The Deadly Tower (1975) (TV)

Director:

Jerry Jameson

Writer:

William Douglas Lansford (writer)

Release Date:

18 October 1975 (USA)

Genre:

Thriller | Action | Drama

Plot:

The infamous story of Charles Whitman, "America's favourite sniper" (in Stephen King's words), is told here once again.

Plot Keywords:

University | Tower | Police | Ammunition | Sniper

Cast

Kurt Russell	...	Charles Joseph Whitman
Richard Yniguez	...	Officer Ramiro Martinez
John Forsythe	...	Lieutenant Elwood Forbes
Ned Beatty	...	Allan Crum
Pernell Roberts	...	Lieutenant Lee
Clifton James	...	Captain Fred Ambrose
Paul Carr	...	Officer C.T. Foss
Alan Vint	...	Tim Davis
Pepe Serna	...	Mano
Maria Elena Cordero	...	Vinnie Martinez

Also Known As:

Sniper

Runtime:

100 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Norway:16 (video premiere) | Germany:16

Filming Locations:

Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA

Company:

MGM Television

Trivia:

Filmed at the state capitol building in Baton Rouge, LA, due to the feeling by Austin, TX, officials that filming in the actual location would not be in the best interests of citizens affected by the shooting.

Goofs:

Continuity: The movie is set in 1966, but features clothes and cars from the early '70s.

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in Scenic Highway (2006)

Texas sniper on the rampage!

The Deadly Tower is yet another example of an excellent seventies made for TV movie. This film is the first to be based on the real life Texas Sniper Charles Joseph Whitman who killed a series of people during a tower top sniper rifle rampage in Texas in 1966. The movie is clearly a TV movie as it all looks very cheap and there's nothing particularly all that special about it; but in spite of that, director Jerry Jameson has taken a harrowing story and made a film that entertains the viewer as well as providing food for thought and ensuring that the reaction of the killer's actions come through also. The film sticks to the facts well and as such the story is very simple. We focus on Charles Joseph Whitman, a troubled young man who one day decides to kill his mother and his wife before going to the gun shop, buying "enough guns to start world war 3" and taking them to the top of a university tower in order to blow away a load of people around the campus. The is mixed in with the story of police officer Ramiro Martinez as he tries to stop the killer.

In a way, it's a shame that this movie was made for TV because the sniper plot could have given the film a lot of room for plenty of gory special effects; which unfortunately don't feature due to the TV restraints. However, on the other hand; out of respect for the victims and their families, this may be a good thing. The film is notable for featuring an early performance from the great Kurt Russell. Russell doesn't deliver a performance here that is up there with his best; but the script doesn't really allow for that, and he certainly does convince as the cold and murderous lead character. The main bulk of the movie focuses on the killer and the film features some effective shots detailing the sniper's actions against the local community, but the director also includes some meatier topics. The effect of the victims' deaths features somewhat and the film also makes a point against America's liberal gun laws; although both of these could have been more defined and better focused. Even so, The Deadly Tower is certainly a very notable seventies TV and is well worth seeing if you can find it.