The Versace Murder

Of laughter, of course.

I don't think that there are words to describe how bad this movie is, but I'll try.

This movie is about the murder of Gianni Versaci, perpetrated by the serial killer Andrew Cunanan. Anyone not familiar with the newspapers/Geraldo/CNN coverage should know that in 1997 Cunanan killed Versace after having killed a number of his gay associates and passers by, culminating in the murder of the middle aged fashion designer and his own suicide on a yacht. The movie is the recounting of the FBI's hunt for him.

There are problems with this movie, however (understatement of the year).

Number one, the script. Written by Menachem Golam (of Delta Force, Delta Force II, etc. claim), it is wholly ignorant of police/FBI procedure, common sense, or subtlety. Much of the time, FBI agents Stephen Bauer and Renny Roker (relation of Al Roker?), talk _at_ the audience, rather than to each other or the third parties. They're relating information they're both already aware of. Or, they're telling the audience that not all the gay community is bad. The scene near the end, where all the Versace's friends sit around on the steps where he was shot among wilting flowers, was so over the top, hammily, blunt... This finds a hilarious culmination in the closing scene, where they philosophize with each other about the nature of crime and mankind, like they're in an old "Dragnet" episode.

Then, there is Shane Perdue as Andrew Cunanan, who comes across as the brat from hell, rather than a developing serial killer. His way to "emote" his alienation from society and his generally poor attitude is to say "f* you" whenever he's about to steal, kill or smash a tv set. So, after we get the picture, we're treated to his last "f* you" gesture when he kills himself rather than be arrested and says ... (guess what). Also, Shane Perdue doesn't look more than a year out of his teens, even though Cunanan was in his early thirties, which might have been partly the trigger that set him off on his killing spree. Which is surprising, considering he seems to subsist entirely on vodka and speed.

Then, there is the awful, overbearing synthesizer musak that gives the entire first half of the movie the feel of a porn flick.

But lastly, the FBI is so slow witted, they don't follow up or exploit half the leads they have. Why don't they hang a wanted poster in every motel in town, even though they _know_ he has a penchant for going to hiding in hotels, or at friend's places. Also, the briefing they gave to the collected police forces must be the most uninformative in history - which is more a reflection of script writer Globus' ignorance of police procedure and his unwillingness to do any background research. In short, this movie is no "Manhunter" or "Silence Of The Lambs".

This movie, amazingly, has something going for it, though. It is the first serial killer movie about the Versace case. Also, it is so bad, it should get _some_ kind of prize. Unintentionally, this melodramatic piece of tripe had me in stitches by the end.

If you don't pay any money for it, you might enjoy it. Wait for it on cable and view it as a high camp comedy, and you'll be alright with it. :-)

This horrible piece of tripe contains so many bad actors, they were tripping over one another to deliver their incredibly-poorly written dialogue.

The acting was wooden, the directing haphazard and the script, well the script, should have been burned, along with the writing team.

To have subjected the tragedy of Versace's death to such an amateurish version of Andrew Cunanan's last few weeks was a travesty. If I were an actor in this movie I would change my name...quckly! Either that or try to expunge this film from my filmography.

The premise was fine...the truth of Cunanan, a self-important model-wanna-be who uses rage, whether it's gay rage or just rage itself, to slowly take over his life, and then to finally kill four people leading up to his coup de grace, the assassination of Versace, the uber-designer who slighted him by not choosing him as a model.

I would like to see this tragic story portrayed by a writing team, director and cast who actually are professionals, maybe they would be able to pull off a good film...but this group...not a chance!

I just finished watching this on late night television and I am in awe. I mean, I have seen a few TV movies in my day, but this one almost comes across like a bad satire of TV movies. It is bad in just about every way imaginable.

The music is pretentious, the editing bears the mark of a first year film student, and the acting is horrifyingly bad. At some points this movie heads off following Andrew Cunanan in aimless directionless scenes. It has the characters fighting in swearing fits that come off like children learning the "f-word" for the first time. And every scene, particularly those with the actor playing Andrew Cunanan are stretched out with the most appalling acting I have ever seen. I mean it. Every single line of dialogue is delivered almost painfully. The most excruciating example is the scene at the very end when the two FBI agents have this really presumptuous and pretentious theory session on murder and consumerism. It was truly "crap-tacular".

This movie is a complete waste of time, and unintentionally turns a horrifying true-life story into a sloppy farce. Worse still, I got this impression the film makers were vastly overestimating the importance of this movie in their own minds. This comes off with endless scenes with the various characters where they spout speeches thinly veiled single entendres about their motivations and society. I get the impression the film makers even wanted to make a connection between the glitz and glamour of the fashion world and how it drove Cunanan to kill - except that no viewer is going to buy that the way it is presented here.

If I were Donatelli Versace, I would sue on principle alone just to end TV movies of mediocre quality.

One of my favorite all time crap movies but best watched after a night on the town.

As a film lover I have always enjoyed a complete turkey. It helps you understand how the film process works. I get the feeling that this film had it's budget cut while in production and Mr Golan gamely thought that he could carry the screen play.

Classic scenes like the silent disco (you can hear their feet shuffling). Or "Hey, not all gays are bad". I actually think the actor Shane Perdue who plays murderer Andrew Cunanan isn't half bad. If you're homophobic he's your ultimate 'bad gay'. Sex toys anyone? A Golan brothers (Cannon Cinemas) cult classic.

Films like this can easily get forgotten so if you come across it watch it!

This is a great movie! I am in awe! I've read all the reviews and I expected something like that. But reviewers without humour. I just love the style of the director. I can recognize it in the great actionmovies I saw as a kid "Enter the Ninja" and "Delta Force". There's some real humanity in this sort of acting and directing. Of course, the movie should get a low grade because of this Ed Woodish quality but the viewing experience is just awesome. I was laughing really hard. I say that those who don't like this movie does not have any sense of humour. I must say I am impressed. If only all movies where like this the world would be a better place. This movie is good because it does not PRETEND. It is "itself" so to speak. I'd like to see more movies by this director. 5/10.