Film about James Bulger killers being nominate for an Oscar

[Wigwambam10]

So wrong on so many levels but I think the thing that makes it worse is that the family of James were not asked about the film the the first place.

Hollywood will just see it as a film but for goodness sake there is a family still grieving who will always be grieving for the rest of their lives and someone is making money from it all. Just doesn’t sit well with me

It’s disgraceful and I am horrified any parent would allow their child to play the killers parts. Just awful.

I think the thing that makes it worse is that the family of James were not asked about the film the the first place.

^The filmmaker completely lost any respect once this happened

I really wish some of the stars would boycott this years awards, particularly the British ones who will be more than well aware of how wrong this is.

I agree. Who are the ones who put this forward for a nomination. They're just as twisted as Vincent Lammy (The producer) Think that's his name, anyway.
James murder was world wide, so lots of Americans ect will probably be as socked and disgusted as we are, mind you. They may not know that he didnt have James familys permission to produce it.

absolutely shocking. using the horrific murder of a toddler as entertainment is beyond sick.

James' mum released a statement. I hope people boycott the movie

I know this has been discussed on MN before but do you think every family member of Harold Shipman's victims were asked before ITV made their James Bolam drama about him? The family members of the victims of Fred and Rose West before the Dominic West Appropriate Adult drama? Or Martin Clunes' acid bath murderer? Or Maxine Peake's Myra Hindley?

The answer will be no, I can assure you.

Shatner dh's aunt was a victim and no they didnt ask.

A victim of Shipmans I should say. Mind you apart from the very start of the case her name never gets mentioned now.

why is this so different from all the other films that have been made depicting 'real life' events that have happened. There have been hundreds of such films and have you boycotted them or is it just this one because it was so close to home and peoples hearts?

@Mysweet Yes, there does seem to be special vitriol reserved for this film. People seem to think it's a mainstream movie about the killings. It's far from that.

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That poor woman has been through enough. These filmmakers could have picked a billion other things to make a film about, yet they chose something they knew would be edgy and bring lots of free publicity. Pathetic.

There is a petition. This film idea is vile.

www.change.org/p/the-oscars-stop-the-james-bulger-movie-from-being-shown-and-taken-off-the-oscars-short-list/psf/promote_or_share

ShatnersWig because other family members of other murder victims were not consulted does that make this OK? Not in my book.

Signed. Thanks for sharing.

If this had been done with the parents consent it would have been a different story, why they couldn’t have approached and requested to prevent other nightmares such as this, but they never bothered to ask. This is a shock horror tale with the only purpose of making the director famous. I feel so bad for the parents of this heartbreak. Imagine if your own worst stories which hurt you were made into a film without your consent. I hope no one chooses to watch it

That poor, poor women. Saw her on This Morning saying how horrific it was to see on film the moment her boy was led away. She doesn’t need this.

Just so unnecessary. In the interview the director lacked any compassion and fame acroos very badly. Signing the petition.

Woah. Came across badly.

I don't think the subject has to be untouchable.

I think the way it was done was terrible. The family should have been spoken to. The director keeps saying he didn't wish to upset the family but refuses to pull the film so he clearly doesn't care.

I think this case is different to some of the others mentioned above because it was perpetrated by children and their victim was so young.

I can't imagine why anyone would have signed their children up to play those parts either. I hope the actors were looked after on set, they are so very young themselves.

I think that the level of moralistic vitriol reserved for this small-scale indie film (which has already won several prizes) is completely and interestingly at odds with the level of breathless prurience shown on the lengthy thread about whether people knew real-life murderers or serial killers.

@Italiangreyhound You're missing the point although @Parthenope clearly sees it. You are avoiding the question that I and others have raised either obliquely in my case or directly in @Audrina's case.

Why is there so much vitriol for this compared with all those others which had, pretty much, no complaints at the time they were shown? Indeed, some of them were much praised on MN. Where was everyone complaining about those which weren't just small indie films like this which actually won't even be seen by that many people but mainstream Hollywood films or prime time drama on ITV to be seen by millions and millions of people.

At least @strawberry raises a possible reason.

Questioning something is not necessarily about approving something.

I don't believe in censorship. Oddly I've never seen anyone on Mumsnet suggest that films shouldn't be made about 9/11 or the Holocaust. I don't remember this level of vitriol about Appropriate Adult, the Fred West mini series. We are OBSESSED with this crime 25 years later, yet there have been other murders of children by children since that are barely discussed. Denise Fergus is entitled to her pain and her anger - I don't blame her. She would have said no to this film being made if asked, let's not pretend otherwise, however I think the director should have NOTIFIED her it was going to be made

hugoagogo "I don't think the subject has to be untouchable" what make a you say that?