Aileen Wuornos: The Selling of a Serial Killer

Serial killer Aileen Wuornos came to my attention when Charlize Theron played her in Patty Jenkins's "Monster". It turned out that Wuornos had been famous for over a decade before then. Nick Broomfield's "Aileen Wuornos: The Selling of a Serial Killer" focuses on Wuornos's arrest and prosecution.

The topics noted by the documentary are that Wuornos had a dismal childhood (resulting in her proclivity towards violence); and that during the trial, a number of people tried to enrich themselves from the publicity. Basically, there were no good guys; the documentary doesn't heroify Wuornos, but also shows what opportunists everyone else was.

Broomfield made a second documentary about Aileen Wuornos, but I haven't seen that one, only this one and "Monster" (it turns out that there was also a 1992 movie about Wuornos starring Jean Smart). The point is that Wuornos is a clear example of how a harsh upbringing can turn someone into a sadist - that is, a screwed-up society breeds screwed-up people* - and how people will then want to profit from it. Definitely worth seeing.

*That was also one of the points made in "A Clockwork Orange".

The grotesque and sinister Steven Glazer leads Nick Broomfield into a frightening tabloid current affair world in which serial killers have agents, The police frame suspects in order to get movie deals, I don't wnt to spoil to much of the disturbing thins that occur but Steven Glazer has some odd advice to give to his client.

Aileen Wuornos: The Selling of a Serial Killer (1993)

*** (out of 4)

Good documentary from Nick Broomfield has the filmmaker trying to secure an interview with Aileen Wuornos, the Florida woman convicted of killing seven men as she was working as a prostitute. The story became (wrongly) known as the first female serial killer but the filmmaker quickly learns that those around here supposedly looking after her best interest are actually just trying to milk money from the case. This includes her lawyer Steve Glazer as well as Arlene Pralle, the woman who adopted Wuornos soon after she was arrested. This is a pretty fascinating documentary on many levels and I do wonder if Broomfield's original intent was just to make a documentary on Wuornos and then while doing it he discovered how others were just using her to make money for themselves. While there's a quick interview with Wuornos at the end of the documentary, the main focus here is the lawyer as well as the adopted mother. Right from the start you can tell that there's something really wrong with these people and especially when they make Wuornos change her pleas simply because of coming clean to God and going home. This is just the start of things because Broomfield soon uncovers that perhaps even the police are in on this just so they could get movie deals. I really liked the way Broomfield interviewed both parties on their connections to the case and it was really fascinating that no one could see through this lawyer while all the court stuff was going on. Now, I'm not going to sit here and say that Wuornos didn't get what she deserved for her crimes but at the same time those around her shouldn't have been benefiting from her case, life and eventual death.

A person may kill out of hatred, meanness, apathy, anger, or desperation. Whatever the reason, murder can never be tolerated except as an act of self defense. But what can we say about someone who repeatedly puts herself in dangerous situations, and then not once but seven takes a life, each time claiming that she had acted in self defense? As even she complains, it's all in the numbers. That she had a miserable life, with a long history of neglect and abuse, is doubted by no one. That those whom she killed were mean and loathsome toads who cared nothing for her, and would have taken her life had she not murdered them first, is also arguably true. But she kept putting herself in such situations repeatedly, anyway, and that's where her claim for self defense seems absurd.

The documentary portrays her as angry at the world, yet relentlessly addicted to bad advice from others who seek to exploit her for their own selfish reasons. First she listens to a nincompoop "Christian" lady, who convinces her that Jesus will forgive her sins if only she admits to all her crimes in court. So she does, only later to realize the stupidity of such advice. Similarly with legal representation. Going from bad to worse she listens to a worthless narcissist more interested in his own career than saving her life. For all involved, she is worth more dead than alive. Her life would end in the electric chair, while the audience would be eating popcorn and watching the Hollywood version of her story.

The deeper question, however, is how did this woman become a killer in the first place? What is it about our culture that we turn a blind eye to poverty, neglect and abuse, yet we blame those who act out their frustrations through anti-social behaviors? Given her background, why should we be surprised that she turned out as she did? Her life meant nothing to anyone until she went over the edge, and then it only meant a story to be exploited for profit by others. There are flaws in this documentary, to be sure, but a very sad story it yet remains.

Aileen Wuornos: The Selling of a Serial Killer (1992) was the first film that Nick Broomfield made about America's "first female serial killer". We follow Nick Broomfield around the sleazy side of Florida (and of American culture)as he tries to learn more about Aileen Wuornos. We also learn about how everyone is out to get a piece of her fame and ride it until it's out of gas. Mr. Broomfield does everything he can to try and get an interview as well with the notorious serial killer. Will Nick Broomfield get his interview? Are people really this greedy and shallow? What drove Ms. Wuornos and why to Christian groups want her to die in IL' Sparky? Check it out!!

Not as compelling as the second film but it's still interesting. I would strongly recommend this film for documentary fans or those who enjoy Nick Broomfield's work.