The Killer Budget
ActionCrimeDramaThriller1h 50mUpdated
Synopsis
Mob assassin Jeffrey is no ordinary hired gun; the best in his business, he views his chosen profession as a calling rather than simply a job. So, when beautiful nightclub chanteuse Jennie is blinded in the crossfire of his most recent hit, Jeffrey chooses to retire after one last job to pay for his unintended victim's sight-restoring operation. But when Jeffrey is double-crossed, he reluctantly joins forces with a rogue policeman to make things right.
What is known about the production of The Killer?
"The Killer," an action released in 1989, was directed by John Woo and stars Chow Yun-Fat, Danny Lee Sau-Yin. The production budget has not been publicly disclosed, though Film Workshop, Golden Princess Film Productions produced the film, making it a notable entry in the action landscape whose financial details remain private.
Key Budget Allocation Categories
While specific budget breakdowns are not publicly available, typical cost drivers for an action production like this include:
- Pre-Production: The Killer was director Woo's follow-up to A Better Tomorrow 2 which was released in 1987.
- Filming & Locations: Woo had over 90 days to shoot The Killer which was nearly double the amount of time that the average Hong Kong film was shot in the late 1980s.
- Music & Score: Tsui and Woo disagreed on the musical aspects of the film.
What were the major cost factors in The Killer?
Several factors contributed to the overall production costs of "The Killer."
- Pre-Production: Pre-Production is one of the primary cost drivers in action productions of this scale.
- Filming: Filming & Locations is one of the primary cost drivers in action productions of this scale.
- Music: Music & Score is one of the primary cost drivers in action productions of this scale.
The Killer Box Office Performance
"The Killer" earned $2,350,174 worldwide at the box office.
The Killer Production History
Woo had over 90 days to shoot The Killer which was nearly double the amount of time that the average Hong Kong film was shot in the late 1980s. Woo went into filming with only a short treatment for the film and wrote the details of the script while filming. During promotion periods for the film, Woo described the film as a tribute to Martin Scorsese and French director Jean-Pierre Melville.
Tsui and Woo disagreed on the musical aspects of the film. For the opening scene, Woo wanted the singer to perform a jazz song and have the killer playing a saxophone. Tsui rejected this idea as he felt that the Hong Kong audiences did not understand or like jazz.
Awards and Recognition
2 wins & 6 nominations total
Critical Reception
On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 96% based on 45 reviews by critics. Its critical consensus reads, "The Killer is another hard-boiled action flick from John Woo featuring eye-popping balletic violence and philosophical underpinnings."
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did it cost to make The Killer (1989)?
The production budget has not been publicly disclosed.
How much did The Killer (1989) earn at the box office?
The Killer grossed $2,350,174 worldwide.
Was The Killer (1989) profitable?
Insufficient data for a profitability assessment.
What were the biggest costs in producing The Killer?
Specific cost breakdowns are not publicly available.
How does The Killer's budget compare to similar action films?
Without a confirmed budget, comparison is not possible.
Did The Killer (1989) go over budget?
There are no widely reported accounts of significant budget overruns for this production. However, studios rarely disclose precise budget overrun figures publicly. The reported production budget reflects the final estimated cost.
What awards did The Killer (1989) win?
2 wins & 6 nominations total.
Who directed The Killer and who were the key crew members?
Directed by John Woo, written by John Woo, shot by Peter Pau Tak-Hai, Horace Wong Wing-Hang, with music by Lowell Lo Koon-Ting, edited by Fan Kung-Wing.
Where was The Killer filmed?
The Killer was filmed in Hong Kong. Woo had over 90 days to shoot The Killer which was nearly double the amount of time that the average Hong Kong film was shot in the late 1980s. Woo went into filming with only a short treatment for the film and wrote the details of the script while filming. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Filmmakers
The Killer
Official Trailer
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