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

*that

Presumably people are scared of the film in case it comes across as an explanation or apology from the murderers.

But anyone who knows owt about J&V knows the film couldn't show them in an attractive light because it's a documentary based on factual records. The script is extracts of police interviews with them after the murder. Enough said.

The police transcripts show the killers in an even worse light than most people were already aware of, if that were possible. A lot of the details were kept back at the time of the trial to avoid upsetting Mrs Bulger - while it was popularly speculated the victim had been abused (he hadn't) the truth is that the killers' behaviour was so chilling afterwards no one could see the benefit in her knowing that.

Both murderers produced absolutely nothing in the way of defence or apology at the time and tried to pin the worst violence on the other one. They lied, cheated and denied non stop. No remorse.

JV keeps having to be sent back to prison 25 years on, and I'm not sure about the other one - in or out?

I think it's valuable as a documentary - the only really difficult thing to defend in terms of free speech is deliberate attempts to offend, and this isn't.

Surely the first, most important aspect of thinking of making a film on the back of someone's tragedy, ethically, would be to have communication and full consent with/of the family. The film is unethical, amoral and a violation.
Aside from that, it's too soon, too disrespectful.
It's only been dressed up as somehow insightful in retrospect in response to the outrage. To claim it's anything an appraisal of the British justice system or a delve into the nature/nurture debate or an analysis of a lack of social responsibility birthing the likes of the two killers, is cowardly. It's been widely reported that the film contains no such enlightenment.
I don't care about other films or this and that, I only care about the one family whose suffering will only be compounded by this film. I can't imagine what that feels like in my wildest nightmares, why do they deserve more yet more pain? Just for the film viewing 'pleasure' of whomever would want to sit and watch this?

I don't think there would be much pleasure involved.

Why why anyone watch it then? There's nothing to learn in the film.
I watch films: for a laugh, because I want to learn something or broaden my horizons, because it's a subject I find really interesting, to see an original spin or a different perspective on something, why is anyone going to grab the popcorn and watch a reenactment of what happened to that poor little toddler? What justification is there?

Why would*

Nobody's going to "grab the popcorn", it's not for that kind of audience. Because it's not on general release, people will have to make a real effort to see it. I can't speak for anyone else, I'd like to see it because I'd like an insight into the psychology of two children who could commit such a dreadful act. I've never read the transcripts of the interviews so that would be interesting.

I actually think it should be illegal to be able to make a programme like this whilst it's still in living memory & the victims are still very much alive & suffering. (If they had the victims family's consent, then that's a different matter.)

It's totally voyeuristic & for the director to make a name for himself - nothing more. Claims to the contrary are either blatant lies or delusions.

But there isn't that kind of analysis in the film, it's been said by people who have sat through it.
There are things you can access to help you gain insight into the psychology of killers and child killers. In which case, be prepared to read about abuse and neglect.

That was to blue ⬆️

You don't know what's in it. You haven't seen it.

Blue neither do you? I'm going on what people who have seen have reported.
I'm boycotting out of respect for Denise and the family.
No amount of 'interest in psychology' would sway me to watch the vanity project of an arrogant, cruel prat.

That's your decision based on your opinion. But other people are entitled to come to their own different conclusions. We're never going to agree, are we?

I truely hope the director doesn't ever have to experience the horror of losing a child. Especially to sick fucking bastards who are not much older than babies themselves. May James rest in peace. And Thomson and Venebels die a horrible slow painful death.

I don’t think we are going to get an insight into their psychological state from these interviews though. You’d need to really delve in to their backgrounds and upbringing. Even then there may just be no answers.

No we won't. James' mother has been on national television fighting back tears, pleading with people to boycott it because it's harmful to her.
It's no great loss to you just not to watch it, is it? Laughable to pretend to have an academic interest in the topic when really you just want a good gawp at the finer details of a child murder case.

No we won't. James' mother has been on national television fighting back tears, pleading with people to boycott it because it's harmful to her.
It's no great loss to you just not to watch it, is it? Laughable to pretend to have an academic interest in the topic when really you just want a good gawp at the finer details of a child murder case.

(Sorry about the double post! Phone playing up)

Completely agree @Delatron - that's why I believe it's pure voyeurism & the director just wanting to make a name for himself.

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?

What sort of logic is this? All this makes it ok does it cos other people have made money out of other's misery?

I'd like to see it because I'd like an insight into the psychology of two children who could commit such a dreadful act

If you want this you could get from reading a book about it. A book that has been written by an adult who has studied the case and is an expert in this field. Why make a film which has involved 2 other children fgs reading the transcripts of real killers? That in itself beggars belief.

Adding to Denise Fergus' misery is adding to the crime if you ask me.

What's happened to human rights in this case?She, as his mother, should have had the right to refuse this film being made.

Words fail me. Everyone involved (apart from the young actors who are too young to know better) should take a long hard look at themselves.

you dont get insight into the mind of a child killer from a 30 min short film based on the police interviews that much i can tell you.

i conduct criminal interviews every week. out of a shift of 6 days i probably do it 3 days and have done for 9 years.

if i were to use that logic id a be a major lead in psychology by now on preventing murder/manslaughter/domestic violence/child abuse/ robbery/ etc etc.

Without seeing the film, which at present none of us are likely to to, it’s content can’t be gauged. What I can say is that this isn’t an opportunistic director looking for controversy or big bucks. His previous short films are about troubled boys, bullying and peer pressure, so boys, crime and peer influence is a long term interest of his films. Which are short and obscure, available for free online or only on the festival circuit, not glossy red-carpet big release jobs, or on mainstream tv. He funded this film himself. It doesn’t have a distribution or a tv deal.

If it’s a cynical attempt to cash in on a horrific crime, it’s a pretty major failure.

I don't think it's an attempt to cash in more like make a name for himself as some gritty director.

Shame he just forgot to run it past the people it would hurt though. When your work means more than common decency it's time to re-evaluate your work.