Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky's HBO-aired Paradise Lost documentary trilogy offered an incredibly potent commentary on the American justice system, not only casting doubt on the 1994 conviction of a trio of teenagers charged with murdering three young boys in their Arkansas hometown (supposedly as part of a Satanic ritual), but also spawning an international campaign to have the case reopened, culminating in the 2011 release of the alleged killers from prison under a little-used provision of state law that required them to agree to a guilty plea while still maintaining their innocence—a move that allowed Arkansas to avoid litigation for damages and effectively closed the matter legally. Filmmaker Amy Berg's West of Memphis—co-produced by Lord of the Rings filmmaking team Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh, who were longtime supporters of the wrongly convicted men—rehearses the facts of the case in summary form while also making some important additions. The documentary features a wealth of new interviews, including comments from Damien Echols, the only one of the three accused who was sentenced to death, and his wife Lorri Davis, who spearheaded release efforts on his behalf and married him in a prison ceremony. The film also presents a compelling mass of evidence—admittedly circumstantial, but significant—that points toward the stepfather of one of the victims as the actual perpetrator. West of Memphis shines a valuable spotlight on an egregious miscarriage of justice, while also offering post-prison portraits of the three released (although not exonerated) men that dramatizes the enormous human cost involved. Recommended. [Note: DVD extras include audio commentary by director Amy Berg, producer and subject Damien Echols, and his wife Lorri Davis, deleted scenes (88 min.), “Damien's Past (Re-Creations)” (6 min.), and trailers. Exclusive to the Blu-ray release are a “Toronto International Film Festival Red Carpet Q&A (24 min.) and a “Toronto International Film Festival Press Conference” (39 min.), both featuring filmmakers, subjects, and celebrities. Bottom line: an excellent extras package for a powerful doc.] (F. Swietek)
West of Memphis
Sony, 147 min., R, DVD: $30.99, Blu-ray: $35.99, Aug. 6 Volume 28, Issue 5
West of Memphis
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