Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile - with James Hetfield

[Len Cnut]

20 minutes ago, soon said:

I just wanted to see the scene since its like, the end of the story. Dont mean I believe him! I think for the reasons that you say, it actually adds to the story. These exchanges of power between white men, archetypal transactional relationships. And within my analysis that I put forward, the televangelist giving him a platform is the perfect end to the tale of 'patriarchy as cover.'

I thought the film was well done in the sense that it could've been a gorefest but instead its more a character study of like...the Ted that those around him saw, the denying, delusional, arrogant fool Ted, there's only really flashes of his evil and deviance, not even evil but more like...whats the word I'm looking for?  The cunt Ted whoose wrong and knows it.  I think it could've even benefitted from not having the bit at the end where he writes hacksaw, seeing him admit it all in the end would be something of a betrayal of the narrative though perhaps not, perhaps it'd work.  I quite liked the film though, its not Citizen Kane or anything but a good little film, well realised. 

There's a famous scene, its either a deleted scene or it was just in the script, I know for sure it was in the script, in Natural Born Killers I dunno if you've seen it, where Wayne Gayle, Robert Downey Jr as the reporter, is trying to convince Woody Harrelson, Mickey Knox, that a live television interview would be a great idea and in the process of doing so explains how the special that he did on them beat out all the other 'legendary' serial killers in the rating stakes and Mickeys like 'what about Ted Bundy?' and Gayles like 'yeah, you blew him away' and Mickeys like 'Good...yuppie piece of shit'.  Best summation of Bundy I've ever heard   Its in the original Tarantino script too.

Come to think of it NBK is probably the best movie on serial killers I've ever seen. 

[soon]

44 minutes ago, Len Cnut said:

I thought the film was well done in the sense that it could've been a gorefest but instead its more a character study of like...the Ted that those around him saw, the denying, delusional, arrogant fool Ted, there's only really flashes of his evil and deviance, not even evil but more like...whats the word I'm looking for?  The cunt Ted whoose wrong and knows it.  I think it could've even benefitted from not having the bit at the end where he writes hacksaw, seeing him admit it all in the end would be something of a betrayal of the narrative though perhaps not, perhaps it'd work.  I quite liked the film though, its not Citizen Kane or anything but a good little film, well realised. 

There's a famous scene, its either a deleted scene or it was just in the script, I know for sure it was in the script, in Natural Born Killers I dunno if you've seen it, where Wayne Gayle, Robert Downey Jr as the reporter, is trying to convince Woody Harrelson, Mickey Knox, that a live television interview would be a great idea and in the process of doing so explains how the special that he did on them beat out all the other 'legendary' serial killers in the rating stakes and Mickeys like 'what about Ted Bundy?' and Gayles like 'yeah, you blew him away' and Mickeys like 'Good...yuppie piece of shit'.  Best summation of Bundy I've ever heard   Its in the original Tarantino script too.

Come to think of it NBK is probably the best movie on serial killers I've ever seen. 

I think you are right, that it could have been more powerful with no admission. I hadnt really thought of that, but its perfectly in keeping with the film. But since there was one, Id still prefer the public confession - like a Confession with a priest of American Civil Religion - where he blames the existence of misogyny for why he's a misogynist. Again, the guy is a complete moron.  But even the judge was all like '...youd have made a great attorney...' No, he just looks and acts the part, he sucked as an attorney. And the priest sees Bundy as this promising young (white) man too, so he is happy to place the scapegoat onto the alter. Fits the ACR/Televangelsit simplistic moralizing too. Its a big machine.

I guess the film ends when his partner gets her admission because thats the lens? 

As an aside, I think the movie meant to show us that Bundys ex's new boyfriend (Osment) is actually what male strength can look like, but for lack of a better term the film kinda 'cucks' him imho. Maybe it was because whats her names view of things was still so damaged that he just floats in the background and cant compete for space just yet? Then again, maybe that all serves to reinforce the image of strength, just depends on the viewer - like how some feel this film celebrate Bundy, but I dont see it that way. Maybe some have the insight to view Osment as strong even if the film doesnt always seem to celebrate him in that way.

Hahah, I love that NBK has that line!! Absolutely a perfect summation I have seen it but I was young and dont remember it really - will have to check it out again. I cant think of all the serial killer flicks that Ive seen but I also liked Monster, about Aileen W. Is there a good one about Ed Gein? I know that he inspired and informed lots of movies like Psycho, TCM(?) and least one other classic that escapes me. But a proper one on him would be super creepy! Oh, maybe thats it; did he inspire Jeepers Creepers, maybe.

Edited May 10, 2019 by soon

[Len Cnut]

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I cant think of all the serial killer flicks that Ive seen but I also liked Monster, about Aileen W.

I think I've seen that, is it with Charlize Theron?  I've seen a lot of serial killer movies but they never stick in my head for some reason, seen at least two others on Bundy, one on Paul Bernardo and Karla Homolka.  They're entertaining enough when they're happening but they never seem to stick in my memory, I don't know why.

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Is there a good one about Ed Gein? I know that he inspired and informed lots of movies like Psycho, TCM(?) and least one other classic that escapes me.

Silence of the Lambs is inspired partly by Gein though in part by Bundy too, the little bit with the cast and tryna load the sofa in that van.  Texas Chainsaw is partly Gein inspired too, Gein was a veritable treasure trove for scary movie makers.  I don't think I'd like to see a movie about Gein, for the most terrible reasons too, those being that it would kinda make the thing a little less scary.  Something about those murderers from back then, before colour TV and media blitzing that makes that shit all the more scarier, the unknown I guess you might call it, all you have is these old black and white pictures of them, sort of gothic looking...but thats an awful reason to not want a movie to be made, that its more scarier that way.  Myra Hindley and Ian Brady have that too, that sort of gothic look, they look from another world almost, in pictures.  In a way I guess they sort of are, or at least from a very different world. 

[soon]

35 minutes ago, Len Cnut said:

I think I've seen that, is it with Charlize Theron?  I've seen a lot of serial killer movies but they never stick in my head for some reason, seen at least two others on Bundy, one on Paul Bernardo and Karla Homolka.  They're entertaining enough when they're happening but they never seem to stick in my memory, I don't know why.

Yeah, with Theron. Strong performance in my unskilled opinion.

I dont think I retain those films as much as other types of film either. Probably something to that.

36 minutes ago, Len Cnut said:

Something about those murderers from back then, before colour TV and media blitzing that makes that shit all the more scarier, the unknown I guess you might call it, all you have is these old black and white pictures of them, sort of gothic looking...but thats an awful reason to not want a movie to be made, that its more scarier that way.  Myra Hindley and Ian Brady have that too, that sort of gothic look, they look from another world almost, in pictures.  In a way I guess they sort of are, or at least from a very different world. 

I immediately know what you mean about about it being scarier 'trapped' in the past. And the common pic of Gein grinning, somewhere outdoors conveys so much on its own - from that other world.

An old school radio play on Gein would be a cool way to maintain that gothic otherworldliness and historical feel. That would scare the fuck outta me!!! 

I think Blind Melon did an alright job of getting an aspect of his vibe down, more his happy-go-lucky inner monologue and the old timey jig.

Dont think I know about Hindley and Brady. Some more dark subjects to explore.

 

[Len Cnut]

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I immediately know what you mean about about it being scarier 'trapped' in the past. And the common pic of Gein grinning, somewhere outdoors conveys so much on its own - from that other world.

The locales too, oddly, become sort of a character in themselves.  Plainfield Wisconsin, all filmed in black and white, this tiny tucked away unremarkable little American hamlet with a population of like 700 people.  Location is so important with this sort of stuff, anyone making a film about Gein I think would benefit immensely from making a big deal visually of the place.  Same with Brady and Hindley and Manchester, this sort of black and white rain-lashed oppressive looking place. 

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An old school radio play on Gein would be a cool way to maintain that gothic otherworldliness and historical feel. That would scare the fuck outta me!!! 

Those things can petrify you, they have a sort of a thing where like, when your a kid and someone reads you a scary story and your imagination does 90% of the work. 

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Dont think I know about Hindley and Brady. Some more dark subjects to explore.

Proper horrible cunts.