March 2010 April 2010 May 2010 June 2010 July 2010
August 2010
September 2010 October 2010
November 2010
December 2010 January 2011 February 2011 March 2011 April 2011 May 2011 June 2011 July 2011 August 2011 September 2011 October 2011 November 2011 December 2011 January 2012 February 2012 March 2012 April 2012 May 2012 June 2012 July 2012 August 2012 September 2012 October 2012 November 2012 December 2012 January 2013 February 2013 March 2013 April 2013 May 2013 June 2013 July 2013 August 2013 September 2013 October 2013 November 2013 December 2013 January 2014 February 2014 March 2014 April 2014 May 2014 June 2014 July 2014 August 2014 September 2014 October 2014 November 2014 December 2014 January 2015 February 2015 March 2015 April 2015 May 2015 June 2015 July 2015 August 2015 September 2015 October 2015 November 2015 December 2015 January 2016 February 2016 March 2016 April 2016 May 2016 June 2016 July 2016 August 2016 September 2016 October 2016 November 2016 December 2016 January 2017 February 2017 March 2017 April 2017 May 2017 June 2017 July 2017 August 2017 September 2017 October 2017 November 2017 December 2017 January 2018 February 2018 March 2018 April 2018 May 2018 June 2018 July 2018 August 2018 September 2018 October 2018 November 2018 December 2018 January 2019 February 2019 March 2019 April 2019 May 2019 June 2019 July 2019 August 2019 September 2019 October 2019 November 2019 December 2019 January 2020 February 2020 March 2020 April 2020 May 2020 June 2020 July 2020 August 2020 September 2020 October 2020 November 2020 December 2020 January 2021 February 2021 March 2021 April 2021 May 2021 June 2021 July 2021 August 2021 September 2021 October 2021 November 2021 December 2021 January 2022 February 2022 March 2022 April 2022 May 2022 June 2022 July 2022 August 2022 September 2022 October 2022 November 2022 December 2022 January 2023 February 2023 March 2023 April 2023 May 2023 June 2023 July 2023 August 2023 September 2023 October 2023 November 2023 December 2023 January 2024 February 2024 March 2024 April 2024 May 2024 June 2024 July 2024 August 2024 September 2024 October 2024
1 2 3 4 5 6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
News Every Day |

‘Mastermind: To Think Like a Killer’ Review: Hulu Docuseries Flounders With Surface-Level Look Inside the Minds of Murderers

The old adage about storytelling, so pervasive it’s basically a cliché, is “show don’t tell”. (So shouldn’t the word be “storyshowing”?) The idea is that the crafter of the story should not bluntly state or tell the themes and ideas of their work. Rather, they should present or show things happening that lead the viewer organically to the themes and ideas.

Over three 40-ish minute episodes, “Mastermind: To Think Like a Killer” does nothing but tell, tell, tell. A necessary evil of the true crime docuseries form, so often marked by talking heads and case files and the like? To an extent, but superior versions of this type of series use a keener sense of “telling” to reveal and deepen. “Mastermind” feels content with superficial, Wikipedia-level summary told at an aggressively rushed, and therefore unmoving, pace.

Don’t get it twisted: none of this is an indictment of the docuseries’ subject, Dr. Ann Burgess. If you enjoyed Netflix’s fictional crime series “Mindhunter,” you will likely find an interest in Dr. Burgess, as Anna Torv’s character is based on her. Dr. Burgess, a psychiatric nurse and professor, was one of the, well, masterminds behind the psychological profiling of serial killers and rapists, helping federal agents capture and understand the perpetrators of these heinous crimes. She is obviously an important, underappreciated figure in the world of criminal justice, and it’s a noble goal of showrunner Dani Sloane (“The Truth About Jim”) and superstar executive producers Dakota and Elle Fanning to produce a shining, borderline hagiographic examination of her life, attempting to springboard it into a broadly persevering form of state-sanctioned feminism.

“Attempt” is, unfortunately, the key word, as most techniques and sections of the series leave viewers confused or even annoyed. Director Abby Fuller, who worked with Sloane on the influential docuseries “Chef’s Table,” transplants some of that series’ immaculate aestheticization into her visual language, changing aspect ratios, framing her talking heads in unorthodox compositions, and rendering reenactments with a sort of fetishization of “grimy crime stuff” that recalls the trailer for horror-thriller “Longlegs” more than a respectful engagement with real acts of violence.

But these oft-tasteless predilections do nothing to offset the constructive sloppiness present throughout the work; soundbites are clearly Frankensteined together, visual edits are noticeably jagged, B-roll is misleadingly disseminated to force inaccurate conclusions, and one particular piece of taped audio from an interview with a killer is used so many times that it becomes unintentionally, perversely comical.

These taped interviews with the most notorious of killers (think Ted Bundy and Ed Kemper) should be bone-chilling, stopping viewers in their tracks until Dr. Burgess and her filmmakers reveal the game-changing psychological expertise that led to such ripples within law enforcement. These revelations never come. Instead, we receive a stimulus — a section of a taped interview or talking head summarizing a criminal — followed immediately by a conclusion; Dr. Burgess saying she figured it out, or another talking head telling us she figured it out. What we’re missing are some crucial journalistic questions: what did she figure out, and how? By eliminating the operating sign from the math equations, the documentarians present some raw numbers and variables and tell us what it equals. It’s sloppy storytelling math, proof without proof.

A historical reenactment of Dr. Ann Burgess listening to tapes at Quantico in the 1970s from “Mastermind: To Think Like a Killer.” (Hulu)

At times, “Mastermind” doesn’t even deign itself to go through these lowest common denominator moves. Many times, it will compress numerous people or events into a fast-forwarded montage, audio and video colliding over each other into incomprehensible cacophony (except for that one friggin’ repeated serial killer soundbite). By increasing the tempo, “Mastermind” thinks it can get away with a lack of concrete detail by sheer force of momentum. It does not.

When the show slows down, in some second and third-episode passages, it can occasionally find insight and nuance. In particular, the use of archival television footage helps paint a picture of society’s ever-regressive patriarchal attitudes. Men, both on the street and hosting professional television news programs, categorize rape as something women eventually want. Men take public credit for the techniques cultivated by Dr. Burgess, rippling through the culture in such a way that even Dr. Burgess’ “Mindhunter” analogue is third-billed behind two men. And men lambast Dr. Burgess testifying that the infamous Menendez brothers were sexually abused, callously conflating “explanation” with “endorsement” — with even John Malkovich catching a stray for an icky piece of “Saturday Night Live” hosting!

These passages, if unhelpful in explaining how to think like Dr. Burgess, help explain why we need people like her — and that helps take some steps toward earning the series’ rah-rah ending moments. But they’re too few and far between. The primary mode of “Mastermind” is “Person With Passing Interest In Criminal Justice Hastily Explaining Something They Heard About At A Cocktail Party.” Dr. Burgess’ mind deserves more.

“Mastermind: To Think Like a Killer” premieres Thursday, July 11, on Hulu.

The post ‘Mastermind: To Think Like a Killer’ Review: Hulu Docuseries Flounders With Surface-Level Look Inside the Minds of Murderers appeared first on TheWrap.

Protect and Enhance Your Vehicle with Paint Protection Film and Ceramic Coating from Tintex

We save HUNDREDS on UK attraction tickets with our free Blue Peter Badge – yes they still exist and anyone can get one

Game on: Automakers expand video entertainment options in vehicles

3 Negroni variations to try this fall

Ria.city






Read also

UFC 307: Alex Pereira beats Khalil Rountree Jr. to retain light heavyweight crown

ECJ ruling scuppers Cyprus’ plans to declare parts of Syria safe

I didn’t like Sir Alex Ferguson – but what legendary Man Utd boss did after I quit football will never leave me

News, articles, comments, with a minute-by-minute update, now on Today24.pro

News Every Day

We save HUNDREDS on UK attraction tickets with our free Blue Peter Badge – yes they still exist and anyone can get one

Today24.pro — latest news 24/7. You can add your news instantly now — here


News Every Day

We save HUNDREDS on UK attraction tickets with our free Blue Peter Badge – yes they still exist and anyone can get one



Sports today


Новости тенниса
ATP

Шанхай (ATP). 2-й круг. Медведев встретится с Сейботом Уайлдом, Циципас – с Нисикори, Шелтон поборется с Шаповаловым, Пол – с Фоньини



Спорт в России и мире
Москва

Автобус «Ростова» попал в ДТП на МКАДе: Футболисты не пострадали



All sports news today





Sports in Russia today

Москва

Начался матч тульского "Арсенала" с "Родиной"


Новости России

Game News

A Valve engineer used ChatGPT to find a new matchmaking algorithm for Deadlock, and now it's in the game


Russian.city


News Every Day

Protect and Enhance Your Vehicle with Paint Protection Film and Ceramic Coating from Tintex


Губернаторы России
Сергей Аксёнов

Аксенов: в отдаленные села будут приезжать мобильные аптеки


Массовая автомобильная авария парализовала движение на МКАД

Выставка «Павка Корчагин — герой Поднебесной»

Почтили память легендарного директора

С начала 2024 года более 2,5 тысячи многодетных мам в Московском регионе досрочно вышли на пенсию


Глушаков будет выступать за клуб Басты в Медиалиге

Большой театр начнет продавать билеты по паспорту

Октябрьские концерты знаменитого пианиста Мацуева в Новосибирске не состоятся

Увеличение прослушиваний в Яндекс Музыка. Лайки Яндекс Музыка. Подписка на артиста Яндекс Музыка.


Рублев рассказал, что ему грозила ампутация после US Open

Кудерметова проиграла в финале парного турнира в Пекине

Андрей Рублёв: Операция за дни до турнира ATP в Китае предотвратила ампутацию

Кудерметова и Хаочин проиграли в матче за титул в парном разряде WTA 1000 в Пекине



Релиз трека. Релиз новой песни. Релиз сингла. Релиз Музыкального альбома.

Индивидуальные кухни на заказ в Санкт-Петербурге

Станислав Кондрашов, охотник за привидениями, о призраках на живописных дорогах мира

Россия получила пять отказов на выступления докладчиков на Форуме ОБСЕ


Инновационная экосистема Китая: возможности для роста компаний

Автобус с игроками «Ростова» попал в ДТП после матча со «Спартаком»

Путин поздравил Рахмона с днем рождения в преддверии его визита в Москву

ЦСКА — «Металлург» — 0:7. Видеообзор матча КХЛ


Врач назвала наиболее частую причину икоты – это алкоголизм

На оформление ДТП с автобусом ФК «Ростов» ушло несколько часов

"ПЛОХОЕ СЛОВО СКАЗАЛ": СНИМАЛ ОСКОРБИТЕЛЬНЫЕ РОЛИКИ О СИЛОВИКАХ И ПОПЛАТИЛСЯ - В МОСКВЕ ПОЙМАЛИ УЗБЕКСКОГО БЛОГЕРА

Спецборт сел в Москве после сообщений о возвращении Анатолия Антонова из США



Путин в России и мире






Персональные новости Russian.city
Игорь Бутман

Бутман объяснил причину роста популярности джаза в России



News Every Day

Protect and Enhance Your Vehicle with Paint Protection Film and Ceramic Coating from Tintex




Friends of Today24

Музыкальные новости

Персональные новости