Sony Pictures Classics147 Mins. Dir. By: Amy Berg withDamion Echols, Lorri Davis and Peter JacksonI’d hope by now that everyone is familiar with The West Memphis 3 and the horrors of what took place in West Memphis, Arkansas back in 1993. With three highly publicized HBO documentaries, numerous books and famous stars bringing this story to the world’s doorstep, you might think you’ve had your fill of the WM3. With a need to re-tread mountains of familiar territory, the Peter Jackson produced West of Memphis has many shocking discoveries to offer. If you thought you knew everything about the West Memphis 3 case, you were wrong.
Download West of Memphis
For the uninitiated, in 1993 three 8 year old boys were found murdered and mutilated in a section of West Memphis, Arkansas called Robin Hood Hills. A local source of terror and tragedy, the police picked up three teenagers for the crime; Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin, and Jesse Misskelley. Citing devil worship as their motive, the State railroaded two innocent boys right to life sentences and one to a death sentence for a crime they didn’t commit. Gaining support from the HBO documentary Paradise Lost, the convicted who became known as The West Memphis 3 finally went free after nearly 18 years of imprisonment. However, the conditions of their release rested upon their pleading guilty to a crime they didn’t commit.
This unfortunate addition to a lineage of unfortunate events means that Arkansas claims the case is closed and there is no effort on the State’s part to investigate the murders and look for the actual killer. As seen in the third Paradise Lost documentary, that came out last year, there are some theories as to what really happened back in 1993 and West of Memphis expands largely on these theories and has some shocking things to show those who think they know everything there is to know about this case.
Download West of Memphis
The outcome for Damien, Jason and James, would have been very different if in 2007, they weren’t furnished with an impressive new defense team that uncovered some telling DNA and crime scene evidence that ultimately led to the boys (now men) walking out of prison 5 years later. The most telling aspect of this is it was Peter Jackson and his writing partner Fran Walsh who funded both this new investigation and some talented lawyers. A few years prior to their involvement, Peter and Fran saw the first Paradise Lost documentary and wanted to do something.
So they reached out to Damien’s wife (Lorri Davis) to offer whatever help they could. Little did they know they would end up forming a true bond and friendship with Lorri. Jackson and Walsh became involved in a capacity they never expected to, simply to get their friend’s husband out of jail. Celebrities have been known to throw their weight behind wellknown cases of injustice before (The West Memphis 3 has a large share of their own) and to even make films to help out. But Jackson and Walsh didn’t get into this to make a movie, they got into it to help and when making a documentary became the best way to get a lot of information out there; they got a director (Amy Berg) and jumped into the deep end.
Download West of Memphis
By this time, many people are so used to all the major players in the case that these real people have become characters in a way. When Gary Gitchell’s smug face pops up on the screen, you can’t help but grit your teeth, ball your fists and shake them at the screen. Newcomers to the scene will be able to follow what is going on with no issues, but those familiar with this laundry list of names will flow through the movie as new bits of information come flowing out. The early segments of the case offer up new insights to the Jesse Misskelley trial, providing more information than just his forced confession the Paradise Lost films covered.
We get to see the large number of people who came to testify that Jesse was at a wrestling match in a different town at the time of the murders (which is only mentioned in passing in Paradise Lost) and the picture of his signature in a guest book at that match that night. Two witnesses from Damien and Jason’s trial give sworn statements that their original testimony against the two was false and coerced. One woman was even sent in by the police to try and entrap Damien into admitting his involvement.
During the new evidence unveiling segment of Paradise Lost 3, when talking about the mutilation of the children’s bodies actually having been caused by animals, one defense expert made the comment that turtles have been known to cause the same damage found on the bodies. I understand there are some nasty turtles out there, but the comment sounded odd to me. Well all that changed when Amy Berg went and had a demonstration made where the area’s most dangerous tortoises bit into the flesh of the demonstrator and tore into the skin of a dead pig. The results are brilliantly obvious to anyone with a brain and unbelievably stirring. There are tons of little points that we all learned form the previous films that are expanded upon in West of Memphis, which keeps those who already know a lot about the case, tuned in and interested.
The high point of shock and awe though comes in the form of what will now be known as, The Hobbs Family Secret. As Paradise Lost 3 pointed out, a main area of interest for the man who actually committed these heinous acts is Terry Hobbs, the stepfather of Steven Branch, one of the three victims. Family members and friends of Hobbs’ other children have come forward with accounts of Terry and his brother blatantly stating that Terry was at fault. We are also introduced to David Jacoby, the man Hobbs claims he was with the night of the murders.
Jacoby is visibly shaken and falling to pieces over what he knows or is simply afraid to tell the truth. It’s unsettling to watch his deteriorating state of mental wellbeing as he fights with what he knows to be true. Through all the previous documentaries, we’ve never been given this much access to those closest to what really happened; though I should say “allegedly” happened, but it’s fascinating beyond description.
West of Memphis acts as the investigation the Arkansas police refuse to carry out themselves. It’s an ever changing animal that will be modified and shifted as new evidence comes to light, in the hopes that Damien, Jason and Jesse are finally exonerated, and the actual murder gets what he (she/they) deserve. If you walk into West of Memphis thinking you’re in for everything you have already seen, it will surprise you with how much it has to offer. And you will still come out amazed and disappointed by America’s failing justice system.
No comments:
Post a Comment