The Hillside Strangler

11/12/20041h 37m

Theatrical Release (US)

~ They lived to watch you die. ~

Overview:

Kenneth Bianchi is a security guard whose attempts to become a police officer are repeatedly thwarted. He moves to California to live with his cousin Angelo and dates a string of women, becoming increasingly preoccupied with sex. Eventually the cousins decide to start an escort agency. After violently killing a prostitute they thought had betrayed them, Kenneth and Angelo begin committing a series of crimes that become a media sensation.

Director:

Chuck Parello

Status:

Released

Language:

English

Buget:

$1,400,000.00

Revenue:

$0.00

Key words:

prostitute
rape
1970s
pimp
based on true story
strip club
serial killer
strangulation
strangler
strong language
serial rapist

Cast

Allison Lange

~ as ~

Claire Shelton

Nicholas Turturro

~ as ~

Angelo Buono

C. Thomas Howell

~ as ~

Kenneth Bianchi

Zarah Little

~ as ~

Carrie Ploskonko

Jennifer Tisdale

~ as ~

Erin

Kent King

~ as ~

Gabrielle

Aimee Brooks

~ as ~

Felicia Waller

Natasha Melnick

~ as ~

Karyn

Brandin Rackley

~ as ~

Janice Cooley

Lin Shaye

~ as ~

Jenny Buono

View full cast & crew

Reviews (1)

John Chard
Written 11 year(s) ago
5
Hardly Kissing Cousins.

Kenneth Bianchi and Angelo Buono were two cousins who were convicted of the rape, torture and murder of 10 females of various ages in LA 1977/78. This film is an interpretation of their reign of terror.

Unpleasant. If you are going to do a serial killer movie, one based on real life perpetrators, then you surely have to make the characterisations of fascination value away from their despicable crimes. Unfortunately director Chuck Parello and co-writer Stephen Johnston fail to do this, leaving the film with a paucity of worthwhile human story moments. It’s not helped by the fact Nicholas Torturro as Buono is badly miscast, he’s just impossible to take serious in a role that calls for the ultimate seriousness.

On the plus side, C. Thomas Howell as Bianchi hits the right notes. Howell is something of an undervalued actor in dark roles, as far back as 1990 where he played a vengeful killer in a film called Kid, he’s been doing good moody work in thrillers. Elsewhere John Pirozzi’s cinematography is on the money, keeping the murky tones of the film in harness, while Gregg Gibbs’ production design has all the late 1970s requisites. 5/10