The China Lake Murders

As average as it is for a TV movie, the one thing that I got from THE CHINA LAKE MURDERS was the underlying aspect that the director or producers were more interested in showing off cops in their uniforms and the whole fetishistic aspect of their uniforms and the policeman's mantra stemming from this than anything else. The story is VERY slight, and it really doesn't make much sense when you start thinking about it (why doesn't the bad cop kill the people he stops on the road before putting them in the trunks of their vehicles? Bad cop's killing pattern doesn't add up, etc) and there's very little suspense or point to all of it. So, that leaves only one original aspect of this well photographed flick: showing cops in uniforms; An off-duty bad cop who likes to kill people while wearing his uniform; Good cop befriending psycho cop at the drop of a hot; Dueling cops, etc. One only has to look at the video's slipcover box to notice the film's obsession with uniforms.

The whole relationship between Tom Skerritt and the bad cop is tinged with an underlying subtext : Skerritt befriends the bad cop pretty fast. He even invites him to his home (hmm...ok) ; bad cop is obsessed with Skerritt and he's impotent in bed with women. The relationship between the two men is hard to explain but I suspect that there's more than meets the eye and, subsequently, this relationship brings the whole cop fetish aspect even more to the fore. Whether it was done intentionally or not, I don't know (I suspect it was) but without it, THE CHINA LAKE MURDERS would be a totally forgettable TV flick.

This thriller is really good, especially if you take into consideration that it's only a low-budget made-for-television movie. Even though it was produced in 1989, it has a somewhat neo-noir look and feel to it that rather resembles 1970s cop thrillers. 'The China Lake Murders' was directed by TV veteran Alan Metzger ('Kojak') and is based on Robert Harmon's 1983 short 'China Lake,' which got Harmon the directing job for the now classic 'The Hitcher.' There are a couple of similarities between the latter movie and 'The China Lake Murders.'

The plot is relatively simple, but the fantastic performances by Tom Skerritt in his typical sheriff role and Michael Parks as the maniac cop elevate 'The China Lake Murders' above the majority of television movies. Michael Parks in particular is chilling but also congenial as the stone-cold killer cop, who believes that the system is broken and he can get away with anything. His character Donnelly is an intriguing villain with traits reminiscent of Max Cady from 'Cape Fear' (portrayed by Robert Mitchum in 1962 and Robert De Niro in 1991), Eric Roberts' Dusty from 'The Nature of the Beast' (1995), Michael Douglas' D-Fens from 'Falling Down' (1993), and of course Rutger Hauer's Hitcher. The beautiful desert landscape and the skillful way it was shot also contribute to the impressive overall picture.

'The China Lake Murders' is not very widely known, and it was never released on DVD to my knowledge, even though it "held the record for the highest rated basic cable film" for many years according to Wikipedia. I was very lucky to have recorded a high quality native 720p HD transfer on TV a couple of years ago that has an excellent, crisp and detailed picture, especially for a TV movie that is more than a quarter-century old. Let's hope this transfer finds its way on Blu- ray at some point. I very much recommend this movie to fans of classic thrillers.

"Unsettling in the best tradition of film noir" -Time Magazine

Vacationing psycho cop (Michael Parks) is an opportunistic serial killer, whose visits to a small desert town coincide with disappearances and unsolved homicides. New sheriff on the scene (Tom Skeritt) takes an interest in Parks as a suspect, and thus commences a cat and mouse game between the hunter and the hunted. Parks is certifiably creepy, with his pompous personality. Some eerie flute music, and great desert locations add immeasurably. For Michael Parks admirers this is a must see. Overall "The China Lake Murders" succeeds as entertainment, and is definitely recommended. ...................... - MERK

This fairly low budget film makes good use of the scenery, look out for the clever photographic synchronisity; gloves being put on with wheel nuts being tightened, suggesting tools as an extension of the hand etc.

Token females in film hardly need many lines, but director Alan Metzger really works this 1990 near-surreal thriller with skill and dexterity.

Lovely bright scenes, you can almost feel the dust. Tom Skerrit and Michael Parks make a good 'opposites' blend.

Although not too many surprises, that would just spoil it, as most of the film carries itself, and you just know whats coming - but its dished up with relish.

Highly entertaining.

This is not a bad little police thriller - some intrigue as our small time sheriff try to solve a string or murders that he suspects attributes to a rogue city cop that takes his vacation in the town.

The plot does tend to sway away from the main crime story occasionally with the subplots, but the movie still holds up pretty well with the decent acting, pacing, and scene setting of the desert and town.

Not too many unpredictable or surprising moments, but the movie does keep you amused and sympathetic to the protagonists.

Grade B-