This is an impressive documentary that takes you on a journey into the Satan Worshiper hysteria of the Seventies, walks down seedy alleyways with pimps and prostitutes and turns the lens on the way police and prosecutors did business back then.
It is really well constructed snapshot of the underbelly of small town America, full of sordid personalities that worked on, stalked and patrolled the streets.
It is fascinating to hear the men in charge of the investigations condemn the young girl they used to frame various people: a girl who was suffering from rape and abuse. They have elevated her to mythological proportions of maniacal evil. They still talk about this (then) child as if she is an evil genius and they were putty in her hands. Later we hear those same officers making excuses for the pedophile rapists and brutal pimps that perpetrated the crimes in order to humanize them and belittle their involvement, "Yes, he sure was a funny character alright..." they said of the serial pedophile rapist in the area. Yet his victim is an evil manipulator.
A little time and distance (and a few women's rights movements) brings much clarity. Well, to some of us may be.
I highly recommend this doc series.
