Manhunt: Search for the Night Stalker (TV 1989)

Based on the true story of Richard "The Night Stalker" Ramirez who terrorized California in 1985 and the two Los Angeles police detectives who try to track him down.

Director:

Bruce Seth Green

Writer:

Joseph Gunn

Stars:

Richard Jordan, A Martinez, Julie Carmen

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Richard Jordan	...	Sergeant Frank Salerno
A Martinez	...	Lieutenant Gil Carrillo
Julie Carmen	...	Pearl Carrillo
Alan Feinstein	...	Peter Morgan
Lisa Eilbacher	...	Anne Clark
Gregory Cruz	...	Richard Ramirez (The Night Stalker) (as Gregory Norman Cruz)
Gerry Bamman	...	Phil Thomas
Jenny Sullivan	...	Jane Salerno
Marisol R. Reyes	...	Maria Hernandez
Roger Hampton	...	Detective Heller
Jack Rader	...	Captain Robert Grimm
Soon-Tek Oh	...	Dr. Chow (as Soon-Teck Oh)
Scott Lincoln	...	Bill Melton
Jake Dengel	...	Jessie
Angela Paton	...	Mrs. Webster

Storyline

"Manhunt" vividly tells the terrifying story of the pursuit and capture of Richard Ramirez, "the Night Stalker" - a serial killer who terrorized California in mid 1980s.

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Plot Keywords:

serial killer | based on true story

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Genres:

Crime | Drama

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

12 November 1989 (USA)

Also Known As:

Hunt for the Night Stalker

Company Credits

Production Co:

Joel Fields Productions, Leonard Hill Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

95 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

User Reviews

No-nonsense true crime drama

MANHUNT: SEARCH FOR THE NIGHT STALKER

Aspect ratio: 1.33:1

Sound format: Mono

The search for serial killer Richard Ramirez, who committed a string of horrific rapes and murders in Los Angeles between June 1984 and August the following year.

It looks a little dated now, but Bruce Seth Green's detailed examination of the facts surrounding the Night Stalker murders - filtered here through the viewpoint of the two detectives (Richard Jordan and A Martinez) who supervised the case - still packs a solid emotional punch. Green's no-nonsense approach to the material results in a couple of voyeuristic crime reconstructions which may strike some as unnecessary (Ramirez had only just been convicted when the movie first aired), but these grotesque details go a long way toward establishing the randomness and savagery of this man's gruesome rampage. Joseph Gunn's wide-ranging script covers all relevant bases, including the desperate attempts by city officials to prevent sensational media coverage driving the killer underground, and the personal toll exacted on law enforcement officers involved in pursuit of the maniac. The climactic sequence - depicting the bizarre events surrounding Ramirez' eventual capture - is ripe with irony, and well-staged by actors and filmmakers alike.