| Monster | |
|---|---|
A poster for the movie. |
|
| Directed by | Patty Jenkins |
| Produced by | Charlize Theron Mark Damon Clark Peterson Donald Kushner Brad Wyman |
| Written by | Patty Jenkins |
| Starring | Charlize Theron Christina Ricci Bruce Dern Lee Tergesen Annie Corley Scott Wilson |
| Music by | BT |
| Cinematography | Steven Bernstein |
| Editing by | Jane Kurson Arthur Coburn |
| Distributed by | Columbia Pictures |
| Release date(s) | |
| Running time | 109 mins. |
| Country | |
| Language | English |
| Budget | USD $8,000,000[2] |
| Gross revenue | USD $60,378,584[3] |
| All Movie Guide profile | |
| IMDb profile | |
Monster is a 2003 film about the true story of female serial killer Aileen Wuornos, a former prostitute who was executed in 2002 for killing seven men in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The role of Aileen Wuornos was played by Charlize Theron, and her lover Selby Wall was played by Christina Ricci (Wuornos's lover's name was actually Tyria Moore, but her character's name, age, and appearance in the film were changed for legal reasons). The film was written and directed by Patty Jenkins. Much of Theron's preparation for the role is credited to Nick Broomfield's 1992 documentary, Aileen Wuornos: The Selling of a Serial Killer, of which Theron reportedly watched clips between takes.
Contents |
Cast
- Charlize Theron as Aileen Wuornos
- Christina Ricci as Selby
- Bruce Dern as Thomas
- Lee Tergesen as Vincent Corey
- Marco St. John as Evan / Undercover John
- Marc Macaulay as Will / Daddy John
- Scott Wilson as Horton / Last John
Plot
After moving to Florida, Wuornos, a prostitute, meets Selby in a bar. Selby takes to Aileen almost immediately, as she likes that Wuornos is very protective of her, even though she notices that the older woman is severely disturbed. They have a small romantic encounter at a roller rink and quickly become committed to one another, and move into a motel together. After being raped and brutalized by a John, Wuornos murders the man with her gun and decides to quit prostitution. Eventually, it becomes difficult to pay the bills, so Wuornos tries to find legitimate work. This is not an easy task, as she has no real qualifications, is uncultured, and has a very bad temper, which she often displays during job interviews. Desperate for money and resentful of the men who come to her for sex, she commits several murders, each more brutal than the last, robbing her victims after killing them. Wuornos is eventually arrested and speaks to Selby one last time while in jail. Selby reveals incriminating information over the telephone and Wuornos realizes Selby is with the police. To protect Selby, Wuornos states she committed the murders alone. During Wuornos' trial, Selby testifies against her. Aileen Wuornos was convicted and sentenced to death.
Reception
An overwhelming majority of film critics praised Monster. Most gave especially high praise to Theron's performance as the protagonist and her boldness in taking the role of an unattractive, mentally ill woman. For the role, Theron gained 30 pounds and wore prosthetic teeth. Ricci's performance was also widely acclaimed, and Theron thanked Ricci during her Oscar acceptance speech. Many critics called her performance (and her makeup in the film) a "transformation".[4] The film won Theron the Academy Award for Best Actress, Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Drama and the SAG Award.
Soundtrack
| Monster (2003) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Soundtrack by BT | ||
| Released | 2004 | |
| Label | dts Entertainment | |
| Professional reviews | ||
In 2004, BT released a soundtrack to the movie. The track listing is as follows:[5]
- "Childhood Montage"
- "Girls Kiss"
- "The Bus Stop"
- "Turning Tricks"
- "First Kill"
- "Job Hunt"
- "Bad Cop"
- "'Call Me Daddy' Killing"
- "I Don't Like It Rough"
- "Ferris Wheel"
- "Ditch The Car"
- "Madman Speech"
- "Cop Killing"
- "News On TV"
- "Courtroom"
All songs written by BT.
References
- ^ http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=filmsearch_exact&dept=Film&movieID=18987
- ^ Monster (2003) - Box office / business. Internet Movie Database. Retrieved on 2007-06-17.
- ^ Monster (2003). Box Office Mojo. Retrieved on 2007-06-17.
- ^ Monster. Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved on 2007-06-12.
- ^ Monster Soundtrack. SoundtrackNet (August 4, 2004). Retrieved on 2007-06-17.


