A DATE WITH DARKNESS: THE TRIAL AND CAPTURE OF ANDREW LUSTER

US, 2003, 90 minutes, Colour.
Jason Gedrick, Mala Sokoloff, Lisa Edelstein, Sarah Carter, Stefanie von Pfetten, Tom Butler.
Directed by Bobby Roth.

A Date With Darkness is based on the true story of Andrew Luster, the heir to the Max Factor fortune. During the year 2000, he abducted, drugged and raped several women. Three came forward to complain and he was investigated. When brought to trial, he was charged with eighty-six counts of rape, poisoning and drug possession.

The film uses a lot of the testimony in the court. It was in production when Andrew Luster, having broken bail and fled to Mexico, was captured again in Mexico. The ending was rewritten to incorporate his capture. He was sentenced to one hundred and twenty-four years in prison.

Jason Gedrick portrays Andrew Luster – though he is often in the background, especially during the court case. The film focuses on the three young women who came forward as well as the prosecutor and the defence.

The film offers information rather than exploration of motives. It seems that Andrew Luster was a pampered young man, heir to a fortune, depraved in character, doing what he liked and a sexual predator. In that sense, the film serves as a warning for young women to be careful, about this kind of man, about advances and the possibility of drug rape.

1.The film based on actual characters and incidents? The film as a warning?

2.The Californian settings, the beach, affluence? The courtroom?

3.The title, the focus on Andrew Luster as a sinister predator?

4.The delineation of Andrew Luster’s character, age, experience, wealth, vanity? His approaching the girls, innocently offering them a glass of water, drugging them? He and his friend taking them to the house, the behaviour of the women while drugged, the rapes? His letting them go? The fact that one of them lived with him for some years? his videoing his sexual experiences? His commentary? His phone call with Terri, his admitting the truth? The arrest, his lies? The interrogations, his bravado? His lawyer? Quiet in the court? Seeing him in the videos that he made? His relationship with his mother, her support? His flight to Mexico, his capture? His sentence?

5.The presentation of the girls, their being attracted by him, the offer, taking them home, uninhibited behaviour, their not refusing, their being frightened? Discovering the truth afterwards? The phone calls, the police and interrogations? The young women, their coming forward, the mother of the twins, her relationship with her husband, telling the truth, her shock at seeing the video? The miscarriage? Her antagonism towards Luster and her testimony in court, care because she was pregnant again?

6.The testimony in court, the defence and his vigorous attacking of the women under cross-examination, his later apology?

7.The ordeal of the women? The effect on their lives? Their final speeches in court explaining how this had affected them?

8.How well delineated the women, ordinary women, the risks they took, their being exploited?

9.Was this film a valuable contribution? The exploitation of situations? The American style of moralising through telemovies as well as keeping up with headline cases?