MONSTER
US, 2003, 109 minutes, Colour.
Charlize Theron, Christina Ricci, Bruce Dern, Scott Wilson, Pruitt Taylor Vince.
Directed by Patty Jenkins.
Perhaps Americans are familiar with Aileen Wournos who spent 11 years on death row in Florida and was finally executed in 2002. Film buffs will know her from two find documentaries by British director, Nick Broomfield, which had theatrical release after being screened at many film festivals. Now, many more people will know of her because of this film, 'based on a true story'.
Aileen Wournos grew up a victim of contemporary society, abused during her childhood, a prostitute at thirteen despite her fantasies of being a star, no education despite being shrewd, surviving but feeling that no one loved her.
This background is given in the screenplay by first time director, Patty Jenkins, but it is brought to life in a superb performance by Charlize Theron. We can see and appreciate how the actress has entered into her character and lives it, no longer Charlize Theron but Aileen Wournos. Winner of the Oscar for Best Actress in 2003, it is a tour-de-force performance. A very glamorous woman in real life, Theron has gained weight, been made up to lose all her glamour and lit to create a rounded character who does some monstrous things but still elicits some compassion and a desire for understanding.
The film traces the relationship between Lee Wournos and a seemingly prim young woman, Selby, from the north who has been sent by her father to stay with her aunt to cure her of her lesbianism. When she approaches Lee, Lee finds that here is someone who accepts her and loves her. She becomes dependent on her emotionally while she supports her from her work as a prostitute - and then from the money she takes from the customers she kills. An attempt to find an ordinary job is met with disdain by employers and by social care workers. She sees herself as a good person, at right with the Lord, even though she kills some of her victims most callously.
Christina Ricci is very good as the sometimes simpering Selby, who is also a passive aggressive who consciously or unconsciously manipulates Lee, fascinated by her work and lifestyle. Ricci gives a strong performance which never intrudes on Theron's work but, rather, enhances it.
Not an appealing story, some violence, continued coarse language but, nevertheless, a humane portrait of a person who was both victim and aggressor at the margins of modern society.
1. The film based on a true story? The documentaries made about Aileen Wournos? A story of the 80s, serial crime, imprisonment and execution?
2. The background of the documentaries, an American awareness of the character of Aileen Wournos, her life, her crimes? An American perspective, Aileen Wournos as a media creation?
3. The Florida settings, Daytona Beach? The film-makers using the actual sites for some of the sequences? The motels, the homes, the highways, the backroads? The Last Resort? A particular way of life in Florida, the poor, bikers, truckers? Prostitutes? The highways and the kerb-crawlers?
4. Charlize Theron's performance, Oscar-winning? Her entering into the character? The make-up, her weight? The musical score?
5. The portrait of Aileen Wournos: the introduction and her voice-over, her childhood, the story of her dreams of becoming a star? With the boys, showing her breast? The later explanation of abuse when she was a child, her clashes with her father, his not defending her? The provocation, her prostitution, the hard life, lacking education? Her innate sense and ability? Her lacking of deep self-confidence despite the bravado?
6. Seeing her at the side of the highway, the truck broken down, going into the bar, the drink, the gay bar? Selby and her approach, her hard response? Selby asking her to listen, their talking, drinking, going home? Donna and her disapproval of Lee's presence? Her getting away, meeting Selby for roller-skating, the kiss in the alleyway? Going home, Selby and her fulfilling Lee's needs for some kind of companionship, love, acceptance? Their setting up house? Her continuing with her prostitution, on the side of the roads, picking up the men? The customer who was brutal, attacked her? Her reaction, shooting him? Getting rid of the body? Taking his money and car? Her keeping all the newspaper items about the deaths? Her being late for the date, going to Selby's house and waking her up? Selby's acceptance? The other customers, her killing them? The way of life, drinking and the beer, on the move, setting up house for Selby, wanting to support her? The dreams, the crashing of the car? The explanation to the old couple - who would later report them? Her decision to give up prostitution, dressing herself up, going for the interviews, her self-promotion, not realising people's reaction? The man who despised her, attacked her for not working and then expecting jobs? Her anger? Going to the social services and her being looked down on? Her plea that she was trying to change her life? On the street, the policeman arresting her - and his having booked her earlier and wanting sex?
7. Lee's growing dependence on Selby, the lesbian relationship, her love for Selby? Her suspicions of men? Her friends at the bar, Tom and his continued support, talking with him? Selby's needing the money, wanting to be looked after? Lee and her decision to kill more people, the final killing of the policeman? Her killing the sympathetic man who pleaded for his life? Her finally having no car, desperate?
8. Selby and her having to leave, seeing the images on the television, her fears? Seeing Selby off at the bus station, her deep feelings towards Selby? Going back to the bar, Tom trying to warn her, her going out with the biker, her being arrested? In jail, the phone call to Selby, it being taped, the betrayal? The passion in her voice, her dependence on Selby? Her not wanting her to be caught? The trial, Selby in the dock, pointing at her? The judge and his verdict? Her attack on the judge, the jury? Her being taken off - and the captions at the end talking of her twelve-year imprisonment before execution?
9. The voice-over, the effect, Lee's own words? The film-makers and their reading her letters and basing many of the scenes, like the bus station farewell, on her letters? Her older perspective on herself?
10. The character of Selby, her age, clashes with her father, her sexual identity, being sent down to Donna? Going to the bars, the woman taking her chair and leaving her at the table, her advance to Lee? Drinking, wanting to talk? Her injury and the plaster, unable to get a job? Going roller-skating? At home, touching Lee's face, getting her out of the house? Her going off with Lee, packing and leaving Donna's place, Donna's warnings? Her fascination with Lee, by her life of prostitution? Depending on her, complaining, passive and aggressive, going to the carnival, Donna's son and her asking Lee to talk about the sexual attitudes of each of the men around? Her really knowing the truth about Lee's killings? Lee telling her that she knew? Going for the drive, crashing the car? Her dreams, wanting to have things, to travel? Growing wilfulness? Her fears after seeing the images on the television? Her leaving, the farewell at the bus station? The phone call, her sadness, her being taped? In the court, pointing the finger?
11. Donna, her support of Selby, warning her about Lee, the meetings, Selby leaving her? The phone calls to her father and his sternness?
12. The pick-ups, their characters, aggression, married, sexual behaviour? Lee and her behaviour, the killings? The stuttering man? The man who offered to take her home and look after her? The final policeman, out in the woods, his plea, shooting?
13. The bar, Tom and his friendship, the arrest?
14. The title of the film, with reference to Aileen Wournos - and her story of the ferris wheel that both terrified and attracted her?
