Author Archives: Steve

One Night at the Devil’s Cinema

MELBOURNE — I’ve often been asked if there will ever be a movie made about the “Dexter Killer” case and its main subject, Mark Twitchell.

I do find this question quite fascinating.

The story is essentially about a series of novels that becomes a TV show, that inspired a filmmaker’s horror movie script, which later became reality — and was then all told in The Devil’s Cinema from the point-of-view of the detectives, the victims and the killer.

So should there be a movie about this whole book-TV-film-murder-book scenario? What a hall of mirrors!

Hmmm. Tough question. But I do know there is interest in such an idea.

Those who have read the book already know how Errol Morris had links to the case, and how the killer himself had come up with his own fantasy casting ideas (he once told me I’m supposed to be played by Edward Norton).

But truthfully, I personally haven’t given it much thought.

I’m having my first book event here in Melbourne in just over a week, however, and I may just talk about such a possible film project in more detail.

So if you’re in the city, come on down to Readings Hawthorn on Monday, Sept. 24th and feel free to ask anything.

I’ll try my best to answer.

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A ‘Dexter Killer’ (Devil’s Cinema) Down Under

MELBOURNE — I’m thrilled to see The Devil’s Cinema, my narrative on the “Dexter Killer” Mark Twitchell case, will be published in Australia.

The good people at Penguin Australia have snapped up the rights to release my book in both Australia and New Zealand.

While I was born and raised in Canada, I’ve been living in Australia for the past few years, so this is fabulous news to see this story now shared in my two homes.

There are a few changes to the Aussie release: the cover and subhead have both been altered slightly.

(Apparently Australians are more familiar with the case being called the “Dexter Killer” than by the man behind the notorious moniker, Mark Twitchell.)

In any event, any good Aussie bookstore will have a copy by the August 22 release day. It will be available locally as an eBook too.

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Dates From Hell: Investigation Discovery

MELBOURNE — Gilles Tetreault’s experience of being lured to “Dexter Killer” Mark Twitchell’s kill room under the ruse of meeting a woman is certainly one of the “Dates From Hell” worth featuring on Investigation Discovery.

The new series profiles the young man’s survival story in Edmonton, Canada, during an episode first broadcast on US cable on Wednesday night. (I’m not sure of when or if it will air in Canada, or elsewhere.)

His experience is frightening, unbelievable, and will surely terrify anyone planning on meeting up with somebody they’ve just had a connection with through an online dating website.

But let’s hope this TV snapshot of the case is also the starting point for discussions among those viewers who are hearing of it for the first time.

There is a lot more to this true story explored at-length in The Devil’s Cinema, from the perspective of the killer, the detectives, and the victim, Johnny Altinger, who tragically did not share the same kinds of luck as the man who got away.

Their stories merge, however, through that dating site, in that now infamous garage, and years later, when a courtroom would reveal all.

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