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Knight Moves

  • 1992
  • R
  • 1h 56m
IMDb RATING
6.1/10
9.6K
YOUR RATING
Christopher Lambert in Knight Moves (1992)
Home Video Trailer from Artisan
Play trailer0:31
1 Video
67 Photos
CrimeDramaMysteryThriller

During a chess tournament, grand master Peter is suspected of murdering Debi after sex. He helps the police as the murders continue.During a chess tournament, grand master Peter is suspected of murdering Debi after sex. He helps the police as the murders continue.During a chess tournament, grand master Peter is suspected of murdering Debi after sex. He helps the police as the murders continue.

  • Director
    • Carl Schenkel
  • Writer
    • Brad Mirman
  • Stars
    • Christopher Lambert
    • Tom Skerritt
    • Codie Lucas Wilbee
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.1/10
    9.6K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Carl Schenkel
    • Writer
      • Brad Mirman
    • Stars
      • Christopher Lambert
      • Tom Skerritt
      • Codie Lucas Wilbee
    • 38User reviews
    • 29Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 win total

    Videos1

    Knight Moves
    Trailer 0:31
    Knight Moves

    Photos67

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    Top cast35

    Edit
    Christopher Lambert
    Christopher Lambert
    • Peter Sanderson
    Tom Skerritt
    Tom Skerritt
    • Frank Sedman
    Codie Lucas Wilbee
    • David 9 Years Old
    Joshua Murray
    • Peter 14 Years Old
    • (as Josh Murray)
    Frank C. Turner
    Frank C. Turner
    • Doctor
    Don Thompson
    Don Thompson
    • Father
    Megan Leitch
    Megan Leitch
    • Mother
    Alex Diakun
    Alex Diakun
    • Grandmaster Lutz
    Ferdy Mayne
    Ferdy Mayne
    • Jeremy Edmonds
    • (as Ferdinand Mayne)
    Katharine Isabelle
    Katharine Isabelle
    • Erica Sanderson
    • (as Katherine Isobel)
    Mark Wilson
    • Newscaster
    Kehli O'Byrne
    Kehli O'Byrne
    • Debi Rutlege
    Daniel Baldwin
    Daniel Baldwin
    • Andy Wagner
    Blu Mankuma
    Blu Mankuma
    • Steve Nolan
    Monica Marko
    • Miss Greenwell
    Walter Marsh
    Walter Marsh
    • Chess President
    Charles Bailey-Gates
    • David Willerman
    Arthur Brauss
    Arthur Brauss
    • Viktor Yurilivich
    • Director
      • Carl Schenkel
    • Writer
      • Brad Mirman
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews38

    6.19.5K
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    Featured reviews

    5SnoopyStyle

    not a good serial killer thriller

    In 1972, two boys play in a tournament. The loser stabs the winner with a pen. The loser's life falls apart. The winner Peter Sanderson (Christopher Lambert) becomes a grandmaster. He's a single dad and a womanizer. His latest groupie is found dead. Capt. Frank Sedman (Tom Skerritt) and his loud-mouth partner Andy Wagner (Daniel Baldwin) investigate. Sedman is under political pressure to keep the tournament going. He brings in psychiatrist Kathy Sheppard (Diane Lane) to test Peter and she falls in love with him.

    This is trying way too hard to make chess cool. I have no problem with yet another dark serial killer movie. Daniel Baldwin is over-acting. Christopher Lambert is not good. None of the clues get the audience involved. It's a whodunnit in which nobody really cares about.
    8Spike-65

    Could this mean the renaissance of the intellectual

    Knight Moves is a film of/for fruitcakes....a little too complicated to be called a Madeira, but heavy enough to take away the hunger pangs. It manages to convey the horror of death without any real murder sequences being shown and is rather Hitchcockesque in places.

    The story centres around chess player Peter Sanderson (Christophe Lambert) and his (possible) involvement in a string of serial killings. Due to his complete absorption in the game, he has already lost his wife and is now in danger of losing his daughter. Although he is the prime suspect, he becomes involved with a psychologist called in by the Police. This role was picked up by Christophe's (then) wife, Diane Lane, who not only coped well with the character, but also with a well-rehearsed bedroom scene. A case of 'truth being stranger than fiction'?

    Like many of Christophe's films, this one relies heavily on explaining the psychology of the killer, even if it is only in laymen's terms; but it does deal with complex issues of responsibility and duress. The photography is a juxtaposition of European noir sur blanc and British thriller, with a little American 'home-grown' logic thrown in for good effect. Tom Skerritt is disappointing as the chief of police, a role that he plays woodenly. He is upstaged by his sidekick (Daniel Baldwin). Jeremy is portrayed by Ferdinand Mayne, an actor well known to film-going audiences, with over 120 roles to his credit before his death in 1998.

    Although this film was not initially well received, its continued presence on the 'Pick of the week' shelf at the video store proves that it may well become a 'cult' film. It is often in the top-100-rentals slot in many countries and it seems to appeal to a diverse range of people. While some of the supporting cast need acting lessons, its camera work and well co-ordinated plot make this an original and enjoyable 'who-dunnit'...and you really will be guessing to the end.
    5gabriel_sanchez

    Builds up as a great movie but falls flat on the OK category

    Knight Moves starts as a clever movie about a murder investigation over some "Zodiac" wannabe. It's one of those movies where you'll only get your answers at the end-ish.

    "End-ish" because, as the movie goes on, it seems like they couldn't keep up with their complicated murder plot, so they pretty much simplify things out.

    In the end, an abrupt ending and a bunch of weird fight scenes sour out the movie.
    4Libretio

    Curious thriller plays like an Italian 'giallo'

    KNIGHT MOVES

    Aspect ratio: 2.39:1

    Sound format: Dolby Stereo

    Filmed on grim Canadian locations by German director Carl Schenkel (OUT OF ORDER), this curious psycho-thriller has the look and feel of an Italian giallo, despite the American setting. All the elements are in place: Christopher Lambert plays a chess grandmaster targeted by a serial killer who leaves obscure one-word messages at the scene of his/her crimes, hoping to draw Lambert into a lethal game of cat and mouse. That the murders are based on well-known chess manoeuvres should come as no surprise to seasoned thriller addicts, and nor should the killer's identity, which is betrayed by a seemingly throwaway bit of business near the beginning of the film (not a spoiler - only the truly attentive will spot it). Brad Mirman's convoluted script bends over backwards to cast suspicion on Lambert throughout (which means it *can't* be him - or can it?), but the narrative is undermined by some poorly-drawn characters, and everyone but Tom Skerritt - as the detective leading the investigation - seems to be coasting through proceedings on auto-pilot. The murders aren't explicitly detailed, and Schenkel goes out of his way to avoid crowd-pleasing exploitation, which rather curbs the film's commercial emphasis. But at least it's never dull, and the climax is reasonably proficient, complete with overwrought thunderstorm and psycho with a mommy complex! Daniel Baldwin exaggerates wildly as a macho cop determined to nail Lambert for the crimes, while Ferdinand Mayne hovers in the background, making the most of a glorified cameo as the hero's blind mentor.
    5bronsonskull72

    * *1/2 OUT OF FIVE

    Christopher Lambert stars as Peter Sanderson a master chess player who is targeted by a serial killer who is killing women and blaming it on Sanderson, Captain Frank Stedman(Tom Skerritt) and Detective Andy Wagner believe that Sanderson is behind it all, while a Dr.Kathy Shepperd unwisely falls for Sanderson in this entertaining yet confusing thriller. The ending while a good twist, is somewhat disappointing. However Knight Moves works fairly well most of the time.

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Christopher Lambert and Diane Lane were a married couple in real life at the time and had been married since 1985, but were later divorced in 1994.
    • Goofs
      (at around 1h 35 mins) Erica is seen playing Super Mario Bros. 3 (1988) on the PC, but the game is not available on the PC. It was only released for the Nintendo Entertainment System, PlayChoice-10 and Game Boy Advance.
    • Quotes

      David: Pain. Pain is just a state of mind. It's something you learn to live with; I have.

    • Alternate versions
      The European cut of the film runs approximately 11 minutes longer and goes into greater detail about the relationship between Peter and his dead wife. Several of the dialogue scenes also run longer. The US cut was shortened to speed up the pace and make the film more action-packed.
    • Connections
      Features Battle Chess (1988)
    • Soundtracks
      Fool That I Am
      Composed by Floyd Hunt (as Hunt) (Intersong USA)

      Performed by Carol Kenyon

      Produced by Anne Dudley

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    FAQ

    • How long is Knight Moves?
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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • January 22, 1993 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • United States
      • Germany
      • Canada
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Yüz Yüze
    • Filming locations
      • Tea Lobby, Empress Hotel, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
    • Production companies
      • Lamb Bear Entertainment
      • Ink Slinger Productions
      • Knight Moves Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $9,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $923,418
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $459,900
      • Jan 24, 1993
    • Gross worldwide
      • $923,418
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 56 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Stereo
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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