MANHUNT: THE SEARCH FOR THE NIGHT STALKER

US, 1989, 89 minutes, Colour.
A. Martinez, Richard Jordan, Lisa Eilbacher, Julie Carmen.
Directed by Bruce Seth Green.

Manhunt: The Search for the Night Stalker is a fact-based drama. It focuses on the two detectives who investigated the case of serial killer, Richard Ramirez. Ramirez, who eventually showed no remorse, was a Satanist who went on a spree of killing and violence. He was found guilty of all the crimes he was accused of in Los Angeles in September 1989. This telemovie was released soon afterwards.

The film is not sensational, even though the criminal and the crimes were. In fact, it seems rather low-key in comparisons with many of the police movies and telemovies of the '80s.

Richard Jordan and A. Martinez as the two detectives are presented, not as super heroes, but as careful men trying to do their job. The background of the family tension is also indicated. There is also a focus on the media and the need for a rating story as well as the need for prudence from the networks in communicating information to the public.

The film re-creates the atmosphere of fear in Los Angeles, 1985, as well as the extension of Ramirez' crimes to San Francisco (with authentic footage of interviews with Mayor Diane Einstein).

The film offers a more realistic look at the work of police and detectives, their fears and frustrations. It also indicates the madness of serial killers like Ramirez.

1.Impact of the film? As police drama? Portrait of the detectives and their work? Portrait of the mysterious killer and his being tracked down and arrested? The lack of sensation in the film?

2.Los Angeles 1985, the areas where the murders were committed? Affluent suburbia? San Francisco locations, Phoenix locations? The musical score?

3.The title, the indication of what happened in 1985? The nickname of The Night Stalker? The role of the media as well as of the police and detectives?

4.The focus on Richard Ramirez: the visualising of his crimes (for television audiences)? The nature of his selection of victims, his letting some go? His growing more confident? In a particular area, moving out? Moving to San Francisco? The brutality and senselessness? The police closing in? His trip to Phoenix? The paper with his photo, his being recognised, the desperation and chases through Phoenix? The arrest, his comments to the police, his boasting about his record? His subsequent condemnation? The film not trying to explain his motivation but rather offering a quick portrait of a mysterious killer?

5.The two detectives and their work, ordinary, their reputations? Working well together? The pressures on their families? On themselves? Looking for clues? The tennis shoes? The calibre of the bullets? The interviews in Los Angeles? The visit to San Francisco? The blowing of their case? Frank and his pleading with Ann Clark for concealing information from the media? Press conferences? The ballistics experts? The scanning of the car? Fingerprints and computers? The computer giving the name? Jesse and his information about Richard Ramirez? The handling of the case, the final decision about making the information public? Their participation in the chase and arrest? Acknowledging that the media had indicated to the public the identity of the killer and helped catch him? The final comments with Ramirez, bewilderment at his behaviour? Frank and his giving the television break to Ann Clark?

6.The pressures on each detective from family? Frank and his wife, their talk, fear, tension? The partner and his family, happy sequences at home, the victims near where they lived? His wife and the children moving away? His desperation in trying to solve the case as well as protect his family?

7.Ann Clark, the networks, the ratings game? Her questions, interviews? The moral dilemma about the information about the shoes? Her decision to keep quiet? The producer holding it against her? Her taking a stand against him? Her being allowed to go on the case? The special break from Frank?

8.The picture of Los Angeles detectives - more documentary than sensational drama? The experts, their examinations? The clues?

9.The impact of this kind of movie? Alerting people to what actually happens? Caution? Justice?