''Judgement'' (also known under the title ''Hitz'') is a 1992

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super-g ...

written and directed by

William Sachs William Sachs is an American film director/producer and writer. Besides his work as a writer and director, since working on ''Joe'', Sachs has been particularly noted for successfully doctoring others' films prior to release in order to conform ...

. Beside many known actors (including

Cuba Gooding Jr. Cuba Mark Gooding Jr. (born January 2, 1968) is an American actor. He is the recipient of an Academy Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and an Emmy nomination. After his breakthrough role as Tre Styles in ''Boyz n the Hood'' (1991), he appeare ...

in his first feature film role), it also features appearances by actual gang members from

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

. Due to its realism, Father

Greg Boyle Gregory Joseph Boyle, S.J. (born May 19, 1954) is an American Roman Catholic priest of the Jesuit order. He is the founder and director of Homeboy Industries, the world's largest gang-intervention and rehabilitation program, and former pastor o ...

has used the film to show at-risk youths the dangers of gang life.

Production

To research the film, William Sachs spent three months riding with the LAPD gang unit at night, and going to the

juvenile court A juvenile court, also known as young offender's court or children's court, is a tribunal having special authority to pass judgements for crimes that are committed by children who have not attained the age of majority. In most modern legal s ...

during the day. He originally intended the film to be a surrealistic satire on the justice system, but due to interference by the producers, the final film is partially a satire, partially a straight drama. Originally, for example, Sachs intended the film to start with a scene of the judge using a

taser A taser is an electroshock weapon used to incapacitate people, allowing them to be approached and handled in an unresisting and thus safe manner. It is sold by Axon, formerly TASER International. It fires two small barbed darts intended to ...

on himself, but the producers re-edited it for a more serious tone. Sachs himself therefore calls the final film "patchy and uneven". The film was shot in 1988, but, due to legal issues, released four years later, in 1992. Sachs cast actual gang members to appear in the film, some as thugs, some in other roles. He was impressed by their professional attitude on set, keeping gang rivalries out of the working environment.

Cast

The cast includes: *

Elliott Gould Elliott Gould (; né Goldstein; born August 29, 1938) is an American actor. He began acting in Hollywood films during the 1960s. Elliott's breakthrough role was in the ''Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice'' (1969), for which he received a nomination f ...

as Judge Callow * Emilia Crow as Judge Chelsea Walker *

Karen Black Karen Blanche Black (née Ziegler; July 1, 1939 – August 8, 2013) was an American actress, screenwriter, singer, and songwriter. She rose to prominence for her work in various studio and independent films in the 1970s, frequently portrayi ...

as Tiffany Powers *

Ed Lauter Edward Matthew Lauter Jr. ( ; October 30, 1938 – October 16, 2013) was an American actor and stand-up comedian. He appeared in more than 200 films and TV series episodes in a career that spanned over 40 years. Early life Lauter was born and ...

as Dallas Hale *

Sydney Lassick Sydney Lassick (July 23, 1922 – April 12, 2003) was an American character actor perhaps best known for his role as Charlie Cheswick in the feature film '' One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest''. Lassick's first name was sometimes spelled ''Sidney' ...

as Dr. Henry Silver *

Francesco Quinn Francesco Daniele Quinn (March 22, 1963 – August 5, 2011) was an Italian-born American actor. The first son of Oscar-winner Anthony Quinn and Iolanda Addolori (Anthony Quinn's second wife), Francesco is perhaps best known for his breakout role ...

as Jimmy Sollera *

as Officer Alvarez

References

External links

* * American drama films 1992 films Films shot in Los Angeles 1992 drama films 1990s English-language films Films directed by William Sachs 1990s American films {{1990s-drama-film-stub