Directed by:
Jerry JamesonScreenplay:
William Douglas LansfordCinematography:
Matthew F. LeonettiComposer:
Don EllisCast:
Kurt Russell, Richard Yniguez, Pernell Roberts, Ned Beatty, Clifton James, John Forsythe, Gilbert Roland, Paul Carr, Alan Vint, Pepe Serna, Don Hood (more)VOD (1)
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It's the University of Texas campus in Austin, but it seems like a war zone. Gunfire resounds from everywhere. People fall. Others scramble to flee or help the wounded. Meanwhile, from atop the school's landmark Tower, Charles Whitman fires off round after lethal round. The Deadly Tower is the powerful story of the 1966 event that was at the time the largest one-person murder spree in U.S. history. Kurt Russell, far removed from the lighthearted roles that then made up much of his career, portrays the murderous protagonist. The film's heroes are others: police officers (including Richard Yniguez as Officer Ramiro Martinez), rescue personnel and various brave civilians. They faced the worst kind of terror - one who was real. (Warner Bros. Home Entertainment)
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In the 1960s, shooting people from elevated positions was a popular pastime in Texas, so it’s no surprise that the first mass shooting on a school campus occurred here. Jerry Jameson's docudrama offers a few seconds of tension before the shooter is dealt with and a grimly humorous look at the availability of means to carry out murderous plans, but it either fails to engage with the characters or neglects them entirely. The producer's push for a positive portrayal of Mexican Americans was more counterproductive, much like Luthor’s sidekick in Superman. And there are a few glaring absurdities. I can totally picture Grissom’s CSI team reaching the top of the tower, and while stretching the ropes to simulate the trajectory of bullets from civilian weapons returning fire (hey, we’re in Texas), just shaking their heads in disbelief.
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