Originally a 55 minute film for the BBC released in 1992, Alex Cox had hoped to expand it into a full length feature film but the BBC was not interested. However in 1993, Japanese investors gave Alex $100,000 to shoot the film but the film went over budget allowing no funds for production. Alex decided to make The Winner (1996) in order to get funds which worked and he was able to complete Death and The Compass in 1996.