The Iceman Confesses: Secrets of a Mafia Hitman (2001)

Richard Kuklinski was a devoted husband, a loving father...and a ruthless killer. A decade after HBO last visited him in prison, the convicted murderer, who freely admits having whacked ... See full summary »

Director:

Arthur Ginsberg

Stars:

Mark Musto, Rocco Fazzolari, Richard Kuklinski

Cast

Credited cast:
Mark Musto	...	Bruno Lattini
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Rocco Fazzolari	...	Mob Hitman
Richard Kuklinski	...	Himself
Richard Lounello	...	Officer McDonald (as Rich Lounello)

Storyline

Richard Kuklinski was a devoted husband, a loving father...and a ruthless killer. A decade after HBO last visited him in prison, the convicted murderer, who freely admits having whacked more than 100 people in cold blood, takes viewers back inside his cold, calculating mind. In this follow-up to America Undercover's 1992 film The Iceman Tapes: Conversations with a Killer, Kuklinski provides all-new insights about his exploits as one of the Mafia's most notorious assassins...and reveals some shocking confessions for a number of previously unsolved murders.

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Plot Keywords:

iceman | sociopath | hitman | nellie medina | 

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Genres:

Documentary | Crime

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

March 2001 (USA)

Also Known As:

El hombre de hielo confiesa: secretos de un sicario de la mafia

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Home Box Office (HBO)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

43 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Connections

Follows America Undercover: The Iceman Tapes: Conversations with a Killer (1992)

User Reviews

Richard Kuklinski doesn't hold back any details in this grim, but somehow interesting documentary that draws you in despite it's nature

This `biography' of sorts details some of the murders committed by notorious hitman Richard Kuklisnski, who reportedly killed over 100 people. This documentary, featuring interviews with Kuklinski himself, displays all the murders just as they happened. These events are told by Kuklinski, who gives his own personal perspective on what he did, and gives his feelings on what he did. It aired on the HBO channel I believe, and I caught it last night. From the description, it somehow drew me in, I asked myself the question `How could someone kill over 100 people?' Before I even watched this documentary, I had never even heard of Richard Kuklinski, and had no idea as to who he was. I expected this guy to be a nut case, unaware of the difference between reality and fiction. I expected him to look like a monster. But, the documentary started. What was scary in a sense about this man was the fact that he didn't look like a monster, or a freak. Like most killers, he looked completely normal on the outside, the last person you'd expect to carry out a murder.

The documentary opens up with an interview with Kuklinski, where he states that if he's mad at you, he'll kill you, and that you'll never get away from him unless you shot him or killed him. He also went on to say `If you didn't kill me, you're stupid.' Through most of the interviews, Kuklinksi never bothers to hold back any facts, and is never hesitant to give any away. He states at one point, he has nothing to lose. I suppose this is most likely why he is so cooperative.

Kuklinksi tells how each murder was carried out, how he did it, and why he did it. He was a contract killer, so obviously his motivation was money. I also believe that he simply loved doing what he did. At one point, Kuklinksi even says that he killed a man with a crossbow simply because he wanted to test the weapon out. The kill wasn't a case of money, it wasn't a personal vendetta, he wanted to `test out his weapon.'

Kuklinksi never holds anything back. He tells all of his crimes in grim detail, and he shows no remorse. He tells the interviewer the stories of his murders as if he were giving her some normal tips on life. Often times, Kuklinksi would even make jokes when he was asked if he ever felt remorse for killing someone. Kaklinski has this weird, freakish evil to him, where you question how could someone literally look at a human life the way this man does. You wonder how Kuklinksi could look at a life and define it as meaningless and useless. You wonder how he could kill so many people, still make jokes, and tell each murder like he was telling a normal story. Kuklinksi sees human lives as trash, trash that he can dispose of and not feel bad about it. This documentary has some cheesy moments where they try and recreate the crimes. When they try to recreate the crimes themselves, it just turns out to be cheesy, and unnecessary. Regardless, this documentary is one of the best TV documentaries I've seen. Though graphic, and not for the easily offended, it is interesting, and I think the way that I was drawn into watching it was I asked the question `How can someone kill over 100 people?' Then I found out.

Another thing about Richard Kuklinksi is that he isn't like most of the killers in the past. Jeffrey Dahmer felt that he had to apologize for what he did, when I know damn well that he didn't care about the lives that he took. Still, Dahmer wasted his breath and tried to act remorseless. But, Kuklinksi, he simply doesn't care. He doesn't feel the need to tell people that he was sorry, because he simply wasn't. Kuklinksi has nothing left to lose, so he tells why he killed people, and how he felt when he killed people. Obviously, jail isn't much of a punishment for Kuklinksi, he doesn't seem to be miserable. He deserved the death penalty.

Score: 9 ½ out of 10.