Watch Night Killer

Night Killer is a 1990 Italian film that blends slasher horror with police procedural elements. It stars Peter Hooten as detective Fred Williams, who is assigned to investigate a series of gruesome murders that have been taking place in the city. The victims are all young women who have been killed in their homes by a mysterious figure clad in black. Williams is joined in his investigation by Mary (Tara Buckman), a journalist who seems to have a personal connection to the case.

Early on in the film, we see the killer stalking his victims and cutting them down with a variety of sharp implements. His identity is a mystery, but it becomes clear that he is targeting young women with a particular look - blonde hair, blue eyes, and a slim build. As the body count rises, Williams and Mary delve deeper into the case, uncovering a web of secrets and lies that lead them closer and closer to the killer.

One of the most interesting aspects of Night Killer is the way it plays with narrative structure. The film is split into two distinct halves, with the first focusing on the killer's point of view as he stalks and kills his victims. This section of the movie is shot in a dreamlike, almost surreal style, with a lot of close-ups on the killer's mask and weird, abstract shots of his environments. The second half of the film is more standard procedural fare, with Williams and Mary interviewing witnesses, analyzing evidence, and piecing together the killer's identity.

Peter Hooten brings a lot of charisma and energy to the role of Williams. He's a classic tough-guy cop, but he also has a playful side that makes him fun to watch. Tara Buckman is less memorable as Mary, but she gets some good scenes towards the end of the film as her character becomes more involved in the action. The supporting cast is mostly forgettable, although Richard Foster is entertaining as a creepy, pompous art dealer who might have some connection to the killer.

As with many Italian horror films of the era, Night Killer features some baffling creative choices. There's a bizarre subplot involving a psychic who communicates with the killer through her dreams, which adds nothing to the plot and feels like it's from a different movie entirely. There's also a lot of unnecessary nudity and sexual violence, which may be off-putting to some viewers.

However, the film also has some genuinely chilling moments. There's a sequence where the killer traps one of his victims in a room filled with mirrors that's both beautiful and unnerving. There's also a great scene where Williams and Mary explore an abandoned warehouse filled with mannequins and creepy dolls that ups the tension significantly.

Overall, Night Killer is a flawed but entertaining slice of Italian horror. It's got some interesting stylistic choices and a few standout scenes, but it's also bogged down by unnecessary fluff and some questionable content. Fans of the genre will likely find enough to enjoy here, though others may want to give it a pass.

Night Killer is a 1990 horror movie with a runtime of 1 hour and 30 minutes. It has received mostly poor reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 4.3.