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Wisconsin Death Trip is a 1999 American black-and-white and color docudrama film written and directed by James Marsh, based on the 1973 book of the same name by Michael Lesy. Original music for the film was composed by DJ Shadow, with original piano music for the closing credits by John Cale.
The film dramatizes the photographs by Charles Van Schaick found by in the early 1970s by Lesy, connected to a series of macabre incidents that took place in Black River Falls, Wisconsin in the late 19th century, and, in part, the film was shot on location there. Marsh makes use of silent black-and-white recreations with voice-over narration by Ian Holm contrasted with contemporary color footage of the area. The film's visual style was intended to carry the content of the film; as Marsh said:
I wanted to convey in the film the real pathos contained in a four line newspaper report that simultaneously records and dismisses the end of someone’s life.
Wisconsin Death Trip was presented on the BBC documentary series Arena in 2000.
Original Release
09/05/1999
US Release
09/05/1999
Cast
Name | Character |
---|
Ian Holm | Narrator (voice) / Narrator |
Jeffrey Golden | Editor |
Jo Vukelich | Mary Sweeney |
Marcus Monroe | Young Anderson |
Marilyn White | Pauline L'Allemand |
John Schneider | Asylum Clerk / Whispering Voice |
John Baltes | Undertaker |
Raeleen McMillion | Crying Woman |
Krista Grambow | Mourning Woman |
Clay Anton | Eloping Couple (male) |
Directors
Writers
Cast
Name | Character |
---|
Ian Holm | Narrator (voice) / Narrator |
Jeffrey Golden | Editor |
Jo Vukelich | Mary Sweeney |
Marcus Monroe | Young Anderson |
Marilyn White | Pauline L'Allemand |
John Schneider | Asylum Clerk / Whispering Voice |
John Baltes | Undertaker |
Raeleen McMillion | Crying Woman |
Krista Grambow | Mourning Woman |
Clay Anton | Eloping Couple (male) |
Bobbie Jo Westphal | Eloping Couple (female) |
Scott Hulbert | Pouch |
Zeke Dasho | Edgar L'Allemand |
Kathryn Anderson | Mrs. Larson |
Kevin Anderson | Larson Child |
Liam Anderson | Larson Child |
Molly Nikki Anderson | Mrs. Larson |
Nathan Butchart | Dead Boy |
Colin Cameron | Strait-Jacket Lunatic |
Angel Hamilton | Fire Girl |
Producers
Name | Role |
---|
Carol Hirschi | Executive Producer |
Sheila Nevins | Executive Producer |
Anthony Wall | Executive Producer |
James Marsh | Producer |
Nancy Abraham | Producer |
Maureen A. Ryan | Producer |