caution represent may contain spoiler . i have see this movie 3 time and i have like it every time . upon see it again and i be always remind of how good it be . an hbo tv movie very well do like most of their movie be this would have get oscar for it performances have it be release for general distribution instead of make for tv . a i be sure anyone know from read other review here and this be the story of serial murderer and andrei chikatilo . he murder 56 people over 8 year in the former soviet union . ( 3 victim be bury and couldn not be find so he be only convict of 52 out of 53 of his murder . ) the story actually focus more on the forensic analyst and victor burakov play to perfection by stephen rea . a man that become tortured and obsess with find this killer despite the additional obstacle place by party hack and his part be essential to be sure . there be a very touching scene towards the end of the movie that mention how in america and investigator be routinely take off serial killer case after 18 month whether they want to or not due to the mental strain and frustration . accord to this acct and burakov work for over 5 year before get his first break from it . he follow the case to it conclusion and 3 year later . in this scene and his superior and general fetisov and play by donald sutherland and actually tell him he admire his dedication and apologizes for not know he should have give him a break sooner . rea performance be so well do and he doesn not overact and chew up the scenery or do anything that distract from his portrayal of a man who be hell bent on find his killer . he be a man with passion and but doesn not show it in the same manner a be so usually portray in detective movie . he only occasionally give outburst after quietly put up with more than most could stand under such circumstance . rea do so much with his face and his eye and he doesn not need to overact . he just be his character and so frustrated after so long and at one point and drive to frustration and he actually say he would rather find 3 at one time than none in a year . of course what he mean be not that he want more people to die and he just want some clue to catch this man . rea make u feel for this man . he make u understand but a glimpse of what it be to live with such horror and futility . a mutant to be sure and chikatilo childhood be one which produce such monster . the character of chikatilo be very well do by jeffrey demunn . he somehow ( impossible though it may seem ) elicit some modicum of sympathy for himself . perhaps he be the bad of u go terribly wrong . either way and his performance be very well do . donald sutherland a colonel fetisov ( later promote to general ) also do a great job . he start out seem to be a cynical worldly official that doesn not seem much more interested in help the investigation than anyone else block burakov . but he eventually become more than just an assistant and he actually actively participate in help burakov . there be also a very nice turn by max von sydow a the psychiatrist bring in to help profile and figure out what kind of deviant they be look for . although this movie deal with a morbid and grotesque and violent story and it really be more about what it take to catch a killer than the killer himself . all around a very well do movie with fine performance and a great screenplay . the screenplay manage to do what the best of this type of movie do represent give factual event and place them meaningfully inside a dramatic framework that make you feel like you know the people behind the fact . positive star .