Product Details

• Actors: Aimee Brooks, C. Thomas Howell, Lin Shaye, Nicholas Turturro, Cletus Young
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, DTS Surround Sound, DVD, Widescreen, NTSC
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: R (Restricted)
• Studio: Tartan Video
• DVD Release Date: November 9, 2004
• Run Time: 96 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000FZEQBY
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #265,748 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

This film is based on the true story of the Hillside Strangler serial killings that terrorized Los Angeles in 1978 and 1979, but what no one knew was that the brutal murders were the work of not one man, but two; cousins Kenneth Bianchi and Angelo Buono. Hillside Strangler, is a frank, no-holds-barred account of this chilling true story starring C. Thomas Howell (Bianchi) and Nicholas Turturro (Buono).

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars W T F ?, April 11, 2005

By 

sinisterfiend666 (the master of Horror) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hillside Strangler (R-Rated Edition) (DVD)

I WAS going to give this FOUR stars, but I will now give it FIVE stars to offset these idiots. All I can say is I'm shocked at these reviews. Let me quote, someone says it had too much "Gratuitous sex and violence" another reviewer says "really horrific and in bad taste" yet admits to liking serial killer movies. I want to smack the dumb out of all of you. This is what serial killers are people! They hurt people, they torture people, they bring their victims into the darkest corner of their minds. If you did not like this movie, than you just do not like serial killer movies, because contrary to what the other reviewers say, THIS MOVIE IS ABOUT 85% ACCURATE to what really happened, as appose to all the other serial killer movies that reviewer "rhmoviemogal "russ" mentioned. For example, the Dahmer movie that he mentions being the best was the most inaccurate of them all. The movie told about how much Jeffrey loved one guy, and the whole movie was a love story. Jeff was nothing like that. He picked up new men every week and slaughtered them, he was not attached to them, he just wanted them for lust, not love. The movie also didn't capture dahmers violence, which was some of the worst in history. (not that the movie board would let that movie be released)
ANYWAY, back to this movie: I thought this movie was a 4 star movie, because it could have had more action, with that aside, the movie pays close attention to details that actually happened. Feel free to research these: For example, they really did receive a list with escort's names on it from a girl. That girl's list DID cause them to get a shake down, which led them to killing her. He DID give his wife/girlfriend a ring of one of the victims he killed. They DID pull over people with sirens and badges. Every victim in this movie was portrayed as the real victims they represented. The girl the gets nabbed and tries to run because she knows they are fake cops was real, in reality an elder neighbor witnesses this and was too scared to call the cops. They DID leave bodies out in the open and liked the media publicity. I could go on and on, just compare some of the most minor scenes in this movie to reality and you will see. Look up the case. Which leads me to the 15% that is inaccurate. These guys dressed up in full uniform when they where impersonating officers, in the movie, they were in street cloths. AND ARE YOU READY FOR THIS ALL YOU "TOO MUCH VIOLENCE" CRY BABIES? Most of the horrifying violence was left out!!!! (just like most of these movies) These guys burned the women with cigarettes, and did horrible things to them that I cannot even put in this review. Plus, the movie does not mention that MOST of their victims where underage and not all of them were street trash. One victim was a high school honor roll student. Most of their victims ranged from 12-18. The movie also doesn't not touch base on the court trial where one of the killers tries to convince the judge he has a split personality.
MY point is, stop looking for drama in a serial killer movies. As the name "serial killer" applies. They are killers. There is nothing glamorous about them. So go home to your moms and cry! You big baby! Stop trying to candy coat killers

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Pull your head out wimps., June 27, 2006

By 

Barry Brandon (Phoenix, AZ) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Hillside Strangler (R-Rated Edition) (DVD)

I am so sick of the negative reviews about this film witch in my mind should be a cult classic. I love this movie for the fact that I felt so creeped out by these scum bags, my god the two main characters were born to play there rolls. I am with the other reviewer who thought this was a 4 star movie but bumped it up to 5 to help stave off the cry babies. I am so impressed with C Thomas Howell with his role that I would want to see his next film and he is usually the kiss of death.
Look I have seen 100's of horror and thrillers in my day and I swear this film feels real and gritty to me.
By this bad boy used for a stinking $1.50 and you will not be sorry.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A SOLID TRUE CRIME DRAMA!!!!, September 27, 2008

By 

Brian Burt "The Opinionator" (Realityland) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Hillside Strangler (R-Rated Edition) (DVD)

I'm siding with the 5-star folks on this one. The acting was great. Both Howell and Turturro turn in superior performances. The supporting cast, especially the victums and the killer's family, are also great. The only thing keeping C. Thomas Howell from being an A lister is that he isn't ethnic enough for general audiences; his acting skills are fantastic!