The only thing I knew about Richard Speak was that he killed a lot of women. That’s really all I knew about the man. That is until I saw this film. Now I’m usually one that really gets into any film that’s based on a real serial killer. Being someone who’s into law enforcement, I always was interested in figuring out the psychology of why theses men did what they did. And well being that I can’t be up close an personal with these monsters, I can at least get a feel for what they were like though the eyes of a film directors vision. However I didn’t get that with Chicago Massacre as I felt this film seemed to stray from the story far too much.
This movie is pretty much based on the 1966 murder of eight of nine nursing students that Richard Speak took hostage. For the most part he beat, raped and stabbed the girls to death, in what has been considered one of the most brutal and shocking massacres of the nineteen sixties. This film follows those murders and the life of Richard Speak all the way up to the present day.
My problem with the film started when Richard Speak made his way to Chicago in the film. In the beginning we learn of his life in Texas and witness his first divorce and how he is acquitted of something to do with his children’s child support. he then hops a train to Chicago and then the script really starts to get confusing. The script does not really follow your basic time table but instead jumps back and forth in time to the killings and to Specks conviction, his life and so on. Personally for me all this jumping around made me lose interest in the film fast. It was very hard to make out where and when the scene I was watching took place and why. In all, I was not a big fan of the script.
The acting in this film is very good. Particularly Corin Nemec whom played the part of Richard Speak. Nemec embraced this part and made it his own. He performance is what makes this film at least worth watching as his ability to adapt to the character was that of a top notch actor. The movie also had a great supporting cast of some very well known horror icons such as Tony Todd, Andrew Divoff and Debbie Rochon. Mark my word the acting is what makes this movie.
The production value is alright, The small Texas town at the beginning had a great throw back feel to it. The rest of the sets and backdrops were pretty basic and took place in locations that didn’t really need the greatest of set dressings. I’m not sure what this movie was shot on film or digital. It had the professional look that the majority of people would think is film, however being one that’s worked with both film and digital. I know my lighting, it’s what many would say I’m best at. And I didn’t care much at all for the way the film was lit. It could of been an effect they used or overblown film stock, but some of the shots looked very flat. With that said in terms of special make-up effects; although the script didn’t call for a lot of gore and everything, I was impressed with the type of make-up effects that were used. There is one scene at the end of the film where I was surprised to learn that Richard Speak while serving multiple life sentences in prison has become a leader in jail. But he is also taking growth hormones that have turned him into somewhat of a women. I not sure if the effects were a make-up appliance or were CGI but they made his bitch tits look very real.
Overall, while I was not a big fan of the script and the way the movie was presented; I did enjoy the great acting in this film and the effects. The movie is not like your normal serial killer film as this movie tends to dwell on many different topics about the character’s life, and tends to take us into different aspects of Richard Specks life rather than focusing on the topic at hand. In a nutshell the movie jumped around too much for me and at times was very slow. I think depending on the type of person you are and your interest about who Richard Speak was is what will make or break this film for you.
– Horror Bob
- Interview with J.R. Bookwalter - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Andrew J. Rausch - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Rick Popko and Dan West - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Director Stevan Mena (Malevolence) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Screenwriter Jeffery Reddick (Day of the Dead 2007) - January 22, 2015
- Teleconference interview with Mick Garris (Masters of Horror) - January 22, 2015
- A Day at the Morgue with Corri English (Unrest) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Writer/Director Nacho Cerda (The Abandoned, Aftermath) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Actress Thora Birch (Dark Corners, The Hole, American Beauty) - January 22, 2015
- Interview with Actor Jason Behr, Plus Skinwalkers Press Coverage - January 22, 2015
