MONSTER (us dvd)
based on a true story

"Charlize Theron [The Italian Job, Trapped] explodes in a magnetic, Oscar-winning performance as convicted killer Aileen Wuornos.
Severly abused and unloved, Aileen immersed herself in the dangerous world of highway prostitution... until she met Selby Wall [Christina Ricci, Sleepy Hollow], a naive girl who was Aileen's last chance at a normal life. But ultimately all Aileen understood was violence, and nobody imagined the nightmare that awaited the seven men standing in the way of her happiness."

DVD Cover blurb

dvd review

Charlize Theron won an Oscar for her performance, under make-up and latex, of the first female serial killer in the US' history. A woman, who after suffering abuse as a child, ended up wandering the streets as a hooker, eventually turning on her Johns, following a brutal attack at the hands of one. Having killed one, she goes on a rampage.

The film itself is slick looking, with an admittedly brilliant performance from the normally glamorous Theron (I didn't really appreciate it, until I watched Nick Broomfield's documentary Aileen : The Life and Death of A Serial Killer). But beyond that, I'm afraid I don't concur with the rest of the critics. Having viewed it in the cinema only a few weeks before viewing the dvd, my impressions are as much to do with the cinematic incarnation as the domestic one (a transition which only emphasises my major complaint).

The film, polished though it may be, ends up little more than a big-budget television movie. Without Theron and Ricci (who is wasted here), this would merely be tv fodder. Director Patty Jenkins allows her interest in the love affair which grows between the destitute hooker Aileen, and the fictionalised Selby, a young middle-class girl, oppressed by her ultra-conservative family for her lesbianis, to take over any handling of the grand scheme. Allowing Aileen to have an additional voice-over, commenting on events is a mistake, made early on. The real Aileen's obsessions were the injustice, and a building paranoia of the media coverage of her trial, and an insistance that she was set up by the police. Views which are hinted at too subtly in the context of the film itself. Theron does well mimicing the movements and looks of the fallen woman - but perhaps stands out simply because she is going against her usual beautiful appearance on celluloid, and because the rest of the cast is so lack-lustre.

In dealing with the actual crimes, there are genuine moments of high-tension, and dramatic force. The brutality of the first murder - where one easily expects Aileen to meet a premature end, through to the emotional turmoils as we witness the murders from Aileen's perspective. These are the highlights, which build steadily, as the morality is made cloudy and complicated.

Jenkins allows, as writer/director, her own feelings to take control. Sure this is drama, but Aileen is only dead a matter of months when this went into production. The conjecture with regards to the murders and actual events, is a liberty taken as far as the director dares. The real "Selby" is disguised behind drama, a fictionalised characterisation, and the casting of Ricci, who looks so very different from Aileen's real-life lover; whereas Aileen herself is depicted as visually and aurally accurately as the director can get her.

Does she deserve this? Convicted murderer or not, there needs to be issues of respect, of dignity. If you buy the double pack, along with Broomfield's documentary, these questions are inescapable.

The plotting is dull. Much is made of Aileen's turn to a homosexual relationship in the face of oppression from men (something which the real Aileen may have been trying well before this relationship). Aileen and Selby are both lost souls, clinging to each other for some sort of stability lacking in their lives. Both are outcasts from society because of their sexual preoccupations - Aileen because she is a prostitute, and Selby because she is gay. The subtext doens't go much deeper.

transfer
The film is presented in a high-definition transfer, in a 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen ratio. Its very clear, as one would expect from a new film. There are no complaints about colours, or anything else. The soundtrack is presented in two English 5:1 mixes, with the DTS mix having a little more depth and bass. The surrounds are well used with the score, by The Fast and The Furious's BT. In fact, with the high-def transfer, lack of special features, and DTS score, this looks to be a Superbit disc in disguise.

extras
Surprisingly for such a recent film, and an Oscar winner too, there is very little in the way of extras. I felt disappointed that there wasn't more contextual footage on the real-life subject. Even Broomfield's documentary, which is also released this week by CTHE, concentrates on the part of Aileen's life that comes after this film.

There are a number of Theatrical trailers, including two for Monster - the theatrical and international trailer.

I won't say much about the other previews, except that they include trailers for In the Cut, and Trapped.

There is a fifteen minute featurette on the making of the film. It includes some brief footage of the real court-case, and then a bunch of talking-heads, and some behind the scenes work on the film. The behind the scenes stuff is most interesting, and I wouldn't be surprised if a special edition comes out in future.

Theres a very short DTS Film Mixing Featurette. This allows the viewer to select any combination of sound tracks - dialogue, sound effects, music - and compare them during a two minute segment of film. The mix is supposed to be very important in this film. Enlightening, but dulls quickly.

Finally is a 15 minute interview segment with composer BT and director Patty Jenkins. Its overly-indulgent, and frankly borish. In the few segments where the two share the screen, I'd swear there is something going on between the two. Too much over-analysing and playing up their own self-importance. No more please.

RJES

PURCHASE R1 DVD

PURCHASE MONSTER & AILEEN LIFE AND DEATH OF A SERIAL KILLER DVD pack together

DISC:
Release Date: June 2004 (US)

Feature length: 109 mins
Year of 1st release: 2003
Rating: R (strong violence and sexual content, and for pervasive language)
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 widescreen
Audio: English 5.1 Dolby Digital; English 5.1 DTS
No of Discs: 1
Region code: 1
Catalogue no: 05552
Distributor: Columbia Tristar Home Entertainment
Price:
Cast: Charlize Theron, Christina Ricci, Bruce Dern, Scott Wilson
Director: Patty Jenkins

SPECIAL FEATURES:
* theatrical trailers including Monster, Trapped, In the Cut
* subtitles : English / Spanish
* Featurette
* DTS film mixing featurette
* Interview with Patty Jenkins and BT
see left for full details