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

[ItsBloodyFreezingg]

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!

*I really can't see this as entertainment, that should be.

I completely agree. The trailer almost gives the impression of jaunty romantic film where the lead man is misunderstood and fighting to clear his name against a crime he didn’t commit. The reality is that Ted did commit many horrific crimes and undoubtably many more than he has ever been charged with. His ego would have loved this.

He did look a bit like efron does now

I am in complete agreement with you. It encourages these sick individuals to commit awful crimes in the hopes to have some kind of sick fame. It shouldn't be allowed!

I feel the same about the new Quentin Tarantino film, which was supposed to have a strong focus on Charles Manson and the Tate-LaBianca murders. I believe that they have now cut out a significant amount of that "plot" from the movie, but it still sat uneasily with me.

Of course, these men are just being brought back into the public frame because of particular events i.e. Manson's death and the 30th anniversary of Bundy's execution.

I don't necessarily agree with the glorification, but I cannot be a hypocrite - true crime is my favourite genre of entertainment. I consume books, podcasts, documentaries etc. like mad. If I said that I had a real problem with this "glorification", I'd be an absolute raging hypocrite.

That trailer makes it seem like a comedy. Completely undermines the seriousness of what Bundy did and the gravity of a capital murder trial.

There have always been Bundy groupies, this will sadly revive the number of them. Efron is shockingly alike him though, to look at. Which is part of the problem- the ZE tween/YA audience will watch and may get suckered in. As an aside, I would have thought Steve Carrell could do a good Bundy, I always find him creepy.

RedDwarves

I agree, I do like true crime documentaries, books etc... It doesn't quite feel the same though.

I studied forensic psychology and documentaries, for example, interest me greatly in a sort of scientific, horrified, amazement at how differently another humans brain can function from normal society.

If you actually read all of the articles with the cast/producer you would know that the film has nothing to do with glamourising Bundy. It is actually doing the exact opposite. It is sending a stark warning to both men and women that evil has many faces - some of them charming, charismatic and handsome - and that we should think twice before going off alone with random strangers, no matter how nice they seem. It highlights the dangers of the naive mindset of 'If he has sex appeal and is charming, then he can do no wrong'. It could in theory save lives, if it makes people think twice about meeting up alone with strangers who they have only spoken to on the internet. As unfortunately, there are still Ted Bundys out there.

Re: the Zac Efron comments..... Is it also horrendous that arguably the world’s most beautiful actress played Aileen Wuornos or is it just double standards?

Isnt worth much I know but Ted wasnt that handsome, at least not to me.
And he had to act handicapped for alot of girls to be lured by him.
I'm with you OP, I dont understand the glorification of Bundy or any other serial killer.
They are despicable and shouldnt have any news coverage!

I couldn't stomach the idea of this film either. The trailer looks like an obvious attempt to sex up the murder of women.

If you actually read all of the articles with the cast/producer you would know that the film has nothing to do with glamourising Bundy. It is actually doing the exact opposite. It is sending a stark warning to both men and women that evil has many faces - some of them charming, charismatic and handsome - and that we should think twice before going off alone with random strangers, no matter how nice they seem. It highlights the dangers of the naive mindset of 'If he has sex appeal and is charming, then he can do no wrong'. It could in theory save lives, if it makes people think twice about meeting up alone with strangers who they have only spoken to on the internet. As unfortunately, there are still Ted Bundys out there

Exactly.

Bundy was glamourised at the time of the killings. The film shows very well the glamour and then horror of his crimes in stark contrast.

Even the judge sentencing him was gushing and fawning all over him.

The trailer looks like an obvious attempt to sex up the murder of women

It's because people still can't get their head around people who seem normal, charming etc being psychopaths. We expect monsters to look like monsters. Have they watched Hannibal & gone for that vibe was my take. Hannibals very dark but the imagery is what a critic called 'food porn, gore porn, visual porn' (not much sex but loads of UST). Everything is dark tho & the manipulation & mind games are very much to the fore, its definitely not a romp. I think Bundy's not the only serial killer on the block any more. I watch crime docs back to back & Gacey, BTK, Dahmer etc are all up there in terms of fascination & endless discussion. America heads the league table for number of serial killers interestingly. What that says about US etc I'm not sure/dread to think.

The film shows very well the glamour and then horror of his crimes in stark contrast.

Yeah, that bit was lost on me in the Netflix trailer. It just seemed like they were trying to be daring and glamorising his crimes, playing up the fact that he was an attractive guy (if you didn't know the inner workings of his mind) and it gave me the creeps.

How are the women he killed portrayed in the film? Are their characters filled out as much as his?

No, it wasn't about them. It was about his fiance and how she dealt with being with him.

Even the judge sentencing him was gushing and fawning all over him.

^

YES. And this isn't just hearsay : the JUDGE is on camera saying he's a fine young man, shame you raped and murdered 30 women, but hey ho, here's your sentence, you tinker, you!

Also, let's not forget, he escaped. Twice. Twice! I hate to bring race /his looks into it but if he'd have been a black guy /someone with learning difficulties etc he wouldn't have stood a chance. He'd have been jailed without further ado.

But because he looked like a typical all American dreamboat he got away with murder, literally, time and time again.

He confessed to killing 30 women. 30!!

The film didn't glamorise TB, it was about the disintegration of his partner Liz. Zac Efron can't help being good looking and i thought he acted the part very well.

The interesting thing about TB is that it was the first televised trial, this exacerbated Ted's narcissism. He was so personality disordered that he was unable to prevent himself from obstructing his own lawyers.

Although TB was undoubtedly guilty the dental forensics he was largely convicted on has since been debunked. In law, I'm not sure he received a fair trial, his lawyers were unable to act in his defence. I'm not saying he wasn't a murderer but the trial itself is interesting.

Christ I didn't know he had escaped. That is fucking insane.

No, it wasn't about them. It was about his fiance and how she dealt with being with him.

See, I don't doubt that she has her story to tell, but it makes me uncomfortable that the women who were his victims were effectively silenced and objectified for cinematic reasons, because as you say - this film wasn't about them.

It just makes them into props for the narrative.

Absent i understand your point but his victims were normal, not aberrant, people. TB was deeply aberrant and that is of interest to people. Also the dichotomy of him being repellent on the inside yet ordinary on the outside sparks curiosity.

If you think of the old fashioned circus no one lined up to see the 5'9" man only the 2'3" man.

Lordy I thought all of the hype was bad enough back then
you mean they're rehashing it all over again, and
STILL in some type of glorification? (I don't have Netflix.)

YANBU.

PavlovsDeafDog Not sure how you can make an informed opinion if you haven't seen the film.

See, I don't doubt that she has her story to tell, but it makes me uncomfortable that the women who were his victims were effectively silenced and objectified for cinematic reasons, because as you say - this film wasn't about them

Her story was being told,it was one part of a horrific story. The women he killed were most definitely not forgotten.