Nightstalker Movie

[737mech]

Anyone see this film? Lot's of scanners in the car, guessing PSR-600 and many bct-15x? My first thought about this movie, "What NOT to do with a scanner!!!" Yikes this guy enters a crime scene with a camera before the police arrive! He heard the report from the scanner. Don't do this! Holy Cow !!!??? Thanks Hollywood now everybody thinks if you have a scanner you're "that guy".

 

[cherubim]

Just another excuse to flip the encryption switch ... even if the reasoning behind it is based on entertainment propaganda.

 

[Magnetsteve]

I saw this movie when it came out, and I was extremely disappointed with it. I guess it just was not what I thought it was going to be. Other than that it was cool to see the radio set up in the car! I have one of those old Patrolman scanners. Really cool.

 

[bailly2]

Lots of news media employees have scanners. Where I live the cops
Moved to a proprietary, Motorola astro trunked system with some
Encrypted talk groups, supposedly because all the criminals had
Scanners. After the switch, The city offered a radio to each of
The 2 local newspapers. I'm sure the news media is more professional
Than that fictional character. Would love to be a Nightstalkers,
The traffic tickets for speeding might make it not worth it. Best movie
I have seen since american hustle, last 30 minutes alone are
Worth the price of admission

 

[phillydjdan]

I kinda do what he does, although legally. When I was leaving the theater I overheard another patron commenting that "that's what those guys do!" I couldn't help but chuckle. Yes the scanners in the Dodge were nice, but would suck for him if he were in an accident. And don't get me started on all the immoral and illegal things he did. I have to say, though. he played the part very well!

 

[JD21960]

Nightstalker

delete

 

[newsnick175]

Jakes character became a sociopath, and that is why he could all those illegal acts. Of course its the entertainment value that is the product of Hollywood movies. It's not real. As far as the scanners are concerned, check out the close-ups, notice the "quick save" group is used. There was no serious attempt to program any of those radios. And of course no read transmissions were used.

 

[PBN1979]

Is this a tv movie from the early 90s? If so, I have desperately tried to find the name of it.
Where can I find this film? I saw it on tv as a kid and loved it. Nobody except you guys seem to think it exists.

 

[phillydjdan]

It's Nightcrawler.

 

[PBN1979]

The movie Im thinking of was a tv movie in which the main characters were tv news cameramen. They were listening to a scanner and responding to the scene with cameras for news footage. As a subplot, one of the characters was dating a Japanese girl who was killed. The killer left behind a cufflink which helped the cameraman know who the suspect was.
Scanners played a large role in this film. Im still trying to find a name for it now. I saw it on network tv around 1993.

 

[rapidcharger]

What the lead character in the movie is doing is perfectly legal. They can actually get right up in their business in California, even behind the crime scene tape and that is specifically provided for in California Penal Code 409.5 (d)

Of course doing things that are legal can often get you yelled at and harassed and sometimes thrown in jail on bogus charges but the fact is, it's perfectly legal.
Whether they encrypt or not, the nightcrawlers will find out what's going on from people on the inside. Money talks. I do wonder however what impact the movie has had on new amateurs in that business trying to get in on it creating a huge crowd at the scene. I'm surprised they haven't encrypted already. Then again, maybe it's not that big of a problem. If they are going to allow it, maybe they've got everything under control.

 

[tampabaynews]

Haven't noticed any newbies in my market. Even if any surface, their stint will likely be short lived as with others. Most people aren't motivated enough to deal with all the bull that comes with the job.

Keep in mind that Hollywood isn't always reality. If you live in any jurisdiction that would encrypt radio transmissions based on this movie... I advise you to leave. Don't walk, run!

Even with encryption, any good nightcrawler (stringer) will have contacts with those agencies as well as other newsgathering technologies.

If anything, what hurts the business is bystanders allowing their cell phone footage to be downloaded, broadcast, and distributed for absolutely no compensation.

 

[tvnews]

Lots of news media employees have scanners. Where I live the cops
Moved to a proprietary, Motorola astro trunked system with some
Encrypted talk groups, supposedly because all the criminals had
Scanners. After the switch, The city offered a radio to each of
The 2 local newspapers. I'm sure the news media is more professional
Than that fictional character. Would love to be a Nightstalkers,
The traffic tickets for speeding might make it not worth it. Best movie
I have seen since american hustle, last 30 minutes alone are
Worth the price of admission

Yes,we media do use scanners as tools. I haven't seen the movie, but from what I hear it greatly exaggerates what we do. I'm a credentialed member of the media and I have been a stringer for many many years. I do the overnights and tape for the morning shows. I don't want to kill anyone as I race to a story. And I do want to get great video but no one is going to air an uncovered body or victim. So I have no need to beat police to a scene. And given medics / als working up a victim on scene I have no problem arriving in time for strecher rolls.

Back to radios, yes scanners are great tools. But being high profile about it may hurt scanner buffs but it is even more damaging to the news media who suffer even more when encription is added.

I find it encouraging that Washington DC just announced they will be reducing encription.

Dean
WB2CMN

 

[AZScanner]

Yes,we media do use scanners as tools. I haven't seen the movie, but from what I hear it greatly exaggerates what we do.

I watched this film last night out of sheer morbid curiosity. I don't think "greatly exaggerates" really says it best. More like "completely rejects reality and substitutes it with pure fiction" . 15 grand for a home invasion story? LOL I FRIGGIN WISH!!! I could make a fortune out here in Phoenix if that were true. And moving a body around to stage your shot? WTF?? Highly illegal AND unethical. Going into an active scene to "render aid" so you can shoot the bodies? Good God. :roll: I won't even go into the other crazy stuff the "stringer" does in this movie, but I can assure you that any stringer who does even half of what this nutjob does would be in prison for many, many years.

That being said, the car chase scene is worth the price of admission. I've been behind a few crazy pursuits myself and that scene was a lot of fun to watch. Again, highly unrealistic, but fun. Overall, it's an entertaining movie, but if people watch this and think "so that's how a stringer works" they haven't the first clue. I wonder how many "nightcrawler" wannabes this thing has spawned in LA.

-AZ

 

[rapidcharger]

Haven't noticed any newbies in my market. Even if any surface, their stint will likely be short lived as with others. Most people aren't motivated enough to deal with all the bull that comes with the job. )))

That is truly amazing. I can just picture hoards of bored central florida teenagers rushing out to the scene in their souped-up honda civic to film the carnage. I guess they're too busy playing video games.

(((Keep in mind that Hollywood isn't always reality.)))

I get that hollywood is not reality but it can actually be just like that movie with regards to what they put on the air...
Exhibit A:
Pursuit Ends In Cypress Park; Suspect Killed In OIS « CBS Los Angeles

((( If you live in any jurisdiction that would encrypt radio transmissions based on this movie... I advise you to leave. Don't walk, run!)))

The movie would have actually made for an excellent, highly plausible excuse. But they really don't need a good excuse. All they need to say are the two interchangeable magic phrases...
"It's for officer safety"
"It's for homeland security"

(((If anything, what hurts the business is bystanders allowing their cell phone footage to be downloaded, broadcast, and distributed for absolutely no compensation.

I must say that I frequently think of this when I see lousy cell phone footage on the air. That can't be good for your industry. Doesn't do the viewing audience any favors either.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

no one is going to air an uncovered body or victim.

I've wondered about that too. Since nowhere I have lived, not even Miami, which has some of the most sensationalized, gorey and violent newscasts of anywhere I have lived, shows bodies laying in the street like that.
But L.A. seems to be a world all it's own when it comes to that stuff.
Once again, I present Exhibit A
Pursuit Ends In Cypress Park; Suspect Killed In OIS « CBS Los Angeles

 

[tvnews]

Which came first....the chicken or the egg?

Does the media put something on the air because the public will watch it or does the public watch it because the media puts it on the air?

All I can say is we live in a crazy world. And we are all running on an endless tredmill just to keep up with it.

 

[pinballwiz86]

I'm gonna rent this movie on Redbox when it comes out just for the shots of the scanners. LOL.

 

[jeatock]

No comment.

 

[gewecke]

1. Show me the alternator, and ...
2. The Fire Extinguisher!

73,
n9zas

 

[kdean7]

Just Wow!. I could never keep my vehicle that messy with or without the radios.