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West of Memphis

  • 20122012
  • RR
  • 2h 27m
IMDb RATING
7.9/10
10K
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • IMDbPro
West of Memphis (2012)
An examination of a failure of justice in the case against the West Memphis Three.
Play trailer2:03
6 Videos
49 Photos
  • Documentary
  • Crime

An examination of a failure of justice in the case against the West Memphis Three.An examination of a failure of justice in the case against the West Memphis Three.An examination of a failure of justice in the case against the West Memphis Three.

IMDb RATING
7.9/10
10K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Amy Berg
  • Writers
    • Amy Berg
    • Billy McMillin
  • Stars
    • Jason Baldwin
    • Damien Wayne Echols
    • Jessie Misskelley
Top credits
  • Director
    • Amy Berg
  • Writers
    • Amy Berg
    • Billy McMillin
  • Stars
    • Jason Baldwin
    • Damien Wayne Echols
    • Jessie Misskelley
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 30User reviews
    • 110Critic reviews
    • 80Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 1 BAFTA Award
      • 1 win & 10 nominations total

    Videos6

    Theatrical Version
    Trailer 2:03
    Theatrical Version
    Sundance Version
    Trailer 4:15
    Sundance Version
    "Henry Rollins and Eddie Vedder"
    Clip 0:56
    "Henry Rollins and Eddie Vedder"
    "DNA"
    Clip 1:55
    "DNA"
    "Natalie Maines"
    Clip 1:36
    "Natalie Maines"
    "Pam Hobbs"
    Clip 0:42
    "Pam Hobbs"

    Photos49

    Jessie Misskelley in West of Memphis (2012)
    Jason Baldwin and Holly Ballard in West of Memphis (2012)
    Henry Rollins and Amy Berg in West of Memphis (2012)
    Damien Wayne Echols and Lorri Davis in West of Memphis (2012)
    Jason Baldwin, Damien Wayne Echols, and Jessie Misskelley in West of Memphis (2012)
    Damien Wayne Echols in West of Memphis (2012)
    Ronan Killeen, Amy Berg, Abe Dolinger, and Lorri Davis in West of Memphis (2012)
    Amy Berg in West of Memphis (2012)
    Pam Hobbs in West of Memphis (2012)
    West of Memphis (2012)
    Amy Berg in West of Memphis (2012)
    Lorri Davis in West of Memphis (2012)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Jason Baldwin
    Jason Baldwin
    • Selfas Self
    Damien Wayne Echols
    Damien Wayne Echols
    • Selfas Self
    Jessie Misskelley
    Jessie Misskelley
    • Selfas Self
    Michael Baden
    Michael Baden
    • Selfas Self
    Holly Ballard
    • Selfas Self
    Jamie Clark Ballard
    • Selfas Self
    Jennifer Bearden
    • Selfas Self
    Patrick Benca
    • Selfas Self
    Steve Braga
    • Selfas Self
    Karen Bruewer
    • Selfas Self
    David Burnett
    • Selfas Self
    John Mark Byers
    John Mark Byers
    • Selfas Self
    • (as Mark Byers)
    Michael Carson
    • Selfas Self
    Dennis Carter
    • Selfas Self
    The Chicks
    The Chicks
    • Themselvesas Themselves
    • (archive footage)
    • (as Dixie Chicks)
    Heather Crawford
    • Selfas Self
    • (archive footage)
    Joyce Cureton
    • Selfas Self
    Lorri Davis
    Lorri Davis
    • Selfas Self
    • Director
      • Amy Berg
    • Writers
      • Amy Berg
      • Billy McMillin
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit
    West of Memphis is an examination of a failure of justice in Arkansas. The documentary tells the hitherto unknown story behind an extraordinary and desperate fight to bring the truth to light. Told and made by those who lived it, the filmmakers' unprecedented access to the inner workings of the defense, allows the film to show the investigation, research and appeals process in a way that has never been seen before; revealing shocking and disturbing new information about a case that still haunts the American South. —Production
    • west memphis three
    • alford plea
    • year 1996
    • year 1993
    • year 2009
    • 62 more
    • Plot summary
    • Add synopsis
    • Genres
      • Documentary
      • Crime
    • Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)
      • Rated R for disturbing violent content and some language
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Quotes

      Damien Wayne Echols: The thing I like most about time is that it's not real. It's all in the head. Sure, it's a useful trick if you wanna meet someone at a specific place in the universe to have tea or coffee. But that's all it is, a trick. There's no such thing as the past, it exists only in the memory. There's no such thing as the future, it exists only in our imagination. If our watches were truly accurate the only thing they would ever say is now.

    • Connections
      Featured in At the Movies: Episode #10.1 (2013)
    • Soundtracks
      The Times They Are a-Changin'
      Written by Bob Dylan

      Performed by Eddie Vedder

      Published by Special Rider Music (SESAC)

      Courtesy of Fearless Films

    User reviews30

    Review
    Top review
    8/10
    Leaves a bitter taste in the mouth
    The 'West Memphis 3' were first brought to my attention back in 2007/2008 when I viewed the astonishingly eye-opening documentary Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills (1996), which I watched back-to-back with its sequel Revelations: Paradise Lost 2 (2000). The case was so fascinating due to its unbelievable revelations of the flaws in the American justice system that I was more than happy to spend over 5 enthralling hours of my night watching it unravel. Those films brought mass attention to the case, due to the fact that the three accused - Damien Wayne Echols, Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley - were so blatantly innocent of this terrible crime. I assumed justice would prevail, and it soon left my mind. So it was shocking to learn upon the release of the third instalment of the trilogy, Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory (2011), and this, West of Memphis, that these three were still in prison, 19 years after the murders, with everything from mere bureaucracy and political motivations standing in their, and thousands of others, way.

    For those unacquainted with the case, back in 1993, the mutilated bodies of three young boys - Christopher Byers, Steven Branch and Michael Moore - were found in a stream in the Robin Hood Hills, West Memphis. With no evidence, prosecutors quickly deemed the murders a result of Satanic ritual, due to (apparently) sexual mutiliation, and sought out any locals known to practise such an art. They were given the names of three youngsters, Echols, Baldwin and Miskelley, who were known to listen to heavy metal music and act much like your typical isolated, 'gothic' teenagers. Through manipulation of the jury, and a trial by media, the three were quickly convicted (again, with no evidence against them, apart from a heavily dubious 'confession' by the borderline mentally retarded Misskelley). They were given life, with Echols possibly facing the death sentence. Interest in the case quickly gathered, due to many aspects not making any sense, and gathered support of musicians such as Metallica, Henry Rollins, Patti Smith, and Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam. West of Memphis focuses on the fight to free the West Memphis 3, with new evidence gathered and possibly a revelation as to who the killer may actually be.

    West of Memphis doesn't spend much time treading the same ground as the Paradise Lost trilogy, and quickly covers the original trial. It consists mainly of original footage, such as the lawyers and investigators funded by supporters of the West Memphis 3 and various celebrities such as the film's producers Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh trying to find fresh evidence in favour of the 3, and footage of the various concerts designed to raise awareness and make money. But where West of Memphis truly invigorates is the alarming case built against Terry Hobbs, stepfather of Steven Branch, who was all but ignored by police in the original investigation. Paradise Lost 2 brought up the possibility of another stepfather, John Mark Byers, being the culprit, but often felt like he was a suspect due to him simply being quite strange, which seems hypocritical considering the West Memphis 3 were convicted for the same reason. But there is strong evidence against Hobbs, such as a violent past, the lack of an alibi during the time of the deaths, and his hair being found within the knot of the shoelaces to which the three boys were hog-tied with.

    Above all, West of Memphis is a staunch reminder of the darkness of this case. This was a horrific crime, almost beyond belief (and the sights of the three corpses really hammers this home), and an equally disturbing path of 'justice' that followed. This is a deep, dark stain on the American justice system, where political aspirations, ignorance and outright lying stand in the way of true justice. They do walk free in the end, but not without leaving a bitter taste in the mouth. They had 19 years of their life stolen from them, yet to be free they must plead guilty to a crime everyone knows they did commit. In the eyes of the law, the West Memphis 3 are child murderers, while the real murderer walks free with a clean name. The Paradise Lost films and West of Memphis, if anything, are a testament to the power of film, along with Errol Morris' The Thin Blue Line (1988), which exposed police ineptitude and helped set an innocent man free, but above all else, they are a terrifying and utterly depressing indictment of a country that needs to take a good look at itself.

    www.the-wrath-of-blog.blogspot.com
    helpful•19
    7
    • tomgillespie2002
    • Jun 9, 2013

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • November 22, 2012 (Portugal)
    • Countries of origin
      • New Zealand
      • United States
    • Official sites
      • Official Facebook
      • Sony (United States)
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Zapadno od Memfisa
    • Filming locations
      • Jonesboro, Arkansas, USA
    • Production companies
      • Disarming Films
      • WingNut Films
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $310,154
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $13,360
      • Dec 30, 2012
    • Gross worldwide
      • $318,317
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 27 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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