Zodiac (Widescreen Edition)

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Closer in spirit to a police procedural than a gory serial-killer flick, David Fincher's Zodiac provides a sleek, armrest-gripping re-invention of the crime film. It surveys the investigation of the Zodiac killings that terrorized the San Francisco Bay area in the late -60-early -70s; Zodiac not only killed people, but cultivated a Jack the Ripper aura by sending icky letters to the newspapers and daring readers to solve coded messages. But the film's focus isn't on the killer. We follow the reporters and detectives whose lives are taken over by the case, notably an addictive crime writer (a sartorially splendid Robert Downey Jr.), an awkward editorial cartoonist (Jake Gyllenhaal), and a hard-working cop (Mark Ruffalo). Fincher and his brilliant cinematographer Harris Savides are deft at capturing the period feel of the city, without laying on the seventies kitsch, and James Vanderbilt's script doles out its big moments to major and minor characters alike. Fincher's confidence is infectious; the movie glides through its myriad details with such dexterity that even the blind alleys and red herrings seem essential. The well-chosen cast includes unexpected people popping up all over: Anthony Edwards as a lunch-bucket homicide cop; Charles Fleischer as a mysterious suspect; Elias Koteas and Donal Logue as small-town policemen whose districts are hit by Zodiac; Chloe Sevigny as Gyllenhaal's sweet-natured wife; Brian Cox as the media-friendly lawyer Melvin Belli, so famous he once appeared on Star Trek; and the mighty John Carroll Lynch, as a supremely creepy suspect. The film is based on non-fiction books by Robert Graysmith (he's portrayed by Gyllenhaal), although Fincher and co. did extensive research on their own. The result is a propulsive whodunit without (thus far) an ending, but the uncertainty makes the film even more intriguing. --Robert Horton

Beyond Zodiac

The Zodiac (2005)
Curse of the Zodiac (2007)
The Novel

Stills from Zodiac (click for larger image)

Customer Reviews:

A Tale of Twin Obsessions.......2007-09-15

David Fincher invites his viewers on a nearly three hour journey into obsession in Zodiac. Two obsessions ,really, one the story of a person with a obsession for killing and the second of the police and journalists on an obsessive quest for the truth.

Zodiac is a departure from normal Fincher fare. The film is more a tight police procedural than a gory serial killer film. The story is the stuff of urban legend and needs no real explanation. The three principal leads in the film Jake Gyllenhaal as cartoonist Robert Graysmith, Mark Rufallo as Inspector David Toschi and Robert Downey, Jr. as reporter Paul Avery are excellent. The film offers insights into all of its characters great and small that are not usually found in films of this type. We go on an emotional ride with these people and begin to care about what the strain of the case is doing to them both professionally and personally.

Fincher has always been a director for creating atmosphere ans Zodiac is no different. Using cinematographer Harris Savides and production designer Donald Graham Burt he effectively recreates late 1960's/ early 1970's San Francisco without ever going over the top. Writer James Vanderbilt provides a complex screenplay that keeps you guessing throughout. There are more false leads and red herrings here for a film twice its length.

If there is a problem with this film it's that Paramount has decided to release a bare bones edition of the film but promises a new bonus filled Director's Edition early in 2008. Having this trailer on the film feels like a slap in the face to those of us who bought the early edition.

This is one of the better and more intelligent films of the year thus far and deserves a look. You may want to rent it now and wait for the special edition before purchasing it though.

ONE OF THE BEST FILMS I'VE SEEN IN A LONG TIME........2007-09-15

THIS FILM IS SO GOOD, I HAD TO GET THE BOOK BY ROBERT GRAYSMITH. THE BOOK IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN THE FILM. NAME CHANGES, STUFF LIKE THAT. I FIRST HEARD ABOUT THE ZODIAC ON THE A&E CHANNELL. IT WAS AN INTERESTING YET FRIGHTFUL TRUE STORY THAT HAPPENED IN THE LATE 60'S AND 70'S. IT REMINDS ME OF THE SON OF SAM, WHICH I KNOW MORE ABOUT BECAUSE I AM FROM AND STILL LIVE IN NYC, THAT HIT CLOSER TO HOME, BUT THE ZODIAC IS A LITTLE BIT MORE SCARY TO HEAR AND READ ABOUT. STEVE MCQUEEN'S BULLET, WAS BASED ON THE LEAD INSPECTOR, DAVE TOSCHI. MARK RUFFALO WHO PLAYS THE POLICE DET. IS FANTASTIC. HE HAS THE ITALIAN LOOK, THE CURLY HAIR, YES HIS HAIR IS REALLY THAT CURLY. I HEARD ABOUT THE ACTOR, BUT I THINK IT'S THE FIRST TIME I SAW HIM ACT. HE IS SO BELIEVEABLE. I READ IN THE BOOK HE ACTUALLY MET WITH DAVE TOSCHI TO PICK UP THE MANNERISMS AND THE CLOTHES DET. TOSCHI WORE. JAKE G. IS ALSO BELIEVEABLE. THE ACTORS BRING HEART AND SOUL TO THE ROLES. ROBERT DOWNEY JR. BLEW ME AWAY. THE CLOTHES IN THE FILM BRING ME BACK TO THE ERA. ROBERT IS SUCH A GOOD ACTOR. I THINK THIS FILM WILL BE A CLASSIC, LIKE JFK WITH KEVIN COSTNER. I RENTED IT, AND I HAD TO BUY THE DVD, THEN I GOT THE BOOK. I BOUGHT THEM ALL ON AMAZON. I HOPE THE FILM GETS NOMINATED FOR OSCARS, IT'S THAT GOOD. THERE ARE A FEW SCENES THAT ARE HARD TO WATCH, WHEN THE ZODIAC ATTACKS HIS VICTIMS AND KILLS SOME OF THEM. THIS FILM IS WORTH RENTING AND BUYING IT. IT'S KINDA LONG, ALMOST 3 HRS, BUT IT NEVER GETS BORING. YOU FOLLOW THE STORY FROM ONE OF THE MURDERS, TO THE ENTRANCE OF THE MAIN CHARACTERS: JAKE G. RUFFALO, AND DOWNEY. ON THE DVD,COMING IN 2008, THERE WILL BE A EXTENDED VERSION OF THE FILM. DIRECTOR'S COMMENTARY, BEHIND THE SCENES. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT VERSION. I HOPE THIS REVIEW HELPS. THANK YOU

Too long makes this film forgettable........2007-09-14

Zodiac directed by David Fincher starts off really well even though the first 30 minutes are the most violent but as the film goes on, the characters become too cluttered and the progression is a bit slow and lackluster. I have always liked Fincher's films but this one doesn't flow well and since the San Franciso Police Department never found out the identity of the Zodiac killer, you kinda expected an ambivalent ending. The use of the song, Hurdy Gurdy Man by Donovan is played many times during the film, and that song is perfect and kept me watching this film the whole way through. There are some great performances by Jake Gyllenhaal and Mark Ruffalo but sadly even their acting can't save this so-so film.

I expected more.......2007-09-09

After years of pondering the Zodiac murders, I thought that this movie was going to bring all the pieces together by placing the final piece into the puzzle. So I was really disappointed that the final piece still leads to the person the law and writers always thought it was....But with no true ending. But it's a good movie.

Like the book, like the movie.......2007-09-09

If you have problems with Graysmith you'll have them with the film - very close to the book and a fine set piece for the era. Definitely worth your time.

Average customer rating:

Bad plot, bad writing, bad everything!
Decent Film with Fairly Detailed Accounts of the Zodiac Killer, But Still Not Good Enough
It had me on the edge of my seat, but ...
NOT the 2007 David Fincher movie.
Waiting for the Other Zodiac on DVD

The Zodiac
Starring: Justin Chambers , Robin Tunney , Rory Culkin , William Mapother , and Brad William Henke
Director: Alexander Bulkley
Manufacturer: Velocity / Thinkfilm
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000FJGR7G
Release Date: 2006-08-29

Customer Reviews:

Bad plot, bad writing, bad everything!.......2007-08-12

I had high hopes when i first heard of this movie but when i saw it my hopes were dashed.This movie starts off by saying that it is "based on true events" which is a nice way of saying that they are gonna make up a whole bunch of stuff because they didn't want to do any real research into the Zodiac killings.The names of victims,suspects and detectives are all made up,i can live with that because they want to protect the real people who were involved with this case but when they pay no real attention to the case itself,then i start to not like this movie.This movie is about the Zodiac killer,a man that stalked the Northern California area in the 60's and killed people using guns and knives.He was never caught but there were many suspects in the case and the killer wrote letters to the news papers in different areas and also to the police.This movie gets me mad because they present the Zodiac killer as if he has some kind of supernatural powers and never leaves any real evidence behind.There is one point of the movie where the lead detective sais in frustration to his cop buddies "This guy moves in and out without leaving a clue!" in reality the Zodiac killer was very sloppy and left evidence behind like fingerprints.This movie is also not very well made either nor is it well acted by the people in it.The people in this movie are not bad actors,it's just the fact that this film does not have a good script or even a good backdrop for most of the scenes.If you want to watch a good movie about the Zodiac i would watch the one with Jake Gyllenhaal,at least that one has a solid plot.Stay far away from this one.

Decent Film with Fairly Detailed Accounts of the Zodiac Killer, But Still Not Good Enough.......2007-07-30

The story of San Francisco serial killer is so famous that I don't think I need a plot summery here. The strength of "The Zodiac" directed by Alexander Bulkley lies in the minute details of the terrifying murders in California's Bay Area that started in 1968. It is a bit unfortunate, however, that this was soon followed by David Fincher's version, which boasts more minute details about the gruesome murder cases by the Zodiac Killer.

It is obvious that director and co-writer Alexander Bulkley and his brother and co-writer Kelley Bulkeley (different spells) did extensive researches for this film as the film's references to several key items (like one Fay Wray film, for instance) testifies. The re-created murder scenes are pretty scary and the photography is decent.

But ... sorry, the film stops there. Anyone who has read books and articles about the Zodiac Killer (or those who have already seen Fincher's film) would not find anything new here. And what is more disappointing is that the characters - Justin Chambers as the inspector; Philip Baker Hall (also in Fincher's version) as his boss; Robin Tunney as his wife; Rory Culkin as their kid who is, it seems, attracted to the case - all these elements are thrown in the film's standard crime thriller sub-plot, which is not interesting.

This is not a bad film, but it still needs a new, original approach to the material.

It had me on the edge of my seat, but ..........2007-07-17

it wasn't what I expected. I didn't realize that there were two movies with this title, so great, now I have to watch the story over again when I see the other movie. Well, that's my problem, so why do I only give it 2 stars? I liked the suspense and it did capture my interest, however, I was upset that the movie continually used a child as a centerpiece of suspense when, in fact, a child was never threatened.

I understand that as a parent you wouldn't know if your child may be endangered, but the movie makers knew the story and they exploited the role of a child to help their movie. That bothers me.

Look, I lived through an actual serial killer spree here in the D.C. area including one killing in front of a store my family frequently shopped. I know what it means to be afraid for your child and it is insulting to have a child used in this manner. If it was only a small part of the movie, then I'm not upset, but this was the entire movie.

NOT the 2007 David Fincher movie........2007-07-01

I should have been more skeptical. The zodiac, on DVD, at Woolworths, for £4.97, when the film is still on release at the cinema? Of course it isn't the same film. The production values are good enough to make you think that it nonetheless might be, but a few things didn't quite hang together (careful - there are some sort-of-spoilers in here):

* The cheesy incidental music, which sounded like it came straight from the William Peter Blatty school for freaky music;
* The rather conventional editing and shooting style. Not entirely conventional - The Zodiac kind of hints at Se7en stylings, but in a drastically scaled back fashion, rather like a TV Movie trying to "do" Se7en. (Obviously, the directors weren't to know that David Fincher would subsequently dramatise the same story, so they can hardly be blamed for attempting to ape his style);
* The "nutmeg" in the script represented by the Detective's son, his relationship with his mother, a teenage girl and the case itself, which gives every indication of leading somewhere, but evaporates without trace;
* The fact that, on 87 minutes, without warning, the film suddenly stops dead - nothing resolved: not the murders, not the detective's relationship with his boss, wife, son or the killer, not the "your wife and children are vulnerable" subplot, nor even the motivation of the killer (who had graduated from son-of-sam style killings of fornicating sweethearts to indiscriminately murdering of taxi drivers and whose MO had changed from shooting, to stabbing, to shooting *and* stabbing). One gets the sense the producers ran out of money.

This is a competently shot, acted and edited picture, but the screenplay is just hopeless. There is no story arc (it's basically "some innocent people get shot. The killer taunts the police. He never gets caught", which would almost be ok if there were a character arc, but there's not one of those either. The characters' relationships just deteroriate, a bit, but never fatally.

Some (possibly unintentional) humour at the death, when a letter from the Zodiac is read out in which the Zodiac brags that his exploits would make a good film (well, maybe, but as this effort shows, not necessarily!) wonders who might play him in the movie: In this treatment he remains a silhouette throughout. Never mind.

Olly Buxton

Waiting for the Other Zodiac on DVD.......2007-04-03

While ZODIAC is in the theaters and people want a sneak preview of what to expect from that film with Jake Gyllenhaal, this little version called THE ZODIAC is available and has some merit. The search for the still unknown serial killer of the late 1960s in the bay area is a creepy enough story that it is difficult to imagine a telling of it would not make us shiver. This film directed by Alexander Bulkley and written with the director's brother Kelley Bulkeley (sic) keeps a fairly low key and while it does manage to depict some of the slayings, much of this version on the Zodiac killer is focused on the personalities of those desperately seeking the perpetrator.

Justin Chambers portrays Inspector Matt Parish who becomes obsessed with the search to the point of excessive drinking and neglecting his family; the manner in which Bulkley depicts him seems more focused on Parish's chain smoking than anything else, an example of using the cigarette as a constant prop when there is no apparent reason for pushing the habit into the public's eye. Parish's frightened wife is ably portrayed by Robin Tunney, and his son who is obsessed with the multiple fascinating aspects of the Zodiac mentality is well handled by Rory Culkin. Some fine actors flesh out the cast - William Mapother, Philip Baker Hall - but they are given little material to use.

The production values (night atmosphere especially) are strong for an Indie and the film does convey a creepiness that lingers. If only the writers would have shared some insights into the characters on screen the film would have been far stronger. But for another look at Zodiac, until the real one comes out on DVD, this little film is a good teaser. Grady Harp, April 07

Average customer rating:

BORRRRRING!
This one was really bad
Ulli Lommel's Curse of the Zodiac
Horrible!
Absolutely Terrible

Curse of the Zodiac
Starring: Jack Quinn , and Cassandra Church
Director: Ulli Lommel
Manufacturer: Lionsgate
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B000NOIVTK
Release Date: 2007-05-15

Description

Inspired by the true story of the Serial Killer who terrorized Northern California during the sixties and seventies. His use of cryptic symbols and coded messages fueled the police and media frenzy and made him one of America's most notorious unsolved cases.

Customer Reviews:

BORRRRRING!.......2007-09-07

I rented this movie thinking it couldn't be that bad since they usually don't carry low budget films here.... surprise! It was probably the worst movie I've seen....and surely the most frustrating to watch... really! The camera angles, unfocused shots, bad acting and the editing... wow! Don't buy it, don't rent it, forget you ever came across this film because it blows!

This one was really bad.......2007-08-23

Ulli Lommel's string of serial killer movies started off promising with "Zodiac Killer", then went quickly downhill with "Green River Killer" and "BTK Killer". "Curse of the Zodiac" is just as bad as "BTK Killer". There's not really any plot, just a series of murders and 70 minutes of extremely tedious filler scenes. With "Zodiac Killer", which had a decent story, I could overlook the obvious low budget, but this movie has no redeeming features, and what's with all the strange camera angels and the bad editing? Don't waste your time or money on this movie.

Ulli Lommel's Curse of the Zodiac.......2007-08-05

Curse of the Zodiac is a second film by Ulli Lommel that is inspired by the mysterious serial killer The Zodiac. In this shot-on-Digital-Video flick, a mysterious killer who calls himself "The Zodiac" and "The Z-Man" taunts a fat lazy cop by sending him letters and annoying phone calls. A young woman (Cassandra Church) witnesses his killings through her dreams. She tries to tell people about her :"visions", but nobody seems to care, Her boyfriend asks if she needs to see a shrink. Can she warn the authorities about "The Zodiac" before he can strike again?

I found the movie to be okay. Not as good as The Zodiac Killer. A young actress named Cassandra Church puts on a very good performance. Ulli Lommel does his best to make an interesting film and uses a lot of flashy cuts and edits to add some zazz to the picture. Not a classic by any means but a strange and dark film by filmmaker Ulli Lommel.

Horrible!.......2007-07-18

This is the WORST move I have EVER seen. Please don't waste your money! It was hard to sit through 30 mins of this. The graphics were horrible, there was no story line and the actors were soo bad it was comical. I would rather watch a blank TV screen than have to watch this awful movie! So bottom line is, don't buy this movie unless you are trying to purchase the worst movie of all times! :)

Absolutely Terrible.......2007-06-23

This movie is a joke. The acting is atrocious. The cinematography is pathetic. The dialog is pitiful. Do not waste your time and money on this one!

The Zodiac Killer / The Sex Killer / Zero In and Scream (Something Weird)

Average customer rating:

A mixed bag of (s)exploitation movies
Heaven help us

The Zodiac Killer / The Sex Killer / Zero In and Scream (Something Weird)
Starring: Manny Cardoza , Bertha Dahl , Mary Darrington , Edna DeHart , and Gloria Gunn
Director: Tom Hanson
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B0000C23H9
Release Date: 2003-10-14

Description

What kind of lunatic goes around cheerfully killing total strangers, and even helps a little old lady change a flat by bashing her over the head with the spare, then writes letters to newspapers taunting the police? Yup, the kind who also goes down to the basement, dons a ceremonial robe and prays to a plaster idol, "I am the Supreme Zodiac! All those I kill in this life will be my slaves when I am reborn in Paradise! Atlantis shall rise again!" Based on the still-unsolved "Zodiac" murders between 1966 and 1969, The Zodiac Killer is a tabloid blend of truth, fiction and sick humor "based on known facts."

Customer Reviews:

A mixed bag of (s)exploitation movies.......2004-04-21

Another one of SOMETHING WEIRD's new triple feature output, THE ZODIAC KILLER/THE SEX KILLER/ZERO IN AND SCREAM is a mixed bag of exploitation flicks.
THE ZODIAC KILLER is allegedly based on an authentic crime case, a serial killer that stalked the San Francisco Bay area in the late 1960ies. As serial killer flick this 1970 effort is years ahead of its time. That is not to say that THE ZODIAC KILLER is a good movie. Generally it is rewarding viewing for exploitation fans, if you are willing to forgive cheap gore effects and some dragging here and there. The killer's motivation is a bit silly to put it mildly and he is the usual mister-nice-guy-next-door type, always willing to lend a helping hand, inviting the folks at his favorite bar for a drink, etc. He even breeds pet rabbits (!) and takes good care of them, a trait that endeared him to me. Well, he is a nice guy - until his personality's dark side takes over and he embarks on a killing spree...It has to be said that many of the murders are poorly staged. Much more fun than the bloodier parts is a subplot about a weirdo - a vain but ugly, extremely foul-mouthed truckdriver full of barely hidden aggressions. This guy hams it up, but since he is not much of a thespian, he comes across more laughable than menacing. Due to his foul language (every second word is "broad") and his antics he adds a lot of entertainment value, but unfortunately his character does not have too much screen time.
The film gets surreal in places with the usual hapless cops seeking advice from a psychic, it also drags in places, but ends on an effective and satisfying punchline.
Picture quality on this one is is poor with scratches and grain, but given the film's vintage on the whole acceptable.
Far better is the second film THE SEX KILLER, a mid-1960ies b/w sleaze film concerning a young loner with some serious sexual problems. First he buys binoculars to spy on women, then he proceeds to steal a mannequin's head for his pleasure (!) I liked the scene where he stops on his way home for a drink in a bar with his plastic "date" - the embarrassed gazes of the bartender and the patrons are priceless! I bet this was shot with hidden camera. As his sexual madness progresses he strangles and rapes women...
A quick sick sleazefest THE SEX KILLER never outstays his welcome due to a brief running time. The weird proceedings are accompanied by an instrumental music theme, which is repeated over and over again, but fits surprisingly well. I also enjoyed the nice 1960ies New York location footage. Picture quality is also very good with a pristine print.
ZERO IN AND SCREAM's plot (so to speak) concerns a mad sniper stalking love-making couples in the Hollywood Hills area and shooting the men during intercourse. It plays more for titillation than for thrills with the sniper story a mere pretext. The sex scenes are quite graphic, particularly the one in the swimming pool. Nice underwater photography, by the way.
The film ends rather abruptly. I'm reliably informed that the movie is cut by over a minute. Clearly the weakest of the bunch, in both entertainment value and picture quality.
There is not much in the way of extras here, just a gallery of "Sick Sixties Sex Stills With Audio Oddities", which is much fun and runs for about 10 minutes.
There are also 5 trailers, for THE SEX KILLER, ZERO IN AND SCREAM, THE PSYCHO KILLER, AROUSED and HONEYMOON OF TERROR. The last is my favorite of the bunch. This mid-1960ies b/w film is apparently about a couple on honeymoon being terrorized by a crazed redneck in an isolated wooden area. Hope, this one will hit DVD one day!

Heaven help us.......2003-10-30

This "Sharpshooter Triple Feature" is one of the best Something Weird releases of 2003, despite the unpromising theme of the disc. Each film is a close-up study of a psychopathic murderer, and perhaps "Pathetic Loser Triple Feature" is a more accurate blanket description. The SEX KILLER doesn't even carry a gun.

ZODIAC KILLER is the most professional-looking of the three, yet it defines "cheap exploitation," dealing with a hot topic in a quasi-documentary, mostly melodramatic format. A pair of pathetic losers are introduced and half the film plays a game with the audience - which one is Zodiac, the disgruntled postman or the misogynistic middle-aged truck driver? The real Zodiac, of course, has never been identified, but the film offers its own ideas about the killer's personality and Freudian urges. The picture is washed out and grainy, the soundtrack distorted and variable in quality, actors flub their lines, but ZODIAC KILLER is great fun if you like exploitation. Some arty directorial flourishes work pretty well in this context, depicting Zodiac's warped view of humanity (vile, worthless, malevolent species). The cast of amateurs, portraying diverse "ordinary people" in Zodiac's orbit, is quite convincing, more effective in their parts than a bevy of B-list SAG pros would have been. In sum, ZODIAC KILLER is not a particularly good film, but it is entertaining, and as exploitation it is exemplary.

ZERO IN AND SCREAM and SEX KILLER are almost equally bad, two threadbare plots padded with a busload of flesh to reach the coveted 60-minute mark, yet SEX KILLER still falls short by 4 minutes. SEX KILLER is as bad as you'd expect a Barry Mahon psychodrama to be; there's very little dialogue, and most of that is restricted to blunt one-liners telling us the "sex killer" is a weird guy, something we know already. SEX KILLER is most successful in its attempt to create a stifling, hellish atmosphere around its protagonist. New York City's busy streets and grimy corridors should be top-billed in SEX KILLER, along with the creepy department store mannequins who lure this shy, inhibited boy into the depraved nightmare existence of a murderous necrophiliac. It's not a strange compulsion - it's a way of life. An idea is weakly developed throughout, that society is implicated in the killings because people are either indifferent to, or titillated by, these events. A similar notion crops up in ZODIAC KILLER.

ZERO IN AND SCREAM is something like the bastard/invert kin of MANTIS IN LACE, and is notable only for its copious and complete nudity, with little else to recommend it. Actually it's more remarkable for its awfulness, as it raises the question of how little development an anecdote requires to become a (barely) full-length feature film.

Description

The infamous Zodiac killer returns through a string of copycat murders in this terrifying thriller. In modern day Los Angeles, a young man is driven by obsession and madness to recreate the murders of the Zodaic Killer- a gruesome serial killer who was never caught or even identified, and remains one of the most mesmerizing killers in American Crime

Customer Reviews:

Not that bad.......2007-08-21

You never quite know what to expect from an Ulli Lommel movie, but I found "Zodiac Killer" to be an interesting take on its subject. It is not so much about the real zodiac killer as about a modern day copycat killer (Vladimir Maksic) who befriends a writer and exper on the zodiac killer (Lommel). Yes, it's a low budget film and it shows. It's not very well filmed and there are inserts from earlier Lommel films, but I found the story to be interesting enough to make up for most of it. It is definately not as bad as Lommel's other serial killer films, "BTK Killer" and "Green River Killer".

ZERO Stars - The worst movie in the world - bar none........2007-06-14

I've spent tens of thousands of hours and even more money on my movie obsession. I've never felt compelled to write a review before. This movie is a pathetic piece of filmmaking and is so wrong in every possible way: factually incorrect, shamefully directed, horribly filmed, badly written, terribly acted, wrongfully lit, completely laughable, and a total and absolute waste of my precious time. This isn't cheesy bad; it is just plain awful. And since I'm a pretty sweet and tolerant Texas gal, I usually find SOMETHING redeeming in every movie I watch. But this was so bad that it made me feel like I was getting a brain tumor. Oh, that's right, I DO have a brain tumor, which is why I stay at home and watch movies 24 hours a day. I probably got it from watching Ulli's 1971 Zodiak movie. Don't watch it either. (Top 2 worst movies ever. Ulli, get another career!) So, for all my fellow movie addicts, please trust me on this, don't waste your time. If I weren't already sick, this movie would have cut a few years off my life anyway. Happy Trails!

The Z Man???????????? .......2007-06-09

Horrible beyond belief. They call the Zodiac Killer the "Z Man." My son said that the Zodiac Killer would probably come back and kill the people who created the film just because of that, not to mention how bad the movie is.

We couldn't even watch past the first murder. I could do better with my digital camera and my son peeking through doorways.

This movie deserves to be on a list of the worst horror films of all time. -10 stars.

Colosal trash!!!!!.......2007-05-02

I got sucked in by the box art and the trendy subject matter. In the first minute I knew I had been duped. The production quality is nonexistant!! It litteraly looks like they filmed this in one weekend with a home video camera....and not even a good one at that. All shots are single camera aligned, lighted like a high school play, loaded with shadows and edited by an obvious amature. This horrrible quality entends to the acting. I'm used to seeing unknown people in avantgard film but at least those people have beeen schooled to some degree. I could see where this dud was going at the line "Crime scene photos?, autopsy reports? You forget I'm a forensic scientist" Good God save us all.
I have a collection of 4000 dvds and I would not give this thing shelf room as a door stop!!!!!Pure Junk!!!!!!!!! I only checked 1 star because there afre no negitive numbers available.

Very Bad!!!!.......2007-02-12

I saw this movie and decided to do housework while I was watching it. About 1/2 way through it, I became bored with the movie and just did housework. I am sorry, but this movie is just plain awful. The only reason I started to watch this movie is because it said it was by the director of "Boogeyman". Yes, I was one of those few people that liked the "Boogeyman". I try not to rate movies this low when I watch them, but this one deserves a "0". Watch "The Zodiac" instead. It is much better and informative than this piece of trash.

Average customer rating:

Zodiac Killers
Starring: Zodiac Killers
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Black Belly of the Tarantula 2 Disc Limited Edition

Average customer rating:

Black Belly of the Tarantula 2 Disc Limited Edition
Director: Paolo Cavara
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Brief Nudity, Violence, Mature Situations
English and Italian Audio
Optional English Subtitles
Original Trailers
Bonus Original Soundtrack CD (1 Hour of Music)

ASIN: B000UFSRT6

Product Description

Paolo Cavara (1926-1982) has given his contribution to the Giallo with the movies 'La tarantola dal ventre nero' (aka Black Belly of the Tarantula') from 1971 and 'e tanta paura' from 1976. 'La tarantola dal ventre nero' tells the story of an inspector who investigates serial crimes where victims are paralyzed while having their bellies ripped open with a sharp knife, similar way tarantulas are killed by the black wasp. Under the pressure of conspiracy and of personal problems the inspector quits his job, but still manages to detect the brutal murderer. Paolo Cavara's professional directing is supported by a notable cast. In the first instance Giancarlo Giannini's performance merits a special mention. He perfectly embodies the character of inspector Tellini transmitting the anguish and tension. The women victims are played by the most beautiful actresses of the 70s: Barbara Bouchet, Claudine Auger, Stefania Sandrelli and Barbara Bach: their destiny is to become sufferers of the sadistic murderer. This Special Collection comes with a Bonus Original Soundtrack CD containing 15 tracks of music by Composer, Ennio Morricone.

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ASIN: B000G2YC56
Release Date: 2006-08-29

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Disappointing
One of Ann Hui's lesser efforts

Zodiac Killers
Starring: Andy Lau , Cherie Chung , Junichi Ishida , Yasuaki Kurata , and Kyôko Kishida
Director: Ann Hui
Manufacturer: Tai Seng
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000094FEC
Release Date: 2003-06-17

Description

Acclaimed director ANN HUI helms this brooding mystery thriller starring ANDY LAU (The Duel, Running Out Of Time) and CHERIE CHUNG (An Autumn's Tale). Caught up in Japan's yakuza underworld at Tokyo's Shinjuku district, Chinese students Ben (Lau) and his new found love Tieh-lan (Chung) must find a way to escape from gangsters assigned to take their lives.

Customer Reviews:

Disappointing.......2007-03-20

I saw this last night at an Ann Hui retrospective, and after seeing several excellent films anticipated that I would be able to get in a fight with Luke's .. er, lukewarm .. review. But he's right. Hui, and stars Andy Lau and Cherie Chung, have all done better, much better. I give it three *'s only because Cherie Chung is so pleasant to look at even in a bad role like this. Plus, there are moments of droll humor such as Ben (Andy Lau)'s non-relationship with his mother (he listens to her determinedly cheerful phone messages but never picks up), both sad and humorous.

To summarize: Ben (Lau) is a Chinese student sort-of-studying in Tokyo, but mostly hustling, e.g. as a guide for Chinese tourists in the red light district. Tieh-lan (Chung) is also a student, works as a bar girl, and is hassled by her landlord / immigration sponsor. We follow their separate threads, and a few side-threads, as they first meet briefly (and Ben falls irredeemably in love with Tieh-lan), part, and much later meet again and go on the lam from the yakuza. But the plot is convoluted and disjoint and never fully gels, and there are big lacunae such as Tieh-lan's meeting with and loyalty to her new gangster sponsor/boyfriend (covered briefly in a flashback near the end). I doubt there's enough action (I think only three fight scenes) to satisfy the martial arts crowd, and there's not really enough of anything else to satisfy the rest of us. It's really a shame that with so little of Ann Hui's catalog available on video, especially dvd, that this very minor effort is one of the two or three readily available.

One of Ann Hui's lesser efforts.......2005-01-16

Passable effort by Ann Hui, the result is neither mystery nor thriller, but a rather drab effort heading for nowhere in particular. Andy Lau (how many movies of his have I seen in the weeks past?) plays a foreign student in Japan who spends more time careening the streets than in studies. Cherie Cheung has her Jap boyfriend killed by a triad leader and approaches the former for help. It takes half the movie for the premise to be revealed, but this even when done, it can't salvage a dreary movie. By the end, all the fine cinematography seems to make for little value. On the up side, Fortune Star's print for this DVD is very clean and sharp for a HK movie.

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