dre (The Day the Niggaz Took Over); The Specials (Ghost Town); Sergio Cervetti (The Hay Wain); The Ramsey Lewis Trio (The In Crowd); Brent Lewis (Doom Tac A Doom); The Melvins (Spread Eagle Beagle); Marilyn Manson (Cyclops); Lard (Forkboy); Rage Against the Machine (Bombtrack; Take the Power Back); Spore (Fun); Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan Qawwal and Party (Allah, Mohammed, Char, Yaar); Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan (Nusrat 1083 / Nusrat); Not Drowning, Waving (Overlay); Kodo (Sobama Moon)
Executive Music Producer: Budd Carr
Assistant Music Supervisor: Amy Dunn
Associate Music Supervisor: Sylvia Nestor
Music Editors: Alex Gibson, Carlton Kaller
Assistant Music Editor: Denise Okimoto

SOUND
Sound Mixer: David MacMillan
Boom Operator: Steve Bowerman
Additional Sound: Lon E. Bender, Kim Waugh
Re-Recording Mixers: Christian Minkler, Michael Minkler, Tom Fleischman
Supervising Sound Editors: Michael Wilhoit, Wylie Stateman
Sound Editors: Jeff Watts, Robert Batha
1st Assistant Sound Editor: Victor Ray Ennis
Assistant Sound Editor: Phil Morrill
Dubbing Editor: Kelly Oxford
Supervising Dialogue Editor: Dan Rich
ADR Mixer: Charleen Richards
Supervising ADR Editor: Gregg Baxter
ADR Editors: Joe Mayer, Bill Voigtlander
Sound Effects Editors: Mark A. Lanza, Joseph Phillips, Peter J. Lehman, Randy Kelley
Foley Mixer: Jim Ashwill
Foley Editor: Craig Jaeger
Foley Artists: Dan O'Connel, Gary 'Wrecker' Hecker, John Cucci
Utility Sound: Kevin E. Patterson
Post-Production Sound Services: Skywalker Sound

MAKE UP AND COSTUMES
Key Make Up: Matthew W. Mungle
Make Up: John E. Jackson
Hair Designer: Cydney Cornell
Hair: Melissa Yonkey
Costume Designer: Richard Hornung
Assistant Costume Designers: Mark Bridges, Mary Zophres
Costume Supervisor: Michelle Kurpaska
Key Costumer: David Page
Key Costumer (Southwest): Eden E. Clark

SPECIAL MAKE UP EFFECTS
Special Make Up Effects: Gordon J. Smith, Matthew W. Mungle

SPECIAL EFFECTS
Special Effects Coordinator: Matt Sweeney
Special Effects Foremen: Bob Stoker, Larry L. Fuentes
Special Effects: Frank L. Pope, Jim Schwalm, Lucinda Strub, Steve Luport

VISUAL EFFECTS
Visual Effects Producer: Daniel Chuba
Visual Effects Supervisor: Rebecca Marie
Animation Producers: Paul Golden, Richard Quan
Animation Designer: Mike Smith
Lead Animator: Wendy Rogers
Animator: Cathy Wagner
Optical Effects Coordinator: Alex Olivares
Titles and Opticals: Pacific Title

DESIGN AND SET CONSTRUCTION
Production Designer: Victor Kempster
Supervising Art Director: Alan R. Tomkins
Art Director: Margery Zweizig
Set Designers: John Perry Goldsmith, Stella Furner
Set Decorator: Merideth Boswell
Property Master: Charles Stewart
Assistant Property Master: Glenn Forbes
Prop Assistant: Amie Frances McCarthy
Construction Coordinator: Rodney Armanino
General Forman: Alan Allinger
Stand-By Carpenter: Wendell A. 'Bud' Hill II
Lead Scenic Artist: Dale Haugo
Lead Set Painter: John Kelly
Stand-By Painter: Bill Darrow
Art Department Coordinator: Tana Bishop
Lead Man (Chicago): Troy Borisy
Lead Man (Southwest): Wayne Shepherd

MISCELLANEOUS
Script Supervisors: Barbara Stoia, Deirdre Horgan
Post-Production Accountant: Nicholas Irwin
Payroll Accountant: Denyse Rossi
1st Assistant Accountant: Sue Schnulle Murphy
2nd Assistant Accountant: Jerri Whiteman
Accounting Assistant: Debra Hill
Producers' Representative: Arthur Manson
Controller: Barbara-Ann Stein
Set Production Assistants: Christopher T. Solmssen, Paul Prenderville): Paul Byrne Prenderville
Set Production Assistants (Chicago): Lee Solomon, Christopher Medak
Set Production Assistant (Southwest): Yolande Geralds
Office Staff Assistants: George Patterson, Lisa Ullmann
Staff Assistants: Benjamin Von Nagel, Cee Moravec, Ian Calip, Todd Lent
Production Secretary: Braden Kuhlman
Production Secretaries (Chicago): Diana Latham, Rose Hlaing
Production Secretary (Southwest): Paula Zimmer
Assistant to Don Murphy: Justin Stanley
Assistant to Oliver Stone: Azita Zendel
Assistant to Clayton Townsend: Mindy Cole
Assistant to Jane Hamsher: Amy Tindell
Transportation Coordinator: Dusty Saunders
Transportation Captains: Daniel W. Brizendine, Peter Chittell
Transportation Captain (Chicago): Richard Deangelo
Transportation Co-Captain (Chicago): Calvin Chin
Driver: Michael Avallon
Unit Publicist: Michael Singer
Research and Clearance: Susan G. Reifer
Stock Footage Researcher: Ron Towery
Production Physician: Christian Renna
Dialogue Coach: Nadia Venesse
Animal Wrangler: Southwest: Tom Berto
Snake Wrangler: Rick Little
Technical Advisors: Captain Dale Dye; Warriors Inc
Director, Illinois Department Of Corrections: Howard Peters
Deputy Director, Adult Institutions, Illinois Department Of Corrections: Leo Meyer
Warden, Joliet Correctional Center, Illinois Department of Corrections: Keith Cooper
Warden, Stateville Correctional Center, Illinois Department of Corrections: Salvador A. Godinez
Catering: Gala Catering Inc
Publicity: M / S Billings Publicity Ltd; The Pogachefsky Company

LOCATIONS
Locations: Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA; Arizona, USA; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Farmington, New Mexico, USA; Gallup, New Mexico, USA; Hammond, Indiana, USA; Illinois State Prison, Stateville, Illinois, USA; Rio Grande Gorge Bridge, Taos, New Mexico, USA; San José, New Mexico, USA; Shiprock, New Mexico, USA; Winslow, Arizona, USA
Location Manager: Jacolyn J. Baker
Assistant Location Manager: Jay Lehrfeld
Assistant Location Manager (Chicago): James J. Klekowski
Assistant Location Managers (Southwest): P.J. Connolly, Barbara Simpson

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Special Thanks: Anne Iverson; Dean Nakano; Fred Wyche; Howard Fabrick; Phil Krone; Stanley White

STUNTS
Stunt Coordinator: Phil Neilson
Stunt Doubles: Timothy P. Trella, Janet Paparazzo
Stunts: Eddie J. Fernandez

CASTING
Casting: Risa Bramon Garcia, Billy Hopkins, Heidi Levitt
Chicago Casting: Jane Alderman
Southwest Casting: Sally Jackson
Casting Assistants: Laurel Miller, Mikella Kievman
Southwest Casting Assistant: Ronnie Hollis
Casting Associates: Mary Vernieu, Suzanne Smith
Chicago Casting Associate: Erica Arvold

CAST

O-Lan Jones (Mabel)
Woody Harrelson (Mickey Knox)
Juliette Lewis (Mallory Knox)
Ed White (Pinball Cowboy)
Richard Lineback (Sonny)
Lanny Flaherty (Earl)
Carol-Renee Modrall (short-order cook)
Rodney Dangerfield (Mallory's dad)
Edie McClurg (Mallory's mom)
Sean Stone (Kevin)
Jerry Gardner (work boss 1)
Jack Caffrey (work boss 2)
Leon Skyhorse Thomas (work boss 3)
Robert Downey Jr (Wayne Gale)
Corinna Everson (TV Mallory)
Dale Dye (Dale Wrigley)
Edward 'Doogie' Conna (Gerald Nash)
Evan Handler (David)
Kirk Baltz (Roger)
Terrylene (Julie)
Maria Pitillo (Deborah)
Josh Richman (soundman)
Matthew Faber (kid 1)
Jamie Harrold (kid 2)
Jake Beecham (kid 3)
Saemi Nakamura (Japanese kid 1 / Japanese reporter)
Seiko Yoshida (Japanese kid 2)
Jared Harris (London boy)
Katharine McQueen (London girl)
Salvator Xuereb (French Boy #1)
Natalie Karp (French girl)
Emmanuel Xuereb (French boy #2)
Jessie Rutkowski (Young girl)
Sally Jackson (Mickey's mom)
Phil Neilson (Mickey's dad)
Brian Barker (young Mickey)
Corinna Laszlo (Emily)
Balthazar Getty (gas station attendant)
Tom Sizemore (Detective Jack Scagnetti)
Red West (cowboy sheriff)
Gerry Runnels (Indian cop)
Jeremiah Bitsui (young Indian boy)
Russell Means (old Indian)
Lorraine Farris (Pinky)
Glen Chin (druggist)
Pruitt Taylor Vince (Kavanaugh)
Tommy Lee Jones (Dwight McClusky)
Everett Quinton (Wurlitzer)
Steven Wright (Dr Emil Reingold)
Peter Crombie (intense cop)
John M. Watson Sr (Black Inmate)
Joe Grifasi (Duncan Homolka)
Douglas Crosby (Mallory's guard 1)
Carl Ciarfalio (Mallory's guard 2)
Marshall Bell (deputy 1)
Melinda Renna (Antonia Chavez)
Jim Carrane (Smithy)
Bob Swan (Napalatoni)
Louis Lombardi (Sparky)
Robert Jordan (WGN newscaster)

PLOT SUMMARY

Mickey and Mallorya are on the run and out of control. As they travel Route 666, they slaughter anyone they coem across in a blaze of violence that's lapped up and glorified by the media which turns them into serial killing superstars.

CAPSULE REVIEW

Natural Born Killers is less a film in the accepted sense, and more of a primal rant on the part of its director. And on that level, it succeeds admirably. Talk Radio (1988) may have been an infinitely better attempt by Stone to critique the media, but Natural Born Killers is the more angry of the two - and like most outbursts of anger, it often lacks focus, intent and clarity. It also has an unfortunate tendency to hammer home its point when a little more subtlety would have sufficed. Still, some of the imagery is stunning and the cumulative effect of the dizzying techniques and unrestrained violence is exhilerating. Almost - but not quite - a masterpiece.

AVAILABILITY

Argentina
Theatrical Distributors: Warner Bros.
Video Distributors: Argentina Video Home

Germany
Theatrical Distributors: Warner Bros. GmbH

Japan
Laserdisc Distributors: Warner Home Video (NJWL-12345)

Spain
Theatrical Distributors: Warner Bros Española S.A.

USA
Theatrical Distributors: Warner Bros
Video Distributors: Warner Home Video; Vidmark Entertainment (Director's Cut)
Laserdisc Distributors: Warner Home Video (13228); Pioneer (PSE 96-75)
DVD Distributors: Trimark Home Video (Special Edition VM 7292D); Warner Home Video (Oliver Stone Collection 18535); Warner Home Video (Oliver Stone Collection 10-Pack 25714); Warner Home Video (Oliver Stone Collection 6-Pack 25714)

CENSORSHIP HISTORY

Argentina
Rating: 18

Australia
Rating: R

Belgium
Rating: KNT

Canada
Rating: R

Chile
Rating: 18

Finland
Rating: K-16

France
Rating: -16

Germany
Rating: 18

Hong Kong
Rating: III

Iceland
Rating: 16

Ireland
Rating: 18

Mexico
Rating: C

Netherlands
Rating: 16

Norway
Rating: 18

Portugal
Rating: M/12

South Korea
Rating: 18

Spain
Rating: 18

Sweden
Rating: 15

UK
Rating: 18

USA
Rating: R; unrated (Director's Cut)

AWARDS

1994
Camerimage, Poland
Golden Frog (Robert Richardson) - nominated

Venice Film Festival, Italy
Pasinetti Award Best Actress (Juliette Lewis) - winner
Special Jury Prize (Oliver Stone) - winner

1995
Golden Globes, USA
Best Director - Motion Picture (Oliver Stone) - nominated

MTV Movie Awards, USA
Best Kiss (Juliette Lewis, Woody Harrelson) - nominated
Best On-Screen Duo (Juliette Lewis, Woody Harrelson) - nominated

TIMELINE

1994
August
26: USA - theatrical release

September
21: France - theatrical release

October
6: Australia - theatrical release
7: Denmark - theatrical release
14: Finland - theatrical release
21: Spain - theatrical release
27: Germany - theatrical release
28: Sweden - theatrical release

November
10: Argentina - theatrical release

1995
January
25: USA - laserdisc release (Warner Home Video (13228))

February
17: Poland - theatrical release
24: UK - theatrical release

July
Day Unknown: Japan - laserdisc release (Warner Home Video (NJWL-12345))

1996
July
Day Unknown: USA - laserdisc release (Pioneer (PSE 96-75))

2000
January
24: USA - DVD release (Trimark Home Video (Special Edition VM 7292D))

2001
January
16: USA - DVD release (Warner Home Video (Oliver Stone Collection (18535); Warner Home Video (Oliver Stone Collection 10-Pack 25714); Warner Home Video (Oliver Stone Collection 6-Pack 25714))

2004
April
8: UK - television broadcast (on Sky Movies 3)
13: UK - television broadcast (on Sky Movies 9)

POSTER TAGS

The Media Made Them Superstars.

In the media circus of life, they were the main attraction.

A bold new film that takes a look at a country seduced by fame, obsessed by crime and consumed by the media.

ALTERNATIVE TITLES

Asesinos natos - Spanish title
Asesinos por naturaleza - Argentinian / Mexican title
Assassini nati - Italian title
Assassinos Natos - Portugese title
Assassinos por Natureza - Brazilian title
Rojena morilca - Slovenian title
Syntyneet tappajiksi - Finnish title
Született gyilkosok - Hungarian title
Tueurs nés - French title
Urodzeni mordercy - Polish title

LINKS

INCLUDES FOOTAGE FROM
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
Captain Sindbad (1963)
Frankenstein (1931)
Night of the Lepus (1972)

FOOTAGE INCLUDED IN
Tales from the Hood (1995)

SEE ALSO
Little Nicky (2000)
Plump Fiction (1997)
Unnaturally Born Killers (1996)

REFERENCES

PERIODICALS

epd Film vol.11 no.11 (1 November 1994) pp.42-43 (Germany)
review (by Georg Seeßlen)

Première October 1994 p.42 (France)
review (by Christian Jauberty)

Studio September 1994 p.17 (France)
review (by Laurent Tirard)

NEWSPAPERS

Svenska Dagbladet 28 October 1994 (Sweden)
review (Oliver Stone missar maalet by Elisabeth Soerenson)

KEYWORDS

american indians, bridges, deserts, diners, drugs, gore, horses, incest, jails, journalism, the media, prisons, prison riots, rabbits, rape, rattlesnakes, revenge, rings, riots, road movie, satire, serial killers, sex, splatter, strangulation, surrealism, television

Last Updated: 22 October, 2009