Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills (1996)

A horrific triple child murder leads to an indictment and trial of three nonconformist boys based on questionable evidence.

Directors:

Joe Berlinger, Bruce Sinofsky

Stars:

Tony Brooks, Diana Davis, Terry Wood

Won 1 Primetime Emmy. Another 7 wins & 5 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Tony Brooks	...	Himself - KAIT-TV (archive footage)
Diana Davis	...	Herself - KAIT-TV (archive footage)
Terry Wood	...	Himself - KAIT-TV (archive footage)
Dick Clay	...	Himself - KAIT-TV (archive footage)
Jenna Newton	...	Herself - KAIT-TV (archive footage)
Gary Gitchell	...	Himself
Tommy Stacy	...	Himself (as Rev. Tommy Stacy)
Melissa Byers	...	Herself
Todd Moore	...	Himself
Diane Moore	...	Herself
Pam Hobbs	...	Herself
Jessie Misskelley Sr.	...	Himself
Gail Grinnell	...	Herself
Joe Hutchinson	...	Himself
John Mark Byers	...	Himself

Storyline

Berlinger and Sinofsky's documentary of a gruesome triple murder in West Memphis, Arkansas and the subsequent trials of three suspects, takes a hard look at both the occult and the American justice system in 'small-town' America. Three teenagers are accused of this horrific crime of killing three children, supposedly as a result of involvement in Satanism. As in their previous documentary, things turn out to be more complex than initial appearances and this film presents the real-life courtroom drama to the viewer, as it unfolds.

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Plot Keywords:

murder | trial | arkansas | small town | satanism | 

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Taglines:

It's frightening to think they did it. It's terrifying to think they didn't.

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Genres:

Documentary | Crime | Mystery

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

10 June 1996 (USA)

Also Known As:

America Undercover: Paradise Lost - The Child Murders at Robin Hood Woods

Filming Locations:

West Memphis, Arkansas, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Home Box Office (HBO)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

150 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Filmmakers Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky spent 79 days over a 10-month period filming in the actual Arkansas locales.

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Quotes

Ford, Paul: Based on what you've heard up there, do you think Damien might have killed those three boys?
Jason Baldwin: [after a long pause] They make it seem like he did.
Ford, Paul: Do you think he did?
Jason Baldwin: I don't know.
Ford, Paul: Would you have a hard time letting him go if you were on the jury?
Jason Baldwin: Yeah.

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Connections

Followed by Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory (2011)

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Soundtracks

"The Call of Ktulu"
By Metallica
Written by James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, Cliff Burton, and Dave Mustaine
Produced by Metallica

User Reviews

Seriously, Do Yourself a Favor and Watch this film.

If you have ever doubted that there are some serious injustices in the political system, you must see this film. This is a documentary about three teenagers who are accused of being murderers simply because they aren't conformists. They are accused of murdering three innocent children, despite there being no evidence, no witness testimonies, and not a single shred of a motive, reason, or cause. The three teenagers who are convicted are Jessie Misskelly, Jr. who is a mentally impaired young man, Jason Baldwin, who is a thin, shy, and slightly underweight kid, and Damien Wayne Echols, who is into metal music, wears black, and is part of the Wiccian religion. There are the three children who are murdered, Christopher Byers, Steve Branch, and Michael Moore. The opening sequences depict the findings of the bodies in the woods. Christopher Byers looked to have been beaten to death after his genitals were mutilated. Steve Branch and Michael Moore were suffocated. There is not a single drop of blood at the murder scene despite the fact that Christopher would have bled profusely if his genitals were cut off, and yet everyone seems to be extremely convinced, for some reason, that the murder of Christopher occurred in the woods. It's possible that Michael and Steven were drowned nearby, but there doesn't appear to be any sign of a struggle. The parents of these innocent victims seem hellbent on insuring that Jessie, Jason, and Damien did it, despite there being nothing to even suggest. There are rumors of them being seen planning the murders, but those don't have any real backing. Meanwhile people make up stories about Satan worshiping and that the murder of these three boys involved some sort of sacrificial ceremony. You have got to be kidding! Why on earth would people believe this stuff!!! The town of West Memphis Arkansas is blinded by their religious faith that they aren't seeing things in a reasonable and more realistic light. This film contains footage of absolutely everything. Once you see it, you can decide for yourself if they did it or not, but I don't see any connection. Sorry.