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| Starring: Charlize Theron, Christina Ricci,
Bruce Dern, Lee Tergesen, Annie Corley, Scott Wilson Directed by: Patty Jenkins |
Theatrical Release: 2003
DVD Release: 2004
Released by: Columbia TriStar Dolby
Digital 5.1
Widescreen (anamorphic) |
| The Real Killer Documentary filmmaker Nick Broomfield had made a movie in 1992
called Aileen Wuornos: The Selling of a Serial Killer. He showed the capture and
trial of serial killer Aileen Wournos as a sordid mess, a media circus in which everyone
was jumping through hoops to obtain the best monetary deal. Florida police officers were
fired after it was found that they were working on a Hollywood transaction.
Broomfield was called back to Florida in 2002 to interview
Wournos, who trusted him and would only grant an interview in his presence. Broomfield
obtained her last words on film, then set out to interview friends, sexual partners, and
family, coming up with a new documentary, Aileen: Life and Death of a Serial Killer
(***1/2). This has been released by Columbia TriStar on DVD, concurrent with Monster,
the celebrated film about Aileen and her tragic life. You can buy them separately or as a
set.
The more recent documentary uses Aileen's case to make
statements about injustice and the death penalty. It presents the issues of her case in a
manner that will stimulate thought. One might not agree with the director's viewpoint, but
one has to admit that he works his craft well in supporting it.
Broomfield asserts that his last interview with Aileen
clearly shows that she was mad beyond reason, while his scripted narration tells us that
three shrinks were able to tell Florida Governor Jeb Bush that she was sane after a mere
15-minute examination.
Broomfield further concludes that although Wournos did the
crimes, she had severe mental problems and should not have been executed. By carefully
editing and juxtaposing all of his video and audio information, he implies that Bush was
eager to keep his execution rate up to that of his brother, George W. Bush, in Texas.
Broomfield presents a lot of frightening food for thought
in this second documentary, but perhaps the scariest thing of all is watching Aileen at
her trial. If you have seen Monster first, it seems as if a ghost has appeared in
Aileen. One suddenly wants to say, "Wait, that's Charlize Theron. How did she get in
the documentary?" Theron's performance in Monster is that great, completely
blurring the line between reality and acting. She is Aileen. I recommend seeing
this documentary and Monster as a pair.
...Marc Mickelson
marc@hometheatersound.com |
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Theron, who won an Academy Award for her efforts,
interprets this role with inspired nuance. And who would have thought it; up to this
point, Theron had been cast in frivolous films like The Italian Job, where all she
had to be was pretty and perky, tasks I imagine she could accomplish in her sleep. Hers
has been a case of underachieving. Theron has acting chops that rank with any of the
greats, and one hopes to see her in better movies from now on.
Her Aileen is a battered, abused woman, who has become a
prostitute because she believes she can be nothing else. Yet she still dreams of being
better, and when she meets an 18-year-old newbie lesbian, Selby Wall, she sees an
opportunity to go straight and live a life that includes a house with a white picket
fence. In self-defense, she kills a prospective client, and that unlocks her hatred of
men. She dispatches six more before being caught and heralded by the press as the United
States’ "first woman serial killer." Neither the script nor performance
excuses the murders, but they do make the viewer hate the woman’s actions more than
the woman herself. The overall viewpoint is one of realistic compassion.
Christina Ricci is wonderfully boyish and naive as Wall,
and Bruce Dern is reliable as ever, playing Aileen’s only male friend, a half-crazed
Vietnam vet. The direction by Patty Jenkins is assured, and the pace is perfect.
The DVD transfer is close to perfect, too. The video image
is clean and clear, with immaculate contrast. Several scenes take place in a dim but
evenly lighted bar. Normally this would produce scenes where important detail is lost in
shadow, but not here. The Dolby Digital 5.1 mix is very special, too. Composer BT
conceived the score in the 5.1 format, and it immerses the viewer while strongly
supporting the action on screen. Extras are skimpy, making one sure that eventually there
will be a super deluxe set that will include this movie and the documentary Aileen,
Portrait of a Serial Killer. As it is now, there is a decent production featurette
(which gives the viewer a chance to see courtroom shots of the real Aileen), two trailers,
and some lengthy discussions on the creation of the music score.
This DVD is a must-see for Theron’s performance, one
of the greatest in the history of cinema, but will yield other rewards as well, and cause
one to think about life’s circumstances and resultant fortunes. |
