3 reviews
City in Fear, a 1980 ABC made for television movie,which is loosely based on the Son of Sam murders, is television at it's best. Anyone who gets the chance to view this movie will be in for a treat. The viewer can't lose with veteran actors like Robert Vaughn, Susan Sullivan, Mickey Rourke, Perry King and the forever amazing, but often underrated actor, David Janssen.
David Janssen would have been an Oscar nominee in films had he lived. The character of Vince Perrino played by Janssen is that of a frustrated, cynical alcoholic columnist, who is a man of many excesses one of them being alcohol. Janssen is hired by a wealthy Robert Vaughn, who recalls Janssen as a legendary columnist, who he (Vaugh)hopes can revamp a Los Angeles newspaper that has just been brought by Vaughn, when a series of murders of young women begins, that will by the end of the movie create a reign of terror in the city.
Watching this movie is almost like gradually seeing the curtains close in on the career of one of the finest actors in film and television. David Janssen died of a heart attack on February 13, 1980, he was 48 years old. City in Fear was a three (3) hour movie of the week. City in Fear aired on ABC a month after his death.
City in Fear is like two movies in one for it gives the viewer deep insight how newspapers and television news (Media) will go to extreme lengths to sell papers in a time of a national crisis like Son of Sam. It closely follows the killer's moves, played brilliantly for that time in television by Mickey Rourke whose victims are young women. Rourke would go on to make successful films such as 91/2 Weeks, Angel Heart and Barfly in the 1980's. David Janssen performance is in a class all by it's self, no one in this film can touch him. In my opinion David Janssen should have been awarded an Emmy posthumously for City in Fear. This movie was on video in the 1990's, additional copies may can still be found. City in Fear is not on DVD. Check this movie out, you will not be disappointed. R.I.P. David JANSSEN.
David Janssen would have been an Oscar nominee in films had he lived. The character of Vince Perrino played by Janssen is that of a frustrated, cynical alcoholic columnist, who is a man of many excesses one of them being alcohol. Janssen is hired by a wealthy Robert Vaughn, who recalls Janssen as a legendary columnist, who he (Vaugh)hopes can revamp a Los Angeles newspaper that has just been brought by Vaughn, when a series of murders of young women begins, that will by the end of the movie create a reign of terror in the city.
Watching this movie is almost like gradually seeing the curtains close in on the career of one of the finest actors in film and television. David Janssen died of a heart attack on February 13, 1980, he was 48 years old. City in Fear was a three (3) hour movie of the week. City in Fear aired on ABC a month after his death.
City in Fear is like two movies in one for it gives the viewer deep insight how newspapers and television news (Media) will go to extreme lengths to sell papers in a time of a national crisis like Son of Sam. It closely follows the killer's moves, played brilliantly for that time in television by Mickey Rourke whose victims are young women. Rourke would go on to make successful films such as 91/2 Weeks, Angel Heart and Barfly in the 1980's. David Janssen performance is in a class all by it's self, no one in this film can touch him. In my opinion David Janssen should have been awarded an Emmy posthumously for City in Fear. This movie was on video in the 1990's, additional copies may can still be found. City in Fear is not on DVD. Check this movie out, you will not be disappointed. R.I.P. David JANSSEN.
CITY OF FEAR follows three separate, but intertwined storylines: #1- A newspaper mogul (Robert Vaughn) buys The Los Angeles Sun, hoping to drastically increase its lagging circulation. #2- A former star reporter (David Janssen) is brought back to his old position by its new owner in hopes that he can recapture his past glory. #3- A budding serial killer (Mickey Rourke) is getting started on what will be a horrific number of slayings. #3- A cop (Perry King) is on the case, a case that will grow far bigger than he could imagine.
The strength of this made-for-TV drama lies in how well these stories are fleshed out. This isn't just another madman-on-the-loose movie. It's an epic human drama with an intelligent plot. The ins and outs of the newspaper business, the police investigation, the murderer's psyche, are all presented in a believable way. Nothing seems overblown or ridiculous. This is smart, engrossing television.
The characters are realistic, especially Janssen's, who has many problems. He's certainly not the typical Hollywood hero! Rourke plays the stalking gunman as an extremely dangerous, messed up man, not some omniscient, psychopathic mastermind.
This is a classic crime drama, and a fitting farewell to Mr. Janssen, who put in a stellar performance...
The strength of this made-for-TV drama lies in how well these stories are fleshed out. This isn't just another madman-on-the-loose movie. It's an epic human drama with an intelligent plot. The ins and outs of the newspaper business, the police investigation, the murderer's psyche, are all presented in a believable way. Nothing seems overblown or ridiculous. This is smart, engrossing television.
The characters are realistic, especially Janssen's, who has many problems. He's certainly not the typical Hollywood hero! Rourke plays the stalking gunman as an extremely dangerous, messed up man, not some omniscient, psychopathic mastermind.
This is a classic crime drama, and a fitting farewell to Mr. Janssen, who put in a stellar performance...