In the late 1960s/early 1970s, a San Francisco cartoonist becomes an amateur detective obsessed with tracking down the Zodiac Killer, an unidentified individual who terrorizes Northern Calif... Read allIn the late 1960s/early 1970s, a San Francisco cartoonist becomes an amateur detective obsessed with tracking down the Zodiac Killer, an unidentified individual who terrorizes Northern California with a killing spree.In the late 1960s/early 1970s, a San Francisco cartoonist becomes an amateur detective obsessed with tracking down the Zodiac Killer, an unidentified individual who terrorizes Northern California with a killing spree.
- Director
- Writers
- James Vanderbilt(screenplay)
- Robert Graysmith(book)
- Stars
- Director
- Writers
- James Vanderbilt(screenplay)
- Robert Graysmith(book)
- Stars
- Awards
- 4 wins & 72 nominations
Videos10
- Mrs. Toschias Mrs. Toschi
- (as June Raphael)
- Director
- Writers
- James Vanderbilt(screenplay)
- Robert Graysmith(book)
- All cast & crew
- See more cast details at IMDbPro
Storyline
- Taglines
- There's more than one way to lose your life to a killer
- Genres
- Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)
- Rated R for some strong killings, language, drug material and brief sexual images
- Parents guide
Did you know
- TriviaThe only real comment that Robert Graysmith said about the finished screenplay was, "God, now I see why my wife divorced me."
- Goofs(at around 52 mins) One of the books Robert Graysmith has in 1969 has a barcode on the back. Barcodes did not even exist in any stores until the summer of 1974, and most items did not contain barcodes for several years after that.
- Quotes
Robert Graysmith: Doesn't it bother you that people call you Shorty?
Shorty: Doesn't it bother you that people call you retard?
Robert Graysmith: Nobody calls me that.
Shorty: Right.
- Crazy creditsThe end text reads as follows: Following Mike Mageau's identification of Arthur Leigh Allen, authorities scheduled a meeting to discuss charging him with the murders. Allen suffered a fatal heart attack before this meeting could take place. In 2002, a partial DNA profile, that did not match Allen, was developed from a 33 year-old Zodiac envelope. Investigators in San Francisco and Vallejo refused to rule out Allen as a suspect on the basis of this test. In 2004, the San Francisco Police Department deactivated their Zodiac investigation. Today, the case remains open in Napa County, Solano County, and in the city of Vallejo, where Arthur Leigh Allen is still the prime and only suspect. Inspector David Toschi retired from the San Francisco Police Department in 1989. He was cleared of all charges that he wrote the 1978 Zodiac letter. Paul Avery passed away on December 10, 2000 of pulmonary emphysema. He was 66. His Ashes were scattered by his family in the San Francisco Bay. Robert Graysmith lives in San Francisco and enjoys a healthy relationship with his children. He claims he has not received a single anonymous call since Allen's death.
- Alternate versionsThe director's cut contains approximately 5 minutes of new footage, including:
- Melvin Belli (Brian Cox) talks about his Safari trip (when the Zodiac letter came to his house)
- Toschi (Mark Ruffalo) introduces himself to the Riverside Police Chief
- A new scene between Graysmith (Jake Gyllenhaal) and Avery (Robert Downey Jr.)
- A three-way conversation laying Leigh as a suspect to get a search warrant
- Extended audio montage (over a black screen)
- Plus extra bits of dialogue
- ConnectionsFeatured in At the Movies: Zodiac/Gray Matters/Wild Hogs/Smarter for 10 (2007)
Instead what he's given us is a well argued thesis on the possible identity of the Zodiac. While there are some very intense scenes, Fincher takes a somewhat unexpected approach on the subject. All of the killings take place pretty early on in the movie, with the bulk of the story centering on the actual investigation into the killer by both the cops and a cartoonist who becomes obsessed with the case. In fact, the depictions of the murders are done in a manner that is fairly reverent towards the victims while still conveying the cruelty of them.
Some people may find themselves disappointed by this two and a half hour epic if they go in expecting the usual serial killer fare. But it's a must see for any fan of Fincher's work, or anybody who likes a good detective story.
- Wolf30x
- Mar 2, 2007
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- Chronicles
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $65,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $33,080,084
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $13,395,610
- Mar 4, 2007
- Gross worldwide
- $84,785,914
- Runtime
- 2h 37min
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 2.39 : 1























































