Product Description

Based on the actual case files of one of the most intriguing unsolved crimes in the nation’s history, "Zodiac" is a thriller from David Fincher, director of "Se7en" and "Panic Room." As a serial killer terrifies the San Francisco Bay Area and taunts police with his ciphers and letters, investigators in four jurisdictions search for the murderer. The case will become an obsession for four men as their lives and careers are built and destroyed by the endless trail of clues.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #4995 in DVD
• Brand: Paramount
• Released on: 2008-01-08
• Rating: R (Restricted)
• Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
• Formats: AC-3, Color, Director's Cut, Dolby, DVD-Video, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English, French, Spanish
• Number of discs: 2
• Dimensions: 1.00 pounds
• Running time: 162 minutes

Amazon.com
Closer in spirit to a police procedural than a gory serial-killer flick, David Fincher's Zodiac provides a sleek, armrest-gripping re-invention of the crime film. It surveys the investigation of the Zodiac killings that terrorized the San Francisco Bay area in the late -60-early -70s; Zodiac not only killed people, but cultivated a Jack the Ripper aura by sending icky letters to the newspapers and daring readers to solve coded messages. But the film's focus isn't on the killer. We follow the reporters and detectives whose lives are taken over by the case, notably an addictive crime writer (a sartorially splendid Robert Downey Jr.), an awkward editorial cartoonist (Jake Gyllenhaal), and a hard-working cop (Mark Ruffalo). Fincher and his brilliant cinematographer Harris Savides are deft at capturing the period feel of the city, without laying on the seventies kitsch, and James Vanderbilt's script doles out its big moments to major and minor characters alike. Fincher's confidence is infectious; the movie glides through its myriad details with such dexterity that even the blind alleys and red herrings seem essential. The well-chosen cast includes unexpected people popping up all over: Anthony Edwards as a lunch-bucket homicide cop; Charles Fleischer as a mysterious suspect; Elias Koteas and Donal Logue as small-town policemen whose districts are hit by Zodiac; Chloe Sevigny as Gyllenhaal's sweet-natured wife; Brian Cox as the media-friendly lawyer Melvin Belli, so famous he once appeared on Star Trek; and the mighty John Carroll Lynch, as a supremely creepy suspect. The film is based on non-fiction books by Robert Graysmith (he's portrayed by Gyllenhaal), although Fincher and co. did extensive research on their own. The result is a propulsive whodunit without (thus far) an ending, but the uncertainty makes the film even more intriguing. --Robert Horton

On the DVD
The special edition of David Fincher's riveting true-crime movie is called the Director's Cut, although the extra footage in the film itself is not the main attraction. In fact, just 4-6 minutes' worth of previously unseen material is here on display, hardly changing the effect or impact of the film. (No, the extra footage doesn't reveal who the real killer was.) The set is loaded with background to satisfy both hungry film nerds and true-crime buffs, which is the real reason to buy this edition. On the film front, two commentaries yammer away during the movie, one from Fincher himself, the other from a tag-team group including stars Jake Gyllenhaal and Robert Downey Jr., and, intriguingly, novelist and Black Dahlia obsessive James Ellroy. An hourlong making-of feature and a pair of technical documentaries give abundant details about how the film was made: painstaking location work in real Zodiac haunts, plus some mind-boggling green-screen special effects. (You can also witness Gyllenhaal's exasperation at Fincher's take-after-take perfectionism.) On the real case, two rather remarkable documentaries not only recount the facts but seem to stir up new controversies: This Is the Zodiac Speaking is a 102-minute account of the crimes and their initial investigation; Prime Suspect is a 42-minute portrait of the man many sleuths think is the culprit. (His name is given on the DVD box in an alternate title for this doc, which might be a spoiler for first-time viewers, so beware.) All exhaustive stuff for a movie that gets under your skin. --Robert Horton

Customer Reviews

Overly long but a decent flick
There was no way Zodiac needed to be as long as it was. It dragged not long into it, though I really tried to embrace this film. It is a very dry type of film with a lot of different timelines and confusing aspects to keep track of. There is almost too much going on, but at the same time, there really is no actual action. There is some suspence and mystery, but for a film and true life event where there was no acual ending, it didn't really matter. There is alot of facts, but also alot of speculation and fabrication going on with this movie.

The story of the Zodiac killer is actually quite interesting but again, since the case was never really solved, and with the movie not really doing anything except revisiting that span of time, the movie feels a tad wasted.

The acting is really the redeaming quality of this film, with everyone doing a fantastic and believable job, especially Robert Downey Jr and Jake Gyllenhaal. They really worked well onscreen. However, a major fact remains that their respective characters were actually never even friends in real life. According to imdb, their relationship was 'fictionalized for the film'.

Perhaps this film needs more than one viewing to really appreciate it and to understand the key players and the facts about the crimes, but I don't think I can sit through almost 2 and a half hours again of boring dialogue.

Zodiac Revealed
Zodiac (Two-Disc Director's Cut) [HD DVD]

This review refers to HD-DVD 2-disc edition set. Movie is sort of documentary type trying to accurately portray Zodiac killings from late '60s. It is pretty long at 2:42 minutes and somewhat boring. Killings occur within first hour while speculation and bogus theories continue until the end. Movie is based on the book Zodiac written by Robert Graysmith, cartoonist who worked at the time of killings at SF Chronicle newspaper. His findings about Zodiac are completely bogus pointing into wrong direction. After his book was published, police compared handwriting, DNA sample and fingerprints with Graysmith's main suspect Arthur Leigh Allen and conclusively find that he wasn't Zodiac.

Regardless of Graysmith's hallucinations, Fincher's movie is really good. Excellent directing not leaving a single detail untouched with gorgeous HD picture and very nice special effects that brought 70's back to the screen in fullest are worth watching. Thanks to being based on poorly written book I wouldn't give this movie more than 3 stars but the second disc with 3 and a half hours of extras including interviews with two survivors of Zodiac killings and other real life participants make this set superb recap of Zodiac killings worth watching for everyone interested in serial killers. That is why I gave 5 stars to this movie.

What people more want to know is who really Zodiac was. There hasn't been offered a single valid theory that would explain his killings and the man behind them. Only four killings were officially assigned as Zodiac's while the rest are unconfirmed.

1. David Arthur Faraday, 17, and Betty Lou Jensen, 16: Shot and killed on December 20, 1968, on Lake Herman Road just within the city limits of Benicia.

2. Michael Renault Mageau, 19, and Darlene Elizabeth Ferrin, 22: Shot on July 4, 1969, at the Blue Rock Springs Golf Course parking lot on the outskirts of Vallejo; Darlene was DOA at Kaiser Foundation Hospital, while Michael survived.

3. Bryan Calvin Hartnell, 20, and Cecelia Ann Shepard, 22: Stabbed on September 27, 1969 at Lake Berryessa in Napa County. Hartnell survived six stab wounds to the back, but Shepard died of her injuries two days later.

4. Paul Lee Stine, 29: Shot and killed on October 11, 1969, in Presidio Heights in San Francisco.

The key of finding Zodiac is the fourth killing where pattern of killing love couples in rural areas around San Francisco has been broken. I made some research and find out that fourth killing occurred exactly one year after shooting and killing of Michael Bunch, 19-year-old anti-war serviceman while trying to escape Presidio military base. He was confined for being AWOL and imprisoned together with other anti-war servicemen. It is strange that no one noticed this detail. Who is the killer and why?

Killer called himself Zodiac which is a circular or elliptical diagram representing this belt, and usually containing pictures of the animals, human figures, etc., that are associated with the constellations and signs. Duration of one cycle is one year and if you check out his killings you will see that all of them happened between October 11th, 1968 and October 11th, 1969. Motive is most obviously revenge for Bunch's killing and culprit according to Zodiac is society itself. He is most likely left-wing anti-war radical who wanted to change society by killings and terror. From details released by the police he was a GI probably working at Presidio or other military base. The best search for him would be to question all anti-war GIs stationed in San Francisco at that time, particularly group known as Nine4Peace that used to protest by chaining themselves to priests in churches in San Francisco Area in July of 1968.

Sign used by Zodiac is actually Celtic cross which might explain why he used it if we know that GIs protested at churches. It has nothing to do with Zodiac brand of watches and represents sun cross. Zodiac was clearly inspired by religion and mythology in his first deciphered letter when he mentioned his victims becoming his slaves to serve him in paradise. The most difficult part is how did he choose his killing dates? These dates actually reveal true message of Zodiac while cyphered letters were just a decoy.

Zodiac message is Nine4Justice Presidio. First killings were under Sagittarius which is ninth sign of Zodiac, second one were under Cancer which is fourth sign of Zodiac, third one were under Libra which is number seven but stands for justice and final killing was on the anniversary of killing of Michael Bunch. It happened on Presidio Heights and then after killing he went straight to Presidio military base.

If you examine mythology of these astral signs you can find out that Sagittarius is associated with Satyr who represents sex drive. That's why he killed love couples in the first place. Cancer is associated with hydra which represents corrupt society that needs to be cut and sealed by fire to prevent it from further corruption. That's why he kills not talk or try to convince others in his ideas. Libra as already mentioned represents justice. Some also wondered about why Zodiac uses two stamps. All numbers divided by 2 are called even. Since he is done all those killings as a revenge to get EVEN for killing of Michael Bunch then it makes perfect sense to use two stamps to point this out.

I intentionally wrote this review on 40th anniversary of killing of Michael Bunch that started Zodiac killings. I sincerely hope that he will be caught or if dead, his identity revealed to bring back some peace to the victims of his gruesome killings.

Gyllenhaal's performance makes ''Zodiac'' worth watching
It seems like a lot of serial killers sprang up in the 1960s/70s. The Boston Strangler, Charles Manson, Ted Bundy, and The Hillside Stranglers all brought fright and terror to their cities. One of the more bizarre serial killers was The Zodiac, who operated in the San Francisco area beginning in 1968. The film ''Zodiac'' focuses on the events surrounding his killings and how the case drove one man following the case nearly out of his mind.

In the movie the Zodiac killer begins his murder spree by shooting some young couples then eventually striking right in the heart of San Francisco. He then taunts the San Francisco Chronicle's staff with cryptic letters and proof that he knew secret details about the gruesome murders. The paper's cartoonist, Robert Graysmith (portrayed by Jake Gyllenhaal) becomes obsessed with the case, along with the lead journalist Paul Avery (Robert Downey Jr.)

As the case progresses Downey's character becomes overwhelmed by personal demons and police make little progress in finding the killer. But Graysmith continues to hunt for clues, even as the killings stop and life moves on. Eventually Graysmith alienates everyone around him, annoys the police, and develops unsubstantiated theories about the Zodiac's identity, but a great personal cost.

The film has some good performances by Robert Downey Jr., Mark Ruffalo as one of the detectives, and Chloe Sevigny as Graysmith's wife. But Gyllenhaal is most memorable as the somewhat nerdy, obsessed, and driven character trying to unmask the killer. The film's setting in the Northern California affords some great cinematography work too. On the down side the plot is plodding at times and the ending is somewhat uneventful. It is worth watching if the case interests you, but don't be surprised if you come away somewhat unfulfilled.