University of Miami

Student Life, Exhibits & Films

Directed by Charles Burnett. United States, 1977, 35mm Film, B&W, 83 minutes, English. KILLER OF SHEEP examines the black Los Angeles ghetto of Watts in the mid-1970s through the eyes of Stan, a sensitive dreamer who is growing detached and numb from the psychic toll of working at a slaughterhouse. KILLER OF SHEEP was shot on location in Watts over a series of weekends for less than $10,000. Since then, the Library of Congress has declared it a national treasure as one of the first fifty films on the National Film Registry. However, due to the expense of the music rights, the film was never shown theatrically or made available on video. It has only been seen on poor quality 16mm prints at a few museum and festival showings. Now, thirty years after its debut, the new 35mm print of KILLER OF SHEEP, brilliantly restored by UCLA Film & Television Archive, is ready for its long-awaited international release. For more information, please call our hotline at 305-284-4861.