Shy, lonely Eric Binford (Dennis Christopher) delivers film cans and posters in Los Angeles for a living. But he really exists only to see movies and immerse himself in fantasies about cinematic characters and stars. Frequently bullied and betrayed, Eric comforts himself by pretending to be one of the many tough heroes or villains who have captivated him from the silver screen. When a series of unpleasant incidents loosen Eric's already weak grip on reality, it sends him into a homicidal rage. He launches a series of grotesque murders all patterned after characters and incidents from his beloved movies. He becomes known as the "Celluloid Killer," one of the most horrifying murderers the city has ever known.