Rainkiller - Tod im Regen

You know, for a very brief period (approximately 10-12 minutes) I honestly believed that I stumbled upon a genuine hidden gem of horror/thriller cinema. Even more so, it even looked as if I found an authentic late giallo; which is my all-time cult cinema sub genre! Within the first fifteen minutes of the film, no less than three women are stalked and subsequently killed by someone wearing a hat, a long black overcoat and a big shiny knife. It doesn't get much more "giallo" than that. Since all victims – three on screen and allegedly four previously already – were killed during heavy rain showers, the media and the investigating police officers quickly nickname him the rain killer. Very promising, indeed, but what starts as an intriguing throwback to the Italian gialli of the seventies sadly turns quite rapidly into a dull, predictable and typically American serial- killer thriller with film-noir echoes (similar to, for example, "Sea of Love", "Black Widow" or "The January Man"). After the initial killings, the movie becomes incredibly dull and almost solely revolves on the triangular relationship between the tough local detective (Ray Sharkey), the cocky FBI-agent and the woman they're both in love with (although she often looks more like a man…). Further in the film, a couple more promiscuous women are stabbed to death in the rain (including stripper Maria Ford) but there isn't any suspense and the killer's identity isn't much of a mystery. Like the other reviewers also pointed out already, the cinematography is very decent, especially during the raw & gritty exterior murder sequences. I wished it was different, but in the end "The Rain Killer" is a righteously obscure and forgotten early-90s thriller.

Just as the Giallo genre was starting to decline in its country of origin, one of the most serious attempts to imitate it was produced in the United States under the auspices of Roger Corman's Califilm production company. Its plot follows a veteran detective (Ray Sharkey) and an FBI agent (David Beecroft) as they hunt down a serial killer who commits his crimes during torrential rains in Los Angeles. Deep shadows, colorful lighting, improbable plot twists, and a gloved killer stalking with a sharp knife easily reveal its influences, while Janusz Kaminski's cinematography creates a dark and wonderful atmosphere. Although it received criticism at the time, this mix of film noir and giallo deserves a rewatch, if only to be seen as a direct reference to Ty West's recent *MaXXXine* (2024).

This fluffy sugar-coated bunny hop was sure fun. It was an effective mystery that delivered. This sweet pickle got a little side-tracked and got involved with the stripper character, but never mind that, because she supplied some juicy eye candy if you know what I mean. -**1/2 stars

This crude exhibition of zero talent is far worse than most actual porno films. Such films usually are at least somewhat funny. I watched it only because the usually excellent Ray Sharkey was the star. He is the only person in the cast you'll probably recognize. The film is degraded. It is filled with sex shots and sex plot line that don't make sense. It jumps from scene to scene very awkwardly. Sharkey himself shows little of his acting ability. The rest of the cast shows virtually no talent. A horrible movie. A true disappointment for Sharkey fans like me. I don't understand why he made it. Perhaps to give homosexuals some screen time.

Someone is brutally murdering a score of women, while in the rain. There is a connection. They're all part of a sewing circle. A tired looking cop, Sharkey, a cool vehicle role for him, is teamed up with new overriding DEA agent, Hot shot, Dalton (David Beecroft-Who the hell is he?) and it isn't very long before things get very personal as Sharkey gets personally involved with Beecroft's woman (Tania Coolidge-Who the hell is she) A stripper becomes tied in with the other victims. At first we question why this strip scene exists. Not that there's anything wrong with watching little hottie, Maria Ford, doing a little nude dance. And that's followed by a sex scene in a motel room, the young wealthy client, carrying a hefty suitcase containing some pretty kinky gadgets, amongst some pretty scary knifeware. This guy can handle himself too, as the two are intercepted outside, by Ford's black pimp, but he's soon taken care of. It soon makes sense why these scenes exist as Ford is killed, and this guy that Beecroft actually knows is being framed. See this macho's guys wife belongs to the same sewing circle. I knew who the killer was all the way through this, and someone who didn't, would have to have an IQ less than seven. I don't know how some of these movie writers think they can fool us. It was so patently obvious, by the figure's build and walk, the identity was staring me in the face. Are you f*****g kidding me? As a thriller The Rain Killer disappoints, but it's still quite engrossing, nonetheless, I guess partly due to it's idea. It's got a little nudity from hottie Maria Ford, some very occasional violence, and Ray Sharkey. It also stars Michael Chilkis in a much earlier acting role, before he became one of the fantastic four.