Been to see film MONSTER....

[carole]

It was hubby' birthday today, and he gets a paid day off work, so we went to see the movie Monster Today.

I would have to say this is a really good movie, I can see why Charlie won her award , she is simply brilliant, this movie really moved me, I felt many emotions watching it, horror, sadness, pity, anger, nearly every emotion possible.

Hubby also liked it, yes there was a lot of swearing in it, but it was kind of necessary to portray the character.

Has anyone else seen it, what did you think about it?

[leslie flenner]

I had read the biography many many years ago. And saw the tv version with Park Overall (not sure of last name!) and Charlene Tilton.
The television version is more true to life. The movie, Monster, was more fiction than fact but none the less a great movie.
There was much uproar by the families of the victims, they felt their loved ones were portrayed as the evil doers as opposed to the murderer and wondered why they weren't interviewed for the movie. Well, they weren't interviewed because there was no reason to! The movie was the telling of the story from the side of someone who MAY have seen herself as a victim. Interviews with family not necessary and actually would interfere with the purpose of the film. Everyone knew that it was a slant of fiction. Every one involved in making the film wanted it that way- that was the goal, and it did quite well (if I remember correctly). I haven't seen it because I'm afraid I'll cry!! I remember how very young she was when she began prostituting herself. It's just a very sad story whether or not one sees her as pure evil or not. Just plain sad.
So what's your rating of the film? A, B, less or more? Can I just close my eyes and ears and still enjoy the movie? or is it a LOT of sadness?

[carole]

I would rate it quite highly, it was very moving to me, i don't think you will cry lots, but it did make me feel close to it, I had empathy for her, and also the victims, especially her last, if you see the movie you will know why, Yes I had heard it was more ficton than fact, but that made no difference to me, I enjoyed it, some of it was a bit yuck and I found it a bit hard to watch, but then I am just like that.

It was not our film of choice, I wanted to see 21 grams, but the times were not suitable,however i was not disappointed.

I felt the character Shelby was not completely innocent here, she was always demanding of the other women, who loved her so much she just wanted to please her and give her everything, at whatever cost, but there was more to it than just that.

Over-all an 8 out of ten from my point of view.:)

[dukedogsmom]

I can see why the family members of the victims are upset. If it's mainly fiction and makes the viewer feel empathy for the murderer, then I wouldn't want to see it, either. I'm not saying that the victims were angels. Obviously they weren't but are any of us? In my line of work, I just can't/don't want to have sympathy for criminals. They get enough breaks with the defense attorneys. Carole, this isn't directed at you, either. Just wanted to make that clear.

[carole]

Don't worry I know you were not directing it at me, you really have to see the story to understand the empathy one feels for this woman, believe me she was indeed a victim herself, her life was horrible , horrible , horrible, I don't condone what she did of course, but one can understand it , well at least the first victim, who was in MO the MONSTER, not her.

The other victims I did feel sorry for, especially her last one, that made me close to tears.

Yes she still was a criminal, and needed to be punished, but there is a lot to this story, you just have to see the whole movie to appreciate that, it is worth seeing believe me.

[leslie flenner]

Who's that? I'm guessing that's the name of the murderer? Eileen Wornoos. (spelling could be off).
In real life, she got on the stand and said that the men she killed threatened her in no way, that she had sex with them and then killed them on her own volition- they were not threatening her in any way. She said that and that's how she got herself on death row. While in prison, Eileen Wornoos, turned Christian and had a woman that was advocating for her release up until the end. Eileen didn't want released (if I remember the newspaper stories correctly at the time of her death). She had been cooresponding with this woman for a number of years about redeeming herself etc. She confessed repeatedly that her "victims" did not deserve to be killed. She is the only female serial killer known in the history of "serial killers" as it is defined today!!!
The victims family members truly had no place in the film because of the view and perspective it takes. the victims family's got their day in court and legally have no stand on this kind of issue. (no matter how any of us feel about it)
Did you all see Truman Capote's In Cold Blood?

[carole]

Shelby was the young girl she loved, the real life story is different from the movie by the sounds of it, her first victim, it was either him or her, from then on none of the rest did deserve to die, but IMO he did, and he was a monster, I am not going into detail about what he did to her, but it was horrible, and he was going to kill her, remember this is the film version.

Shelby knew about her first killing, and she was always demanding things, she wanted a house by the beach, etc etc, and she just tryed to please her, she ended up killing the rest of her victims for their money and because i think she could not prostitute herself anymore after what that awful man did to her,(emotionally )thats just my theory anyhow.

Shelby dobbed her in and testifyed against her as well.

She was on death row for about 11 years I believe if not more, she is dead now.

[leslie flenner]

Ok- in the tv version, that would be Park Overall. She was "weak", in the sense that the fbi were able to get her to wire her motel room and get Eileen Wornoos on tape confessing or at least partially confessing. The girlfriend was facsinated by living a "bad life" and a follower.
Eileen's first rape was by an uncle or father at age 7. (According to what I've read but it's been a while). She was very much neglected as a child and sexually abused. Left home while still a young teen.

[carole]

Yes Leslie that is how it was portrayed in the movie as well, she had been a prostitute since she was 13, she told her parents about the rape and they did not believe her, when she was 7 yrs old, and her father beat her for it. Disgusting, I know not everyone who has a bad childhood turns out to be a murderer, but you can understand a little from her horrible background why these things happened,still that does not comfort the family of her innocent victims, whose only crime was to go to a prostitute.

like I said a very moving story.

[leslie flenner]

How much is under her name in a search- there were concerts held on the day of her death!
I have heard that the documentary was wonderful and found the below but most of what I find is relating to the movie and I am looking for true accounts... hmmm. It's nice to talk with someone with similar interests of mine- poor Aileen!


Aileen Wuornos: The Selling Of A Serial Killer (1992) - Aileen ...

Aileen Wuornos: The Selling Of A Serial Killer. ...

http://videoeta.com/movie/1952

[leslie flenner]

the previous link was probably not useful-- this is easy to follow and hopefully true to facts?

http://www.crimelibrary.com/notorious_murders/women/wuornos/2.h

[carole]

Thanks Leslie that was so interesting, my word they really did make Charlie look alot like her, BTW your inbox is full ok cheers.

[leslie flenner]

box is clear! yes! The resemblance is astounding at best!! Dare I see it? I'm afraid the rape scene will make me cry because the small clip I saw was just heart wrenching!

[QueenScoopalot]

We have to see it sometime Leslie! I think it will be a while until it's out on video. Cover your eyes for the creepy parts. ;) Neat link you found BTW. Jan

[carole]

Leslie I was not comfortable with that scene either, I Just looked down at the ground, it was not long and drawn out though, but it made me shudder at the horror of it all, but yes you two go and see it.

[leslie flenner]

no not the movie but the scene being horrid, reminds me of the movie made by michael j fox and shawn penn in vietnam - i do not remember the name of the movie. But the first time I saw it was in my hometown when we still had the full screen theaters in the regular downtown. So when the rape scene happened, I put my fingers in my ears and walked upstairs to the balcony and all around the lobby area till it was over. I'll bet that theater is torn down now (it's where I saw Dog Day Afternoon, Jesus Christ Superstar, Hair, and a million other great shows and i'm off track i know.

[sirrahbed]

I finally watched the movie - at home, this weekend. I guess I had myself prepared because I was emotionally distanced enough to find it fascinating. I am next watching the 2004 version of the documentary "Aileen: Life and Death of a Serial Killer". I understand that the purpose of the director was to delve deeply into the background of the woman behind the crimes. Yes, she was a criminal and of course she had to be punished. But, we can learn a great deal by understanding her pain. It does not make excuses or imply that defense should be easy on criminals. This is a very unique individual with an unusual life that is worth learning about.

The movie IS gritty and difficult so I am glad I read a good deal about it before I went to see it and also that I viewed it at HOME. The transformation of Charlize Theron itself was worth seeing. I think the dark lifeless contact lenses and the mouthpiece were the most amazing. One thing I learned was that Charlize gained weight not because Aileen was fat - she wasn't, but because Aileen hated her body. This was a way Charlize could relate to hating her own body - by gaining the weight.