Zodiac

Recently I read an online article about feature movies that had not done as well at the box office as they deserved to, and this ZODIAC (d. David Fincher), 2007, led the list. So I took the plunge. ZODIAC is a beautifully constructed, beautifully atmospheric, extra-long (2:37) movie about one man's search for the Zodiac killer that began in the mid-1960's and ended -- without resolution -- in the early 1980's. (No one was indicted for the Zodiac slayings in 2007, when this picture was released -- nor by now.)Jake Gyllenhaal plays Robert Graysmith, a San Francisco newspaper cartoonist who takes it upon himself to track down the killer. In this he is assisted -- with various degrees of support and understanding -- by Robert Downey, Jr. as his editor and Mark Ruffalo as a bowtie-wearing local detective. It is Graysmith's nonfiction book that served as foundation for this film.It is this triumvirate that provides the motive power for this important film, but the vast list of supporting and bit characters in the movie make for great watching, too. Of special interest are Anthony Edwards as a skeptical detective and Chloë Sevigny as Graysmith's put-upon wife. I cannot possibly credit all the smaller roles in this movie, but they include Brian Cox (spot-on as Melvin Belli), Adam Goldberg, Candy Clark, Elias Koteas, Dermot Mulroney, Philip Baker Hall, and an uncredited Ione Skye.ZODIAC, with its newspaper guy seeking after-hours justice in a foreboding big city, often reminded me of ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN thirty years earlier. Yet when it played theaters, it did not approach the acclaim of the 1970's Watergate drama despite its great cast and the obvious time and money that went to dressing streets and offices with the cars, vans, clothing styles, and even vending machines of 40 years ago. Perhaps the mass public lacked the patience for a two-hours-plus, frequently downbeat journalistic story (though it didn't seem to hurt 2015's SPOTLIGHT, which also starred Mark Ruffalo); perhaps the fact that no one was or has yet been exposed as the Zodiac Killer and brought to justice made it less satisfying than PRESIDENT'S MEN, which closed with President Nixon's resignation.Nonetheless, my advice is -- don't miss ZODIAC. It is vast and intelligent entertainment. The current movie-only DVD is a terrific bargain at a current price of five dollars; note that the much-hyped Director's Cut runs only five minutes longer.

This director's cut blu-ray of Zodiac comes with two discs; the first disc is the feature film, an extended director's cut of the movie with excellent video and audio quality (I was amazed at how crisp the picture was). The subtitles are of good quality, as well (some movies have really awful-looking subtitles, with words that don't match what you hear-- that is not the case here). Technical stuff aside, as far as the movie goes... if you love the theatrical version of Zodiac, then this extended cut will not disappoint. Personally, I've grown to appreciate this movie even more than I already did (it was a favorite crime drama of mine since I first saw it years ago, and now it's one of my favorite films, period). When I finished watching this longer cut, I was surprised by how much more involved I was in the story-- especially with the second half, which focused a lot on Graysmith's character arc and obsession with the Zodiac case.This edition of the movie also comes with a boat-load of special features that add to the mystery and magic of the movie, as well as to the historical details and real-life stories of the people that were involved.All in all, I'm very pleased with this blu-ray... Even the packaging shows how much attention and care was put into the design and presentation of this movie. If you love well-made drama, or engrossing crime/mystery films, or period pieces made with an astonishingly-dedicated eye for detail, then you should definitely check out this version of Zodiac. (Having said that, it is rated R and does contain some brutal scenes of violence, so perhaps do some research on IMDB.com to double-check if you're okay with the level of violence in the movie!)

David Fincher is a great director of human drama. He uses creative angles and mood lighting to hold your attention. No wiggly or jiggly camera tricks, no quick cuts or rapid edits, huzzah! Instead, he lingers on scenes and faces, giving you an opportunity to drink them in, and ponder a bit. It's hard to believe this is all based on actual events. Truth really is stranger than fiction. Fantastic dialogue. Each of the roles is played to perfection -- you feel like you are watching real people navigate unreal events.The picture quality occasionally seems a bit blurred or stuttering early in the film, but I think I read somewhere that was a deliberate directorial choice. By the end, the picture is all too clear. Fantastic film!

It is a good movie with some top notch acting. If you are into movies about actual serial killers, then this movie is probably the best of the bunch.

Will buy again

Movie with a lot of information about evil events

Fast Shipping and Great Movie

Video: 1920x1080 Mpeg-4 32Mbps AVCAudio: 5.1 TrueHD and Stereo and MonoSubtitles: English, English SDH, French, SpanishFeatures: Directory commentary option, Commentary by major actors, Documentary on the making, Documentary on the story, Documentary on Authur Leigh AllenMy Review: This is a true FHD master of this movie with high-quality menus. No grain or broken aspect on video. Crisp stereo and Dolby 5.1. Whoever matched the music to the visuals is talented at what they do. The acting is probably as good as it can get even though Robert Downey Jr. is basically the same character in every movie; that actually worked in this and Air America.

Excellent film !

Article bien arrivé. Excellent état.

Really gripping true account of living through and trying to identify a serial killer during the 60's and 70's. The film is a true reflection of the book and rather, like other, unsolved cases get more interesting as time goes by.

Desde que salio en formato casero esta gran película estuve esperando que la lanzaran en Bluray pero aquí en México jamás la sacaron. Después de estar buscando en el catalogo de Amazon que me encuentro esta versión y a un buen precio. La imagen y el sonido espectacular y los extras te muestran el proceso de creación de está obra maestra. Se me entrego antes de lo previsto y en buen estado.

Great thriller!! Exactly as described.