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The Hunt for the BTK Killer
USA 2005
produced by Richard Fischoff, Randy Sutter, Diana Kerew (executive), Robert M. Sernter (executive), Judith Verno (executive), Frank von Zerneck (executive) for Sony/CBS
directed by Stephen T. Kay
starring Joey Campbell, Maury Chaykin, Robert Forster, Michael Fox, Ross Fox, Fregg Henry, Steven Holmberg, Michael Michele, Mark A.Owen, Kimberly Parkhill, McKenzi Scott, Janaya Stephens, Jeremy Strong, Mike Turner, Cecil Wright, Loretta Yu
screenplay by Tom Towler, Donald Martin, based on the book Nightmare in Wichita: The Hunt for the BTK Killer, music by Tree Adams
review by Dale Pierce
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The BTK Killer (stands for Bind, Torture, Kill) was an arrogant son of a
bitch, let alone a sick one in real life, and when he was captured, identified
as a supposedly respectable, church going citizen named Dennis Rader, I hated
the bastard all the more. For three decades, he evaded capture, but like all
of these whackos, he figured himself to be much smarter than he was. As such, he
got cuffed and carted off, nonetoosoon for me or anyone else. It didn't take
them long to throw together a TV movie about him either.
This film covers the intense and drawn-out manhunt for the killer (played by
Gregg Henry here). A fairly
routine drama about the tracking and searching for this psycho who terrorized
Wichita and for a time, did seem unstoppable. Not much in the blood or graphic
department, for this was released originally as a made-for-TV film, but there's some tense moments that make it worth at least one look. The same
topic has been covered before, with a number of other serial killers who were
eventually caught (John Christie, The Boston Strangler, Son Of
Sam, The
Hillside Strangler, Dahmer, Gacy, Bundy, and on and on). Same theme, same
scenario, just a different looney bird being chased down.
Look for Janayah Stevens from the Left Behind series as a supporting actress,
playing a mother with a baby in this. A far cry from her Left Behind, but
then, work is work.
I hope Rader gets to see this movie the next time it runs, on a prison TV.
Odds are he won't think too much of the film.
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