Let’s Talk about Ted Bundy
Okay guys I know this is a little bit of a stretch and not totally classified as TV show drama BUT still insanely worth the watch. In 2019 the movie “Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile,” a movie depicting the life of Ted Bundy, was released. The film features an unexpected lead (or at least unexpected to me), being Zac Efron. Quite an interesting switch following a Disney musical if you ask me, but hey, he’s got bills to pay.
Although I can’t say I was ever a High School Musical fan, or really a Zac Efron fan at all, he truly did fit into the role. But how come? According to Looper, the switch wasn’t as easy as Mr. Efron made it seem. Unlike past acting methods he had adopted, Efron had to totally dissociate himself as an individual to the character he was playing on screen. Some may find it scary how easily an actor can portray the mannerisms of cold-blooded killer, but as a wannabe forensic psychologist, I find it merely impressive.
This movie biographing the life of Ted Bundy ended up with mostly positive reviews as it caught the eye of many crime (show) lovers.
Our sources over at Common Sense Media reflect on the usage of providing the point of view of Bundy’s girlfriend, Elizabeth. This shifts the perspective of just seeing a raw-minded criminal to the charismatic façade he had maintained around his girlfriend. I found this to be one of the most interesting parts of the film as it’s easy to forget just how good some criminals are at protecting their true colors. This perception also lends the viewer to become frustrated with Elizabeth as I was practically yelling through my TV for her to (in lack of better words) leave his ‘fill-in-the-blank.’ photo source
A slightly less enthused review coming from Western Howl argues that the movie didn’t shed any new light on the already infamous Ted Bundy chronicles. Although I can agree that all the facts utilized in the film are probably known t0 many, the fictional movie was able to offer a more relatable and thrilling retell of events.
Contrasting the fictional depiction of events from the movie is its antecedent Netflix release “Conversations with a Killer.” This nerve-wrenching four-part series captured real-life moments with Bundy himself. This is a spectacular watch before moving on to the newer movie in hopes to get some background of the man himself. It also makes the charisma of the true Bundy that much more absurd when you have already surrounded yourself with the crimes to his name.
So, to reiterate, I would highly recommend this movie to all crime lovers, specifically true crime. The film itself isn’t technically ‘true crime’ but your background in the expertise will lend you to an even better cinematic experience. And if you still aren’t fully sold on the idea, be sure to check out the movie trailer to see if it’s worth your own time.
I love this movie and I thought this was a well written review. I liked how you added flavor by asking questions and giving the feel of speaking to the reader. Great job!
I loved watching this movie! I also found it impressive how Efron was able to portray Ted Bundy so well, and it was scary how he completely disassociated his almost “two personalities”. I found it even more confusing when in the movie Bundy repeatedly denies his crimes so much that he almost convinced the audience that he either doesn’t believe that he actually did them, or that he is actually innocent: all which make the movie that much scarier. I haven’t watched the “Conversations with a Killer” series, but I will definitely have to in the future.
I loved this show so much. I finished it in like 3 days. It was definitely jarring seeing my childhood celebrity crush committing such heinous crimes, but as you said, it was impressive to see just how into his character he could get. I love how causal your language is in this post as well as how you’re interacting with readers by posing questions or making us consider our own opinions on the show, if we’ve watched it.