Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 26 (click to see context) from:
** Even Arthur Leigh Allen. This guy was cleared by DNA and prints and was hounded. He had just the worst luck, if you don't believe he did it. Mitigated by the fact he was a child molesting creep, but let's face it: there's only one reason anyone knows his name, and he got harassed.
to:
** Even Arthur Leigh Allen. This guy was cleared by DNA and prints and was hounded. He had just the worst luck, if you don't believe he did it. Mitigated by the fact he was a child molesting creep, but let's face it: there's only one reason anyone knows his name, and he got harassed.harassed.
------------
------------
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
Added
Added DiffLines:
* BigLippedAlligatorMoment: [[spoiler: The entire scene where Robert meets with Bob Vaughn at his house actually has no bearing on the plot or on Robert’s conclusions, nor is it mentioned again after the scene. However it is so tense and Charles Fleischer is so creepy that it is regarded as one of the best scenes in the film.]]
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
Actor trivia shoehorn.
Deleted line(s) 7 (click to see context) :
* HilariousInHindsight: [[Film/IronMan Tony]] [[Creator/RobertDowneyJr Stark]] is a journalist, [[Film/TheAvengers2012 Bruce]] [[Creator/MarkRuffalo Banner]] is a detective, and [[Film/SpiderManFarFromHome Quentin]] [[Creator/JakeGyllenhaal Beck]] is a political cartoonist and true crime author.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
* VindicatedByHistory: Despite receiving solid critical reviews, ''Zodiac'' had the misfortune of coming out in what most people considered a very strong year for movies; it tanked at the box office and was shut out at the Oscars, and seemed like it was destined to be forgotten as an AcclaimedFlop. In the years after its release, it gained a reputation as one of Creator/DavidFincher's best films, while gaining a wide and appreciative audience through video, streaming services and [[VindicatedByCable frequent airings on television]].
Deleted line(s) 22 (click to see context) :
* VindicatedByHistory: Despite receiving solid critical reviews, ''Zodiac'' had the misfortune of coming out in what most people considered a very strong year for movies; it tanked at the box office and was shut out at the Oscars, and seemed like it was destined to be forgotten as an AcclaimedFlop. In the years after its release, it gained a reputation as one of Creator/DavidFincher's best films, while gaining a wide and appreciative audience through video, streaming services and [[VindicatedByCable frequent airings on television]].
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 15 (click to see context) from:
* SpiritualSuccessor: Many have considered the movie as this to Creator/BongJoonHo's ''Film/MemoriesOfMurder''. Both are period pieces centered around then-unsolved real-life murder cases (Hwaseong Serial Murders was resolved with the suspect Lee Choon-jae confessed to killing 14 people) that have terrorized the country and the group of investigators determining to find the culprit. It's no surprised that Bong Joon-ho himself being the fan of this movie and listed in his top 10 favorites.
to:
* SpiritualSuccessor: Many have considered the movie as this the American counterpart to Creator/BongJoonHo's ''Film/MemoriesOfMurder''. Both are period pieces centered around then-unsolved real-life murder cases (Hwaseong Serial Murders was resolved with the suspect Lee Choon-jae confessed to killing 14 people) that have terrorized the country and the group of investigators determining to find the culprit. It's no surprised that Bong Joon-ho himself being the fan of this movie and listed in his top 10 favorites.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
* SpiritualSuccessor: Many have considered the movie as this to Creator/BongJoonHo's ''Film/MemoriesOfMurder''. Both are period pieces centered around then-unsolved real-life murder cases (Hwaseong Serial Murders was resolved with the suspect Lee Choon-jae confessed to killing 14 people) that have terrorized the country and the group of investigators determining to find the culprit. It's no surprised that Bong Joon-ho himself being the fan of this movie and listed in his top 10 favorites.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
Moved to their own page.
Deleted line(s) 8,13 (click to see context) :
* NightmareFuel:
** The basement scene, considered by many to be not only the scariest in the movie, but one of the scariest of all time. It begins shortly after [[spoiler:Graysmith realizes that [[AloneWithThePsycho that he very well could be alone with the Zodiac]] in Bob Vaughn]], and builds on that suspense masterfully, with the audience knowing that [[spoiler:Bob could ''switch'' on him at any moment]]. And that's not even mentioning [[spoiler:the strange [[NothingIsScarier unexplained]] footsteps from upstairs]].
** Practically all scenes with the Zodiac, but especially [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFN4Bb7wcog&t=2s Zodiac's Lake Berrysea murder]], which is possibly a modern epitome of DaylightHorror -- the SceneryPorn of the beautiful lakeside vista contrasting with the straightforward presentation of a brutal, graphic assault. [[NothingIsScarier No music, no dramatic setup, and an ungodly amount of suspense.]]
*** [[spoiler:The woman's screams as she's being stabbed]]...
** The scene with the woman and her baby on the highway -- already scary enough for the average filmgoer, practically unwatchable for parents. [[spoiler:The mother is stopped on a highway by a stranger who tells her her wheel is loose and offers to fix it, only to make it worse and fall off the car. The stranger then offers her and her child a ride, and after [[NothingIsScarier a minute of silence and small talk]], he casually says:]]
--->[[spoiler:[[WhamLine "Before I kill you, I'm gonna throw your baby out the window."]]]]
** The basement scene, considered by many to be not only the scariest in the movie, but one of the scariest of all time. It begins shortly after [[spoiler:Graysmith realizes that [[AloneWithThePsycho that he very well could be alone with the Zodiac]] in Bob Vaughn]], and builds on that suspense masterfully, with the audience knowing that [[spoiler:Bob could ''switch'' on him at any moment]]. And that's not even mentioning [[spoiler:the strange [[NothingIsScarier unexplained]] footsteps from upstairs]].
** Practically all scenes with the Zodiac, but especially [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFN4Bb7wcog&t=2s Zodiac's Lake Berrysea murder]], which is possibly a modern epitome of DaylightHorror -- the SceneryPorn of the beautiful lakeside vista contrasting with the straightforward presentation of a brutal, graphic assault. [[NothingIsScarier No music, no dramatic setup, and an ungodly amount of suspense.]]
*** [[spoiler:The woman's screams as she's being stabbed]]...
** The scene with the woman and her baby on the highway -- already scary enough for the average filmgoer, practically unwatchable for parents. [[spoiler:The mother is stopped on a highway by a stranger who tells her her wheel is loose and offers to fix it, only to make it worse and fall off the car. The stranger then offers her and her child a ride, and after [[NothingIsScarier a minute of silence and small talk]], he casually says:]]
--->[[spoiler:[[WhamLine "Before I kill you, I'm gonna throw your baby out the window."]]]]
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
* DiagnosedByTheAudience: Robert Graysmith, who is obsessive about the Zodiac case, causing many people to think there's something... Off about him.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
* AlternativeCharacterInterpretation:
** All over the place with the Zodiac. Does he believe everything he writes? Is he actually mentally ill and looking for help or is he just an amoral AttentionWhore? [[spoiler: Were Allen's reactions to seeing the cops and Robert a result of guilt or of being fed up with the harassment of accusations?]]
** Bob Vaughn. Is he generally just a creepy guy and troll, or the Zodiac himself? Alternatively, is he just a closeted homosexual man, whose creepy behavior can be explained by his erroneous belief that Graysmith came to his house for a sexual tryst and taking precautions not to be caught by his neighbors?
* AwardSnub: No Oscar nominations whatsoever in spite of glowing reviews and a large campaign by the studio, including campaigning for a Best Supporting Actor nomination for Creator/RobertDowneyJr (seen as the beginning of his comeback).
* FanDislikedExplanation: Who ''was'' Rick Marshall? [[spoiler:Maybe he did kill people and film it, but you'll never know!]]
* HilariousInHindsight: [[Film/IronMan Tony]] [[Creator/RobertDowneyJr Stark]] is a journalist, [[Film/TheAvengers2012 Bruce]] [[Creator/MarkRuffalo Banner]] is a detective, and [[Film/SpiderManFarFromHome Quentin]] [[Creator/JakeGyllenhaal Beck]] is a political cartoonist and true crime author.
* NightmareFuel:
** The basement scene, considered by many to be not only the scariest in the movie, but one of the scariest of all time. It begins shortly after [[spoiler:Graysmith realizes that [[AloneWithThePsycho that he very well could be alone with the Zodiac]] in Bob Vaughn]], and builds on that suspense masterfully, with the audience knowing that [[spoiler:Bob could ''switch'' on him at any moment]]. And that's not even mentioning [[spoiler:the strange [[NothingIsScarier unexplained]] footsteps from upstairs]].
** Practically all scenes with the Zodiac, but especially [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFN4Bb7wcog&t=2s Zodiac's Lake Berrysea murder]], which is possibly a modern epitome of DaylightHorror -- the SceneryPorn of the beautiful lakeside vista contrasting with the straightforward presentation of a brutal, graphic assault. [[NothingIsScarier No music, no dramatic setup, and an ungodly amount of suspense.]]
*** [[spoiler:The woman's screams as she's being stabbed]]...
** The scene with the woman and her baby on the highway -- already scary enough for the average filmgoer, practically unwatchable for parents. [[spoiler:The mother is stopped on a highway by a stranger who tells her her wheel is loose and offers to fix it, only to make it worse and fall off the car. The stranger then offers her and her child a ride, and after [[NothingIsScarier a minute of silence and small talk]], he casually says:]]
--->[[spoiler:[[WhamLine "Before I kill you, I'm gonna throw your baby out the window."]]]]
* OneSceneWonder:
** Creator/JohnCarrollLynch as Arthur Leigh Allen has a total of about five minutes screen time in a movie that's two and a half hours long, most of that time without dialogue. However, his interrogation scene is guaranteed to leave an impression on you, and thanks to Lynch's mannerisms, it's easy to see why Allen was a prime suspect.
** Similarly, Creator/CharlesFleischer, voice of Roger Rabbit, presides over one of the film's tensest scenes as the ambiguously creepy Bob Vaughn.
* ParanoiaFuel:
** Be careful when someone pulls up next to you.
** [[LampshadeHanging Lampshaded]] when Robert briefly thinks that Bob Vaughn is the Zodiac.
* RetroactiveRecognition: Arthur Leigh Allen is [[Series/TheWalkingDead Eastman]].
* TheUntwist:
** Toschi's number-one suspect was [[spoiler:Leigh. And he was right... according to the film, anyway.]]
** Or even the whole movie's ending if you have been living under a rock for the past sixty years. What, they don't get the guy?
* SugarWiki/VisualEffectsOfAwesome:
** Certain scenes featuring San Fran had to be digitally created, and you likely won't even know which ones. This includes [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Drp_ex9z6SM&ab_channel=FabriceAppy an overhead shot]] perfectly -- and we do mean ''perfectly'' -- synced to a taxi cab.
** To save time, Creator/DavidFincher decided to not use bloody makeup for the murder scenes; thus, all blood is CGI, and it's done seamlessly.
* VindicatedByHistory: Despite receiving solid critical reviews, ''Zodiac'' had the misfortune of coming out in what most people considered a very strong year for movies; it tanked at the box office and was shut out at the Oscars, and seemed like it was destined to be forgotten as an AcclaimedFlop. In the years after its release, it gained a reputation as one of Creator/DavidFincher's best films, while gaining a wide and appreciative audience through video, streaming services and [[VindicatedByCable frequent airings on television]].
* TheWoobie:
** [[spoiler:Poor Mike Mageau...]]
** David Toschi did his best, and still received a lot of blame for Zodiac getting away.
** Even Arthur Leigh Allen. This guy was cleared by DNA and prints and was hounded. He had just the worst luck, if you don't believe he did it. Mitigated by the fact he was a child molesting creep, but let's face it: there's only one reason anyone knows his name, and he got harassed.
** All over the place with the Zodiac. Does he believe everything he writes? Is he actually mentally ill and looking for help or is he just an amoral AttentionWhore? [[spoiler: Were Allen's reactions to seeing the cops and Robert a result of guilt or of being fed up with the harassment of accusations?]]
** Bob Vaughn. Is he generally just a creepy guy and troll, or the Zodiac himself? Alternatively, is he just a closeted homosexual man, whose creepy behavior can be explained by his erroneous belief that Graysmith came to his house for a sexual tryst and taking precautions not to be caught by his neighbors?
* AwardSnub: No Oscar nominations whatsoever in spite of glowing reviews and a large campaign by the studio, including campaigning for a Best Supporting Actor nomination for Creator/RobertDowneyJr (seen as the beginning of his comeback).
* FanDislikedExplanation: Who ''was'' Rick Marshall? [[spoiler:Maybe he did kill people and film it, but you'll never know!]]
* HilariousInHindsight: [[Film/IronMan Tony]] [[Creator/RobertDowneyJr Stark]] is a journalist, [[Film/TheAvengers2012 Bruce]] [[Creator/MarkRuffalo Banner]] is a detective, and [[Film/SpiderManFarFromHome Quentin]] [[Creator/JakeGyllenhaal Beck]] is a political cartoonist and true crime author.
* NightmareFuel:
** The basement scene, considered by many to be not only the scariest in the movie, but one of the scariest of all time. It begins shortly after [[spoiler:Graysmith realizes that [[AloneWithThePsycho that he very well could be alone with the Zodiac]] in Bob Vaughn]], and builds on that suspense masterfully, with the audience knowing that [[spoiler:Bob could ''switch'' on him at any moment]]. And that's not even mentioning [[spoiler:the strange [[NothingIsScarier unexplained]] footsteps from upstairs]].
** Practically all scenes with the Zodiac, but especially [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFN4Bb7wcog&t=2s Zodiac's Lake Berrysea murder]], which is possibly a modern epitome of DaylightHorror -- the SceneryPorn of the beautiful lakeside vista contrasting with the straightforward presentation of a brutal, graphic assault. [[NothingIsScarier No music, no dramatic setup, and an ungodly amount of suspense.]]
*** [[spoiler:The woman's screams as she's being stabbed]]...
** The scene with the woman and her baby on the highway -- already scary enough for the average filmgoer, practically unwatchable for parents. [[spoiler:The mother is stopped on a highway by a stranger who tells her her wheel is loose and offers to fix it, only to make it worse and fall off the car. The stranger then offers her and her child a ride, and after [[NothingIsScarier a minute of silence and small talk]], he casually says:]]
--->[[spoiler:[[WhamLine "Before I kill you, I'm gonna throw your baby out the window."]]]]
* OneSceneWonder:
** Creator/JohnCarrollLynch as Arthur Leigh Allen has a total of about five minutes screen time in a movie that's two and a half hours long, most of that time without dialogue. However, his interrogation scene is guaranteed to leave an impression on you, and thanks to Lynch's mannerisms, it's easy to see why Allen was a prime suspect.
** Similarly, Creator/CharlesFleischer, voice of Roger Rabbit, presides over one of the film's tensest scenes as the ambiguously creepy Bob Vaughn.
* ParanoiaFuel:
** Be careful when someone pulls up next to you.
** [[LampshadeHanging Lampshaded]] when Robert briefly thinks that Bob Vaughn is the Zodiac.
* RetroactiveRecognition: Arthur Leigh Allen is [[Series/TheWalkingDead Eastman]].
* TheUntwist:
** Toschi's number-one suspect was [[spoiler:Leigh. And he was right... according to the film, anyway.]]
** Or even the whole movie's ending if you have been living under a rock for the past sixty years. What, they don't get the guy?
* SugarWiki/VisualEffectsOfAwesome:
** Certain scenes featuring San Fran had to be digitally created, and you likely won't even know which ones. This includes [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Drp_ex9z6SM&ab_channel=FabriceAppy an overhead shot]] perfectly -- and we do mean ''perfectly'' -- synced to a taxi cab.
** To save time, Creator/DavidFincher decided to not use bloody makeup for the murder scenes; thus, all blood is CGI, and it's done seamlessly.
* VindicatedByHistory: Despite receiving solid critical reviews, ''Zodiac'' had the misfortune of coming out in what most people considered a very strong year for movies; it tanked at the box office and was shut out at the Oscars, and seemed like it was destined to be forgotten as an AcclaimedFlop. In the years after its release, it gained a reputation as one of Creator/DavidFincher's best films, while gaining a wide and appreciative audience through video, streaming services and [[VindicatedByCable frequent airings on television]].
* TheWoobie:
** [[spoiler:Poor Mike Mageau...]]
** David Toschi did his best, and still received a lot of blame for Zodiac getting away.
** Even Arthur Leigh Allen. This guy was cleared by DNA and prints and was hounded. He had just the worst luck, if you don't believe he did it. Mitigated by the fact he was a child molesting creep, but let's face it: there's only one reason anyone knows his name, and he got harassed.
