Extremely Wicked director defends film against critics that "glorifies Ted Bundy"

When the first trailer for Extremely nasty, terribly bad and vile was published, there was a bit of criticism that the biopic had glorified Ted Bundy because of his casting of Zac Efron.

Told from the point of view of Bundy's longtime girlfriend, Liz Kendall (played by Lily Collins), the film largely avoids showing the acts of violence committed by Bundy, but goes to the psychology of how it was able to manipulate people.

Director Joe Berlinger – who also directed the movie Netflix Ted Bundy's tapes – Tell Digital Spy that, although there is a "good healthy debate" on whether to make movies about serial killers glorifies them, it's the "last thing" that does his film.

"At the end of the film, he is exactly where he should be.He is lonely, miserable, sentenced to death, about to be executed.The only person to whom he attaches himself" rejected and, in the most fundamental way, has to report to him – which is very important, "he said.

"I think some of the criticisms you're talking about are people who do not really watch the movie.

"Because you can not watch this movie and say we glorify or glorify Bundy, what we do is describe the psychology of deception and betrayal." And that's an important social message . "

Sky Cinema / Brian Douglas

Berlinger added that before turning the film, he had asked his daughters and their friends if they knew Bundy and no.

"The best way to honor the victim is to tell the story from the point of view of the victim and arm the new generation of Bundy lessons, which does not mean that the fact that someone looks and acts in a certain way trust them, "he said.

As for why the film does not show violence, Berlinger felt that showing it would be "more disrespectful" to the Bundy victims.

Sky Cinema / Brian Douglas

"We live in a time when an 8-year-old with a few keystrokes can encounter the vilest and most degrading images of badgraphy and the vilest and most degrading images of violence in the world. for women, "he continued. "So, why should I make a film loaded with violence?

"If the film as a whole made light of Bundy and gave you the impression" Oh, he did not do it "or" I question the verdict ", then maybe this criticism has legitimacy, but I portray the real situation of someone who has put the powder in the eyes of society for a very long time. "

Earlier this year, Kathy Kleiner Rubin, a Bundy survivor, said the biopic "did not really glorify him, but showed it."

Extremely nasty, terribly bad and vile Released May 3 in UK cinemas and Sky Cinema, as well as in some cinemas and on Netflix in the United States from the same day.

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