Back in the 90s the chilling case of serial killers Paul Bernardo and Karla Homolka exposed Toronto to their disturbing crimes of abduction, sexual assault and murder of young girls. Imagine if Bernardo and Homolka had never been caught. Envision a relentless spree of mysterious disappearances and unsolved murders terrorizing a community and you have the true crime storyline of Texas Killing Fields (Alliance Films).
In the past 40 years over 30 young women have disappeared along a 50-mile stretch of highway between Houston and Galveston. Some of the girls have been found murdered, their bodies dumped in desolate, abandoned oil fields known by locals as the killing fields. Most of the disappearances remain unresolved. No eye witnesses. No physical evidence. No answers.
One of the Federal agents participating in the investigations was Don Ferrarone. Compelled by the horror and frequency of the crimes, Ferrarone wrote a screenplay that captured the facts of the unsolved cases in a dramatic narrative. Entitled Texas Killing Fields, the movie had a brief theatrical run in October 2011 and is now available on DVD.
Texas Killing Fields stars Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Sam Worthington as two Texas City homicide detectives who are at the heart of the investigations. Though the fields are outside their jurisdiction, they get caught up investigating the gruesome murders. When a local girl goes missing the detectives find themselves racing to catch the killer before another life is taken. They are aided by Jessica Chastain who portrays a homicide detective assigned to the crime area. Performances by this all-star trio are solid and compelling.
While the demands of a Hollywood movie call for the heroes to solve the crime, most of the disappearances and mysterious deaths in the Texas killing fields remain unsolved. The story, as it appears on film, is choppy. It jumps around, awkwardly, leaving huge holes in the narrative.
For any fan of true crime drama, Texas Killing Fields is an entertaining choice for home viewing. However, I recommend you read (and watch) this CBS 48 Hours news report as a primer. You’ll stand a better chance of fully appreciating the movie when you know the facts behind it.
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See you at the movies.
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