Film Review by Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat. First of all, if it is true, we should be shouting it from the rooftops! R Genre. Announce the First Mystery and then say the "Our Father". Film data from TMDb. Very little of the film is actually shot in Detroit, except for the movie's opening chase scene. I firmly believe that the most important names in this story are Margaret Bowman, Lisa Levy, Kathy Kleiner, and Karen Chandler. 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. 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. Not really a fault of the movie, just church law. 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 sees Donald Sutherland as a conflicted priest, investigating a serial killer of persons of the cloth. Donald Sutherland is a Detroit priest who hears the confession of a serial killer with a grudge against the clergy, and is later forced by the ethics of his vocation to (reluctantly) hunt down the murderer himself, unearthing a spine-chilling string of motivation behind each new death. 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 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. Based on the William X. Kienzle mystery about a serial killer preying on nuns and priests. Kienzle left the priesthood in 1974 because of his disagreement with its refusal to remarry divorcees. NEW LINE CINEMA (NEW LINE); New Line Cinema; Virgin Vision Location. Thriller. It's like reading Miss Marple or Hercule Poirot - get in the spirit of the book. But this flaw will not diminish your enjoyment of the film, as there is enough action to keep the murder mystery fan happy. It's almost as visually dreary as "The Name of the Rose," but as your holy thrillers go, something of a Hail Mary. 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. A priest is conflicted following a string of murders which target fellow priests and nuns in this dark mystery drama. The plot is excellent there are some amazing twists, albeit a slightly probability defying m.o. 1103 Beadle Hill Road, Valley Falls, NY 12185. Some are splendid; some are average. Director Fred Walton, Screenplay Fred Walton & Elmore Leonard, Based on the Novel by William Kienzle, Producer Robert G. Laurel, Photography David Golia, Music Bobby Laurel & Don Sebesky, Special Effects Rick Josephson. Awesome read! Streaming on Roku. I fail to see this guy's acting abilities. Made by fans in Aotearoa New Zealand. I know this is written by a former priest, but I don't understand why the priests in the book have so much swearing and taking God's name in vain and constant sexually dirty jokes. Midsomer Murders - S21E05 - January 06, 2020 || Midsomer Murders (01/06/2020) Part 02. "The Rosary Murders" is rated R for profanity and violence. Watch in SD. However, none of the legitimate websites where one would expect to find this story mentioned, leading me to question its validity. The second victim is a colleague of Father Bob Koesler. 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. It's actually at its most interesting in the conflict between Charles Durning and Sutherland surrounding church orthodoxy and a more liberal approach. Letterboxd is an independent service created by a small team, and we rely mostly on the support of our members to maintain our site and apps. A detective story? behind the killers choice of victims. 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). So, as you can guess, Koesler is a very troubled man. Koesler is taking confession when he realises that the man he is talking to is the killer. 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. James Stewart was a second son of Lord Ochiltree [S]. The police don't have a clue, but Father Koesler sees a pattern. Still makes me laugh to this day. Detroit is plagued by a series of murders of priests and nuns, with each victim found holding a black rosary. A priest is put in a dilemma when the serial killer who has been murdering priests and nuns confesses to him. Walton's direction is slickly presented, but feels shapeless and dry. 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. 5. The Rosary Murders. While he was a good writer, this kind of story was not what he was good at. Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. Father Koesler wonders if he will be next. He was constantly staring into space. 29:05. This is the first in the Father Koesler series by the late William X. Kienzle. Encyclopedia.com. Tv shows. See production, box office & company info. It was merely a way to stall his execution. Acclaimed screenwriter Elmore Leonard and director Fred Walton adapted the book for the screen. In The Rosary Murders, Detroit priests and nuns are being methodically murdered; all are found with a plain black rosary entwined . 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. A Priest as the main character is a compelling idea, but this doesn't do anything with it that's really special. Rent this movie and see if you agree. He stands around watching people drop dead all around him. In his early days of academia, no teachers ever told him he was a talented writer; they only gave him grades. 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?. As much as I enjoyed this book I don't think reading book after book about the Catholic religion and the people that work amongst the religion is something that would keep my interest. That bug-eyed sincerity, the Sutherland signature that held us in "Klute," is working here. I want it to be true, but I cannot believe something I know is most likely not true. The Rosary Murders, first published in 1978, is coming to readers again. Someone is murdering Detroits clergy. ." In addition to the MLA, Chicago, and APA styles, your school, university, publication, or institution may have its own requirements for citations. The Rosary Murders. External Reviews He lied and played games during those conversations. He had no actual intention of clearing up his wrong doings. Part of the effectiveness here might well be the other surprise name on the credits Waltons co-writer Elmore Leonard. He sighs and goes on sleuthing about the creepy corridors of the Holy Redeemer complex. A great premise but ultimately a bit of a snooze. We are in the business of saving souls, not lives. Then, after he was arrested, Ted Bundy asked Father Kerr to be his spiritual advisor in prison. Encyclopedia.com. Pat: Belinda Bauer. Copyright EpicPew. Father Koesler (Sutherland) must betray the confessional to stop him. 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. 1987 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. He listens as the killer talks about how the church let his sixteen year-old daughter die. Being that I am from Michigan this peaked my interest. This will allow for a more in-depth discussion of the topic. No, absolutely not. Murder is perhaps the single most serious criminal offense. A priest cannot tell on a child rapist or a serial killer even if they confess. 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 Get this album or track at: 2:25. It begins when Koesler, editor of a Detroit Catholic newspaper, agrees to help the police solve a bizarre murder mystery. If the rosary had stopped a serial killers rampage, how had I not heard that story before? Soon a nun is killed and the hunt is on for a serial killer. There were many websites that shared various versions of the story. 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). However, he later retracted that part of the story, and the phrase mysterious force was never mentioned. His book, Eugne de Mazenod: A Saint for Today, is available on Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, and LeoninePublishers.com. Confession Criminelle, Rosary Murders MPAA Rating. Go Orange. Videos: Trailers, Teasers, Featurettes Cast Donald Sutherland Father Robert Koesler Charles Durning Father Ted Nabors Belinda Bauer Pat Lennon Josef Sommer 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. Did she exist? 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. Within the Cite this article tool, pick a style to see how all available information looks when formatted according to that style. More at Say ten "Hail Marys" while meditating on the Mystery. Get this album or track at: 2:29. Let's not play with labels. 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