Part of Weekend Classics
A quiet revelation of American independent filmmaking, Charles Burnett’s lyrical debut feature unfolds as a mosaic of Black life in the Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles, where Stan (Henry Gayle Sanders), a father worn down by his job in a slaughterhouse, and his wife (Kaycee Moore) seek moments of tenderness in the face of myriad disappointments. Equally attuned to the world of children and that of adults, Burnett — acting as director, writer, producer, cinematographer and editor — finds poetry amid everyday struggles in indelible images that glow with compassionate beauty. Largely unseen for decades following its completion in 1977, KILLER OF SHEEP is now recognized as a touchstone of the groundbreaking L.A. Rebellion movement — and a masterpiece that brought Black American lives to the screen with an aching intimacy like no film before. 2x Charles Burnett – New 4K DCP Restorations
See also: THE ANNIHILATION OF FISH
KILLER OF SHEEP was restored and remastered by UCLA Film & Television Archive, Milestone Films, and the Criterion Collection.
“An American masterpiece, independent to the bone.” —Mahnola Dargis, New York Times “A film whose reputation precedes it, with its accolades piling up taller than any picture with its decades-long unavailability could possibly expect…. Beyond its well-deserved praise, the movie is a masterclass in the possibilities of filmmaking that remains just as potent as it was upon its initial release.” —Adam Grinwald, Collider “Burnett is one of film's poets. His extraordinary lyric gifts and strikingly humanistic imagery are abundantly present [in KILLER OF SHEEP]. It shouldn't be missed... A flat-out treasure, impervious to time.” —Jay Carr, Boston Globe “Burnett is profoundly uninterested in boosterism or propaganda or false optimism. He has belonged to the long tradition of prophets without honor, but he may finally be getting his due. In his peculiar and lonely fashion he's not only the most important African-American director but one of the most distinctive filmmakers this country has ever produced.” —Andrew O’Hehir, Salon
