The Stalker's Apprentice

The Stalker's Apprentice
Genre Thriller
Created by M.S. Power
Written by Gordon Hamm
Directed by Marcus D.F. White
Starring Gideon Turner
Peter Davison
James Bolam
Paula Wilcox
Natalie Walter
Peter Forbes
Liz May Brice
Composer(s) Colin Towns
Country of origin United Kingdom
Original language(s) English
No. of episodes 1
Production
Executive producer(s) Robert Love
Producer(s) Mark Grindle
Editor(s) Jamie McCoan
Running time 76 minutes
Production company(s) Scottish Television
Release
Original network ITV, STV, UTV
Picture format 14:9
Audio format Stereo
Original release 25 May 1998 (1998-05-25)

The Stalker's Apprentice is a single British television crime drama film, based on the novel by author M.S. Power, that was first broadcast on ITV on 25 May 1998.[1] The film stars Gideon Turner as Marcus Walwyn, a book editor who is driven to murder after reading a draft novel composed by Helmut Kranze (James Bolam), a former serial killer recently released from prison who is writing under a pseudonym.[2] The film follows Walwyn as he embarks on a series of murders relating to Karen Scott (Natalie Walter), a young woman that he meets on the train to work, and the subsequent police investigation by D.I. Maurice Birt (Peter Davison), commander of the local police force.

The film co-stars Paula Wilcox, Peter Forbes and Liz May Brice in her breakthrough TV role.[3] An independent review from Movie NZ said of the film; "[it] has a wonderfully methodical cool to it as we watch Gideon Turner, accompanied by voiceover, putting into use the methodology from the killer’s book. However. part way in, The Stalker's Apprentice abruptly becomes a policier as we follow detective Peter Davison and assistant Peter Forbes as they piece clues together. These scenes hold one’s attention, although not as absorbingly as the stalker element. Eventually the film works through a tight plot filled with sharp twists and considerable tension."[4] The film was released on DVD in the United States on 7 March 2006, via Koch Media.[5] A Region 4 release followed on 19 May 2010.[6] The film has yet to be released on Region 2 DVD. The film is often repeated on True Entertainment as part of their semi-regular 'British Thrillers' season.

Plot

Marcus Walwyn (Gideon Turner) is a reader at a publishing firm. He reads a manuscript entitled ‘Death in Santiago’ by Helmut Kranze (James Bolam), which gives detailed accounts of how to stalk victims and commit perfect murders. At the same time, Marcus becomes fixated on waitress Karen Scott (Natalie Walters) after he encounters her on the subway. He stalks and gathers information about her, while befriending her at the cafe where she works. However, Karen’s friend Sharon (Vanessa Hadaway) gets in the way and Marcus learns that Karen has a boyfriend, Darren (Guy Leverton). He then contrives to kill both Sharon and Darren, using the advice in Kranze’s book. Upon both occasions, he carves an asterisk into the victim’s forehead as his signature. Police inspector Maurice Birt (Peter Davison) investigates. Clues all point to the killer being Marcus but they are unable to find any direct evidence that ties him. At the same time, Marcus discovers that in reality Kranze is convicted murderer Herbert Zanker and that the crimes in the book are ones that Zanker is boasting about having conducted himself.

Cast

References

  1. ↑ http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b8077c54a
  2. ↑ http://www.themoviescene.co.uk/reviews/the-stalkers-apprentice-1998/the-stalkers-apprentice-1998.html
  3. ↑ http://www.radiotimes.com/film/fbfwm6/the-stalkers-apprentice/
  4. ↑ http://moria.co.nz/horror/stalkersapprentice.htm
  5. ↑ https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/stalkers_apprentice/
  6. ↑ https://shop.abc.net.au/stalkers-apprentice
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