Burnett's Killer of Sheep borrows from Italian Neo-Realism to construct a narrative that is as realistic as it is surreal. One cannot easily place this film into a genre. Most scenes at the slaughterhouse carry a documentary gloss. These are juxtaposed with scenes of domestic life. Killer of Sheep is a document of a reality refracted through the prism of violence inherent in the daily routine, a document of a life coming apart. Burnett notes that “[Stan’s] real problems lie within the family, trying to make that work and be a human being. You don’t necessarily win battles; you survive.” The film then is, first and foremost, a document of survival.
