Tag der Angst

Chris thought the plot was weak, I'm a Law Enforcement Officer in Northwest Missouri, the story is all too real! Here is a short review from the book of the same title. This movie/book was based on a REAL crime that occurred in Skidmore, MO in 1981.

From Publishers Weekly - Ken Rex McElroy terrorized the residents of several counties in northwestern Missouri for a score of years. He raped young girls and brutalized them after they went to live with him or even married him; he shot at least two men; he stole cattle and hogs, and burned down the houses of some who interfered with his criminal activities. Thanks to the expert efforts of his lawyer and the pro-defendant bias of state laws, he served no more than a few days in jail, the author shows. In 1981, sentenced for the shooting of a popular grocer and free on bail, he was killed by the men of Skidmore, the center of his felonies; they closed ranks against all attempts to identify those who had pulled the triggers. Written by a first-time author, this is an engrossing, credible examination of the way vigilante action can take over when the law appears to be powerless.

BOMC and QPBC alternates. Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.

I have to watch this movie once in a while just to send chills down my spine. Naturally, the names were changed to protect the innocent. This movie is based on a true story and the movie closely represents the actual events. I knew the man who wrote the original story. We watched original TV showing together and I was able to get his take on the whole thing. This story was presented almost exactly the way it happened. We both thought that Mr. Dennehy's portrayal of Len was excellent. The killing at the end of the movie was extremely accurate and was witnessed by the fellow sitting next to me. I read the original manuscript. This movie may not have all the typical Hollywood bells and whistles, but it correctly represents what really happened. (Great work Chris and congratulations again!) We rarely get to see movies that tell the original story so well...

Well I would like to comment on Chris's comment about this movie was dismal and the plot was shallow. How can something that happened in REAL life be shallow and dismal. How do I know this actually happened? I used to live in a small town next to the town in which this event took place and friends of my family and some of my family had run-ins with the guy in which Brian Dennehy portrayed. As for the movie I thought it was very good. Brian Dennehy played the part perfectly and I also thought the plot told a pretty accurate story of how this family tormented the people in that small community . And to this day those people have not said a word about what happened that day. Now that is justice

Brian Dennehy paints a portrait of a truly sociopathic personality in this film. Plot twists are minimal simply because this is a true story. His characterization is all he has to work with, and Brian makes the most of it. He is by turns charming, threatening, homicidal and, all in all, just plain evil, a spoiled redneck who just can't imagine ever being called down for his activities.

Worse, he has intelligence to go with his warped mind.

We live in this character's part of the country and, believe me, people like this exist.

Not a great film, but the characterization will not only engross you, it'll probably scare the hell out of you.

I live 10 miles away from where this event happened, and as soon as I moved here, I was told I had to read this book and see the movie. This is a pretty good adaptation of the non-fiction book it is based on of the same title. I encourage people to not only see this movie but to also read the book, as you get MUCH backstory on not only the main character (who's real name is Ken McElroy), but also on the community and the area.

Most aspects of the book are the same as the film, although there are some differences. The main one involves the town. Skidmore (Darby in the film) is a much poorer community than what is portrayed here. I do wonder how it was in the early 80's when this happened, but I doubt it was much different. I drove through after reading the book and seeing the movie to see the place where this happened, and if you blink you miss it.

The only thing I don't like is the newscaster at the end speaking out against vigilante justice. When you read this book and see what these people really went through, you can't help but feel sorry for them. And, just as an update, nobody still has been charged or prosecuted for this crime, and the small town of Skidmore still holds the secret to this day, although most authorities (and the entire town) know what actually happened.