During the early 1970s, a serial killer terrorized the city and surrounding suburbs of Rochester, New York by raping and killing innocent pre-teen girls. His calling card: Initials. The killer targeted girls with matching first and last initials; murdered them and dumped their bodies in a town whose name also began with that same letter. All three girls shared a low-income Catholic background and reportedly had difficulties in school, leading police to believe the murders to have been mediated by a counselor who spent time with the children. After Maenza’s death in 1973, the murders abruptly stopped, yet the investigation pressed on. Hundreds of suspects were questioned, leaving an unfortunately low number of leads. After 35 years, the “Double Initial Murderer” still walks free.

This frightening and emotionally powerful case has been brought into a new light with the release of a film entitled The Alphabet Killer. Based loosely on the murders, the movie documents the killings of three young girls who each have matching first and last initials. Director Rob Schmidt stays true to many aspects of the case, including shooting on location in Rochester, New York.

However, Schmidt stresses that his film is indeed fiction; only certain plot elements are based on reality. In an interview with MPNnow, the director states that he “wanted to maintain a distance from the actual murders out of respect for the families involved.” As a result, all the main characters are fictional. The names of the victims have also been changed, but the double initials remain.

The film opens with a frightening scene of the first victim’s abduction, and launches immediately into the story of Megan Paige. Paige, played by Eliza Dushku (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Wrong Turn), is an investigator from the Rochester Police Department who succumbs to adult-onset schizophrenia, breaking down mentally after being haunted by the victims of the brutal killer. In an interview with 13WHAM News, Dushku stated, “I had to, at times, be in a dark place, and I’ve never really played a character like that...the horror surrounding the case and the story just drove this woman over the edge.” Over the edge is correct — her character is hospitalized more than once for her schizophrenic hallucinations and attempted suicide.

Dushku makes a living alongside many top-name actors including Cary Elwes (The Princess Bride), Timothy Hutton (Secret Window), and Michael Ironside (Top Gun). Elwes plays Captain Kenneth Shine, Paige’s fiancé, in the film. However, after Paige’s first bout of hallucinations and her attempted suicide, the two split. After her hospital release, it is Shine that allows Paige to continue working at the station as a bookkeeper.

Katie Anderson

Her obsession with the murder of young Carla Castillo does not desist, and she continues having visions of the deceased child asking for her help in tracking down her murderer. When Wendy Walsh, another young girl, is found raped and murdered in Webster, Paige pleads Captain Shine to let her back on the case. Reluctantly, he agrees. Convinced the two cases are related, Paige’s efforts to track down the killer double, as do her hallucinations. When the killer strikes a third time, by taking the life of Melissa Maestro, Paige reaches her breaking point and hunts down the killer herself in a thrilling concluding scene shot at High Falls. Appearing throughout the course of the film in progressing stages of decay, the spirits of the little girls are quite disturbing, but unfortunately, just missed the mark of frightening. Rather than interacting with Paige, they seem content to simply stare at her through empty eye sockets. Dushku’s acting ability noticeably improves as the film moves forward, which feels almost awkward. Perhaps this is no fault of her own, as the writing of the first half of the film seems to hold itself back, lacking in the suspense and eeriness with which the second half triumphs. The later scenes of The Alphabet Killer are where the film truly shines, both technically and emotionally, by showcasing the acting of Academy Award winner Timothy Hutton through excellent camera work by Schmidt and his crew.

Technically, The Alphabet Killer is very well done. Aside from some awkward attempts at classic horror film angles, Schmidt’s cinematographer, Joe DeSalvo, directs a well-executed camera. The use of tripods are absent for the most part in The Alphabet Killer, and the crew seems to trade them in for a “shaky cam” style that gives the audience an illusion of being present at the scene. This is largely successful, though at times, a steadier framing would have been preferable. During a therapy session with the shot revolving around Paige as she recites a monologue, for example, the jumpiness of the camera made for a sloppy shot.

With critical scenes taking place at High Falls, Richmond’s Café, New Yorker’s Pancake & Grill, St. Michael’s Catholic Church, and even inside an abandoned Kodak building, The Alphabet Killer captures the image and feel of Rochester. To those residing in and around the city of Rochester, it is easy to identify the locations where the film was shot, thus bringing the film to a whole new dimension.

It is not often that local films find success; even fewer are quality productions. The Alphabet Killer breaks the mold of so many failed local attempts before it, bringing in Hollywood acting and the chill of being based on a true story to create a suspenseful and atmospheric thriller. Add in elements of classic horror movies such as The Ring, and you’ve got a gripping psychological thriller that keeps you guessing until the final scene (and then some).

The film made its two-week debut in Pittsford with mixed reviews. Opinions after a platform release in Los Angeles and New York City will determine the fate of the film. The Alphabet Killer will be released on DVD in January nationwide.