The Miranda Murders: Lost Tapes of Leonard Lake

“This movie is an actual portrayal of real life footage, much of which is not available to the public. The performances and storytelling are designed to be as accurate to the actual occurrences as possible. [We] worked hard to avoid sensationalizing the piece in order to share what it was actually like to be taken prisoner by these two individuals with no hope of escape or survival. Yet, much like the actual footage, there is no gore or evisceration on camera. The Miranda Murders is a tough sit through and is not for everyone, especially those who have experienced trauma or abuse in their lives.“

That last bit is hard to accept however. The score of The Miranda Murders almost revels in the terrorization of its subjects. And, while Rosvally and G.R. Claveria faithfully act out the strange, abusive dynamic between Lake and Ng themselves, there’s still a Eli Rothian wink about it all. We know this is meant for our cheap entertainment, even if the events were real or inspired by real events and murderers. Given this, the people behind this film know it’s meant to disturb and terrify, and they want it to do so to the fullest extent. Within that context, any hand-waving about its content feels disingenuous at best.

“It’s one of those real life horror stories that sprouted out of the tail end of America’s sordid affair with cult leaders, killings and the like in the 70’s.”

That said, if the film is as faithful as they say, it can also be a striking reality check for those who sensationalize and revel in true crime stories. These women (and their associates) met real, grisly ends at the hands of Lake and Ng. And their deaths were real moments, not chilling twists in a novel. The found footage element of the film helps reinforce some of this in deft and surprising ways; the security footage acting as surveillance of sparing moments alone with victims. And even the private conversations Lake and Ng have on-camera give us some insight into the calculated, deliberate depravity.