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Summer of Sam (1999)
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Overview
User Rating:
Release Date:
2 July 1999 (USA) moreTagline:
The summer of '77 was a killer........ morePlot:
Spike Lee's take on the "Son of Sam" murders in New York City during the summer of 1977 centering on the residents of an Italian-American South Bronx neighborhood who live in fear and distrust of one another. | add synopsisAwards:
4 nominations moreNewsDesk:
(2 articles)
Mira Sorvino: Stars Have Sex On Screen (From WENN. 28 August 2001)
Spike Lee: Sports Writer
(From WENN. 20 March 2001)
User Comments:
A Flashy Departure For Spike Lee... moreCast
(Cast overview, first billed only)| John Leguizamo | ... | Vinny | |
| Adrien Brody | ... | Richie | |
| Mira Sorvino | ... | Dionna | |
| Jennifer Esposito | ... | Ruby | |
| Michael Rispoli | ... | Joey T | |
| Saverio Guerra | ... | Woodstock | |
| Brian Tarantina | ... | Bobby Del Fiore | |
| Al Palagonia | ... | Anthony | |
| Ken Garito | ... | Brian | |
| Bebe Neuwirth | ... | Gloria | |
| Patti LuPone | ... | Helen | |
| Mike Starr | ... | Eddie | |
| Anthony LaPaglia | ... | Detective Lou Petrocelli | |
| Roger Guenveur Smith | ... | Detective Curt Atwater | |
| Ben Gazzara | ... | Luigi |
Additional Details
MPAA:
Rated R for strong graphic violence and sexuality, pervasive strong language and drug use.Parents Guide:
View content advisory for parentsRuntime:
142 minCountry:
USAColor:
Color (Technicolor)Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 moreCertification:
Canada:18+ (Ontario) | USA:R (certificate #36756) | Iceland:16 | Belgium:16 (video rating) | Singapore:R21 (cut) | USA:NC-17 (original rating) | Argentina:18 | Australia:R | Chile:18 | Finland:K-16 | France:-12 | Germany:16 | Japan:R-15 | New Zealand:R18 | Norway:15 | South Korea:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | Portugal:M/18 | Malaysia:(Banned) | Philippines:R-18Fun Stuff
Trivia:
The "I am the monster" letters read in the film are word-for-word recreations of those that the real Son of Sam wrote to Jimmy Breslin. moreGoofs:
Anachronisms: In shots of CBGBs, many of the punk extras have piercings in their tongues etc. Tongue piercings were first performed by Gauntlet in San Francisco, and not popularized until the '80s. Similar stories are true of eyebrow piercings and many others. During the late 70s and most of the '80s, piercings as featured in the movie had little to do with the punk scene, but were embraced by the gay/S&M scene. moreSoundtrack:
Don't Go Breaking My Heart moreFAQ
If David Berkowitz was the "son" of Sam, who was Sam?Any recommendations for other movies similar to "Summer of Sam"?
Is "Summer of Sam" based on a book?
more
more
Message Boards
Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Summer of Sam (1999)| Recent Posts (updated daily) | User |
|---|---|
| TALKING DOG | ndiezel |
| Song help | wraggio |
| Really Bad... | MrImportant |
| Ruby's rich date | keywestmusicinc |
| Vinny the jealous cheater | mandmguess |
| subliminal message in summer of sam | supacist |
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Spike Lee goes berserk with SUMMER OF SAM, a twisted revisiting of the Son of Sam killings, New York, 1977. Lee steps away from his usual message pictures depicting the differences between blacks and whites and plunges us into the small Italian neighborhood within the largest city in the United States that serial killer David Berkowitz terrorized for months. The "Son of Sam" himself (played by Michael Badalucco) is placed in the back seat and Lee presents a community and an era for that matter in complete chaos.
SUMMER OF SAM has its good points and its bad points. We get to know this locale very well whether we like it or not. The characters who populate the neighborhood are funny, sad, and stupid all at the same time. You get a feel for the smells and the language of that time in that place. 1977 was the year of Disco's peak, the uprising of British punk rock (represented well by the Adrien Brody character "Ritchie"), and the Yankees were on top of the baseball world. These characters are truly nuts in their vigilante approach to finding the killer. Hell, Reggie Jackson (#44) may be the .44 caliber killer.
Aside from seeing into a sometimes gripping and stupefying world of violence and flash, the film does go overboard many times. Lee continuously rams the sex aspect of the period into our minds and Berkowitz is not seen or known enough. I did not expect a Berkowitz bio at all, however a more focused look at the killer would have proved more effective. The relationship between "Vinny" and "Dionna" (John Leguizamo and Mira Sirvino) is well-done, but over-told. True, "Vinny" is the movie's central character, but he has barely a redeeming quality and is a hard-headed product of his environment.
The cinematography and overall sound of SUMMER OF SAM is awesome. It looks grimy when it should and the use of The Who on the soundtrack is emotionally rousing, especially during the inevitable climax. I liked the picture mostly for cinematic reasons than for historical or emotional ones. The fictional neighborhood pieces are not as good as the small glimpses of Berkowitz, who does indeed chat with dogs. It did remind me in many ways of Lee's DO THE RIGHT THING, but this film has a larger canvas to paint. It works despite the shortcomings.
RATING: ***