“Independent to the bone…” Kino Lorber has revealed a new trailer for the 4K restoration of the American indie cinema classic Killer of Sheep, made by filmmaker Charles Burnett as his feature debut in 1978. Filmed in the Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles during the 70s, Burnett wrote, directed, produced, shot, and edited Killer of Sheep as his UCLA thesis film. Since then, the film went on to receive the Critics’ Award at the Berlin Film Festival in 1981, the U.S. Library of Congress selected the film as one of the first fifty films on the National Film Registry in 1990, and the National Society of Film Critics selected it as one of the “100 Essential Films” of all time in 2002. It’s only now getting a proper release. The film depicts the culture of urban African-Americans in Los Angeles’ Watts district in a style often likened to Italian neorealism, with a series of vignettes. This brand new 4K restoration of Killer of Sheep restores the original soundtrack in its entirety, including the original closing song, Dinah Washington’s performance of “Unforgettable.” Starring Henry G. Sanders, Kaycee Moore, Charles Bracy, and Angela Burnett. The film was re-released in 2007 after an initial restoration and licensing of the music rights, but now it’s getting a proper restoration run this year for its 48th anniversary. This is a must see on the big screen if it’s playing near you anytime. // Continue Reading ›
