The Speedway Murders

I was very much looking forward to this documentary because I have been following this unsolved case for quite a while now...several years. I was very impressed with the style and format on how it was presented. I also liked that they explored several known theories on why this senseless crime happened. I absolutely LOVED how they brought these people back to life for us. It was hauntingly beautiful, and I didn't want it to end. I don't usually like to give a perfect score for anything, but I was just so captivated with this film. The authenticity to time and culture of 1978 mid American teenagers was spot on as well.

The filmmakers' approach to telling this story is unique, compassionate, and effective as they put forth multiple competing theories, from the perspective of detectives, witnesses, families, and the victims themselves.

We attended a premiere screening in Indianapolis, followed by a Q&A with the (Australian!) filmmakers and several of the key players featured in the production. The "Burger Chef murders," the name by which locals know the tragic crime, has haunted locals for more than 40 years. Even though we have never forgotten about it, the film presented a great deal of information and insight that had not previously come to light.

One of the best true crime films I've seen. Cannot recommend highly enough.

Could have been good but they continuously go back to a scene of the victims talking about themselves in the third person it's extremely distracting and doesn't make any sense and after the first few times it gets really annoying (they do it a lot so be prepared) i really struggle to understand that creative direction choice other than that it's not that bad but that really convoluted the whole story enough for me to not able to rate it above a 5.

I don't know why, but the producers of these documentaries often see the need to insert creepy, scary, jarring sounds on a continual basis.

It cheapens the whole thing. Makes any true crime program into a low brow 'B' movie type of thing.

The rest of it is not too bad. Having the kids involved int he story telling is unique. I don't really like it, but it's interesting.

There's no answers of course. Which is fine, you know that at the start. But half way through, I was debating whether to continue this.

I think there are many better true crime documentaries out there other than this. Watch one of them.

I was initially unsure about the narrative style in which the actors who portray the victims walk through and discuss the various theories themselves, however by the end I knew the directors had nailed it in a truly humanizing way.

This true crime docu-drama is unique not only in its narrative structure, but also in the quality of the production design, soundtrack, cinematography, use of colour, and tasteful, high quality reenactment scenes and dialogue.

The filmmakers clearly earned the trust of the various witnesses, police officers and family and friends of the victims as evidenced by the degree of openness and emotion demonstrated by them in the film.

By the end, I was in tears.