Citizen X

Starring:Joss Ackland, Radu Amzulescu, GÃ©za Balkay, Zsolt Biro, AndrÃ¡s BÃ¡lint, Ion Caramitru, BalÃ¡zs Csapo, Imre Csuja, Jeffrey DeMunn, ZoltÃ¡n DÃ³zsa, Jozsa Elek, Marton Elek, Murray Ewan, Stephen Rea, Imelda Staunton, Donald Sutherland, LÃ¡szlÃ³ VÃ¡radi Balogh, John Wood, Max von Sydow
Studio: Hbo Home Video
Product Type: DVD

Description

Based on the true story of the hunt for the most savage and elusive serial killer on record. It started with eight bodies found murdered, raped and mutilated. A brilliant Soviet forensics expert (Stephen Rae) is put in charge of the case by his colonel (Donald Sutherland). But the investigation is buried under government red tape until a psychiatrist (Max von Sydow) is called in to create a psychological profile of the murder. With fifty-two victims to his name, the killer they call Citizen X finally takes shape before their eyes. But can they trap him before he kills again?

Customer Reviews:

X-cellent HBO movie.......2007-06-26

I rented this a little while back and was amazed by Stephen Rea, Donald Sutherland, Max Von Sydow and Jeffrey DeMunn's performances. The title made me wonder if this was a movie like Citizen Kane. No this is not the same kind of story at all. Instead this one follows the most heinous serial killer of all time. In the U.S.S.R during communism a serial killer managed to pick up strangers on the train system and take them to secluded spots and murder them. They killed 52 people. This movie follows the investigation by the police to try and catch them. Despite incredible efforts and even their apprehension at one time, the killer eludes them for many more years. The story is remarkable, the cast is exceptional, and the production is top drawer. I highly recommend this movie. I immediately ordered the DVD after renting it.

Criminology and the Soviet state.......2006-11-10

A true case involving the pursuit of a serial killer by a criminologist in the Soviet Union. Especially absorbing for the interplay between the apparatchiks and the young criminologist who has to fight his way through the bureaucracy to achieve his object. Sterling performances all around.

Great Movie.......2006-11-05

If you like Donald Sutherland, this is one of his greatest movies of all time. This is a movie that you will be able to watch over and over again.

Excellent True Story Of A Russian Serial Killer.......2006-10-17

This film is highly recommended. This film is based on the true story of Andrei Chikatilo (Jeffrey DeMunn), who was the most prolific serial killer in the former Soviet Union. [Not including Stalin: the worse mass murderer in Soviet history]. The case is given to a low ranking forensics expert, Viktor Burakov (Stephen Rea) whose job it is to solve the mystery of bodies being brought into his morgue. Burakov constantly fights the bureaucratic idiots who insist there are no such killers in the Soviet Union [They claim it is a Western trait] With their heads in the sand, the investigation is doggedly pursued by Burakov.

Colonel Fetisov (Donald Sutherland) is the only ally that Burakov can rely on. When Burakov requests that the FBI database be used, he is admonished by his superiors (Joss Ackland) in particular: The Soviets refuse to admit that they are behind the West in forensics. Which to them, [Soviets] would admit to many failures in the communist system [Duh!]. The film is very good, and although filmed in Budapest, Hungary, one gets the feeling that this is indeed the former Soviet Union. The film is highly recommended. Moreover, it gives a good insight into the mindset of the bureaucrats in charge of Soviet Russia, and one of the many reasons Communism collapsed in today's Russia. [Stars: 4.5]

Likable........2006-09-21

Citizen X (Chris Gerolmo, 1995)

Gerolmo, who wrote Mississippi Burning, gets behind the camera for this one, and turns out a surprisingly good piece of work for a straight-to-cable drama in the mid-nineties. Ostensibly the story of the crimes and capture of Andrei Chikatilo (Hollywoodland's Jeffrey DeMunn), Soviet Russia's only admitted serial killer, it can't help but also be a scathing criticism of Soviet bureaucracy.

Burakov (The Crying Game's Stephen Rea), a medical examiner, is put in charge of the case by Col. Fetisov (Donald Sutherland), one of the local politicos. It's obvious from this move alone that Fetisov is not going to be your typical bureaucrat, though Burakiv and Fetisov run up against all manner of those-- most notably Bondarchuk (prolific character actor Joss Ackland, recently seen in Asylum), the mayor of the town at the center of the region where the crimes are being committed. Gerolmo slants the film towards the interpretation that Chikatilo-- who was allowed to roam unchecked for almost a decade-- stayed free purely as the result of Soviet incompetence, and that Burakov was the only guy who actually got it. Which all may be true, but comes off as a bit heavy-handed at times. When it doesn't-- in particular, a lovely scene at the very end of the film where Burakov repeats a number of Fetisov's own admonitions back to him-- it works wonderfully. When it does, the film jars.

What does work, from beginning to end, is the camerawork, and everything encompassed in that term. There are some fantastically-blocked shots in this film, and Gerolmo knows how to get the top mileage possible out of Chikatilo's crimes without getting too bloody; Gerolmo uses one repeated shot to denote each of Chikatilo's murders that we see, then varies little details about it. He goes about it in such a way that some of those differences are shocking, at least momentarily, and always creepily effective.

A very good serial-killer film. Worth checking out. *** ½

Average customer rating:

ABOVE HIS CLASS

Arthur Ashe - Citizen of the World
Starring: Malcolm X , Sidney Glass , Billie Jean King , Bob Davis (VIII) , and Ray Moore (VIII)
Director: Julie Anderson
Manufacturer: Hbo Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

African American Heritage | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Sports | Genres | DVD | Video

Documentary | Sports | Genres | DVD | Video

Tennis | Sports | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Television | Genres | DVD | Video

General | African American Cinema | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $14.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( A ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Raising Tennis Aces - The Williams Story
Wimbledon Record Breakers
Days of Grace
Biography - Nelson Mandela: Journey to Freedom (A&E DVD Archives)
4 Little Girls

ASIN: B0009WIE48
Release Date: 2005-08-23

Description

A celebration of the life of this great tennis player - the first black player to capture a Grand Slam title when he won the U.S. Open - advocate of human rights, civil rights and more. ' 'Family viewing in the best sense.' ' (Detroit Free Press) ' 'A fine tribute to an exemplary sports legend.' ' (New York Times)

Customer Reviews:

ABOVE HIS CLASS.......2002-08-01

Arthur Ashe is known to most of us as a great African American tennis player who broke down racial barriers in a game considered for the wealthy.Ashe was far more than an athlete or a symbol of racial equality. In tribute to Arthur Ashe, HBO presents this thrilling documentary of a man who went beyond the game and symbolism to become a world wide force of change.

Who was this soft-spoken young man? A native of Virginia, Ashe intimately knew the world of segregation. His parents knew of a better world for him and thus insured that his talent as a tennis player was developed. Our film takes us to the places and people who impacted upon the young Ashe's life. They instilled in him the sense of hard work, being a good sportsman but most of all being the ambassador for Blacks whose presence in the sport of tennis was negligible.

Follow Ashe in his early years as he makes it through the ranks of Junior tennis ever aware of the burden of responsibility for his people. Arthur developed a deep maturity and sense of style far beyond his years. During the turbulent sixties he was criticised for not being outspoken against racism. Ashe refused to allow anyone to dictate the terms of his actions and went along his own tract. His controversial tournament in South Africa, his boycott of Wimbledon, his untiring efforts to help young people and his crusade against aids shows a revolutionary young man.

I was surprised by the imapct of this film on my perception of Ashe. He comes across as a caring spirit who moves beyond the game of tennis. He believes that there is more to his life than just a game and believes in giving back to the community. You can't help but be moved over his courageous spirit in going through two heart attacks and then being diagnosed with aids. For some athletes such news would be a sad ending. For Ashe it was a catalyst for him to do more and the world has appreciated his efforts.

Watching this film will make you appreciate the quiet strength, love and determination of a man who was above his class in the sports arena. The world was blessed with a man who was a scholar, athlete, coach and activist who fully gave of himself.

DVD:

DVD

DVD

DVD

New York Minute (Widescreen Edition)

Teletubbies - Meet The Teletubbies

Royal Bed (REGION 1) (NTSC)

DVD: Everything For Sale

Terra X - Best of