Ted Bundy (2002)

User Rating:

5.8/10   

Director:

Matthew Bright

Writers (WGA):

Stephen Johnston (written by) and
Matthew Bright (written by)

Release Date:

22 November 2002 (UK)

Genre:

Biography | Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

Not every serial killer fits the profile.

Plot:

The story of serial killer Ted Bundy.

Plot Keywords:

Serial Killer | Escape | Electric Chair | Execution | Crowbar

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Michael Reilly Burke	...	Ted Bundy
Boti Bliss	...	Lee (as Boti Ann Bliss)
Julianna McCarthy	...	Professor
Jennifer Tisdale	...	Pretty Girl
Michael Santos	...	Man at the Window
Annalee Autumn	...	Girl Attacked on Street (as Anna Lee Wooster)
Steffani Brass	...	Julie
Tricia Dickson	...	Barbara Vincennes (First Victim)
Meadow Sisto	...	Suzanne Welch (School Victim)
Eric DaRe	...	Male Partygoer (as Eric Dare)
Melissa Schmidt	...	Female Partygoer
Deborah Offner	...	Beverly
Zarah Little	...	Patricia Garber (Victim)
Alison West	...	Shawn Randall (Beach Victim)
Matt Hoffman	...	Arnie

Also Known As:

Bundy (UK) (USA) (working title)
The Ted Bundy Story (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong violence involving a sexual predator/serial killer, sexuality/nudity and language.

Runtime:

99 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Malaysia:(Banned) | Philippines:R-18 | Singapore:PG (cut) | South Korea:18 | Netherlands:16 | Australia:R | New Zealand:R18 | Norway:15 | Spain:18 | UK:18 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Griffith Park - 4730 Crystal Springs Drive, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

First Look International

Trivia:

The names of the victims in the cast of characters are fictional and not the names of the actual victims of Ted Bundy.

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: When Ted is in the bar the music playing as if from the future. Break beats and "acid" sound are from mid 90's, but everything is happening in mid 70's.

Quotes:

Ted Bundy: [talking on phone] I don't wanna die, I'm not gonna lie to you. I admit that. And I'm not asking for clemency, I'm not asking for forgiveness. I'm not asking for sympathy. I know they're gonna kill me sooner or later... you don't need to worry about that, but... there's a lot of crimes I can solve, if the state can just see fit to let me live for two or three years longer, I mean... Look, I know I'm not like other people, I know I can't... feel sympathy for other people. But I'm still human.
Ted Bundy: And then I cut her head off with a hack saw and I took it home with me.
[...]

Movie Connections:

Spoofs Malcolm X (1992)

Soundtrack:

Martha's Street

Brutal movie about a brutal man

This movie is not for the faint-of-heart; it's a story about a vicious serial killer, and does not pretty up the subject matter. Thus there are numerous scenes of bloody and perverse sex, dead bodies galore, lots of profanity, and an overall atmosphere of sickness. None of this is pleasant to watch, but is entirely appropriate for the subject matter.

The script stays close to fact, although it leaves out some important information; neglecting, for example, to mention that one woman Bundy approached at Lake Sammamish refused to follow him into the parking lot. Her evidence provided a description and a name to a previously faceless monster, the first real lead the police had in the case. The movie also fails to give any real sense of the era in which Bundy flourished. In the swinging seventies, it was not so uncommon for women to get into cars or otherwise accept approaches from total strangers -- one reason for Bundy's success.

This film suffers from a lack of focus and purpose. It does give a good sense of the progression of Bundy's hideous career: the burglarizing, purse-snatching, shoplifting peeping tom gradually deteriorates into the brutal, raping, murdering serial killer. We see his alcoholism, his ability to be totally charming when necessary, and his knack for attracting "enabling" girlfriends into his life. What we don't see is anything of the inner Bundy. Granted, any depiction of the "inner Bundy" would be pure speculation, but a good movie would at least make an attempt to give some motive for Bundy's violent compulsions. All this movie does is make some vague references to his illegitimacy.

I need to also mention the incredibly poor taste in background music. In some sequences, light-hearted music is playing while Bundy is committing heinous acts of violence. (Christmas music in one case!) Perhaps the director meant to indicate that all this horror was just plain fun to Bundy; but the effect is to cheapen the scenes and even make them comic.

The verdict: Iffy. Lacks depth, and occasionly shows poor taste. Leaves out important information. On the plus side, it is well-acted, and does not attempt to sugar coat the ugly facts of violence. If you want a thoughtful examination of Bundy's character and the era in which he lived, this is not the right movie.