Spike Lee's take on the "Son of Sam" murders in New York City during the summer of 1977 centering on the residents of an Italian-American Northeast Bronx neighborhood who live in fear and di... Read allSpike Lee's take on the "Son of Sam" murders in New York City during the summer of 1977 centering on the residents of an Italian-American Northeast Bronx neighborhood who live in fear and distrust of one another.Spike Lee's take on the "Son of Sam" murders in New York City during the summer of 1977 centering on the residents of an Italian-American Northeast Bronx neighborhood who live in fear and distrust of one another.
- Awards
- 6 nominations
- Mario
- (as Arthur Nascarella)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaSpike Lee was facing a lot of negative feedback from the family members of the victims who didn't want a film being made which might glorify the killer in some manner. As a result, the script had to be changed which focused more on the community than the killer himself. "Son of Sam" was rumored to be the original working title.
- GoofsAt the beginning of the movie, set in the summer of 1977, characters are seen dancing in a disco to the song "There But For the Grace of God Go I" by Machine. The song wasn't recorded until 1979.
- Quotes
Vinny: Come on, get in the car. Please, baby.
Dionna: Baby? Don't you dare "baby" me! I'm gonna wait here! I'm gonna wait here until somebody comes along. You know what? I'm gonna wait here until some soul brother comes along in his big black Cadillac. And you know and I know that he's got a big black dick too.
Vinny: Don't talk like that, just get inside the car.
Dionna: Oh, fuck you!
Vinny: Please, please, don't make me have to beg you. Get in the car. Come on- don't make me have to hurt you.
Dionna: Hurt me? Don't you even fuckin' lay a pinkie on me! I'll get him to kick your ass and then I'll fuck 'em! You wanna watch Vinny? Will that turn you on Vinny? You linguine dick mother fucker. You wanna watch while I suck a big black dick in the back of a big black cadillac?
- Crazy creditsThe credits are in the form of newspaper headlines.
- Alternate versionsAfter they are refused entry into Studio 54, the sex scene between Dionna (Mira Sorvino) and Vinny (John Leguizamo) included more explicit shots in the original cut. This scene was edited a bit after the MPAA threatened the film with an "NC-17" rating.
- ConnectionsEdited into Doggiewoggiez! Poochiewoochiez! (2012)
- SoundtracksFernando
Written by Benny Andersson, Stig Anderson and Björn Ulvaeus (as Bjorn Ulvaeus)
Performed by ABBA
Courtesy of Polar Music International AB
Under license from Universal Music Special Markets
The story I've just told is essentially the story told in "Summer of Sam", which I believe is Spike Lee's best film. The story takes place in the summer of 1977 in New York City, but social mores being what they are today, it could easily take place in any town in America today, right now. Replace the Son of Sam with a terrorist threat, and the situation becomes strikingly similar.
The vigilantes who beat Richie at the end of the film are beating him because he works at a gay strip club, not because they think he's the Son of Sam. They don't like his hair or his music or his friends or his attitude, but in the end the straw that breaks the camel's back is his sexuality. As the country struggles with a potential Constitutional gay marriage ban, we need to think about where our anger toward homosexuality is really coming from. Is it coming from a sense of morality, or is it coming from a sense of fear?
That's enough political mumbojumbo though. This is a stunning film, and don't let anyone tell you different. I noticed Adrien Brody in this flick long before anyone saw "The Pianist", and I said then that he was going to be a star someday. He should have gotten an Oscar nomination for his work here, as should have John Leguizamo and Mira Sorvino, Leguizamo especially. He shows range I haven't seen from him since. The script plays like an Arthur Miller stage production. Tormented protagonist, fighting battles with his own soul that he should learn to let go of. A climactic moral test of wills. Society turning on an individual out of fear and anger.
So props to Spike Lee, who may never be this good again. "Malcolm X" and "The 25th Hour" are also both really wonderful films, but for me, this one takes the cake. If you haven't seen it already, do so. A lot of people don't like it, but like Adrien Brody says in the film, you've gotta think for yourself.
- tideprince
- Dec 2, 2004
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Languages
- Also known as
- The Son of Sam
- Filming locations
- Bronx, New York City, New York, USA(On Morris Park Ave. between Williamsbridge Rd. and Bronxdale Ave.)
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $22,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $19,288,130
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $5,952,452
- Jul 4, 1999
- Gross worldwide
- $19,288,130
- Runtime2 hours 22 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1