Product Details

• Format: NTSC
• Rated: R (Restricted)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Warner Home Video
• VHS Release Date: March 25, 1987
• Run Time: 99 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 1.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6300271323
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #320,501 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Stacy Keach plays Lou Ford, a deputy sheriff whose brutal childhood experiences have left him emotionally warped. Ford is prized by his community for his no-mercy treatment of criminals. But the danger that he will snap and begin killing indiscriminately is ever-present. Based on the novel by Jim Thompson, in this adaptation Ford's psychotic breaks are signalled by lightning flashes. Director Burt Kennedy handles his material in the manner of his earlier WELCOME TO HARD TIMES: nothing is quite of this earth, and everything is painted in broad, violent morality-play strokes. (AllMovies)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Solid performance by Keach, but read the book first., January 21, 1999

By 

Douglas R. Williams - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Killer Inside Me (DVD)

Keach plays a deputy sheriff in a small town who's everyone's buddy. He's the kind of guy who settles barfights and counsels couples and gets kids cats down out of trees. Thing is, he's also a psychopathic killer who's quickly losing his grip on reality, and his ability to fool the people around him. KILLER INSIDE ME follows him through his rapid decline and ultimate doom. I looked for YEARS to find this movie, because I'm a HUGE fan of the book of the same name by Jim Thompson (who also wrote THE GETAWAY, THE GRIFTERS, and a number of other gritty, suspenseful books that became solid films). Ultimately, I was a little disappointed with this movie. In the book, the main character (it's told in first person from his perspective) is pure evil personified. He knows what he's doing is wrong and doesn't care a bit. In fact, he gets off on it! Hollywood had to make Keach a "poor victim" by pitching him as a nice guy whose terrible childhood catches up with him, and that kind of blew is for me. I mean, we're supposed to be rooting AGAINST this guy! That's the whole irony of the book! That said, Keach's performance is great (the way his eyes glaze over when his evil side comes out is just perfect), as is Susan Tyrell's performance as a scheming hooker. (Tyrell also co-starred with Keach in John Huston's wonderful FAT CITY, a film I HIGHLY recommend.) There aren't ANY extra features on this DVD (no production notes, commentaries, etc), and it's in full-screen, but you can't beat the price! In short, I'd recommend this movie if you're a Keach/Jim Thompson fan, but you should read the book (which I'd just bet you could find right here on this site) first.

5 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Great book, bad movie, February 21, 2000

By 

Nicholas C. Parsons (Atlanta, GA.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Killer Inside Me (DVD)

I was excited about seeing this movie because I am a huge Jim Thompson fan. Unfortunately, the people involved in producing this movie were unable to replicate the feel of the novel.

0 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars not good, September 18, 2003

By 

Hugo (Florida, US) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Killer Inside Me (DVD)

i bought this dvd and i regret it completely... it sounds really bad for what i had expected