Stone Cold Dead

{{Short description|1979 Canadian film directed by George Mendeluk}} {{Infobox film | name = Stone Cold Dead | image = File:Stone Cold Dead (1979) Film Poster.jpg | caption = Film poster | director = George Mendeluk | producer = {{plainlist| * George Mendeluk * John Ryan }} | writer = George Mendeluk | based_on = {{based on|''The Sin Sniper''|Hugh Garner}} | starring = {{plainlist| * Richard Crenna * Paul Williams }} | music = Paul Zaza<br>Guidonna Lee<br>Alexis Radlin | cinematography = Dennis Miller | editing = Martin Pepler | studio = | distributor = Dimension Pictures | released = {{film date|1979}} | runtime = 97 minutes | country = Canada | language = English | budget = | gross = }}

'''''Stone Cold Dead''''' is a 1979 Canadian film directed by George Mendeluk and starring Richard Crenna and Paul Williams.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b772af62d|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160505221421/http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b772af62d|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 5, 2016|title=Stone Cold Dead (1979)|work=British Film Institute|accessdate=2016-04-07}}</ref>

==Plot== A Toronto detective searches for a serial killer who shoots prostitutes. The detective is also determined to arrest the pushy pimps, and a few undercover cops get killed as they try to infiltrate the hooker trade.

==Cast== {{castlist| * Richard Crenna as Sergeant Boyd * Paul Williams as Julius Kurtz * Linda Sorenson as Monica Page * Belinda Montgomery as Sandy MacAuley (credited as Belinda J. Montgomery) * Chuck Shamata as Sergeant Tony Colabre (credited as Charles Shamata) * Alberta Watson as Olivia Page * Monique Mercure as Dr. Bouvier * George Chuvalo as Frank * Andrée Cousineau as Bernice Carnival * Jennifer Dale as Claudia Grissom * Frank Moore as Teddy Mann * George Touliatos as Inspector Webb * Dennis Strong as Danny De Lion * Michael Ironside as Murdered Police Detective * Lesleh Donaldson as Girl In Police Station * Lynette Louise as Prostitute (uncredited) * Linnea Quigley as First Victim (uncredited) }}

== Production == Crenna said he was drawn to the film partly because his character survives the events of the plot, something that few of his characters had done recently.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1946&dat=19781214&id=yH0xAAAAIBAJ&sjid=5aEFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4066,618598&hl=en|title=Crenna in Toronto Gets to 'Live a Little'|author=|work=The Montreal Gazette|agency=The Canadian Press|date=1978-12-14|page=52|access-date=2016-04-08|archive-date=2024-05-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240520003838/https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1946&dat=19781214&id=yH0xAAAAIBAJ&sjid=5aEFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4066,618598&hl=en|url-status=live}}</ref> Mendeluk used both actresses and real-life Toronto prostitutes during filming.<ref name=beck/> Shooting took place during November and December 1978 in Toronto,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2194&dat=19790102&id=Ujg0AAAAIBAJ&sjid=X_UIAAAAIBAJ&pg=975,363193&hl=en|title='Unique' Thriller Set in Toronto|author=|work=Ottawa Citizen|agency=The Canadian Press|date=1979-01-02|page=59|access-date=2016-04-08|archive-date=2024-05-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240520003841/https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2194&dat=19790102&id=Ujg0AAAAIBAJ&sjid=X_UIAAAAIBAJ&pg=975,363193&hl=en|url-status=live}}</ref> and production ended in February 1979.<ref name=beck>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=861&dat=19790212&id=-IYqAAAAIBAJ&sjid=c1kEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7247,3492693&hl=en|title=Heart Portrayal Draining for Actress|last=Beck|first=Marilyn|authorlink=Marilyn Beck|work=The Victoria Advocate|agency=Associated Press|date=1979-02-12|page=10C|access-date=2016-04-08|archive-date=2024-05-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240520004341/https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=861&dat=19790212&id=-IYqAAAAIBAJ&sjid=c1kEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7247,3492693&hl=en|url-status=live}}</ref> It was based on the novel ''The Sin Sniper'' by Hugh Garner.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Complete Index to Literary Sources in Film|last=Goble|first=Alan|publisher=Walter de Gruyter|year=1999|isbn=9783110951943|page=966|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Yyqc0Qa6b60C&pg=PA966|access-date=2016-04-08}}</ref>

== Reception == ''TV Guide'' rated it 1/5 stars and called it a "typical crime thriller".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tvguide.com/movies/stone-cold-dead/2000278216|title=Stone Cold Dead|work=TV Guide|accessdate=2023-12-12|archive-date=2023-12-12|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231212212523/https://www.tvguide.com/movies/stone-cold-dead/2000278216/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Crenna later said that he thought the content was not Canadian-specific enough.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/2007/07/26/best_bets.html|title=Best Bets|last=Bawden|first=Jim|work=The Toronto Star|accessdate=2016-04-07|archive-date=2016-04-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160419100432/http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/2007/07/26/best_bets.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

== References == {{reflist}}

== External links == * {{IMDb title}} * {{TCMDb title}} * {{Rotten Tomatoes}}

Category:1979 Canadian films Category:1979 English-language films Category:1979 directorial debut films Category:1979 films Category:Canadian crime drama films Category:Dimension Pictures films Category:English-language Canadian films Category:Films directed by George Mendeluk Category:Films scored by Paul Zaza