‘THE REACTION IS KNEE-JERK AND NAIVE’
Filmmaker Joe Berlinger has defended his latest directorial Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil, and Vile, saying the argument that the film glorifies serial killer Ted Bundy is a “naive and knee-jerk reaction”.
The film, starring Zac Efron as Bundy, who confessed to killing at least 30 women during the 1970s, has been a subject of criticism and claims that it adores the killer by portraying him as a suave, handsome and desirable figure. Responding to the backlash, Berlinger told Bustle, “I think the idea of this particular story, that making a movie about Bundy, equals glorification of him is a very naive and kneejerk reaction.”
“If you actually watch the movie, the last thing we’re doing is glorifying him. He gets his due at the end, but we’re portraying the experience of how one becomes a victim to that kind of psychopathic seduction,” he added.
Berlinger, who earlier directed the documentary special The Ted Bundy Tapes, said a number of films are made about Adolf Hitler and the Holocaust but if a filmmaker has something new to offer on these subject, then they should not be stopped.
“I think telling filmmakers any subject matter is off limits is a very slippery slope...
I think there should be no censoring of subject matter, if it’s done responsibly. And even if it’s done irresponsibly, people have the right to tell any story they want to tell,” the filmmaker added.