Aileen: Life and Death of a Serial Killer (2003)

This documentary looks at Aileen Wuornos convicted of killing 7 men while working as a prostitute in Florida. This is actually the second Wuornos documentary made by this group the first ... See full summary »

Directors:

Nick Broomfield, Joan Churchill

Stars:

Aileen Wuornos, Nick Broomfield, Terry Humphreys-Slay

2 wins & 4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Aileen Wuornos	...	Herself
Nick Broomfield	...	Himself
Terry Humphreys-Slay	...	Herself - Her Father was Killed by Wuornos (archive footage)
Leitha Prather	...	Herself - Victim's Sister (archive footage) (as Leitha Prater)
Shirley Humphreys	...	Herself - Victim's Widow (archive footage)
Joe Hobson	...	Himself - Wuornos' Attorney
Steve Glazer	...	Himself - Wuornos' Former Attorney
Arlene Pralle	...	Herself - Wuornos' Adoptive Mother (archive footage)
Dawn Botkins	...	Herself - Wuornos' Best Friend
Tyria Moore	...	Herself - Wuornos' Former Lover (archive footage)
Uriel Blount	...	Herself (archive footage) (as Judge Muriel Blount)
Danny Caldwell	...	Himself - Wuornos' Childhood Friend / Witness
Jerry Moss	...	Himself - Wuornos' Childhood Friend / Witness
Michelle Chauvin	...	Herself - Wuornos' Childhood Friend / Witness
Jeb Bush	...	Himself - Governor of Florida (archive footage)

Storyline

This documentary looks at Aileen Wuornos convicted of killing 7 men while working as a prostitute in Florida. This is actually the second Wuornos documentary made by this group the first being Aileen Wuornos: The Selling of a Serial Killer (1992). With her execution now on the horizon Nick Broomfield returns to Florida to complete the story. Her argument has always been that the killings were in self-defense but she eventually pleaded no contest or guilty to most of the murders. Broomfield was able to film several interviews which reveals her state of mind and puts into question her mental competence.

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Plot Keywords:

death penalty | lawyer | court | prison | interview | 

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Genres:

Documentary | Crime

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language, including violent and sexual dialogue

Details

Official Sites:

director's official website - film info

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

21 November 2003 (UK)

Also Known As:

Aileen: Bir Seri Katilin Yasami ve Ölümü

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$16,158, 11 January 2004, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$97,362, 26 February 2004

Company Credits

Production Co:

Lafayette Films,Channel 4 Television Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

93 min

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Included among the "1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die", edited by Steven Schneider.

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Quotes

Nick Broomfield: [voiceover] Dawn insisted that gays hadn't been invented when she and Aileen first become friends.
Dawn Botkins: They weren't invented or whatever, there was no gay people.
Nick Broomfield: Well, what were they are all doing?
Dawn Botkins: They weren't gay. There was no such thing as gay.
Woman: [off camera] There were in the closet.
Dawn Botkins: No, they weren't! There was no such thing, I don't remember a person at school, 'gay'. I didn't hear this gay stuff 'til 10 years ago. Well, maybe 15. It's just now starting to be acceptable. But no, there was not. ...
[...]

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Connections

References Star Trek (1966)

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Soundtracks

Carnival
Performed by Natalie Merchant
Written by Natalie Merchant
(c) 1995 Indian Love Bride
Licensed by kind permission of Elektra Entertainment Group
A division of Warner Communications INC.

User Reviews

Painfully sad

"Aileen: Life and Death of a Serial Killer (2003)" is a documentary about the life of the notorious Florida serial killer, Aileen Wornous, who inspired the much lauded film "Monster". Not to be confused with "Aileen Wornous: The Selling of a Serial Killer (1992)", also by Nick Broomfield, this film provides background on Wornous who was selling sex for cigarettes as a 9 year old child in Michigan and follows her life from criminal trials to death row up to her execution (which was not shown). The film paints a portrait of a troubled woman who descends into paranoid schizophrenia as the end nears all the while maintaining the unexpectedly undaunted, matter-of-fact demeanor of one very much reconciled to her fate in spite of being trapped in a system with no recompense for abuse in childhood nor insanity in adulthood who well may have been failed by the criminal justice system as well. A worthwhile watch for those interested in the Wornous story, especially as a follow-up to "Monster". (B)