Killer: A Journal of Murder

Play trailer

Killer: A Journal of Murder

R

1996

1h 30m

Drama

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

Tomatometer

4 Reviews

47%

Popcornmeter

1,000+ Ratings

After Carl Panzram (James Woods) is sent to Leavenworth Prison for burglary, a young guard named Henry Lesser (Robert Sean Leonard) reaches out to him. As this unlikely friendship develops, Panzram begins to write down his life story -- and in doing so, admits to murdering a string of people. In jail, Panzram also shows his dangerous, violent streak by beating a guard to death. When Panzram is sentenced to death, Lesser still tries to help him, even though he knows the man is truly a killer.

Watch on Fandango at Home

Buy Now

Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

Metcalfe's casting of James Woods as the killer is a good choice, and Woods gives a powerful, searing performance. He does not compromise Panzram, or soften him. But the movie does, by withholding information.

Rated: 2/4

Jan 1, 2000

Full Review

Chuck O'Leary

Fantastica Daily

Rated: 3/5

Oct 10, 2005

Full Review

Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

Rated: 2/5

Jun 19, 2005

Full Review

Steve Rhodes

Internet Reviews

Rated: 2/4

Jan 1, 2000

Full Review

Read all reviews

steve d

James Woods is great the script has been done before.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Ultimately this was a sad excuse of recounting serial killer Panzram days in prison. It focused more on the relationship with the prison gaurd he befriended which made for a dull story.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

02/03/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Showing an unlikely bond between a convict and a prison guard, both Woods and Leonard play their characters very convincingly in this hard-hitting thriller.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/07/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Killer - A Journal of Murder turns out to be more like Killer - A Journal of Love. 87 minutes of two guys ''bonding.'' I went from expecting James Woods to slice and dice, to thinking - just kiss already.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

02/23/23

Full Review

Audience Member

More for fans/admirers/researchers of Charles «Carl» Panzram, however, it does contain a good amount of quotable material. Some critics apparently were expecting some sort of Horror film; it carries on more like a slow-paced, dramatic indictment of the mechanically indifferent U.S. prison system.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/16/23

Full Review

Audience Member

A prison drama of a cold-blooded murder, based on a true story. Worth watching alone for James Woods excellent performance.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/19/23

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Tim Metcalfe

Director

James Woods

Carl Panzram

Robert Sean Leonard

Henry Lesser

Ellen Greene

Elizabeth Wyatt

Cara Buono

Esther Lesser

Robert John Burke

R.G. Greiser

Show Less Cast & Crew

Show More Cast & Crew

View more photos

Synopsis

After Carl Panzram (James Woods) is sent to Leavenworth Prison for burglary, a young guard named Henry Lesser (Robert Sean Leonard) reaches out to him. As this unlikely friendship develops, Panzram begins to write down his life story -- and in doing so, admits to murdering a string of people. In jail, Panzram also shows his dangerous, violent streak by beating a guard to death. When Panzram is sentenced to death, Lesser still tries to help him, even though he knows the man is truly a killer.

Director: Tim Metcalfe
Producer: Janet Yang, Mark Levinson
Screenwriter: Tim Metcalfe
Rating: R
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 6, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA): $65.7K
Runtime: 1h 30m
Sound Mix: Surround

Most Popular at Home Now