DEAR MR GACY

Canada, 2010, 13 minutes, Colour.

William Forsyth, Jesse Moss, Emma Lahana, Cole Heppell, Belinda Metz, Michael Ryan, Eric Keenleyside, Andrew Airlie.

Directed by Svetozar Ristovski.

There have been many documentaries about serial killer, John Wayne Gacy, murdering a large number of men, burying their bodies in his house, or disposing of them in the river, some never found. He was arrested in 1978, spent 16 years in prison and with court appeals, finally executed in 1994. Already, in 1992, a film about him had been made, To Catch a Killer, starring Brian Dennehy.

This film is based on the book by its central character, Jason Moss, The Last Victim: a True-Life Journey into the Mind of the Serial Killer. There is a strong focus on Gacy but there are also chapters of his correspondence with such killers as Jeffrey Dharmer and Charles Manson. Moss achieved some fame with his interviews and the book, practising law, but depressive and shooting himself at the age of 31. This film was produced after his death.

This is the story of Jason Moss, a picture of his family, Jason as an earnest but somewhat naive teenager, interested in criminology, suggesting to his professor that he explore Gacy as his paper for the course. Jason Moss is played by Jesse Moss (no relation). He decides to write to Gacy, is shrewd enough to get his attention, then sends provocative photos of himself, taken by his brother, strengthening the bond between himself and Gacy who phones him, Jason accepting the charges, Gacy later reimbursing, even an airfare at the end for Jason to visit him in prison before his execution.

William Forsythe is serious and menacing as Gacy, seen only in prison sequences for most of the film, in his cell, one of the guards in his pocket for privileges, phoning Jason, often preening himself as his conversations with Jason became more lewd and lurid, even advising Jason to go out and pick up a hustler – which is a disastrous experience for Jason.

Towards the end of the film, there is one re-enactment of a case, Gacy seen in action, picking up a young hippie, seduction, brutality, the man escaping by leaping from the car. Jason interviews him before he goes to see Gacy in prison.

Gacy in prison is welcoming, menacing, threatening.

The film ends with Jason giving a talk at the University, his family and girlfriend all present, indicating his achievement in entering the mind of the serial killer.

1. Based on a book by Jason Moss, The Last Victim: a True Life Journey into the Mind of the Serial Killer? Moss’s experience with John Wayne Gacy? With other serial killers? The tragedy of the author’s depression and shooting himself at age 31?
2. The Moss family, strict and hard parents, the younger brother, Jason and his place in the family? Ambitions, going to college, the lectures on criminology, the discussions with the professor, his being intrigued with the news items on Gacy, wanting to explore his mind? The friendship with Alyssa? Bonding, sharing, alienating, reconciliation?
3. Audience knowledge of John Wayne Gacy, the number of men he murdered, buried in his house, the crawlspace, bodies in the river? His holding down reputable jobs? His being arrested in 1978? 15 years of court cases and imprisonment before his execution in 1994?
4. William Forsythe’s performance as Gacy, his background, his swagger, his entertaining as the life clown, his artwork and the clown, the years passing, paying off Stan for privileges, the role of the other guards, his denials of the murders? The impact of Jason and his letter, the photos, the phone calls and the effect on Gacy? The lewd and lurid conversations? Gacy re-enacting his methods, of picking men up, seductive, power, brutality, violence?
5. Jason, age, maturity, lack of maturity and experience? The decisions about Gacy, studying the newspapers, photos, putting them on his wall? And the decision to write to Gacy? The plausibility of his letter? Gacy reading it, his response, beginning the communication, the phone calls, Jason accepting the charges, the long phone calls, the conversations, intimacy, Jason posing for the photos, getting his brother to take them? Gacy’s response? Testing out Jason’s stances, sexuality, homosexuality, Jason embroidering his life?
6. Gacy urging Jason to cruise, picking up the hustler, the bar, the conversation, naive, the drugs, escaping? The effect on him? Reliance on Alyssa?
7. Gacy, interested in Jason’s brother, Jason making up the story, getting his brother to write it?
8. Jason going to visit the surviving victim, being repelled, ultimately going to see him, the conversation, the re-enactment of the episode to illustrate Gacy as evil and methods, the man escaping by jumping out of the car?
9. Jason, going to see the professor, wariness? The response of his parents?
10. The decision to go to see Gacy before he was executed, Gacy paying for the phone calls and the airfare? Entering into the prison, the guards, alone with Gacy, his being apprehensive, his being blunt in asking questions, Gacy responding, avoiding questions, the meal together, the sense of menace, illustrating how he treated the other men, the violence towards Jason? The guards, the screens, indifference? Rescuing Jason?
11. Gacy, going to execution, the chaplain, the news information on television about his death?
12. The effect on Jason, writing up his journey, his talk, his family present, Alyssa present, acclaim?