Thornton, as writer and director, has never been more on his game. If you like sling blade you are looking for touching, bleak and rough movies about with murder, friendship, death threat, redemption, mentally challenged, family relations and small town themes of drama genre shot in usa. In the movie at the middle booth of garrys drive in was where the lunch scene with karl billy bob and vaughan john ritter was filmed. The movie mentions that the kids father committed suicide. Sling blade is a 1996 american drama film written and directed by billy bob thornton, who also stars in the lead role.
Trivia by his description, karls sling blade matches a bush axe or ditchbank axe, a kind of longhandled machete with a short broad blade and easily lethal, though the term is also used for sickles and weedcutters. Sling blade marked the directorial debut of country singer turned actor billy bob thornton, who also authored the script expanding george hickenloopers acclaimed short some folks call it a sling. The diner where some key scenes from sling blade were filmed is also still there. Lucas york black born november 29, 1982 is an american film and television actor. Sling blade 1996 stream and watch online moviefone. The film was based on george hickenloopers acclaimed short some folks call it a sling blade and brought thornton into hollywoods spotlight and, perhaps, to angelina jolies attention. This incredibly low budget and small timeframe doesnt seem to have affected the movie, though. You also saw it in this movie too but without the comedy. Filmed entirely in benton saline county by arkansas native billy bob thornton, sling blade was one of the most critically acclaimed movies of 1996 and earned thorntonwho wrote, directed, and starred in the moviean academy award for best adapted screenplay as well as a nomination for best actor. Sling blade is such a haunting movie the first time i watched it was more than a decade ago and from what i remember of it was a movie where half of it was a feel good movie and the other half was a dark drama but after rewatching it recently, the whole movie felt.
Well acted, a multileveled story and a pure honesty make sling blade one of my favourite films of the 1990s. A beautifully realised ensemble piece with gripping and moving performances from everyone. The plot of the movie sling blade involves a man who has been in a mental hospital for years after witnessing his parents get attacked when he was a child. I like that there were a few parts in the script that the movie left out. Sign up for a fanalert and be the first to know when tickets and other exclusives are available in your area. Sacrifices are made for many reasons, but the strongest is for love or the pursuit of love. Sling blade begins with a remarkable monologue delivered straight to the camera.
Sling blade official trailer hd 25 years after committing an unthinkable crime, a quiet man named karl finally returns home. Feb 28, 2014 the diner where some key scenes from sling blade were filmed is also still there. Filmed entirely in benton saline county by arkansas native billy bob thornton, sling blade was one of the most critically acclaimed movies of 1996 and earned thorntonwho wrote, directed, and starred in the movie an academy award for best adapted screenplay as well as a nomination for best actor. Sling blade opens on the day that karl childers thornton, a developmentally challenged man. Its called garrys slingblade because parts of the movie slingblade. Flawless film the screenplay, performances and production values combine to produce one of the most touching, powerful and beautiful films. Jan 08, 2018 stopped in benton arkansas recently to visit some of the filming locations. Sling blade was filmed over the course of 12 days on location in benton, arkansas. Aug 12, 2017 these are the best burgers in saline county. Both john and billy bob had chemistry which made bad santa so funny. Surely youve seen and love arkansasborn billy bob thorntons classic sling blade and perhaps youve watched the legal dramas the client and the firm, both adapted from jonesboroborn john grishams best selling novels.
Billy bob thorton ate here while filming sling blade, and scenes were filmed at garrys. It is as potent and polished at one million dollars as many movies are at. The movie begins and ends here, in the state mental hospital. Sling blade 1996 official trailer billy bob thornton movie hd 25 years after committing an unthinkable crime, a quiet man named karl. The best movie filmed in every state showbiz cheat sheet. There are three booths and five counter seats and excellent burgers and bar b q. It is a chilling story of a serial killer who is also the hero of the. Find out where sling blade is streaming, if sling blade is on netflix, and get news and updates, on decider. Sacrifice is an important theme in the film and in life. Also sign me up for fanmail to get updates on all things movies. Sling blade is a strong, devastating film that could have been even stronger had more screen time been devoted to linda and doyle and less to karl and frank, whose friendship is more readily. Arkansas is one of the top places to film tv shows and movies in the south. Sling blade 1996 cast and crew mentally disabled karl childers billy bob thornton is released from the mental hospital where he has spent most of his life after murdering his mother and her lover.
Sling blade is less fast and less furious and more slow and more laborious, but that doesnt make it a bad film. Larry flynt, deliverance, about schmidt, mississippi burning. The most obvious is that it was produced for a total sum of just around one million dollars and filmed in under a month. I wonder if there isnt a potential sling blade prequel about a group of small town passive aggressives who drive the man of the house to selfdestruction. When sling blade was released to theaters in 1996, it was met with critical acclaim and much box office success, launching writerdirectorstar billy bob thornton from forgettable bit player to hollywood icon. Jul 30, 2019 disturbing but creepily funny monologue from j. These days, sling blade is remembered more for the character of karl than it is for the plot of the movie, or the critical acclaim it received. Walsh, john ritter the r movie has a runtime of about 2 hr 16 min, and received a score of 84 out of 100. Here are 15 movies filmed in arkansas youre sure to enjoy. Comedians imitated karls voice, people dressed as karl for halloween, and a lot of people just called karl sling blade, as if that were his name.
In revisiting the film, its not difficult to see why. Enter your location to see which movie theaters are playing sling blade near you. Oscars best picture winners best picture winners golden globes emmys san diego comiccon new york comiccon sundance film festival toronto intl film festival awards central festival central all events. As such, several films have been wholly or partially shot in the state over the. Sling blade 1996 filming locations the movie district. Released november 22nd, 1996, sling blade stars billy bob thornton, dwight yoakam, j. Bottom line, sling blade left an impression figuratively and literally.
The film was written, directed and starred billy bob thornton and costarred, dwight yoakam, j. Sling blade was the movie to make fun of in the late 90s. Once there, hes befriended by a fatherless boy and his mother, but when his newfound peace is shattered by the mothers abusive boyfriend, karl is suddenly placed on a collision course with his past. Sling blade 1996 filming locations, billy bob thornton, dwight yoakam, j. Back in 1995 billy bob thornton filmed the iconic movie sling blade in benton. From major motion pictures, like sling blade made by arkansas native billy bob thornton in central arkansas, and madefortelevision movies in the south to miniseries and television shows, such as the blue and the gray, the natural state is wellrepresented. Great burgers, crinkle cut fries and almost anything else that you would want. Filming location used in the 1996 drama, sling blade.
Sling blade cast and crew cast photos and info fandango. If you like sling blade you might like similar movies leaving las vegas, the people vs. Billy bobs performance as karl childers is absolutely riveting. Set in rural arkansas filmed in benton, arkansas the film tells the story of a man named karl childers who has an intellectual disability and is released from a psychiatric hospit. The oscarwinning movie has an arc that is itself the stuff of movies. Sling blade 1996 filming locations in 2018 youtube. The protagonist, carl, is a gourmand with subtly refined palate. Many of the locations are accessible to visitors so if youre interested in filming a production in arkansas, find your movie of interest and start planning your trip. Set in rural arkansas filmed in benton, arkansas the film tells the story of a man named karl childers who has an intellectual disability and is released from a psychiatric hospital, where he has lived since killing his. Dec 18, 2019 sling blade is a 1996 american drama film written and directed by billy bob thornton, who also stars in the lead role. These scenes were filmed at the arkansas health center, which appears in the credits under its old name, the benton services center. Benton at the movies essay goes with sling blade filming.
A kaiser blade also called a ditch bank blade, brush axe, or sling blade is a heavy, hooked, steel blade at the end of a wooden handle usually 3 feet to 4 feet long, primarily used for cutting. Sling blade love this scene where carl quietly struggles not to give in to violence. After it debuted in 1996, sling blade, a film about a mentally. Its called garrys slingblade because parts of the movie slingblade were filmed there. Walsh from the movie sling blade where he describes kidnapping and likely murdering a woman away from a. This home was used as the home of frank wheatley, lucas black and his mom, linda, natalie canerday. Now i see where john ritter and billy bob got to know each other for their next movie bad santa. Sling blade landmarks arkansas roadside travelogue. One of the most underrated films of all time, despite its oscar win. Walsh from the movie sling blade where he describes kidnapping and likely murdering a woman away from a man he was jealous of. You could drive up, get out, and order at the window, or simply go inside.
Sling blade 1996 official trailer billy bob thornton movie hd. Sling blade filming location wheatley home in benton, ar. Aug 29, 2010 the plot of the movie sling blade involves a man who has been in a mental hospital for years after witnessing his parents get attacked when he was a child. Filmed entirely in benton saline county by arkansas native billy bob thornton, sling blade was one of the most critically acclaimed movies of. Without a doubt, sling blade is one of the finest pieces of work ever put on film. Billy bob thornton deserved an oscar for his performance. He is best known for his roles in the cbs television series american gothic 19951996 as well as roles in films such as sling blade 1996, flash 1997, crazy in alabama 1999, all the pretty horses 2000, friday night lights 2004, jarhead 2005, the. Linda sacrifices herself to doyle for the sake of having a relationship. Whereas some may prefer to the traditional southern method of pairing biscuits with white thickenin gravy carl prefers a more adventurous approach. Sling blade is a remarkable movie for many reasons. A man with a raspy voice, an overshot jaw and a lot of pain in his eyes says he reckons we might like to hear about his story, and so he tells it. Ive probably read this script as many times as ive seen the movie.
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