Posted: 9/14/2008 10:26:36 PM EDT
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Just got done watching the film ZODIAC on DVD. Third time I've seen it. Awesome, spellbinding flick. I read Graysmith's book when it first came out back in the 80s as well. I followed that case for years after the book came out. My opinions, FWIW... - I think the film reliably proved, based on a preponderance of the evidence, that Arthur Leigh Allen was, indeed, the Zodiac killer. Of course, the fact that Allen died of natural causes before he could be brought to justice is of no consolation to anyone I suppose, but as is noted at the conclusion of the film, authorities in San Francisco were getting ready to formally charge him just before he died. - The fact that another individual, Rick Marshall, was also a strong suspect and bore certain similarities to the actual killer, only goes to prove how many frickin' weirdos there are in the world, which, I am sure, must complicate police work tremendously in cases like this. - Mark Ruffalo does a fantastic job of playing Inspector Dave Toschi. I love this performance. Elias Koteas is also excellent, as Sgt. Jack Mulanax of the Vallejo PD. And Robert Graysmith has said that Gyllenhaal's portrayal of himself is "astonishing," right down to the red VW Rabbit he drove. - The music in this movie is awesome, for anyone who remembers the late 60s and the 70s. The set direction, props, and wardrobe also deserved an Academy Award IMHO, because it is DEAD ON to that era, down to the smallest detail. - I believe this was the greatest unsolved serial killer case since Jack the Ripper, and am certain that armchair sleuths will be interested in this case for years to come. - California has certainly produced the weirdest crimes in American history. The Manson Murders, Zodiac, and the Unabomber all hailed from the land of fruits and nuts. As I was watching the movie, and the part came up about how Arthur Leigh Allen wore a Zodiac brand wristwatch and the theory is that is where he came up with his pen name from, something disturbing crossed my mind. And that is that I chose the name "Omega" for my user I.D. here, because that is the brand of watch that I wear. Let me assure you, it was NOT intentional! Discuss. |
cbs13.com/local/fbi.zodiac.twist.2.814709.html |
Agree. The movie was awesome, full of facts. Movie could have been 5 hours long and still kept the viewing audience enthralled (movie is 3 hours). |
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If you're really interested in the Zodiac killer, this site/forum is the best.... zodiackiller.21.forumer.com/ |
Whats the deal with the Donations all of a sudden? |
Just seems like he feels that the site is now pay worthy due to content. Could be funding issues as well of course, awhile back he sold off a whole school employment file of signed Arthur Leigh Allen papers. Prices ranged from $300-$700 or so. |
Don't forget the Zebra murders. ETA +1 to Zodiac being a good watch. |
I liked the movie also, I love Jake Gyllenhaal . It's very scary to think how many people like this are out there, not caught. It would be interesting to see if this guys DNA matches. Thank God for DNA testing now!All I watch on TV is the BIO and ID channel on this type of thing and it really has me look at strangers in a different way. Just at the grocery store ya know. You just never know when something like that could happen to you, I just can't imagine. |
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Well, the story about Tarrance is new to me, and obviously we will have to await DNA. But as for the evidence against Arthur Leigh Allen, here is a summary to the best of my recollection. Most (but not all) of this is just circumstantial, of course, but despite what they tell you on TV, circumstantial evidence is often the best kind there is. - Allen's known movements corresponded to the killings. Example, he was in Riverside in 1966 when one of the killings occured there. - He owned a pair of the military issue "wing walker" style boots, which match boot prints found at the Vallejo killing site. - Allen was a fan of the movie "The Most Dangerous Game" and told friends that he thought hunting for humans would be fun. The film was made in 1932, and had fallen into obscurity by the 1960s. It wasn't something everyone was talking about in those days. So for him to bring it up with friends around the same time it was being referenced by the killer in letters to police is pretty strange. - Allen owned a Zodiac wrist watch, which was a gift from his mother at Christmas time in 1968. The name and brand logo match that used by the killer. (Note: in the 1966 killing in Riverside, the killer had not adopted that name yet). - Major rage and other psychological disorders. Fired from his teaching job for being a pedophile. Bizarre behavior observed by friends and family. When executing the warrant on his trailer home, the police found squirrels which had been killed by Allen for no apparent reason. Cruelty to animals = major, major indicator for sociopathic personality type, according to FBI behavioral sciences unit. - Personally knew the second victim, and lived kitty corner to her at the time. It is believed that she had spurned his advances prior to her murder. - Imprisoned on the pedophile charge for a few years in the mid 1970s. The last authentic letter from the real killer was mailed shortly before he went away. Then nothing for a period of time corresponding exactly to the time he was in prison. Then, within a month or so of his release in 1977, a new letter from the killer arrives. - Had knowledge of cyphers and codes. Known to have checked out library books on subject. - Fit physical description of individual seen fleeing the murder scene of cab driver Paul Stein. There's probably more, but that's off the top of my head. As I said in my first post, yes, there was at least one other good suspect (Marshall), but of the two, Allen was by far the stronger. So now we may add Torrance to this. But again, as this case (and many others) have proved, there are so many weirdos in the world that it makes detective work of this nature tremendously difficult. Again, thanks for all the new info. |
