son. The Zodiac Killer begs for his father to talk to him only to be rebuked. The staff of the facility ask the Zodiac Killer to leave, claiming his presence "upsets" his father. On his way out, the Zodiac Killer takes out his anger on two patients, wounding one and killing another. The film ends with a voice over monologue as the Zodiac Killer goes about his normal routine. The Zodiac Killer brags about how he will never be caught and taunts the viewers of the film telling them that other monsters like himself lurk out there, able to blend in with normal people to avoid being caught while doing evil. Cast Hal Reed as Jerry Bob Jones as Grover Ray Lynch as Sgt. Pittman Tom Pittman as Officer Heller Mary Darrington as First Murder Frank Sanabek as Joe Ed Quigley as Tony Bertha Dahl as Mrs. Crocker Dion Marinkovich as Helen Doodles Weaver as Doc Gloria Gunn as Marilyn Richard Styles as Judd Manny Cardoza as Hippy Norma Takaki as Lakey Donna Register as Donna Production In a 2012 interview and again in a 2017 interview, Hanson stated that the production of the film was motivated by an elaborate plot to catch the killer, who, Hanson reasoned, would not be able to resist attending the film's premier. Release The opening night screening took place at San Francisco's RKO Golden Gate Theater on April 7, 1971. Audience members were asked to write their answers to "I think the Zodiac kills because ..." and drop their entries into a large box in order to enter a raffle to win a motorcycle donated by Kawasaki. The unsuspecting filmgoers didn't know that there was a volunteer crouched inside the box comparing their handwriting with samples of the Zodiac's, and that there were goons (including members of the film's cast) waiting in the wings ready to apprehend and interrogate anyone whose penmanship raised a red flag. Home media The Blu-ray for The Zodiac Killer was released on July 25, 2017 by the American Genre Film Archive and Something Weird Video. The Zodiac Killer was the first film restored by the American Genre Film Archive. Special features on the Blu-ray include a commentary track and an interview with director Tom Hanson and actor Manny Nedwick. References External links 1971 films 1971 horror films 1971 independent films 1970s thriller films American independent films American thriller films