Nearly one month after the March 13th 1971 Los Angeles letter, a Zodiac film directed by Tom Hanson was released on April 7th 1971, followed later that year by the Don Siegel blockbuster Dirty Harry movie, based on the Zodiac Killer and released on December 23rd 1971. Despite both of these films directly and indirectly referring to the Zodiac Killer, the Bay Area murderer would remain quiet for nearly three years until the arrival of the Exorcist letter on January 29th 1974. He certainly wasn't impressed by The Exorcist (1973), describing it as "the best saterical comidy that I have ever seen". Maybe he was unimpressed by all three movies, thereby dragging himself out of retirement on April 24th 1978 and impatiently requesting: "I am waiting for a good movie about me, who will play me". But what inspired him to write the "I am back with you" letter at this particular juncture? The obvious answer is; he had just watched or read about a serial killer film and wanted a "good movie" featuring "yours truly".
The Zodiac Killer mailed a Halloween card on October 27th 1970, circling his instruments of, death by knife, by gun, by fire and by rope. Therefore, a film where the instruments of death are the main feature of the story, in which a masked killer is hunting women in Los Angeles, driven by a hatred of sinners and religious mania, appears like the sort of movie that Zodiac would crack out the popcorn for. The Toolbox Murders was released in El Paso, Texas on February 17th 1978, with the more general release in the USA on March 3rd 1978. This movie, however, was a little more extreme. The murders were by electric drill, by screwdriver, by hammer and by nail gun. The general release was just 52 days before the arrival of the April 24th 1978 letter, meaning the Zodiac Killer could have been sitting in a cinema near you.
The Zodiac Killer mailed a Halloween card on October 27th 1970, circling his instruments of, death by knife, by gun, by fire and by rope. Therefore, a film where the instruments of death are the main feature of the story, in which a masked killer is hunting women in Los Angeles, driven by a hatred of sinners and religious mania, appears like the sort of movie that Zodiac would crack out the popcorn for. The Toolbox Murders was released in El Paso, Texas on February 17th 1978, with the more general release in the USA on March 3rd 1978. This movie, however, was a little more extreme. The murders were by electric drill, by screwdriver, by hammer and by nail gun. The general release was just 52 days before the arrival of the April 24th 1978 letter, meaning the Zodiac Killer could have been sitting in a cinema near you.
These violent murders are committed in a Los Angeles apartment, where the killer is picking off the tenants one-by-one. This makes it all the more unusual that the only two known letters ever mailed from Los Angeles (in which the writer identified himself as Zodiac), were mailed immediately after the April 24th 1978 letter. On May 2nd 1978, the alleged Bay Area murderer opened with "This is the Zodiac speaking" and finished with "Hey - - - you actors - this is your lucky Break. Remember - whoever plays me has his work cut out for him". On July 19th 1978, the alleged murderer of five began with "I am the ZODIAC and I am in control of all things. I am going to tell you a secret. I like friction tape. I like to have it around in case I need to truss someone up in a hurry". The Zodiac Killer must have loved The Toolbox Murders, but acting out a fantasy in Los Angeles seems extremely far-fetched - doesn't it?