John Wayne Gacy: Defending a Monster

Jul 25, 2019

1h 30m

★ 7.0

Based on the best-selling true-crime book by Sam Amirante and Danny Broderick.

Overview

"Sam, could you do me a favor?" A seemingly simple request sparks the story that has now become part of America’s true crime hall of fame - the journey of a young lawyer, fresh from the Public Defender’s Office, whose first client in private practice turns out to be the most evil serial killer in our nation's history.

Genres

Documentary

Production Companies

DM Documentary

John Wayne Gacy: Defending a Monster Trailers

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Cast

Himself

Sam Amirante

Narrator

Jim Belushi

When Lonnie Franklin Jr. was arrested in South Central Los Angeles in 2010 as the suspected murderer of a string of young black women, police hailed it as the culmination of 20 years of investigations. Four years later documentary filmmaker Nick Broomfield took his camera to the alleged killer’s neighborhood for another view.

5.6

Chaplin Today: 'Monsieur Verdoux'

Sep 22, 2003

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6.9

An Invisible Victim: The Eliza Samudio Case

Sep 26, 2024

A star goalkeeper threatens a woman who is pregnant with his child. Her pleas for help go unanswered in the shadow of his fame — then tragedy strikes.

7.5

The Menendez Brothers

Oct 7, 2024

Serving life in prison for murdering their parents, Lyle and Erik Menendez speak out in this documentary explaining the shocking crime and ensuing trials.

8.0

Manhunt: The Raoul Moat Story

Jul 9, 2020

After killing one person and wounding two others in a two-day shooting spree in July 2010, 37-year-old Raoul Moat went on the run. This is the story of the investigation—and how Moat escaped police officers’ clutches for a week.

5.7

Untold: The Murder of Air McNair

Aug 19, 2024

Steve McNair was an NFL legend whose life was seemingly cut short by a crime of passion. Is there more to this chilling tragedy than meets the eye?

6.1

The Case of Bruno Lüdke

Feb 17, 2021

The incredible story of Bruno Lüdke (1908-44), the alleged worst mass murderer in German criminal history; or actually, a story of forged files and fake news that takes place during the darkest years of the Third Reich, when the principles of criminal justice, subjected to the yoke of a totalitarian system that is beginning to collapse, mean absolutely nothing.

6.6

Ruby Ridge

Feb 14, 2017

Shortly before dawn on August 21, 1992, six heavily armed U.S. marshals made their way up to the isolated mountaintop home of Randy and Vicki Weaver and their children on Ruby Ridge in Northern Idaho. Charged with selling two illegal sawed-off shotguns to an undercover agent, Weaver had failed to appear in court and law enforcement was tasked with bringing him in. For months, the Weavers had been holed up on their property with a cache of firearms, including automatic weapons. When the federal agents surveilling the property crossed paths with members of the family, a firefight broke out. The standoff that mesmerized the nation would leave Weaver injured, his wife and son dead, and some convinced that the federal government was out of control. Drawing upon eyewitness accounts, including interviews with Weaver’s daughter, Sara, and federal agents involved in the confrontation, Ruby Ridge is a riveting account of the event that helped give rise to the modern American militia movement.

10.0

Spy Capital

May 16, 2024

Spy Capital is a documentary exploring Vienna's deep-rooted espionage history, establishing the city as a key hub for international spy operations over the past 150 years. Directed by espionage expert Boris Volodarsky and produced by Dennis Dewall, the film spans from Vienna's 1873 World Exhibition to espionage tied to the 2023 Russia-Ukraine conflict. Featuring interviews with prominent figures like Christo Grozev and Gert Polli, it also includes dramatic reenactments of historical events. Notorious cases such as Colonel Alfred Redl, a Russian double agent, are highlighted. The film delves into Vienna's pivotal role in intelligence during the World Wars and the Cold War. With striking visuals and advanced technology, Spy Capital: Vienna immerses viewers in a blend of history and drama, offering a thorough look into the covert world of spies that has shaped the city.

0.0

Madeleine McCann: The Case Against Christian B

May 11, 2022

Mark Williams-Thomas carries out the first active British investigation into Christian B.

6.6

My Daughter's Killer

Jul 12, 2022

A father fights for decades to bring his daughter's killer to justice in France and Germany before taking extreme measures.

5.9

The Family I Had

Apr 21, 2017

In The Family I Had, a mother recalls how her brilliant teenage son came to shatter their idyllic family through one horribly violent and shocking act. Now, left to pick up the pieces, the survivors test the boundaries of their newly defined reality in this moving true crime exploration of the nature and limits of familial love.

6.6

Ice Cold: Murder, Coffee and Jessica Wongso

Sep 28, 2023

This documentary delves into the unanswered questions surrounding the trial of Jessica Wongso — years after the death of her best friend, Mirna Salihin.

5.4

Albert Fish: In Sin He Found Salvation

Aug 13, 2007

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7.0

Fred & Rose West: Love & Murder

Mar 28, 2024

When it comes to serial killers, there aren't many stories more chilling than the one of Fred and Rosemary West. The murderous duo raped, tortured and murdered at least a dozen young British girls between 1967 and 1987 in Gloucestershire, including several of their own daughters. Learn of how two of Britain's most notorious serial killers were able to get away with their crimes for so long, how they hid the victim's remains within the confines of their own home, and how they were eventually taken down.

0.0

Murderous Minds:Harold Shipman

Jan 4, 2023

Harold Frederick Shipman, known to acquaintances as Fred Shipman, was an English general practitioner and serial killer. He is considered to be one of the most prolific serial killers in modern history, with an estimated 250 victims. We delve into the psychology of Harold to try and understand what turned him into such a cruel murderer and how he managed to get away with it for so long.

0.0

How to Catch a Cat Killer

Jun 8, 2022

This documentary tells the story of how sleuthing cat owners in Brighton came together to catch an unknown killer who was preying on much-loved pets across the South Coast.

6.0

Suzy Lamplugh: The Unsolved Mystery

Dec 16, 2020

25 year old estate agent Suzy Lamplugh was reported missing at 18:45 on 28th July 1986. Investigations have so far not identified any evidence and although leads have been followed, some as recently as 2019, her disappearance remains a mystery. She is presumed murdered and was declared legally dead in 1994. No body has ever been found. The last clue to Lamplugh's whereabouts was an appointment to show a house in Shorrolds Road to someone she referred to as "Mr Kipper".

10.0

The John Wayne Gacy Murders: Life and Death in Chicago

Aug 1, 2020

Summaries "The John Wayne Gacy Murders: Life and Death in Chicago", Focuses on serial killer John Wayne Gacy's time in Chicago and includes information about Gacy's childhood, his career of crime in Waterloo, Iowa, and Gacy's becoming a celebrity in prison. Containing interviews with Chicago attorneys, news reporters, law enforcement officers, and history experts, the film illustrates what the atmosphere was like in Chicago when Gacy was murdering and ultimately apprehended. Gacy's time in prison as a celebrity serial killer is also explored in this groundbreaking film by Chicago native filmmaker John Borowski. —John Borowski

John Wayne Gacy: Defending a Monster

Overview

Genres

Production Companies

John Wayne Gacy: Defending a Monster Trailers