- Kids (film)
Infobox Film
name = Kids
caption = Kids DVD poster
director =Larry Clark
producer =Cary Woods Christine Vachon
writer = Larry ClarkHarmony Korine
narrator =
starring =Leo Fitzpatrick Justin Pierce Chloë Sevigny Rosario Dawson
music =
cinematography =Eric Alan Edwards
editing =Christopher Tellefsen
distributor = Shining Excalibur Films
Lions Gate
released = July 28, 1995
runtime = 91 mins (Theatrical Version)
country =United States
language = English
budget = $1.5 millionUSD
preceded_by =
followed_by =
website =
amg_id = 1:134786
imdb_id = 0113540"Kids" is a 1995 American
drama film written byHarmony Korine and directed byLarry Clark .Cite web|url=http://www.harmony-korine.com/paper/main/c_kidscast.html|title=Harmony Korine – "Kids"|accessdate=2007-01-12|format=html] The film featuresChloë Sevigny ,Leo Fitzpatrick ,Justin Pierce andRosario Dawson , most of them in their debut performances. The film is centered on a day in the life of a group of sexually activeteenager s inNew York City and their unrestrained behavior towards sex and drugs during theera ofHIV in the mid 1990s."Kids" created considerable controversy upon its release in 1995, and caused much public debate over its artistic merit, even receiving an
NC-17 rating from theMPAA . It was later released without a rating.Plot
The opening scene shows 17-year-old Telly (
Leo Fitzpatrick ) and a 12-year-old girlkiss ing. Using sweet-talk and adulation, Telly convinces the virginal girl to have sex with him. Afterwards, he leaves, and meets his friend Casper (Justin Pierce ). As they walk along the sidewalk, Telly tells Casper about his sexual experience in graphic terms. They go inside a local store, and Casper shoplifts another malt liquor as Telly distracts the Asian cashier. They then steal apeach , using the same set-up just outside the store from a sidewalk display. They head to a friend's apartment, though they express dislike towards him on the way there. At this point, the pair want drugs and food. They arrive at Paul's house, inhalenitrous oxide out of balloons, talk about sex, and smoke marijuana while skater videos play on TV. This scene then intercuts with a scene in which a group of girls talk about sex, contradicting what the boys say, especially about oral gratification. Both Ruby (Rosario Dawson ) and Jennie (Chloë Sevigny ) are introduced during the conversation.Ruby and Jennie discuss that they were recently tested for STDs at Ruby's request. Ruby's test is negative, even though she has had many sexual encounters and many of the times were unprotected. However, Jennie tests positive for HIV, much to her shock, since she has had sex only once, with Telly. Jennie spends the rest of the film trying to find Telly, who has taken to only having sex with virgins on the premise that he cannot get STDs this way. Later, Telly and Casper walk to Telly's house. When they arrive, they steal money from Telly's mother. They go to
Washington Square Park , meet up with aRastafarian man, and discreetly buy a "dime bag" of marijuana from him. They then meet up with a few friends (one of whom gives ablunt -rolling tutorial) to talk and smoke. Casper starts to ride on askateboard and carelessly bumps into a man, who threatens him. The man is immediately struck in the back of the head with a skateboard by Harold (Harold Hunter ), a friend of Telly and Casper's, causing him to collapse. Seizing the opportunity, many of Casper's friends join in, kicking and hitting him until he is unconscious and covered withblood , and then Telly spits at the man's bloody face.Telly and the group from the park pick up a thirteen-year-old girl named Darcy (Yakira Peguero). She is the younger sister of an acquaintance and Telly is very interested, as she is a virgin. He convinces her to sneak out and join Casper and some girls at a pool. The other girls engage in pseudo-lesbian kissing and flirtation, but Darcy is restrained (though not shocked at the others' behavior). Telly and the group go to Steven's house to smoke, drink and talk about sex. Meanwhile, Jennie wanders down to a rave trying to find Telly, but instead bumps into "Fidget" (the film's writer Harmony Korine), who gives her "a euphoric blockbuster drug that is supposed to make 'special K' look weak." After taking the drug, which is never named, but has effects similar to a depressant such as GHB or rohypnol, she finds out that Telly is (at what has now become a party) at Steven's place. We see the girl, high and with her young life in shambles, riding in a taxi.
Upon arriving at the party, Jennie discovers Telly having sex with Darcy, who is now being exposed to HIV too. Emotionally and physically exhausted by her ordeal and the drugs still affecting her, Jennie passes out on a couch among the other sleeping party-goers. A drunken Casper takes advantage of this situation by raping the HIV-positive girl, thus continuing the cycle. The film ends with a soliloquy by Telly about how sex is one of his few worldly pleasures, and how without it he has nothing to live for. The last shot of the film is Casper sitting on a couch naked as he says, "Jesus Christ, what happened?"
Cast
*
Leo Fitzpatrick : Telly
*Justin Pierce : Casper
*Chloë Sevigny : Jennie
*Rosario Dawson : Ruby
*Jon Abrahams : Steven
*Sarah Henderson: Girl #1
*Sajan Bhagat: Paul
*Dr. Henry: Ras
*Harold Hunter : Harold
*Harmony Korine : Fidget
*Hamilton Harris: Hamilton
*Atabey Rodriguez: Misha
*Ellsworth "Cisco" Davis: The Hoodlum
*Michele Lockwood: Kim
*Carisa Glucksman: Joy
*Yakira Peguero: Darcy
*Deborah Draper: Jennie's Nurse
*Virginia Reath: Ruby's Nurse
*Julia Mendoza: Susan
*Gillian Goldstein: Linda
*Priscilla Forsyth: Diane
*Alan Wise:Accordion Player
*Joseph Chan: Korean Store Owner
*Johnathan Staci Kim: Deli Owner
*Adriane Brown: Little Girl
*Billy Valdes: Stanley
*Billy Waldeman: Zack
*Raymond Batista: Legless ManProduction
The movie is filmed in a pseudo-documentary style, although all of the scenes are scripted.
Casting
In "Kids", he used
New York City "street" kids with no previous acting experience in the film, notablyLeo Fitzpatrick (Telly) and the lateJustin Pierce (Casper). Some have faded back into relative obscurity, meanwhile others, such asRosario Dawson ("Rent ", "Sin City ", "Men in Black II ", "Alexander") andAcademy Award -nomineeChloë Sevigny ("Boys Don't Cry", "American Psycho ", "Big Love ", "Party Monster "), have since found success in their acting careers as well-recognized actresses.Jon Abrahams also continues acting and starred in a string of successful movies including "The Faculty ", "Boston Public ", "Scary Movie ", and "Meet The Parents ". In addition, the film's writer,Harmony Korine , makes a cameo in the club scene with Jennie, as the kid wearing glasses who gives her drugs, though the part is credited to his brother Avi. Pierce appeared in a number of movies until committing suicide in 2000. [cite news|title= Justin Pierce, 25; Starred in 'Kids' | publisher = "The New York Times" | date =2000-07-13 | url =http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C03EFD81E38F930A25754C0A9669C8B63&sec=&spon= | accessdate =2007-11-14] [cite news|title=Actor Justin Pierce hangs self in Las Vegas hotel | publisher = Reuters | date =2000-11-1 | url =http://www.papermag.com/?section=article&parid=192 | accessdate =2007-11-14]cript
Harmony Korine reportedly wrote the screenplay for the movie in 1993, at the age of 18.Gus Van Sant had originally been attached to the film as a producer. After insufficient interest had been generated in the film, he left the project; under incoming producerCary Woods , the project found sufficient independent funding for the film.Harvey Weinstein ofMiramax , wary of (or perhaps even pressured by) the parentWalt Disney Company 's opinion of the riskyscreenplay , declined to involve Disney in funding the production of the film. After Woods showed him the final cut, however, Harvey and his brother,Bob Weinstein , bought the distribution rights to the film on their own, without Miramax/Disney money (as they did for "Fahrenheit 9/11 ").Controversy and critical reaction
The film depicts undisguised habitual and social use of
profanity , marijuana,alcohol ,nitrous oxide ,tobacco , and the drug ecstasy. The original version of the film was rated NC-17 in the US.Cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0113540/trivia|title=Trivia for "Kids" (1995)|accessdate=2007-01-12|publisher=Internet Movie Database Inc] It was later released without a rating. Because of its unexpurgated subject matter centering on relatively young teenagers, the film has been controversial, having received mixed reviews, with 55% of critics giving it a positive rating atRotten Tomatoes . [ [http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/kids/ Kids at rottentomatoes.com] ] The movie includes much explicit sexual dialogue, and depicts scenes ofdate-rape , physical violence, drug dealing, theft, seduction of barely post-pubertal minors, and (non-explicit) teenage sexual displays, as well as (apparently) adolescent actors/actresses in near but not quite explicit exposure. Film criticJanet Maslin of the "New York Times " called the film a "wake-up call to the modern world" about the nature of present day youth in urban life. ["Kids" at [http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/kids/ Rotten Tomatoes] ; last accessed May 22, 2007.] Meanwhile, other critics have labeled it exploitative (in the sense) as borderline "child pornography ". [cite web |url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/longterm/movies/videos/kidsnrkempley_c029f5.htm |title='Kids' (NR) |author=Rita Kempley |date=1995-08-25 |accessdate=2007-08-18 |publisher="Washington Post "]Miramax , which was owned byWalt Disney Company , paid $3.5 million to buy the worldwide distribution rights of this film. ["Controversy: 'Kids' for Adults",Newsweek , February 20, 1995]
Harvey andBob Weinstein (the co-chairman ofMiramax ) were forced to buy back the film from Disney, and created Shining Excalibur Films, a one-off studio name to release the film, due to Disney's policy forbidding the release of NC-17 rated movies. Eamonn Bowles was hired to be the chief operating officer of Shining Excalibur Films. [ [http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117434599.html?categoryid=18&cs=1 Roman, Monica; "Bowles distrib'n prez for Shooting Gallery: Ex-Goldwyn arthouse exec brings sound instincts to Gallery"; January 8, 1998.] ]Box office
The film, which was made on a budget of $1.5 million
USD , grossed $7.4 million in the United States, and $7.6 million internationally. [ [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0113540/business Box office/business page for "Kids" at the Internet Movie Database] ] According toPeter Biskind 's book "Down and Dirty Pictures", Eamonn Bowles has stated that Harvey andBob Weinstein may have each personally profited up to $2 million each.oundtrack
Official Soundtrack:
*
Daniel Johnston - Casper
*Deluxx Folk Implosion - Daddy Never Understood
*Folk Implosion - Nothing Gonna Stop
*Folk Implosion - Jenny's Theme
*Folk Implosion - Simean Groove
*Daniel Johnston - Casper The Friendly Ghost
*Folk Implosion -Natural One
*Sebadoh - Spoiled
*Folk Implosion - Crash
*Folk Implosion - Wet Stuff
*Lo-Down - Mad Fright Night
*Folk Implosion - Raise The Bells
*Slint - Good Morning CaptainOther prominent songs featured in the movie but not on the official soundtrack:
*
Artifacts - Wrong Side of The Tracks
*The Average White Band - I'm The One
*Beastie Boys - Sabrosa
*Beastie Boys - Pow
*Brand Nubian - Word Is Bond
*Crooklyn Dodgers - Crooklyn
*Erule - Listen Up
*Jeru The Damaja - Da Bitchez
*John Coltrane - Slow Dance
*O.C . - Time's Up
*A Tribe Called Quest - Oh My God
*Nine - Whatcha WantAwards
*1995 Cannes Film Festival - Golden Palm Award (nominated; Larry Clark)
*1996 Independent Spirit Awards
**Best Debut Performance - Justin Pierce
**Best First Feature (nominated; director Larry Clark and producer Cary Woods)
**Best First Screenplay (nominated; Harmony Korine)
**Best Supporting Female (nominated; Chloe Sevigny) [ [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0113540/awards Awards page for "Kids" at the]Internet Movie Database ]See also
*
Bully (film)
*Ken Park
*Kidulthood Notes
External links
*
* [http://www.harmony-korine.com/paper/main/f_kids.html Harmony-Korine.com: "Kids"]
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.