Killer Image (1992 film)
Encyclopedia
Killer Image is a 1992 independent
Canadian suspense film directed by David Winning
. It starred Michael Ironside
as "Luther Kane" and John Pyper-Ferguson
as "Max Oliver". The story centers on two brothers, one a powerful senator, one a ruthless killer. A photographer captures images of the politician in a compromising position and is murdered. Now his brother has discovered the film and wants vengeance.
) learns his photographer brother has been killed, he suspects it was no random murder. And when he finds his brothers' last photos of a powerful senator (M. Emmet Walsh
) and a prostitute, Max gets a clear picture of a deadly political cover-up. Seeking to expose his brother's killer, Max enters a murderous game of cat and mouse, stalked by a cold-blooded assassin (Michael Ironside
) who has Max dead in his sights.
’s sharp stylish exploitation movie, is a triumph of first-rate technique over less than first-rate content. No one who appreciates Winning’s talent, however, can keep from hoping he’ll aim a bit higher next time. Chuck O’Leary on Rotten Tomatoes called it an implausible B thriller made watchable by Michael Ironside's portrayal of another clenched-jawed psycho.
, a distributor from Montreal, and Pierre David
, in Los Angeles, were partially funding the project, along with seed-money from the Alberta
government. The film was released in Canada
and the United States
in 1992, being distributed by Malofilm
, but did not receive a home video
release until the early 1993 thru Paramount Home Video and received its US premiere as a finalist at the 1992 Houston Film Festival.
Independent film
An independent film, or indie film, is a professional film production resulting in a feature film that is produced mostly or completely outside of the major film studio system. In addition to being produced and distributed by independent entertainment companies, independent films are also produced...
Canadian suspense film directed by David Winning
David Winning
David Winning is a Canadian and American dual Citizen film and television director, screenwriter, producer, editor, and occasional actor. Although Winning has worked in numerous film and TV genres, his name is most commonly associated with science fiction, thrillers and drama.-Biography:Winning...
. It starred Michael Ironside
Michael Ironside
Michael Ironside is a Canadian-born actor. He has also worked as a voice actor, producer, film director, and screenwriter in movie and television series in various Canadian and American productions. He is best known for playing villains and "tough guy" heroes, though he has also portrayed...
as "Luther Kane" and John Pyper-Ferguson
John Pyper-Ferguson
John Pyper-Ferguson is an Australian-born Canadian actor. He has appeared in a wide range of films and television shows. His notable works include playing Sonny Hamilton on Hamilton's Quest, Peter Hutter on The Adventures of Brisco County Jr., and Joe Whedon on Brothers & Sisters...
as "Max Oliver". The story centers on two brothers, one a powerful senator, one a ruthless killer. A photographer captures images of the politician in a compromising position and is murdered. Now his brother has discovered the film and wants vengeance.
Plot synopsis
When Max Oliver (John Pyper-FergusonJohn Pyper-Ferguson
John Pyper-Ferguson is an Australian-born Canadian actor. He has appeared in a wide range of films and television shows. His notable works include playing Sonny Hamilton on Hamilton's Quest, Peter Hutter on The Adventures of Brisco County Jr., and Joe Whedon on Brothers & Sisters...
) learns his photographer brother has been killed, he suspects it was no random murder. And when he finds his brothers' last photos of a powerful senator (M. Emmet Walsh
M. Emmet Walsh
Michael Emmet Walsh is an American actor who has appeared in over 100 film and television productions.-Life and career:Walsh was born in Ogdensburg, New York, the son of Agnes Kathrine and Harry Maurice Walsh, Sr., a customs agent...
) and a prostitute, Max gets a clear picture of a deadly political cover-up. Seeking to expose his brother's killer, Max enters a murderous game of cat and mouse, stalked by a cold-blooded assassin (Michael Ironside
Michael Ironside
Michael Ironside is a Canadian-born actor. He has also worked as a voice actor, producer, film director, and screenwriter in movie and television series in various Canadian and American productions. He is best known for playing villains and "tough guy" heroes, though he has also portrayed...
) who has Max dead in his sights.
Reception
The Calgary Herald published a review in March 1992 that said David WinningDavid Winning
David Winning is a Canadian and American dual Citizen film and television director, screenwriter, producer, editor, and occasional actor. Although Winning has worked in numerous film and TV genres, his name is most commonly associated with science fiction, thrillers and drama.-Biography:Winning...
’s sharp stylish exploitation movie, is a triumph of first-rate technique over less than first-rate content. No one who appreciates Winning’s talent, however, can keep from hoping he’ll aim a bit higher next time. Chuck O’Leary on Rotten Tomatoes called it an implausible B thriller made watchable by Michael Ironside's portrayal of another clenched-jawed psycho.
Cast
- Michael IronsideMichael IronsideMichael Ironside is a Canadian-born actor. He has also worked as a voice actor, producer, film director, and screenwriter in movie and television series in various Canadian and American productions. He is best known for playing villains and "tough guy" heroes, though he has also portrayed...
as Luther Kane - John Pyper-FergusonJohn Pyper-FergusonJohn Pyper-Ferguson is an Australian-born Canadian actor. He has appeared in a wide range of films and television shows. His notable works include playing Sonny Hamilton on Hamilton's Quest, Peter Hutter on The Adventures of Brisco County Jr., and Joe Whedon on Brothers & Sisters...
as Max Oliver - Krista ErricksonKrista ErricksonKrista Anne Errickson is an American actress, journalist, and documentary writer/producer who appeared in films and television productions in the 1980s and 1990s. As a teen actress, she is most recognized for her role as teen antagonist Cinder in the 1980 movie Little Darlings and the TV series...
as Shelley - M. Emmet WalshM. Emmet WalshMichael Emmet Walsh is an American actor who has appeared in over 100 film and television productions.-Life and career:Walsh was born in Ogdensburg, New York, the son of Agnes Kathrine and Harry Maurice Walsh, Sr., a customs agent...
as Senator John Kane - Paul Austin as Ric Oliver
- Chantelle Jenkins as Lori
Production
The film was shot in the September and October 1990 in locations in and around Calgary, Alberta. Production took 20 days. MalofilmMalofilm
Founded in 1987 by chairman and CEO René Malo in Montreal, Quebec, Malofilm was a film production company, a television and video production company and a distributor. First based on Saint-André boulevard, it moved in 1993 to Saint Laurent Boulevard. In 1995, it acquired Desclez Productions and...
, a distributor from Montreal, and Pierre David
Pierre David
Pierre David is a Canadian film producer and film financier.David is best known for executive-producing iconic films directed by David Cronenberg, such as Scanners, Videodrome, and The Brood. He is also credited as "production executive" on the Academy Award-winning film Platoon, directed by...
, in Los Angeles, were partially funding the project, along with seed-money from the Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
government. The film was released in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1992, being distributed by Malofilm
Malofilm
Founded in 1987 by chairman and CEO René Malo in Montreal, Quebec, Malofilm was a film production company, a television and video production company and a distributor. First based on Saint-André boulevard, it moved in 1993 to Saint Laurent Boulevard. In 1995, it acquired Desclez Productions and...
, but did not receive a home video
Home video
Home video is a blanket term used for pre-recorded media that is either sold or rented/hired for home cinema entertainment. The term originates from the VHS/Betamax era but has carried over into current optical disc formats like DVD and Blu-ray Disc and, to a lesser extent, into methods of digital...
release until the early 1993 thru Paramount Home Video and received its US premiere as a finalist at the 1992 Houston Film Festival.
External links
- Killer Image trailer on YouTubeYouTubeYouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
- Making of Killer Image on YouTube