The Alphabet Killer (2008)

Director:

Rob Schmidt

Writer (WGA):

Tom Malloy (written by)

Release Date:

10 December 2009 (Kuwait)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

Based on a true story.

Plot:

Based on the true story of the double initial killings in Rochester, NY. |

Plot Keywords:

Woods | Seeing Dead People | Woman In Uniform | Attempted Suicide | Female Nudity

Awards:

1 win

US TV Schedule:

Mon. Feb. 15	3:30 AM	TMC
Thur. Feb. 18	1:25 AM	TMC

Cast

Eliza Dushku	...	Megan Paige
Cary Elwes	...	Kenneth Shine
Timothy Hutton	...	Richard Ledge
Tom Malloy	...	Officer Steven Harper
Michael Ironside	...	Captain Nathan Norcross
Bill Moseley	...	Carl Tanner
Carl Lumbly	...	Dr. Ellis Parks
Brian Scannell	...	Jay Castillo
Larry Hankin	...	Perry
Jack McGee	...	Hank
Melissa Leo	...	Kathy Walsh
Andrew Fiscella	...	Len Schafer
Rocco Sisto	...	Father McQuarrie
Tom Noonan	...	Ray Gullikson
Frank Rossi	...	Francis Baker
Meltem Cumbul	...	Elisa Castillo
Kristina Jewell	...	Wendy Walsh
Sarah Anderson	...	Elizabeth Eckers
Shawn Michael	...	Anthony Peters
Bailey Garno	...	Carla Castillo
Peter Mancarella	...	Jared
Martin Donovan	...	Jim Walsh
Russell Terlecki	...	Officer Ted
Cholanda Roberts	...	Anchor
Cynthia Mace	...	Rita Schaefer
Aaron Chaney	...	Will
Manny Siverio	...	Alex
Hedy Williams	...	Detective #1
Pamela Sherman	...	Homemaker
Eric Cubitt	...	Husband
Eva Mancarella	...	Melissa Maestro
Rob Schmidt	...	Officer
Arthur Brown	...	Officer #1
Tamara Farias	...	Olga Maestro (as Tamara Kraus)
Wendy Mancerella	...	Real Estate Agent
Nate Dushku	...	Tim
Renata Batista	...	Waitress
Liz Cameron	...	Wife (as Elizabeth Cameron)
Randy Carter	...	Detective #2
Joseph Giorgione	...	Medic John
John Williams	...	Medic #1
Alan DeCarlo	...	Medic #2
Michael Beinetti	...	Medic #3
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Glenn Argenti	...	SWAT Team #1 (uncredited)
Michael Ciesla	...	Nurse (uncredited)
Tony Delgrosso	...	Webster Police Officer (uncredited)
Farris Ellington	...	Ghost Girl (uncredited)
John A. Locke	...	Detective (uncredited)
Laura McDavid	...	Police Officer (voice) (uncredited)
Claire Simpson	...	Ghost Girl (uncredited)
Jason Torres	...	Detective (uncredited)

Directed by
Rob Schmidt

Writing credits (WGA)
Tom Malloy		(written by)

Produced by
Brandon Baker	....	executive producer
Mark Andrew Clark	....	executive producer (as Mark Clark)
Eliza Dushku	....	associate producer
Izak Filiba	....	executive producer
Lusi Filiba	....	executive producer
Ron Gell	....	executive producer
Nesim Hason	....	executive producer
Sezin Hason	....	executive producer
Ashley Holloway	....	associate producer
Tom Malloy	....	producer
Greg Polisseni	....	executive producer
Isen Robbins	....	producer
Aimee Schoof	....	producer
Daniel Sollinger	....	line producer
Russell Terlecki	....	producer (as Russ Terlecki)
Straw Weisman	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Eric Perlmutter

Cinematography by
Joe DeSalvo		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Frank Reynolds

Casting by
Nicole Abellera
Natasha Cuba
Nancy Nayor
Kelly Wagner

Production Design by
Alicia Keywan

Art Direction by
Clarissa Shanahan

Set Decoration by
Brian Rzepka

Costume Design by
Lynn Falconer

Makeup Department
Jason Collins	....	special makeup effects designer: Autonomous F/X, Inc.
Kerry Herta	....	hair designer
Kerry Herta	....	makeup department head
Elvis Jones	....	special makeup effects artist: Autonomous FX Inc.
Michelle Kearns	....	assistant hair stylist
Michelle Kearns	....	assistant makeup artist
David Presto	....	special makeup effects artist
Darnell Shepherd	....	hair piece designer: Autonomous FX, Inc.

Production Management
Randy Carter	....	additional production manager
Chris Landon	....	production supervisor
Daniel Sollinger	....	production manager
Angelo Sotereanos	....	production supervisor
Straw Weisman	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Dylan Hopkins	....	assistant director
Kathleen E. Kearney	....	second assistant director
Brian Niemczyk	....	second second assistant director

Art Department
Kenneth H. Finn	....	property master (as Ken Finn)
Steven Glazman	....	storyboard artist
Joel Hager	....	art department production assistant
April Hodick	....	property master
Richard Peete	....	props
Elvis Restaino	....	property master
Emilie Ritzmann	....	art department production assistant
Rob Yapkowitz	....	on-set dresser

Sound Department
Tammy Douglas	....	sound mixer
Michael Jordan	....	sound re-recording mixer
Donald Lyles	....	sound re-recording mixer
Guillermo Pena-Tapia	....	boom operator
Matthew Polis	....	supervising sound editor
James David Redding III	....	sound re-recording mixer

Special Effects by
Richard Fike	....	special effects coordinator: pyrotechnics
John Kloock	....	special effects assistant: pyrotechnics

Visual Effects by
Megan A. Ballantyne	....	rotoscoping and compositing artist
Jennifer Basnyat	....	visual effects
Erik Boccio	....	visual effects assistant (2008)
Dr. Brant Chapman	....	matchmove and compositing
Billy Gabor	....	digital intermediate colorist
Andrew Gelman	....	rotoscoping and compositing artist
Joe Saia	....	rotoscoping and compositing artist
Francis Schmidt	....	visual effects supervisor
Rajiv J. Shah	....	rotoscoping and compositing artist

Stunts
Jennifer Badger	....	stunt double: Eliza Dushku
Gene Harrison	....	stunt coordinator
Don Hewitt	....	stunt supervisor
Tina Mckissick	....	stunt double
David Shakes	....	stunts
David Shumbris	....	stunt double: Tim Hutton
Manny Siverio	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Mark L. Anderson	....	first assistant camera
Alfredo Barraza	....	camera loader
Matt Bleistein	....	loader
Joseph Bruce	....	grip
Jeff Cottrone	....	camera production assistant
Adam Ferington	....	video assist operator
Glenn Galbraith	....	best boy grip
Peter Gurin	....	still photographer
Geoff Knight	....	best boy electric
Kate Larose	....	first assistant camera: second camera
Jeremy Lips	....	still photographer
Jason B. McCann	....	second assistant camera
Saade Mustafa	....	Steadicam operator
Joseph Quirk	....	camera operator (as Joe Quirk)
Rafael Ramirez	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera
Kyle Simmons	....	additional electric
Nick Szpara	....	grip
Jon Unjang	....	gaffer
Vanessa Ward	....	grip
Zenfeek	....	gaffer
Nu Zhang	....	key grip

Casting Department
Joanne Bloom	....	casting associate
Eric Cubitt	....	additional casting
Morgan Donaho	....	casting associate
Bill Kalatsky	....	additional casting
David Jason Kyle	....	extras casting
Celeste Leger	....	casting associate
Jeff Mitchell	....	casting: New York
Dominika Posserén	....	casting associate
Jennifer Rudolph	....	casting: New York

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Linde Aseltine	....	additional wardrobe
Kimberly DePrez	....	wardrobe assistant
Shelby Saboy	....	wardrobe supervisor

Editorial Department
Alyssa Polacsek	....	post-production assistant

Music Department
Sophie Edwards	....	vocalist: additional vocals
Eric Perlmutter	....	arranger

Other crew
Mike Agostinelli	....	location assistant
Tommy Bechtold	....	assistant production coordinator
Joseph Benedetto	....	intern
Matthew Bernabei	....	production assistant
Katri Billard	....	script supervisor
Jenny Cadenillas	....	production coordinator
Timothy Farmer	....	production assistant
Ron Ferrara	....	intern
Dave Ginsberg	....	location manager
Daniel Hoerner	....	location assistant
Ian Knoblock	....	production assistant
Kathy Kristich	....	location manager
Joseph Michael Lagana	....	assistant: producer
Robert Lopez	....	key production assistant
Daniel Perry	....	intern
Alyssa Polacsek	....	assistant: Rob Schmidt
Stephanie L. Ryan	....	set intern
Robert L. Seigel	....	legal
Joice Stewart	....	production accountant
Stephen Van Keuren	....	location assistant
Paul Vonasek	....	intern
Joshua Wink	....	assistant location manager
Kate Yerves	....	assistant: Rob Schmidt

Thanks
Jonathan Demme	....	special thanks
Cassian Elwes	....	special thanks
Joseph Giorgione	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• New Films International (presents)
• Intrinsic Value Films
• WideyeCreative Films (as Wideye Films)

Distributors

• New Films International (2008) (non-USA) (all media)
• Visual Filmes (2008) (Brazil) (theatrical) (DVD)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2009) (USA) (DVD)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2009) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Be Best in DVD (BBI-DVD) (2009) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Be Best in DVD (BBI-DVD) (2009) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• CatchPlay (2009) (Taiwan) (DVD)
• Gativideo (2009) (Argentina) (DVD)
• One Movie (2007) (Italy) (all media)
• Sunfilm Entertainment (2009) (Germany) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Autonomous FX (special effects)
• Metropolis Film Labs (visual effects)
• Moltenlava (visual effects)

Other Companies

• Digital Cinema  sound re-recording
• NPI Production Services  payroll service
• Rockbottom Rentals  junxion box rentals
• Rockbottom Rentals  nextel cell phone rentals
• Rockbottom Rentals  walkie rentals
• Wow & Flutter  ADR recording

MPAA:

Rated R for language and some violence.

Runtime:

98 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

USA:R | Argentina:13 | Germany:16 | Australia:M | Netherlands:16

Filming Locations:

Ridgewood, Queens, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

New Films International

Trivia:

Based on the true story of the double initial killings in Rochester, NY.

Goofs:

Factual errors: It is mentioned that two of the girls killed had recently been to the aquarium. Rochester, NY does not have an aquarium.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Megan Paige: Mostly the job is to ask questions. The frustrating part, the part that drives you crazy, is that the people you really want to talk to are dead.

Movie Connections:

References The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)

Soundtrack:

Skeleton (She's So Cool)

Some good effort but not much of a story.

Eliza Dushku is the one who delivers in this fairly predictable serial killer story, reminiscent of such films as "Gothika" and "Jennifer Eight". There are also a lot of serial killer movie alumni populating the lesser roles of this film, like Bill Moseley, Timothy Hutton, Tom Noonan and Cary Elwes. They don't really matter though, because it's all about Dushku's character Megan Paige and her late onset schizophrenia which makes it very difficult for her to crack the case of the Alphabet killer, as well as keep the confidence of her fellow police officers.

Movies that focus on characters with mental disorders are often interesting and unpredictable, like Polanski's "Repulsion" or Fincher's "Fight Club" because it makes the audience unsure what's reality in the movie and what's just playing out inside the mind of the main character. Unfortunately this isn't one of those movies. Instead of trying to make the audience share in Megan's delusions, they are clearly separated and labeled to avoid any confusion, or excitement for that matter. Instead we are made to watch her from the outside and see her struggling to connect with her colleagues and convince them that she's completely sane despite her textbook "crazy person" behavior. Like I said, Dushku delivers a solid performance as a distraught, emotionally unstable and sometimes delusional police woman. It's just hard to get invested in her character because of the boring predictable story she slowly fights her way through.

There is not a single supporting character that comes off as more than some kind of one-dimensional stereotype. There's the honest cop, the crooked cop, the former lover, the one true friend, the calm doctor, the obvious suspect, the creepy priest and eventually, for a brief time at the end, the killer... non of them with any significant character development or depth. This movie isn't painful to watch and it's not poorly made, it just suffers from lack of imagination on the directors part and some sloppy writing. See it, don't see it... doesn't really matter.