With the invention of the 24 hour news cycle and cable news
it seems like every atrocity on the face of the Earth is presented to us
nonstop around the clock. When a mass shooting happens or serial killer is on the
lose we hear about it constantly without relief. Growing up when there were
only three major networks and people relied as much on print journalism as they
did TV we never had that. When something like this occurred the story would
unfold over time rather than tons of speculation and unverified tidbits coming
at us fast and furious.
So it was with the case of Albert DeSalvo, aka the Boston
Strangler. The story was mostly regional in the Boston area at first. Once the
killing was solved the story spread out across the country. Pundits didn’t
weigh in automatically about this, that or the other. The deepest look into
what happened was put in books rather than a movie of the week. But a movie was
made and it was a great depiction of events.
In 1962 the city of Boston is filled with fear as a series
of murders of women occur. No one feels safe and no location is safe as the
women were murdered in their own homes in most cases. There was no sign of
forced entry and most were sexually assaulted. To say that there was intense
pressure on law enforcement to catch this killer is an understatement.
The movie moves back and forth between two stories, the
second developing as we get into things. On one hand we have the typical police
procedural story to watch. Led by appointee John Bottomly (Henry Fonda) a task
force is set up to bring together all the clues and information about the
killer in the hopes of capturing him and ending his reign of terror. Things get
so desperate that Bottomly allows psychic Peter Hurkos in to help the task
force. But it is luck that results in the killer’s apprehension.
As this story unfolds we are also presented with that of
Albert DeSalvo, the man who is indeed the Boston strangler. A middle aged
married man with children, DeSalvo goes to work, comes home, watches TV and
seems normal on the surface. While watching TV one day he tells his wife he has
to leave for work. In reality he has another victim in mind. His attack goes
off and he rapes the woman, being bitten by her as she tries to free herself.
While running away he is apprehended by the police and eventually his story is
revealed.
The third act here involves the interrogation of DeSalvo and
how they came to find out more about the man and his mental issues. Without a
confession the evidence to convict is slim. As Bottomly questions DeSalvo it at
first appears he won’t succeed. Whether he can or not makes for a well thought
out, stunningly portrayed performance by two great actors.
When the movie was released it received solid reviews but
most critics took note that much was changed from the reality of the story.
Rather than praising it for being an accurate portrayal they noted it was more
in the vein of a “based on real events” type film. This didn’t hold back the
public who went to see the movie and made it a success.
The movie offered actor Tony Curtis who fought for the role
one of the best parts of his life. He was able to show that he wasn’t just
another pretty face but a dynamite actor who had the chops to bring the character
to life. At a time when many thought his career was over this revitalized it
instead. Watching his performance is one of the highlights of the film.
The release by Twilight Time is every bit as good as the
rest of their catalog, offering a pristine version of the movie on blu-ray. In
addition to the quality image on screen extras include an isolated music &
effects track, audio commentary by film historians David Del Valle and Steven
Peros, “Split-screen Personality” a short with William Friedkin on the film,
Real Killer Fake Nose, AMC Backstory: The Boston Strangler, Fox Movietone
Newsreel and the original theatrical trailers. As is always the case with their
releases this has a limited run so if you are interested make a point of
picking one up before they’re gone.
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