This chilling tale recounts the late 70's in New York City, when a serial killer on the loose dubbed "Son of Sam" creates havoc. When arrested, "Son of Sam" tells police he was influenced by... Read allThis chilling tale recounts the late 70's in New York City, when a serial killer on the loose dubbed "Son of Sam" creates havoc. When arrested, "Son of Sam" tells police he was influenced by a satanic cult. New York would never be the same.This chilling tale recounts the late 70's in New York City, when a serial killer on the loose dubbed "Son of Sam" creates havoc. When arrested, "Son of Sam" tells police he was influenced by a satanic cult. New York would never be the same.
Elissa Dowling
- Brenda Klein
- (as Elissa Bree)
- Director
- Writer
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
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David Berkowitz, son of Sam, (played in a near-catatonic state by Yogi Joshi) recounts his story to his public defender, a tale that gets extremely repetitive fairly quickly. This deathly boring film by Ulli Lommel takes an somewhat avent-garde approach to the true life crime story, but all that does it make the redundancies all the more unbearable (Berkowitz kills, scene of satanic cult, talks to public defender, wanders around looking vacant, repeat, repeat, repeat) Also this film is not even noteworthy to those that are fascinated by the case, as the facts are played with loosely by Mr. Lommel. Speaking of which, this guy has made what, 5 or 6 'based on true life' serial killer movies so far(?!?!!) One would think he'd actually learn to make one that's even competent, alas perhaps it's just out of his grasp, poor guy... But he still shouldn't churn out such awful product.
My Grade: F
My Grade: F
This to me is just an awful depiction of a real life horrible murderer. I did not feel I was watching a story that explained what really happened, instead I felt I was watching a triple z -rated made-up story horror film - yes it's that bad.
The actors were fine to me - I do not have any beef with them. It was the story and the way it was filmed that got to me. Just to much focus on a satanic-cult that David (Son of Sam) keep envisioning and crap like that.
First of all, police are still doubting the claim of a satanic-cult involved. Even if there was one involved, how it was depicted in this film was just wrong - I felt the way it was shown was just wrong. It was like a horrible fictional cheesy triple z-rated film.
Secondly, I didn't like the 'distorted' look as we saw what David saw... (When David saw his victims it looked like some type of a cheap distorted effects).
Third, The priest at the end - looking more like a cheap rip-off of The Exorcist than a realist priest helping David.
This version of "Son of Sam" is a triple z-rated horror film instead of a film that tells us the story of what really happen. The true life story of what happened was horrible - there was no need to ham-it-up and make the real life horror into some cheap story.
I'm sorry - I hate giving bad reviews - but this film really is an awful depiction of a real life horror story.
I would give this film a 1 - but I will give it one extra point for the actors... they were not the problem with the film.
2/10
The actors were fine to me - I do not have any beef with them. It was the story and the way it was filmed that got to me. Just to much focus on a satanic-cult that David (Son of Sam) keep envisioning and crap like that.
First of all, police are still doubting the claim of a satanic-cult involved. Even if there was one involved, how it was depicted in this film was just wrong - I felt the way it was shown was just wrong. It was like a horrible fictional cheesy triple z-rated film.
Secondly, I didn't like the 'distorted' look as we saw what David saw... (When David saw his victims it looked like some type of a cheap distorted effects).
Third, The priest at the end - looking more like a cheap rip-off of The Exorcist than a realist priest helping David.
This version of "Son of Sam" is a triple z-rated horror film instead of a film that tells us the story of what really happen. The true life story of what happened was horrible - there was no need to ham-it-up and make the real life horror into some cheap story.
I'm sorry - I hate giving bad reviews - but this film really is an awful depiction of a real life horror story.
I would give this film a 1 - but I will give it one extra point for the actors... they were not the problem with the film.
2/10
wow! I'm actually playing the DVD right now and it is soooo freakin' awful! I don't even have to wait for it to end to write my review. It's like a sub-par student production. The writing is unbelievably bad. And the acting... well, I seriously think I saw better acting in my daughters elementary school play. If these are serious actors trying to build an acting career, I really feel bad for them, it would really have to suck to be associated with this film. If I were them, I'd make sure to leave this horrid film out of their resume. I'm not all that picky when it comes to films either. I always try to find something good about a production. But this.. I just can't find the silver lining on this film. I think this Ulli Lommel fella should maybe consider looking for another line of work.
Ulli is without a doubt the worst director is cinematic history. This mess of a movie proves that without any argument. Perhaps if he would actually try to make a real movie instead of "art house trash", he would make something watchable. The only good thing about his movies is that one can hit fast forward for at least 60% of each film and get done faster and therefore waste less time out ones daily grind. Ulli's movies are so bad, that "Plan 9 From Outerspace", the deliciously bad movie and "Attack of the Killer Tomato(e)s", would have a uncontested win in the Best Picture category at the Oscars! Ulli's movies are so bad that Uwe's films look like masterpieces.
The continual shots of the Satanic rituals got old after the first one. Each one making less and less sense. The shots of "Son of Sam" just wondering around became so nonsensical after the first two times.
Somebody please keep this man from wasting any more of our lives by making any further films!
The continual shots of the Satanic rituals got old after the first one. Each one making less and less sense. The shots of "Son of Sam" just wondering around became so nonsensical after the first two times.
Somebody please keep this man from wasting any more of our lives by making any further films!
Totally inaccurate. The writer didn't totally research the actual events. The writing was horrible and the acting was even worse. Bad direction and very poor production round out the worse film that I have ever seen. I don't know why this was even released, this was a total waste of film. I had trouble staying awake for this movie and I was watching it in the afternoon. Further, I think that it is an embarrassment to Lion's Gate to have anything to do with this film. To the people who are considering buying this film, Save your money! Buy Summer of Sam, it is far more entertaining. At least in Summer of Sam they have big name actors that give a far better performance.
Did you know
- TriviaThe film does not have a Wikipedia page.
- GoofsIn the epilogue the word "eligible" is misspelled "elagible".
- ConnectionsReferenced in The Cinema Snob: Son of Sleepaway Camp (2012)
Details
- Runtime1 hour 20 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.78 : 1
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