Killer of Sheep, a film set (and filmed) in Watts in the 70s, was made by Charles Burnett as his MFA thesis for less than $10,000. According to Ann Hornaday's article in The Washington Post, it was originally panned, then became "a legend in film circles as one of the most astonishing directorial debuts in American cinematic history." It has never received widespread distribution, however, due at least in part to the expensive rights to the film's blues and jazz music. The print has now been restored by the UCLA Film & Television Archive and the film is in limited release in the U.S. Originally intended for a short run at the E Street Cinema in Washington, it has been held over. It's also playing at the IFC Center in Manhattan until June 21. A list of screening locations over the coming months, the trailer, and reviews are available on the film's website, as is this synopsis:
Killer of Sheep examines the black Los Angeles ghetto of Watts in the mid-1970s through the eyes of Stan, a sensitive dreamer who is growing detached and numb from the psychic toll of working at a slaughterhouse.
Frustrated by money problems, he finds respite in moments of simple beauty: the warmth of a coffee cup against his cheek, slow dancing with his wife in the living room, holding his daughter. The film offers no solutions; it merely presents life — sometimes hauntingly bleak, sometimes filled with transcendent joy and gentle humor.
Note that it's not available at Netflix or Blockbuster, so check out that list of screenings!
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