Sunday, May 08, 2005

Killing Us Softly

Joe Bender has every right to make a movie. No question. He has the right to think and write and believe whatever he wants. Likewise, I have the right to think and write and believe that he is a sick opportunist with no respect for others Unfortunately, even by expressing my opinion, I’m giving this pornographer publicity.

Bender, director of such memorable hits as Sweet Valley High and The Amazing Race, is a pornographer not for the lack of clothes, but for the lack of conscience. He has exploited the victims of Paul Bernardo and Karla Holmolka and produced Deadly, a biopic about the raping murderous duo.

Recall that the married couple drugged, raped, and murdered Holmolka’s sister Tammy; abducted, drugged, raped, tortured, and murdered Kristen French; and abducted, drugged, raped, tortured, and murdered Leslie Mahaffey. Recall, too, Bernardo was also the notorious “Scarborough Rapist” prevalent in the late 1980s.

Ooh, such tasty fodder for a Hollywood movie maker!

As if there weren’t enough heinous crimes happening in his own hometown, Bender and his producer have to fly up to Toronto, get the court transcriptions, and base a script on it. Nice. Creative. Is this what they taught you in that matchbook film class, buddy? How to take a stomach churning crime that happened in a foreign country make a flick and feed it pack to them? Like choking on your own vomit.

Americans aren’t terribly interested in Canada. I highly doubt any of its citizenry know much less care who Bernardo or Holmolka are. Why will they spend money or time watching a crap-ass movie of the week when there’s narcissists eating leeches on Channel 2?

Global TV aired the exclusive trailer for Deadly during the 11 pm news. I thought I recognized the lead. A quick search on IMDB confirmed that Laura Prepon (AKA: Donna from That 70s Show) plays Karla. Hmm. I wonder how she researched the character? I wonder if she even bothered to search the name on the net? I wonder if she’s hurtin’ for a gig?

Neither Bernard or Holmolka are particularly interesting as people; a rich accountant and a vet’s assistant. Pretty bland and normal. He was into hardcore porn and hardcore capitalism; she was into hardcore diamonds and hardcore boyfriends. Nothing special or story worthy. Just a sick fucked up couple one of whom will never see the light of day and the other a manipulating, cunning bitch that the Crown underestimated and let off with a 12 year jail sentence.

And it’s coming to you soon on DVD complete with it’s own barf bag. Conscience not included.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hey idiot,I'm glad to see your convict-ions are so strong. But you'll be happy to know there is allready a movie about 911. So, what next tragic event should we turn a buck on? Maybe the lack of artistic freedom in a sadistic country, maybe Canada eh? By the way knucklehead Bernardo and his wife "Karla" are both canadian. Not swingers from L.A.!!!

Carol Harrison said...

Thanks for visiting, Anonymous. You're right. The Bernardos lived in St. Catharines, ON as did their victims. In fact, before that Paul lived in Scarborough, ON a few blocks from my old neighbourhood. It was here he was the "Scarborough Rapist" during the late 80s.

The producer & director of the film in question are from LA as are the actors.

As for lack of artistic freedom. It's regulated to death, I agree. People are free to film and create what they like as they are in the United States. I think you may be referring to the pulling of the film from the Montreal film festival. All the facts of the case aren't known at this time, so I cannot comment on that.

I'm aware that films have been made about the events of the attack. I also listened to the 911 commission and Ms. Rice's hedging. If I were American, I'd be ashamed of the current administration.

To be sure, as a Canadian, I'm ashamed that our "justice" system let some manipulative bitch deal her way into a mere 12 year sentence in a cozy jail in Quebec. Pathetic.

Carol

Anonymous said...

Well I for one will not be watching this ridiculous movie on our countries notorious killers. (one of whom is now free and I say thankyou very much to our wonderful laws) I think anyone who watches this movie is just pathetic and feeding into our sick society of celebrating and notorizing such savage pigs instead of maybe having some decency and respect for the victims. How nice is it to throw this in the face of the families and hurt them over and over. Decency? I think not. You people are just as bad as Karla Holmolka and Paul Bernardo.

Anonymous said...

Give me a break! Do you Americans have nothing better to do? Hey idiot, why don't you get back to us when someone savagely hurts a family member of yours or someone close that you love and disrespectively makes a movie out of it or better yet, why don't we move Karla into your neighborhood close to your children and see if maybe you'll have a problem with it. I'm betting you won't have a problem with it as its clear you obviously have no conscience and are quick to call someone a "knucklehead" instead of commenting before thinking about what you are saying. You in my books are the "idiot" and the "knucklehead" eh?

Anonymous said...

Unreal. first of all you are wayyy off base. Canadian theaters and cable tv are full of true crime drama content from all over the world. i guess it's ok for canada to watch the rest of the worlds pain, you can sure dish it out but you cannot take it. by the way, where do you think jack the ripper was from?
Relax Carol, we can clearly see you are Canadian but calm down a bit.
This type of story cannot be told enough. Not to my children or my grandchildren. people like this are out there, PERIOD. Sorry it happened in your precious Canada. Oh and please get your facts straight, all Joel Bender did was direct this movie, he did not produce or write it nor is he distributing it.
One more thing, critics are already giving this film postive reveiws, including Canadian press. But that's neither here nor there. That being said I must say, (as I shake my head) Please, if you want to critisize a film, IN ANY WAY SHAPE OR FORM, please see it first. And if you have no intention of seeing it, that's your choice, but you ruin your point when you try to say what you think the film might be saying. Regardless of what you say and more importantly what you say about people involved with the film, you don't even know these people. Most professional people try to make a profit, if you make a film in a responsible way, especially if your business is film making then I certainanly hope you do it for profit, again, these type of films, "true Crime", are everywhere in Canadain theaters so please spare me the victims family angle you cheaply use just because you are Canadian. GET OVER IT these things happen in our world, including Canada.

Read what CBC said (oh and they saw the film) about the film and about Laura Prepon:

"Laura Prepon delivers a performance so measured and intelligent that it forces us to continually question Homolka’s credibility as a victim."

Matthew Hays CBC Radio

Carol Harrison said...

Unreal is right! Man, who knew so many people would need to vent their spleen over my online posting. Even a comment from the vaunted CBC, no less!

Matthew, I am indeed humbled. Oh, and congrats on settling on a contract with management.

I hope my own online rant didn't stop you from reading anything else on this site. If so, c'est la vie.

Thanks for visiting,
Carol

Anonymous said...

Well here we go. "Karla" the movie is comming to a theater near you. No,not the free citizen. At this time the movie is being screened at the AFM Sana Monica. I here that the movie is well acted with a very compelling script. Now that the real Karla won't face any charges by the crown over the "Lapointe Tapes". She could be that woman next to you with the popcorn and soda. Scary thought EH?