The 1983 film (also released as Corrupt, The Order of Death, or Corrupt Lieutenant) is an Italian psychological crime thriller directed by Roberto Faenza. It is based on the 1977 novel The Order of Death by Hugh Fleetwood and features a soundtrack by Ennio Morricone. Story Overview
Because Copkiller is an Italian production shot in English and set in a decaying New York City, it has a history of disjointed releases and varying localizations.
The film's atmosphere is heavily defined by a soundtrack by Ennio Morricone.
A Warning on Quality
Many fan-made subtitles for Copkiller are rough. The dialogue between Keitel (as a jaded policeman) and Lydon (as a posh sociopath named Leo) is dense and psychologically charged. Poor translations can flatten the film's tension. Look for subtitles labeled "SDH" or "Full English" – these tend to be more accurate.
The film follows Lt. Fred O'Connor (Keitel), a narcotics detective whose secret life involves a high-end apartment funded by illegal drug money. His world is upended by Leo Smith (Lydon), a "disturbed young man" who falsely confesses to being a serial killer targeting police officers.
First, I need to check the availability of the 1983 version. I think the film was originally released in Japan under the title "Terror 21" or something similar. The American release was "Copkiller." So the original Japanese version would have Japanese subtitles for some reason, maybe for Japanese-speaking audiences who are deaf or for foreign films. Then the English subtitles for the American release would translate the original Japanese dialogue. Also, some releases might have dubbed versions, but the user is asking about subtitles, so I need to focus on that.
