Citizen Verdict (2003)

Director:

Philippe Martinez

Writers:

Tony Clarke (writer)
Kristina Hamilton-Grobler (writer)
(more)

Release Date:

12 September 2003 (UK)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

Eliminate Crime!

Plot:

Marty Rockman, the notorious producer of the hit reality-TV show "So Sue Me", has a brand new concept: "Citizen Verdict"...

Plot Keywords:

Live Show | Court Trial | TV Show | Lethal Injection | Beautiful Woman

US TV Schedule:

Thur. Aug. 21

1:10 PM

TMC

Cast

Armand Assante	...	Sam Patterson
Jerry Springer	...	Marty Rockman
Roy Scheider	...	Bull Tyler
Raffaello Degruttola	...	Ricky Carr
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Gideon Emery	...	Larry Grimes
Adrian Galley	...	Dobey
Brett Goldin	...	Michael Krauss
Langley Kirkwood	...	Vince Turner
Sarah Martinez	...	The daughter
Justine Mitchell	...	Jessica Landers
Brendan Pollecutt	...	Bob White
Dorette Potgieter	...	Carlene Osway
Sheri Schifter	...	TV interviewee
Nicole Sherwin	...	Didi Rey
Paul Burton Wilson	...	Chet Salway
Sandra Binkley	...	Citizen (uncredited)
Deborah Smith Ford	...	Citizen (uncredited)

Directed by
Philippe Martinez

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Tony Clarke		writer
Kristina Hamilton-Grobler		writer (as Kristina Hamilton)
Philippe Martinez		writer
Frank Rehwaldt		writer

Produced by
Donald A. Barton	....	executive producer
Helmut Breuer	....	producer
Luc Campeau	....	line producer
Karen Alison Hamilton	....	executive producer
Alan Latham	....	co-producer
Kim Leggatt	....	executive producer
Philippe Martinez	....	producer
Stéphanie Martinez	....	co-producer
Terence Potter	....	commissioning producer: Aquarius Films
Terence S. Potter	....	executive producer (as Terry Potter)

Original Music by
Guy Farley
Christopher Slaski

Cinematography by
Michael Brierley

Film Editing by
Kristina Hamilton-Grobler		(as Kristina Hamilton)

Production Design by
Zack Grobler

Makeup Department
Beverly House	....	makeup department head

Production Management
Jens Müller	....	post-production supervisor: Germany
Oscar Verhoeve	....	post-production supervisor: Germany
Paul Burton Wilson	....	unit production manager: Florida unit
Kay Schrödelsecker	....	post-production supervisor: Germany (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Grant Nale	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Mark Auret	....	property master
William Boyes	....	stand-by props
Tracy Perkins	....	set dresser
Boris Rivett-Carnac	....	assistant property master

Sound Department
Martijn Beekers	....	dialogue editor
Gerald Cronauer	....	assistant sound mixer
Gerald Cronauer	....	dialogue editor
Gerald Cronauer	....	sound supervising assistant
Hans Dreijer	....	sound re-recording mixer
Hans Dreijer	....	sound supervisor
Dieter Hebben	....	foley artist
Marina Lerchs	....	assistant sound mixer
Achim Rhinow	....	sound designer
Achim Rhinow	....	sound editor
Marcel Schleibaum	....	foley editor
Marcel Schleibaum	....	foley recordist
Alexander Vitt	....	sound designer
Alexander Vitt	....	sound editor
Rob Whitehurst	....	sound recordist: second unit

Visual Effects by
Juergen Jensch	....	visual effects production manager: triple-e
Barbara Oeben	....	digital effects management
Matthias Schulze-Kirketerp	....	digital colorist

Stunts
Leander Lacy	....	stunt performer (as Leander Lacey)
Antony Stone	....	stunt coordinator

Editorial Department
Burdette Anderson	....	post-production executive

Music Department
John Boughtwood	....	music supervisor
Christopher Slaski	....	conductor
Christopher Slaski	....	music arranger
Christopher Slaski	....	orchestrator

Transportation Department
Peter Ndifon	....	unit transport manager

Other crew
Marco Assante	....	assistant: Armand Assante
Shawn Boyachek	....	location manager
Hans Dreijer	....	adr director
Pierre Guevremont	....	production auditor
Joline Laarman	....	assistant to director
Louise Mycielski	....	production coordinator
Hugh Spurling	....	studio executive
Jeanne Watson	....	extras coordinator

Production Companies

• Bauer Martinez Studios
• Lucky 7 Productions LLC

Distributors

• Bauer Martinez Studios
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2005) (Australia) (DVD)
• Georsia Films Ltd. (UK)
• e-m-s the DVD-Company (2006) (Germany) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Aquest GmbH  sound post-production

MPAA:

Rated R for language, sexual content and violence.

Runtime:

UK:97 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

Germany:12 | UK:15 | Australia:MA | USA:R

Company:

Bauer Martinez Studios

Quotes:

Sam Patterson: This is an atrocity. This is a travesty!

What the heck was that!?

I don't know what this film was. I don't believe I have ever seen a film quite like it before. I don't know whether it was meant to be black comedy or what. It never reached any level of humor for me, but it also was extremely poor drama. It wasn't even good melodrama.

I saw someone here refer to it as a morality play and perhaps that's what it was. If so, it never makes it's message clear.

One of the stars is Jerry Springer--who probably should not give up his day job. I don't think there is an Oscar waiting in his future. Also featured is Armand Assante, whose lips seems to have locked into a permanent case of being pursed, and Roy Scheider--looking older than God.

The story revolves around a producer, Marty Rockman (Jerry Springer), who has come up with the idea for the ultimate reality show--combined with sort of--serving justice. A man will be tried for murder and if found guilty, executed, all on television. The jury will be everyone who watches the show and votes their verdict.

The man chosen by the viewers for the trial is Ricky Carr (Ruffaello Degruttola), who is accused of raping and murdering a popular TV personality, Dolly Hamilton.

Ricky claims that he was a paid prostitute, that Dolly wanted it rough, and her death was an accident. I found Ricky Carr so unattractive in every way, I was unable to feel any sympathy for him and the idea that anyone would pay him $300.00 for sex was totally unbelievable.

Actually, none of the characters in the film are particularly likable.

The entire trial is scheduled to be only three hours. There were practically no witnesses called to the stand. The entire thing was like a caricature of a trial with the D.A. and Defense Attorney performing as if they were in the center ring of a circus.

3 stars.