Some Folks Call It a Sling Blade (1994)

Director:

George Hickenlooper

Writer:

Billy Bob Thornton (writer)

Release Date:

23 November 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Short | Drama | Thriller

Plot:

Twenty-five years after commiting a double murder, Karl Childers is going to be released from an institution for the criminally insane...

Plot Keywords:

Nudity | Cross Dresser | Sexist | Mental Hospital | Cult Favorite

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Billy Bob Thornton	...	Karl Childers
Molly Ringwald	...	Teresa Tatum
J.T. Walsh	...	Charles Bushman
Jefferson Mays	...	Gerry Woolridge
Suzanne Cryer	...	Frances
Abby Abernathy
Brent Briscoe
Otto Coelho		(as Otto Coecho)
Abe Dalool
Ron Livingston
Aaron Wheeler
Bill Boll
Chester Dent
Bill Sprague
Joey Bilow
Mark Gimbrere
Michael Beugg		(as Michael D. Beugg)
Linda Beugg
Trevor A. Tarr
Mike Herman
Glennon Schneider
Kevin Hell
Doug Hart		(as Rod Beaumont)
Carlos Sanchez
Anthony Guneratne
Nikywa Prevost
Beth Ruggiero
Rosalie Barron
Dewitte Briggs
Jude Barron
Kevin Hudnell
Mark Sellors
Lincoln Schlei
Joel Milner
Brent J. Williams

Directed by
George Hickenlooper

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Billy Bob Thornton		writer

Produced by
Michael Beugg	....	co-producer
Kevin Hell	....	executive producer
Mike Herman	....	executive producer
George Hickenlooper	....	producer
Kevin Hudnell	....	producer
Adam Lindemann	....	producer
Bradford L. Schlei	....	executive producer (as Brad Schlei)

Original Music by
Bill Boll

Cinematography by
Kent L. Wakeford		(as Kent Wakeford)

Film Editing by
Henny Bouwmeester
George Hickenlooper

Art Direction by
Deborah Smith

Costume Design by
Matthew Jacobsen

Makeup Department
Hila Amrani	....	assistant hair stylist
Hila Amrani	....	assistant makeup artist
Elena Arroy	....	hair stylist
Elena Arroy	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Glennon Schneider	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Juanita Dias Costa	....	second assistant director
Jeffrey A. Fisher	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Gregory Arnett	....	assistant art director
Arnd Stockhausen	....	property master

Sound Department
Mike Gitman	....	sound mixer
Yehuda Maayan	....	boom operator (as Juda Maayan)
Peter V. Meiselmann	....	production sound mixer
Peter V. Meiselmann	....	sound designer
Gary Shepherd	....	sound editor

Camera and Electrical Department
John Enbom	....	camera loader
Steve Goedde	....	set photographer
Stuart Hanna	....	grip
Ralph Harwin	....	electrician
Ralph Harwin	....	grip
Evan A. Nesbitt	....	first assistant camera
Maggie Robison	....	electrician
Jim Sanfilippo	....	gaffer
Jamie Sterra	....	second assistant camera
George Steward	....	best boy grip
John A. Strubbe	....	key grip (as John Strubbe)
Eric Trageser	....	first assistant camera

Editorial Department
Juanita Dias Costa	....	editorial department
W.M. Grimes	....	editorial department
Douglas O. Hart	....	editorial department
Howard Lavick	....	editorial consultant
Ray Morfino	....	color timer

Other crew
Frank Buckner	....	assistant to director
Mark Gimbrere	....	production assistant
Linda Kwan	....	script supervisor
Margaret Stevens	....	production coordinator
Tracy Young	....	caterer

Distributors

• MVP Home Entertainment Inc. (1997) (USA) (VHS)
• Vanguard International Cinema (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Vanguard International Cinema (2002) (USA) (VHS)
• ViewCave (1994) (worldwide) (all media) (internet)
• Warner Home Video (1999) (USA) (DVD)

Runtime:

UK:25 min | USA:25 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Canada:18 (Ontario)

Goofs:

Continuity: In the first scene, Charles Bushman moves some checkers around while another man sits in a trance-like state. At this point both of the seated man's hands are on the table. However, when Charles moves away from the table, one of the seated man's hands is now resting on his leg, below the table.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Crap Shoot: The Documentary (2007)

Excellent movie

Previous reviewers have commented (negatively) on Molly Ringwald's interpretation of the reporter. I have to disagree. I enjoyed it much more than the reporter in the full-length version (which is one of the greatest films of all times.) I didn't realize that the reporter was so weak in "Sling Blade" until I saw "Some Folk....". By the end of the interview with Karl, she (Ringwald) 'gets it' - she understands the horrific conditions that Karl endured, and why he did what he did, and she shows it, simply by the expressions on her face. I did not find this Karl any more menacing than the Karl of "Sling Blade" - I think it does show more the fear he has of leaving the safety and relative comfort of the hospital. Imagine how it would be if being in a hospital is a better situation than your only memories of life "outside". Long time prison inmates describe it all the time. This is a magnificent piece - where less is definitely more. I loved it.