Milkshakes and Murders: ‘Confessions Of A Serial Killer’ (1985) – Blu-ray Review

In the pantheon of American serial killers, Henry Lee Lucas will always stand out. The way he matter-of-factly confessed to countless depraved acts, to the freewheeling way he would confess to crimes he likely didn’t commit (law enforcement from around the country would feed him details to clear their unsolved cases, Lucas, recognizing he had literally nothing to lose, would just ask for a cheeseburger and a shake in return for a confession). An “inspired by” film, from first (and apparently only) time director Mark Blair, Confessions of a Serial Killer, hits blu-ray from Unearthed Classics.

Synopsis

After being arrested, a Texas man begins confessing to the brutal murder of over 200 women. He recounts his random selection of victims and his traveling companions, his friend and friend’s sister. But the police can’t be sure whether to believe him or not until he locates a body and shows them some polaroids. Based on the true story of Henry Lee Lucas.

Have a look at the trailer…

Often outshined by Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer, which arrived a year later, Confessions of a Serial Killer introduces the viewer to Daniel Ray Hawkins (Robert A. Burns; who had a huge genre career as an art director-The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, The Howling, Re Animator, From Beyond, The Hills Have Eyes, etc.) a bushy haired psychopath who has done some really bad things. It seems Daniel has a penchant for: rape, murder, torture, and occasional necrophilia. So much so that Sheriff Gaines (Berkley Garrett; Cloak & Dagger) can scarcely believe his ears.

Switching from interview style to a more hand-held cinema verité look, Daniel’s exploits are chronicled as he confesses his misdeeds, and those of his sometime accomplices Moon Lewton (Dennis Hill; Friday Night Lights) and his baby sister Molly (Sidney Brammer; Nadine). Flashbacks of an abusive childhood and “highlights” of his career attempt to tell the story of how Daniel ended up where he did, and where he’s destined to go.

Dark and brutal, but with a more slasher movie feel than the aforementioned Henry, Confessions of a Serial Killer has a rough, 42^nd Street vibe visually, which works to great effect given the subject matter. Burns, while totally believable as a psycho, doesn’t manage to out-creep Michael Rooker, Hill and Brammer are both convincing in their supporting roles, and Eleese Lester (Trespasses) really stands out as murder victim Karen Grimes in an unforgettably harrowing set piece.

The narrative drags a little in the middle, and suffers a bit from some wonky effects work (which runs the gamut in this flick, some of the stuff is really good), but Confessions of a Serial Killer is a quality watch, especially for fans of the “inspired by true events” crowd.

The transfer here is the best you can hope for: the source material suffers from a lot of noticeable grain and scratches, which actually lends itself well to the viewing experience, you kinda want a film like this to look rough. The extras included feature: commentary from director Blair, the DP, and actress Brammer, a Henry Lee Lucas featurette, a full length (and interesting) documentary on Burns and horror icon Rondo Hatton, galleries, and a trailer. Packaging consists of the requisite collector’s slipcover, and a no-frills case with identical art.

Clocking in at 100 minutes and change, Confessions of a Serial Killer is an entertaining, grimy look at the exploits of a real life inspired maniac, who could be the guy down the street. Less jarring than Henry, but chilling nonetheless, Unearthed did a great job putting together a package that may just result in more genre fans taking a look at this forgotten entry into the lurid Henry Lee Lucas lore.

Unearthed Classics’ Blu-ray release of Confessions of a Serial Killer is available now from fine retailers.