The one and only film from opera director Leonard Kastle
He famously hated Bonnie and Clyde for being so glamorous and beautiful so this is his answer- “real” people and a 1970 doc-like stark black and white—there is certainly an element of realism (and a bit of Cassavetes American-indie here)
Apparently Truffaut’s “favorite” American film—I hope not
Also backstory here apparently Scorsese was fired a few days into making this and replaced as director
The performances are very unstudied and natural/real- Shirley Stoler and Tony Lo Bianco (would be in French connection as a hood the following year) are raw and very good in a “is this a documentary?” way
Crass and crude but Kastle has one major nod to opera and that’s the escalating and exaggerated music- I think it plays well
Morbid but enthralling narrative
He’s a gigolo and she fakes suicides to get and keep his attention— twisted love story
It’s a black comedy at times as well and it’s intentional—the “pork chop is the better buy over the veal cutlet” with older woman they later kill in their long island house is hilarious
It’s truly horrific- that woman begging for her life and to call her daughter- completely petrified
[…] The Honeymoon Killers – Kastle […]