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Overkill
Yet a third movie about serial killer Aileen Wuornos — this one a follow-up documentary called "Aileen" — is more about the filmmaker's obsession than about teaching us something new.
By LIZA CICHOWSKI
Offoffoff.com
If you're looking for a review of that movie in which an unattractive and heavier version of Charlize Theron portrays a female serial killer from Florida, this is not it.
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| AILEEN: LIFE AND DEATH OF A SERIAL KILLER |
Directed by: Nick Broomfield, Joan Churchill.
Produced by: Jo Human.
Featuring: Nick Broomfield, Aileen Wuornos.
Related links:
Official site
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If you're looking for a review of a documentary film produced in 1992 about the trial of the real female serial killer, Aileen Wuornos, this is not it either.
If you're looking for a review about a follow-up documentary on Aileen Wuornos's time on death row and her subsequent execution in 2002, then you are in the right place.
In "Aileen: Life and Death of a Serial Killer," we learn about the horrific circumstances that led Aileen to become a highway prostitute and murder seven men. Director Nick Broomfield interviews Aileen's estranged family members and former friends, who reveal that Aileen was abandoned by her mother, raised by an abusive grandfather, and sexually abused by her brother and his friends. At age 11, she became pregnant and was eventually thrown out of the house and forced to live in the woods.
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| | It was as though Broomfield was expecting Governor Bush to burst through the door and announce: "Nick Broomfield was right! Stop the execution!" |
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Between the details of this appalling story, Broomfield weaves in bizarre on- and off-the-record interviews with Aileen. These conversations convince Broomfield that Aileen is mentally ill and that her insanity was triggered when she murdered her first victim in self-defense. Broomfield further believes that this initial murder led Aileen to murder six more men and that this information should have prevented the state of Florida (namely Governor Jeb Bush) from executing her.
Once Broomfield makes these points, he becomes obsessed with proving that Aileen initially acted in self defense, asking her about it over and over again — right up until the day before her execution. It was as though Broomfield was expecting Governor Bush to burst through the door and announce: "Nick Broomfield was right! Stop the execution!"
Of course, that doesn't happen. Aileen Wuornos's painful and atrocious life ends while Broomfield holds a press conference in the parking lot of the state pen and Governor Bush holds one in the state capital. Meanwhile, Hollywood producers cast Charlize Theron to portray Aileen in a screen adaptation of her story. Theron changes her appearance for the film, which opens to favorable reviews and "Oscar buzz."
Apparently, crime does pay.
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JANUARY 13, 2004
OFFOFFOFF.COM • THE GUIDE TO ALTERNATIVE NEW YORK
Reader comments on Aileen: Life and Death of a Serial Killer:
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| • | Aileen, Serial Killer from Jacqueline, Feb. 21, 2004 |
| | • | Re: Aileen, Serial Killer from s.t, Sept. 21, 2005 |
| | | • | Re: Aileen, Serial Killer from hgjgk, April 22, 2006 |
| | | | • | Re: Aileen, Serial Killer from Saundra, Feb. 10, 2007 |
| | | • | Re: Aileen, Serial Killer from gary, Jan. 21, 2007 |
| | • | Re: Aileen, Serial Killer from Leslie, March 11, 2006 |
| | • | Re: Aileen, Serial Killer from Brenda, Jan. 23, 2007 |
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| • | Monster killer from Steve Cote, July 22, 2004 |
| | • | Re: Monster killer from Leslie, March 11, 2006 |
| | | • | Re: Monster killer from , May 4, 2006 |
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| • | Life and Death from Nichol Hoy, Oct. 5, 2004 |
| | • | Re: Life and Death from Monica, July 7, 2005 |
| | | • | Re: Life and Death from , Oct. 30, 2006 |
| | • | Re: Life and Death from Leslie, March 11, 2006 |
| | | • | Re: Life and Death from , Oct. 5, 2006 |
| | • | Re: Life and Death from gina, April 11, 2006 |
| | | • | Re: Life and Death from kim, April 16, 2006 |
| | | | • | Re: Life and Death from sierra, Feb. 13, 2007 |
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| • | according to the movie from re wo, Nov. 25, 2004 |
| | • | Re: according to the movie from Niki, Jan. 23, 2005 |
| | • | Re: according to the movie from Katarina Head, Feb. 28, 2005 |
| | | • | Re: according to the movie from sherry, March 28, 2006 |
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| • | wow from amelia lodrife, Nov. 27, 2004 |
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| • | She is so ugly. from Nikkie, Nov. 30, 2004 |
| | • | Re: She is so ugly. from , Feb. 27, 2005 |
| | | • | Re: She is so ugly. from Saundra, Feb. 10, 2007 |
| | • | Re: She is so ugly. from Sarah, April 13, 2005 |
| | | • | Re: She is so ugly. from , Feb. 13, 2006 |
| | | | • | Re: She is so ugly. from , March 1, 2006 |
| | | | • | Re: She is so ugly. from MichaelByrne, Aug. 13, 2006 |
| | | | | • | Re: She is so ugly. from hubbabubba, Jan. 8, 2007 |
| | | | | | • | Re: She is so ugly. from , Feb. 10, 2007 |
| | | | | • | Re: She is so ugly. from Saundra, Feb. 10, 2007 |
| | • | Re: OMG from -, May 22, 2005 |
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| | • | why from Josh, May 29, 2005 |
| | • | Re: She is so ugly. from Leslie, March 11, 2006 |
| | | • | Re: She is so ugly. from Andrew, March 31, 2006 |
| | | | • | Re: She is so ugly. from jenn, April 16, 2006 |
| | • | Re: She is so ugly. from Tanisha, April 22, 2006 |
| | • | Re: She is so ugly. from elke, May 21, 2006 |
| | | • | Re: She is so ugly. from clare, Aug. 13, 2006 |
| | • | Re: She is so ugly. from jesy, July 20, 2006 |
| | • | Re: She is so ugly. from helen, Oct. 1, 2006 |
| | • | Re: She is so ugly. from Saundra, Feb. 10, 2007 |
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| • | Its our fault. from Roxana, Dec. 20, 2004 |
| | • | Re: Its our fault. from GLORY, May 18, 2005 |
| | • | Re: Its our fault. from Tony, Oct. 13, 2005 |
| | | • | Re: Its our fault. from valencia( a conceerned citizen, Nov. 6, 2005 |
| | | • | Re: Its our fault. from Jason, Jan. 14, 2006 |
| | | • | Re: Its our fault. from Tanisha, April 22, 2006 |
| | • | Re: Its our fault. from Beth, March 8, 2006 |
| | • | Re: Its our fault. from Leslie, March 11, 2006 |
| | | • | Re: Its our fault. from ann, March 28, 2006 |
| | • | Re: Its our fault. from , April 22, 2006 |
| | • | Re: Its our fault. from kevin, Sept. 15, 2006 |
| | | • | Re: Its our fault. from elmo, March 28, 2007 |
| | | • | Re: Its our fault. from elmo-part 2, March 28, 2007 |
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| • | [no subject] from laura, Dec. 27, 2004 |
| | • | Re: [no subject] from , Feb. 27, 2005 |
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| • | Aileen from Joey, July 21, 2005 |
| | • | Re: Aileen from , Aug. 2, 2005 |
| | | • | Re: Aileen from june, March 11, 2006 |
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| • | defending herself from sandra, Aug. 13, 2005 |
| | • | Re: defending herself from Sherry, Sept. 13, 2005 |
| | | • | Re: defending herself from Valencia, Nov. 6, 2005 |
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| • | [no subject] from , Sept. 13, 2005 |
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| • | what of selby from Raj, Oct. 11, 2005 |
| | • | Re: what of selby from Rob Willis, Oct. 25, 2005 |
| | | • | Re: what of selby from Leslie, March 11, 2006 |
| | | | • | I want to visit her grave to Aileen W. Help me! from Marie Molvaer, Aug. 31, 2006 |
| | | • | Re: what of selby from , March 11, 2006 |
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| • | IM SO SORRY FOR HER from halima, Oct. 11, 2005 |
| | • | Re: IM SO SORRY FOR HER from RAULIIII, Feb. 13, 2006 |
| | • | Re: IM SO SORRY FOR HER from , March 11, 2006 |
| | | • | Re: IM SO SORRY FOR HER from Joan Palmer, Oct. 9, 2006 |
| | • | i can't blame her from Rosio, Aug. 2, 2006 |
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| • | im glad she did it from hannah, Oct. 22, 2005 |
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| • | My heroe from Maxi Fernandez, Nov. 12, 2005 |
| | • | Re: My hero from Joan Palmer, Oct. 9, 2006 |
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| • | [no subject] from 24 carots, Jan. 20, 2006 |
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| • | May her soul rest in peace.. from Pam, Jan. 31, 2006 |
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| • | May her soul rest in peace.. from Pam, Jan. 31, 2006 |
| | • | Re: May her soul rest in peace.. from Truth Teller, Dec. 3, 2006 |
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| • | What if... from Sarah, Feb. 15, 2006 |
| | • | Re: What if... from Joe, Feb. 16, 2006 |
| | | • | Re: What if... from , March 11, 2006 |
| | | | • | Re: What if... from Saundra, Feb. 10, 2007 |
| | • | Re: What if... from Beth, March 8, 2006 |
| | • | Re: What if... from Leslie, March 11, 2006 |
| | • | Re: What if... from , March 11, 2006 |
| | • | Re: What if... from connie, March 18, 2006 |
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| • | aileen life and death from amanda, Feb. 22, 2006 |
| | • | aileen life and death and the real truth from Leslie, March 11, 2006 |
| | • | Re: aileen life and death from , April 22, 2006 |
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| • | Aileen Wuornos, un ser enfermo de dolor! from Mónica, March 15, 2006 |
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| • | about A.Wuornos...from France from jacques GUILBERT, May 8, 2006 |
| | • | Re: about A.Wuornos...from France from Julie, July 27, 2006 |
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| • | [no subject] from April, July 10, 2006 |
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| • | monster. from amber, July 27, 2006 |
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| • | " It's a shame" from Lakeisha Lynall, Aug. 13, 2006 |
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| • | The monsters are the ones that hurt her from Jackie, Sept. 19, 2006 |
| | • | Re: The monsters are the ones that hurt her from Bonnie, May 2, 2007 |
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| • | aileens a psycho from blahblahblah, Oct. 5, 2006 |
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| • | Aileen Wiernos "Monster". from Joan Palmer, Oct. 9, 2006 |
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| • | aileen from victor kruger, Oct. 30, 2006 |
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| • | Aileen Wuornos from Rachel, Nov. 16, 2006 |
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| • | Aileen was a whore from Madonna, Dec. 28, 2006 |
| | • | Re: Aileen was a whore from Cindy Looper, Dec. 31, 2006 |
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| • | Aileen from LKS, Feb. 10, 2007 |
| | • | Re: Aileen from SHEI, May 3, 2007 |
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| • | i cant belive!! from bianca mendez, Feb. 19, 2007 |
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| • | mental health from QPUBLIC, Feb. 24, 2008 |
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