I was never bored during any of the times I watched this film. A killer of Detroit clergy confesses to a priest, who turns sleuth because he cannot tell the police. Some stretches of dialogue Belinda Bauers confession, the end reading of Katharines letter are extremely moving. I realized later that this was the first book to a series of many books. 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. New Phim Vit Nam Vision. The Rosary Murders was named one of the top twenty-five mysteries of the twentieth century in spring 2000 by the Chicago Sun-Times. 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? A killer of Detroit clergy confesses to a priest, who turns sleuth because he cannot tell the police. We ought to be giving more attention to the victims of horrendous crimes and not those who perpetrate those crimes. With Donald Sutherland, Charles Durning, Belinda Bauer, Josef Sommer. Can range from abrupt to almost hilariously poorly timed. Add Tubi - Free Movies & TV. Furthermore, if Bundy did make that claim, this would have been a more well-known story. However, because it did not appear in his story, he assumes he was not told about it. the rosary murders spoiler. Alex R. Hey has had his work featured on TheBatmanUniverse.net and in The Eagle Democrat of Warren, Arkansas and The Argus Leader of Sioux Falls, SD. It was a sorority house. . William X. Kienzle was born in Detroit, Michigan. Never thought the introspective drama portion of a Leonard crime story would be the part that most resonated with me. First time seeing this thanks to Kino's new bluray. After a black rosary is found at the scene on the body of those who have been murdered, Father Robert Koesler (Donald Sutherland) hears a confession for the crimes from the other end of a partition. He sighs and goes on sleuthing about the creepy corridors of the Holy Redeemer complex. Detroit is plagued by a series of murders of priests and nuns, with each victim found holding a black rosary. Ted Bundy killed Margaret Bowman and Lisa Levy and injured Kathy Kleiner and Karen Chandler at the Chi Omega Sorority House on January 15, 1978. Ted Bundy did attack the Chi Omega Sorority House on January 15, 1978. I thought it was alright. A serial killer targeting clergy confesses his crimes to a priest who may be his next victim. Film Review by Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat. Synopsis: priests and nuns are his targets. However, in college a writing professor believed in him and helped him grow as a writer. 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. If the rosary had stopped a serial killers rampage, how had I not heard that story before? Awesome read! More at You never get a sense that lives are on the line despite the escalating body count, and Donald Sutherland's does not seem to be going through the wringer. But this book was a nice little mystery. The Rosary Murders, first published in 1978, is coming to readers again. | me on june 25th, 2021 naively watching invasion of the body snatchers and the rosary murders in rapid succession, thereby becoming aware of both malewife and hot priest iterations of sutherland within 24 hours of eachother: huh! Evil doesn't want this, it's going to be pissed off that someone who claimed atheism is having faith and reaching to God for help. The vacant, sleep-walking style adopted in this film gets tiresome very quickly. Based on the William X. Kienzle mystery about a serial killer preying on nuns and priests. I found that funny because the book cover has a dead woman in a bathtub..it doesn't show anything vital, but the naked is implied. ***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. He is bound by the church law to not betray that trust despite the fact that more people will be killed. New TV Tonight You: Season 4 . However, he later retracted that part of the story, and the phrase mysterious force was never mentioned. Intriguing premise is let down by a flat, tedious script. 6. Kienzle left the priesthood in 1974 because of his disagreement with its refusal to remarry divorcees. The classic film about a Detroit cop who goes to Beverly Hills, California to solve a crime. A priest is conflicted following a string of murders which target fellow priests and nuns in this dark mystery drama. I found this book because I needed it for a challenge and then I was intrigued. 1987 R Thriller. A detective story? But this flaw will not diminish your enjoyment of the film, as there is enough action to keep the murder mystery fan happy. Rated the #456 best film of 1987. 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. 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. 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. Film data from TMDb. 59:00. The unlawful killing of another human being without justification or excuse. Belinda Bauer, with her jackhammer delivery, plays the lapsed Catholic reporter who falls in love with Koesler after he mumbles in an interview. This 1987 movie was just awful. Sutherland and Charles Durning are the main highlights. None of the other actors has much to do, and they all act accordingly, as though they really had better things to do. With Sutherland especially doing some great work. Man works in the deadliest. 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 . He was ordained to the priesthood in 1954 and spent twenty years as a Roman Catholic parish priest. Show All Kienzle, whose first book, "The Rosary Murders," was made into a 1987 film starring Donald Sutherland as his protagonist priest, died Friday of a heart attack at his home in the. James Stewart was a second son of Lord Ochiltree [S]. This is a Detroit set mystery series featuring the Catholic church. 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. He walks across the altar to reach the confessional without genuflecting in front of the altar. The great surprise about the film is some of the names behind it. Donald Sutherland plays Father Koesler, a sort of priest-turned-detective. The Rosary Murders is the sole film in Fred Waltons oeuvre that stands out as being extremely good. Walton's direction is slickly presented, but feels shapeless and dry. Born in Maple Grove, MN, Hey has lived in Sioux Falls, SD since 1995. However, I did make an effort to mention the names of the victims. Announce the First Mystery and then say the "Our Father". Sutherland's Koesler is a priest who would pique the pope -- a liberal, gentle loner whose temperament and leanings conflict with those of his blustering, narrow-minded superior Father Nabors, played curtly by Charles Durning. A priest is called to the confessional from his quarters in the church. 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. It is based upon the 1979 novel of the same name by William X. Kienzle.Kienzle received screenplay credit, as did Elmore Leonard. There is no evidence to conclude thata mysterious force prevented Ted Bundy from continuing his slaughter that night. And, in particular, I knew the late William "Bill" Kienzle, On Kindle, you can still get most of his great Detroit-centric murder mysteries, including the original: The Rosary Murders: The Father Koesler Mysteries: Book 1 After Bill's death in 2001, his novels seemed to disappear. 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. Say the "Glory Be". There is no justifiable way to conclude Bundy felt a mysterious force that night. Its plot follows a series of gruesome murders occurring within a Detroit Roman Catholic parish. His only prayer -- to learn how the maniac chooses his victims. Murder Refer to each styles convention regarding the best way to format page numbers and retrieval dates. Second Story Priest. Not really a fault of the movie, just church law. My dad's response to the librarian? //]]>. But even Donald Sutherland and Charles Durning couldn't save this film. Yes, the tone and language were a bit dated, it's an old book. The steady accumulation of clues and evidence is interrupted only by an unsurprising (and unnecessary) romantic subplot, which happily compromises neither the mystery itself nor Sutherland's oath of celibacy. His book, Eugne de Mazenod: A Saint for Today, is available on Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, and LeoninePublishers.com. Bundy replied that he felt a mysterious force preventing him from entering her room. 105m/C VHS . Co-Written by Elmore Leonard. 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. 29:05. 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). The director is Fred Walton whose line of genre films both . 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. The Rosary Murders deals with a lot of complex issues in the Catholic church, someone might argue the plot of this film is absurd, but it's not. Copyright EpicPew. Twitter Facebook Link Print. Because each style has its own formatting nuances that evolve over time and not all information is available for every reference entry or article, Encyclopedia.com cannot guarantee each citation it generates. The violence happened mostly off-screen, but managed to leave a chilling mark and the Detroit setting complements the weary imprint. The plot is excellent there are some amazing twists, albeit a slightly probability defying m.o. priest, confession [criminal], serial-killer, investigation, killing, nun, amateur, detective, investigator, murder, victim. This is the first in the Father Koesler series by the late William X. Kienzle. After just skimming through the book I found that the story takes place in Detroit, Michigan. If the girl with the rosary was real, did a mysterious force prevent Ted Bundy from killing her? A priest is put in a dilemma when the serial killer who has been murdering priests and nuns confesses to him. Say ten "Hail Marys" while meditating on the Mystery. The story, based on . Being that I am from Michigan this peaked my interest. Much of the blame for these problems seems to lie with novelist Elmore Leonard co-writing the script. Some are splendid; some are average. Entertaining enough. However, if it is not true, we need to be clear on the facts. As slow-burns go, Fred Walton's mysterious catholic-bounded thriller takes the cake with its minimal and sombre treatment. 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 . :). Good plot and decent characters, but for today's reader marred by the fact of the casual racist, sexist and religious quips and jokes that don't sit so well today. Rent this movie and see if you agree. 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. In "The Rosary Murders" priests and nuns are getting knocked off and the only person who knows who the culprit is, is priest Donald Sutherland. One of his best known novels is his first, The Rosary Murders (1978), which was made into a 1987 movie starring Donald Sutherland as Father Koesler. 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. best sustainable website design . Spoiler Alert Link to Spoiler Alert. Source for information on The Rosary Murders: VideoHound's Golden Movie Retriever dictionary. I recommend this any day of the week. If I had to look at Donald Sutherland one more time with his blank expression I thought I'd drop. 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. I recommend this any day of the week. His imagination has always been over-active, and his love for story telling continues to bloom. 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. That's not to say it's bad film, but it doesn't exactly keep you on the edge of your seatwhich a mystery ought to. The Rosary Murders was made into a movie, starring Donald Sutherland, in 1987. 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. 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? Get help and learn more about the design. However, none of the legitimate websites where one would expect to find this story mentioned, leading me to question its validity. Just before his execution, Bundy announced he would sit down with any investigator from any jurisdiction who had unsolved murders that they thought Bundy might have committed. This was a re-read. Yet, it's not as edgy as the central premise and everything outside of the main mystery just falls . This one was quite enjoyable. Some scenes are startling the cold chill that comes in the moment that Donald Sutherland returns to his room to find the flower pinned to his dartboard; or the scene where he stands by the grave reciting the names of the victims and is joined by the whispered voice coming out of the darkness; and the jump that rattles the whole theatre as a tense Sutherland opens a door only to find a cupboard, laughs it off and then opens another door to find the killer standing there. It's full of old hoary clichs about the Catholic Church; full of unnecessary filler-type sub-plots; the main plot centres around a series of truly preposterous killings in which the names of the victims are related to the 10 Commandments (although in some cases, the link is pretty tenuous); the dialogue is awful (Elmore Leonard really had an off-day with this one); and the acting atrocious. Confession Criminelle, Rosary Murders MPAA Rating. Part of the effectiveness here might well be the other surprise name on the credits Waltons co-writer Elmore Leonard. This is a gripping murder mystery that I think will engage the reader regardless of one's religious persuasion (or lack thereof). Therefore, be sure to refer to those guidelines when editing your bibliography or works cited list. The making of the Rosary Murders with two original songs by Bobby Laurel. Donald Sutherland is good, but he can't make this film worth seeing all by himself. Two and a half stars. Soon a nun is killed and the hunt is on for a serial killer. "The Rosary Murders But this flaw will not diminish your enjoyment of the film, as there is enough action to keep the murder mystery fan happy. 05/21/2022. Very little of the film is actually shot in Detroit, except for the movie's opening chase scene. Everyone saw this charade for what it was, and the conversations ceased. Get this album or track at: 2:25. Letterboxd Limited. Directed by Fred Walton. Some blogs that mention this story include an Associated Press attribution which is blatantly false. ." External Reviews It read well, kept my interest and was pretty well written. Interesting, though sometimes muddled and too rarely tense. It was also made into a movie, with Donald Sutherland in the role of Father Koesler. . During their visit, Father Kerr asked Bundy why he did not kill the survivor. Let us know! BAd script and slow paced but still very watchable, Moody, austere Catholic serial killer drama, Would Have Been Better in a More Talented Director's Hands. It does the Faith no good if false stories are being circulated to promote the Faith. The second victim is a colleague of Father Bob Koesler. I understood the references to Vatican II & how it changed the Church (especially in the late 1960s & 1970s). Encyclopedia.com. After service with the Dutch he returned to, Lucas Bacchus, Caracas, Gracchus Damascus Aristarchus, carcass, Hipparchus, Marcus discus, hibiscus, meniscus, viscous umbilicus Copernicus E, The Rooster and the Dancing Girl (Niwatori to Odoriko) by Kawabata Yasunari, 1926, The Role of Value Judgments in Public Policy Choice: Some Observations in the Asian Context, The Role of the "Sea Peoples" in Transforming History, The Role of Recreation in American Society, The Roe v. Wade Decision Should not be Reconsidered, The Roe v. Wade Decision Should be Reconsidered, The Rosetta Stone Is Discovered by Napoleonic Soldiers, The Rosetta Stone: The Key to Ancient Egypt, https://www.encyclopedia.com/arts/culture-magazines/rosary-murders, Margin for Murder MickeySpillane's Margin for Murder 1981. 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. 36%. A priest cannot tell on a child rapist or a serial killer even if they confess. I strongly recommend skipping the last chapter all together. One girl told Father Kerr that she believed she had survived because she had been praying her rosary during the attack. Midsomer Murders - S21E05 - January 06, 2020 || Midsomer Murders (01/06/2020) Part 02. The Rosary Murders. While the filmmakers of this murder mystery try their best to adapt William Kienzle's novel of the same name, the effort is sadly in vain for the majority. What is the Spanish language plot outline for The Rosary Murders (1987)? Tv shows. (February 24, 2023). The story, scripted by thriller author Elmore Leonard and director Fred Walton, tippy-toes around the subject of our hero's celibacy with implications about his relationship with a Detroit Free Press reporter. What, if anything is true in the above story? A Nice little spin on Hitchcocks I Confess with Donald Sutherland as a priest who hears a confession from a serial killer murdering priests and nuns. Being someone who is not religious I could not get into that part of the plot at all. 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. That is the premise of ''The Rosary Murders,'' a well-meaning but plodding thriller with a screenplay co-written by Elmore Leonard, who's ordinarily so much faster on his feet. Explores the dark connection between guilt, sex, and Catholicism. Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. | . The fact that you could allow people to be killed because of some religious notion is just silly to me. The Rosary Murders (1987) 16 08/28/1987 (US) Crime, Mystery, Thriller 1h 45m User Score. And yet his monastic muttering and moral puttering holds your interest somehow. Nabors: Charles Durning. I've spent much of the past week binging the CBS-turned- Paramount Plus series Evil, which has become one of my favorite shows currently airing. I contacted Bill Zlatos, the Pittsburgh reporter who wrote the profile on Monsignor William Kerr (whom he called one of the holiest persons he had ever met), who said he probably would have used the mysterious force part of the story if he had heard it from Monsignor Kerr. FAQ Most online reference entries and articles do not have page numbers. He struggles with his conscience as he searches for the identity of the killer and tries to find a way to stop him. Not because of why he did it but because of the blunt statement made by the killer. Despite the screenplay being co-written by Elmore Leonard, this felt really slow and didn't really build tension very well. Detroit is shaken by the activities of a serial killer who is systematically slaying Catholic priests and nuns, always leaving a rosary wrapped around each victims hand. The Rosary Murders was named one of the top twenty-five mysteries of the twentieth century in spring 2000 by the Chicago Sun-Times. Man, Oh Man, Catechism in a Year Podcast is Right Around the Corner! All Rights Reserved. The movie has a gritty, junkyard-dog look to it. Retrieved February 24, 2023 from Encyclopedia.com: https://www.encyclopedia.com/arts/culture-magazines/rosary-murders. The Rosary Murders is an interesting little mystery-thriller with a solid premise and some spine chilling moments. The Rosary Murders 1987 1 hr 45 mins R Watchlist Donald Sutherland as the confessor of a serial killer who targets priests. ." He's still watchable. He also has two collections of poetry available on Amazon. Midsomer Murders S21E02 - The Miniature Murders - Part 01. Acclaimed screenwriter Elmore Leonard and director Fred Walton adapted the book for the screen. A Priest as the main character is a compelling idea, but this doesn't do anything with it that's really special. I believe this was his first novel too. This film is not as bad as some of the comments might have painted it. I wanted to read this book after seeing the Donald Sutherland movie and I wasn't disappointed. 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. What about the girl who was praying the rosary that night? 5. I originally read this in high school. He attacked four girls, killing two, Margaret Bowman and Lisa Levy, and leaving Kathy Kleiner and Karen Chandler severely injured. 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. Not only does she spend much of the CBS drama's finale worr All victims are found with a black rosary in their hands. Two wonderful stars! I had previously read all the other books in this series, but had somehow missed this one. Leonard adapts a 1978 novel by William Kienzle, himself a former Catholic priest, who became a crime writer went on to write 24 books featuring Father Robert Koesler. No expression so you had no idea where the film was going. Lenten Brother Francis for Kids on FORMED. 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?. "The Rosary Murders 1987 Distribution Company. Release Date. Can You Match These Saints to Their Weird Patronages? 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. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of serviceapply. VideoHound's Golden Movie Retriever. 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. 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. Kienzle's books are set mostly in Detroit, Michigan . Let's not play with labels. 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. Within the Cite this article tool, pick a style to see how all available information looks when formatted according to that style. The Rosary Murders. However, Elmore Leonards script makes the film is far more than just a novelty detective story a la The Father Dowling Mysteries (1989-91). Father Koesler (Sutherland) must betray the confessional to stop him. Based on the best-selling novel of the same name by priest-turned-author William X. Kienzle. 105m/C VHS . A priest is conflicted following a string of murders which target fellow priests and nuns in this dark mystery drama. Share. His favorite branch of theology is angelology. A slow-boil thriller that has some great moments but kinda fizzles overall. He lied and played games during those conversations. Donald Sutherland, Charles Durning, Belinda Bauer, Josef Sommer, James Murtaugh, John Danelle, Addison Powell, Kathleen Tolan, Janet Smith; D: Fred Walton; W: Fred Walton, Elmore Leonard; C: David Golia.