papabeard
This is a fascinating documentary, the likes of which I have never seen before. It records the events that happened in a smalltown in America named Black River Falls, between 1890 and 1900. It focuses on the bizarre and alarming amount of murder, death and bizarre goings on.
As though the very soil of this Midwest settlement was soaked in evil (there is little surprise in learning that serial killers Ed Gein and Jeffrey Dahmer hailed from the same state), its largely German and Norwegian occupants found themselves inexplicably plagued with disease, insanity, suicide and murder.
Distilled from period newspaper reports into a book by Michael Lesy, director James Marsh has taken the astonishing events that took place in Wisconsin's Black River Falls between 1890 and 1900, and made a haunting and moving documentary.
It consists of eloquent narration over artfully shot vignettes and real life photos and newspaper reports of the time.Even though it focuses death and murder, it is not voyeuristic or tastless, rather it gives insight into the fragility of the human condition and the great hardships humans beings had to endure at the time and continue to endure.
As though the very soil of this Midwest settlement was soaked in evil (there is little surprise in learning that serial killers Ed Gein and Jeffrey Dahmer hailed from the same state), its largely German and Norwegian occupants found themselves inexplicably plagued with disease, insanity, suicide and murder.
Distilled from period newspaper reports into a book by Michael Lesy, director James Marsh has taken the astonishing events that took place in Wisconsin's Black River Falls between 1890 and 1900, and made a haunting and moving documentary.
It consists of eloquent narration over artfully shot vignettes and real life photos and newspaper reports of the time.Even though it focuses death and murder, it is not voyeuristic or tastless, rather it gives insight into the fragility of the human condition and the great hardships humans beings had to endure at the time and continue to endure.