Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Serial Killer Culture (2014, John Borowski)

"Serial Killer Culture" is a pretty decent documentary that explores certain people's fascination with this particular sub-culture of memorabilia collecting and various forms of artistic expression.

The first guy was an interesting collector whose gig was acting as an art dealer for incarcerated murderers, such as John Wayne Gacy (one of the main ones...), Richard Ramirez and Elmer Wayne Henley. He also possessed an extensive array of Ed Gein artifacts and other interesting shit. The film also covers a few bands that specialize in 'graphic' lyrical themes pertaining to serial killers, a guy who got in some 'hot water' for a Dahmer comic book he put out, as well as some people who give Dahmer tours around Milwaukee. They also talk to David Van Gough who breaks down some of his Manson paintings and their cryptic detail and the famous Joe Coleman who brings it all home by telling of a meaningful exchange between him and Gacy...

One thing about each of the 'subjects' here was that they all appear to have a firm grasp on reality and moral decency, despite their rabid interest in the macabre subject matter. There's really no straight-up WEIRDOS in this doc. Everyone is pretty likeable and is able to explain their morbid fixation in an articulate, down-to-earth kinda way, which I was honestly happy to see. The former-serial killer art dealer, at one point, has such a casual stance on this type of hobby, to which he states, "... when I die I don't care what happens to all this shit...". However, the dime museum guy seemed a little crazy-eyed and disturbingly obsessive, but not too bad. Lot of eccentrics, for sure, but they all tend to keep it in check more so than I expected.

Pretty enlighening doc that's well worth checking out.

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