This movie was..INSANE!! Let me know your thoughts on this movie! Want to vote on what I should watch next? Click here! www.patreon.com/jamesvscinema Get ready for JOJO RABBIT movie reaction/commentary Wednesday! :) Enjoy the day!
I love that from the outset, he only wanted to depict Zodiac murders where there was a survivor who could describe the situation, hence the omittance of David Faraday and Betty Jensen, and the overhead CG shot with Paul Stine's murder.
@@GabbasaurusRex We see Paul Stine get shot. We see the gun placed next to his head. Also, there were witnesses who watched Zodiac interact with Stine’s body (kids in a house across the street).
I am from Italy and do you know there is a teory about Zodiac being also "Mostro di Firenze" (Florence's Monster)?? A serial killer who murdered 14/16 people around 1974-1985?? An american ex soldier confessed to be both 2 years ago... And he also testified here in Italy in court in the 90s when we imprisoned the "probable" killer (there was no real evidence so at the end everything remained unknown) 😮😮
The combination of acting and make up made that last season even more terrifying. The accuracy on how some of the actors looked compared to the real life killers was incredible!
Zodiac is to its audience what the case was to the investigators: it leads and misleads, but it works on you flawlessly because it scares you and enthralls you. Gyllenhaal's delivery of “Door to door, that is less than fifty yards” is just one of those flashbulb perfect movie moments to me.
@@veronikahk1826 Well considering the identity of the zodiac killer hasn't ever been confirmed, and the film was very faithful to that notion, no, you did not know who the killer was.
I love that you noticed that Tosci took the tomato off his BLT. Ruffalo did his research and discovered Tosci had an ulcer during the investigation, so he worked those tiny things into the movie.
Ruffalo is probably my favorite performance in a film full of great ones; he or John Carroll Lynch. The animal cracker bit is just perfect detail for his character.
@@mistyxmarlboroit also shows that they really care. With how many people are actually necessary for a film to happen, actors are such a small part of it but get so much credit. So it’s so fulfilling to see actors give their all to these characters they play
In the director’s commentary or behind the scenes Fincher mentions they opted to use CGI for the blood so they had the options to do multiple take without the trouble of continuity. Fincher is known for doing 30,40,50 and sometimes up to 100 takes.
Yeah, and he's kind of nuts. I'm not sure where it is, but Jodie Foster talked about working with Fincher and he'd do 40 identical takes and ask her "which is the best one?" and she'd tell him that he was crazy :)
My fave Fincher film so far. He wanted the film to be even longer than it is, which would have been okay with me. His Mindhunter series is sort of a manifestation of that wish.
Fun Fact: The song that plays during the first murder on 4th July is the exact same song that plays during the end credits after Mike identifies the Zodiac killer.
10:43 You were talking about CGI just prior to this. That entire background is CGI. The amount of effects Fincher uses in this movie is crazy, but what’s even crazier is that you don’t even notice it. It’s flawless.
In case you haven´t watched it yet, I´d recommend "Memories of Murder" from Bong Joon-ho ("Parasite", "Snowpiercer", "The Host"). It came out a few years before "Zodiac" and deals with the forst case of serial murders in South Korea at this time. It´s pretty similar in the ways that it examines the murder cases and is therefore often compared to this movie.
7:55 - This scene is what really happened. The real survivor Bryan Hartnell was asked if he could replay the events of what happened in Lake Berryessa in September 1969. So, Bryan told the director what happened. So, that scene is accruate. That is what makes it so creepy.
At some point you’ve got to do an Edgar Wright Film (Scott Pilgrim vs The World, Shaun of the Dead, or Hot Fuzz). He is so much fun and doesn’t receive the attention he should. His style is so distinct and it’s honestly so much fun. He’s got a film coming out next year too!
it was actually ruined for me because when he killed that woman and wounded her boyfriend under the tree he spoke and i knew his voice later and knew this guy in the basement wasnt him
Hey there James. Fun fact, David Fincher had a ton of fun making this movie that he wanted to expand on it wnd created Mindhuhter. Your guess that it feels like the TV-Series was again on point!
@@JamesVSCinema You can also see how his style evolved, especially with following the characters onscreen, the technical and symbolic nature (especially Mindhunters season 1 and 2 during the interviews with Big Ed, pay close attention to where the camera sits between the protagonists and Ed.) th-cam.com/video/GfqD5WqChUY/w-d-xo.html&ab_channel=Nerdwriter1
Before I watch this video, just wanna say how much I love the scene where he’s in the guys basement and he’s like ‘are you sure you’re alone in the house’...CHILLS
It actually does a great job at presenting the case and informing the audience. It won't make you an expert, but you're certainly not clueless about it.
I can't help but believe Fincher Finger is spot on in believing Allen is the Zodiac when considering how much effort and detail he put into creating this masterpiece
I love the colour pallette in that movie. blue, yellow, red and green in every frame. Such a hard movie to watch but it is one of the best movies of all time imo
Same. It is horrifying. Something between the sound and the complete lack of music just makes it feel so raw and affecting. Horrible. Don't think any other scene like that affects me in the same way.
@@mohammedashian8094 he said he had to look away during this scene because it was so accurate to the real thing, a great testament to his technical input.
David Fincher is by all accounts one of the best directors alive today! Looking forward to seeing you delve into more from him in the future. And great reaction as always!
So glad you checked this one out! Kind of incredible how much information Fincher was able to capture in this film. Couldn't even count the number of times I've seen this one, just so freakin' amazing.
I've had to study a lot about violent encounters and attacks for my profession, and the afternoon stabbing scene in this movie is easily a top 10 most disturbing scene I've ever seen in a film. Most stabbings on film are super realistic, but this one is not. It's probably the most realistic and upsetting stabbing scene I've ever seen on film, and there's something about it that just gets in my head and stays there. I had my finger on the track pad when watching this video, waiting for it to come up so that I could skip past it. I can't even watch it. I don't know if the movie made it clear, but thankfully, the male victim in real life survived the stabbing.
That basement scene hits very close to home with me. Something similair happend to me in the basement of the apartment complexe of my grandma. The lights didnt work, I was very unfamiliar with the place and I could hear someone else bumping around down there with me. Turns out it was a neighbour of hers that didnt hear very well anymore and so she didnt react when I called out for someone a couple of times. Lets just say that after that heart attack I was very embarrassed xD
The picking of the tomato slice from the sandwich was a reference to David Toschi in real life developing a stomach ulcer during his time working on the Zodiac case. The acid in Tomato upsets stomach ulcers.
"I wonder if it's gonna be about the Zodiac Killer ..." The film is based directly from the case files and is essentially an exact recreation of the events haha (Also, the entire environment of the scene where they investigate the cab murder is Computer Generated. The street ain't real 😲)
The blood/gore is digitally enhanced. I'm a fan of the video games by the defunct Looking Glass Studios, and one of the main artists was a man named Dan Thron, who went on to have his own company, creating commercials, and vied for Linklater's "A Scanner Darkly" gig. He went on to work for James Cameron's Digital Domain, did digital mattes for Tron: Legacy, and did work for Zodiac on the blood/gore. He also provided digital matte paintings for Zodiac, which is his main credit listing.
@@Pillowlips77 Fight Club is good, very good in fact. The idea of utilising toxic masculinity to criticise male fragility was genuinely genius, however Fight Club doesn't match Se7en from a plot or characters stand-point. Both are great for different reasons, but I think Se7en wins out; in my opinion Zodiac is better than both, but that's solely because of just how expertly crafted it is.
@@michaelandrews117 Fight Club is much more than that. It touches on consumerism and capitalism too. And was made during a time when there weren't many films talking about mental-health. Fincher in a way normalized that. The themes that run in the film are still relevant today as they were in 1999. Culturally the film had a much bigger impact too. But i guess you could say that the other two are much more refined than FC.
Social media also vilifies people based purely on race/political parties w/o evidence. Binging your catalog now. It’s great to see your patreons count increase. You definitely deserve it. Great videos 🤟🥩 The theater guy with the basement is the voice of Roger Rabbit.
Born and raised in Vallejo, CA. Still here now, back home while I do grad school remotely. Anyway, the Zodiac case is something I've obsessed over my whole life because it happened right here. My father knew the first four victims, went to high school with them, and he drove through the first shooting site every day going to work decades later. These connections to my normal life always fascinated me, along with the fact that he could have still been alive and shopping at the same stores as me.
Most if not all of the blood is CGI. Fincher loves doing multiple takes, probably the main reason he made that choice. The Taxi murder scene where Toschi is introduced is all blue screen background also.
The 8:50 - the blade/blood/wound are most likely all CG. The actor is just holding a prop hilt with a reflective marker on the "stabbing" end. They did something similar in Last Samurai, for scenes where a blade cut through someone. The blade was added in post.
NerdWriter has a great video about Finchers shooting style. The way the camera flows with a character in motion and picks up all of their subtle movements to pull us in even further.
I went to the same college as the Lake Berryessa couple a few (four) years later. We got a talk about being careful at the first assembly. After all, the Zodiac Killer had not been identified. No. We were not careful. We still hiked to the most out-of-the-way places we could find.
David Fincher has 3 Masterpieces in his Filmography which isnt easy to do, those three films are : Zodiac Seven Fight Club Also, you should definitely react to Michael Mann's Masterpiece film called "Heat" starring De Niro and Al Pacino.
Early comment/recommendation before I begin this viddy. Just watched on Prime video last night, The Manchester by the Sea, a dark but still funny, wonderfully edited drama that delves into all aspects and personalities of depression and grief. I don't want to talk anymore about it, but I think I fell in love with it last night. Great cinematography as well but I think the editing takes the cake in it. Does such a good job at weaving a story you don't expect, together.
Great reaction. Loving your channel. Zodiac is my favorite Fincher movie. I love how true to the known facts it is. No changing things for cinematic value. If you notice, the only murders you see are the ones where there was a survivor, or a witness.
Great to see long-time allies Iron Man and The Hulk team up with Mysterio and time travel back to try to stop a serial killer. Kevin Feige really did think of everything. 😉
I absolutely love this movie, it’s important to note that every different scene with the killer he has different clothing on and attitude because it’s accurate to the witness characterizations. Fincher isn’t assuming who the killer was he’s just showing the events as they occurred
This movie is so accurate that the victims even wear the same clothes they did in real life, they also use different actors in all the killing scenes because nobody knows the killers real identity.
Finally a channel and concept I truly care about. Keep going with the vids dude! Parasite is the movie that really blew my mind this past year. I and I’m sure many others would love to see you do that.
Hey James, David Fincher is my all time favourite Director by far.! I love all his films, especially "Se7en", "Fight Club", and "Panic Room" & "Gone Girl". "Zodiac" (The Director's Cut) was a really well made film and a good deep dive into that story, and some great performances from the 3 main actors, especially Jake Gyllenhaal, he's such a great actor.!!! I even like "Alien 3" even though the studio butchered it. And his version of "The Girl With Dragon Tattoo" is top notch, so dark and gritty like most of his films are with the dark twist endings. "The Game" is great also, my least favourite is "The Social Network" , but its still a good film. The attention to detail from Fincher in each of his films is insane.!!! David Fincher has one very impressive filmography.!!! Another great film to react to James. 👍
I like how diverse this channel is in terms of content. You are not afraid to try something new and fresh. Fincher is a genius if it comes to technical production and dialogs. I wish I could see you venture a bit deeper into the rabbit hole and maybe try to get yourself to experience a bit of surrealism from the creators like Bunuel, or Lynch. Would love to see your reaction to Lost Highway. Anyway, fantastic job, always a pleasure to hear your opinion about movies.
Fitting that you said the interrogating scene reminds of Mindhunter since that series is produced by Fincher and he also directed some of the episodes.
James, I recommend a 2nd viewing on your own sometime with Fincher's commentary track on. He tells the whole story of making the film in the director's commentary. After knowing the film, all the extra little things that Fincher points out gave me even greater respect for what an achievement Zodiac is, especially in regards to nailing a specific unique tone. One of the best director's commentaries that I've listened to for anything.
This is a tremendous movie. I love how you capture all the nuances Fincher uses in his visual storytelling. Fincher's Mindhunter is 11 years after this movie. His craft keeps improving and evolving. The 2 seasons I've seen so far are a masterpiece. Characters putting out dialogue in small doses, and easily palatable in a way it keeps our attention. Some viewers may think the slow burn might be boring. But I enjoy it so much.
thanks for another great reaction. I always learn something new about a movie when you react to them, some small details, I would never see or realise myself. so thanks, youre a big inspiration. keep up the good work mate.
The scene with Robert Gray Smith and Bob Vaughn when he tells him that the handwriting on the posters is his, is probably the scariest scene in the movie. I remember all I kept thinking was for Gray Smith to "GET OUT OF THE HOUSE!"
Another thing the cop that interviews Mike Mageau in the end is the same cop who worked at the front desk of the police station where the captain said “he’s solving the zodiac case” and he said “well good for him!”
when I first started with Behavior Science one of the first was of the Zodiac Killer, Jack The Ripper and Black Deliah. I am now a profiler, you are able to see movies about this kind of killings we deal with actual serial killers.
If i remember this correctly, I read somewhere that Fincher moves the camera at the exact same speed as the actor to keep them as the focus which is where all those subtle camera movements you noticed came in. Its so subtle but it adds so much to a shot
You should definitely react to some of Taika Waititi’s orginal movies, everything he’s made so far as been great Eagle vs Shark What We Do In The Shadows Hunt for the WilderPeople And Jojo Rabbit
Another great review. Love this movie and David Fincher for that matter. One of my favorite directors for sure. One thing I really like about him, which is covered in an episode of "Every Frame a Painting" (great TH-cam channel btw) is how motivated his camera is. It almost feels like a character in itself. It seems to be omniscient, as in, it holds all the knowledge, and the framing, the blocking, the movement, is the manner in which it reveals it's knowledge to the viewer.
I love the use of color in this film, like how the newspaper scenes are always saturated in shades of yellow and cream. It reminds me of how newspaper pages turn yellow with age. I'm not sure if that's what they were going for, but that's what came to my mind.
When studying special effects, this film often got hyped up for all its ‘hidden CGI’ The blood in the movie is computer generated in an attempt to make the crime scenes as close to the real scenes according to police reports. Hidden stuff like that is what makes Fincher so great the attention to detail that literally no one would notice. Nice work on spotting it 😀
Really dig how you reference la noire everytime you see any detective work being done on screen lmaoo. I love that game. Keep reacting to fire movies 🔥
David Fincher has become seriously the example of greatness in filmmaking. I know everyone has their "favorite" Fincher movie and to me that's simply the most beautiful thing ever, because only someone with that kind of talent can make a cult like following like his
This film is literally based on real events, it's not Se7en, he didn't create these characters from thin air they're real people, which is why he chose certain shots, and the letters in the movie they get were 100% the real Zodiac Letters. Love your reactions man keep up the great work
David Fincher is a master of creating films that touch on the human condition and the darkest sides of humanity and society at large. He might seem apathetic in his storytelling approach, but it's honest and pure and you have to respect an artist who's great as his craft. Zodiac might be my favorite film of his along with "Se7en" and "Fight Club."
![Doomed, Detected and Caught | Baldur's Gate 3 [Part 58]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/pECS17ZfK6s/mqdefault.jpg)
This movie was..INSANE!! Let me know your thoughts on this movie!
Want to vote on what I should watch next? Click here! www.patreon.com/jamesvscinema
Get ready for JOJO RABBIT movie reaction/commentary Wednesday! :) Enjoy the day!
NOOOO, i still havent seen JoJo hahaha
dammn, banger after banger after banger
Spotlight.
SUSPIRIA ARGENTO
Watch “the place beyond the pines” next!
Fincher actually had different actors play the Zodiac in every scene to reflect the confusion and conflicting reports regarding the Zodiac.
I love that from the outset, he only wanted to depict Zodiac murders where there was a survivor who could describe the situation, hence the omittance of David Faraday and Betty Jensen, and the overhead CG shot with Paul Stine's murder.
@@GabbasaurusRex We see Paul Stine get shot. We see the gun placed next to his head. Also, there were witnesses who watched Zodiac interact with Stine’s body (kids in a house across the street).
Never knew this before and I always wondered this! Love it
I am from Italy and do you know there is a teory about Zodiac being also "Mostro di Firenze" (Florence's Monster)?? A serial killer who murdered 14/16 people around 1974-1985?? An american ex soldier confessed to be both 2 years ago... And he also testified here in Italy in court in the 90s when we imprisoned the "probable" killer (there was no real evidence so at the end everything remained unknown) 😮😮
Clever!
Mindhunter was actually produced by Fincher and he also directed a few episodes.
Makes perfect sense now!
@@JamesVSCinema Fincher produced both Mindhunter & Love, Death, & Robots for Netflix.
@@JamesVSCinema please react to mindhunters, please please please please i would love your input on that show not to mention you would love it!
watch Mindhunter the movie!
The combination of acting and make up made that last season even more terrifying. The accuracy on how some of the actors looked compared to the real life killers was incredible!
Zodiac is to its audience what the case was to the investigators: it leads and misleads, but it works on you flawlessly because it scares you and enthralls you.
Gyllenhaal's delivery of “Door to door, that is less than fifty yards” is just one of those flashbulb perfect movie moments to me.
The basement scene is so scary. I have never been so scared before
Yeah the lighting was so ominous!
It's funny because Bob Vaughn is played by Charles Fleischer who did the voice of Roger Rabbit.
CandyGenius What? Thats insane
you weren't paying attention then because by the basement scene I already knew who the murderer was by his voice
@@veronikahk1826 Well considering the identity of the zodiac killer hasn't ever been confirmed, and the film was very faithful to that notion, no, you did not know who the killer was.
I love that you noticed that Tosci took the tomato off his BLT. Ruffalo did his research and discovered Tosci had an ulcer during the investigation, so he worked those tiny things into the movie.
Ruffalo is probably my favorite performance in a film full of great ones; he or John Carroll Lynch. The animal cracker bit is just perfect detail for his character.
I love when actors, directors, etc really do their research & add small details like that. It makes the movie feel even more realistic!
@@mistyxmarlboroit also shows that they really care. With how many people are actually necessary for a film to happen, actors are such a small part of it but get so much credit. So it’s so fulfilling to see actors give their all to these characters they play
In the director’s commentary or behind the scenes Fincher mentions they opted to use CGI for the blood so they had the options to do multiple take without the trouble of continuity. Fincher is known for doing 30,40,50 and sometimes up to 100 takes.
Yeah, and he's kind of nuts. I'm not sure where it is, but Jodie Foster talked about working with Fincher and he'd do 40 identical takes and ask her "which is the best one?" and she'd tell him that he was crazy :)
My fave Fincher film so far. He wanted the film to be even longer than it is, which would have been okay with me. His Mindhunter series is sort of a manifestation of that wish.
Mindhunter is phenomenal!
Mine as well. I love how specific it is. And yes Mindhunter is clearly a great addition to this kind of crime nerd cinema :D.
James VS Cinema please react to Se7en
Fun Fact: The song that plays during the first murder on 4th July is the exact same song that plays during the end credits after Mike identifies the Zodiac killer.
Donovan - Hurdy Gurdy Man
What a song that fits perfectly in this masterpiece
10:43
You were talking about CGI just prior to this. That entire background is CGI. The amount of effects Fincher uses in this movie is crazy, but what’s even crazier is that you don’t even notice it. It’s flawless.
wow i had no idea
He wanted to make it as close to the real events from Graysmith's accounts as possible which is why CGI was used and yes it was done great
In case you haven´t watched it yet, I´d recommend "Memories of Murder" from Bong Joon-ho ("Parasite", "Snowpiercer", "The Host"). It came out a few years before "Zodiac" and deals with the forst case of serial murders in South Korea at this time. It´s pretty similar in the ways that it examines the murder cases and is therefore often compared to this movie.
Hell yeah!
@@LittleV179 Give some love to "Mother".
can never get enough of these tipes of movies, and they are all finches xDDD,, sooo im definitely checking that out, thx man
Absolutely
7:55 - This scene is what really happened. The real survivor Bryan Hartnell was asked if he could replay the events of what happened in Lake Berryessa in September 1969. So, Bryan told the director what happened. So, that scene is accruate. That is what makes it so creepy.
I think this is Fincher's most perfectly crafted movie.
Without a doubt. It is perfect. I love Gone Girl, Se7en, Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, and The Game, but Zodiac is on another level.
@@drewfleming5584 fight club is number 1
I agree. It’s infinitely rewatchable…
i’m actually really impressed with how much you add to the film as oppose to a lot of reactors who just watch and nod.
That’s awesome to hear! Happy being able to add some value!
I know! He’s definitely one of the best reactors I’ve ever seen. Got me into film reactions.
22:39 The first Clint Eastwood "Dirty Harry" movie had a plot/villain similar to the Zodiac Killings.
At some point you’ve got to do an Edgar Wright Film (Scott Pilgrim vs The World, Shaun of the Dead, or Hot Fuzz). He is so much fun and doesn’t receive the attention he should. His style is so distinct and it’s honestly so much fun.
He’s got a film coming out next year too!
Man that last line where it says Graysmith hasn’t received one creepy call since Allen’s death gave me chills
I adore this film and as a result I'm convinced Allen was the Zodiac
The basement scene is my favorite part of the whole movie. Just leave it to David Fincher to create suspense. Looking forward to your next reaction.
Exactly, it can go 0 to 100 like that!
it was actually ruined for me because when he killed that woman and wounded her boyfriend under the tree he spoke and i knew his voice later and knew this guy in the basement wasnt him
That stabbing is one of the most realistic scenes I've ever seen. Absolutely brutal.
I still think about it at random years after seeing it. Hard to imagine a situation more horrible and helpless to be in. Nightmare fuel
Most disturbing scene I ever seen... Zodiac is on my top 10 favorite movies of all time but I can't watch that scene anymore
Hey there James. Fun fact, David Fincher had a ton of fun making this movie that he wanted to expand on it wnd created Mindhuhter. Your guess that it feels like the TV-Series was again on point!
That’s awesome! The two felt so similar!
@@JamesVSCinema You can also see how his style evolved, especially with following the characters onscreen, the technical and symbolic nature (especially Mindhunters season 1 and 2 during the interviews with Big Ed, pay close attention to where the camera sits between the protagonists and Ed.) th-cam.com/video/GfqD5WqChUY/w-d-xo.html&ab_channel=Nerdwriter1
Before I watch this video, just wanna say how much I love the scene where he’s in the guys basement and he’s like ‘are you sure you’re alone in the house’...CHILLS
Yeah the sound design was EPIC!
Person: "I'm not an expert on the zodiac killer"
•Watches Zodiac•
Same person later: "I'm an expert on the zodiac killer"
It actually does a great job at presenting the case and informing the audience. It won't make you an expert, but you're certainly not clueless about it.
I can't help but believe Fincher Finger is spot on in believing Allen is the Zodiac when considering how much effort and detail he put into creating this masterpiece
I’d love to see what you’d think of “I Saw the Devil”...it’s a pretty intense thriller from Korea...but the cinematography is phenomenal!
I’ll have to add that one soon!
I love the colour pallette in that movie. blue, yellow, red and green in every frame. Such a hard movie to watch but it is one of the best movies of all time imo
this one is a great choice. But a looot to censor ;)
That movie is insane
My favorite Korean film, and that's saying a lot considering the wave of masterpieces that have been coming out of there for the past 20 or so years.
The most disturbing murder I've seen in film, by the lake and I'm 54 and love movies.
Same. It is horrifying. Something between the sound and the complete lack of music just makes it feel so raw and affecting. Horrible. Don't think any other scene like that affects me in the same way.
Same here. That scene always stayed with me. Something about the way he’s stabbing seems so real it’s really f****** disturbing
Hands down the most disturbing scene I’ve ever seen
It was also the exact location where the crime happened too.
@@mohammedashian8094 he said he had to look away during this scene because it was so accurate to the real thing, a great testament to his technical input.
The editing in the scene where Robert Downey Jr Lights the cigar and reading the letter is outstanding
It’s July 2024 & you have over 146K subscribers!! It’s been so awesome to watch you grow!!
I highly recommend Se7en, it’s a truly phenomenal film. Great reaction!
Appreciate you Wyatt!
David Fincher is by all accounts one of the best directors alive today! Looking forward to seeing you delve into more from him in the future.
And great reaction as always!
I can see why! And thank you brother!
At 20:12 the way he just drops the nice guy act and bluntly says “I’m not the zodiac” just gives me chills every time
So glad you checked this one out! Kind of incredible how much information Fincher was able to capture in this film. Couldn't even count the number of times I've seen this one, just so freakin' amazing.
I've had to study a lot about violent encounters and attacks for my profession, and the afternoon stabbing scene in this movie is easily a top 10 most disturbing scene I've ever seen in a film. Most stabbings on film are super realistic, but this one is not. It's probably the most realistic and upsetting stabbing scene I've ever seen on film, and there's something about it that just gets in my head and stays there. I had my finger on the track pad when watching this video, waiting for it to come up so that I could skip past it. I can't even watch it. I don't know if the movie made it clear, but thankfully, the male victim in real life survived the stabbing.
Yeah that scene was most definitely the most disturbing
That basement scene hits very close to home with me. Something similair happend to me in the basement of the apartment complexe of my grandma. The lights didnt work, I was very unfamiliar with the place and I could hear someone else bumping around down there with me. Turns out it was a neighbour of hers that didnt hear very well anymore and so she didnt react when I called out for someone a couple of times. Lets just say that after that heart attack I was very embarrassed xD
Hahaha oh my god I would’ve been so damn spooked haha
@@JamesVSCinema Yeah for sure man! And that was the last time I went down there alone, I'll tell ya that.
The picking of the tomato slice from the sandwich was a reference to David Toschi in real life developing a stomach ulcer during his time working on the Zodiac case.
The acid in Tomato upsets stomach ulcers.
"I wonder if it's gonna be about the Zodiac Killer ..." The film is based directly from the case files and is essentially an exact recreation of the events haha
(Also, the entire environment of the scene where they investigate the cab murder is Computer Generated. The street ain't real 😲)
when it comes to the holy trinity of 2007, it goes
1 Zodiac
2 There Will Be Blood
3 No Country For Old Men
I thought no country for old men was 2008. Still a great movie though
My vote for your next reaction is for 'L.A. Confidential'. You'll adore it. Curtis Hanson's best film (though 'Wonderboys' is also, uh, wonderful).
I concur! One of my favorites!
Great Film
Masterpiece
Great choice.
Brett Schacht I do like Wonder Boys. I think it gets overlooked a bit. But yeah, LA Confidential is absolutely a film worth reacting to!
The blood/gore is digitally enhanced. I'm a fan of the video games by the defunct Looking Glass Studios, and one of the main artists was a man named Dan Thron, who went on to have his own company, creating commercials, and vied for Linklater's "A Scanner Darkly" gig. He went on to work for James Cameron's Digital Domain, did digital mattes for Tron: Legacy, and did work for Zodiac on the blood/gore. He also provided digital matte paintings for Zodiac, which is his main credit listing.
Fincher? In case you havent seen "Seven" ... this is Finchers best movie of all time
100% agree. if he hasn't seen it he should definetely react to it
Seven is really good. But Fight Club is surely the best.
Bruh my parents showed me seven when I was like six lol.. that movie had me messed up
@@Pillowlips77 Fight Club is good, very good in fact.
The idea of utilising toxic masculinity to criticise male fragility was genuinely genius, however Fight Club doesn't match Se7en from a plot or characters stand-point.
Both are great for different reasons, but I think Se7en wins out; in my opinion Zodiac is better than both, but that's solely because of just how expertly crafted it is.
@@michaelandrews117 Fight Club is much more than that. It touches on consumerism and capitalism too. And was made during a time when there weren't many films talking about mental-health. Fincher in a way normalized that. The themes that run in the film are still relevant today as they were in 1999. Culturally the film had a much bigger impact too.
But i guess you could say that the other two are much more refined than FC.
You'd never know it because of how well it's used, but like 90% of the blood in this is CGI.
So how's this for a mind blown moment? Bob Vaughn, the creepy dude, has the same actor as Roger Rabbit.
Holy shit!!
Social media also vilifies people based purely on race/political parties w/o evidence.
Binging your catalog now. It’s great to see your patreons count increase. You definitely deserve it.
Great videos 🤟🥩
The theater guy with the basement is the voice of Roger Rabbit.
Born and raised in Vallejo, CA. Still here now, back home while I do grad school remotely. Anyway, the Zodiac case is something I've obsessed over my whole life because it happened right here. My father knew the first four victims, went to high school with them, and he drove through the first shooting site every day going to work decades later. These connections to my normal life always fascinated me, along with the fact that he could have still been alive and shopping at the same stores as me.
Most if not all of the blood is CGI. Fincher loves doing multiple takes, probably the main reason he made that choice. The Taxi murder scene where Toschi is introduced is all blue screen background also.
I’m so glad you did this! One of my all time favorites. The detail is unbelievable. And the performances are just ...perfect.
I watched this film so long ago, forgot it existed. However I’m excited for the reaction, fantastic film.
Hahaha my man! 🙏🏽
The 8:50 - the blade/blood/wound are most likely all CG. The actor is just holding a prop hilt with a reflective marker on the "stabbing" end. They did something similar in Last Samurai, for scenes where a blade cut through someone. The blade was added in post.
I think you talking over the end part was copyright claimed, there was no sound.
NerdWriter has a great video about Finchers shooting style. The way the camera flows with a character in motion and picks up all of their subtle movements to pull us in even further.
I went to the same college as the Lake Berryessa couple a few (four) years later. We got a talk about being careful at the first assembly. After all, the Zodiac Killer had not been identified.
No. We were not careful. We still hiked to the most out-of-the-way places we could find.
So happy seing you watch thins movie for the first time. It's one of my fave's
Anytime Mero!
Almost 10k Keep up the grind. You’ll be at 100 in no time!
Hahaha yeah it’s pretty cool seeing the community grow!
David Fincher has 3 Masterpieces in his Filmography which isnt easy to do, those three films are :
Zodiac
Seven
Fight Club
Also, you should definitely react to Michael Mann's Masterpiece film called "Heat" starring De Niro and Al Pacino.
Early comment/recommendation before I begin this viddy.
Just watched on Prime video last night, The Manchester by the Sea, a dark but still funny, wonderfully edited drama that delves into all aspects and personalities of depression and grief.
I don't want to talk anymore about it, but I think I fell in love with it last night.
Great cinematography as well but I think the editing takes the cake in it. Does such a good job at weaving a story you don't expect, together.
Oh I saw that movie! Hauntingly depressing but really great film!
Great reaction. Loving your channel. Zodiac is my favorite Fincher movie. I love how true to the known facts it is. No changing things for cinematic value. If you notice, the only murders you see are the ones where there was a survivor, or a witness.
Great to see long-time allies Iron Man and The Hulk team up with Mysterio and time travel back to try to stop a serial killer.
Kevin Feige really did think of everything. 😉
They all teamed up to take on The Riddler.
This movie is so tense and never really lets off with it. Its crazy they never actually caught this guy.
That’s the craziest part! Love how it sorta lives on as an open case..literally showing how mad it can drive people!
The story is so good and it flows so well you kind of almost forget how well acted it is too. Its easy to forget they're actors and not real people.
I absolutely love this movie, it’s important to note that every different scene with the killer he has different clothing on and attitude because it’s accurate to the witness characterizations. Fincher isn’t assuming who the killer was he’s just showing the events as they occurred
This movie is so accurate that the victims even wear the same clothes they did in real life, they also use different actors in all the killing scenes because nobody knows the killers real identity.
David Fincher is producer on Mindhunter, that's why you get those vibes from this film.
Makes sense!
My personal fav fincher film, love the channel bro keep it up.
Definitely my favorite serial killer movie.
What makes it so good and scary is that it's true and the heavy atmosphere.
Just brilliant.
You have to see Seven. To me, its Finchers masterpiece. Great acting and direction.
Love your meaningful commentary. Other channels just watch it and react, but you always have something to say. Great work!
Happy to hear that Christian! Love being able to hopefully educate others on films or at least my thoughts!
Finally a channel and concept I truly care about. Keep going with the vids dude! Parasite is the movie that really blew my mind this past year. I and I’m sure many others would love to see you do that.
So glad you're watching this. It's one of my all time faves. I've watched it SOOOOO many times.
Hey James, David Fincher is my all time favourite Director by far.!
I love all his films, especially "Se7en", "Fight Club", and "Panic Room" & "Gone Girl".
"Zodiac" (The Director's Cut) was a really well made film and a good deep dive into that story, and some great performances from the 3 main actors, especially Jake Gyllenhaal, he's such a great actor.!!!
I even like "Alien 3" even though the studio butchered it.
And his version of "The Girl With Dragon Tattoo" is top notch, so dark and gritty like most of his films are with the dark twist endings.
"The Game" is great also, my least favourite is "The Social Network" , but its still a good film.
The attention to detail from Fincher in each of his films is insane.!!!
David Fincher has one very impressive filmography.!!!
Another great film to react to James. 👍
I like how diverse this channel is in terms of content. You are not afraid to try something new and fresh. Fincher is a genius if it comes to technical production and dialogs. I wish I could see you venture a bit deeper into the rabbit hole and maybe try to get yourself to experience a bit of surrealism from the creators like Bunuel, or Lynch. Would love to see your reaction to Lost Highway. Anyway, fantastic job, always a pleasure to hear your opinion about movies.
That’s awesome to hear David! I love all art forms. I make sure not to stick to one genre!
Fitting that you said the interrogating scene reminds of Mindhunter since that series is produced by Fincher and he also directed some of the episodes.
Well that makes sense now!
I think I’ve watched this more than any other film. You get something new from it on every viewing.
It’s definitely worth the multiple viewings!
Been waiting for you to watch this. So damn good.
Hahaha yeah it was crazy!
Fincher is my absolute fav. I watch his movies over and over. Mesmerizing. “The Game”, “Fight Club”, “Seven”, “...dragon tattoo”, etc etc
James, I recommend a 2nd viewing on your own sometime with Fincher's commentary track on. He tells the whole story of making the film in the director's commentary. After knowing the film, all the extra little things that Fincher points out gave me even greater respect for what an achievement Zodiac is, especially in regards to nailing a specific unique tone. One of the best director's commentaries that I've listened to for anything.
This is a tremendous movie. I love how you capture all the nuances Fincher uses in his visual storytelling. Fincher's Mindhunter is 11 years after this movie. His craft keeps improving and evolving. The 2 seasons I've seen so far are a masterpiece. Characters putting out dialogue in small doses, and easily palatable in a way it keeps our attention. Some viewers may think the slow burn might be boring. But I enjoy it so much.
I think me knowing Mindhunter actually helped me view this movie haha I had no idea the two were linked!
@@JamesVSCinema Montage of Tench and Holden eating in diners are some of my favorite scenes in Mindhunter.
thanks for another great reaction. I always learn something new about a movie when you react to them, some small details, I would never see or realise myself. so thanks, youre a big inspiration. keep up the good work mate.
This makes my day hearing this! Thank you for commenting!
How did I never see this reaction?!?! I’m so excited to watch this!!
The scene with Robert Gray Smith and Bob Vaughn when he tells him that the handwriting on the posters is his, is probably the scariest scene in the movie. I remember all I kept thinking was for Gray Smith to "GET OUT OF THE HOUSE!"
One of my absolute fav suspense movies. That mother and baby scene was the scariest for me.
You should react to I’m thinking of ending things on Netflix
Another thing the cop that interviews Mike Mageau in the end is the same cop who worked at the front desk of the police station where the captain said “he’s solving the zodiac case” and he said “well good for him!”
when I first started with Behavior Science one of the first was of the Zodiac Killer, Jack The Ripper and Black Deliah. I am now a profiler, you are able to see movies about this kind of killings we deal with actual serial killers.
If i remember this correctly, I read somewhere that Fincher moves the camera at the exact same speed as the actor to keep them as the focus which is where all those subtle camera movements you noticed came in. Its so subtle but it adds so much to a shot
You should definitely react to some of Taika Waititi’s orginal movies, everything he’s made so far as been great
Eagle vs Shark
What We Do In The Shadows
Hunt for the WilderPeople
And Jojo Rabbit
that stabbing scene was so brutal and realistic. it really stays in your mind afterwards.
This is a pretty flawless film.
Another great review. Love this movie and David Fincher for that matter. One of my favorite directors for sure. One thing I really like about him, which is covered in an episode of "Every Frame a Painting" (great TH-cam channel btw) is how motivated his camera is. It almost feels like a character in itself. It seems to be omniscient, as in, it holds all the knowledge, and the framing, the blocking, the movement, is the manner in which it reveals it's knowledge to the viewer.
I love the use of color in this film, like how the newspaper scenes are always saturated in shades of yellow and cream. It reminds me of how newspaper pages turn yellow with age. I'm not sure if that's what they were going for, but that's what came to my mind.
When studying special effects, this film often got hyped up for all its ‘hidden CGI’ The blood in the movie is computer generated in an attempt to make the crime scenes as close to the real scenes according to police reports. Hidden stuff like that is what makes Fincher so great the attention to detail that literally no one would notice. Nice work on spotting it 😀
Ahhhh makes sense! I was wondering that!
The colours of this film are so fucking cool. Those yellows at the beginning are so good.
dude, would absolutely LOVE to see your reactions to Mindhunter
I think you would really enjoy the social network. Another David Fincher gem.
thanks for doing this man!!! keep it up 💯
Of course Paul! You the man!
Really dig how you reference la noire everytime you see any detective work being done on screen lmaoo. I love that game. Keep reacting to fire movies 🔥
Hahaha I’m a gamer at heart! Glad you caught that! 🙏🏽
David Fincher has become seriously the example of greatness in filmmaking. I know everyone has their "favorite" Fincher movie and to me that's simply the most beautiful thing ever, because only someone with that kind of talent can make a cult like following like his
The film The Invitation (2015) Is really great if you haven't seen it. Very well shot and a whole bunch of edge-sitting tension.
This film is literally based on real events, it's not Se7en, he didn't create these characters from thin air they're real people, which is why he chose certain shots, and the letters in the movie they get were 100% the real Zodiac Letters. Love your reactions man keep up the great work
Loving your reactions :) Zodiac is for me the greatest nonfiction/serial killer/newspaper film I ever saw.
Jake Gyllenhaal is like the modern day Daniel Day Lewis, he owns every role he's in, Jarhead is another good film of his i like.
David Fincher is a master of creating films that touch on the human condition and the darkest sides of humanity and society at large. He might seem apathetic in his storytelling approach, but it's honest and pure and you have to respect an artist who's great as his craft. Zodiac might be my favorite film of his along with "Se7en" and "Fight Club."
He’s extremely great with the human condition in films!
Hell yeah! 💯💯 Star studded! Beautifully shot & Written.
Agreed Aaron! This film was epic!
He takes the name Arthur again at 20:30 and this time he didn't object, that's where I knew he was it!