Tue 23 May 2017
A Movie Review by Jonathan Lewis: THE ZODIAC KILLER (1971).
Posted by Steve under Crime Films , Reviews[3] Comments
THE ZODIAC KILLER. 1971. Hal Reed, Bob Jones, Ray Lynch, Tom Pittman, Mary Darrington, Frank Sanabek, Ed Quigley, Doodles Weaver (as Doddles Weaver). Director: Tom Hanson.
This one’s an exercise in pure exploitation. Released in 1971 at the height of the hysteria surrounding the series of unsolved murders in northern California, the eponymous The Zodiac Killer is a low budget attempt to capitalize on the public’s well-founded fears that a brutal murderer might be lurking in their midst. Poorly edited and with acting that ranges from borderline adequate to the downright campy, The Zodiac Killer is not what anyone would call a good film.
But it is a cultural artifact, to be sure. There’s something very gonzo about late 1960s and 1970s independent filmmaking, a gung ho spirit that sadly is lacking in filmmaking today.
The tone of the film ranges from sleazy to brutal to hysterically funny, and it takes forever to figure out what the filmmakers actually intended their final product to be. Unless, that is, what they intended is what you see on the screen: a real mishmash that somehow tells a story about who they imagined the Zodiac killer might be.
And that persona comes in the form of a mailman by the name of Jerry (Hal Reed). Jerry’s not a particularly happy person. His father lives in an insane asylum, and he gets yelled at by old ladies on his mail route – well, one old lady in particular. His only friend seems to be a pathetic, violently erratic truck driver. Somehow – and we never really learn how and why – he snaps and becomes a devotee of a religious cult and then begins his killing spree.
There are some truly brutal murder scenes in this one, but also some scenes that are so over the top that they’re downright comical. Almost slapstick. A truly bizarre little movie that doesn’t say too much about anything but, if it ends up being screened as a midnight movie, has the potential to be a lost cult classic.
May 23rd, 2017 at 8:25 pm
It feels like Mickey and Judy and the gang got together to make a slasher flic. “Hey gang, let’s put on a show.”
You are never sure if you are supposed to be laughing when you are, never a good sign.
May 24th, 2017 at 3:37 am
I saw this not long ago on TCM’s cult movie slot.
Amateur production, obviously …
… so what the hell is Doodles Weaver doing here, playing the killer’s goofy next-door neighbor?
You know, Doodles Weaver – Spike Jones/City Slicker emeritus, brother of early TV genius Pat Weaver, uncle of Sigourney – that Doodles Weaver?
As nearly as I can tell, he’s the only professional performer in this mess, which kind of begs the question …
… One of the unsolved mysteries, I guess …
May 24th, 2017 at 11:57 am
I relied on IMDb to supply the screen credits, and I don’t know how I missed Doodles Weaver. Just didn’t read down far enough, I guess. But now I see that the first user comment talks abut him before anything or anybody else.
I’ve looked and have not yet found any explanation as to why he’s in the film. It is also worth pointing out that in the film credits he’s billed as Doddles Weaver. So much for fame.
In any case, I’ve added Mr. Weaver to the credits before Jon’s review. Thanks, Mike!