10 TO MIDNIGHT might just comes across as another 80's crime thriller and for the most part it is, but the fact that Bronson plays the lead and a talented young actor named Gene Davis plays the sociopathic killer make it a notch above the rest. Plus it has believable acting and a plot that could have very easily been ripped from any newspaper headline at the time.<
Bronson plays an aging cop named, Leo Kessler, that is sick and tired of the legal system. He has seen too many degenerates get away with murder due to slick lawyers and or legal technicalities. So when he gets put on the case of a serial killer, this time he plans to get his man and make it stick. Kessler gets partnered up with a rookie detective named, Paul McAnn (Andrew Stevens) that is straight as a pin. McAnn is a by the book kind of cop and is quickly taught a lesson on how the law really works by Kessler.
As I mentioned, Gene Davis (fresh off his role as a tranny in William Friedkin's excellent film, CRUISING) plays Warren Stacy, the killer in question and boy, does he ever nail this role. The character is well written and fitting of all the serial killer stereotypes. He's a quiet guy, no real friends to speak of, a history of juvenile crimes including the injuring a young girl, he makes obscene phone calls, he has tons of porn in his house, ect. ect. Basically he's a guy who has never had any luck with the ladies and takes his revenge out on them by stalking them and killing them and like most serial killers, he's smart too. He sets up a perfect alibi before his killings. I should add that he his weapon of choice is a butterfly knife and before he goes in for the kill he gets completely naked accept for a pair of latex gloves (surely an inspiration for Bret Easton Ellis's novel "American Psycho" written some years later.)
Stacy's first victim is a girl from his work who turned down his advances. He stalks her and follows her habits. He finds that the girl and her boyfriend frequent a secluded spot in the woods and do the horizontal mambo in his van. So one night he takes in a movie at a theater, he flirts with some girls (making sure to leave an impression on their minds), goes to the restroom during the film, leaves the theater through a maintenance door in the bathroom, goes to the woods where his victims are parked, kills the boyfriend first and has to chase the girl through the woods--both of them nude and stabs her without hesitation. He then goes back to the theater and enters the way he left, flushes the gloves down the toilet, goes back to his seat and is sure to talk to the same girls again. When he is brought in on the charges later in the film, it's those two girls that clear his name.
This only infuriates Kessler, who is sure Stacy is the killer, due to his many years of police experience and a very strong hunch, but there is nothing solid to lock up Stacy. So Kessler decides in desperation, to frame Stacy. Stacy's clothes are taken to the police station to be checked for evidence and Kessler plants some of the victims blood on Stacy's jacket--the one he wore the night of the killings. They nab him and Stacy knows he's been screwed and flips out like a five year old throwing a temper tantrum (did I mention Davis is really good in this?). Stacy is tried for the crimes, but when McAnn catches wind that Kessler planted evidence, he is put in a moral dilemma soon he is called as a witness at the trial. McAnn never gets the chance to testify because rather than make his partner purger himself, Kessler admits to planting the evidence and Stacy walks.
Kessler is soon kicked off the force and Stacy plans revenge by stalking Kessler's daughter, Laurie (Lisa Eilbacher) a student nurse. It isn't long before Kessler turns the tables on Stacy by stalking Stacy himself. He follows him where ever he goes, he goes in his apartment when he's away, he get him fired from his job--all in attempt to make Stacy strike again and hopefully catch him in the act this time. Sure enough Stacy goes after Kessler's daughter and what follows his a very intense finale and if you are wondering if Kessler gets his man, you're not very familiar with Charles Bronson movies.
The film was directed by J. Lee Thompson, the director of the original CAPE FEAR (fuck-ing classic!) and he also brought us THE GUNS OF NAVARONE, a couple PLANET OF THE APES sequels, another great Bronson flick THE GREAT WHITE BUFFALO and prior to 10 TO MIDNIGHT a little horror flick called HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME. Thompson obviously knows suspense and it shows here. The films seems to shift from a crime thriller, a slasher-like horror film and a revenge flick. The story and characters are well written, especially the interaction between Lisa Eilbacher and Andrew Stevens. The middle of the film focuses on a romantic relationship forming between the two of them and the film may have dragged if it wasn't for their real and well acted performances.
Bronson of course is Bronson, mostly subdued with moments of rage. Bronson is one of those rare actors like Clint Eastwood that can act with his eyes. He doesn't have to say a word, you just see those eyes and you know exactly whats going on in his head. It makes me wonder if this was something taught by Sergio Leone seeing as though Leone was a master of the 'eye shot' and both Bronson and Eastwood had very distinct roles in Leone films.
There are two last things I should mention about the film. First being the film's driving synth score that adds so much to the film. The score is pure 80's and is used very well. I for one am very fond of synthesizer driven scores, used to perfection in a lot of Italian films of the late 70's and early 80's. Although 10 TO MIDNIGHT is not an Italian made film, it does have a certain hint of giallo inspired style. The second thing would be the greatness of the film's finale. I won't give anything away because I'm referring to more of how it was shot. There's an on-foot chase scene with a police helicopter spotlight creating such a perfect image which leads to a final showdown between Kessler and Stacy that is so artfully shot, it's almost breathtaking--not to mention the story's ending is such a wonderful pay-off. Top notch camera work by Adam Greenberg and top notch directing by Thompson, period.
