The Zodiac Killer (1971)

Such a frustrating disappointment

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

"The motion picture you are about to see was conceived in June 1970. Its goal is not to win commercial awards but to create an "awareness of a present danger", Zodiac is based on known facts. If some of the scenes, dialogue, and letters seem strange and unreal, remember - they happened. My life was threatened on October 28, 1970 by Zodiac. His victims have received no warnings. They were unsuspecting people like you ---Paul Avery. Reporter, San Francisco Chronicle"That opening text has apparently been omitted from some versions of this largely fictional account of the Zodiac killer's reign of terror in the late 1960s, filmed on no budget, seemingly no screenplay, and people who just simply happened to be standing nearby. Some obviously forgot their lines and stuttered through the scene. Why were those scenes not re-filmed? Also, during an early scene in a diner, two guys (real customer, perhaps?) walking up to the front (glass) door as though they were about to walk in, but then stop, as though a crew member might have stopped them and said something like, "Don't go in there yet. We're not done filming." There is a black guy, who answers a ringing payphone, appeared to be a random passerby, unaware he was even being filmed.The couple killed at the lake had a simultaneously creepy (what with the way the killer almost casually walked up to them, clad in full executioner's clothes) and silly (because of its amateurishness) feel. Probably the film's most memorable scene.May be worth checking out, for unintentional laughs, and for a look at the first(?) film about the Zodiac, just don't expect it to be fact- based.

A deranged serial killer terrorizes San Francisco and writes letters to local newspapers about his evil exploits. Tom Hanson's basic direction, the gritty urban locations, the seamy tone, several startling moments of ugly and brutal violence (the sequence with an amorous young couple being attacked and murdered by a lake packs a truly jolting punch), a mean-spirited misogynistic streak, the rough cinematography by Robert Birchall and Wilson S. Hong, the hit-or-miss acting, the psycho's freaky ranting monologues, the grim fact that the story is based on scary real-life events, and a chilling open ending all give this movie a certain super seedy quality that paradoxically enough makes it that much more creepy and unnerving rather than less so. Hal Reed really sinks his teeth into his juicy role as meek, yet unhinged mailman Jerry. Doodles Weaver has a funny bit part as dirty old man neighbor Doc. Worth a watch for true crime aficionados.

"The Zodiac Killer" is a gritty, low-budget, semidocumentary account of the notorious serial killer who terrorized California in the 1960s and who was never apprehended. The film introduces us to two archetypal "angry white men": the shy, sexually repressed postman (this before "disgrunted postal worker" became a catch phrase) and a balding, bitter, misogynistic truck driver locked in a nasty custody dispute with his ex. While not particularly well made, the film holds the viewer's interest and manages to create some suspense. Like many B movies it sheds light on aspects of the human condition too often ignored by Hollywood A movies. For once we have a film where everyone isn't good-looking, and we have a maniac who preys on both men and women instead of just going after hot chicks. Of course much of it is fictional or at least highly speculative, since we still don't know the killer's identity. "The Zodiac Killer" is available from Something Weird Video as part of its "Sharpshooter Triple Feature" along with "The Sex Killer" and "Zero In and Scream," two highly entertaining sexploitation films that compare favorably with a lot of the stuff Hollywood makes these days.

Knowing the Producer and some cast members, you all likely did not know the main reason the Movie was made was to try and catch the Zodiak. There was a whole lot going on behind the scenes to scheme a plan where the Zodiak would come to see a Movie about himself. If he came, and was discovered, eventually arrested, The Movie Caught the Killer. So despite the poor reviews,what a thrill it would have been! Had a Movie caught a Killer, more folks would see it. Leading to more Movie productions. There could have been a Movie made about the methods developed to "catch" The Zodiak. Would you go see a film which led to the arrest of a Killer?