Writer: James Vanderbilt
Director: David Fincher
Cast: Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo, Anthony Edwards, Robert Downey Jr, Chloe Sevigny
Rating: R
Studio: Paramount
Release Date: January 8, 2008
The Zodiac murders are infamous simply because they were never technically solved. Though many have hypothesized as to who could have been responsible for these heinous crimes, no one has ever been charged or officially named the Zodiac killer. For years, since the murders were committed, both amateur and professional criminologists have tried to narrow down the suspects and determine who actually committed the murders.
Robert Graysmith, a cartoonist for the San Francisco Chronicle, one of the papers with whom the Zodiac Killer communicated during his reign of terror, is one of the people who became obsessed with the case and the killer. Graysmith wrote two books about the murders and the murderer, Zodiac and Zodiac Unmasked: the Identity of America’s Most Elusive Serial Killer. The latter uses deductive reasoning based on Graysmith’s knowledge of the case to determine who he believes was responsible for the Zodiac murders.
With America’s obsession with true crime stories, it was only a matter of time before the two Zodiac novels were turned into a movie about Graysmith, the killings, and his theory of who the Zodiac killer was. Luckily, the on-screen adaptation was written by James Vanderbilt (The Rundown, Spider-Man 4) and the director, David Fincher (Fight Club, Se7en) is known for being one of the best in the business. If any pair could successfully deliver a movie about the Zodiac murders it’s Vanderbilt and Fincher, and that is what they’ve done with the newly released, Zodiac.
Release Information:
Zodiac debuted in theaters in both the United States and Canada on March 2, 2007. The movie received rave reviews from many critics, but despite that fact, it only netted $33 million in North America. With better reception in countries worldwide (netting an additional $51 million) the box office brought in $84 million dollars on this project in theaters alone. Zodiac was first released on DVD in both fullscreen and widescreen formats, on July 24, 2007.
Now, Paramount Home Entertainment is releasing a two-disc Collector’s Edition Director’s Cut of Zodiac in both an HD and standard edition. The Director’s Cut DVDs will be available at all major retailers across the United States on January 8, 2008. At Amazon, for example, you can pre-order a copy, or purchase it after it comes out. The current price for The Director’s Cut of Zodiac in standard form is $24.99 with the HD version on sale for $19.99.
The Zodiac HD Plot
In the summer of 1969, a couple, Darlene Ferrin and Mike Mageau are attacked in Vallejo, California at a secluded spot known as Lover’s Lane. The assailant, who shoots both of them repeatedly, has committed his second in a string of random shootings throughout the area. While Ferrin dies, Mageau lives, though he doesn’t seem to be able to lend that much assistance to the investigation at this time.
Around the same time, a letter from a man calling himself the Zodiac, is sent to The San Francisco Chronicle. The head writer of the crime beat section of the newspaper, Paul Avery (Robert Downey Jr.), is investigating the letter along with an encrypted message that has been included with the letter. The Zodiac has sent multiple encryptions to various media outlets and everyone is hopeful that by cracking these ciphers, they will reveal the murderer’s identity.
A political cartoonist with the Chronicle, Robert Graysmith (Jake Gyllenhaal) is interested in the case, but because he has such a low profile job, Avery doesn’t allow him into the investigation save for allowing him the chance to work on one of the ciphers. After Graysmith cracks the code, Avery starts to share information on the case with Graysmith. In the meantime, the Zodiac is still at large and is actively pursuing new victims.
In Napa County, Bryan Hartnell and Cecelia Shepard are attacked by the killer. Shepard dies as a result. A cab driver, Paul Stine, is also shot and killed by the Zodiac in Presido Heights. The two detectives who are heading up these two cases are partners, Dave Toschi (Mark Ruffalo) and Bill Armstrong (Anthony Edwards).
Together, they work with the detectives handling the other cases. Their Vallejo liaison is Jack Mulanax (Elias Koteas) and their Napa liaison is Ken Narlow (Donal Logue). As the investigations take different paths between the police and the reporters, Avery and Graysmith become friends, something Fincher added to move the plot. In real life, the men did not work together or even really know one another.
The city of San Francisco waits with baited breath for a break in the case, as Zodiac continues to taunt the city. He corresponds with various media outlets. He even “allegedly” contacts Melvin Belli (Brian Cox), a celebrity lawyer, during the airing of a television show Belli is on. As the killer taunts those in power in the city, the case grips the lives of Avery and Graysmith, as well as the detectives, since they all become obsessed with solving the case.
This is a major reason why Zodiac works. Always one to draw on paranoia and obsession, Fincher has the cast perfectly execute the dangers and damages of obsession, as the fact that the crime has not been solved eats away at those trying to solve the case and in one instance, severely affecting the life of the individual involved.
As all of their lives spiral out of control, only one, Graysmith, persistently works towards solving the Zodiac mystery. Despite the Zodiac fading into obscurity, Graysmith is relentless in his investigation. It causes problems with work, his wife (Chloe Sevigny), and affects nearly every part of his life. Essentially, his life’s work has led him to a conclusion about the identity of the Zodiac killer. Whether he is right or not is inconsequential. The real purpose of this film is to show how this case had the ability to drain the life out of all of the people who worked so hard to solve it.
As you might imagine, the acting for Zodiac is superb. While this isn’t a movie driven by typical, David Fincher plot devices (see Se7en or Fight Club to see what I mean), the movie is driven by that same kind of tension that makes other movies Fincher has directed such popular films. By using his actors to carry that weight of tension, so thick not even a knife could slice through it, the story becomes even more interesting and effectual.
While Ruffalo, Edwards, and Downey Jr. always put in excellent performances, it is Jake Gyllenhaal who has done it again. He’s the one you need to keep your eye on when watching this film. His standout performance is the only way this movie would have succeeded because Graysmith really carries the bulk of the story. A weaker actor would have torn apart the plot and desecrated what turned out to be one amazing film.
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Zodiac HD comes in the standard, red HD clamshell though the box is designed to look like a letter to the media from the Zodiac. This was a clever marketing tactic and I admit I fell for it. The visual quality for Zodiac HD is nothing to scoff at. This is HD at it’s best. Considering the movie was shot on digital cameras the HD transfer was much easier than films shot on more traditional cameras. In 1080p is a widescreen presentation transfered at an aspect ratio of 2.35:1. The HD version uses the AVC/MPEG-4 codec. Colors are vibrant and details are sharp. Though not as cool as Transformers HD, the visual quality for Zodiac HD is still top notch.
As for the audio quality, it’s hard to argue with Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 Surround Sound. Sounds come through loud and clear. While not much is done in the way of music, this isn’t an adventure film or a walk in the park after all, what sounds are there will add to the ambiance while watching Zodiac.
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Bonus Features:
The Zodiac HD features a plethora of bonuses. To start, there are two audio commentaries you can listen to after watching Zodiac. David Fincher commentates for the first commentary. His in depth commentary makes the entire listening experience enjoyable. He’s also providing a lot of information you’ll want to know, from his vision of the film to what was fact, fiction (aka dramatic license) and faction (a blend of both).
The second commentary features Robert Downey Jr., James Vanderbilt, Jake Gyllenhaal, film producer, James Fincher and famed crime novel author, James Elroy. This commentary is fun with so many James’, a Jake and a Robert. The commentary covers each of their involvement in the making of Zodiac. Gyllenhaal offers commentary on a few different deleted scenes and some of the tidbits, while interesting, are not essential for your viewing pleasure.
Zodiac HD offers a second DVD with plenty of extras. Most of them are presented in HD. One of the main features is just over an hour and a half in length. It is entitled “This is the Zodiac Speaking”. This feature is the best on the disc, in my opinion. It examines the murders, the locations, offers interviews with the surviving police officers and detectives and presents interviews with the victims who survived the shootings (Mike Mageau and Bryan Hartnell). Tidbits about the murder, new and old are presented and Hartnell views his car door for the first time since the attempted murder. There is also a featurette on the prime suspect of the murders. It’s called “His Name Was Arthur Leigh Allen”.
A seven part production piece on the making of the film is also called “This is the Zodiac Speaking”. This covers very little in terms of casting and focuses more on Fincher’s perfectionist vision for the film. There is also a visual effects feature that interviews those responsible for the effects of Zodiac including a look at the murders before and after visualization improvements. Finally, the trailer for the movie has been enhanced to an HD quality with Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound.
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Bottom Line:
The Director’s Cut of Zodiac HD is a must have two-disc set. If you’ve purchased the standard edition previously, I suggest getting this version and selling your old copy on EBay. The video quality is stunning making this already excellent film even more enjoyable. With the tension Fincher is known for at the pinnacle of the majority of his films, present throughout this dark drama, Zodiac is a must see for fans of his work as well as true crime fans or those who enjoy a good, thought provoking story.
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Technorati Tags: Zodiac, Director’s Cut, DVD, Paramount Pictures, Serial Killer, Jake Gyllenhaal, Robert Downey Jr, Anthony Edwards, Movie, DVD Review
