Unraveling the Zodiac: A Fresh Take on True Crime

The Zodiac Killer case has been the subject of many documentaries, but Charlie Shackleton's "Zodiac Killer Project" is different. It's not just another retelling of the same old story. Shackleton is known for his unique approach to filmmaking. His previous work, "The Afterlight, " was a one-of-a-kind film that was designed to slowly disappear with each screening. Shackleton's interest in the Zodiac case started with a book. He wanted to turn "The Zodiac Killer Cover-Up: The Silenced Badge" into a documentary. The book was written by a California Highway Patrol officer named Lyndon E. Lafferty. Lafferty claimed to have seen the Zodiac killer, a man named George Russell Tucker, in 1971. He also believed that powerful people were protecting Tucker. But Shackleton's plans changed when he couldn't get the rights to the book. He doesn't know why the deal fell through. This setback led him to create something entirely new. "Zodiac Killer Project" is not a typical true-crime documentary. It's a mix of satire, analysis, and a deep dive into the nature of cinema. True-crime documentaries often follow a familiar pattern. They use crime-scene tape, re-enactments, and interviews with cops. This format has become so common that it's easy to parody. Shows like "American Vandal" and sketches like "Missing Wives" on "Saturday Night Live" have made fun of these tropes. But there are also serious documentaries that ask us to think about our obsession with true crime. Shackleton's documentary is not just about the Zodiac killer. It's about the way we tell stories about crime. It's about the way we consume these stories. And it's about the way these stories shape our understanding of the world. It's a fresh take on a familiar subject.