But even Donald Sutherland and Charles Durning couldn't save this film. This is the first in the Father Koesler series by the late William X. Kienzle. This 1987 movie was just awful. It was a sorority house. Nevertheless, it does suffer from a dull script in places. If Bundy did Monsignor Kerr about a mysterious force, it should be assumed he did so simply to mess with him. Most online reference entries and articles do not have page numbers. The fact that you could allow people to be killed because of some religious notion is just silly to me. Someone is killing priests and nuns -- all found clutching black rosaries, the criminal's calling card. priest, confession [criminal], serial-killer, investigation, killing, nun, amateur, detective, investigator, murder, victim. Free. And for all those musical savants, yes I am aware the music to \"In Your Eyes\" is an arrangement based on Brahms. I had previously read all the other books in this series, but had somehow missed this one. Everyone saw this charade for what it was, and the conversations ceased. His only prayer -- to learn how the maniac chooses his victims. The two primary sources (and I use that term loosely in this case) for this story do not mention the mysterious force. An alright little murder mystery. Around 30 girls lived in that house at the time. However, because it did not appear in his story, he assumes he was not told about it. Metacritic Reviews. Posters are sourced from TMDb and Posteritati, and appear for you and visitors to your profile and content, depending on settings. Entertaining enough. 1103 Beadle Hill Road, Valley Falls, NY 12185. Based on the best-selling novel of the same name by priest-turned-author William X. Kienzle. The Rosary Murders (1987) 16 08/28/1987 (US) Crime, Mystery, Thriller 1h 45m User Score. I have yet to find an exception to this rule. 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. Tv shows. 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? (*1/2). 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. 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. Soon a nun is killed and the hunt is on for a serial killer. 1h 41m Synopsis. During their visit, Father Kerr asked Bundy why he did not kill the survivor. 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. He is bound by the church law to not betray that trust despite the fact that more people will be killed. The Rosary Murders is a 1987 American mystery crime film directed by Fred Walton and starring Donald Sutherland, Charles Durning, Belinda Bauer, and Josef Sommer.Its plot follows a series of gruesome murders occurring within a Detroit Roman Catholic parish. (February 24, 2023). This inspired him to pursue writing and now he writes full-time. Pull Yourself Together. The Rosary Murders: Directed by Fred Walton. A black rosary is his calling card. There are two versions of the story, and I will relate the most fantastic version of the two. 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. Not because of why he did it but because of the blunt statement made by the killer. Spoiler Alert Link to Spoiler Alert. The 2009 blog did originally mention something to the effect of Bundy said he could not continue the attack. User Ratings "The Rosary Murders" follows a Catholic parish in Detroit that is plagued by a series of brutal murders. What, if anything is true in the above story? Nothing amazing. Also, Charles Durning is around to generally act exactly like we expect all Catholic priests of the Eighties to act. 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. The great surprise about the film is some of the names behind it. Although convoluted the plot is an interesting premise. Two stalwart figure heads; an impressive Donald Sutherland and equally so Charles Durning are engagingly strong. They are funny and remind me of a precursor to Stephanie Plum. "The Rosary Murders This 2009 blog post appears to have set in motion the crazy spread of this story across the blogosphere. In addition to the MLA, Chicago, and APA styles, your school, university, publication, or institution may have its own requirements for citations. Therefore, that information is unavailable for most Encyclopedia.com content. In his early days of academia, no teachers ever told him he was a talented writer; they only gave him grades. Leaving a rosary on the bodies of his victims the killer seems to be sending a message to what his motives are. Koesler is taking confession when he realises that the man he is talking to is the killer. Furthermore, on the night of the attack, Father Kerr was indeed called to the sorority house that night, and later he was called in to be a spiritual advisor to Ted Bundy, a role he continued to do for years. 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 police don't have a clue, but Father Koesler sees a pattern. He killed two girls and only one girl in the house was left unscathed. If he did say that, we still should not believe the mysterious force part of the story simply because Bundy said it. Walton came to attention with the slasher film When a Stranger Calls (1979) and went onto make April Fools Day (1986) and Dead Air (1994) and a host of made-for-tv movies including the likes of I Saw What You Did (1988), Trapped (1989), Homewrecker (1992), When a Stranger Calls Back (1993) and The Stepford Husbands (1996). Bundy replied that he felt a mysterious force preventing him from entering her room. Starring: Charles Durning, Donald Sutherland. 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. Now, no one but Sutherland, can give that blank stare so well. Turns out the guy decides to make a formal confession leaving Sutherland conflicted unable to tell the authorities due to a religious conviction that seems to be increasingly tested. Donald Sutherland (Father Robert Koesler), Belinda Bauer (Pat Lennon), Charles Durning (Father Ted Neighbours), Josef Sommer (Lieutenant Koznicki). Cite this article Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. 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. Oh boy, this should be a good whodunit! There is no evidence to conclude thata mysterious force prevented Ted Bundy from continuing his slaughter that night. The movie has a gritty, junkyard-dog look to it. A couple good startling moments break the dullness though. Get this album or track at: 2:29. When the killer explains why he did it I started laughing. First of all, after leaving Chi Omega that night, Bundy went on to attack another girl, Cheryl Thomas (she survived), that night. Man works in the deadliest. The Rosary Murders was named one of the top twenty-five mysteries of the twentieth century in spring 2000 by the Chicago Sun-Times. TMDb 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. We are in the business of saving souls, not lives. Awards James Stewart was a second son of Lord Ochiltree [S]. Murder is perhaps the single most serious criminal offense. And yet his monastic muttering and moral puttering holds your interest somehow. VideoHound's Golden Movie Retriever. Kienzle's books are set mostly in Detroit, Michigan . One of the priests (Donald Sutherland) is joined by a journalist (Belinda Bauer) attempting to cover the story; both aim to stop the killer before he dispatches more nuns, monks, and members of the Holy Order. The story involves a series of murders associated with people in the catholic church, some laymen/laywomen while others are clergy. Refer to each styles convention regarding the best way to format page numbers and retrieval dates. Learn more. Walton's direction is slickly presented, but feels shapeless and dry. 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. A serial killer targeting clergy confesses his crimes to a priest who may be his next victim. Discover Rosary Murders [Original Soundtrack] by Original Soundtrack released in 1993. Explores the dark connection between guilt, sex, and Catholicism. | Get help and learn more about the design. The case itself has some darkly salacious elements but the narrative still feels very, "TV movie of the week". 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 . The Associated Press did not write about this story and to insinuate otherwise adds fuel to fire of the negative opinions of those on the Snopes forum. Kienzle left the priesthood in 1974 because of his disagreement with its refusal to remarry divorcees. Did she exist? 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 doing some amateur sleuthing, Koesler figures out who the killer is. Despite the screenplay being co-written by Elmore Leonard, this felt really slow and didn't really build tension very well. ." 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. She was following through on that promise when Bundy attacked. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of serviceapply. Copyright EpicPew. Play Trailer; God works in mysterious ways. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1954 and spent twenty years as a Roman Catholic parish priest. Still makes me laugh to this day. However, Koesler is bound by his confessional oath and must keep this information a secret. Donald Sutherland is a priest faced with a dilemma, as he watches these people die. I came across this book at my mother-in-laws. The Rosary Murders is an extraordinarily good thriller. So, as you can guess, Koesler is a very troubled man. Mobilesite. Encyclopedia.com. I found this book because I needed it for a challenge and then I was intrigued. 59:59. | Donald Sutherland with short hair = bad movie. The next mention was a third-hand account on a blog in 2009. This is not Sutherland's best role because he is not given enough material to work with. I'm going to Hell now, I know it. 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. Genres: Thriller, Mystery. 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. 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. 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. [CDATA[ Note: when I first wrote out "serial killer" I accidentally wrote "cereal killer" and that made me chuckle. Pat: Belinda Bauer. 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. Yes, the tone and language were a bit dated, it's an old book. Much of the blame for these problems seems to lie with novelist Elmore Leonard co-writing the script. 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. It is based upon the 1979 novel of the same name by William X. Kienzle. 1987 R Thriller. Also, the movie at 105 minutes is much too stretched out. I contacted Bill Zlatos, the Pittsburgh reporter who wrote the profile on Monsignor William Kerr, who said he probably would have used the mysterious force part of the story if he had heard it from Monsignor Kerr. When producer Robert G. Laurel bought the rights to The Rosary Murders, Kienzle's first novel . best sustainable website design . 104min. I also believe that all of the blog posts that state a mysterious force stopped Ted Bundy that night should be deleted. As familiar as this plot is, it can all the same be done with intelligence and tension. Levy was also sexually assaulted. 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 A priest is called to the confessional from his quarters in the church. Filmed on location in Detroit. I guess dead naked people are acceptable, while half naked women contemplating sex with rogues is less so. His book, Eugne de Mazenod: A Saint for Today, is available on Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, and LeoninePublishers.com. I originally read this in high school. Don Lessnau Mara Lpez Mark Margolis Robert C. Maxwell Sheldon Miller Joel Nash Ed Oldani Burt Pearson Sam Pollack David Regal Ed Ruffalo Edward Seamon Janet M. Smith Peter Van Norden Josephine Vassalo Jo Mullin White Dennis Wrosch Jeffrey R. Dolan Georgine Hall Michael Mili Jack White, Elmore Leonard Fred Walton William X. Kienzle, 105mins 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). (1987) A killer of Detroit clergy confesses to a priest (Donald Sutherland), who turns sleuth because he cannot tell the police. :). 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. 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?. Two and a half stars. It's like reading Miss Marple or Hercule Poirot - get in the spirit of the book. 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. Thoroughly enjoyed this quick read from days gone by! Rent this movie and see if you agree. Furthermore, if Bundy did make that claim, this would have been a more well-known story. He was 73. the rosary murders spoiler. 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. This book did a good job weaving all the pieces of a complex murder mystery together -- until the last chapter. 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. In contrast to Walton's spine-tingling "When a . The World At War 1973. Therefore, be sure to refer to those guidelines when editing your bibliography or works cited list. 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 Detroit manhunt for a serial killer who is murdering Catholic priests and nuns. The Rosary Murders 1987 (R)Based on the William X. Kienzle mystery about a serial killer preying on nuns and priests. Can range from abrupt to almost hilariously poorly timed. Add Tubi - Free Movies & TV. Like any series, they vary a LOT in quality. NEW LINE CINEMA (NEW LINE); New Line Cinema; Virgin Vision Location. Videos: Trailers, Teasers, Featurettes Cast Donald Sutherland Father Robert Koesler Charles Durning Father Ted Nabors Belinda Bauer Pat Lennon Josef Sommer Truthfully, the mystery angle is by far the least interesting part of the movie, and once it takes over the narrative my attention waned. In The Rosary Murders, Detroit priests and nuns are being methodically murdered; all are found with a plain black rosary entwined . https://www.encyclopedia.com/arts/culture-magazines/rosary-murders, "The Rosary Murders I strongly recommend skipping the last chapter all together. This book is one of some twenty-four crime novels featuring Father Robert Koesler. That bug-eyed sincerity, the Sutherland signature that held us in "Klute," is working here. There's quite a large alumni group of us out there. The police seem powerless to stop the serial killer and the Church can't protect its . Someone is murdering Detroits clergy. He attacked four girls, killing two, Margaret Bowman and Lisa Levy, and leaving Kathy Kleiner and Karen Chandler severely injured. First of all, if it is true, we should be shouting it from the rooftops! VideoHound's Golden Movie Retriever. 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. The murderer leaves behind a rosary. Can You Match These Saints to Their Weird Patronages? It was merely a way to stall his execution. I firmly believe that the most important names in this story are Margaret Bowman, Lisa Levy, Kathy Kleiner, and Karen Chandler. I'm not catholic, but I know pastors aren't like that, and I thought by reputation Protestant pastors often come across as a flakier lot on average. Kienzle received screenplay credit, as did Elmore Leonard. Donald Sutherland still seems to be suffering from his brush with the Body Snatchers in his role as the bland, befuddled and barely audible Father Bob Koesler, a parish priest turned detective in "The Rosary Murders." Some stretches of dialogue Belinda Bauers confession, the end reading of Katharines letter are extremely moving. VideoHound's Golden Movie Retriever. 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. 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. 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? California, Connecticut, Colorado, Utah & Virginia Residents Only: To opt out of selling or sharing/processing for targeted advertising of information such as cookies and device identifiers processed for targeted ads (as defined by law) and related purposes for this site/app on this browser/device, switch this toggle to off (grey color) by moving it left and clicking "Confirm My Choice" below. Confession Criminelle, Rosary Murders MPAA Rating. 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' (R) By Rita Kempley Washington Post Staff Writer September 26, 1987 Donald Sutherland still seems to be suffering from his brush with the Body Snatchers in his role as the . I recommend this any day of the week. Then, copy and paste the text into your bibliography or works cited list. StarringDonald Sutherland Charles Durning Belinda Bauer Josef Sommer Addison Powell John Danelle James Murtaugh Addison Powell Kathleen Tolan Directed byFred Walton If the rosary had stopped a serial killers rampage, how had I not heard that story before? A priest is torn between confidentiality and justice when a serial killer confesses that he's murdered priests and nuns, leaving rosaries as clues. It is based upon the 1979 novel of the same name by William X. Kienzle.Kienzle received screenplay credit, as did Elmore Leonard. The Rosary Murders 1987 1 hr 45 mins R Watchlist Donald Sutherland as the confessor of a serial killer who targets priests. Say ten "Hail Marys" while meditating on the Mystery. Sutherland and Charles Durning are the main highlights. 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). But he is bound by the churches vow of sanctity of the confessional not to break the seal of confession. 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. Evil's Kristen Bouchard has had a hell of a week. It was the first of 24 books written by Kienzle, and the only one adapted to the screen, and it's easy to see why. Its plot follows a series of gruesome murders occurring within a Detroit Roman Catholic parish. I was never bored during any of the times I watched this film. 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. No, absolutely not. 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. This cozy mystery is fun, easily followed, and easily read. What might have benefited is a reflection on what unfolds from a spiritual perspective. 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). Get this album or track at: 2:25. 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. Kept my interest. A killer of Detroit clergy confesses to a priest (Donald Sutherland), who turns sleuth because he cannot tell the police. 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. We ought to be giving more attention to the victims of horrendous crimes and not those who perpetrate those crimes. But this flaw will not diminish your enjoyment of the film, as there is enough action to keep the murder mystery fan happy. However, the more credible sources on this story relate that she had fallen asleep. Say the "Glory Be". Awesome read! Detroit is plagued by a series of murders of priests and nuns, with each victim found holding a black rosary. The second victim is a colleague of Father Bob Koesler. 29:05. Father Koesler (Sutherland) must betray the confessional to stop him. He is abrupt and even down right tactless when dealing with his parishioners. The plot is excellent there are some amazing twists, albeit a slightly probability defying m.o. At least he did construct a subtle, startlingly dreary atmosphere and the music score etches out a placidly haunting vibe. More at New TV Tonight You: Season 4 . 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. A priest is put in a dilemma when the serial killer who has been murdering priests and nuns confesses to him. He killed two girls and only one girl in the house was left unscathed. The clue in the case is a black rosary left in the hand of each of the victims. 1987 Distribution Company. I'd love to explain that in detail, but doing so would ruin part of the ending. Design byPerceptions Design Studio. Two wonderful stars! 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. That night, then-Father (later Monsignor) William Kerr was called in to administer Last Rites to the victims. 36%. The Rosary Murders is an interesting little mystery-thriller with a solid premise and some spine chilling moments. Donald Sutherland is good, but he can't make this film worth seeing all by himself. That night, then-Father (later Monsignor) William Kerr was called in to administer Last Rites to the victims. Overview. Directed by: Fred Walton. However, in the end, the movie is somewhat TOO calm in tone. After just skimming through the book I found that the story takes place in Detroit, Michigan. What about the girl who was praying the rosary that night? It was also made into a movie, with Donald Sutherland in the role of Father Koesler. Not entirely sure if I saw this back in the late 80s as a VHS rental. My dad's response to the librarian? 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. window.__mirage2 = {petok:"dDBoq3WEvyGgx30SM_suJO16ehSvQTu9tn0_uz4CzPo-86400-0"}; After reading the alleged story, I shifted the focus of my Google searching. But this flaw will not diminish your enjoyment of the film, as there is enough action to keep the murder mystery fan happy. There is one jump-scene that made me bolt up suddenly. Interesting, though sometimes muddled and too rarely tense. He struggles with his conscience as he searches for the identity of the killer and tries to find a way to stop him. New Phim Vit Nam Vision. 59:00. I realized later that this was the first book to a series of many books. 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. 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. Midsomer Murders - S21E05 - January 06, 2020 || Midsomer Murders (01/06/2020) Part 02. This one was quite enjoyable. //