IMDb RATING
5.8/10
1.7K
YOUR RATING
A priest is put in a dilemma when the serial killer who has been murdering priests and nuns confesses to him.A priest is put in a dilemma when the serial killer who has been murdering priests and nuns confesses to him.A priest is put in a dilemma when the serial killer who has been murdering priests and nuns confesses to him.
- Awards
- 2 wins
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaFuture musician Jack White appears as an altar boy, marking this as his film debut.
- GoofsA priest is called to the confessional from his quarters in the church. He walks across the altar to reach the confessional without genuflecting in front of the altar.
- Quotes
Father Edward Killeen: Break the seal of confession, and you destroy the Church.
Father Robert Koesler: People are going to die.
Father Edward Killeen: You're saving souls Bob, not lives.
- ConnectionsReferenced in Jersey Girl (2004)
- SoundtracksIN YOUR EYES
Recorded & Sung by Nancy Wood
Composed by Bobby Laurel
Lyrics by Bobby Laurel & Dennis Leahy
Based on an adaptation of the Third Symphony written by Johannes Brahms
Featured review
Moody, austere Catholic serial killer drama
"The Rosary Murders" follows a Catholic parish in Detroit that is plagued by a series of brutal murders. One of the priests (Donald Sutherland) is joined by a journalist (Belinda Bauer) attempting to cover the story; both aim to stop the killer before he dispatches more nuns, monks, and members of the Holy Order.
This is a downbeat and gloomy affair from Fred Walton, who, the year prior, directed the playful, joke-filled slasher "April Fool's Day." "The Rosary Murders" is more a return to Walton's style as seen in "When a Stranger Calls" (1979) in that it is a much more austere, dour take on the genre. This film gives no reprieve, and the subject matter is relentlessly grim. It has a similar taste to other Catholic-themed slasher films, such as "Alice, Sweet Alice" (1976), or even "The Exorcist III" (1990), both of which set a serial killer narrative against the stark backdrop of the Catholic Church. There is something inherently transfixing (and sinister) about this formula that evokes a creep factor that is hard to shake (especially if you were brought up Catholic). "The Rosary Murders" also has a late-'80s flair about it that at times feels redolent of a number of "Unsolved Mysteries" episodes.
What works best about the film perhaps is the atmosphere: the wintry Detroit setting only adds to the ambiance, and the gothic cathedral and parish buildings are moodily photographed throughout. Donald Sutherland gives a muted but solid performance as the central priest, while Charles Durning has a smaller part as one of Sutherland's superiors. Belinda Bauer is great as the spunky reporter and has good chemistry with Sutherland, but it is ultimately wasted as her character is given little to do before altogether disappearing for the last quarter of the film (which is one of its main faults). Another instance where the film falters is that it has an even-keeled tone from beginning to end that drains the proceedings of any high suspense; the identity and motive of the killer is also unveiled too early, leaving little surprises to be had, and where the film feels like it should reach a fever pitch, it simply doesn't.
All that being said, I still found "The Rosary Murders" absorbing and extremely watchable. It is a dour, gloomy affair that works better as a mood piece than it does a thriller or mystery. Its narrative issues aside, the shadowy halls of the parish and the chilly Detroit exteriors impress a somberness on the viewer that is unusually stirring. 7/10.
This is a downbeat and gloomy affair from Fred Walton, who, the year prior, directed the playful, joke-filled slasher "April Fool's Day." "The Rosary Murders" is more a return to Walton's style as seen in "When a Stranger Calls" (1979) in that it is a much more austere, dour take on the genre. This film gives no reprieve, and the subject matter is relentlessly grim. It has a similar taste to other Catholic-themed slasher films, such as "Alice, Sweet Alice" (1976), or even "The Exorcist III" (1990), both of which set a serial killer narrative against the stark backdrop of the Catholic Church. There is something inherently transfixing (and sinister) about this formula that evokes a creep factor that is hard to shake (especially if you were brought up Catholic). "The Rosary Murders" also has a late-'80s flair about it that at times feels redolent of a number of "Unsolved Mysteries" episodes.
What works best about the film perhaps is the atmosphere: the wintry Detroit setting only adds to the ambiance, and the gothic cathedral and parish buildings are moodily photographed throughout. Donald Sutherland gives a muted but solid performance as the central priest, while Charles Durning has a smaller part as one of Sutherland's superiors. Belinda Bauer is great as the spunky reporter and has good chemistry with Sutherland, but it is ultimately wasted as her character is given little to do before altogether disappearing for the last quarter of the film (which is one of its main faults). Another instance where the film falters is that it has an even-keeled tone from beginning to end that drains the proceedings of any high suspense; the identity and motive of the killer is also unveiled too early, leaving little surprises to be had, and where the film feels like it should reach a fever pitch, it simply doesn't.
All that being said, I still found "The Rosary Murders" absorbing and extremely watchable. It is a dour, gloomy affair that works better as a mood piece than it does a thriller or mystery. Its narrative issues aside, the shadowy halls of the parish and the chilly Detroit exteriors impress a somberness on the viewer that is unusually stirring. 7/10.
helpful•42
- drownsoda90
- Jun 11, 2022
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Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- Der Mörder mit dem Rosenkranz
- Filming locations
- Dearborn, Michigan, USA(scenic overview of the industrial area)
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Gross US & Canada
- $1,730,337
- Gross worldwide
- $1,730,337
- Runtime1 hour 45 minutes
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1
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