THE ZODIAC
US, 2005, 92 minutes, Colour.
Justin Chambers, Robin Tunney, Rory Culkin, William Mapother, Philip Baker Hall.
Directed by Alexander Bulkley.
The Zodiac is a film about the San Francisco Bay killer, the Zodiac, who had a ten-year period of killings, and was never arrested.
There was a 1971 small-budget film called The Zodiac Killer. David Fincher in 2006 directed a much more complex exploration of the murders, the possible motivations, the detective work, the reporting for the media in Zodiac with Robert Downey Jr.
This film is one of those alleged true events recreated films. In fact, much of the plot and the characters are fictional. However, it is a film that gives a general impression of what happened, in the late 1960s to the 1970s, a series of killings by an anonymous character who shot couples in car parks, picnic grounds – and then moved on to a wider range of killings. He sent messages to the police, voice messages, code messages.
In this film the Zodiac killer is heard but seen only in shadows. The focus is on the detective who was put in charge of the investigation – who becomes obsessed by it and by his failures, eventually stepping outside the limits of the law and being dismissed. He is played, not so effectively, by Justin Chambers. Robin Tunney is good as his wife, becoming more desperate about his obsession. His son, obsessed by his father’s work, turning up to murder sites, is played by a very young Rory Culkin. William Mapother is the exploitative TV journalist. Philip Baker Hall the officer in charge of the investigations.
Not a particularly good film, but an introduction to the events. David Fincher’s Zodiac is a far superior film.
1. The actual events of the Zodiac killer, the San Francisco Bay area? 1968 into the 1970s? Crimes never solved? No arrests? Speculations?
2. The period, the late 60s, early 70s? The Bay area, the city, homes? The locations for the killings? The musical score?
3. The title, the messages – and the killer designating himself with this title?
4. The presentation of the killings, the couple in the car, the lights? Other killings, some of the survivors and their descriptions? The wider range of killings, including the taxi driver?
5. The attempt at some psychology of the Zodiac killer? His random choices? His contact with the police? His messages? The variety of his killings? A narcissistic killer?
6. The role of the police, Frank Perkins and his being in charge, putting Matt Parish in direct charge of the investigation? The work of the police? The messages, interrogations? The survivors and hospital? Further questions? Perkins and his being frustrated?
7. Matt Parish, his age, lack of experience? In charge? His fellow officers, his team? His work, the discussions, the drinks afterwards? Getting nowhere?
8. Parish, his wife, his son? The family bonds? Laura becoming more and more frustrated? His absences? His drinking? Not communicating? His obsessions, wanting the door unlocked? Her care for her son?
9. Johnny, cycling to the murder scene, with his school friend? His relationship with his mother, with his father? Going to the police precinct? The Zodiac messages?
10. Matt, the ultimate failure? The suspect, going outside the regulations, taking his team, bursting in on the Hispanic family? Perkins suspending him?
11. Unsatisfactory insofar as the murderer and his motivations is never clear, the police work led nowhere? The case still open?
