The John Wayne Gacy Murders: Life and Death in Chicago is writer-director John Borowski’s documentary series about precisely what the title says: infamous serial killer John Wayne Gacy, the murders he committed, and how he was caught. This review focuses specifically on episodes 4 and 5, which have a runtime of 63 or 64 minutes each.
These two episodes hone in on the beginning of the police investigation and the eventual arrest of Gacy. The filmmaker had the opportunity to interview several people directly involved in the infamous crimes. William Kunkle was the Chief Prosecutor of Cook County at the time. Dave Hachmeister and Mike Albrecht were Des Plaines police officers who were brought onto the investigation team. Eugenia Godzik is the older sister of Gregory, a victim of Gacy’s killing spree. Marty Zielinski is a photographer who took several photos of Gacy. Also on board are experts such as LGBTQIA historian John D’Emilio and Steve Giannangelo, a professor of criminology. They contextualize essential details, filling in the big picture while those directly involved are honing in on this or that part of Gacy. This is but a small list of those interviewed, as there are a lot of people who get a say here.
Commander Moran examines the evidence storage room containing archived files in The John Wayne Gacy Murders: Life and Death in Chicago.
“…infamous serial killer John Wayne Gacy, the murders he committed, and how he was caught.”
There are two main questions to be answered in a review of The John Wayne Gacy Murders: Life and Death in Chicago. 1) Does it stand out in a crowded field of true crime shows? 2) Is there anything new to be unearthed regarding the monstrous man at the heart of the series? Based on the middle two episodes given to Film Threat to review, the answer is yes. Borowski edits with precision, allowing the tension of the walls closing in on Gacy to be felt. A chase sequence is punctuated by thundering wheels, feeling appropriately chaotic. The score is very moody, creating an unease that complements the grisly nature of what is chronicled.
The interviewees are given ample time to delve into as much depth as needed. Hachmeister and Albrecht deftly prod each other on, springing forth plenty of information. Giannangelo voices a lot of what all the viewers would be thinking. But it is Godzik’s inclusion that gives the series personal stakes. Hearing her discuss how close the siblings were becoming as he grew up is sweet. Listening to how their mother still clung to hope that her boy was alive is heartbreaking.
The John Wayne Gacy Murders: Life and Death in Chicago does not rewrite the rules of the true-crime documentary series. But it is very slickly produced with good editing and a great score. But what truly makes this soar is the number of first-hand accounts on display. The interviewees are all engaging and capture the harrowing time and the grisly details in a somber but engaging way.
"…good editing and a great score."
