The Census Taker

The Census Taker

theatrical poster
Directed by Bruce R. Cook
Produced by Robert Bealmer
Written by Bruce R. Cook
William Kerwin
W. Gordon Smith
Starring Greg Mullavey
Meredith MacRae
Garrett Morris
Timothy Bottoms
Music by Jay Seagrave
The Residents
Cinematography Tom Jewett
Edited by Bruce R. Cook
Production
company
Argentum Productions
Distributed by Seymour Borde & Associates (1984) (USA) (theatrical)
Trans World Entertainment (1989) (USA) (VHS)
Release dates
 July 1984
Running time
 95 minutes
Country United States
Language English

The Census Taker is a 1984 black comedy directed by Bruce R. Cook. It stars Greg Mullavey, Meredith MacRae, Timothy Bottoms, and Garrett Morris.[1][2] The film was The Residents' first film soundtrack commission when their participation suggested by Penn Jillette to Cook.[3][4][5] It was released by Trans World Entertainment on VHS in 1988 under the title Husbands, Wives, Money & Murder.[6][7]

Plot

When George (Greg Mullavey) and Martha (Meredith MacRae) let Harvey (Garrett Morris), an annoying census taker, into their home, they find themselves under a barrage of increasingly abusive questions. Furious at his intrusiveness, and at their wit's end, they kill the census taker and with the help of their friends Pete (Timothy Bottoms) and Eva (Austen Tayler), must hide the body from a determined investigator.

Partial cast

Independent reviews

References

  1. ↑ "The Census Taker (1984)". New York Times. Retrieved May 24, 2010.
  2. ↑ Bob Michals (January 3, 1985). "Things Are Beginning To Look 'Berry Good' For Garrett Morris". The Palm Beach Post. Retrieved May 24, 2010.
  3. ↑ "The Residents Historical". residents.com. Retrieved May 24, 2010.
  4. ↑ "The Census Taker (Original Soundtrack)". progarchives.com. Retrieved May 24, 2010.
  5. ↑ The Trouser Press guide to '90s rock (5th ed. 1997) (ISBN 978-0684814377) (noting that the Residents "corkscrewed musical archetypes for the soundtrack of Saturday Night Live Alumnus Garrett Morris' 1985 film, The Census Taker (That score wound up on the Vileness Fats CD reissue)")
  6. ↑ O'Connor, Patricia T. (May 1, 1988). "Home Video / New Releases". New York Times. Retrieved May 24, 2010.
  7. ↑ Terry Atkinson (April 15, 1988). "What's In Store New Releases". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 24, 2010.

External links