He'd rather I read murder mysteries than bodice ripper romance novels with half naked people on the front. Someone is going around murdering priests and nuns, as it later turns out using the coincidence of their names matching the ten commandments (sometimes with a bit of a stretch. No expression so you had no idea where the film was going. 104min. With Sutherland especially doing some great work. Kept my interest. He attacked four girls, killing two, Margaret Bowman and Lisa Levy, and leaving Kathy Kleiner and Karen Chandler severely injured. . Bundy replied that he felt a mysterious force preventing him from entering her room. Now, no one but Sutherland, can give that blank stare so well. StarringDonald Sutherland Charles Durning Belinda Bauer Josef Sommer Addison Powell John Danelle James Murtaugh Addison Powell Kathleen Tolan Directed byFred Walton The Rosary Murders is an extraordinarily good thriller. But this book was a nice little mystery. Sure some things are dated, but it was politically correct at the time. Even after the deranged individual responsible for these crimes confesses in church, the priest remains determined to find out who he is and why he is leaving a black rosary wrapped around the hand of each victim. Donald Sutherland (Father Robert Koesler), Belinda Bauer (Pat Lennon), Charles Durning (Father Ted Neighbours), Josef Sommer (Lieutenant Koznicki). The thriller, which also stars Charles Durning as a conservative priest and Belinda Bauer as a reporter, wins its stripes by exploring the dark connections between guilt, sex, and Catholicism. When producer Robert G. Laurel bought the rights to The Rosary Murders, Kienzle's first novel . The late hour of the attack leads credibility to the assertion she fell asleep. The Rosary Murders (1987) Watch Now Rent $3.99 PROMOTED Watch Now Filters Best Price Free SD HD 4K Stream Ads Subs Rent $3.99 HD $3.99 Buy $9.99 $14.99 HD Something wrong? Josef Sommer and Belinda Bauer offer able support. The script moves over to comment on the Catholic Church, not denouncing it per se, but criticising its lack of compassionate balance and its appallingly inadequate dismissal of both Javison and Katherines anguish. The fact that you could allow people to be killed because of some religious notion is just silly to me. This is the first in the Father Koesler series by the late William X. Kienzle. Before leaving for college, she had promised her mother and/or grandmother that she would pray the rosary before bed every night even if she fell asleep doing so. Letterboxd Limited. https://www.encyclopedia.com/arts/culture-magazines/rosary-murders, "The Rosary Murders His superiors - among them, the hard nosed, conservative Ted Nabors (Charles Durning) - believe that nothing can violate the sanctity of the confessional. What about the girl who was praying the rosary that night? Father Edward Killeen: Break the seal of confession, and you destroy the Church. "The Rosary Murders" is based on a neo-noir novel by William X. Kienzle who was a real catholic priest. This 2009 blog post appears to have set in motion the crazy spread of this story across the blogosphere. Most online reference entries and articles do not have page numbers. Later in the movie he makes himself and is motives known during confession to father Robert Koesler, Donald Sutherland.Three years ago his 16 year old daughter was killed and the murderer is holding the church and it's priests and nuns responsible for her death and now is exacting vengeance on them. The violence happened mostly off-screen, but managed to leave a chilling mark and the Detroit setting complements the weary imprint. Twenty-three more books followed, creating a best-selling mystery series mostly set in Detroit and reflecting the personality of its hero, Father Robert Koesler, a diocesan priest with a penchant for sleuthing." The Rosary Murders" was named one of the . If he did say that, we still should not believe the mysterious force part of the story simply because Bundy said it. In The Rosary Murders, Detroit priests and nuns are being methodically murdered; all are found with a plain black rosary entwined . Sutherland, usually very good, doesn't really fit the role perfectly and the ending feels a little forced, trying to tie all the loose ends up. The murderer leaves behind a rosary. He lied and played games during those conversations. I want it to be true, but I cannot believe something I know is most likely not true. The Rosary Murders is the sole film in Fred Waltons oeuvre that stands out as being extremely good. Encyclopedia.com. Also, at one point, the murderer confesses to the Koesler and he has to decide if he should break the church law of keeping confession confidential. It was also made into a movie, with Donald Sutherland in the role of Father Koesler. Yet, it's not as edgy as the central premise and everything outside of the main mystery just falls . Find album reviews, track lists, credits, awards and more at AllMusic. I could definitely relate to this because I'm a lifelong Catholic. Kienzle's books are set mostly in Detroit, Michigan . It was assigned by a priest as a way of teaching teenagers, all born after Vatican II, something about the debate and divisions in the church because of the changes from that conclave. Based on the best-selling novel of the same name by priest-turned-author William X. Kienzle. Around 30 girls lived in that house at the time. FAQ Letterboxd is an independent service created by a small team, and we rely mostly on the support of our members to maintain our site and apps. He's still watchable. In addition to the MLA, Chicago, and APA styles, your school, university, publication, or institution may have its own requirements for citations. The murderer leaves behind a rosary. Lenten Brother Francis for Kids on FORMED. A small glimpse by Douglas A. Lessnau, this contains a song my Father wrote for my Grandmother, Jeanette Dupius, Called \"Jeanette\" it is one of my favorite instrumentals by him; of course the title track \"In Your Eyes\" is pretty nice too; this song was written by my Father and Dennis Leahy. I had previously read all the other books in this series, but had somehow missed this one. priest, confession [criminal], serial-killer, investigation, killing, nun, amateur, detective, investigator, murder, victim. It's one of those progressive and morally hounded plots (from William X. Kienzle's novel), which is a puzzle to decipher, as you find yourself also personally getting involved with the brooding investigation with realistic characters. A detective story? "The Rosary Murders" is based on a neo-noir novel by William X. Kienzle who was a real catholic priest. Life in the Catholic Church of the Holy Redeemer in Detroit is upset by a series of killings whose victims are all priests and nuns. Is this a giallo? I enjoyed this. The police seem powerless to stop the serial killer and the Church can't protect its . In tonight's 9-1-1 season 5 episode 1 premiere as per the FOX synopsis, "As the citywide blackout continues to cause mayhem in Los Angeles, A Be better.' Funny story: I grew up protestant. Filmed on location in Detroit. The Rosary Murders sees Donald Sutherland as a conflicted priest, investigating a serial killer of persons of the cloth. For example one of my favorite horror films is Alice Sweet Alice, I think The Exorcist is a well-written drama, and I lean towards the Italian films with spiritual or religious imagery. While stuck in an internet rabbit hole, I stumbled onto a story I could not believe Ihad not heard before. "The Rosary Murders Tv shows. They go out for a drink one evening and suddenly it's the next day over coffee at a nearby greasy spoon. This is an oldie, but I really enjoyed it--especially all of the details about the Detroit area. he is even cautioned by his fellow priests that me may not do so even to save lives. However, the more credible sources on this story relate that she had fallen asleep. This book is a run of the mill police procedural, made more interesting by its portrayal of the state of the Catholic Church and the city of Detroit in the late seventies. MOTW-level yellow paged potboiler where Donald Sutherland and Charles Durning play Detroit priests facing a wild ethical quandary: a serial killer splattering clergy spills his crimes to Sutherlands casual collar during confession. What is the Spanish language plot outline for The Rosary Murders (1987)? Directed by Fred Walton whose most known for his "When a Stranger Calls" films. What might have benefited is a reflection on what unfolds from a spiritual perspective. Being that I am from Michigan this peaked my interest. However, in the end, the movie is somewhat TOO calm in tone. The Rosary Murders (1987) 16 08/28/1987 (US) Crime, Mystery, Thriller 1h 45m User Score. Leonard is of course best known as a crime novelist and a number of his works have been adapted into popular films including 52 Pick-Up (1974), Get Shorty (1995), Quentin Tarantinos Jackie Brown (1997), Paul Schraders miracle-healer film Touch (1997), Steven Soderberghs Out of Sight (1998), 3:10 to Yuma (2007) and Life of Crime (2013). It was little seen when it came out and sadly its profile has not substantially changed since then, although it is eminently deservous of much greater recognition. 1987 R Thriller. | But in this particular telling, the results are kind of bland. A priest is put in a dilemma when the serial killer who has been murdering priests and nuns confesses to him. Nabors: Charles Durning. A priest is killed during Lent and the killer leaves a plain black rosary behind. I will give the movie this - instead of being presented in an extremely hyped and breakneck pace, the movie is executed in a more calmer fashion than you might think, which is refreshing. Directed by Fred Walton. Far more compelling is Sutherland grappling with his faith, and the limitations of his calling. Did she exist? Within the Cite this article tool, pick a style to see how all available information looks when formatted according to that style. Donald Sutherland Charles Durning Belinda Bauer Josef Sommer James Murtaugh Leila Danette Addison Powell Kathleen Tolan Tom Mardirosian Anita Barone John Danelle Anna Minot Lupe Ontiveros Roger Angelini B. Constance Barry Doris Biscoe Sandy Broad Keith Brooks Bethany Carpenter Joseph Conrad Richard Cottrell Bruce Economou Rex Everhart Lilian Ferguson Stefan Gierasch Harold Hansen Cordis Heard Robert Heller Jihmi Kennedy It could have been just another routine shocker, but a clever script and some unusually taciturn direction turns the otherwise familiar material into a modest but intriguing whodunit (actually more a 'whydunit') set against the rituals and mysteries of the Catholic Church, always a reliable source of guilt and intrigue. The two primary sources (and I use that term loosely in this case) for this story do not mention the mysterious force. This story did not appear anywhere until 2002 when it was mentioned in a 2002 article in a Pittsburgh newspaper(a really good article; I recommend it). He was constantly staring into space. Made by fans in Aotearoa New Zealand. While the non-starter love interest B-plot (sorry, Belinda Bauer) sticks uneasily to the doughy mid-section, at least the murders themselves pack a punch and are surprisingly varied. No, absolutely not. Sutherland and Charles Durning are the main highlights. If he really did feel that mysterious force, would he not have ceased his rampage entirely? Film Review by Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat. Murder Please consider upgrading to a Pro accountfor less than a couple bucks a month, youll get cool additional features like all-time and annual stats pages (example), the ability to select (and filter by) your favorite streaming services, and no ads! 29:05. The biggest sit around and stare is when the real murderer kills two police officers and is wounded while our hero sits and stares into space as the killer finally gets up and runs away. Fairly standard yet still luridly fun, with a twist that doesnt feel too far off from being an American answer to WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO SOLANGE?. This book did a good job weaving all the pieces of a complex murder mystery together -- until the last chapter. In fact, as a teenager, when I brought it to the check-out counter at my small hometown library, the librarian called my father to get permission to check it out to me. This presents a moral quandary for Father Koesler: does he remain silent after being forced to absolve a killer for his heinous sins, or does he turn his back on his sworn duty as a priest and reveal what he knows about the killer to the authorities? Charles Durning on the other hand is right on as the hard nosed conservative priest who lives by the book with no room for compassion. After reading the alleged story, I shifted the focus of my Google searching. Koznicki (Josef Sommer), the detective on the case, is not as concerned with the rules of the Catholic church, aiming to catch himself a killer. Encyclopedia.com gives you the ability to cite reference entries and articles according to common styles from the Modern Language Association (MLA), The Chicago Manual of Style, and the American Psychological Association (APA). Directed by Fred Walton and adapted from a novel by William X. Kiensle, it basically was a combination of the director and his actors that made this terrible. I fail to see this guy's acting abilities. I like all the Fr Koesler mysteries, so enjoyed this one. I also believe that all of the blog posts that state a mysterious force stopped Ted Bundy that night should be deleted. Ultimately, I decided that, because Bundy is no longer alive to enjoy the attention and his name is mentioned in the articles I havelinked to in this post, there would be little point omitting his name. I have yet to find an exception to this rule. I understand there are another twenty books in the series and if I can find them, I will definitely read them. Copyright EpicPew. A priest is conflicted following a string of murders which target fellow priests and nuns in this dark mystery drama. Let's not play with labels. best sustainable website design . On January 13, 1978 Ted Bundy broke into the Chi Omega Sorority House on the campus of Florida State University and went on a rampage. 105m/C VHS . Copyright 2006 - 2023 by CIStems, Inc., d.b.a. Pull Yourself Together. But he is bound by the churches vow of sanctity of the confessional not to break the seal of confession. More at And for all those musical savants, yes I am aware the music to \"In Your Eyes\" is an arrangement based on Brahms. ***SPOILERS*** Starting with the 40 day's of Lent on Ash Wednesday a series of murders occurred in and around this suburban Detroit church ,The Holy Redeemer, that has everyone, the public and police, shocked and puzzled to who would do such a thing. I was never bored during any of the times I watched this film. I couldn't be Bobby Laurels son and not know that. The movie has a gritty, junkyard-dog look to it. Not entirely sure if I saw this back in the late 80s as a VHS rental. Donald Sutherland, Charles Durning, Josef Sommer Directed by: Fred Walton. Rent this movie and see if you agree. Rated the #456 best film of 1987. Nothing amazing. Some stretches of dialogue Belinda Bauers confession, the end reading of Katharines letter are extremely moving. It's a handsomely made film by Fred Walton (the OG When a Stranger Calls) and has a solid cast led by a fantastic Donald Sutherland. Oh boy, this should be a good whodunit! At times, The Rosary Murders resembles a serial killer version of Alfred Hitchcocks I Confess (1953), which featured Montgomery Clift as a priest troubled over whether to break the sanctity of the confessional by revealing his knowledge of a murder. The classic film about a Detroit cop who goes to Beverly Hills, California to solve a crime. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1954 and spent twenty years as a Roman Catholic parish priest. Confession Criminelle, Rosary Murders MPAA Rating. The story involves a series of murders associated with people in the catholic church, some laymen/laywomen while others are clergy. In this film, which Fred Walton has directed and co-written with Elmore Leonard, Donald Sutherland stars as a liberal priest who gets involved in a . . Leaving a rosary on the bodies of his victims the killer seems to be sending a message to what his motives are. Watch in SD. Koznicki: Josef Sommer.. The story, based on . hope this doesn't awaken anything within me, i hadn't revisited this movie since then because it was simply not very good and that still holds true, but hey, i owe a lot to it an iconic moment from my recent personal lore. Subplot with a potential romantic interest for Sutherland is the worst. An alright little murder mystery. //