Killer: A Journal of Murder (1996)

User Rating:

6.3/10   

Director:

Tim Metcalfe

Writers (WGA):

Thomas E. Gaddis (book) and
James Long (book) ...

Release Date:

6 September 1996 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

Liar. Thief. Murderer. He hated all of humanity, himself most of all.

Plot:

Carl Panzram is sent to Leavenworth Prison for burglary. While there, he is brutally beaten by a guard...

Plot Keywords:

Prison | Serial Killer | Mass Murderer | Based On Book | Based On True Story

Awards:

2 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

James Woods	...	Carl Panzram
Robert Sean Leonard	...	Henry Lesser
Ellen Greene	...	Elizabeth Wyatt
Cara Buono	...	Esther Lesser
Robert John Burke	...	R.G. Greiser
Richard Riehle	...	Warden Quince
Harold Gould	...	Old Henry Lesser
John Bedford Lloyd	...	Dr. Karl Menninger
Jeffrey DeMunn	...	Sam Lesser
Conrad McLaren	...	Judge John W. Kingman
Steve Forrest	...	Warden Charles Casey
Richard Council	...	Cop
Christopher Petrosino	...	Richard Lesser
Michael Jeffrey Woods	...	Harry Sinclair (as Michael Jeffery Woods)
Rob Locke Jones	...	Junkie

Also Known As:

The Killer

MPAA:

Rated R for strong language and strong, brutal violence, including a rape.

Runtime:

91 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White | Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

Iceland:16 | South Korea:18 | Finland:K-16 (video premiere) | Germany:18 | Spain:18 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Connecticut, USA

Company:

Breakheart Films

Trivia:

The film is dedicated to Sam Peckinpah because The Wild Bunch (1969) inspired director 'Metcalfe, Tim' to become a director.

Goofs:

Continuity: The amount of beer in Henry Lesser's glass at the speakeasy.

Quotes:

Carl Panzram: Hey chicken ass, good day for a hanging, huh?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Tomorrow by Midnight (1999)

Soundtrack:

YOU NEVER CARED

'Killer' movie

Carl Panzram was a viscous creep with a real life bite-your-face-off attitude. Woods played him to smithereens.

Sure he overacted a bit, but Panzram was not the most laid-back guy.

The problem with this film is that it couldn't decide if it was a character study or a condemnation of prison conditions. They also managed to throw in religious bigotry and left-wing politics. It did it better than some films would have, but the ending left too much open.

Woods owned the film. He had Carl as both Genius and loose cannon. The real Panzram was similar. And many quotes contributed to him are scattered about the film. ("I wish you all had one neck..." "I could hang a dozen men...") Leonard did an adequate job as Henry Lesser but played him a bit to "nice." Most of the guards kept their distance from ol' Carl. With good reason too.

Woods fans see this now. Anyone else...your call.