My review was written in July 1986 after watching the film on Lightning video cassette.
Though bearing a 1984 copyright, "Shadows Run Black" is a very ordinary slasher film shot in spring 1981, heyday of the unlamented genre. Announced as a 1983 release by CineWorld, pic went directly to video cassette.
Episodic presentation (with little continuity evident) has a serial killer, dubbed "The Black Angel" by the press, offing pretty young coeds. Cop on the case, Sgt. Rydell King (William J. Kulzer), is coming off a leave of absence that followed the unsolved kidnapping of his daughter (hint, hint).
Prime suspect is Jimmy Scott (Kevin Costner, uncredited), who knew the girls . However, after Scott is arrested the murders continue. Dumb ending is telegraphed in the second reel.
Apart from an early role by star-of-the-future Costner (whose character is omitted from the otherwise complet end credits), "Shadows" is notable only for its unusually capacious amount of full nudity featuring well-built young women, an obvious draw in the cassette market. Tech credits are weak and acting, apart from Costner, only semi-pro. Derek Stratten was listed as director when film was in production while one "Howard Heard" is credited on screen.
Many of the filmmakers and cast members reunited last year to make "Georgia County Lockup", a women's prison film notable for casting wrestling/roller derby star Dee Booher (a/k/a Queen Kong).
