Killing Zoe

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

You have new messages (last change).
Killing Zoe
Directed by Roger Avary
Produced by Samuel Hadida
Quentin Tarantino (Executive Producer)
Written by Roger Avary
Starring Eric Stoltz
Julie Delpy
Jean-Hugues Anglade
Distributed by Live Entertainment
Release date(s) August 19, 1994
Running time 96 min
Language English
IMDb profile

Killing Zoe is a 1994 movie directed by Roger Avary, and starring Eric Stoltz as Zed and Julie Delpy as Zoe and Jean-Hugues Anglade as Eric. It was Produced by Samuel Hadida and Executive Produced by Quentin Tarantino and Lawrence Bender. The film is regarded as a respected cult favorite [1][2] and has been hailed by Roger Ebert as "Generation X's first bank caper movie"[3].

Contents

[edit] Plot

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

The film centers on Zed (Stoltz) a professional safe-cracker who comes to Paris for a job with a childhood friend, Eric. Upon arriving at his hotel room, he spends some time with a call girl, Zoe (Delpy), and after having sex (with Nosferatu playing on the television), they start to talk and see they have a connection (including the fact that both of their names start with the letter 'Z'). Their talk is interrupted, however, when Eric (Anglade) barges in and kicks Zoe out of the room.

Eric has a 'fool-proof' plan to rob a bank. The following day is Bastille Day, and virtually everything is closed - except for the bank they plan to rob, which is a holding bank, and thus is open even on holidays (as well as having major reserves of cash and precious metal in their basement). Despite jetlag and needing some rest, Zed spends a night partying with Eric's friends in the 'real' (i.e. the seedy side of) Paris. Eric confides to Zed that he has AIDS; possibly a motivating factor in his lawless attitude.

The next day the team, wearing frightening Carnival masks to hide their faces, begin the job. But their plans soon start unraveling, as the police show up and they're faced with the possibility of going to jail for life or having to shoot their way out. Tensions get even higher when Zed recognizes Zoe (who works at the bank during the day) and attempts to protect her, to the fury of Eric. The ending devolves into a vicious gunfight between the cops, Eric, and the rest of the gang, who can only celebrate a pyrrhic victory of having broken into the vault and finding millions in gold bars, but have no way of getting out alive with the gold. Eric is shot many times by the police and, bleeding, falls on Zed. The end of the film sees Zed, having been slashed with a knife by Eric, being lovingly led away by Zoe, who covers for him - saying he is a bank customer - and promises him that when he gets out she'll show him the 'real' Paris.

[edit] Trivia

The film was shot in downtown Los Angeles, with a three day second unit in Paris.

The bank the movie was shot in is now upscale loft space.

The character of the bellboy was played by Eric Chaltiel, who has come to be known as "the real Eric." Avary was friends with Chaltiel while at UCLA, and while Avary was backpacking across Europe in 1987 he bumped into Chaltiel in Paris, who promised to show him "the real Paris." Later, while in pre-production on the movie, Avary again bumped into Chaltiel (this time on the streets of Los Angeles) and insisted that he play a part in the film.

"Killing Zoe" was the first feature film to utilize a swing-and-tilt bellows lens on a motion picture camera.

The murals in the background of the bank are blue and red versions of the Jacques-Louis David neo-Classical painting "Oath of the Horatii."

The film is designed in three chapters: The neutral white opening, the blue night out with the gang, and the red bank robbery. The colors of both the French and American flags. Zed's shirt goes from blue to red in their respective chapters.

Though executive - produced by Tarantino, the film does not boast the myriad pop culture references for which he is known. However, in one sequence involving a heroin induced joyride through the streets of Paris, two characters discuss "A. B. and C.", an episode from the 1960s British cult series The Prisoner.

Ron Jeremy, the famous adult actor, appears briefly as a bank security guard.

Make-up effects artist Tom Savini, who executed the special make up effects for the film, stated in his book Grande Illusions II that he created the "burned security guard" effect on the spot from simple items out of his kit, including vaseline, toilet paper, black and red paint and cotton balls.

[edit] Primary Cast of Characters

[edit] External links

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org../../../k/i/l/Killing_Zoe_d735.html"