THE MENENDEZ BROTHERS

US, 2024, 116 minutes, Colour.

Directed by Alejandro Hartmann.

There have been many films about the Menendez brothers, the sensational television treatment of their trial, films, documentaries… In 2024 there was the nine part Netflix series, Ryan Murphy’s Monsters.

Netflix released this documentary in the aftermath of the popularity of the television series.

There are interviews with both Lyle and Erik Menendez, almost 35 years after the events and their decades in prison. They explain themselves, their memories, their defence. There are a great number of talking heads including the prosecutor who has never believed them. On the other hand, the defence lawyers, Jill Skinner and, especially Leslie Abramson, chose not to appear. There are also interviews many years later with several of the doctors and the explanations of their working with the brothers.

The documentary, more sympathetic to the brothers, especially in 2024 some other evidence about their father’s sexual behaviour indicating the possibility of some kind of review of their sentences.

This documentary offers the possibility for audiences to learn more about the case, the life and the family, the possible motivations, see the odd behaviour after the killings, the spending spree and the travel, and the continuing issue of whether the brothers were sociopaths – but definitely spoilt young men.

Concerning the issue of sexual abuse, there is a recommendation that audiences look at the fifth episode of the Netflix series, a single take, over the shoulder of Leslie Abramson, interrogating Erik, the camera imperceptibly moving towards him in one take, into extreme close-up of his face, Cooper Koch’s extraordinary performance and the screenplay’s intense presentation of the experience of being abused. For audiences who have not heard personal explanations that accountings of the experience of sexual abuse, listening is a difficult and significant experience.

The important point is made about the O.J. Simpson case, his getting off, the public getting less interested in the Menendez brothers, the split jury decision of the first trial, declaration of mistrial, the severity and limitations of the judge of the second trial which found them guilty.

1. Audience knowledge of the Menendez brothers, the killing of their parents? 1989, the case over many years? Television films? The Netflix series? Monsters?
2. The suggestion of seeing this documentary first, some factual material, records from the trials, the interviews with both Lila and Erik? Then compare the drama?
3. The stance of the documentary, presenting facts, the confessions, the court cases, the work with the psychologists, the prosecutor and her being interviewed for the film, the defence lawyers (not interviewed for this film)? The crime, abuse, not going to the police, killing, mitigating circumstances or not?
4. The interview with Lyle, his appearance, age, tone, memories, commentary?
5. The interviews with Erik, age, memories of the past, interpretation?
6. The family background, the father and his reputation, migrant from Cuba, making good, his wife? The tennis background? The surface treatment of his children? Behind-the-scenes?
7. The crime, the information, the buying of the guns, the shooting, the brothers of the cinema, tickets and time, suggesting burglary, suggesting the Mafia, the spending spree, the police and their responses, often slow?
8. The confessions, the story, Lyle and his dismay, Erik and his testimony, the discussions, the killing? The arrests, TV interviews, in jail?
9. The court sequences, the prosecutor and her hard stance, never believing them? The defence lawyers? The range of doctors, Dr Oviel and his being chosen for interviews, therapy? His giving information to his lover? The psychologists and their testimonies in retrospect? The response of the public? The drawing therapy?
10. The cross examinations, the fact that the trial was filmed? The material available? Seeing the brothers give their testimony?
11. The issue of abuse, children, Jose Menendez, Kitty Menendez, the expectations of their children, the episode of the father telling Erik to fall backwards but he is not catching him, the tennis issues, while trying to please his father?
12. The cumulative effect, the role of the jury, the sympathetic women, the antipathetic men? The judge, the mistrial?
13. The second case, overshadowed by the O.J. Simpson case, the changing public opinion? The media and the satires on the Menendez brothers? Hate mail?
14. The judge, setting limits for the second trial, the prosecution, harsh?
15. The interviews with the jurors, the friends?
16. The sentence, the separation of the brothers, 20 years? Eventually their being in the same prison?
17. 2024, the appeal and the hopes of the mitigation of the sentence?