Upamanyu Biswas
Lifetime’s ‘The Killer is Calling’ tells the story of a 911 operator named Faye, whose night shift turns into a nightmare after a mysterious caller warns her that he is about to kill a number of people in the town. Subsequently, Faye has to figure out the reasons behind the killer’s murder spree and save as many potential victims as possible while the chaos ramps up. Under the direction of Craig Pryce, the thriller film dives into the paranoia of a serial killer on the loose through the eyes of an emergency operator whose powers of improvisation and courage become doubly crucial as people’s lives are put at stake. It is based on themes of justice, morality, responsibility, and vulnerability, intricately layering a tense psychological drama that becomes increasingly oppressive the further the night progresses.
The Killer is Calling is a Fictional Movie That Likely Takes Some Inspiration From Other Real-Life Cases
‘The Killer is Calling’ is a fictional story written by Alyssa Kramer and Troup Wood. It is a heightened drama about a 911 operator who finds herself engulfed in a battle of wits and courage against a serial killer who keeps her in the loop as he goes around hunting people in a small locality. The film primarily draws from the imagination of the scriptwriters. However, some of its elements can be traced to real-life cases involving other serial killers. For instance, Paul Michael Stephani was a serial killer in the 1980s who, after killing his victims, would call the police to report his crimes in a remorseful tone anonymously. His signature style earned him the moniker, the Weepy-Voiced Killer. He was later convicted on charges pertaining to attempted murder and murder.
Another serial killer who had a penchant for reporting his crimes was Edmund Kemper. He generally targeted young female students, which led to him being branded the Co-ed Killer. During his final murders, Kemper reported his crimes to the police, eventually even confessing to his deeds, which led to his capture. He was later found guilty and convicted on several charges of first-degree murder. In both cases, the serial killers had a knack for highlighting their deeds to the police after committing their crimes, which resembles the mannerisms of Faye’s mysterious caller. However, the parallels disappear when taking into account the fictional narrative’s plot and the central motivations for the murder, which have more to do with retribution. As such, ‘The Killer is Calling’ may have taken some vague inspirations from real-life cases, but on the whole, it follows its own path.
Faye is a 911 Operator With Some Minor Connections to Reality
At the heart of ‘The Killer is Calling’ is Faye, the 911 operator responding to the mysterious caller who is on a serial killing rampage. She is a fictional character crafted by Alyssa Kramer and Troup Wood. Although she is depicted as a reliable emergency responder, one of the key things highlighted about the character is a tragic mishap in her past. When Faye was starting out as a 911 caller, she accidentally misheard the address of an arson case, which led to police officers arriving at the wrong location. As a result, a woman and her child lost their life. The incident haunts Faye and becomes a pivotal plot point in the narrative. While it may be fictional, there have been incidents of emergency operators making mistakes that have directly led to the loss of people’s lives.
In 2018, three officers in Missouri were shot after they were accidentally sent to the wrong residence by an emergency call. Two of the officers were injured in the process, while one, Officer Christopher Ryan Morton, passed away after being fatally wounded. Although the case may be drastically different in its context from Faye’s backstory, it showcases the same perils associated with taking on a high-pressure job as a 911 operator. It highlights the importance of clear communication in such roles and how one simple error can be incredibly costly. Faye lives through the pain and grows into a much better and more experienced operator capable of dealing with any situation. However, this growth comes at a price. Thus, for the most part, she remains a fictional character with no ties to reality other than a past accident.
Michael Draper: A Serial Killer Whose Modus Operandi Vaguely Follows Other Real-Life Killers
The serial killer threatening Faye’s peace of mind and the tranquility of her locality in ‘The Killer is Calling’ is Michael Draper. He is a fictional character conceived from the minds of Alyssa Kramer and Troup Wood. As mentioned before, Michael’s ways of operating bear some resemblance to serial killers like Paul Michael Stephani and Edmund Kemper, especially how he gauds Faye by calling her to announce his kills. However, he deviates from reality mainly due to his motivations. While the reasons behind Stephani and Kemper’s killings are more vaguely defined and have psychological underpinnings, Draper is on a quest for revenge against Faye and her town. He wants to punish those who have wronged him in the past and caused the death of his family. As such, he is a fictionally drawn character who does not exist.
Read More: The Killer is Calling: Filming Locations and Cast Details
