The Killing Machine (1994 film)

Last updated
The Killing Machine
The Killing Machine (1994) poster.jpg
Original poster art
Directed byDavid Mitchell
Written by
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyDavid Pelletier
Edited byDavid Buder
Music byRonald J. Weiss
Production
companies
Amritraj Entertainment
Richmond House
Release dates
September 1994 (Canada)
January 1995 (U.S.)
Running time
100 minutes
CountryCanada
LanguageEnglish
BudgetCAD$750,000

The Killing Machine, also known as The Killing Man, is a 1995 Canadian psychological thriller film written and directed by David Mitchell, starring Jeff Wincott and Michael Ironside. In it, an amnesiac contract killer seeking to escape the clutches of a shadowy government agency allies with a whistleblower, who may have uncovered a conspiracy regarding the human engineering of the AIDS epidemic.

Contents

Plot

Professional hitman Harlin Garrett is left for dead, the victim of a hit orchestrated by his mafia employers after they decide he has outlived his usefulness to them. He wakes up in a secluded facility under the watch of a covert government agency led by a menacing man only known as Mr. Green. Garrett, who is amnesiac and initially has no recollection of his violent proclivities, is coaxed and trained into killing again on the agency's behalf.

This time, his mission is to wipe out various activists who have ties to HIV research or the homosexual community. Garrett's key target is scientist Ann Kendall, who seems to have proof that the spread of the virus has been enabled by the government. But Garrett, who has been tasked with seducing Kendall before killing her to find out how much she knows, ends up falling for her and turns against his new employers.

Cast

Production

The Killing Machine was the first of several Jeff Wincott starrers from Canadian producer Damian Lee, following a string of vehicles with fellow Canadian producer Pierre David. Unlike David's films, which were made in the U.S., those were shot in Canada. The Killing Machine was filmed in the Toronto area between December 4 and December 23, 1993. [1] The picture had a modest budget of CAD$750,000. [2] The actor reported being ill-at-ease with some of the film's nudity, which caused him to botch a few takes due to his nervousness. [3] Although he did not technically direct the film, Lee still took the possessory credit "a Damian Lee picture". As with other films in this informal series, Lee also provided production services through his company Richmond House. [4] The film is dedicated to the memory of popular Toronto film figure Janet Good, longtime owner of Canadian Motion Picture Equipment Rentals, who had a few cameos in earlier Lee productions. [5]

Release

The film received theatrical distribution in its native Canada in the form of a touring regional release from Cinépix/Famous Players Distribution. It was shown in the Toronto area in late September 1994 [6] [7] and the Vancouver area in early November, [8] before a slightly longer run in Montreal in the second half of December, which benefited from some adverts in the press. [9] The home video release, which was promoted by some local media appearances from Wincott, followed on January 4, 1995, from sister company C/FP Video. [3] [2]

In the U.S., the film premiered on home video in the third week of January 1995 under the alternate title The Killing Man, via A-Pix Entertainment. [10]

Reception

In his column for the New York Daily News , genre critic Joe Kane praised the film as a "reel surprise" and "a lean, mean existentialist thriller", praising Ironside's performance and Mitchell's dark script. [10] TV Guide found particular fault with the film's use of homosexuality and HIV as plot devices, and assessing: "Although the villain of this muddled piece is a reactionary, [...] what's truly unsettling is how callously this numbskull action pic uses the plague of contemporary times as a plot-prop for human carnage and macho flag-waving." [11] The British Film Institute's magazine Sight and Sound took the opposite stance and argued that "this low-key release confounds the view that martial arts/action genre is the last bastion of male prejudice". It called the screenplay "part sci-fi fantasy, part radical political rant" and the picture "an unexpected, enjoyable treat". [12]

Soundtrack

The soundtrack features the songs "Adura" by Hunter/Greer and "Merry-Go-Round" by Big Faith, two projects from former Red Rider guitarist Ken Greer, who went on to score a pair of later Lee/Wincott efforts, No Exit and When the Bullet Hits the Bone . Actress Callista Carradine also contributes a song entitled "Walk Through Fire". [13]

Later films

Wincott appeared in a series of four more vehicles for Lee and Amritraj: The Donor , Law of the Jungle , No Exit and When the Bullet Hits the Bone. Those were directed by Lee himself. In 2006, Mitchell produced and directed The Ultimate Killing Machine, a film that explores broadly similar themes of government-engineered human weapons in a more horrific tone, although there is no direct narrative continuity between the two. [14]

Related Research Articles

Michael Anthony Claudio Wincott is a Canadian actor. His deep, raspy voice has often led to his being cast in villainous roles.

<i>Night Heat</i> Canadian police crime television series

Night Heat is a Canadian police crime drama series that aired on both CTV in Canada and CBS in the United States. Original episodes were broadcast from 1985 to 1989. Night Heat was the first Canadian original drama series that was also aired on a United States television network during its original broadcast. It was also the first original, first-run drama series to be aired during a late night time slot on a television network in the United States.

<i>No Exit</i> (1995 film) Canadian film

No Exit is a 1995 Canadian action film directed by Damian Lee, starring Jeff Wincott, Sven-Ole Thorsen, Richard Fitzpatrick, Joseph Di Mambro and Guylaine St-Onge. Wincott stars as an anti-violence academic who ends up killing a man responsible for the loss of his unborn child, and is abducted by a millionaire to star in his illegal, fight-to-the-death TV program. In the U.S., the film was re-titled Fatal Combat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeff Wincott</span> Canadian actor (born 1956)

Jeffrey Wincott is a Canadian actor and martial artist best known for his lead role in the television series Night Heat.

Killing machine may refer to:

Jalal Merhi is a Brazilian-born Lebanese-Canadian martial artist and filmmaker. As a competitor, he was a regular on the tournament scene in the late 1970s to mid 1980s. As a film and television producer, he owns the Film One company, and previously owned a studio located at the Donlands Theatre in Toronto.

<i>Snake Eater II: The Drug Buster</i> 1990 film by George Erschbamer

Snake Eater II: The Drug Buster, also known as Snake Eater's Revenge, is a 1990 action film directed by George Erschbamer, starring Lorenzo Lamas, Larry B. Scott and Michele Scarabelli. It is the sequel to 1989's Snake Eater. Lamas returns as ex-Marine Jack "Soldier" Kelly, who teams with new sidekick "Speedboat" to protect an inner city neighborhood from drug traffickers.

When the Bullet Hits the Bone is a 1996 Canadian thriller film written, produced and directed by Damian Lee, starring Jeff Wincott, Michelle Johnson, Douglas O'Keeffe and Torri Higginson. It concerns a doctor who turns vigilante after nearly dying in a gang-related shooting, only to discover a vast conspiracy linking the government to the importation of narcotics. In the U.S., it was broadcast as part of the Showtime anthology Roger Corman Presents.

<i>Deadly Heroes</i> 1994 film by Menahem Golan

Deadly Heroes is a 1993 Israeli–Canadian action film directed by Menahem Golan, starring Michael Paré, Jan-Michael Vincent and Billy Drago. Paré stars as a former Navy SEAL trying to rescue his wife from a terrorist group who fled with her to North Africa after he attempted to thwart their attack on a Greek airport. Available date listings suggest that Deadly Heroes was the last 21st Century Film Corporation production released during the company's existence, although Crime and Punishment was belatedly released in 2002 by another entity.

<i>Universal Soldier II: Brothers in Arms</i> 1998 television film directed by Jeff Woolnough

Universal Soldier II: Brothers in Arms is a 1998 Canadian—American made-for-television science fiction film directed by Jeff Woolnough and starring Matt Battaglia, Chandra West, Jeff Wincott and Gary Busey. It is the second installment in the Universal Soldier franchise. The film recasts all returning characters and introduces a long-lost brother to the hero, played by Wincott. It was followed in the same year by Universal Soldier III: Unfinished Business. In 1999, Universal Soldier: The Return, a theatrical sequel once again starring Jean-Claude Van Damme, retconed the plotline of the TV sequels.

<i>Universal Soldier III: Unfinished Business</i> 1999 television film directed by Jeff Woolnough

Universal Soldier III: Unfinished Business is a 1998 American made-for-television science fiction film directed by Jeff Woolnough and starring Matt Battaglia, Chandra West, Jeff Wincott, Richard McMillan, and Burt Reynolds. Like Universal Soldier II: Brothers in Arms, none of the actors or crew of the original returned, but most of the cast and crew from the first sequel are present. In 1999, a theatrical sequel starring Jean-Claude Van Damme again, Universal Soldier: The Return, ignored the plotline of the two sequels.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rose & Ruby Productions</span> Canadian sports promotion and film production company

Rose & Ruby Productions, also known as Rose and Ruby Pictures, was a Canadian sports promotion and film production company founded in 1977. It was one of the country's notable producers of televised sports programming before establishing itself as a purveyor of genre movies in the 1980s and early 1990s. For much of its history, the company was anchored by directors Damian Lee and David Mitchell.

<i>The Donor</i> 1995 Canadian film

The Donor is a 1995 Canadian medical thriller film produced and directed by Damian Lee, starring Jeff Wincott and Michelle Johnson. Inspired by a popular urban legend, it features Wincott as a man searching for one of his kidneys, which has been stolen from him following a one-night stand.

<i>Law of the Jungle</i> (1995 film) 1996 film by Damian Lee

Law of the Jungle, also known as Jungle Law, is a 1995 Canadian martial arts film film written, produced and directed by Damian Lee, starring Jeff Wincott, Paco Christian Prieto and Christina Cox. Wincott stars as a lawyer who has fallen on hard times, and must fight in underground tournaments organized by a mobster (Prieto) who was once his childhood friend. The film was retitled Street Law for its U.S. release.

<i>Last Man Standing</i> (1995 film) 1995 film by Joseph Merhi

Last Man Standing is a 1995 American action film written, produced and directed by Joseph Merhi, starring Jeff Wincott, Jillian McWhirter, Jonathan Fuller and Jonathan Banks. Wincott and McWhirter star as a cop and his banker wife, caught in a crossfire between a gang of robbers who clean Los Angeles' vaults and the husband's corrupt colleagues, who are in league with the bandits.

<i>Cyberjack</i> (film) 1995 film by Robert Lee

Cyberjack is a 1995 Canadian–Japanese science-fiction action film directed by Robert Lee, starring Michael Dudikoff, Brion James and Suki Kaiser. Dudikoff stars as a traumatized cop turned janitor trying to stop a violent anarchist terrorist from injecting himself with a revolutionary techno-organic virus, which would make him all-powerful. For its North American video release, the film was retitled Virtual Assassin.

<i>The Swordsman</i> (1992 film) 1992 film by Michael Kennedy

The Swordsman is a 1992 Canadian fantasy action film directed by Michael Kennedy, starring Lorenzo Lamas, Claire Stansfield and Michael Champion. Lamas stars as a police detective tasked with finding a stolen sword said to have once belonged to Alexander the Great, while coming to grips with the fact that he may well be the reincarnation of said ancient monarch.

<i>Gladiator Cop</i> 1994 film by Nick Rotundo

Gladiator Cop, also known as Gladiator Cop: The Swordsman II, is a 1994 Canadian fantasy action film directed by Nick Rotundo, starring Lorenzo Lamas, James Hong, George Touliatos and Claire Stansfield. While branded as a sequel in some territories, it is a reboot of 1992's The Swordsman, and reuses a significant amount of footage from that film.

<i>Red Sun Rising</i> (film) 1994 film directed by Francis Megahy

Red Sun Rising: Based on the Legend of the Death Touch, or just Red Sun Rising, is a 1994 fantasy martial arts film directed by Francis Megahy, starring Don "The Dragon" Wilson, James Lew, Terry Farrell, Mako and Michael Ironside. Wilson plays a Japanese cop who travels to Los Angeles and teams up with a reluctant American counterpart (Farrell) to track down the gang responsible for the murder of his partner, whose hitman (Lew) is an expert in the ancient art of the death touch.

<i>Back in Action</i> (1994 film) 1994 film by Steve DiMarco and Paul Ziller

Back in Action is a 1994 Canadian action film directed by Steve DiMarco and Paul Ziller, starring Billy Blanks, Roddy Piper, Bobbie Phillips and Nigel Bennett. Blanks and Piper play contrasting types on a mission to take down a criminal cartel who threatens the former's sister, and killed the latter's police partner.

References

  1. ↑ Zekas, Rita (November 24, 1993). "Star gazing". The Toronto Star. p. D1  – via newspapers.com (subscription required).
  2. 1 2 Riches, Hester (December 10, 1994). "The Next Action Hero". Vancouver Sun. p. B4  – via newspapers.com (subscription required).
  3. 1 2 Inwood, Damien (January 3, 1995). "Nude scene made him 'nervous'". The Province. Vancouver. p. B4  – via newspapers.com (subscription required).
  4. ↑ "Projects: Films". hdsound.fr. Retrieved 22 January 2024.
  5. ↑ Peredo, Sandra (May 16, 1970). "It's never too late for success". The Canadian Magazine/Star Weekly. Toronto. p. 9.
  6. ↑ "Famous Players showtimes". The Toronto Star. September 27, 1994. p. B7  – via newspapers.com (subscription required).
  7. ↑ "Famous Players showtimes". The Toronto Star. September 28, 1994. p. D3  – via newspapers.com (subscription required).
  8. ↑ "Famous Players showtimes". Surrey/North Delta Leader . 6 November 1994. p. B6  – via newspapers.com (subscription required).
  9. ↑ C/FP Distribution (December 16, 1994). "The Killing Machine advert". The Gazette. p. C4  – via newspapers.com (subscription required).
  10. 1 2 "Martial-smart 'The Killing Man' delivers a deft chop to the system". Daily News. New York. January 11, 1995. p. 35  – via newspapers.com (subscription required).
  11. ↑ "The Killing Man: Review". TV Guide. Retrieved May 29, 2023.
  12. ↑ Kermode, Mark (February 1995). "Killing Machine". Sight and Sound. Vol. 5 (new series), no. 2. London: British Film Institute. p. 59.
  13. ↑ "The Killing Machine: Soundtracks". imdb.com. Retrieved April 2, 2023.
  14. ↑ Newman, Kim (September 2017). "UKM: The Ultimate Killing Machine (2006)". Video Dungeon: The Collected Reviews. London: Titan Books. ISBN   9781783299393.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.