A black & white promotional still for the color film Highway 61
110 minutes – Comedy
Language: English
Festival release date: September 7, 1991
Release date:
Production company: Shadow Shows
Canadian distributor” Cineplex Odeon Films Canada
Set along the legendary road that leads from Thunder Bay in northern Ontario to New Orleans, Louisiana (passing through St. Louis, Memphis, and points in-between) this finely tuned road movie stars Don McKellar, who wrote the screenplay, as a barber and frustrated trumpet player who for years has been planning to flee his small town and journey to the birthplace of jazz, New Orleans. Some kid happens to die in his backyard and he gets mixed up with a hard-ass rock & roll roadie (Roadkill co-star Valerie Buhagiar) and before he knows it he’s speeding down the blacktop with a pine coffin strapped to the roof of his Galaxie 500. On their trail is Mr. Skin, an ominous and unnaturally pale figure with a thing for fresh souls. Could it be … Satan? The soundtrack features the Ramones, Tom Jones and The Archies.
Bruce McDonald won Best Director honours at both the San Sebastián International Film Festival and the Brussels International Festival of Fantasy Film.
Don McKellar Valarie Buhagiar
Earl Pastko
Pater Brack
Art Bergmann
Jello Blafra
Hadley Obodiac
Tav Falco Tracy Wright
Johnny Askwith
Namir Khan
Steve Fall
Larry Hudson
Elizabeth Pritchard
Chantal Ettles
Alithea Watters
Ellen Carlisle
Brooks Rapley
Ann Shipman
Michael Vendruscolo
David McFarlane Peter Lynch
Alma Doyle
Caroline Gillis
Ray Gabourie
Jimmy Watson
Willie Selkirk
Robert Theodore
Kevin Carlisle
Charlie Azzopardi
Jimmy Lynch
Ken Sinclair
Lad Shaga
Clarence Haynes
E.G. Daniels
Jay Pattison
David Ramsden
Pokey Jones
Jackie Bangs
Mr. Skin (aka The Devil)
Mr. Watson
Otto
Customs Agent #1
Customs Agent #2
Motorcycle Gang Leader
Margo
Claude
Funeral Director
Jeffrey The Corpse
Nathan / Manservant
Louise Watson
Missie Watson
Minnie Watson
Mother
Mother’s Little Helper
Pickerel Falls Reporter
Pickerel Falls Photographer
Satan’s Neighbor
Bingo Angry Man
Bingo Angry Woman
Bingo Attendant
Bingo Caller
Highway Panhandler
Motel Clerk
Rock Band Manager
Rock Band Member #1
Rock Band Member #2
Rock Band Member #3
Rock Band Member #4
Gun Dealer
Motel Meat Eater
Motel Vegetarian
Bus Driver
Satan’s Other Neighbor