Murder: No Apparent Motive

Murder: No Apparent Motive (1984)

*** (out of 4)

Fascinating and entertaining documentary that talks about the rise of serial killers in the United States. We get interviews with cops, detectives as well as victim's family members as they discuss certain cases and why there's a rise in the murders.

The main focus of this documentary are the cases of Ed Kemper and Ted Bundy. Both of them are among the most notorious serial killers in American history and this documentary offers up a close look at their cases. This includes a well-detailed interview with Kemper who talks about murdering his grandparents at 15 only to be released and start killing soon afterwards. There's interview footage with Bundy that he gave to a news station in Colorado as well as footage from his trial in Florida.

I came across this documentary after watching the similar THE KILLING OF America, which featured profiles of both killers. This here goes into much more detail about their cases so fans of this type of story will certainly want to check this. This film doesn't focus as much on the crimes but instead what led to the crime and how future murderers might be stopped or how people could protect themselves from being targets.

This 1984 documentary explores the rise of recreational murder in the United States focusing primarily on the cases of Ed Kemper and Ted Bundy. There is a lengthy interview with Kemper, and bits and pieces of Bundy. Sicko Bundy was of course the man who gave rise to the term serial killer, and the man who is said to have coined the term, Robert Ressler, also appears.

There is also an interview with the parents of one of Bundy's many victims. At this time, Bundy was under sentence of death, but would not be executed for a further five years.

The case of Henry Lee Lucas and Ottis Toole is also covered. At the time, Lucas especially was considered to be arguably the most prolific serial killer in American history, but although he was undoubtedly a murderer, there is a big difference between claiming to have murdered hundreds of people and a finding of fact to that effect.

Some of the problems involved in tracking down serial killers and other criminals who operate across state lines are discussed here. At that time there was said to be no central database for the USA. Now of course, since the Snowden revelations, we know they have been spying on us all. If you find that fact less than reassuring, then take the advice of both Ed Kemper and Robert Ressler: Don't hitchhike, or offer lifts to strangers.