Wonderland Movie
Storyline
TAGLINES
The 80's - unplugged. The murders - unveiled. The legend - unzipped.
Sex, drugs, murder. Welcome to L.A.
With A Score This Dirty, Nobody Gets Away Clean.
John Holmes (Val Kilmer) was a legend of the porn industry and revered in circles as a stud. But in 1981, years after his successful career and star fading, Holmes was a desperate man with his own internal demons to live up to. He's estranged from his wife (Lisa Kudrow), holding onto a relationship with his teenage mistress (Kate Bosworth), and living as a junkie in search of his next fix. But one fateful night left four people dead and John as a key suspect in one of the most grisly murders in Los Angeles. Was he partly responsible for what happened at Wonderland Avenue?
| Val Kilmer | John Holmes |
| Kate Bosworth | Dawn Schiller |
| Josh Lucas | Ron Launius |
| Lisa Kudrow | Sharon Holmes |
| Tim Blake Nelson | Billy Deverell |
| Dylan McDermott | David Lind |
| Christina Applegate | Susan Launius |
| Eric Bogosian | Eddie Nash |
| Carrie Fisher | Sally Hansen |
| Franky G | Louis |
| M.C. Gainey | Billy Ward |
| Janeane Garofalo | Joy Miller |
| Ted Levine | Sam Nico |
| Faizon Love | Greg Diles |
| Natasha Gregson Wagner | Barbara Richardson |
| James Cox |
6.60 out of 10 (7271 votes)
Visitor Reviews
Why should we care?
posted on 20 Jun 2009Having sat through the movie Wonderland I am at a loss to explain what its about. I think its about John Holmes' involvement in the murders that occurred on a street called Wonderland, but I'm not sure.Actually thats exactly what its about, the problem is that the film is so convoluted with a bad Rashamon style of many people telling versions of the same story that you end up with no idea what really happened, and not caring that you don't.The film isn't bad, it just leaves you with a feeling that you have only slightly more information than you did prior to going in, and even then you're not to sure. Well, really there is one thing you're sure of, John Holmes was a jerk.I don't hate the film, I don't really like the film, I just sort of think its there and existing in a pointless place in the universe. There is no reason for this to exist simply because the film isn't clear what its about or whats going on and most importantly why we should care. This is a bunch of not nice people doing not nice things to each other and we are suppose to care. I think not.The one positive thing the movie did is get me interested in finding out what really happened. I have a need to get past the he said she said style of film making and to simply know what happened.If you're interested rent this but don't plunk down more than a rental fee for this film. Its not worth it.
A complaint about the DVD.
posted on 20 Jun 2009I think it's pretty despicable to put the original crime video on this disc.
What's shown is gruesome and depressing, and has no business being appended to a piece of (mediocre) Hollywood entertainment. Whoever made the decision to include it is as unethical and amoral as whoever at the LAPD allowed it to be licensed. Show some respect for the dead, Lions Gate. Yes, most of the victims weren't good people, but should that matter in this case? Does Joy Miller--an innocent victim--deserve to have her dead body on a mainstream DVD for all to gawk at? If someone wanted to make a buck off this video, he should have sold it to the FACES OF DEATH people, not to a reputable film company. Shame on Lions Gate for tainting its integrity.
Coked up murder mayhem in the Hollywood Hills
posted on 20 Jun 2009Came to this film with low expectations - I thought the John Holmes thing had been well and truly done to death by Boogie Nights, but to its credit the film takes on a different tack. It examines how a particularly brutal and squalid drug murder went down. History and cinema would have forgotten it before the blood was dry if not for the involvement of the porn star.The movie's narrative is tight and the performances excellent. Kilmer is quite a chameleon. He hits the right note of sleaze for JH, a thoroughly unlikeable character but more weak than evil and partly buffeted by the circumstances of the lifestyle he inhabits. Also excellent are the cast of villains. The chief wonderland heavy Ron played by Josh Lucas is particularly incendiary, made even more so by a very seventies Jesus beard which seems to accentuate his coked up menace.The murders though not explicitly shown are nevertheless quite brutal. The suggestion and quick images shown I found very disturbing. Though I imagine the directors didn't have this in mind - they have made an very effective anti-drugs film
Dark Movie
posted on 08 Jun 2009The Police look at events in a very cynical way, and after watching a movie full of scum bags in it, you can not blame them. Who told the truth what is the truth the answer is they all lie, the story is in the middle some where.
Funny how I watched the movie with it drug culture and hedonism. There is no surprise with the negative results; just waste which this film portrays well. I heard the Devil's best ploy is too show the dark side of humanity in such a dark light, that one feels hopeless. This is why I am happy about my clean living, and do not feel bad when other knock my MTV generation. 7/10
The Film Style of "Blow" with the story of "Boogie Nights"
posted on 27 May 2009This film is far underrated. It starts out like the film "Blow" then mixes it up like "Boogie Nights", then finishes like "Heat".....just my opinion. The soundtrack alone deserves this movie a definite look. If you have seen and like the movie Boogie Nights and like that 70's retro feel to a movie, it is great. I think that Val Kilmer deserves a lot more credit than his Hollywood peers give him as an actor. If you watch him in and like his acting in the Doors portraying Jim Morrison (which I thought he did an incredible piece of work in), you will actually believe he is John Holms in Wonderland. In fact, he should have been cast as Dirk Diggler in "Boogie Nights" and he would have done a better, not so cartoonish job as the MTV boy they did get to play the part. So if you want to see what John Holms really acted and even sounded like in his day, you have got to check this out.
The Real Thing
posted on 27 May 2009First, this is a review of the two disc set that came together with the "Wonderland" DVD rental.The two movies included with the rental, "Wonderland" and the Johnny Wadd documentary, totally obliterate the myth created by "Boogie Nights". That myth being that the characters involved in the adult movie trade were considerably more than slimy lowlifes that would do anything for money, basically denying that they were anything other than detestable self-centered whores. This is amazingly similar to what the book "Wiseguy" and the movie "Goodfellas" did to "The Godfather" fable and most of the rest of the gangster romanticism lore.Now, what irritated me most while watching these movies, and will probably irk anyone who saw and liked "Boogie Nights", is how foolish and gullible supposedly educated and sophisticated people can be. "Dirk Diggler" in "Boogie Nights" is without a doubt John Holmes, who unlike "Dirk Diggler", had no redeeming quality. Holmes was a criminal sociopath who abused anyone close to him, was totally consumed by his quest for self-gratification, and was without a doubt a key participant in the brutal murders on Wonderland Avenue in Los Angeles in 1981. The movie lays bare the big lie that "Boogie Nights" was, and reinforces the Linda Lovelace description of the cruel and pathetic business that is known as the adult film entertainment industry. This should be required viewing, both features on the "Wonderland" DVD, for anyone who had any positive opinions on the story in the movie "Boogie Nights".
not a wonderful world
posted on 17 May 2009If a case could be made for the total depravity of man in the Christian sense, John Holmes was it. The concept that man is inherently inclined toward evil and his baser instincts is on full display in this film. Whatever happened in his life as a child, teenager, private in the US Army is not addressed. I remember seeing him in a video in about 1980 at a bachelor party. Like all porn films, the action and story were immediately forgettable. What I do remember is the star's profound air of indifference to his duties. He was there, but not there, if you know what I mean. All the action in "Wonderlan" takes place within the space of a few days in the summer of 1981. All the major players have hit rock bottom, drowned in a sea of cocaine, heroin, alcohol and nicotine; The rush of the high and tachycardia of the action is unrelenting. The style was very similar to "Blackhawk Down", in that the viewer never gets a chance to catch his breath. I wish it would have been more linear; as events are told and retold from different perspectives, the plot becomes more confusing than it needed to be. The facts are well documented. Holmes was the middleman in the robbery of one drug house that exacted a brutal revenge on the second drug house located on Wonderland ave in Hollywood. How he managed to escape with his life and freedom fills the second half of the movie.
Very few characters are presented that contrast to Holmes and his doper pals. His estranged wife, Sharon, is played with a solid midwestern-type moral center by Lisa Kudrow. "You told me you were a survivor, John" she replies to his drug-soaked pleas. "Is this what you call surviving?" She deserves an acadamy award nomination for best-supporting actress for this role. Val Kilmer as John Holmes ultimately has to carry this film. Twelve years ago he played Jim Morrison in "The Doors." Holmes and Morrison were both pop icons of the 60's and 70's, lived lives of unrestrained excess and died because of it. Doors fans could never forgive Kilmer (and Oliver Stone) for trivializing the legend of Jim Morrison. Is Kilmer trying to make restitution? My take on "Wonderland" is that it is a story of people who are dark and doomed. I don't want to go where they have been; it is painful to even visit. However is you want to see a film about the extreme margins of humanity, this is the one to see because it really happened like this. Just take a long shower and read your Bible when you get home; You'll need time to recover.
DVD Extras - Crime Scene Video
posted on 21 Apr 2009I did enjoy the movie, because it did provide some insight into the events, but I was expecting more out of the performances. I was surprised they picked Val Kilmer to play Holmes, doesnt look much like him, and they didnt develop his character well, you just accepted him as addict, and he didnt develop from there, you never got the insight, oh well. I think Lisa Kudrow was the only good character(though I didnt want her to be, cause I dislike Friends) but she did put some heart and emotion behind Mrs. Holmes. On to my real reason for this post:Well, I watched this last night, and Im quite suprised that they included the the LAPD Crime Scene Video from the murders. Obviously it is quite gruesome and graphic considering 4 people were bludgeoned to death, but Im guess I really surprised that they would allow this to be on a DVD with respect to the victim's families. Im sure they wouldnt want to this to be how they are remembered.What do you think?
Wonderland Murders
posted on 15 Apr 2009"Wonderland" is based on a true story set in the summer of 1981. It explores the multiple murders on the famous Wonderland Avenue. When the murders were first investigated, the police figured it was an open close case. After more and more witnesses, the case began to be connected with the famous John Holmes, played by Val Kilmer. The more I watched the movie the more I really did not know what side to believe. Was John Holmes involved or not? That is the mystery."Wonderland" shows the real life of John Holmes after his washed up career in the porn industry. The movie shows the real mystery of the Wonderland murders and tries to explain what really happened. In doing so, it brings the perspective of everyone involved, bringing different witnesses in for questioning, asking was John involved or not. The movie starts out when John becomes addicted to cocaine, becoming associated with drug gangs just to support his habit. He screws over one drug gang, owing them a lot of money. So in order to pay the drug gang back, he tells them about another drug dealer with a big score. The drug gang decides to rob the drug dealer with the big score. After the heist, this is when the Wonderland Murders happen, and the mystery begins.I enjoyed "Wonderland" from the beginning to the end. It was a movie that kept me wondering if John Holmes was really involved or not. I like how the movie showed the real life that John lived after being famous. The movie also had a second disc in which it explained how John's life began in the porn industry. John was born in Ohio and as a young man he enlisted in the army. After the army he had several jobs, and he met his wife Sharon, who was a nurse. After being married for a couple of years, John is in a bar bathroom and is discovered by a stag film maker. The man tells him he could make a lot of money. With this proposition he changed to a life of making porn, all while still being married to his wife. Even though he was in the business, the movie explains that Sharon still stayed with him, but never had sex with him. Over the years in the porn business, John began to experiment with cocaine, and that's where the movie begins.
The missing piece of the puzzle
posted on 13 Apr 2009(Some Spoilers) David Lind, Dylan McDermott, didn't at first realize how lucky he was on the morning of July 1, 1981. That's when he saw the breaking news on the local TV of a brutal massacre of four persons, a fifth was in very serious condition, at 8763 Wonderland Av. Spending the previous evening in a San Franando Valley motel room with a hooker after dealing drugs Lind just missed being victim #5.Maybe it was from his heavy drug use, that altered his sense of reality, that Lind didn't see the inevitable coming. Just three days earlier on June 29, 1981 Lind together with his two drug dealing and sniffing friends Ron Lanius & Billy Deverel,Josh Lucas & Tim Blake Nelson, raided Eddie Nash's, Eric Bogosian,pad and ended up not only taking over one million dollars of drugs jewelry cash and even antique guns from him they also brutalized and humiliated Nash! This is something that Nash won't forget and make sure that those who did it will end up paying for it. Eddie is one the city's major drug and illegal contraband traffickers and one of the most feared men in Los Angeles.The murders at Wonderland Av lead directly to the Nash Mob which a terrified Lind told L.A police detectives Sam Nico & Louis Cruz, Ted Levine and Franky G. But the tie that binded the two, the Wonderland killings and the raid on Nash's place, together was none other then porno superstar John Holmes, Val Kilmer, known professionally to his many fans, which Eddie Nash is one of them, as the "Amazing Johnny Wadd".The movie "Wonderland" traces the rise and fall of porno actor John Holmes through a number of flashbacks told from different viewpoints of people, as well as that of Holmes himself, who both knew and despised him. I couldn't find anyone in the movie who had anything good to say about him! Even Holmes' estranged wife Sharon, Lisa Kudrow, and teenage "love slave" Dawn Shiller, Kate Bosworth, were anything but kind in their descriptions of what life was like, a living hell, in their relationships with the man who was to become the "biggest" and most recognized star in porno movie history.Late in the wild and swinging 1970's with his career in porno films just about kaput because of his heavy drug use Holmes became nothing more that a gofer for sleaze-balls like Lanius and Nash. Getting high on coke provided by Nash and the Lanius boys Holmes played both of them to his advantage which in the end lead to the massacre at Wonderland Av. Setting up Nash to get hit by the Lanius gang Holmes never thought that Nash will retaliated against him since he kept himself out of the loop staying home with Dawn while Lanius and his boys did all the dirty work. Not having to be a Sherlock Holmes to figure out that Holmes, who was dealing with both Lanius and Nash, had set him up Nash them had Holmes kidnapped beaten and forced to reveal who was behind the June 29, 1981 raid on his pad. It was then that Holmes agreed to set up the Lanius gang the same way he set up Nash, by leaving the door open to their place, and Nash's hoods did the rest. But unlike with Nash who survived together with his 300 pound bodyguard Greg Diles, Falzon Love, and sable of hookers the Lanius gang with the exception of Lanius' wife Susan, Christina Applegate, ended up being brutally beaten to death.John Holmes managed to keep himself from being rubbed out by Nash and imprisoned for both drug and murder charges by the California, as well as Federal, Justice Department by giving out just enough information about the Wonderland murders to have him given some kind of witness protection. Later when the LAPD and Feds got tired of playing games with him and put Holmes on trial he did in fact beat the rap by being found innocent of the killings in a court of law! This even though Holmes freely and openly told the LAPD and Federal Authorities that he had a major part, from behind the scenes,in orchestrating the murders!In the end it was the ravages of AIDS, due to his both abusive sexual and drug addictive lifestyles, that did John Holmes in. Holmes a broken man who lost everything including his amazing ability to preform sexually on and off the screen died penniless in a Los Angeles veterans hospital on March 13, 1988 at the age of 43 from AIDS related encephalitis; swelling of the brain.As for Eddie Nash he stood trial for the Wonderland killings in 1995 and was found not guilty with the jury voting 11 to 1 to convict. It later turned out that Nash paid off the lone juror who voted in his favor with a $50,000.00 bribe! Five years later Nash was finally convicted in the Wonderland murders but only for criminal conspiracy to commit murder not murder itself. The statute of limitations on Nash's admitted bribery of a member of the jury on his previous murder trial had by then run out. Being found innocent of the murder charges in his earlier trial Nash couldn't be tried again for the same crime, first degree murder, twice. All that Nash got for having four people murdered was 37 months behind bars and is now in 2007 at age 78 a free man.P.S In the case of he notorious 1981 "Wonderland Murders" it's true to say that this time Justice was really Blind!
Must see if you know what's a Hippie
posted on 13 Apr 2009I love this movie. When I saw it, I knew it was good. But when watching the next average movie it became clear that Wonderland was special. 100% convincing actors, photography and director.The story is that a former male porn star is on drugs and gets involved into crime and murder.One thing that touched me was the Woodstock-style soundtrack. The way the story was told from different perspectives reminded me of Memento, not knowing which version of the story was true.Wonderland also has a kind of "fresh" feeling, something I liked with "Spun".If you have any connection to the hippie generation (and drugs of course) and you're not turned off by blood-stain, then Wonderland is a must-see!
Well it is what it is
posted on 09 Apr 2009This film examines the quadruple murder deemed 'the Wonderland' murders on the afternoon of July 1, 1981, that involved Porn star John Holmes (Val Kilmer), Eddie Nash (Erik Bogosian) and others took part in that led to the deaths of Ron Launius (John Lucas), Billy Deverell (Tim Blake Nelson), Barbara Richardson (Natasha Wagner) and Joy Miller (Janeane Garofalo). All the acting is pretty good and I was interested, but the flaw of the film that ultimately kills it is a lack of a real viewpoint relying on just he said/ he said and leaves the viewer with nothing more to show for the involvement of the better part of 2 hours then what even those with a passable knowledge of the murder-case did before viewing it. Frankly I only bout the DVD to get the excellent 'Wadd: The Life and Times of John C. Holmes' but since the 2-disc version is now out of print, don't buy the 1 disc one still on the market. It's only worthy of a rental.My Grade: C DVD Extras: Disc 1) Commentary by Writer/ Director James cox & Co-writer Captain Mauzner; Interviews with Val Kilmer, Josh Lucas, Tim Blake Nelson, and Eric Bogosian; 7 Deleted Scenes; Court TV: 'Hollywood at Large' snippet; LAPD Crime scene video; and Photo gallery Disc 2) the edited version of "WADD: The Life and Times of John C. Holmes"Easter Egg: Highlight the Lion's Gate Logo for a Promo for the soundtrack,Theatical Trailer the film, and trailer for "Pray for Rock and Roll" (which looks TERRIBLE)
Interesting Account(s) Rather Than An Actual Story
posted on 22 Mar 2009Cox's 'Wonderland' is about the gruesome Wonderland murders (obviously!) that took place in the early 80s. The murder case itself was never solved and remained a mystery. Sadly, the movie does not do much to to cast light on it but there are hints indicated what most likely has happened. It is more of an interesting account rather than an actual story where one event is told from the perspective of different characters: Ex-porn king turned junkie John Holmes (Val Kilmer), his girlfriend Dawn Shiller (Kate Bosworth), his estranged wife Sharon (Lisa Kudrow) and David Lind (Dylan McDermott).'Wonderland' is quite well shot, with the chaotic camera-work and slick editing, use of music and visuals and effective sound. It is very graphic and includes real photographs from the crime scene. It does manage to create the feel of the early 80s that ended the craziness of the 70s. Val Kilmer seems to be an odd choice to play John Holmes. There is no physical resemblance. As a stand alone he acts well but does not have any nuances of Holmes. His portrayal of Holmes is inaccurate to say the least. Kate Bosworth is quite alright. I didn't find the love story between the two that engaging. Dylan McDermott does not seem to be completely in character. In spite of having a small role, Lisa Kudrow delivers the best performance. It was very nuanced and natural. Josh Lucas does alright but at times he seems a little too loud. There are several more familiar faces.Before watching the film, I had very limited knowledge of the notorious murders but after seeing the movie, I did more research and understood how gruesome and horrifying it was. 'Wonderland' tries to portray the event in an accurate way but those who are looking for a closed ending will be disappointed. As I stated earlier, it does give a hint as to what most likely happened.
Did he do it?
posted on 22 Mar 2009This movie is great to me as a real which story is real. I like trying to figure some things out on my own. The acting was pretty good and the murders were very brutal. I hope you have a strong stomach. This is a film that you need to watch the police footage with to get all the details. I hope to watch this film again someday and try and figure it out but now with John dead no one may ever know what really happened.
Why?
posted on 16 Mar 2009I had no problem with the film, which I thought was pretty good. It's the actual LAPD crime scene video that disturbed me. I wonder if Lion's Gate REALLY thought that the general viewing audience would want to see people that were brutally beaten to death and blood all over the place. Sorry Lion's Gate, this was an INCREDIBLY BAD IDEA!!!Getting back to the film: The cast was excellent, especially Val Kilmer as the late John Holmes. John Holmes was a sleaze ,mistreats the women in his life (Lisa Kudrow as his wife, Kate Bosworth as his girlfriend),and he is hopelessly deep into drugs. His connection to Eddie Nash (Eric Bogosian)creates a spiral that resulted in the infamous Wonderland murders. Exactly how much was Holmes involved in the murders? We may never know the entire truth to the story(Nash is still alive and a free man),but the film does a pretty good job nonetheless.
Not pretty
posted on 18 Feb 2009The premise was intriguing, but sadly this film just doesn't do any justice to it. The casting was quite good, and it was shot beautifully - but stylistically much of the direction was inconsistent (overstylized fast editing been there done that to no effect.... I was waiting for Steven Bochco to run in the credits followed by a commercial), characters were identified exclusively by on-screen coke usage (and pretty much everything else left to Boogie Nights for character development), and no personable characters to draw the viewer into the story. A very forgettable film.
Weird...
posted on 06 Feb 2009I saw Wonderland last night for the first time, and I am still under the impression the movie made on me.I even dreamed about it last night :-) Well, I liked the movie.I never heard about the Wonderland murders before since I'm from Serbia, but the subject itself is very interesting- I mean in real life even more than on film. That's why my first thought was that it could have been better. Don't get me wrong, I think it's good, but there are a few things that could have been done differently. Val Kilmer is a good actor,and this kind of role suits him (you have to admit that it has some resemblance with his role in "The Doors"). I think that the image of a "rebel"is made for him!Someone who is a nobody and then rises up above the ordinary people and becomes someone,but somewhere along the way he became a problematic and disturbed person who abuses alcohol and drugs,don't care a bit about the law,etc.To conclude,Val is great.The other actors are OK too, especially Lisa Kudrow and Kate Bosword. Now,the story itself and the way it is told-I think it's pretty well done,because I like that kind of directing,I like flashbacks,a little bit of mystery and of course "sex,money and murder"- those are the three things you must have to make a thriller/drama/mystery all in the same time.I like the fact that they didn't limited the movie to just one genre,that it's not written to be strictly a typical thriller.I prefer when there is a little bit of this, a little bit of that- it is that "mixture" that sometimes makes an average movie better than it actually is. Here's a proof that the movie is good- as soon as I finished watching it,I wanted to know more about John Holmes and the Wonderland murders. I really did- I wrote that I found the story itself very interesting as well as J.Holmes for whom I think was a special man,totally mad about sex and drugs-he had a very controversial life,I mean he was a porn star,he met a lot of unordinary people and saw a lot of weird and crazy stuff in his life.And him too has done a lot of bad and wacky things. One more thing I found interesting was the relationship he had with both his wife and his girlfriend. What I found even more interesting was the relationship between the wife and the girlfriend!That's totally cool!They both love him,he loves them both and the two of them love each other-everybody loves everybody!That's really not a common thing,right? The story about the murders is well done,well lead, so there is suspense and some surprises-they don't want to reveille everything they have in their sleeve at the same time.No,cause that would be boring.Instead,they give you little pieces from time to time(usually when you do not expect it),just to keep you interested,to keep your attention and save your concentration till the end.They did that very well!All of them-the actors,the director,the producers,and all the others who participated on making this movie. I recommend it to everyone who likes this kind of movies. My vote: 8/10
Holmes or Morrison?
posted on 06 Dec 2008There are people who have disliked Wonderland and have written things such as "See Boogie Nights instead" .... For those people interested in this nasty little story, I would recommend you see the film "WADD" instead. Boogie Nights documents the Rise of John Holmes and so it should not be compared with Wonderland in anyway..... Wonderland plays better as a sort of Sequel, or at least a follow up to Boogie Nights. "WADD" pretty much gives us all of the facts that we have here in this film, only it delves deeper.With that said, let me get back on track.... I did not love Wonderland, nor did I hate it.... I felt that it was a decent movie that could have been better. The performances were excellent and the grittiness of the picture was perfect.... however, it did not seem to act very well as an interesting storyteller. Val Kilmer was excellent in this film, but I really think they should have chosen a different actor because all the way through Wonderland I could not help but be taken back to "The Doors" ... Kilmer's take on John Holmes was practically the same as his take on Jim Morrison. Overall Wonderland is a good movie, not a great one. I was grateful that it focused more towards the Investigation side of things because it would have been a flat and tedious movie had it not.I give this one 6 out of 10.
The Dark Side of Boogie Nights
posted on 17 Oct 2008This is very focused film. It brings you into the lives of its characters, and the events that engulfed them, in a very direct way. The story of the Wonderland murders is told in Rashomon style, where you see the same event several times, from the points of view of different characters. This is handled very well, as the repetition is never boring.Lots of great acting in this film. Lisa Kudrow heads the list, and steals every scene she is in. She plays Holmes' bitter, long suffering wife with understated brilliance. Though her scenes are brief, she communicates their whole history together without having to tell it. At first I thought Kilmer was just reprising his patented doper-loser shtick (see The Salton Sea and The Doors), but as the movie progressed I saw he had thought a lot about Holmes' character, and his performance is actually very well suited to Holmes. He's very good at conveying Holme's infantile mommy complex, and his incomprehension that a woman wouldn't do instantly anything he wanted to done.You probably wont' recognize Dermot Mulroney (from The Practice), playing thug Lind, but it's him. He's very scary and very good. A nice expansion of his repertoire.The only problem with the movie is that it focuses with such intensity on the event of the murders themselves and the events leading up to it, that it provides no context for anything. There is no larger story at all. In this sense it is kind of claustrophobic. More importantly, the movie doesn't give you any reason to care about the events it describes, or the people they befell. At the end of the movie, it's hard not to say, "That was nice, but so what?" They should have spent a little more time building more of a scaffold around the events, so that they would have more intrinsic power and interest.What the filmmakers did they did very well. They just left out one important thing, the absence of which keeps this film from being great.
Manipulation, Murder & Money
posted on 13 Aug 2009This film is about the rise and fall of John Holmes, the porn king. In the Summer of '81, he was suspected of being involved in the Wonderland Murders.This movie does a great job of telling the story of the circumstances surrounding the murders. However, you really need to watch the second DVD to get a real idea of who John Holmes was. You will hear from those who knew him the best including his wife Sharon, girlfriend, Dawn, manager and director. You will feel the fear and confusion that people had when it came to defining the elements that made him click. The actual crime scene video tape is also on the DVD. John Holmes was known for being very well endowed. In the extra material on the DVD, the director of "Boogie Nights", PT Anderson, gives some commentary on his life. In Anderson's movie, the main character is also well endowed and the it is set in the late 70's early 80's.