The Zodiac Killer (1971)

**1/2 / *****
Rewatching this again, I was struck by the character of Jerry's cavalier attitude as he amped up the murder spree, changing up his methods of psychopathy. His savagery is vividly captured in it's upward intensity. What you see at the beginning is this young man still rather human. By the end he is far gone and quite impulsively driven to violently attack with such little (if any) provocation. I was struck by the San Francisco areas utilized in no real stylistic ways but satisfactory because there is no need for necessary talent due to how present the Zodiac Killer was at the time of this film's release. The camera angles aren't slick, editing is rough, the movement of plot as the characters (Jerry at his postal position, the truck driver posing as the businessman, police trying to find the killer) go about days during the Zodiac spree operates haphazardly (scattered activities less than cohesively offered under an amateurishly handled narrative), and the cast is made up of folks who never appeared in many films afterward. In saying all that, its lack of fluidity​ and skill kind of works in its favor. There is no sense of gloss or glamor of the topic. It's ugly, not pretty to look at. It shouldn't be. Its casting feels true to the area for which it is shot. Being that the film was of its era, shot on location, and directly proposing to its audience that he/they is/are out there, walking in plain sight, ticking towards violence at any point; The Zodiac Killer has relevance and is quite a document from a time caught in terror as psychopathy emerged in the 70s with multiple serial killers and a body count. The closing narration is quite true. The rise of Jerry's own body count communicated to us that he could strike at any moment, not just in San Francisco. And he does so on a dime.

Review from 2009.

Interesting relic from the 70's detailing the exploits of the infamousZodiac killer, in this film a mailman who has a creepy altar set up inhis apartment, where he bows, from time to time, spouting gibberish hisderanged mind has concocted which motivates him to stalk and destroyinnocent people, with either gun or knife, in San Franciso andthereabouts. While, at times, a bit plodding, featuring a cast ofno-names who often stumble over their lines, not to mentionunspectacular camera work or pace, the attacks are potent and sadistic,particularly what he does to old ladies who are caught out of the city.
We see Jerry(Hal Reed), the mailman, as both a likable, even politeyoung man, who is often embraced by the ladies, and othertimes themonster is unleashed, a wicked smile appearing as he stomps on top of acar hood with a victim underneath. Or, when he releases the jack on topof an old lady who becomes pinned under her car after he bashes herover the head with a spare tire. Or, when he stabs a man, withgroceries in his hand, in an elevator, tearing away a piece of his ear.Or, when he visits his father at a rest home, rolling a paraplegicpatient down the street as the poor soul careens down a flight ofsteps! Or, when he catches a couple by a lake, in swimwear, tying themup, afterward stabbing them viciously. At the start, we see innocents,in their cars chatting, a flashlight in the dark, gunshots, with thosecaught off-guard, hit in the face by bullets.
The film, for a period, places a truck driver as a suspect, but hisfoul temper, and ugly personality throw up a red herring immediately.His downfall is his ex-wife, for whom he loathes for demandingchild-support, not allowing him visits on a regular basis due to hisdrug-use and one can understand why she wouldn't.
I think this will be a fascinating curio for those who watch filmsbased on serial killers, as The Zodiac Killer was made not long afterthe string of murders happened. The movie looks to have been shot onreal locations which give it an authenticity that benefits it. It's nota very stylish film, and looks to have been made on a limited budget,but I think this is both part of it's appeal, while also a detriment inways. It's understandable that this movie has been buried in obscurity,and may find very little of an audience since David Fincher's movie,probably more detailed, carrying a much larger budget, much betteractors, and a more attractive style/look. I suggest giving it a shot,there are some very disturbing scenes(..particularly the heinousknife-attacks, more shocking for how savagely Hal Reed stabs them, overand over). Without the help of Something Weird Video, I wonder if TheZodiac Killer would have ever seen the light of day. Besides Reed, thecast doesn't really help matters, and there's little focus on theinvestigators, desperate to find any kind of evidence regarding theirkiller that they'll seek out the efforts of a psychic, which isunfortunate. The murders themselves will probably be the reason tocheck this one out.