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Cockfighter (1974) -- Southern action drama film about cockfighting.
Cockfighter (1974) -- Southern action drama film about cockfighting.

Overview

User Rating:
7.4/10   601 votes
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Director:
Monte Hellman
Writers:
Charles Willeford (novel)
Charles Willeford (screenplay)
Contact:
View company contact information for Cockfighter on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
August 1974 (USA) more
Genre:
Drama more
Tagline:
He came into town with his cock in hand, and what he did with it was illegal in 49 states.
Plot:
Southern action drama film about cockfighting. full summary | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
more
NewsDesk:
(4 articles)
Cinema Retro Presents Monte Hellman: The Lost Interview
 (From CinemaRetro. 28 December 2009, 8:00 AM, PST)
Culture Zohn Off the C(H)uff: Roger Corman and His Oscar
 (From Huffington Post. 12 November 2009, 9:08 PM, PST)
User Reviews:
One of those great films made before stars mattered more (25 total)

Cast

  (in credits order) (complete, awaiting verification)
Warren Oates ... Frank Mansfield
Richard B. Shull ... Omar Baradansky

Harry Dean Stanton ... Jack Burke

Ed Begley Jr. ... Tom Peeples
Laurie Bird ... Dody White Burke

Troy Donahue ... Randall Mansfield
Warren Finnerty ... Sanders
Robert Earl Jones ... Buford
Patricia Pearcy ... Mary Elizabeth
Millie Perkins ... Frances Mansfield
Steve Railsback ... Junior
Tom Spratley ... Mister Peeples
Charles Willeford ... Ed Middleton
Pete Munro ... Packard
Kermit Echols ... Fred Reed
Ed Smith ... Whipple
Jimmy Williams ... Buddy Waggoner
John Trotter ... Hansen
Lois Zeitlin ... Lucille
Joe Bentley ... Peach Owen
A.B. Greeson ... Pete Chocolate
Bob Hannah ... Deputy sheriff (as Bob Earl Hannah)
Sara Rickman ... Martha Middleton
Meg Brush ... Mary Elizabeth's mother
Oliver Coleman ... Senator Foxhall
Donnie Fritts ... Gangleader - old man mask
Bobby Dunn ... Gambler
Kim Bernard ... Gambler
Ank Carleton ... Captain Mack
Billy Abbott ... Referee
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Dickey Betts ... Cigarette mask (uncredited)
Steven Gaydos ... Nixon mask (uncredited)
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Directed by
Monte Hellman 
 
Writing credits
(in alphabetical order)
Charles Willeford  novel "Cockfighter"
Charles Willeford  screenplay

Produced by
Roger Corman .... producer
Samuel W. Gelfman .... co-producer
 
Original Music by
Michael Franks 
 
Cinematography by
Néstor Almendros 
 
Film Editing by
Lewis Teague 
Monte Hellman (uncredited)
 
Casting by
Michael Chinich 
Don Phillips 
 
Art Direction by
Charles L. Hughes  (as Charlie Hughes)
Pat Mann 
 
Production Management
Peter Cornberg .... production manager
 
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Don Walters .... first assistant director
 
Art Department
Ed Turney .... props
 
Sound Department
Lee Alexander .... sound mixer
Richard Bryce Goodman .... boom operator
Kendrick Sweet .... sound effects
 
Camera and Electrical Department
Laurie Bird .... still photographer
Leslie Otis .... first assistant camera
Larry Robertson .... grip
Tom Skarda .... best boy
Bill Tharp .... key grip
Hal Trussell .... gaffer
 
Costume and Wardrobe Department
Linda Civitello .... assistant wardrobe
Carol Hammond .... wardrobe
Patty Shaw .... wardrobe
 
Editorial Department
Hal Harrison .... assistant editor
 
Other crew
Leonard Allen .... location coordinator
Frances Doel .... script girl
Frances Doel .... script supervisor (as Frances Kimbrough)
Steven Gaydos .... production assistant
John Trotter .... technical advisor
Bob Watkins .... production assistant
Lois Zeitlin .... production assistant
 
Crew believed to be complete


Production CompaniesDistributors
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Additional Details

Also Known As:
Born to Kill
Gamblin' Man
Wild Drifter
more
Parents Guide:
Add content advisory for parents
Runtime:
83 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Color (Metrocolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.33 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono
Certification:
Australia:M | Norway:16 | Spain:18 | USA:R
Filming Locations:
Juliette, Georgia, USA more
Company:
Artists Entertainment Complex more

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
The film has never been released in the UK and was recently banned from public showing at the 2006 Edinburgh Film Festival following intervention by the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SSPCA). According to the BBFC the movie would never receive a UK certificate as the film contravened the Cinematograph Films (Animals) Act 1937 because the cockfighting scenes were organized for the purpose of filming. more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in Final Exam (1981) more

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User Reviews

   (Review this title)
7 out of 7 people found the following review useful.
One of those great films made before stars mattered, 14 February 2001
8/10
Author: smegthat from Topeka, Kansas

"Cockfighter" is not an easy movie. It doesn't have one of those carbon-copy scripts that you can write like cheap romance novels. It doesn't have characters that cater to what the stars think will make them look good. There is no spoon-feeding here.

Just re-released for sale on tape (and DVD), this film is now available again for those who like to watch a movie that honestly takes you someplace that few of us have ever been. Warren Oates plays a character who lives by a moral code much like the people in the pulp westerns and detective stories -- a man's honor is shown by his actions, and his willingness to see his convictions through to whatever end may come. After letting his pride destroy his chance of winning a high honor amongst cockfighters, he takes a vow of silence that will last until he earns that honor.

While the scenes of actual cockfights can be distressing, they are essential to showing the viewer the main character's struggle as well as his obsession. When the character's love interest is added to the equation, the story takes on an epic quality formerly reserved for tales of a knight trying to win the love of his lady and the respect of his peers.

Perhaps that may be giving the film too much credit, but I don't think so. While there are plenty of exploitational elements to draw a wide audience, the actual meat of the film is a man seeking redemption and honor.

Find this movie. Watch it. Enjoy it. And see if it doesn't stick in your mind a heck of a lot longer than the average contemporary "Hollywood" movie.

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Message Boards

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Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Any know of any more cockfighting movies besides Cockfighter? stephenrodriguez
LOOKING FOR A DVDR OF THE OOP ANCHOR BAY RELEASE gressos
Politically correct morons... tnsporty883
German language podcast on Cockfighter tom-strillo
Movie Poster eyeballkid02
DVD onelinedrawing
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