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Spoiler Alert !!!
This contains spoilers for Netflix's Woman of the Hour!
Anna Kendrick’s directorial debut is sure to send chills down your spine and leave you with nightmares, especially if you’re a woman! Titled Woman of the Hour, this haunting film tells the chilling true story of serial killer Rodney Alcala.
Anna Kendrick in Woman of the Hour (2024) | Credits: Leah Gallo/NetflixKendrick has done an exceptional job of capturing the horror of it all. Here’s a closer look at Alcala’s terrifying tale and how Kendrick approached this intense project.
How Rodney Alcala Terrorized an Entire Decade!
The climax of Anna Kendrick‘s Woman of the Hour is a nail-biter that keeps you glued to the screen. We feel a rush of relief as teen runaway Amy manages to outsmart the serial killer Rodney Alcala played by Daniel Zovatto and bravely turns him in to the authorities. But just when it seems like justice has triumphed, the credits roll to reveal a haunting reality, that Alcala will be released on bail and will continue his killing spree.
Rodney Alcala was no ordinary criminal, he was a real-life nightmare, convicted of eight murders across New York, California, and Wyoming between 1971 and 1979, with suspicions pointing to over 100 victims. Disguising himself as a fashion photographer, he would charm women with compliments, only to lure them into a trap for his twisted photo shoots.
Daniel Zovatto as Rodney Alcala in Woman of the Hour. Credits: Leah Gallo/NetflixAccording per BBC, in 1980, he faced a death sentence for the murder of 12-year-old Robin Samsoe, but his conviction was overturned, leading to a series of retrials. It wasn’t until 2010 that he finally received a guilty verdict for Samsoe and four others. While behind bars, he even penned a book insisting he was innocent.
In 2012, Alcala was extradited to New York for two additional murders, where he pled guilty and was handed a 25-to-life sentence. By 2016, he was connected to the murder of Christine Ruth Thornton through one of his infamous photos. Alcala lived until 2021, passing away at 77 from natural causes in a California hospital.
The Shocking Truth Behind Anna Kendrick’s Woman of the Hour
The creepiest part in all of this? He actually appeared on a dating show and snagged a date! It sounds almost unbelievable, but the film’s portrayal of his encounter with contestant Bradshaw on The Dating Game is straight from reality.
At the time he appeared on the show, Alcala had already murdered at least three women, and shockingly, he went on to kill at least two more after his TV debut.
Armand Cerami, Jed Mills, and Rodney Alcala in The Dating Game (1965) Credits: ABCIn the film, Alcala’s downfall comes courtesy of Amy, the runaway he picks up in San Gabriel. As soon as they stop at a gas station, she makes a break for it and gets help. In the heart of the desert, Alcala finally gets his comeuppance when he’s arrested. Speaking of her approach as a director, Anna Kendrick revealed in a chat with Tudum about the film,
It felt important to me to connect these women to nature for several reasons, but one of which was, I kind of wanted to put them in places that spoke to the vastness of their life beyond this moment, It’s a 90-minute movie. There’s only so much screen time that everybody can have. And I wanted — in spite of the way that we’re meeting them — I wanted their environment to reflect the beauty and the fullness of their whole life before that and what they should have had after.
This film is definitely a must-watch! Kendrick has truly excelled in her role as director, delivering a phenomenal piece of work.
Woman of the Hour is now streaming on Netflix.
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