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Original poster

To be a bit uncomfortable with the 'glorification' of Ted Bundy

63 replies

ItsBloodyFreezingg · 27/01/2019 09:47

I'm not usually one to object strongly to these sorts of things but I can't help but feel quite uncomfortable with this.

Having watched the recent Netflix documentary and briefly studying Bundy as part of my University course back in those days, I felt very uneasy watching the new trailer for 'Exteremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile', with it's rock music background etc...

It's not so much the fact that they have a young handsome Zac Efron playing Bundy, after all its well known that one of the main reasons he was able to do what he did was due to his charisma and 'good looks'. For me, it's knowing how egotistical and narcissistic the man was, he'd be relishing the fact that he was becoming a Hollywood star, it's what he'd want.

I've seen people, women, posting on social media about how the new film has made them want to 'shag a serial killer' etc... This man was a vile monster who preyed on over 30 women, one just a girl of 12.

It just doesn't sit right with me!

OP posts:
Whatsnewwithyou · 27/01/2019 09:50

I felt the same when I saw the trailer. For me I don't care what he would have wanted or not, though, it's more about the glorification and to glamourisation of sickening acts of violence and murder.

Wenttoseainasieve · 27/01/2019 09:52

His crimes were horrific. I completely agree with you.

Lana1234 · 27/01/2019 09:53

I was saying this exact thing last night whilst we were watching the Netflix series

ibuiltahomeforyou · 27/01/2019 09:55

I'm kind of with you on the very attractive actor playing him - though it probably says more about Zach Ephron's career prospects that he took it. For contrast, after Titanic, Leonardo DiCaprio was cast as the main character serial killer in American Psycho but pulled out after the feminist Gloria Steinem took him for dinner and explained that he was at the height of his fame with lots of teenage fans in love with him; playing a murderer as his next role would be damaging.

However, idle trying-to-be-funny chat on social media about his attractiveness is just mindless comments, the photo of young sexy Stalin caused as much of a splash, I don't think it's glorifying his crimes. We all have the idea of serial killers being ugly looking so maybe it's a lesson that they can come in any guise.

Ladyoftheloch · 27/01/2019 09:55

I totally agree. I’m fascinated by true crime and listen to podcasts / watch documentaries etc but that film trailer made me so uncomfortable. Especially the scenes with him dragging around the naked corpses of his victims. How is that not just a revictimisation? Would any of his real life victims have been happy to be portrayed on screen in that way? It seemed like deliberately callous shock value, with no attempt to be respectful of those women’s lives.

Confusednewmum1 · 27/01/2019 09:58

Not seen the film but watch episode 1 of the bundy tapes on Netflix. Think that’s what it’s called and I have no idea why I did. Found it really upsetting that they used actual crime scene pictures and switched off after 15 mins. It’s so upsetting how far these documentary makers go. I will need to stick to law and order reruns during night feeds

OwlBeThere · 27/01/2019 09:58

It’s no different to the many films about killers over the years, bonnie and Clyde, Bronson, the OJ series, the various kray movies, etc they all ‘glamourise’ to an extent.

Original poster
ItsBloodyFreezingg · 27/01/2019 09:58

it's more about the glorification and to glamourisation of sickening acts of violence and murder

That too of course. Although I think with the types of movies/programmes we see these days, we've become insensitive to it sadly.

Don't get me wrong, I don't have a problem with documentaries explaining what happened. It's a part of history. I just hate the Hollywood glamour of it.

OP posts:
OwlBeThere · 27/01/2019 10:00

@ibuiltahomeforyou doesn’t seem to have hurt Christian Bale any to play Patrick Bateman.

Original poster
ItsBloodyFreezingg · 27/01/2019 10:01

OwlBeThere I do get that, but there was something about this particular trailer that I found particularly vulgar. As I say, all the rock music background. It was as if it was trying to be darkly humourous in some sort of way I can't quite place.

OP posts:
Original poster
ItsBloodyFreezingg · 27/01/2019 10:03

However, idle trying-to-be-funny chat on social media about his attractiveness is just mindless comments

True although I know I personally could not have shared anything of the sort on social media having watched the documentary first. It made me sick.

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Peanutss · 27/01/2019 18:31

Yes, horrible.

ibuiltahomeforyou · 27/01/2019 18:35

@OwlBeThere that is correct, but Christian Bale was never really a teen heartthrob to the same extent as Leonardo DiCaprio or Zach Ephron.

Sparklesocks · 27/01/2019 18:35

I think what rubbed me up the wrong way is how light and zany the trailer for the zac efron film is. It’s painted as a dark but fun romp about an anti hero rather than a somber story about one of the most prolific rapists and murderers of recent years.

Maybe they’re trying to say something about how the press treated bundy but it hasn’t quite pulled it off so it just looks a bit like they’re glorifying him.

Jeffers3 · 27/01/2019 18:37

Felt exactly the same when watching the trailer. If you hadn’t heard of Bundy the trailer makes it seem like he’s some sort of ‘rough diamond’!

Jeffers3 · 27/01/2019 18:38

Agree completely Sparklesocks, the trailer makes it look like a romantic thriller.

Sparklesocks · 27/01/2019 18:43

Yes, I’m not against films about true crime but I do think tone is important, and the criminals shouldn’t be let off the hook.

Unfinishedkitchen · 27/01/2019 18:46

I havent seen the trailer and if it does glorify his crimes then yes it is very wrong. However, I have no problem with a good looking actor playing him because he was a very good looking and charming man. It may also help people realise that killers, peadophiles, rapists aren’t all creepy ugly looking people and you shouldn’t trust someone just because they look pretty.

Peanutss · 27/01/2019 18:47

Unfinishedkitchen

Yes I agree, it's not the fact they have a handsome actor playing him. It would be stranger if they didn't given how much emphasis is placed on him being good looking, charismatic etc...

But honestly, go and watch the trailer. There's something not right about it.

Ethel36 · 27/01/2019 18:50

Yes I agree. I thought the same when I saw it advertised on Netflix. Sick.

Sparklesocks · 27/01/2019 18:53

I’m wondering if the film itself will be a bit more balanced and they’re trying to comment on the weird attention around bundy by doing a ‘fun’ trailer. Sort of like how the wolf of Wall Street the trailers were all glam and fun but of course the actual film showed the downfall of the excess and greed. But who knows. Here is the trailer if anyone is interested:

justasking111 · 27/01/2019 18:55

Do not want to know, it must be so awful for the families. I can only see it being useful in a teaching setting.

Iflyaway · 27/01/2019 18:56

women, posting on social media about how the new film has made them want to 'shag a serial killer' etc...

Fucking hell! They don't know what they are saying....

I remember it well, I was late teens then. Absolutely chilling.

The true number of victims is unknown and possibly higher.

He decapitated at least 12 of his victims, and for a period of time, he kept some of the severed heads as mementos in his apartment

He sometimes revisited his secondary crime scenes for hours at a time, grooming and performing sexual acts with the decomposing corpses

Wikipedia.

pigsDOfly · 27/01/2019 19:10

Absolutely agree and I don't think he's the only one.

There seemed to be load of tv programmes a while ago about various serial killers. I have no interest in watching them, I really can see this as entertainment or enlightenment, so can't really say if the programmes are glorifying these people or not.

But every time I see a programme advertised on television that refers to the West murders as Fred and Rosemary without their surname, I'm a bit Confused these are vicious evil killers you're referring to, not your favourite uncle and aunt. Do we really want to be on first name terms with them.

BooksAreMyOnlyFriends · 27/01/2019 19:12

My dd was all excited about 'A new Zac Efron movie!'.

I told her who he is playing. She was shocked and doesn't want to see it now.