The Knife That Killed Me (film)

The Knife That Killed Me
Directed byKit Monkman
Marcus Romer
Screenplay byMarcus Romer
Kit Monkman
Based onThe Knife That Killed Me
by Anthony McGowan
Produced byThomas Mattinson
Alan Latham
StarringJack McMullen
Reece Dinsdale
Haruka Abe
Andrew Dunn
Oliver Lee
Charles Mnene
Josh Brown
Thomas Teago
Rosie Goddard
Andrew Ellis
Alfie Stewart
Reece Douglas
Richard Crehan
Distributed byUniversal Pictures (UK)
Focus Features (US)
Release date
  • 24 October 2014 (2014-10-24)
Running time
95 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish
Budget£3 million

The Knife That Killed Me is a 2014 British drama film that was funded as a Kickstarter project.[1] The story about a teenage boy who becomes involved in knife crime was adapted from the novel by Anthony McGowan.[2] It was filmed in York, North Yorkshire in a purpose-built green screen stage at GSP Studios (at the former ARTTS International film school) at Bubwith,[3] entirely on green screens.[2] Production began in mid-February 2012[3] and filming began in mid-April.[4] The film was released on 24 October 2014.

A casting call for the role of Paul was posted on 26 October 2011[5] and another for 'Yorkshire-based teenagers' was posted on 9 January 2012;[6] the latter also states that Jeremy Zimmerman was the casting director.

Cast

  • Jack McMullen as Paul Varderman, the protagonist of the film and from whose memories it is created[4]
  • Reece Dinsdale as Paul's Dad
  • Haruka Abe as Serena
  • Andrew Ellis as Bates
  • Richard Crehan as Kirk
  • Alfie Stewart as Stevie
  • Rosie Goddard as Maddy
  • Grace Meurisse Francis as Freak
  • Andrew Dunn as Mr Boyle
  • Katherine Dow Blyton as Mrs Botharm
  • Jamie Shelton as Roth, Paul's friend, the school bully, and the catalyst for conflict[7]
  • Reece Douglas as Mickey
  • Thomas Teago as Compson and Goddo Gang Member
  • Carl Anscombe as Goddo Gang Member
  • Oliver Lee as Shane
  • Sarah Baxendale as Shane's Mum
  • Natalie Gavin as Marlene
  • Charles Mnene as Goddo
  • Josh Brown as Billy
  • Josh Benson as Kevin
  • Andrina Carroll as Mrs Eel
  • Kerron Darby as Miller
  • Sarah Poyzer as Paul's Mum
  • Millie Romer as Kirsty
  • Tom Collins as Tariq
  • Coco Hoyle-Ansett
  • Lewis Greenwood as Freak

Soundtrack

The soundtrack was composed by Tom Adams [8]

Reception

The film received mixed reviews. Wendy Ide of The Times described it as "an experimental British drama... with a densely intensive visual verve."[9] Leslie Felperin of The Guardian praised the film's stylized look [1]

The film will also experience its Italian debut in the specialist youth selection of the Rome Film Festival.[10]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Felperin, Leslie (23 October 2014). "The Knife That Killed Me review – earnest, anti-violence school drama". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 November 2014.
  2. ^ a b "Feature Adaptation of 'The Knife That Killed Me' Underway". Retrieved 2012-04-13.
  3. ^ a b "Universal Pictures Film to be Produced in York". Retrieved 2012-02-04.
  4. ^ a b "Filming starts on The Knife That Killed Me". Retrieved 2012-04-18.
  5. ^ "Feature film casting call". Retrieved 2011-10-26.
  6. ^ "Feature film casting call for Yorkshire-based teenagers". Retrieved 2012-01-09.
  7. ^ "The Knife That Killed Me". 2008. Archived from the original on 2016-03-07.
  8. ^ "The Knife That Killed Me (2014) - IMDb". IMDb.
  9. ^ Ide, Wendy (October 24, 2014). "The Knife That Killed Me". The Times. pp. Film Reviews. Retrieved 12 November 2014.
  10. ^ "International Rome Film Festival - INDEPENDENT AND PARALLEL SIDEBARS: Alice nella città". www.romacinemafest.it. Archived from the original on 2012-07-08.