CRIME FILM ON TRIAL

The Karla Homolka indie-film release has truly challenged my thoughts on censorship. I recently asked a couple friends for their feelings about the release. Here is one particularly well-articulated (unedited) response from my good friend Rosie ...

"Hi, here are my thoughts about the film...that I won't see!

I feel terrible for the families and that they have to relive this every
time Homolka comes up in the news whether it's about her release from
prison or a movie about her, I'm sure it's memories they'd like to leave
in the past. I also feel a personal connection because it's so close to
home and those girls would be our age now. This is a news story that's
haunted us all through our adolescence.

The US makes movies about real killers all the time; in the US they have
big Sunday night premiers on TV. The Mendez brothers, the Lacey
Peterson murder, they were all made into TV movies.

The Homolka movie is a US production and it's considered an independent
film, no big studio backed it up. I think I'd be disappointed if the CBC
or a Canadian film house produced it. I think if I was an American
actor both the roles of Karla and Paul would be seen as disturbing
characters that I would be attracted to play. I don't hold anything
against the crew, the cast or producers of this film...I think a lot of
people outside Canada or Toronto don't understand how this story really
touched our community...just like the Mendez brothers story to us it's a
great modern day tragedy we don't have any really personal connection to
them.

I'm not conservative when it comes to movies I love shock value in any
good production, but my thing is I despise Karla Homolka I think the
bitch needs a bullet in the head, I'm so angry at our Canadian judicial
system for letting her out...she's a murderer and a complete
psychopath...and for that reason I can't see the movie. I get so filled
with anger when ever I hear her name, I couldn't bear to watch a movie
about her.

If friends see it I would never hold it against them, I understand the
curiosity of it and the joy of watching independent films, I have a
feeling it doesn't glamorize her or Paul in anyway and I'm sure it does
justice to their lethal characters, but I just really detest Karla
Homolka."

Thanks Rosie. I guess we won't be talkin' about this one over drinks at the Rex!