The Night Flier (1997)

"Why do all the weird ones gotta fly at night?" - Airport Guy

A reporter gets on the trail of a vamipric serial killer.
Starring: Miguel Ferrer, Julie Entwisle, Dan Monahan

Link to IMDB

Continuing with the Stephen King movies this month, and this little gem appeared on my radar...

Richard Dees does not give a fuck. He's bitter, miserable and has a bleak outlook on life and the world around him. Pretty much the only thing he cares about is his job as a reporter for an exploitation tabloid paper, the Inside View. He's getting frustrated with his work though, because he has to contend with censorship and dead-end stories about Bigfoot and UFO sightings. When his boss finds a new story about a vampire traveling around in a small Cessna plane and killing people, Richard wants nothing to do with it, so the story is passed to the new reporter, Katherine. She's a bright young lady that's eager to work her first big story, but Richard hates her immediately because he hates everyone.
We see that there really is a serial killer going around to small isolated airports and murdering people, it's mysterious and bloody but the man's identity is kept hidden in the shadows of his cape.
As the killings continue, Richard realizes the story is worth pursuing, so he gets in his own Cessna plane and flies out to investigate the crime scenes and possible witnesses. Katherine doesn't give up easily and she eventually pursues the story too, much to Richard's annoyance.

Katherine

Everyone that Richard interviews seems to have trouble remembering the specifics about the mysterious pilot, giving us the impression that the killer can influence people so that he's forgotten as easily as a fleeting dream. The more Richard learns the more it seems that the killer might actually be a real paranormal vampire! He receives bloody warnings to cease his investigations, but Richard's becoming obsessed with the story as he tries to get inside the mind of the killer and solve what he's all about.
The plot is simple and has a slow pace but it's not dull, as it effectively and steadily builds eerie suspense while Richard follows the evidence. It's also thematically interesting, as we watch this man that shields himself from the misery of the world by making himself equally as horrible.

"A very bad man is coming your way." - Richard

Although we often get to see the killer claim his victims, that's not really what the movie is about. The focus is almost entirely on Richard and his thoughts. He may be a cruel and heartless bastard, but he's a fascinating cruel and heartless bastard. Miguel Ferrer's performance is great here, making the character enjoyable to watch by giving him mystique and complexities.
Richard is a troubled man, and as he gets closer to the killer we learn of his inner turmoil and how his obsession to find the ugly truth drives him to be the relentless and cold person that he is.

Without spoiling anything, the ending is quite intense and satisfying, with the ideas of the movie coming together in a very interesting and shocking way. Will Richard's mad search into the darkness of the world be his undoing? Can he stop the monster he's discovered, or will his own inner demons destroy him first?

Be sure not to miss:
- Some of the tabloid headlines we see reference other King stories.
- Richard gives Katherine the nickname Jimmy Olsen.

Internet review:
"I saw it when I was 14 and it gave me nightmares!!" - Nancy40

Should I watch it?
It's interesting enough to recommend, just be in the mood for a slow story.

Where can I find it?
I used the vidzi link here.

The Night Flier gets...