Copkiller
Copkiller (Italian: Copkiller (L'assassino dei poliziotti)), also released as Corrupt, Corrupt Lieutenant, and The Order of Death, is a 1983 Italian crime thriller film directed by Roberto Faenza and starring Harvey Keitel and John Lydon, the lead singer for the bands Sex Pistols and Public Image Ltd. It is based on Hugh Fleetwood's 1977 novel The Order of Death, with a screenplay by Fleetwood, Faenza and Ennio de Concini. The music was composed by Ennio Morricone. The plot follows a psychological cat-and-mouse game between a corrupt police officer (Keitel) and a disturbed young man (Lydon) against the backdrop of murders committed by a serial killer who is targeting police officers.
| Copkiller | |
|---|---|
VHS release cover under the alternative title Corrupt | |
| Directed by | Roberto Faenza |
| Screenplay by | Ennio de Concini Roberto Faenza Hugh Fleetwood |
| Based on | The Order of Death by Hugh Fleetwood |
| Produced by | Elda Ferri Roberto Cicutto |
| Starring | Harvey Keitel John Lydon Sylvia Sidney Leonard Mann Nicole Garcia |
| Cinematography | Giuseppe Pinori |
| Edited by | Nino Baragli |
| Music by | Ennio Morricone |
Production companies | Jean Vigo International RAI Aura Film |
| Distributed by | New Line Cinema |
Release dates |
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Running time | 117 minutes |
| Countries | Italy United States |
| Languages | English Italian |
The film was shot on-location in New York City and at Cinecittà Studios in Rome between March and April, 1982. It is Lydon's only starring role in film to date. Upon release, it received mixed-to-negative reviews from critics, and has since fallen into the public domain. It has since undergone a reevaluation, and has become a cult classic due to the presence of Keitel and Lydon, while being acknowledged as a precursor to Abel Ferrara's celebrated and similarly-themed film Bad Lieutenant (1992).