Summer of Sam
Vinny, a restless Bronx husband, must keep his crumbling marriage together while the city’s terrifying Son‑of‑Sam killings ignite panic and suspicion in his tight‑knit Italian‑American neighborhood.
“No one is safe from Son of Sam.”
Synopsis
Spike Lee's 1999 film *Summer of Sam* represented a shift in his cinematic focus, moving away from his earlier works that centered on Black communities and race relations. At the same time, the film marked a personal return to formative experiences that had influenced his artistic development. Lee addressed themes of sexuality and cultural tension, using the narrative to reflect broader societal issues in a way that differed from his previous projects. The film's reception underscored his versatility as a filmmaker and his capacity to engage with complex and often controversial subjects.
Credits
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How many hands made this film
The scale of the collaboration
A crew of 110+ credited
Why a floor?
This is a minimum, not a total. We only count the credits we’ve captured so far, and coverage is uneven — a blockbuster might show a few hundred names while another of the same size shows a couple dozen. The real crews all ran into the thousands. The number here only grows as full credits are enriched — so we frame it as a floor, never a headcount.
Craft leads on file
Edited by Barry Alexander BrownShot by Ellen KurasScored by Terence BlanchardDesigned by Therese Deprez
Box Office
1999 · Box office
📉 Underperformed — grossed 0.9× its budget
Why 2.5×?
Cinemas keep roughly half of every ticket sold, and a wide release’s marketing often costs about as much again as the film — so a movie needs to gross around 2.5× its production budget just to break even theatrically. It’s a rule of thumb, not the studio’s ledger (home video and streaming come later).
Worldwide gross
$19.3M
Opening weekend: $6.0M — 31% of its US run.
Opening week (7-day): $10.6M — 55% of its US & Canada run.
Peak 1,536 theaters
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Cast & Crew
110 unique people credited
Top billed cast
Supporting cast
92Anthony Lapaglia
as Detective Lou Petrocelli
Roger Guenveur Smith
as Detective Curt Atwater
Ben Gazzara
as Luigi
Joe Lisi
as Tony Olives
James Reno
as Crony
Arthur J Nascarella
as Mario
John Savage
as Simon
Jimmy Breslin
as Jimmy Breslin
Michael Badalucco
as Son of Sam
Spike Lee
as John Jeffries
Lucia Grillo
as Chiara
Nelson Vasquez
as Officer Cruz
Darielle Gilad
as Debbie Cadabra
Michael Harper
as Raygun
Jessica Galbreath
as Fire
Evan Cohen
as Bite
George Tabb
as Spider
Michael Imperioli
as Midnite
Victor Colicchio
as Chickie
Peter Maloney
as Detective Timothy Dowd
Christopher Wynkoop
as Sam Carr
John Turturro
as Harvey the Black Dog (voice)
Ernie Anastos
as Anchorman
Jim Jensen
as Anchorman
Melba Tolliver
as Anchorwoman
Phil Rizzuto
as Yankee Broadcaster (voice)
Reggie Jackson
as Reggie Jackson
Danielle Burgio
as Girl in Parked Car
Lisa France
as Girl in Parked Car
Peter Epstein
as Chuckie
Jill Stokesberry
as Rose
Joseph Lyle Taylor
as Ron
Kim Director
as Dee
Bill Raymond
as Father Cadilli
Mildred Clinton
as Italian Woman at Murder Site
Emelise Aleandri
as Italian Woman at Murder Site
Michael Sorvino
as Bowler at Diner
Phil Campanella
as 2nd Bowler at Diner
William H Burns
as Officer
Ernest Mingione
as Officer
Frank Fortunato
as Doorman
Danny Zappin
as Simon's Male Friend
Murielle Arden
as Simon's Female Friend
Christina Klobe
as Simon's Female Friend
Charlotte Colavin
as Neighbor
Clayton J Barber
as Punk
Joie Lee
as Bed Stuy Woman Interviewed
Rome Neal
as Bed Stuy Man Interviewed
Mark Breland
as Bed Stuy Man Interviewed
Susan Batson
as Bed Stuy Woman Interviewed
Evander Holyfield
as Man in Riot
Toneda Laiwan
as Dot (Atwater's Girlfriend)
Janet Paparazzo
as Young Woman Shot by Son Of Sam
Jodi Michelle Pynn
as Young Woman Shot by Son Of Sam
Jennifer Badger
as Woman Victim
Jeff Derocker
as Man in Car
Nick Oddo
as Husband
Damian Achilles
as Wounded Man
Joanne Lamstein
as Woman in Car
Gabriel Barre
as Johnny Nasso
Tara Mcnamee
as Woman Victim
John Michael Brown
as "L.E.S. Stitches" Band Singer
Damian Branica
as "L.E.S. Stitches" Band Bassist
Lorne Behrman
as "L.E.S. Stitches" Band Guitarist
Curtis Gove
as "L.E.S. Stitches" Band Guitarist
James Baggs
as "L.E.S. Stitches" Drummer
Rozie Bacchi
as Brian's Girlfriend
Grace Desena
as Joe T's Girlfriend
Zoe Bournelis
as Anthony's Girlfriend
Ashleigh Closs
as Princess
Frank Cadillac
as Patty a.k.a. Man with Weird Eyes
Daniel J Courtenay
as Guitar Store Owner
Michael Prozzo
as Rocco
Kathryn Hud
as Rocco's Girlfriend
Antonio Torres
as Man Pulled from Car
Pamela Wehner
as Lady at Block Party
Dionna Colicchio
as Girl at Block Party
Victoria Galasso
as Girl at Block Party
Danielle Tutelian
as Girl at Block Party
John Martucci
as Haircutter
Mario Macaluso
as Italian Chef
Andrew Lasky
as Officer Cruz Partner
Richard Paul
as Detective with Decoy Dummy
Ray Carlson
as Crime Scene Cop
Alexander J Vega
as Bouncer
Steven Croft
as Limo Driver
Mary Jo Todaro
as Lady in Window
Jacqueline Margolis
as Lady in Window
Iris Braydon
as Lady in Car Window
Valerie Mazzonelli
as Lady with Dog
Hal Sherman
as Arresting Detective
Nicholas Brown
as Young Petrocelli
Directors
1Writers
3Producers
2Other crew
6Parents Guide
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