It hadn’t happened since July, but we went to a theater…
Zodiac (David Fincher, 2007)
Zodiac tells the tale of the investigation into the identity of the Zodiac Killer who killed at least five people in northern California between 1968 and 1969. The killer wrote letters taunting police and reporters until 1974. His identity has never been confirmed.
The movie focuses on the investigators assigned the task of catching him and the reporters and staff at the newspapers to which he sent his coded letters. Ultimately, the film documents the toll the investigation takes on the people attempting to find Zodiac, particulary Robert Graysmith (Jake Gyllenhaal), The San Franscisco Chronicle’s editorial cartoonist who becomes obsessed with discovering Zodiac’s identity.
Ultimately, Graysmith’s research led to the 1986 book, which is the source material for the film. My wife has been bugging me to read the book for years. It’s been updated to include Graysmith’s theoy about the killer’s identity, a man who died in 1992 without ever being charged. We ordered a copy.
Whatever the killer’s real identity, this is a captivating film about obsession, and in this case, it’s not the killer who is obsessed.
James Brush is a teacher and writer who lives in Austin, TX. He tries to get outside as much as possible.
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