The Zodiac Killer

First saw this one in the 80s and recommended it to some of my friends. Everyone has enjoyed it so far. The casting, acting, dialogue and sets combine for many hilarious moments. I had to get my own copy of this one.

Directed by Tom Hanson, who had previously owned a chain of Pizza Man restaurants, THE ZODIAC KILLER was made to capture the real- life Zodiac Killer. That plan didn't work. Instead, we got the most outrageous and compelling "tabloid horror" vortex in the history of planet Earth. And beyond. During theatrical screenings, Hanson constructed in- theater "traps" to lure the killer from hiding. These included the use of an ice cream freezer filled with rent-a-cops and a raffle with a motorcycle as a prize. You won't get insight like this by watching a David Fincher movie. But you will get it while watching THE ZODIAC KILLER.

Read the fascinating true story behind the film here: http://zodiactruecrime.ew.com

A slapdash indie production made to cash in on, and potentially aid in the capture of the still-unidentified "Zodiac" killer who paralyzed the San Francisco Bay Area with fear for two years. In this illusory concoction, the killer's identity is no mystery, as we are introduced to him formally as a seemingly mild-mannered mail carrier who loves his pet guinea pigs, and occasionally worships at a chintzy Satanic altar in his apartment.

Despite some intermittent unintended chuckles, this film actually imparts a few fairly potent violent murder scenarios. It might actually be worth a look for patient crime thriller and grindhouse horror enthusiasts, with the understanding that it has little foothold in factuality. Additionally, the backstory of its production makes it something of a novelty, as it was hoped that the film might rouse the interest of the killer, potentially leading to his identification and apprehension. Though this plan ultimately failed, I like to think that he did see the film...he'd surely be pretty miffed that his evil reign of terror was reduced to cheesy, low-budget exploitation fodder(*snicker...).

4.5/10.

The Zodiac Killer (1971)

** (out of 4)

San Francisco finds itself under attack due to a string of murders where people are shot for no apparent reason. The film introduces us to a "what if" scenario as we meet several people who may or may not be the serial killer.

It's important to remember that when THE ZODIAC KILLER was released, the city itself was still under terror from the real thing. Obviously this has exploitation written all over it but one might be shocked that director Tom Hanson doesn't go over-the-top with the sleaze and instead it tries to take a serious approach on the subject. On the whole this isn't the best movie ever made but it features enough to make it worth viewing for fans of the genre.

What I enjoy most about the film is that it perfectly captures the time that it is set. There have been a lot of movies that tackled the subject but this here is the only one that takes place where the crimes happened. There's a surreal nature to the film that works extremely well and I thought the atmosphere was quite good. You really do feel as if you're watching a documentary on the real Zodiac because of how good the setting is. The film also benefits from some memorable death scenes. None of them, with the exception of a knife attack, are all that graphic but at the same time they are memorable.

With that said, there are some major flaws throughout the picture. The biggest is the fact that the film really drags at 85-minutes. The pacing of the movie is quite poor and it just drags to the point where you'll be wanting to scream for them to speed things up. The performances are also rather poor to say the least and some of the dialogue is even worse. One could also argue that the film doesn't have the greatest of stories but at the same time you have to give them credit for making a film in hopes of catching a real killer!

A cheapo expose on the Zodiac murders that occurred in the San Francisco Bay area in 1968 and 1969 that benefits from its year of release in 1971, not too far removed, the stringent budget which lends the project a degree of authenticity, as well as the focus on who the film portrays as the killer, a postal clerk who loves rabbits, and buries one that died near a cross, in a strikingly bizarre scene. Compared with the film that came out in 2007, this one stands up pretty well, especially for connoisseurs of films like this, no-budget but an eye for creativity. It made it on to the TCM Underground films, a wise decision by the program director.