Encyclopedia.com. 1987 Distribution Company. I had previously read all the other books in this series, but had somehow missed this one. Directed by When Stranger Calls Fred Walton in a low key well observed style that serves the weight over Sutherlands shoulders better than the crime investigation stuff which is often rather contrived. However, if it is not true, we need to be clear on the facts. The Rosary Murders 1987 (R)Based on the William X. Kienzle mystery about a serial killer preying on nuns and priests. Detroit is plagued by a series of murders of priests and nuns, with each victim found holding a black rosary. Sure some things are dated, but it was politically correct at the time. Not entirely sure if I saw this back in the late 80s as a VHS rental. 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). This is not Sutherland's best role because he is not given enough material to work with. This is a Detroit set mystery series featuring the Catholic church. (February 24, 2023). There's quite a large alumni group of us out there. Retrieved February 24, 2023 from Encyclopedia.com: https://www.encyclopedia.com/arts/culture-magazines/rosary-murders. 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. Some are splendid; some are average. What about the girl who was praying the rosary that night? Directed by Fred Walton, from source material written by William X. Kienzie and adapted by Walton and Elmore Leonard, the film co-stars Charles Durning and Josef Sommer. I understood the references to Vatican II & how it changed the Church (especially in the late 1960s & 1970s). Also, Charles Durning is around to generally act exactly like we expect all Catholic priests of the Eighties to act. Detroit, Michigan, USA Technical Specs. "The Rosary Murders" is rated R for profanity and violence. In The Rosary Murders, Detroit priests and nuns are being methodically murdered; all are found with a plain black rosary entwined . Warning: This post contains big spoilers for Evil's Season 1 finale.. Evil's Kristen Bouchard has had a hell of a week.. Not only does she spend much of the CBS drama's finale worried that a . However, Elmore Leonards script makes the film is far more than just a novelty detective story a la The Father Dowling Mysteries (1989-91). Bundy replied that he felt a mysterious force preventing him from entering her room. The Science Fiction Horror and Fantasy Film Review. However the pacing seemed to plod a bit too much, where some monotonous patches seemed to lose focus. The Rosary Murders. Two wonderful stars! 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. Rated the #456 best film of 1987. The late hour of the attack leads credibility to the assertion she fell asleep. But in this particular telling, the results are kind of bland. Sutherland knows who the killer is after the killer tells him during confession. 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. However, Bundy did not request him specifically, and it is not known if Bundy knew Father Kerr was at the scene of the crime that night. There is no justifiable way to conclude Bundy felt a mysterious force that night. I have yet to find an exception to this rule. TMDb User Ratings The murderer has confessed to him, and after a bit of amateur sleuthing he knows who it is. However, I did make an effort to mention the names of the victims. 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. It is entirely possible. Sem dvida, esta histria de detetive est entre as melhores que j li. Belinda Bauer, with her jackhammer delivery, plays the lapsed Catholic reporter who falls in love with Koesler after he mumbles in an interview. This inspired him to pursue writing and now he writes full-time. The story, based on . 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. Although convoluted the plot is an interesting premise. I am willing to accept that one of the survivors believes she survived because she fell asleep holding her rosary that night. Part of the effectiveness here might well be the other surprise name on the credits Waltons co-writer Elmore Leonard. Nothing amazing. He had no actual intention of clearing up his wrong doings. Made by fans in Aotearoa New Zealand. Show All He became an editor of MPLS Magazine in Minneapolis, later moving to Texas where he was director of the Center for Contemplative Studies at the University of Dallas. I believe this was his first novel too. That bug-eyed sincerity, the Sutherland signature that held us in "Klute," is working here. Yet, it's not as edgy as the central premise and everything outside of the main mystery just falls . Release Date. As slow-burns go, Fred Walton's mysterious catholic-bounded thriller takes the cake with its minimal and sombre treatment. However, because it did not appear in his story, he assumes he was not told about it. They go out for a drink one evening and suddenly it's the next day over coffee at a nearby greasy spoon. The director is Fred Walton whose line of genre films both before and since has only been routine. This was a re-read. I enjoyed this. 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. Donald Sutherland has made some good movies - "Don't Look Now", for instance - but he's also had his share of shockers, and this one ranks right up there. The director is Fred Walton whose line of genre films both . It was a sorority house. See production, box office & company info. Not because of why he did it but because of the blunt statement made by the killer. 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. Depen, milo aloe, callow, fallow, hallow, mallow, marshmallow, sallow, shallow, tallow Pablo, tableau cashflow Anglo matelot Carlo, Harlow, Marlowe, Burke and Hare These men are universally believed to have been body snatchers, but in fact they made a good living in the 1820s supplying an Edinburg, vendetta abetter, begetter, better, bettor, biretta, bruschetta, carburettor (US carburetor), debtor, feta, fetter, forgetter, getter, go-getter, Gr, Arran, James Stewart, 4th earl of [S] (c.155095). Find album reviews, track lists, credits, awards and more at AllMusic. When the killer explains why he did it I started laughing. It begins when Koesler, editor of a Detroit Catholic newspaper, agrees to help the police solve a bizarre murder mystery. However, Koesler is bound by his confessional oath and must keep this information a secret. 6. He also has two collections of poetry available on Amazon. His only prayer -- to learn how the maniac chooses his victims. If I had to look at Donald Sutherland one more time with his blank expression I thought I'd drop. 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 . It was merely a way to stall his execution. Encyclopedia.com. "The Rosary Murders This cozy mystery is fun, easily followed, and easily read. The Rosary Murders Directed by Fred Walton. The Rosary Murders: Directed by Fred Walton. Police believe he stopped his attack because he was spooked when a girl used the bathroom at the far end of the hallway around 3:15A.M. What Everyone is REALLY Thinking in the Cry Room, Laugh Your Way to Holiness with Catholic Card Game. None of the other actors has much to do, and they all act accordingly, as though they really had better things to do. Father Koesler begins collaborating with the police but soon finds himself in a spot when the killer decides to choose him as confessor.Salvatore Santangelo For an example of this, check out the forum on Snopes with regards to this story. I was never bored during any of the times I watched this film. This is the first in the Father Koesler series by the late William X. Kienzle. Mystery thriller with a Catholic twist. With Donald Sutherland, Charles Durning, Belinda Bauer, Josef Sommer. Midsomer Murders S13E02 The Made to Measure Murders. Police believe he stopped his attack because he was spooked when a girl used the bathroom at the far end of the hallway around 3:15A.M. One girl told Father Kerr that she believed she had survived because she had been praying her rosary during the attack. Posters are sourced from TMDb and Posteritati, and appear for you and visitors to your profile and content, depending on settings. Starring: Charles Durning, Donald Sutherland. The case itself has some darkly salacious elements but the narrative still feels very, "TV movie of the week". MlH Of Series Channel. Released August 28th, 1987, 'The Rosary Murders' stars Donald Sutherland, Charles Durning, Belinda Bauer, Josef Sommer The movie has a runtime of about 1 hr 45 min, and received a user score of 53 . I found this book because I needed it for a challenge and then I was intrigued. Interesting, though sometimes muddled and too rarely tense. All victims are found with a black rosary in their hands. He stands around watching people drop dead all around him. A priest is killed during Lent and the killer leaves a plain black rosary behind. It's almost as visually dreary as "The Name of the Rose," but as your holy thrillers go, something of a Hail Mary. I couldn't be Bobby Laurels son and not know that. This Hilarious Card Game Will Keep You In Holy Stitches (and Out of Confession)! We ought to be giving more attention to the victims of horrendous crimes and not those who perpetrate those crimes. 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). IMDb ***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. But this flaw will not diminish your enjoyment of the film, as there is enough action to keep the murder mystery fan happy. But he is bound by the churches vow of sanctity of the confessional not to break the seal of confession. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of serviceapply. The Rosary Murders. Much of the blame for these problems seems to lie with novelist Elmore Leonard co-writing the script. 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. https://www.encyclopedia.com/arts/culture-magazines/rosary-murders, "The Rosary Murders This 1987 movie was just awful. This book is one of some twenty-four crime novels featuring Father Robert Koesler. However, there was more than one survivor. The author has relied heavily upon the literary device of COINCIDENCE in constructing his plot; i.e., he expects you to believe that several people living in the same part of the country would have certain proper names. During their visit, Father Kerr asked Bundy why he did not kill the survivor. Father Koesler is no Rabbi David Small. :). The director doesn't seem to have the temperament that's needed for a successful thriller, the plot moves slowly and monotonously, and the whole thing just plods on to an ending that fails to explain the killer's motivation satisfyingly. My dad's response to the librarian? Then I started it, saw Elmore Leonard wrote the screenplay, and got more excited. | As familiar as this plot is, it can all the same be done with intelligence and tension. Truthfully, the mystery angle is by far the least interesting part of the movie, and once it takes over the narrative my attention waned. I want it to be true, but I cannot believe something I know is most likely not true. Streaming on Roku. However, none of the legitimate websites where one would expect to find this story mentioned, leading me to question its validity. The Rosary Murders is an extraordinarily good thriller. Never thought the introspective drama portion of a Leonard crime story would be the part that most resonated with me. Say ten "Hail Marys" while meditating on the Mystery. Let's just see it for what it is a whodunit where priests and nuns are the victims of a serial killer who leaves a black rosary on their dead bodies. I like religious horror and giallos. Being someone who is not religious I could not get into that part of the plot at all. If Bundy did Monsignor Kerr about a mysterious force, it should be assumed he did so simply to mess with him. Warning: This post contains big spoilers for Evil's Season 1 finale. He sighs and goes on sleuthing about the creepy corridors of the Holy Redeemer complex. He'd rather I read murder mysteries than bodice ripper romance novels with half naked people on the front. Films Depicting NASA and the Space Program, Films That Make Dubious Claims to Being Based on True Stories, Coming of Age Stories in Fantastic Cinema, Films About Cryogenics and Suspended Animation, Disturbed Psychology as Portrayed on Film. Every time another worshiper dies, Koesler shares the responsibility but refuses to break his vows of secrecy. Its plot follows a series of gruesome murders occurring within a Detroit Roman Catholic parish. Donald Sutherland still manages to be quite good. The great surprise about the film is some of the names behind it. VideoHound's Golden Movie Retriever. At this point, one must ask: If the story is of questionable validity, why discuss it? Production Company First Take Productions. The Rosary Murders sees Donald Sutherland as a conflicted priest, investigating a serial killer of persons of the cloth. There have even been two books about the rosary that mention this story that include a reference to a mysterious force. The publishers of those books should be embarrassed that they allowed those books to be published and sold before they had verified that story. It is a set-up that is pure Hitchcock in its subtly implied minimalism. This book did a good job weaving all the pieces of a complex murder mystery together -- until the last chapter. Filmed on location in Detroit. The author has relied heavily upon the literary device of COINCIDENCE in constructing his plot; i.e., he expects you to believe that several people living in the same part of the country would have certain proper names. Film Review by Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat. 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. (1987) A killer of Detroit clergy confesses to a priest (Donald Sutherland), who turns sleuth because he cannot tell the police. Then, after he was arrested, Ted Bundy asked Father Kerr to be his spiritual advisor in prison. Donald Sutherland is a priest who becomes entangled in a series of murders where someone is offing nuns and priests. The next mention was a third-hand account on a blog in 2009. Intriguing premise is let down by a flat, tedious script. 24 Feb. 2023
. He listens as the killer talks about how the church let his sixteen year-old daughter die. It was also made into a movie, with Donald Sutherland in the role of Father Koesler. He killed two girls and only one girl in the house was left unscathed. Did she exist? A priest hears the confession of the man responsible for the murders of priests in Detroit, and due . The Rosary Murders R , 1h 44m Mystery & Thriller; Directed By: Fred Walton . He struggles with his conscience as he searches for the identity of the killer and tries to find a way to stop him. Awards Some of the scheming is a bit hard to swallow, but for most part it's smartly penned (by Elmore Leonard and Fred Walton) and the low-key approach seems to make you concentrate on the lyrical waxing (especially on those commitments to the priesthood and the self-doubting). She was following through on that promise when Bundy attacked. Based on the best-selling novel of the same name by priest-turned-author William X. Kienzle. Murder mysteries generally speaking are criminal fantasies, outside of those based on real-life or so-called true crime. Co-written by Elmore Leonard and directed by Fred When A Stranger Calls Walton! 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. Second Story Priest. A killer of Detroit clergy confesses to a priest (Donald Sutherland), who turns sleuth because he cannot tell the police. Donald Sutherland with short hair = bad movie. I mean, really. A priest is conflicted following a string of murders which target fellow priests and nuns in this dark mystery drama. 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? Corridors of the effectiveness here might well be the other books in this series, but I not. Information a secret I had to look at Donald Sutherland one more with... 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