King Cobra (2016 film)
| King Cobra | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Justin Kelly |
| Produced by |
|
| Screenplay by | Justin Kelly |
| Story by |
|
| Based on |
Cobra Killer by Andrew E. Stoner Peter A. Conway |
| Starring | |
| Music by | Tim Kvasnosky |
| Cinematography | Benjamin Loeb |
| Edited by | Joshua Raymond Lee |
Production company |
|
| Distributed by | IFC Midnight |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 92 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $56,554[1] |
King Cobra is a 2016 American biographical crime-drama film about the life and early career of Brent Corrigan.[2] It was directed by Justin Kelly and was based on the book Cobra Killer by Andrew E. Stoner and Peter A. Conway.[3] The film was released on October 21, 2016, by IFC Midnight.
Plot
The film centers on the 2007 murder of gay porn producer Bryan Kocis (named "Stephen" in the film and played by Christian Slater) by two aspiring producers (James Franco as Joe and Keegan Allen as Harlow) who wanted to buy out Corrigan's performing contract.[3]
Cast
- Molly Ringwald as Amy
- James Franco as Joe
- Christian Slater as Stephen
- Alicia Silverstone as Janette
- Garrett Clayton as Sean Paul Lockhart/Brent Corrigan
- Keegan Allen as Harlow
- Sean Grandillo as Caleb
Release
King Cobra premiered at the 2016 Tribeca Film Festival in April 2016.[4] Shortly after, IFC Films acquired distribution rights to the film.[5] The film was released in the US on October 21, 2016.[6]
Reception
Rotten Tomatoes reports that 58% of 19 surveyed critics gave the film a positive review; the average rating is 5.8/10.[7] Metacritic rated it 46/100 based on 12 reviews.[8] Graham Fuller of Screen Daily wrote that it was "a movie of such wit and daring that it could transcend its LGBT appeal to become a crossover hit".[9] David Ehrlich of IndieWire gave it a letter grade of B+ and described it as a "rock-solid dark comedy" with an excellent cast.[10] Peter Debruge of Variety called it "all smut and no soul", comparing it to Cinemax After Dark.[3] John DeFore of The Hollywood Reporter called it "a dreary would-be thriller" that has poor pacing.[11]
Corrigan himself was approached about playing a supporting role in the film but declined.[12] He later criticized the filmmakers for "bastardising" his life to present an inaccurate portrayal of the murder and of his time in porn.[13]
References
- ↑ "King Cobra". Box Office Mojo. Amazon.com. Retrieved October 30, 2016.
- ↑ Lee, Ashley (April 18, 2016). "Tribeca: Christian Slater, James Franco Explain Why They Made Gay Porn Drama King Cobra". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved May 29, 2016.
- 1 2 3 Debruge, Peter (April 17, 2016). "Tribeca Film Review: King Cobra". Variety. Retrieved May 29, 2016.
- ↑ Lee, Ashley (March 2, 2016). "Tribeca Film Festival Sets Hologram for the King, Elvis & Nixon World Premieres". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved May 29, 2016.
- ↑ Hipes, Patrick (July 18, 2016). "James Franco Porn Murder Pic King Cobra Hooks Up With IFC Films". Deadline.com. Retrieved July 19, 2016.
- ↑ Calvario, Liz (September 26, 2016). "King Cobra Trailer: James Franco and Christian Slater Star In Gay Porn Drama". Indiewire.com. Retrieved September 26, 2016.
- ↑ "King Cobra (2016)". Rotten Tomatoes. Flixster. Retrieved October 24, 2016.
- ↑ "King Cobra". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved October 24, 2016.
- ↑ Fuller, Graham (April 18, 2016). "King Cobra: Tribeca Review". Screen Daily. Retrieved May 29, 2016.
- ↑ Ehrlich, David (April 17, 2016). "King Cobra Is the 'Boogie Nights' of Gay Porn (Tribeca Review)". IndieWire. Retrieved May 29, 2016.
- ↑ DeFore, John (April 24, 2016). "King Cobra: Tribeca Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved May 29, 2016.
- ↑ Williams, Joe (April 20, 2016). "Brent Corrigan accuses Hollywood of 'bastardising' his life". PinkNews. Retrieved October 30, 2016.
- ↑ "King Cobra subject Brent Corrigan says Hollywood 'bastardised' his life". Sydney Morning Herald. April 19, 2016. Retrieved October 30, 2016.