Director Rob Schmidt seemed to come out of nowhere just over five years ago with WRONG TURN, a slasher sleeper that, arguably, created more edge-of-the-seat scenarios than the same year’s hit remake of THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE. Following this up with his superlative MASTERS OF HORROR episode RIGHT TO DIE, Schmidt looked as if he could be the “next big thing” in our beloved genre—and, on the strength of THE ALPHABET KILLER, that tag might still be warranted.
However, this is a curious diversion for the filmmaker—and a decidedly brave one at that (he could have easily hedged his bets by taking the reins of the “safer” WRONG TURN 2, after all). Sure, it might not be an instant classic—and its slow pace is certain to put some viewers off—but there are plenty of things to like about THE ALPHABET KILLER (playing limited theatrical release ahead of its DVDebut in January; see the official website for details). Perhaps surprisingly, its most notable discovery is erstwhile eye candy Eliza Dushku, reteaming with the director from TURN. She seems to exhaust herself in a punishing, emotionally demanding performance as Megan Paige, a police officer who begins to lose her mind, and almost her life, as a series of brutal killings take place around her.
Loosely based on the true story of the seriously nasty Rochester Alphabet Murders (which remain unsolved)—but set in the present day—this is very much Dushku’s film. And while she feels a touch too glamorous for this part, it’s hard to take your eyes off her. Make no mistake, the former BUFFY babe really does work her beautiful behind off, and should be applauded for taking on a role of this magnitude (celebrity skin aficionados will also, no doubt, enjoy her brief nude scene). Supporting her is SAW’s Cary Elwes, slightly miscast as her frumpy onscreen boyfriend (talk about an odd couple!) who also happens to be her superior down at the local precinct. After Paige appears to attempt suicide, he wisely takes her off the case, but she quickly wiggles her way back into the thick of things, albeit to the detriment of her general sanity. Also scattered through ALPHABET KILLER are Michael Ironside (as a stern investigator), Bill Moseley (in an extended cameo as a sex offender) and Timothy Hutton (as the token voice of religion), each of whom proves their worth whenever they are given camera time.
The script by Tom Malloy (who also wrote Mary Lambert’s mediocre chiller THE ATTIC and co-stars here as well) unwisely introduces some ghosts—which may or may not be in Dushku’s head—but works much better when it attempts to function as a brutal detective shocker. Consequently, despite Schmidt’s insistence that his movie is a straightforward thriller, it actually feels a little like an old-time Italian giallo flick dragged kicking and screaming to a contemporary American setting. It is, however, to the director’s credit that the end result is not nearly as uneven as that brief description might suggest.
Obviously made on a shoestring budget, THE ALPHABET KILLER is likely to create a bit of controversy with an ending that solves the all-important whodunit aspect of the narrative but clashes with the real-life facts. Unlike David Fincher’s superlative ZODIAC, this movie takes what little solid evidence about the slaughter exists and spins an entirely fictional tale out of it. Again, it is a brave decision (although some criticism seems virtually assured, especially from crime-movie purists) and one imagines a number of viewers being interested enough by Schmidt’s outing to do some research into the reality of these murders afterward.
Another thing that really needs to be stated is that THE ALPHABET KILLER is no gorefest. While the bloody excesses of WRONG TURN (and, to an extent, RIGHT TO DIE) might give genre fans the expectation of severed limbs and spurting arteries, the horrors in this one are typically implied or after-the-fact. However, there are still chills to be had, in particular during a botched hostage scenario that Dushku finds herself trying to tame (it all ends in tears). Suspenseful and very well-realized, it is the movie’s finest moment.
With its cash constraints, long bursts of character insight and subtle, studied terrors, THE ALPHABET KILLER is not going to be a movie for everyone. Certainly, it is difficult to pinpoint exactly who the audience is for this film, as it is certainly not the WRONG TURN slasher buffs or those seeking a 10 RILLINGTON PLACE-style retelling of the truth. Consequently, as a straight-faced and very solemn viewing experience, this is a thoroughly niche release—but, all the same, it’s easy to admire Schmidt’s independence and decision to make movies off-Hollywood, and away from studio interference, regardless of their final commercial appeal. The end result in this instance might not be “killer,” but it is interesting, and well made, enough to make us excited about his next move.
Loosely based on the true story of the seriously nasty Rochester Alphabet Murders (which remain unsolved)—but set in the present day—this is very much Dushku’s film. And while she feels a touch too glamorous for this part, it’s hard to take your eyes off her. Make no mistake, the former BUFFY babe really does work her beautiful behind off, and should be applauded for taking on a role of this magnitude (celebrity skin aficionados will also, no doubt, enjoy her brief nude scene). Supporting her is SAW’s Cary Elwes, slightly miscast as her frumpy onscreen boyfriend (talk about an odd couple!) who also happens to be her superior down at the local precinct. After Paige appears to attempt suicide, he wisely takes her off the case, but she quickly wiggles her way back into the thick of things, albeit to the detriment of her general sanity. Also scattered through ALPHABET KILLER are Michael Ironside (as a stern investigator), Bill Moseley (in an extended cameo as a sex offender) and Timothy Hutton (as the token voice of religion), each of whom proves their worth whenever they are given camera time.
The script by Tom Malloy (who also wrote Mary Lambert’s mediocre chiller THE ATTIC and co-stars here as well) unwisely introduces some ghosts—which may or may not be in Dushku’s head—but works much better when it attempts to function as a brutal detective shocker. Consequently, despite Schmidt’s insistence that his movie is a straightforward thriller, it actually feels a little like an old-time Italian giallo flick dragged kicking and screaming to a contemporary American setting. It is, however, to the director’s credit that the end result is not nearly as uneven as that brief description might suggest.
Obviously made on a shoestring budget, THE ALPHABET KILLER is likely to create a bit of controversy with an ending that solves the all-important whodunit aspect of the narrative but clashes with the real-life facts. Unlike David Fincher’s superlative ZODIAC, this movie takes what little solid evidence about the slaughter exists and spins an entirely fictional tale out of it. Again, it is a brave decision (although some criticism seems virtually assured, especially from crime-movie purists) and one imagines a number of viewers being interested enough by Schmidt’s outing to do some research into the reality of these murders afterward.
Another thing that really needs to be stated is that THE ALPHABET KILLER is no gorefest. While the bloody excesses of WRONG TURN (and, to an extent, RIGHT TO DIE) might give genre fans the expectation of severed limbs and spurting arteries, the horrors in this one are typically implied or after-the-fact. However, there are still chills to be had, in particular during a botched hostage scenario that Dushku finds herself trying to tame (it all ends in tears). Suspenseful and very well-realized, it is the movie’s finest moment.
With its cash constraints, long bursts of character insight and subtle, studied terrors, THE ALPHABET KILLER is not going to be a movie for everyone. Certainly, it is difficult to pinpoint exactly who the audience is for this film, as it is certainly not the WRONG TURN slasher buffs or those seeking a 10 RILLINGTON PLACE-style retelling of the truth. Consequently, as a straight-faced and very solemn viewing experience, this is a thoroughly niche release—but, all the same, it’s easy to admire Schmidt’s independence and decision to make movies off-Hollywood, and away from studio interference, regardless of their final commercial appeal. The end result in this instance might not be “killer,” but it is interesting, and well made, enough to make us excited about his next move.
Crystal Diane Stevens makes this comment
Mon 24 Nov 2008 19:10:51 CST
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