Bless the Beasts and Children | |
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Bless the Beasts and Children movie poster
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Directed by | Stanley Kramer |
Screenplay by | Mac Benoff |
Based on |
Bless the Beasts and Children by Glendon Swarthout |
Starring |
Billy Mumy Barry Robins Miles Chapin Jesse White |
Music by |
Barry De Vorzon Perry Botkin, Jr. |
Cinematography | Michel Hugo |
Edited by | William A. Lyon |
Distributed by | Columbia Pictures |
Release date
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Running time
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109 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Bless the Beasts and Children is a 1971 film adaptation of the novel of the same name, by Glendon Swarthout, that was directed by Stanley Kramer, featuring Bill Mumy and Barry Robins.
A bidding war broke out over the film rights, eventually won by Stanley Kramer. Kramer negotiated with Columbia Pictures for the right to produce and direct the film, which made its world premiere at the Berlin Film Festival in August, 1971, as the United States' entry in the international competition. Kramer later commented on Russian reception of the film, stating that they "viewed [the film] as a preachment against Kent State and My Lai," when he had envisioned more of a statement about the "gun cult" in America and how "easy availability of weapons contributes to violence."
The music for the film was composed by Barry De Vorzon and Perry Botkin, Jr.. Their score for the movie included an instrumental selection titled "Cotton's Dream," which was later rescored to become the theme song of the soap opera The Young and the Restless (produced by Columbia's television division, now Sony Pictures Television). The soundtrack for the film also includes the movie's theme song performed by The Carpenters. When gymnast Nadia Comaneci used the original music for "Cotton's Dream" for her routines in the 1976 Summer Olympics, the song gained more popularity and was subsequently released in a reedited and lengthened form as "Nadia's Theme."