The Minstrel Killer (2009)

When a series of haunting murders plagues a small Texas town, law officers Tex Holland and Pike McGraw lead the investigation. The murders turn out to be the most shocking and vile acts of ... See full summary »

Director:

Michael Fredianelli

Writers:

David Brashear, Michael Fredianelli

Stars:

Michael Fredianelli, Anthony Spears, Eric Andersen

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Michael Fredianelli	...	Tex Holland
Anthony Spears	...	Tyrell Jones
Eric Andersen	...	Pike McGraw
Vanessa Celso	...	Carol Holland
Aaron Stielstra	...	Brady McGovern
Isaac Wade	...	Klutch Hitherton
Michael Nosé	...	The Shape
Brendan Guy Murphy	...	Cobb Johnson
David Lambert	...	Joel Hitherton
Kevin Giffin	...	Ted Whirly
Brian Levy	...	Earl Whirly
Jessica A. Caesar	...	Annabelle
Alan Rackley	...	Harold Thompson
Ronni Valentine	...	Beuhla Thompson
Jacqueline Tribble	...	Suzy Lancaster (as Jacqueline Delamora)

Storyline

When a series of haunting murders plagues a small Texas town, law officers Tex Holland and Pike McGraw lead the investigation. The murders turn out to be the most shocking and vile acts of sadism to ever hit the once peaceful community. With a dangerous killer on the loose re-enacting slave punishment on his victims, the cops must face their own personal demons as the murder spree throws them into a dangerous world of mercenary hillbillies and inbred cannibals.

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Plot Keywords:

murder | texas | cannibal | mercenary | year 1978 | 

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Genres:

Action | Crime | Horror | Mystery | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

21 August 2009 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Gilroy, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Wild Dogs Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

92 min

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

A scene with the Minstrel Killer dancing and hammering nails into a pig's head was cut from the movie.

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Goofs

Modern plastic air conditioner in a hotel room in 1978.

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Crazy Credits

A different Wild Dogs logo is used for the trailer, the teaser, and the film itself.

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Connections

References The Six Million Dollar Man (1974)

User Reviews

Atrocities, Indignities, and social commentary

Michael Fredianelli's latest film The Minstrel Killer proves to be more than worth the wait. As a director who constantly pays homage to cinema's magnificent glory days of the 1970s it's only natural that Fredianelli make a film actually set in the 70s (somewhat of a dream come true for this Wild Dogs fan).

The Minstrel Killer takes place in a tiny Texas town and chronicles a series of gruesome murders. However, there's a twist. The suspected killer is a dark, creepy figure who has been known to sing old minstrel tunes after he brutally murders his attractive, young, blonde victims. Called in from the big city to help solve the case is Tex Holland (Fredianelli): a tough bigoted cop out for blood. Not all goes as planned however after Holland experiences a brutal encounter with a mysterious family of inbred cannibals, all the while having to endure tumultuous relationships with his wife (Vanessa Celso) and new partner, African-American Tyrell Jones (Anthony Spears).

Overall, Fredianelli does an excellent job of giving the film a retro look and feel. From the opening sequence and credits to the grainy celluloid like cinematography to the grimy rural locations, it's easy to see how someone could possibly mistake the film for an actual 1978 movie. The film's art direction is impressive in spots and looks incredibly authentic. Despite the high probability of quite a few anachronisms, the film's attempts at capturing the era are all the more impressive given its low-budget indie background.

All in all, The Minstrel Killer stands as Fredianelli's most impressive, professional, and best (?) film to date. Fredianelli and Celso are both great and perform some very convincing southern accents. Isaac Wade is devilishly sinister as the lead cannibal and Kevin Giffin breaks away from his usual typecasting. Also of note is a powerful cameo appearance from Aaron Stielstra (who also provides the film's wonderful original musical score). As it stands, The Minstrel Killer is highly entertaining and more than likely to garner several re-watches.