Confessions of a Serial Killer: Director's Cut (Collector's Edition) – Unearthed Classics (Blu-ray)

Release Date: USA, 1985
Director: Mark Blair
Writer: Mark Blair
Cast: Robert A. Burns, Dennis Hill, Berkley Garrett, Sidney Brammer, DeeDee Norton, Ollie Handley

Release Date: July 23rd, 2024
Approximate Running Time: 106 Minutes 32 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1 Aspect Ratio / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: LPCM Mono English
Subtitles: English, English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $39.95

"After being arrested, Daniel Ray Hawkins, a Texas man begins confessing to the brutal murder of over 200 women in this grim account of human tragedy." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.25/5

Confessions of a Serial Killer comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 37.7 GB

Feature: 28.8 GB

The source looks great; it's hard to imagine it could look any better. Also, grain often looks thick, and image clarity is not as strong in darker moments. That said, flesh tones look healthy, colors look accurate, compression is very good, and the image retains an organic look.

Audio: 4.25/5

This release comes with one audio option, a LPCM mono mix in English. The audio sounds clean, clear, and balanced. That said, this is not a track that's going to wow you; it is dialog-driven. There are removable English subtitles and removable English SDH.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a polaroid image gallery with music from the film playing in the background, a promotional image gallery with music from the film playing in the background, trailer #1 (1 minute 34 seconds, LPCM mono English, no subtitles), trailer #2 (1 minute 45 seconds, LPCM mono English, no subtitles), a documentary about Robert A. Burns and actor Rondo Hatton titled Rondo and Bob (100 minutes 18 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English with removable English SDH), The Henry Lee Lucas Story by author and TV news correspondent James Moore (6 minutes 12 seconds, LPCM stereo English, no subtitles), an audio commentary with director John 'Mark Blair' Dwyer, cinematographer Layton Blaylock and actress Sidney Brammer, and a slipcover (limited to the first pressing).

Summary:

Confessions of a Serial Killer is loosely based on the crimes of Henry Lee Lucas, who confessed to killing over 200 women. Though so many elements in Confessions of a Serial Killer, notably the protagonist, are clearly a reference to Henry Lee Lucas and his crimes, the end result is not a direct retelling. That said, the result is a journey of an unrepentant protagonist who nonchalantly gives the police details about his crimes.

The narrative alternates between the present and the past. The police have brought the protagonist in, and he recounts the details of his crimes. Though the narrative does a great job balancing the present and the past, at just under 107 minutes in length, there are a few moments that slow down the momentum.

Though made on a limited budget, Confessions of a Serial Killer makes its limitations work in its favor, especially when it comes to the visuals, which have a documentary-like look to them. The murder set pieces are another area in which the visuals excel. These intentionally graphic moments perfectly offset the mundane interrogation moments.

The most surprising aspect of Robert A. Burns' chilling portrayal of the protagonist—what appears like a meek person outwardly—is actually someone overflowing with rage. The moments where his character draws in his victim are the moments where his performance shines brightest. That said, Robert A. Burns overshadows most of the cast with his excellent performance. Ultimately, Confessions of a Serial Killer, despite being compared to Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer, (which came out a year later), firmly stands on its own.

Confessions of a Serial Killer gets a definitive release from Unearthed Films, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer