Citizen X (1995, Chris Gerolmo)

"Citizen X" is a pretty tenacious made-for-TV serial killer joint, based on the investigation leading up to the capture of Soviet murderer/cannibal, Andrei Chikatilo. He was considered "The Butcher of Rostov" and was responsible for over 50 killings throughout the 80s.

The film follows a Russian coroner who is brought on by officials as a forensic detective after his autopsy room is flooded with the mutilated remains of 8 children. The hunt for the culprit lasts an inexcusably lengthy amount of years due to Soviet 'red tape' and Communist glorification hindering the manhunt significantly as the body count rises. The details concerning the search for the killer is occasionally broken up by glimpses into the madman's depraved world - showing his stratagem of luring young, vulnerable children from the train station to the woods and how he was a impotent motherfucker unless he was stabbing a kid or a hooker...

Strong performances all around and a pretty factual and engaging cinematic rendering of this series of brutal crimes. Not an overtly 'graphic' flick, though you get the uncompromisingly gruesome depictions of child murder once or twice, but for the most part, it's usually implied. In all, "Citizen X" isn't the greatest, but if you're looking for a good biopic on Chikatilo, you can't go wrong here. Also, check out "Evilenko" with Malcolm McDowell - a later film that takes a slightly more violent approach...