Touched by a Killer

Killer: A Journal of Murder (1995) is an American drama film written and directed by Tim Metcalfe. It is loosely adapted from a book of the same title, on the life of American serial killer Carl Panzram, who was active in the early 20th century and executed in 1930. It uses some passages drawn from his own writings near the end of his life. The film explores the relationship between Panzram (James Woods) and Henry Lesser (Robert Sean Leonard), a prison guard who believes in redemption. It premiered internationally in September 1995 at the Tokyo International Film Festival. The film was theatrically shown in the United States in 1996 through Legacy Releasing Corporation, although with limited distribution. In 1997 it was distributed by First Independent Films in the UK; in Spain, it was shown through Ufilms. In the United States, the film grossed $31,993 on its opening weekend across 9 screens. Total gross in America totaled $65,682.