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      Aileen Wuornos: The Selling of a Serial Killer

      R Released Feb 4, 1994 1h 27m Documentary List
      100% 9 Reviews Tomatometer 66% 1,000+ Ratings Audience Score In this documentary, filmmaker Nick Broomfield follows the saga of Aileen Wuornos, a prostitute who has been accused of committing a brutal series of murders. Broomfield conducts interviews with Wuornos herself, and his crew films her trial as well as her interactions with religious fanatic Arlene Pralle, who gives Wuornos dubious advice and legally adopts her. The cameras also roll as the accused's attorney ignores the case at hand to negotiate a deal to sell his client's story. Read More Read Less

      Audience Reviews

      View All (52) audience reviews
      Leaburn O Fairly dry documentary about a serial killer. No surprise to see corruption exposed again amongst local US police force. Ludicrous how they seem to operate as a law unto themselves so regularly. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 07/30/23 Full Review s r 1001 movies to see before you die. This documentary was very basic and I don't feel that it was as effective as it could have been. Regardless, it was still interesting and it sparked a lively debate in my family. It also led me to finally watch Monster that was much more disappointing despite its acting. It was on Plex. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member Broomfield may be one of the most stubborn, fearless documentarians around, but this does not prevent him from treating Aileen with compassion and humanity. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 09/30/21 Full Review William L It's not crazy to consider this film to be among the earliest to use the documentation of a murder as a way to present a piece of social criticism - here, the corruption of justice and twisting of truth for media sensationalism and greed. Exploring characters at the edge of the media circus surrounding 'America's First Female Serial Killer' in an attempt to reach Wuornos herself for comment, Broomfield documents the personalities that saw a series of murders as a means of personal enrichment rather than events of depraved, willful violence, with a shockingly twisted bit of Born-Again Christian Evangelism (Arlene Pralle adopts Wuornos under the guise of charity and atonement of sins, before negotiating access fees with the media; a genuinely disgusting person). Imagine a upbeat-to-the-point-of-incompetent lawyer you picked off of TV ads who convinces you to enter no contest to three murders, then plays you a song on guitar to cheer you up. Wuornos herself is far from well-adjusted and likely not wholly innocent, but the film undoubtedly presents her as mentally unwell and manipulated by those around her; she's more in need of a psychiatrist and a good lawyer than a triple death sentence. This wry bit of criticism certainly didn't stem the tide of gratuitous descriptions of murders that have been popular as cheap entertainment for years, but the genre would not be the same without this piece on exploitation in the practice, which is more about how low people can sink in trying to take advantage of others than it is about any murder. (3.5/5) Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 05/17/21 Full Review teresa m This movie is lacking in narrative structure. What do I mean? It was super disjointed, very confusing to watch. It might be understandable to actual people who work in forensic psychology (I had to watch this movie for class. I watched in during class and again during my free time, still have to do a ton of my own research to understand this case...I doubt regular moviegoers or even people who love documentaries on forensic psychology have enough time to piece together the "puzzle" for this movie). I'm giving it a 3/5 for Meh (the 3 is only for its educational value, not for its actual movie quality...) Rated 3 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review john m There's not a ton to hold onto here in this interesting true crime story that has been explored in multiple TV and movies now. The interviews are very authentic of course but as a whole, it's somewhat sloppy and unsure of its intentions. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Read all reviews Post a rating

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      Aileen Wuornos: The Selling of a Serial Killer (1992) Aileen Wuornos: The Selling of a Serial Killer (1992) View more photos

      Critics Reviews

      View All (9) Critics Reviews
      David Ansen Newsweek Aileen Wuornos is raw, fascinating and less than ideally organized. But as a portrait of a world obsessed with cashing in on tragedy, it couldn't be more timely. Feb 15, 2018 Full Review Nick Schager Lessons of Darkness A damning portrait of cold-hearted greed. Rated: B+ May 3, 2005 Full Review Nell Minow Movie Mom Rated: 3/5 Sep 16, 2004 Full Review Pamela Evans Southern Voice (Atlanta) Broomfield, in his recently released documentary, shows us not just the story of Wuornos, but also the myriad of microcosms inside of the investigation, the arrest and the trial. May 8, 2023 Full Review Jas Keimig The Stranger (Seattle, WA) Ultimately, Broomfield produces a tragic portrait of a woman with questionable legal representation continuously exploited by those around her. Jan 20, 2022 Full Review Rob Gonsalves Rob's Movie Vault Broomfield ends up exploring a world that cares more about money and deals than about life and death. Rated: A Jul 23, 2007 Full Review Read all reviews

      Movie Info

      Synopsis In this documentary, filmmaker Nick Broomfield follows the saga of Aileen Wuornos, a prostitute who has been accused of committing a brutal series of murders. Broomfield conducts interviews with Wuornos herself, and his crew films her trial as well as her interactions with religious fanatic Arlene Pralle, who gives Wuornos dubious advice and legally adopts her. The cameras also roll as the accused's attorney ignores the case at hand to negotiate a deal to sell his client's story.
      Director
      Nick Broomfield
      Screenwriter
      Nick Broomfield
      Distributor
      DEJ Productions, Strand Releasing
      Production Co
      Channel 4 Television Corporation, Lafayette Films
      Rating
      R
      Genre
      Documentary
      Original Language
      English
      Release Date (Theaters)
      Feb 4, 1994, Original
      Release Date (Streaming)
      Nov 5, 2016
      Runtime
      1h 27m
      Sound Mix
      Stereo