Dead Silence is a 1997 Canadian-American crime thriller television film directed by Daniel Petrie Jr. and written by Donald E. Stewart, based on the 1995 novel A Maiden's Grave by Jeffery Deaver.[1][2] The film stars James Garner, Kim Coates, Marlee Matlin, and Lolita Davidovich.
| Dead Silence | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre | |
| Based on | A Maiden's Grave by Jeffery Deaver |
| Written by | Donald E. Stewart |
| Directed by | Daniel Petrie Jr. |
| Starring | |
| Composer | Jonathan Goldsmith |
| Country of origin |
|
| Original languages |
|
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
|
| Producer | John Kemeny |
| Cinematography | Thomas Burstyn |
| Editor | Ronald Sanders |
| Running time | 99 minutes |
| Production companies | |
| Original release | |
| Network | HBO |
| Release | January 11, 1997 |
Premise
editA veteran FBI agent negotiates the release of a bus load of hearing impaired school children taken hostage by three desperate escaped convicts.
Release
editDead Silence premiered on HBO during January 1997. That year the film was also released on VHS in Australia,[3] the UK and several other countries.
A few months after its HBO premiere, the film was screened at the 1997 edition of the Cannes Film Festival, despite being a made for TV production. It also received a theatrical release in Japan.[2]
It was released on DVD in the USA in 2005, and in 2007 in Australia.[4]
Reception
editIn their June 1997 review, Variety labelled it "strictly for undemanding thriller fans",[2] and commented that, "For most of its length, Dead Silence is a routine hostage drama, though a couple of plot twists in the final reel, while implausible, enliven the hitherto mundane fodder."[2]
Cast
edit- James Garner as FBI Special Agent John Potter
- Kim Coates as Ted Handy[a]
- Marlee Matlin as Melanie Charrol
- Lolita Davidovich as Priss Gunder / Detective Sharon Foster
- Charles Martin Smith as Roland W. Marks
- Kenneth Welsh as Sheriff Lenny Budd
- James Villemaire as Ray "Sonny" Bonner
- Gary Basaraba as Shephard "Shep" Wilcox
- Barclay Hope as Sheriff Gene Stillwell
- Vanessa Vaughan as Susan
- Blu Mankuma as FBI Special Agent Henry Lebow
- Mimi Kuzyk as Donna Harkstrawn
- Scott Speedman as Officer Stevie Cardy
- John Bourgeois as Major Daniel Tremaine
- Neil Crone as Airport Security Officer
- Sharon Dunn as TV News Narrator
- Craig Eldridge as Roger Elb
- Adrian Hough as FBI Agent Pete Henderson
- Ted Whittall as Toby Geller
- Justin Dressler as Sam
- Kristin Dressler as Annie
- Lisa Dressler as Jocelyn
- Christy Elliott as Beverly
- Trista Langford as Emily
- Vance Youngs as Kevin
Awards and nominations
edit| Year | Award | Category | Nominee(s) | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 12th Gemini Awards | Best Performance by an Actor in a Dramatic Program or Mini-Series | Kim Coates | Nominated |
| Best Picture Editing in a Dramatic Program or Series | Ronald Sanders | Nominated | ||
| Best Sound in a Dramatic Program or Series | David Evans Lou Solakofski Orest Sushko Dan Latour Tony Currie David Rose Steve Baine David Yonson John Douglas Smith Clive Turner |
Nominated | ||
| Best Original Music Score for a Program or Mini-Series | Jonathan Goldsmith | Won |
See also
editNotes
editReferences
edit- ^ Boedeker, Hal (January 11, 1997). "This 'Silence' Isn't Golden". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved June 22, 2021.
- ^ a b c d Stratton, David (June 15, 1997). "Dead Silence". Variety. Retrieved June 22, 2021.
- ^ "Dead Silence". August 30, 2019.
- ^ "Dead Silence". August 31, 2019.
External links
edit
 | This article related to an American television thriller film is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
 | This article related to a Canadian TV movie is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |