Zodiac (2007) - Quotes

America's Most Notorious Serial Killer Unveiled

Taglines: Based on the true story of America's most notorious serial killer.

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A Man's Burden in a Murderous Crisis

Taglines: When a series of murders terrorized California, one man took responsibility for them all.

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Multiple paths to danger exist.

Taglines: There's more than one way to lose your life to a killer.

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Truth Without Proof in Zodiac Investigation

Robert Graysmith: Just because you can't prove it doesn't mean it isn't true.

Dave Toschi: Easy, Dirty Harry.

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The Idea of Writing a Book

Robert Graysmith: I've been thinking.

Paul Avery: Yeah?

Robert Graysmith: Somebody should write a book.

Paul Avery: Somebody should write a fucking book, that's for sure. About what?

Robert Graysmith: About Zodiac. I've been thinking, if you put all the information together, maybe you could jog something loose. And then I thought, who better than you? I mean, you know all the players, and you have all of the files.

Paul Avery: Yeah, I lost them.

Robert Graysmith: You lost them?

Paul Avery: Or I tossed them. I don't know, I moved onto a boat.

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Casual Conversation Between Colleagues

Robert Graysmith: Paul?

Paul Avery: Yeah.

Robert Graysmith: What was that?

Paul Avery: Uh, an editorial tête-à-tête. Wanna grab a drink?

Robert Graysmith: It's ten in the morning.

Paul Avery: Late breakfast? Early lunch, or …

Robert Graysmith: Paul. Are you okay?

Paul Avery: … No. Thank you for asking.

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Confession of a Zodiac Suspect

Suspect: I'm the Zodiac.

Inspector William Armstrong: And how did you kill your victims?

Suspect: With a gun. No … with a hammer.

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Questioning the Credibility of a Lead

Dave Toschi: Hey, how do we know that this lead is real?

Inspector William Armstrong: It's very real. How do I know? Because I saw it on television.

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Tension Between Reporters and Detectives

Paul Avery: Hey Bullitt, it's been almost a year. You gonna catch this fuckin guy or not?

Dave Toschi: Go fuck yourself!

Paul Avery: Gladly.

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Zodiac's Manipulation of Media Attention

Robert Graysmith: Everything in the letter already appears in the article.

Paul Avery: [pulls out a newspaper article] Yep. And he's done it before. Officer Richard Raditech, shot sitting in a parked car.

Robert Graysmith: Zodiac claimed he shot someone in their car.

Paul Avery: Yeah, a couple days after this article came out. Zodiac didn't do it, but he took credit for it anyway, because he's in it for the press.

Robert Graysmith: How can someone who's killed thirteen people …

Paul Avery: He claims he killed thirteen people, but which ones can we actually confirm? There's three in Vallejo, one in Berryessa, the cabbie, that's it.

Paul Avery: Bobby, you almost look disappointed.

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Curiosity About Drinks and Codes

Paul Avery: [points at Graysmith's drink, which is blue] Okay, this can no longer be ignored. What is that you're drinking?

Robert Graysmith: It's an Aqua Velva. You wouldn't make fun of it if you tried it.

Robert Graysmith: But who actually cracked the code?

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Discussion on Zodiac's potential communication

Robert Graysmith: Does he think that Zodiac's gonna send another code? Cause I think Zodiac's gonna send another code.

Paul Avery: Jesus Harold Christ on rubber crutches, Bobby, what are you doing? You're doing that thing. The thing that we discussed, the thing that I don't like, starts with an L.

Robert Graysmith: Oh, looming.

Paul Avery: Yeah.

Analyzing Details in a Case Investigation

Dave Toschi: What's that?

Sherwood Morrill: Similarities in the lowercase "r"s.

Dave Toschi: And that?

Sherwood Morrill: It is you waiting in the hall if you speak again. I have to concentrate.

Dave Toschi: Sorry.

Sherwood Morrill: Sorry" counts as speaking.

Dave Toschi: There are similarities in the lowercase "r"s.

A Conversation About Name-Calling

Robert Graysmith: Does anybody ever call me names?

Paul Avery: What, you mean like "retard"?

Robert Graysmith: Yeah.

Paul Avery: No.

The Thrill of Killing and Afterlife Beliefs

Zodiac: [Codified letter] I like killing people because it is so much fun. It is more fun than killing wild game in the forest, because man is the most dangerous animal of all. To kill something is the most thrilling experience. It is even better than getting your rocks off with a girl. The best part of it is that when I die, I will be reborn in paradise and all that I have killed will become my slaves. I will not give you my name because you will try to slow down or stop my collecting of slaves for my afterlife.

Confession of a Serial Killer

Zodiac: [On phone] I wanna report a double murder. If you go one mile east on Columbus Parkway, to a public park, you'll find kids in a brown car. They were shot with a 9mm Luger. I also killed those kids last year. Goodbye.