Other Titles • Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills
Synopses for Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills (1996)
1.
In 1993, three eight-year-old boys were found brutally murdered in the woods of West Memphis, Arkansas. Though the evidence suggested the masterwork and skill of a seasoned killer, the police hastily assigned the blame to three alienated boys with a predilection for heavy metal music and black clothing. The directors' omnipresent yet unobtrusive camera draws the viewer into an intensely gripping trial and investigation, during which an atmosphere of small town "Satanic panic" and a case filled with holes reveals itself. All sides of the story are carefully explored--the emotions and opinions of victims' families, lawyers, and the boys themselves--as the trial slowly builds to its shocking outcome. The masterful editing of Berlinger and Sinofsky transforms the often dry courtroom documentary into smooth and compelling storytelling, and the most articulate of the condemned boys, Damien Echols, emerges as the fascinating centerpiece. Effective use is made of heavy metal band Metallica's early music, which gives an audio soundtrack to the alienation and hopelessness of the accused boys. Powerful and often heart wrenching, this award-winning documentary is, in the fact of its reality, more frightening, tragic, and unforgettable than many works of fiction.
(19 votes)
2.
On May 6, 1993, the mutilated bodies of three 8-year-old boys were found in a shallow creek in West Memphis, Arkansas. A short time later police arrested three local teenagers, linking the boys' killings to a satanic ritual. One of the boys confessed. The intriguing court case was about to unfold as filmmakers Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky ventured forth to make this documentary. They captured footage of not only courtroom proceedings but also interviews with the major players in trial--parents, suspects, lawyers. The documentary filmmakers, whose previous film, Brother's Keeper, is as intriguing of a crime story you'll ever see, tells this story without re-creations or flashbacks. The film makes a clear argument that the court trial may not be about witchcraft but a witch hunt. As with any great drama, the faces and situations are etched upon the viewer; however, we are dealing with real lives and real crimes (told gruesomely and necessarily by police photographs and videotape), and the impact is far greater. And so is the maddening ambivalence of the trial. Like the O.J. Simpson fiasco, a verdict is reached but the truth is questioned. Did police make fatal errors the night of the crime? Do last-minute clues lead to justice? Who's lying on the stand? As with Roger and Me and Hoop Dreams, we have a provocative single incident that holds a mirror to many of society's problems. The results are just more horrifying. The Emmy-winning film was followed four years later by Paradise Lost 2: Revelations. --Doug Thomas
(16 votes)
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