THE RIVERMAN
US, 2004, 91 minutes, Colour.
Bruce Greenwood, Sam Jaeger, Kathleen Quinlan, Cary Elwes.
Directed by Bill Eagles.
The Riverman is based on a book by Robert Keppel, the chief crime investigator for Washington State. He wrote it in collaboration with policeman Dave Reichert. Keppel is portrayed by Bruce Greenwood in this film. Reichert is portrayed by Sam Jaeger.
Keppel was investigating and profiling various serial killers. Reichert was appointed chief investigator of murders attributed to the Riverman. He asked the help of Keppel who immediately became involved. This, despite his wife’s wariness, especially because he had been very much involved with the Ted Bundy case.
Bundy then wrote to Keppel and offered to help in the profiling. The film shows Keppel and Reichert working together, with interviews with Bundy. The film also investigates some of the unsolved Bundy crimes – and these appear in flashback.
Bruce Greenwood is very good and intense as Keppel, a complex man, driven by a sense of duty as well as a sense of completion of cases, no matter what. Kathleen Quinlan is his long-suffering wife. Cary Elwes is very brash as well as sinister as Bundy, writing to Keppel, being interviewed, wanting the files of the Riverman, wanting photos – difficult to know whether he was stringing Keppel along or was genuinely interested. However, he did give clues to the Riverman – with a powerful scene where Keppel actually sits in a car, imagining what the Riverman might do at a particular time and with victims.
Eventually, the chief suspect who had passed a lie detector test, Gary Ridgway, was arrested for the murders – and became the US serial killer with the greatest number of murders.
The film was directed by Bill Eagles who worked in British television, made some feature films including Beautiful Creatures and then worked in American television.
1.The impact of the film? Interest in serial killers? Their psychology? Mode of operation, their signatures?
2.The film based on fact, the work of Robert Keppel, the work of Dave Reichert? The work of the Washington State police? The profiling, the lecturing, the discussions with Bundy?
3.Washington State, the atmosphere of the state, the countryside, the river – and the finding of the bodies? The contrast with Miami, the prison, Bundy’s cell?
4.The situation of the Riverman: the police finding the bodies, the murdered prostitutes, Gary Ridgway as a suspect, his previous convictions? His passing the lie detector test? Keppel going to visit him at work, Keppel reading the comments he made about rape? About killing prostitutes? His final arrest and unmasking?
5.Dave Reichert, character, young, ambitious? The police chief? His photographing the corpses, the police laughing at him? His being given lead detective work? The detection, the investigations, the discussions with Keppel, going to his home, persuading him to help him? The work with Keppel, going to Miami, the discussions with Bundy? His being taken off the case?
6.Keppel, a complex character, his skills, the lecture, his talking about modus operandi and yet looking for the signature because the modus would change? His work with Bundy, the confessions? His busy life? Life at home, his wife and her concern? The effect of the Bundy investigation? His absences from home for his work? His compulsion to complete his work? The approach by Reichert, his refusal, Reichert coming to his house? His work, imagining the murderer, the scene where he sat in the car, imagining the victim, apprehended by the police? The letter from Bundy, his wife’s negative reaction? His going?
7.Bundy, audience knowledge about him and his crimes? His explanation of his background, his mother, absent fathers, brutalisation? His charm? The murders? Georgia Hawkins, his encounter with her, pretending to be crippled, the murder, the car? The reconstruction? His finally admitting the murders to Keppel?
8.His letter, offering to solve the case? The parallels with The Silence of the Lambs and Hannibal Lector with Clarice Starling? His discussions, his insights into serial killers? Persuading Keppel? Keppel’s wariness? The files, the photos? His return? Keppel using the opportunity to understand Bundy and get further confessions?
9.The grim tone of the film? Insight into police work and profiling? Insight into serial killers? Serial killers as an American phenomenon?
