Monsters - Erik and Lyle Menendez Story - Netflix

12,217 Views | 119 Replies | Last: 1 mo ago by Faustus
Sea Speed
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Good show so far.

The entirety of episode 5 is a single take episode of Erik talking to his lawyer in jail and it is one of the most compelling episodes of TV I have ever seen. Surely they used some movie magic for editing but I can't see where they did it.

I remember the story on tv at the time but didn't know any specific details of the story so it is interesting to Google some stuff as the show goes on.

Definitely recommend.
aTmAg
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Hard to believe that an hour long discussion with a lawyer could be compelling at all.
Max Power
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The SNL sketch with Malkovich and Snyder is all I can think about when there's any reference to the Menendez brothers.

David_Puddy
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Made it through the first 3 episodes last night. Really good so far
Iowaggie
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Did they show them courtside at the Knicks game after killing the parents, giving us the infamous Mark Jackson basketball card?



jeffk
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After you finish watching this, you should watch the 30 Rock episode where Tracy thinks his sons are going to "Menendez" him.
Wolfpac 08
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Max Power said:

The SNL sketch with Malkovich and Snyder is all I can think about when there's any reference to the Menendez brothers.



I always think of Ben Stiller and the Sam Sweet storyline running in the background of The Cable Guy

" Oh my God! Oh my God! My twin brother has been shot! I think it was an Asian gang or something... There was this guy, he looked Asian... and he was speaking another language, I'm pretty sure it was... Asian."

Sea Speed
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aTmAg said:

Hard to believe that an hour long discussion with a lawyer could be compelling at all.


Idk if the allegations of abuse are true because I haven't looked in to it, but it is Erik detailing what happened to him at the hands of his father. He reverts to a very meek and sometimes child like demeanor and about 10 minutes in I realized it was set up like a one take shot which I found to be incredible. It is pretty harrowing assuming the allegations are true, and even if not, I think the actor did an amazing job. We never see the lawyers face and the camera slowly zooms in on Erik towards the end and the final shots are up close of Erik and you see the pain on his face. Very hard if not impossible not to be sympathetic in that moment.
Sea Speed
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Can't recall if they showed the court side stuff but they absolutely showed other ridiculous stuff the brothers did after the killing.
Furlock Bones
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100% this. I'm pretty sure it was Asian.
Complete Idiot
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Max Power said:

The SNL sketch with Malkovich and Snyder is all I can think about when there's any reference to the Menendez brothers.


Almost 8 minute sketch.

Does that still happen? They seem shorter when I see them posted here from recent shows - recent being past 20 years
Claude!
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Complete Idiot said:

Max Power said:

The SNL sketch with Malkovich and Snyder is all I can think about when there's any reference to the Menendez brothers.


Almost 8 minute sketch.

Does that still happen? They seem shorter when I see them posted here from recent shows - recent being past 20 years
It probably could've been shorter, to be honest.
aggieforester05
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I thought it was really well done. The brothers, the father, mother, and defense attorney all gave excellent performances. I knew of the Menedez brother's and their trial, but I didn't know any details going into this. I was only 8 when the murders happened. I won't get into spoilers, but I agree about episode 5, they nailed it.
bonfarr
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I was shocked when I realized Javier Bardem played Jose. Pretty compelling show so far into 3 episodes
Disclaimer: Views expressed in this post reflect the opinions of Texags user bonfarr and are not to be accepted as facts or to be accepted at face value.
suburban cowboy
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bonfarr said:

I was shocked when I realized Javier Bardem played Jose. Pretty compelling show so far into 3 episodes


He is one of my favorite actors. You're in for a treat.
rosshoss00
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Not sure I needed to know how well endowed Lyle was lol
aggieforester05
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I thought it was Erik, either way that actor is going to be popular with the ladies.
Aggie Dad 26
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Anyone believe the boys and their story about their old man?
aggieforester05
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Aggie Dad 26 said:

Anyone believe the boys and their story about their old man?
I'll have to wait and watch the documentary coming out in October. Based entirely on this dramatization which is my extent of knowledge on the subject, I'd say no due to the way the 2nd trail played out, but their stories of abuse were incredibly elaborate and detailed.
Aggie Dad 26
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aggieforester05 said:

Aggie Dad 26 said:

Anyone believe the boys and their story about their old man?
I'll have to wait and watch the documentary coming out in October. Based entirely on this dramatization which is my extent of knowledge on the subject, I'd say no due to the way the 2nd trail played out, but their stories of abuse were incredibly elaborate and detailed.


Those stories were indeed elaborate.
aggieforester05
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Aggie Dad 26 said:

aggieforester05 said:

Aggie Dad 26 said:

Anyone believe the boys and their story about their old man?
I'll have to wait and watch the documentary coming out in October. Based entirely on this dramatization which is my extent of knowledge on the subject, I'd say no due to the way the 2nd trail played out, but their stories of abuse were incredibly elaborate and detailed.


Those stories were indeed elaborate.
It would take a really sick mind to come up with all those details, but whether or not the abuse happened, they are likely both deeply disturbed individuals. They had a lot of down time in jail next door to each other to concoct those details.

It's just hard for us to imagine making up those sick scenarios and then keeping their stories straight and symmetrical during separate and combined interviews.

If those interviews were accurately portrayed and the abuse allegations were false, then they were absolute masters of bull****ery. Which is hard to believe based on the dumbassery they displayed shortly after the murders.

On another note, I can't imagine the mental anguish of being stuck in a prison from a young age for the rest of your life with no hope of ever getting out. All while reliving the senseless and brutal murder of your parents in your head every night and day. Knowing that you'll never have the chance to live a normal life, physical romantic relationships, have children, a career, hobbies, and all of the other pleasures a free man enjoys. That has to be torture, especially for someone born with a silver spoon in their mouth. If the abuse allegations were false they deserve it, but 35 years later I bet they have some regrets. Waste of life all around!
suburban cowboy
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If the abuse was halfway accurate the murders were just.
also;
If it was all BS then they got what they deserve.
bonfarr
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suburban cowboy said:

If the abuse was halfway accurate the murders were just.
also;
If it was all BS then they got what they deserve.


I am still on the fence on whether the abuse claims were real and am now leaning towards it did really happen. The only thing keepig me from making the full leap to believing it is I would think Erik would have told the psychologist after the murders, why would he hold that back then? I also am conflicted because I agree that the way the murder happened does not make sense if it was about money, there was deep anger and resentment involved.

Riveting show, Ryan Murphy is great with the limited series format.
Disclaimer: Views expressed in this post reflect the opinions of Texags user bonfarr and are not to be accepted as facts or to be accepted at face value.
aggieforester05
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Something else that bothered me was the way the 2nd trail was portrayed. Again my knowledge on the subject is limited to this dramatization. If that trail was portrayed even remotely accurately, it likely would have been full of reversible errors that were objected to that it likely would have triggered a new trail on appeal. I have no idea what the appeals looked like, but it doesn't sound like they were ever retried.
suburban cowboy
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If you'd been sexually abused since you were 6 years old, it would be internally normalized in a way that we can't understand.

For Erik, he was always at fault for something (mostly to his dad). That's just how he was conditioned. Therefore, he was shocked that he'd actually killed his parents, it was all his fault, he was succumb to extreme guilt, and the years of sexual abuse weren't on his radar at that time.
Diggity
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Just finished this episode. Amazing performances.
LuoJi
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Sea Speed said:

Good show so far.

The entirety of episode 5 is a single take episode of Erik talking to his lawyer in jail and it is one of the most compelling episodes of TV I have ever seen. Surely they used some movie magic for editing but I can't see where they did it.

I remember the story on tv at the time but didn't know any specific details of the story so it is interesting to Google some stuff as the show goes on.

Definitely recommend.


Episode 5 is a remarkable acting performance. If that was one take, Jesus. It was also one of the best single episodes I've ever seen.
Sea Speed
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It really is incredible. A few minutes in was when I realized it was one take and was just mesmerized. Absolutely incredible.
suburban cowboy
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I finished this and will probably do a rewatch.

I thought this was absolutely incredibly well done from sound track, to acting, and whatever the film technical terms are for pacing, flashbacks and historical references.

The OJ thing was a very nice touch.
DG-Ag
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Yep finished last night. Thought it was really good. All performances were excellent. Especially Javier Bardim and the guy that played Lyle.
You're from down South,
And when you open your mouth,
You always seem to put your foot there.
LouisHerbertWong
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Best part of the series: Episode 7 (methinks), when Jose mocks Erik by acting like a duck and exaggerates his stutter. Random levity.

Several actors should win awards for their performances throughout.
$3 Sack of Groceries
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I am near the end of the last episode. It's been incredible so far but holy hell, I can't be the only one who is just so put off by Nathan Lane and his character. The over the top narration of the situation his character provides in nearly ever seen is so ridiculous. And the latent homosexual tension that's present in those scenes….why?? It's doesn't add anything to the show. For the most part when he's doing those soliloquies at his dinner parties it's just utterly distracting and frankly comical. Really distracts from an otherwise fantastic show.
BadMoonRisin
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I started the first episode and got through it and it was so good. Then my wife wanted to restart Your Honor because we never finished it last time after getting through episode 6.

So now I have 20 hrs of tv before I can watch this.

First episode was great.
Brian Earl Spilner
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I'm watching episode 5. I had to pause it at the 24 minute mark just to post here how blown away I am by it.

Not just the fact that a single, static shot can be so riveting, but that this guy has done this for 24 minutes already without a cut. (And if there are hidden cuts in there that's almost more impressive from a technical standpoint.)

But if this is all one take, this guy should definitely win an Emmy for this episode. Holy crap.
Brian Earl Spilner
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It was one take.

https://variety.com/2024/tv/news/monsters-episode-5-erik-menendez-single-take-1236155026/
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