Featured Audience Ratings

• familiar s

  
  Once again, Broomfield makes a successful case from Aileen for Aileen. The film is much ado about nothing, but you can't lose the opportunity to cash the case.

• Stephen M

  
  Subpoenaed as a witness at a late appeal by Aileen Wuornos against her death sentence, filmmaker Nick Broomfield received a heaven-sent opportunity to improve upon his disappointing documentary <I>The Selling of a Serial Killer</I>. Having watched both films in close… More
  Subpoenaed as a witness at a late appeal by Aileen Wuornos against her death sentence, filmmaker Nick Broomfield received a heaven-sent opportunity to improve upon his disappointing documentary <I>The Selling of a Serial Killer</I>. Having watched both films in close succession, the most disturbing thing about <I>Life and Death...</I> is Wuornos' very evident mental deterioration in the intervening years. When Broomfield first met Aileen she was angry and defiant, slightly delusional perhaps, but perfectly lucid; here, after a decade on death row, she is still angry and defiant but there are times when she can barely follow a thought to its conclusion or string a coherent sentence together. She resembles one of those caged animals that has been held in captivity too long, going round in circles, dreaming up ever more paranoid fantasies of police corruption and her own persecution. Even if you manage to convince yourself that the act of executing a person who is mentally ill is not in itself unconstitutionally cruel, dangling the hangman's noose in front of a sane person for so long that she becomes, by her own admission, "so fucking mad I can't see straight" surely is. Very depressing but utterly riveting.

• Lady D

  
  As someone with a psychological interest in killers, I found this documentary most facsinating, anyone who enjoyed the film Monster and would like to see the real Aileen would find this interesting

• John B

  
  Chilling recounting of the last days of Aileen Wuornos who clearly had gone insane in the days prior to her execution. While Broomfield is clearly into the sensation, he is able to use his skills to get some pretty interesting reactions both from the subject and those she was close… More
  Chilling recounting of the last days of Aileen Wuornos who clearly had gone insane in the days prior to her execution. While Broomfield is clearly into the sensation, he is able to use his skills to get some pretty interesting reactions both from the subject and those she was close to.

• James C

  
  This 2003 film is Nick Broomfield's (Director) second Documentary on the American serial killer; Aileen Wuornos. The story begins around the time of Aileen's final death penalty appeal (that Broomfield testifies in). I think that the film paints a clear picture that if… More
  This 2003 film is Nick Broomfield's (Director) second Documentary on the American serial killer; Aileen Wuornos. The story begins around the time of Aileen's final death penalty appeal (that Broomfield testifies in). I think that the film paints a clear picture that if Aileen would have lived a different life and had different experiences then the prostitution, the murders and the whole situation would never have occurred. As it is, her story is a tragic one, with equally tragic consequences. Although the film is sound technically and does allow the viewer into areas that they (perhaps) could not go with other filmmakers, the documentary does "flit-about" and (at times) struggles to flow. It is called "Aileen: The Life and Death of a Serial Killer" and although her life was covered, I expected to have a lot more background information. The history of events leading up to the present are touched on very lightly and not covered in any great depth. I found myself getting confused between Father and Grandfather, and Mother and Grandmother. Although confusing in parts I did find it a very engaging film. It held my attention throughout and left me wanting to know more. I must stress that certain attitudes and procedures seem a little inappropriate in the American penal system (which the film highlights). For example; whether the prisoner is of sound mind enough to be executed. Also, that in this situation, all of the assessors found Aileen mentally competent and of sound mind. At the same time the audience watch and listen while she talks about mind control and pressure in her head (while guards seen in the background try not to giggle). For anyone watching the documentary, you feel that her mental state has been on a clear and steady decline over the period we have been following her - yet she is seen as perfectly sane. I agree with Nick on this one, it does make you wonder what someone has to do to fail one of the mental health tests. All things considered I think this is a good, thought provoking documentary. The source is a great and worthy subject but I feel it could have been delivered in a clearer, deeper presentation.

• Andrew P

  
  An interesting insight into the stories about this woman. Original thanks to the personal interviews with her and ultimately insightful.

• Sunil J

  
  These interviews are just plain eerie.

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