These are some of the reasons why ‘Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile’ has to do, a film starring Zac Efron and Lily Collins, which premieres was on May 3, 2019.
On January 24, Netflix announced with great pomp the premiere of the series Conversations with murderers: Ted Bundy tapes, in which, through unpublished interviews, the renowned serial killer revealed some of the details of the femicide he committed in the 70s
The positive response from the public was what prompted the streaming platform to acquire the rights of the Extremely Wicked film, Shockingly Evil and Vile, directed by the documentary filmmaker Joe Berlinger, which arrives on digital service on Friday, May 3.
Starring actors Zac Efron, in the role of legendary murderer, and Lily Collins, who gives life to Liz Kloepfer, his unconditional girlfriend, the film is a chronicle of Bundy’s crimes, but from the perspective of his partner that for years He refused to believe the truth.
That is one of the first reasons why you should watch this tape: the excellent research work that the production did to present new information about the facts. To this is added that the story is based on the book The Phantom Prince; My Life with Ted Bundy by Elizabeth Kendall, which was published in 1981.
“This screenplay by Michael Werwie gave me the opportunity to explore an opposite phenomenon: a person who is guilty and who everyone around him thinks is innocent. This allowed me to analyze an inverse and challenging phenomenon for me, that of a woman who believes in the innocence of her lover, which gives the film a relatable and emotionally shocking way of Ted Bundy’s story, “the filmmaker explained in a Netflix press release.
For Berlinger, the film sought from the beginning to be a kind of metaphor about the nature of deception and betrayal to which human beings are constantly exposed. From his experience, which has allowed him to document real crimes, it is what makes him assure that the people who commit these types of crimes are often those who least expect and trust the most.
“In this era where Internet predators abound, the lessons of a Ted Bundy are today, possibly, even more relevant. His story is sordid and dramatic because he relied on his physical attractiveness and charm to attract victims, “he argued.
Lovely female:
All those who have analyzed Bundy’s case agree on something: this was an expert man in changing his way of executing the murders, since what he was looking for ways to confuse the investigators who went after his track and make fun of his work.
This is confirmed by the fact that he escaped twice from prison, prior to his execution on January 24, 1989, in completely surprising ways. However, before he died, Bundy confessed to killing more than 30 women between 1974 and 1978.
The actor Zac Efron himself, who plays the serial killer, expressed another reason why it is worth watching this film: a more intimate perspective on this man is shown, through the eyes of the girl closest to his life.
“For us, it was vital to show this story without the violence that characterized the crimes committed by this man who, for me, is one of the most misogynists that has existed in the world. That’s what we bet with the movie, “he said in an interview with The Guardian.
If something has been recognized by specialized critics, after the premiere of Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile this year at the Sundance Festival, it is the way in which Efron and Collins managed to show a more vulnerable facet of the protagonists of this story.
At 31, Efron has told different international media that the preparation of his role as Bundy was complicated since he did not want his performance to be considered as the desperate search to move to a more dramatic genre. For him, the most vital part of this project was being able to show how obsessive and predatory it was, something he seems to have achieved.
“Efron, transformed here into something scary and attractive in equal measure, is able to bring his own image to the character. The actor has made it clear that he did not follow the traditional route of the acting method when he played with Bundy, and the choice was intelligent, letting Efron explore his own angles in a complex story, ”said Indiewire.
For his part, Collins decided that the best way to interpret his character in a more real way was to meet Elizabeth Kloepfer, Bundy’s girlfriend, with whom he lived for a time in which he also committed some murders.
“It was impressive to have her for this project. Within the filming process, Elizabeth entered the set and was a positive light for all of us who were there. You would not expect that with what happened to her, but she gave us her support and is really lovely, “said the actress in an interview with the Morning program.
The truth is that, beyond the script and the performances, it is necessary to give an opportunity to the movie Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile because it is a reminder of how important it is to pay attention to those warning signs that could offer indications that A murderer could be hanging around their own lives or loved ones.
Where to see it?
- Platform: Netflix
- Release date: Friday, May 3
- Cast: Zac Efron, Lily Collins, Kaya Scodelario and Jim Parsons
- Duration: 108 minutes
