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    Nostalgia Central
    Home»Movies»Movies by Decade»Movies - 1970s
    Movies - 1970s Movies - Z 3 Mins Read

    Zodiac Killer, The (1971)

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    Set in San Francisco in 1969 and filmed on location (without any permits) on a shoestring budget of $13,000, The Zodiac Killer claimed to be “based on real facts”. A narrator warns us that “Somebody sitting next to you or behind you has killed!”

    At the start of the film, we are introduced to two men who could be the famous Zodiac killer . . .

    Grover (Bob Jones) is a balding truck driver who brags about scoring and sells dope on the side. At night he puts on an outrageous toupee and pretends to be a rich businessman at a bar.

    His controlling ex-wife does not allow him to see their daughter which angers Grover who pulls a gun on his wife and takes his daughter hostage. This leads to Grover being shot to death by the police.

    Jerry (Hal Reed) is a mailman who is a strict vegetarian and raises rabbits. He talks to them and when one dies he cries. He’s a nice, handsome, friendly chap – but when we see him in his basement worshipping Satan, it’s a good guess that he’s the mass murderer.

    He shoots a couple and kills a waitress (she was serving rabbit stew). He puts on a black hood, ties up a sunbather, and stabs her repeatedly.

    He kills an old woman with a spare tyre, shoots a cab driver, stabs a man and cuts off his ear, and shuts a car hood on a woman and jumps up and down on it.

    Jerry kills a lot of people (while jazz drums are heard), calls the police, and leaves obvious clues everywhere. Voices speak to him and he rants at home – “Atlantis shall rise again! I am the super zodiac!”

    There are some bad reaction shots, a microphone shadow is visible, and there’s a funny scene with a man in a wheelchair rolling down a hill, but The Zodiac Killer is actually pretty disturbing and effective.

    The anti-female dialogue is very hateful. Even comedian Doodles Weaver (as Jerry’s neighbour) delivers a woman-hating speech, ending with. “I like them plump and juicy and dumb!”

    The people behind this movie also made The Hellcats back in 1968.

    Director Tom Hanson rented the Golden Gate Theater in San Francisco and premiered the film on 7 April 1971 with the intention of luring the real Zodiac Killer to one of the screenings.

    Kawasaki sponsored the event and offered a motorcycle as a prize to the audience member who wrote the best answer to “I believe the Zodiac kills because…” on yellow cards that were handed out at the door.

    Hanson set up a team of people to analyse each entry for handwriting that matched that of the killer and planned to confront him in the lobby if a match was found.

    Jerry
    Hal Reed
    Grover
    Bob Jones
    Sgt. Pittman
    Ray Lynch
    Officer Heller
    Tom Pittman
    First Murder
    Mary Darrington
    Joe
    Frank Sanabek
    Tony
    Ed Quigley
    Mrs Crocker
    Bertha Dahl
    Helen
    Dion Marinkovich
    Doc
    Doodles Weaver
    Marilyn
    Gloria Gunn
    Judd
    Richard Styles
    Hippy
    Manny Cardoza
    Lakey
    Norma Takaki
    Donna
    Donna Register
    Barbara
    Barbara Schillaci
    Susan
    Edna DeHart
    Gloria
    Norma Michaels
    Paul
    Tom Hanson
    Pete
    Dennis Thomann
    Kelly
    Werner Maahs
    Morrie
    Dick Nedwick
    Nedwick
    Emanuel Nedwick
    Ray
    Brian Falkner
    Julie
    Stacy Videen
    Bobby
    Robert Hanson
    Sandy
    Jo Porrine
    Bill
    Arthur Porrine
    Mrs Simpson
    Susie Knolan
    Elevator Murder
    Bart Dempster
    Hitchhiker
    Sharon Ridgeway
    Spare Tyre Murder
    Lundyne Johns
    Car Hood Murder
    Pearl Leidy
    Mr Quigley
    George Fryette
    Dick
    Richard Garrison
    Kay
    Louise Keene

    Director
    Tom Hanson

    Video

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