The Clovehitch Killer (2018)
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A teenager begins to suspect his father, a respected community leader, might be a notorious serial killer.
The story
16-year-old Tyler Burnside lives with his Christian family in a small Kentucky town haunted by the memory of the Clovehitch Killer, an infamous serial killer who disappeared ten years ago. After finding a bondage photograph in his father's truck, Tyler is ostracized by his peers. His suspicions turn toward his father, Don Burnside, a community leader. Upon investigating Don's private shed, Tyler discovers a hidden compartment containing bondage magazines and a Polaroid of a bound woman. Seeking help, Tyler teams up with Kassi, an amateur Clovehitch historian, to investigate the evidence and uncover the truth about the town's dark history.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Tyler Burnside discovers evidence linking his father, Don, to the Clovehitch Killer. Don claims the evidence belongs to a paralyzed uncle, and the two burn it. However, Don secretly continues his crimes. Tyler, who never actually went to camp but was tailing his father with Kassi, witnesses Don stalking and binding a woman. A confrontation ensues where Don tries to shoot Tyler with an unloaded gun. Kassi knocks Don unconscious, and Tyler stops her from calling 9-1-1. The police later declare Don dead by suicide. At a church service, Tyler delivers a eulogy for his father while flashbacks reveal he and Kassi staged the death. The film ends with Tyler holding a pistol to Don's head as Don wakes up.
- First release year
- 2018
- Runtime (minutes)
- 110
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Duncan Skiles
- Writers
- Christopher Ford · writer
- Genres
- coming-of-age; thriller; horror
- Themes
- suspicion; secrets; faith vs. reality; justice and revenge
- Tone and mood
- unsettling; suffocating; suspenseful; patient
- Premise and plot tags
- serial killer; coming-of-age; mystery; true crime inspiration
- Source material / true-story basis
- Inspired by the story of real life serial killer Dennis Rader, also known as the BTK Killer.
- Reception
- The film received mixed or average reviews, with critics praising the atmosphere and performances while noting narrative holes and a slow pace. It was noted for its smart conclusion and suspenseful nature.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 59 · scale: 100 · review count: 11
- Production trivia
- The film was mostly inspired by the story of real life serial killer Dennis Rader, also known as the BTK Killer.; The film was shot in Kentucky.; The film was ranked #48 on a 2019 list of the 50 best serial killer movies of all time by Paste magazine.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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