Nightstalker

Customer Reviews:

Terrible !!!!!!! .......2007-03-09

Thank goodness that I didn't buy this DVD. I was able to take it out of the library for free! This was the worst film about a serial killer that I have ever seen. That is if you can actually see whats happening on screen with some of the worst lighting in movie history. It appears that the director liked the FX from the film " Jacobs Ladder" so much that he decided to use it in every single scene. DO NOT BUY THIS!

Very Interesting treatment of the Night Stalker story.......2007-01-09

Has little to do with the real history of the case, but the actor looks a LOT like RR. Voice not deep enough. RR did not kill Hispanics. The creative editing is very good. Music too modern. Killings were in the 80's. I liked it as a fantasy spin off on the Night Stalker legend. Amazon was great in quickly sending the product in good condition.

innovative, powerful, original -- true crime told as horror film/religious parable........2006-12-19

As other reviewers have noted, NIGHTSTALKER doesn't follow the Richard Ramirez serial killer facts too closely. But that's not what this film is about.

This is history told as a horror film. Indeed, as a religious parable.

We see Ramirez's killings through his own eyes. He stalks and kills his victims while an albino Satan with a blood-stained mouth flashes about him, head shaking quickly. Ramirez himself flashes about the scene. It's a series of killings seen through the eyes of an insane drug addict. It sets the mood of Evil. It works.

(Although the fast head shaking was first used in JACOB'S LADDER, it may be that this film's albino Satan later inspired THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST.)

Evil is the theme, to the point of religious parable. Ramirez not only sees Satan, he orders his victims, "Say you love Satan!" He tells Satan, "I did it for you!" Naturally, his apartment abounds in upturned pentagrams, written in blood.

Ramirez's nemesis is Rosalyn Sanchez, who plays an East L.A. cop--who's also a devout Catholic. She prays ferverently every night, the camera hovering in extreme closeup about her quivering lips, her tightly clutched rosary, focusing in and out at the aged crucifx she prays before.

Sanchez (Detective Martinez) is surrounded by encroaching evil. Her black police lieutanent boss sexually harrasses her. His head shakes quickly (as does Satan's head), thus linking him to Evil. Sanchez's Latino partner snorts coke in the squad car, his head shaking quickly. Sanchez's white partner turns vigilante, his head shaking quickly. The Evil is everywhere, in all races.

All three men behave in a mostly decent (if roughshod) manner throughout the film. None of their indescretions are followed up plotwise. Rather, the Evil just lurks there, surfacing on occassion, but always beneath the surface of those Sanchez might trust.

The Evil lurks in women too. Sanchez is betrayed by a gal reporter, who uses Sanchez as a source, then breaks confidence, exposing Sanchez as her source. Sanchez had given a police sketch of Ramirez to the reporter, hoping it would save lives. Sanchez's motives were pure, but the reporter didn't care about saving lives, only making a name for herself; exposing Sanchez saved no one, but made the story juicier. The reporter also snorts coke, her head shaking quickly.

Sanchez has other problems. Her aging mother is senile, a burden on Sanchez, who's turned down better job offers to stay in East L.A. and care for her mother. These problems are additional crosses for Sanchez to bear as she prays to Jesus.

The Evil is everywhere. The film is set in 1985, and TV sets throughout the film carry newscasts of crises in the mideast, the poison plant leakage in India, US support of Iraq, and the Ramirez killings.

No, this is not a "true crime" film. It's shot in the aesthetic style of a horror film, and it's about a devoutly Catholic woman seeking divine help in her fight against Evil. Sanchez is the moral core of this darkening universe as Evil encroches on her from all directions.

I can see that many true crime fans were disappointed. I don't think horror fans would be upset. The cinematography is beautiful. (And yes, so is Sanchez.)

Bummer..............2006-03-19

Based on the true story of serial killer Robert Ramirez, Nightstalker falls way short of truly providing us the real accounts of Ramirez and his murder spree. Even with crazy special effects that make you wonder if there is something wrong with your DVD player, this movie is just plain weird. The acting isn't bad and I've seen much worse movies so that's the reason for my 2 star rating. I just wish this movie would have given us more details of the man himself. It fails to deliver a true story like movies such as Ted Bundy, Dahmer, Ed Gein and Gacy. I was disappointed with this film.

the nightstalker movie review.......2006-02-22

THIS WAS ONE OF THE WORST MOVIES ON A SERIAL KILLER THAT I HAVE EVER SEEN. THE ONLY TRUE FACT ABOUT THIS MOVIE WAS THAT HE WAS A DRUG USER. WHY IS IT THAT PEOPLE TRY TO MAKE AN ART-SY STATEMENT, INSTEAD OF TELLING A TRUE STORY ABOUT SOME ONE LIKE THIS. DO YOURSELF A FAVOR AND RENT THE MADE-FOR-TV-MOVIE "MANHUNT".

Average customer rating:

Nightstalker
Starring: Danny Trejo , Douglas Spain , Roselyn Sanchez , Derek Hamilton , and Evan Dexter Parke
Director: Chris Fisher
Manufacturer: Trinity Home Ent
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Horror | Genres | DVD | Video

Suspense | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

Mystery | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

( N ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
ASIN: B000K7UHEC
Release Date: 2007-02-13

Average customer rating:

Terrible !!!!!!!
Very Interesting treatment of the Night Stalker story
innovative, powerful, original -- true crime told as horror film/religious parable.
Bummer.......
the nightstalker movie review

Nightstalker [Region 2]
Starring: Bret Roberts , Joseph McKelheer , Roxanne Day , Julian Garcia , and Christine Long (II)
Director: Chris Fisher (III)
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Horror | Genres | DVD | Video

( N ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
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ASIN: B0001FYQ1I