- Licensed to Kill (1997 film)
Infobox Film
name = Licensed to Kill
image_size =
caption =
director =Arthur Dong
producer =Arthur Dong
Thomas G. Miller
writer =Arthur Dong
narrator =Arthur Dong
starring = Raymond Childs
William Cross
Corey Burley
Kenneth Jr. French
Jay Johnson
Jeffrey Swinford
music = Miriam Cutler
cinematography = Robert Shepard
editing =Arthur Dong
distributor =PBS P.O.V.
Deep Focus Films
released = 1997
runtime = 77 minutes
country = usa
language = English
budget =
gross =
preceded_by =
followed_by =
website =
amg_id =
imdb_id = 0119530"Licensed to Kill" is a 1997 documentary written, directed, and produced by
Arthur Dong , in which Dong, (agay man himself) interviews various murderers known for theirhomophobic murders.ummary
"Licensed to Kill" goes behind the media headlines of recent high-profile anti-gay murders to investigate their causes. Attacked by gay bashers in 1977, filmmaker Arthur Dong probes the hearts and minds of murderers convicted of killing gay men he faces them in one-on-one cell block interviews and asks them directly: "Why did you do it?" Probing on-camera interviews with seven convicted killers behind bars propel the narrative drive of "Licensed To Kill." These inmates include a wide range of distinct profiles: a young man who claims he justifiably killed as protection from his victim's sexual advances - a defense known as "homosexual panic"; a self-loathing, religious gay man who killed because of his own homosexual tendencies; a victim of child abuse who feared losing his manhood; an army sergeant angry over the gays in the military debate; and a self-described homeboy looking for easy prey.
Murderers Featured
*Raymond Childs, murderer of a 55-year old gay man named Lou who made sexual advances toward him. Currently serving 25 years to life in
Sing Sing Prison .
*Donald Aldrich, murderer of Nicholas West, who he met at a gay hangout, and with the help of two accomplices, shot nine times.Executed vialethal injection onOctober 12 ,2004 inHuntsville, Texas .
*Corey Burley, murderer of Thanh Nguyen, aVietnam immigrant whom he shot once and killed after stalking him and his partner in a park. Currently serving alife sentence at the Hodge Facility inRusk, Texas .
*William Cross, murderer of W. Lemke who made sexual advances toward him. He was sentenced to 25 years in the Dixon State Correctional Center ofIllinois . OnJuly 13 ,2006 he was released onparole .
*Kenneth Jr. French, murderer of Wesley Cover, James Kidd, Ethel Parrous, and Pete Parrous, whom were customers at a "Luigi's" restaurant inFayetteville, North Carolina , after getting highlyintoxicated . Unlike the other murderers featured in the film, none of French's victims were known to be homosexual, but rather, his act was out of anger toward the then PresidentBill Clinton for lifting the ban on homosexuals in theUnited States Military . He is currently serving four consecutive life sentences, plus 35 years, at the Polk Youth Institution inButner, North Carolina .
*Jay Johnson, murderer of former StateSenator John Chenoweth and Joel Larson at a local gay hangout inMinneapolis . Unlike the other murderers in the film, he recognized he was in fact gay himself both before and after his committed murders. He is currently serving two concurrent life terms at the St. Cloud Correctional Facility, as an openly gay man.
*Jeffrey Swinford, murderer of Chris Miller, whom he and two friends met at a local gay hangout, went over to his house foralcohol and drugs, and then subsequently beat Miller to death and robbed him. Currently serving a 20 year sentence and is up for parole in2009 .Awards
*Best Documentary Director Award at the
Sundance Film Festival , 1997.*Filmmakers Trophy Award at the Sundance Film Festival, 1997.
*Official Selection at the
Berlin International Film Festival , 1997.*National
Emmy Nomination for Best Director, News & Documentary.External Links
* [http://www.deepfocusproductions.com/page_html/DVD_LTK.html Official Website]
* [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0119530/ "Licensed to Kill"] at theInternet Movie Database
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.