Zodiac (2007/I)

Regisseur:

David Fincher

Drehbuchautoren (WGA):

James Vanderbilt (screenplay)
Robert Graysmith (book)

Premierendatum:

2. März 2007 (USA)

Genre:

Krimi | Drama | Horror | Thriller

Werbezeile:

There's more than one way to lose your life to a killer

Plot:

Based on the Robert Graysmith books about the real life notorious Zodiac, a serial killer who terrorized San Francisco with a string of seemingly random murders during the 1960s and 1970s.

Plot Keywords:

Diner | Crime Scene | Police Station | Airport | Movie Theater

Filmpreise:

24 nominations

Nutzerkommentare:

Fincher's best? No. But still very good

Besetzung

Jake Gyllenhaal	...	Robert Graysmith
Mark Ruffalo	...	Inspector David Toschi
Anthony Edwards	...	Inspector William Armstrong
Robert Downey Jr.	...	Paul Avery
Brian Cox	...	Melvin Belli
John Carroll Lynch	...	Arthur Leigh Allen
Richmond Arquette	...	Zodiac 1 & 2
Bob Stephenson	...	Zodiac 3
John Lacy	...	Zodiac 4
Chloë Sevigny	...	Melanie
Ed Setrakian	...	Al Hyman
John Getz	...	Templeton Peck
John Terry	...	Charles Thieriot
Candy Clark	...	Carol Fisher
Elias Koteas	...	Sgt. Jack Mulanax

Alternativ:

Chronicles (USA) (working title)
Zodiac - Die Spur des Killers (Deutschland) [de]

MPAA:

Rated R for some strong killings, language, drug material and brief sexual images. (also director's cut)

Länge:

158 Min

Produktionsland:

USA

Sprache:

Englisch

Farbe:

Farbe

Seitenverhältnis:

2.35 : 1

Tonverfahren:

SDDS | DTS | Dolby Digital

Altersfreigabe:

Malaysia:18PL (DVD) | Hong Kong:IIB | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | India:UA | New Zealand:R16 | Italy:T | Brazil:16 | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | Canada:14A (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Ontario) | Philippines:R-13 | South Korea:15 | Norway:15 | Portugal:M/12 | Ireland:16 | UK:15 | Germany:16 | Spain:18 | Argentina:13 | Singapore:NC-16 | USA:R (certificate #42944) | Netherlands:16 | Sweden:15 | Finland:K-15 | France:U (with warning) | USA:R | Australia:MA | Japan:PG-12 | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva)

Drehorte:

4th Street, Downtown, Los Angeles, California, USA

Firma:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Dies und das:

The cab scene on Washington and Cherry Streets in San Francisco could not be entirely shot in San Francisco due to filming restrictions and the opposition of the neighborhood residents. So, a set of the intersection, including the street, apartments and crime scene was constructed at Downey Studios just outside of Los Angeles, California. Backdrops of San Francisco were digitally inserted to complete the scene. Only a few seconds of actual footage shot in the original crime scene location remains in the scene.

Pannen:

Fälschlich als Panne betrachtet: In the store there is a calendar behind the desk that indicates it is February 1980. However, as Graysmith is entering the store, the caption says it is Dec. 20, 1983. The prominent out-of-date calendar may just be a way of showing that the store that Allen works in is a sleepy place where they've forgotten to change the calendar for four years ... the discrepancy is so glaring that one almost suspects intent.

Dialogzitate:

[first lines]
Mike Mageau: Where have you been? I've been waiting since 7:00.

Bezüge zu anderen Titeln:

Verweis/Anspielung/Erwähnung in "Siskel & Ebert & the Movies: The Best of 2007" (2007)

Soundtrack:

Jean

Fincher's best? No. But still very good

I am tired of people writing comments like this, "Not Fincher's best". Honestly who cares. We all agree that Fincher's best is either Seven or Fight Club, two outstanding masterpieces. There is a big margin between a film like one of those and a terrible film, and people don't seem to realize that. These people even do this with other filmmakers like Spielberg or Scorsese, the fact that these filmmakers don't reproduce Schindler's List or Raging Bull doesn't mean that their new stuff isn't good, or worth seeing. I think it is a stupid way to comment on a film, eliminating the critic's credibility. I was lucky enough to catch an advanced screening of Zodiac last night, and I must say that at first I was discouraged by two things, some of the comments I have read and the running time. However I am glad to say that I enjoyed this film, very much. It is a solid suspense thriller that pins you to your seat. Being a true story adds quite a lot to the experience, and besides, Fincher did a wonderful job is staying loyal to the story and at the same time adding his unique flavor to it. The cinematography, like every Fincher film, is great, the darkness and griddiness of the story are perfectly portrayed in the film's visual elements. I was surprised by the picture quality of the Viper, the digital camera with which this film was shot. Many people have been criticizing this choice, but I respect it, he is embracing a new technology and making it work. Of course its still not a match to 35 mm, but if quality filmmakers don't start experimenting with it, it will never be. Now the reason why this film falls behind Seven and Fight Club, I think, is because of a problem with the characters. They seem to be a little weak at times. The performances were great, especially Robert Downey Jr., but I think that this film falls short, when it comes to a true exploration of complex characters, which is the key to Fincher's previous films.

So... my advice to everyone is to ignore most of the negative comments and see the film yourself. I found it to be a great story told in a remarkable way, very entertaining, with great performances, and wonderful direction.