The Census Taker is a 1984 black comedy directed by Bruce R. Cook. It stars Greg Mullavey, Meredith MacRae, Timothy Bottoms, and Garrett Morris. The film was The Residents' first film soundtrack commission when their participation was suggested by Penn Jillette to Cook. It was released by Trans World Entertainment on VHS in 1989 under the title Husbands, Wives, Money & Murder.
Plot
When George (Greg Mullavey) and Martha (Meredith MacRae) let Harvey (Garrett Morris), an annoying census taker, into their home, they find themselves under a barrage of increasingly abusive questions. Furious at his intrusiveness, and at their wit's end, they kill the census taker and with the help of their friends Pete (Timothy Bottoms) and Eva (Austen Tayler), must hide the body from a determined investigator. The film ended in a freeze-frame when Eva and Martha breathed and cried off-screen. (Note: They breathed on-screen, and they cried off-screen)