Dead Silence (1997 film)

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Dead Silence
Dead Silence (1997 film).jpg
Genre
Based onA Maiden's Grave
by Jeffery Deaver
Written by Donald E. Stewart
Directed by Daniel Petrie Jr.
Starring
Composer Jonathan Goldsmith
Country of origin
  • Canada
  • United States
Original languages
Production
Executive producers
Producer John Kemeny
Cinematography Thomas Burstyn
Editor Ronald Sanders
Running time99 minutes
Production companies
Original release
Network HBO
ReleaseJanuary 11, 1997 (1997-01-11)

Dead Silence is a 1997 Canadian-American crime thriller television film directed by Daniel Petrie Jr. and written by Donald E. Stewart, based on the 1995 novel A Maiden's Grave by Jeffery Deaver. [1] [2] The film stars James Garner, Kim Coates, Marlee Matlin, and Lolita Davidovich.

Contents

Premise

A veteran FBI agent negotiates the release of a bus load of hearing impaired school children taken hostage by three desperate escaped convicts.

Release

Dead Silence premiered on HBO during January 1997. That year the film was also released on VHS in Australia, [3] the UK and several other countries.

A few months after its HBO premiere, the film was screened at the 1997 edition of the Cannes Film Festival, despite being a made for TV production. It also received a theatrical release in Japan. [2]

It was released on DVD in the USA in 2005, and in 2007 in Australia. [4]

Reception

In their June 1997 review, Variety labelled it "strictly for undemanding thriller fans", [2] and commented that, "For most of its length, Dead Silence is a routine hostage drama, though a couple of plot twists in the final reel, while implausible, enliven the hitherto mundane fodder." [2]

Cast

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryNominee(s)Result
1998 12th Gemini Awards Best Performance by an Actor in a Dramatic Program or Mini-Series Kim Coates Nominated
Best Picture Editing in a Dramatic Program or Series Ronald Sanders Nominated
Best Sound in a Dramatic Program or SeriesDavid Evans
Lou Solakofski
Orest Sushko
Dan Latour
Tony Currie
David Rose
Steve Baine
David Yonson
John Douglas Smith
Clive Turner
Nominated
Best Original Music Score for a Program or Mini-Series Jonathan Goldsmith Won

See also

Notes

  1. The character is a reference to serial killer Ted Bundy

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References

  1. Boedeker, Hal (January 11, 1997). "This 'Silence' Isn't Golden". Orlando Sentinel . Retrieved June 22, 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Stratton, David (June 15, 1997). "Dead Silence". Variety . Retrieved June 22, 2021.
  3. "Dead Silence". August 30, 2019.
  4. "Dead Silence". August 31, 2019.