Albino Alligator

Albino Alligator is a 1996 American crime thriller film. The directorial debut of Kevin Spacey as well as the screenwriting debut of Christian Forte, it stars Matt Dillon, Faye Dunaway, and Gary Sinise. It tells the story of three small-time criminals who take hostages after being cornered by the police. The title refers to an anecdote told in the film, claiming that alligators will use an albino among them as sacrifice, so that the opposing alligators will be distracted and become prey themselves.

Albino Alligator
Theatrical release poster
Directed byKevin Spacey
Produced byBradley Jenkel
Brad Krevoy
Steven Stabler
Written byChristian Forte
Starring
Music byMichael Brook
CinematographyMark Plummer
Edited byJay Cassidy
Distributed byMiramax Films
Release date
  • September 9, 1996 (1996-09-09) (TIFF)
  • January 17, 1997 (1997-01-17) (United States)
Running time
97 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$6 million
Box office$339,379

Plot

Brothers Dova (Matt Dillon) and Milo (Gary Sinise) are small-time crooks. They and their partner, Law (William Fichtner), pull a holdup in New Orleans that goes terribly wrong. A police officer is killed, as are two other men. The robbers flee to a local bar, Dino's Last Chance, desperately taking everyone inside hostage.

Milo is seriously wounded and bleeding. Law is a sociopath who is ready and willing to kill anyone who gets in his way. Dova is their leader, trying to keep the situation calm while federal agents, led by Browning (Joe Mantegna), surround the bar. A bar employee, Janet (Faye Dunaway), tries but fails to reason with the intruders. Her boss, Dino, behind the bar, secretly has a shotgun that he is hoping to get a chance to use. He does—grabbing Law and holding it on him, but Law gets the upper hand and bludgeons him. Besides a barfly (John Spencer) who is barely coherent and a younger man, Danny (Skeet Ulrich) shooting pool, there is one other customer (Viggo Mortensen), a man named Foucard dressed in a business suit, who is strangely silent and inactive all his time there. As the life of Milo slips away and the robbers' demands to the cops go unmet, Dova decides whether to surrender or start letting Law shoot hostages one at a time. Law is especially terrified of going back to prison. Dova and Law prepare to take Danny as a hostage. But Janet pleads them not to as he is her son. It is revealed that Foucard is a wanted fugitive and the police really want him. Dova and Law prepare to give Foucard to the police and pretend that Foucard is the kidnapper and they are the hostages.

Milo has Dova and Law swear on their mothers that they will not kill anyone. But when painted into a corner, Law is more than ready to kill and Dova agrees. Milo wants no more of it all and prepares to turn himself in. Dova holds a gun on him to keep him there. When Dova and Law leave, Milo takes the knife he was given off a hostage and uses it to finish himself off. Dova finds out and is in tears. They prepare to give the police the wanted Foucard. The police finally storm the place and opening fire on people, including Law and Foucard. Dova and the real hostages are allowed to vacate. Janet covers for Dova as he kept Law from killing the rest of the hostages. Dova is traumatized.

Cast

Reception

Critical response

Reviews for the film were generally mixed. It maintains a 50% "rotten" rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 20 reviews.

Accolades

Faye Dunaway was nominated for a Golden Raspberry Award as Worst Supporting Actress.

Soundtrack
Albino Alligator
Soundtrack album by
Michael Brook
Released11 February 1997
RecordedHybrid Studios; Music Annex Studios; John Keane Recording Studio
GenreFilm score, ambient, jazz
Length48:06
Label4AD
ProducerMichael Brook
Michael Brook chronology
Night Song
(1996)		 Albino Alligator
(1997)		 The Seven Steps to Mercy
(1997)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]

Ambient guitarist and record producer Michael Brook produced the score for Albino Alligator. The soundtrack was released by 4AD on CD in the United States on 11 February 1997, and CD and vinyl LP in the United Kingdom on 24 February 1997. The score includes a cover of "Ill Wind (You're Blowing Me No Good)" featuring bass by Flea and guest vocals from R.E.M.'s Michael Stipe and jazz singer Jimmy Scott.

Track listing

All tracks are written by Michael Brook, except where noted.

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Arrival" 5:01
2."Doggie Dog" 1:52
3."Slow Town" 2:34
4."Preparation" 3:18
5."Miscalculator" 1:44
6."Aftermath" 4:39
7."Tunnel" 5:00
8."Albo Gator" 4:18
9."The Promise" 4:36
10."The City" 5:46
11."The Kicker" 1:48
12."Exit" 4:16
13."Ill Wind (You're Blowing Me No Good)" (featuring Michael Stipe, Jimmy Scott, and Flea)Harold Arlen, Ted Koehler3:34

References
  1. Raggett, Ned. "Albino Alligator - Michael Brook : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards : AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 12 December 2015.
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