A Murder of Crows (1998) (V)

Director:

Rowdy Herrington

Writer (WGA):

Rowdy Herrington (written by)

Release Date:

6 July 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Thriller | Crime

Tagline:

A work of deadly fiction.

Plot:

A disbarred lawyer takes credit for a late friend's book, which becomes a smash hit but the tables turn on him sooner than he suspected.

Plot Keywords:

Book | Lawyer | Murder | Acting Coach | Automobile

Cast

Cuba Gooding Jr.	...	Lawson Russell
Tom Berenger	...	Clifford Dubose
Marianne Jean-Baptiste	...	Elizabeth Pope
Eric Stoltz	...	Thurman Parks III
Mark Pellegrino	...	Prof. Arthur Corvus
Ashley Laurence	...	Janine DeVrie
Carmen Argenziano	...	Judge Wiley Banning
Doug Wert	...	Billy Ray Richardson
Nate Adams	...	James
Jeremiah Black	...	Bailiff
Derek Broes	...	Agent Manning
Adrian Colon	...	Detective
Gaelle Comparat	...	Thurman's Girl
Tara Crespo	...	Young Woman
Anastasia Drake	...	Clerk
Renée Estevez	...	Reporter #2
Ellen Gerstein	...	Landlady
Ron Gural	...	Neighbor
Jim Hanna	...	Tulane Campus Police Officer
Eric James	...	New Orleans Police Officer
Michelangelo Kowalski	...	Con #1
Julie Letche	...	Police Officer
Sonny Mascar	...	Con #2
Jim Meskimen	...	Salesman
Lochlyn Munro	...	Norwood
Myles O'Brien	...	Reporter #1
Marisa Petroro	...	Laura (as Marisa Parker)
Nicolas Roye	...	Street Kid
Sharon Samples	...	Chief Justice
Tom Simmons	...	Con #3
Stephen Snedden	...	Secretary (as Steve Sneedon)
Shawn Suttles	...	Churkie (as Shawn C. Suttles)
Erik Thompson	...	Reporter
Deneen Tyler	...	Althea Delroy
David Willis	...	Jury Foreman
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Chad Rose	...	Policeman
Robert Peters	...	New Orleans Desk Sergeant (uncredited)
Glendon Rich	...	Attorney (uncredited)

Directed by
Rowdy Herrington

Writing credits (WGA)
Rowdy Herrington		(written by)

Produced by
Ashok Amritraj	....	producer
Derek Broes	....	executive producer
Cuba Gooding Jr.	....	producer
Tim Moore	....	line producer
Elie Samaha	....	producer
Tracee Stanley	....	associate producer
Andrew Stevens	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Steve Porcaro

Cinematography by
Robert Primes

Film Editing by
Harry B. Miller III

Casting by
Gino Havens

Production Design by
Jo-Ann Chorney

Art Direction by
Cosmas A. Demetriou
Monroe Kelly

Set Decoration by
Susan Benjamin

Costume Design by
Molly Maginnis

Makeup Department
Trisha Berenger	....	hair stylist: Mr. Berenger
Trisha Berenger	....	makeup artist: Mr. Berenger
Stacye P. Branche	....	key makeup artist (as Stacye Branché)
Tom Brumberger	....	special makeup effects artist
Denise Fischer	....	assistant hair stylist
Denise Fischer	....	assistant makeup artist
Shauna Giesbrecht	....	makeup artist: forensic photos
Mike Madde	....	special makeup effects artist
Michael Maddi	....	prosthetic makeup artist
Joan Ozment	....	assistant makeup artist: New Orleans
Denise Rossouw	....	hair stylist
Donna Spahn	....	key hair stylist: New Orleans

Production Management
Jan Kikumoto	....	post-production supervisor
Steve Larson	....	general manager
Tim Moore	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ken Goch	....	first assistant director
Hilbert Hakim	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Mike Alfonso	....	painter
Ed Alvarez	....	painter
Pedro Barquin	....	greensman: Key West
Mike R. Berman	....	set dresser
Maike Both	....	buyer
Gregory Branson	....	art department assistant
Randall S. Coe	....	construction coordinator: New Orleans
Mike Culotta	....	set dresser (as Michael Culotta)
Shannon Curfman	....	set dresser
James N. Delaplane	....	painter (as Jimmy DeLaPlane)
Bruce Di Valerio	....	construction coordinator
Kristen Gassner	....	set dresser
Joseph Genna	....	set dresser
William Lee Gillespie	....	set dresser: New Orleans
George E. Hanson	....	paint foreman (as George Hanson)
Michael Hendrick	....	set dresser: New Orleans (as Michael E. Hendrick)
John Herbert	....	lead scenic: New Orleans (as Jonn P. Herbert)
Mark Hudson	....	painter
Guy C. Johnson	....	propmaker
Jeff L. Johnson	....	labor foreman
Michael A. Johnson	....	lead man: New Orleans
Monroe Kelly	....	art director: New Orleans
Sidney J. Lambert	....	set dresser: New Orleans (as Sid Lambert)
John Landrum	....	on-set dresser
Suzy Lapick	....	property master
Steven Light-Orr	....	lead man
Patrick McGuire	....	set dresser: New Orleans (as Pat McGuire)
Todd McKibben	....	propmaker
Glen L. Means	....	propmaker
Gene Molnar	....	set dresser
Jorin Ostroska	....	assistant property master: New Orleans
'Big Merv' Perry	....	carpenter: New Orleans
Dale Saiger	....	propmaker (as Dale A. Saiger)
Beth Siegel	....	graphic designer (as Beth Siegal)
Noah Smith	....	scenic: New Orleans
Leonard R. Spears	....	set decorator: New Orleans (as Leonard Spears)
Jill Stevenson	....	assistant props
Montgomery Triz	....	scenic: Key West
Jesse Valdez	....	painter
Tom Waisanen	....	assistant property master
Steve Walters	....	paint foreman: New Orleans
Lawrence White	....	painter
Helen Wilson	....	dyer
Edward Wouters	....	general foreman
Quinn Yarbrough	....	swing gang
Todd Young	....	propmaker (as Todd A. Young)
Timothy M. Zilliox	....	swing gang
Frank Zito	....	set dresser: New Orleans

Sound Department
Denise Bell	....	sound recordist (as Denise Bell-Sawelson)
Thor Benitez	....	adr recordist
Matthew C. Beville	....	adr mixer
Dale Brown	....	sound assistant
Peter Brown	....	dialogue editor
Eddie Bydalek	....	sound recordist
Gabriel Cubos	....	boom operator
Eric Erickson	....	sound recordist (as Eric M. Erickson)
Stephen Hunter Flick	....	sound designer
Stephen Hunter Flick	....	sound supervisor
Dana Gustafson	....	foley editor
Fred Judkins	....	sound effects editor
Ryan Juggler	....	sound assistant
Shawn Kennelly	....	foley recordist (as Sean Kennelly)
Richard Lightstone	....	sound mixer
Charles Maynes	....	sound effects editor
Jon Michaels	....	assistant sound editor
Angelo Palazzo	....	sound effects editor
Kevin E. Patterson	....	cable puller (as Kevin Patterson)
Jeffrey R. Payne	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Jeffrey Payne)
Sergio Reyes	....	sound re-recording mixer
Joan Rowe	....	foley artist
Sean Rowe	....	foley artist
John P. Scott	....	second boom operator: New Orleans
B. Tennyson Sebastian III	....	sound re-recording mixer
Frank Smathers	....	dialogue editor
D. Chris Smith	....	adr mixer
Eric Thompson	....	foley mixer
Sean Uyehara	....	sound assistant

Special Effects by
David Aaron	....	special effects
Bob Cooper	....	special effects coordinator: New Orleans
Matthew Zeringue	....	special effects assistant: New Orleans

Stunts
Eric Chambers	....	stunt driver
James M. Churchman	....	stunt driver (as James Churchman)
Stephanie Finochio	....	stunt driver
Chad Rose	....	stunt double
Tierre Turner	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Marshall Adams	....	gaffer
Amy Alarian	....	electrician (as Amy J. Alarian)
David Bodin	....	grip
Raymond Brown	....	grip (as Ray Ray Brown)
Ray Brown	....	grip
Clint Buras	....	electrician: New Orleans
Salvador Camacho	....	second assistant camera: New Orleans (as Salvador B. Camacho)
Buddy Carr	....	dolly grip: New Orleans
Richard J. Cartwright	....	still photographer
Henry Christian	....	rigging electrician (as Henry Christian III)
Nicholas Cochiolo	....	grip
Steve Cooke	....	electrician
Larry Cottrill	....	electrician: New Orleans
Tony Deale	....	grip
Ian Dodd	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Ian Dodd	....	first assistant camera
Charles Edwards	....	dolly grip (as Charles 'Deacon' Edwards)
Greg Faysash	....	camera loader: Key West
Michael Goldman	....	best boy grip
Adam Harrison	....	electrician
Mark L. Hartman	....	electrician (as Mark Hartman)
Dan Hofstad	....	electrician (as Daniel Hofstad)
Jacob I. Lapin	....	key rigging grip (as Jake Lapin)
Roosevelt Larks	....	key rigging grip (as Roosevelt Larks Jr.)
Richard A. Ludt	....	grip
Steven Mann	....	additional first assistant camera (as Steven 'Manny' Mann)
Bill McCord	....	grip: New Orleans
John McCormack	....	rigging electrician (as John P. McCormack)
Scott J. McGregor	....	grip (as Scott McGregor)
Mike McLaughlin	....	electrician: New Orleans (as Michael McLaughlin)
Ralph Merzbach	....	video playback operator
Ken Metz	....	grip
Marty Mullin	....	camera operator: Key West second unit
Robert Nelson	....	grip: New Orleans
Rob Nelson	....	video playback operator
Paul Olinde	....	electrician: New Orleans
Michael Ottevanger	....	video playback operator
Aaron Pazanti	....	camera operator
Robert E. Peterson	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera, Key West
Johnny Radzik	....	grip
Manuel Reyes	....	electrician (as Manuel R. Reyes)
Freddie Saba	....	rigging electrician (as Freddie M. Saba II)
Miguel Sánchez	....	electrician
Robert J. San Martin	....	additional first assistant camera
Joel Schwartz	....	second assistant camera
William Skinner	....	electrician
Andrew Smith	....	best boy electric (as Andrew J.J. Smith)
John Smith	....	rigging gaffer
Michael L. Smith	....	best boy electric: New Orleans (as Michael Smith)
Peter M. Smith	....	electrician (as Peter Smith)
Michael Starkey	....	key rigging grip (as Mike Starkey)
Keith Talley	....	key grip
Michael Thomas	....	camera loader (as Michael E. Thomas)
Lynda Vincent	....	camera loader: New Orleans
Don Wagner	....	grip: New Orleans
Joseph P. Waguespack Jr.	....	electrician: New Orleans
Shane Weaver	....	camera loader: New Orleans
Gregory Wong	....	grip
Robert A. Wood Jr.	....	electrician
Jennifer Carlson	....	24 frame video operator (uncredited)

Casting Department
Bill Dance	....	extras casting
Anastasia Drake	....	casting assistant
Tara Kelly	....	extras casting assistant: New Orleans
Bill Marinella	....	extras casting coordinator
Mimi McDonald	....	extras casting: Key West
Tommy Staub	....	extras casting: New Orleans

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Suzanne Cranfill	....	costumer
Pamela Lee Incardona	....	set costumer: New Orleans
James Lapidus	....	costume supervisor
Edith Leblanc	....	set costumer: New Orleans
Kanani Wolf	....	costumer

Editorial Department
Douglas Kunin	....	assistant editor
Mato	....	color timer
Sean Murray	....	apprentice editor
George Pilkinton	....	avid technician
Elvio Sordoni	....	assistant editor
Michael Wertz	....	assistant editor: avid

Music Department
Brent Brooks	....	music editor
John Cevetello	....	music score mixer
Charles Choi	....	film score producer
Chuck Choi	....	additional music recording engineer

Transportation Department
Tony Barattini	....	driver
Charles W. Burdett Jr.	....	driver: New Orleans
Dale Combs	....	driver: New Orleans
Joseph Consentino	....	transportation captain
Joe Cosentino	....	transportation captain (as Joseph Cosentino)
Pat Cosentino	....	driver
Sandeman Craik	....	driver
Angel Desanti	....	driver
Dash Hart	....	driver
Geno Hart	....	transportation coordinator
William B. Hershey	....	driver: New Orleans
Earl R. Hurst Sr.	....	driver: New Orleans (as E. Hurst)
Evan M. Kavan	....	driver
Brian Kay	....	driver: New Orleans
Michael Keys	....	driver
Robert M. Kratz	....	driver
Avis Ellis Landry	....	driver: New Orleans
Larry Levine	....	driver
Johnny Loveless	....	driver
Brett N. Main	....	driver
Glen Mathias	....	second transportation captain
Tim May	....	driver
Michael McMahan	....	driver: New Orleans (as Michael Anthony McMahan)
David McMiller	....	driver: New Orleans
Gary Miller	....	driver: New Orleans
Jeffrey Moore Sr.	....	driver
Sal Navarro	....	driver
Bill Needham	....	driver
Steve Nickolai	....	driver
Kenneth Parrish	....	driver: New Orleans
Nick W. Pastrano	....	driver: New Orleans (as Nick Pastrano)
Dean Pazin	....	driver
John Pellegrino	....	driver
Adam Pinkstaff	....	driver
Glenn Snyder	....	driver: New Orleans
Leo Stefanos	....	driver
Gene Ungersma	....	driver (as Gene Angersma)
David Vaccaro	....	driver
David D.B. Wilson	....	driver (as H. David Wilson)

Other crew
Marcus Barben	....	assistant chef: New Orleans
Paul Barth	....	helicopter pilot
Paul H. Barth	....	helicopter pilot
George R. Batt	....	production assistant: New Orleans
Eric M. Bishop	....	security: Key West
Marilyn Bittner	....	assistant location manager (as Marilyn H. Bitner)
Gavin Blackwell	....	office production assistant
Ryan Bliss	....	security: Key West
George Bott	....	production assistant: New Orleans (as George R. Bott)
Lawrence Bowie	....	assistant: Rowdy Herrington (as Laurence Bowie)
Katie Bowler	....	office assistant: New Orleans
Freddy Braidy	....	office production assistant
James Braxton	....	production assistant: New Orleans
Andrew Briskin	....	animal wrangler: Key West
Tessa Brophy	....	assistant coordinator: New Orleans
Mara Buffett	....	production assistant: New Orleans
Daniel Busch	....	location production assistant
Keith Butler	....	stand-in: Cuba Gooding
Beth Buttice	....	production assistant
Arnold Caballero	....	set medic: Key West
Joseph L. Cable	....	craft service: New Orleans
Tom Cassaro	....	assistant chef
Joseph Coble	....	craft service: New Orleans
Kenneth Wells Connor	....	assistant: Derek Broes
Kristin Conrad	....	assistant production coordinator (as Kristin A. Conrad)
Robert C. Curral II	....	security: Key West
Joe D'Angelo	....	director of finance
Frank Duponty	....	security: Key West
Jane Evelyn	....	office assistant
David Falicki	....	set medic
James Flemming	....	chef
Charlie French	....	set medic: New Orleans
Edgar Garcia	....	assistant chef
Jonathan Goch	....	production assistant: New Orleans
George Halstead	....	production accountant
Ashley Haspel	....	location assistant: New Orleans
Derek Hurd	....	craft service
Denise Jackson	....	location manager: Key West
Ted Kantrow	....	location caterer: New Orleans
Alex Kivlen	....	location assistant
William Larkin	....	security: Key West
Steve Leone	....	assistant: Tom Berenger
Scott E. Logic	....	assistant chef
Jan Luce	....	script supervisor
Judy Malinoski	....	set medic
Marilyn Marchetti	....	travel coordinator
Jason Marian	....	production assistant
Destri Martino	....	production assistant
Tim Martin	....	assistant chef: New Orleans
Lyn Matsuda	....	script supervisor
Sarah McGuigan	....	craft service: Key West
Gary Miller	....	chef: New Orleans
Karl Mitchell	....	animal wrangler
Jan Wilson Morris	....	assistant: Tim Moore
Michael M. Mosley	....	craft service
Susan Muir	....	completion board
Sean Murray	....	assistant: Rowdy Herrington
Steven T. Nolan	....	power pod technician
Lyn Norton	....	script supervisor
Massimo Nouhra	....	production financing
Deborah J. Page	....	location manager
Tony Patterson	....	playback coordinator
Kim Percival	....	production coordinator
Michael Percival	....	key set production assistant
Jeffrey D. Press	....	assistant accountant
Morgan H. Rector	....	banking services (as Morgan Rector)
Randy 'Crafty' Reid	....	craft service
Amanda Roberts	....	production secretary (as Amanda K. Roberts)
George A. Romero	....	set medic
James Roque	....	production assistant: New Orleans (as James Roque Jr.)
David Schemfaub	....	set medic
Mary Shelton	....	location manager: New Orleans (as Mary Key Shelton)
Robin Smith-Martin	....	assistant coordinator: Key West
Shawn Suttles	....	production associate (as Shawn C. Suttles)
Jamin Triz	....	production assistant: Key West
Taqua Anne Turner	....	craft service: New Orleans
Jared Underwood	....	banking services
Radames Vega	....	production assistant
Bobbi Jo Wilcox	....	assistant: Tom Berenger
Kimberly Williams	....	completion board
Steve Yakal	....	security: Key West

Production Companies

• Crows Nest Films Inc.
• Franchise Pictures

Distributors

• LK-TEL (2000) (Argentina) (VHS)
• New City Releasing
• Opening Distribution (France)
• Prisvídeo (Portugal) (video)
• TradeMark Films
• TriPictures (Spain)

Other Companies

• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera cranes
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera dollies
• Imperial Entertainment Group  production financing

MPAA:

Rated R for language, nudity, a scene of strong sexuality and some violence.

Runtime:

102 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Germany:12 | South Korea:18 | Argentina:16 | Australia:MA | France:U | Norway:15 | Peru:14 | Spain:13 | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Key West, Florida Keys, Florida, USA

Company:

Crows Nest Films Inc.

Quotes:

Clifford Dubose: You're going downtown!
Lawson Russell: On what charge?
Clifford Dubose: Arrogance.

Movie Connections:

References The Warriors (1979)

Soundtrack:

Rosie Girl

Get caught up in the story and have fun

There are both good and bad reviews for this movie. The bad reviews tend to regard "believability" -- no this could probably never happen in real life. But IT IS A MOVIE. If you are hung up on thrillers having absolute realistic plots, read the newspaper instead of going to the video store.

This movie has a unique plot, which is probably my top reason for liking it. I get tired of recycled plots. The story unfolds as the movie carries on -- much like Spanish Prisoner and Usual Suspects -- there are a few twists at the end.

This is not the typical "legal thriller" ... so don't expect it to be. Suspend reality and enjoy the movie for what it is worth. I give it a 9 for originality, fun plot, keeping me interested and well-written characters.