Paradise Lost - The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills poster & wallpaper
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Bruce Sinofsky, Damien Wayne Echols, Jason Baldwin, Jessie Miskelly, Joe Berlinger ... see more see more... , Pam Echols

Following their acclaimed documentary about a controversial death in a small town, Brother's Keeper, filmmakers Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky, explore another criminal case with even more complex s... read more read more...trands. When the mutilated corpses of three eight-year-old boys are found near a wooded stream in West Memphis, AR, suspicion falls on a trio of young men, Jessie Miskelly Jr., Jason Baldwin, and Damian Wayne Echols. Stories that the men listened to hard rock music and fashioned themselves satanists fueled speculation of their involvement in the crime. Unlike Brother's Keeper, in which the citizens of the upstate New York town rallied to protect one of its own, an elderly man accused of killing one of his siblings, Paradise Lost portrays West Memphis as split on the question of guilt. Berlinger and Sinofsky offer equal time to both sides, but as this long and absorbing film rolls on, it becomes clear that they're skeptical of the prosecution's case, especially because it rests so heavily on an confession extracted from the mentally challenged Miskelly, and suspicious of the stepfather of one of the victims, who seems to relish the spotlight a bit too much. Paradise Lost 2: Revelations, a sequel, follows the case deeper into the appeals process. ~ Tom Wiener, Rovi

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91% liked it

6,255 ratings

Critics

96% liked it

25 critics

Unrated, 2 hr. 30 min.

Directed by: Bruce Sinofsky, Joe Berlinger

Release Date: June 1, 1996

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DVD Release Date: October 25, 2005

Stats: 436 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (436)

  • SirPant
    May 11, 2012
    SirPant
    Probably one of the most shocking, frightening and astonishing documentaries ever made. Having been on a Jury twice I'm not surprised by certain problems in the judicial system but I just couldn't believe my eyes and ears watching this case. I'm not that naive that I don't believ... read moree that Courts, Defence/Prosecutors and the media aren't always on top form but the display of ignorance, stupidity and dishonesty on show here boils the blood as well as chills to the bone. Bruce Sinofsky and Joe Berlinger really hit the jackpot with this one. It has to be seen to be believed.
  • imrealgod
    March 16, 2012
    imrealgod
    Remarkable FILM. I'd have been at my wit's end had I had one. Murders can be a beneficial product, and can earn many a few name, fame and whatnot intentionally or otherwise. Learn to earn. And it deserves applaud for not brooding on the victims' footage (specifically dead) alone ... read moretime and again..... even if that's done to spare the audience the horror of the crime. Its runtime seemed bothersome initially, but they've done a marvelous job in its execution.
  • axadntpron
    January 15, 2012
    axadntpron
    Soul-stirring.
  • theunknownhobo
    September 22, 2011
    theunknownhobo
    An outstanding documentary and look into the lives of the judicial system in the south of the USA that casts a painful light on how people are judged and sentenced based on their backgrounds and beliefs. A thought provoking and upsetting documentary telling the story of three tee... read morenage boys charged for murdering and mutilating three eight year old boys in West Memphis in the early 1990's. I thought I would know which side to choose by the end of it, but still, I sit here dumbfoundly wondering whether or not justice was actually done. Very unsettling.
  • fb100000257973100
    September 4, 2011
    fb100000257973100
    I could never figure out why in the sixteen years I have been alive, but I always find things like the deaths of young children fascinating towards me. Maybe it is because I always wondered why it is that people would do such a terrible crime as rob an innocent child's life when ... read morethat child has not even the slightest idea of what life is. Well, this is a documentary that deals with three murders of three very young children, and the three teenagers that were held responsible for these crimes. But, there is a catch (and I am not spoiling anything by saying this): the three teenagers are innocent. So, then why are they suspected of this hideous crime? Because they do not fit in with their society which is a strict Baptist community. Now, I am not bashing any religions, but this documentary shows what would happen if there was something of a modern day witch trial in our country. These are three young men (one who is mentally retarded with the I.Q. of 72, one who is unbelievably shy, and one who is beyond intelligent) dress all in black, are interested in the dark side of life, listen to heavy metal music, and are what their town of West Memphis, Arkansas deems as 'normal'. But what makes this documentary work and makes it so wonderful is how it shows the bias and simple minded nature of humans who are afraid of what they do not know, and how willing they are of putting the blame on someone for no apparent reason other then that of just singling out someone. Now, I first head of this documentary due to the title being taken from the Epic poem by John Milton. His Epic entitled Paradise Lost deals with topics like Satan Vs. God, the fall of humanity, and the loss of innocence. Part of how a documentary works is if the title sets the tone for the film that follows, and with Paradise Lost, it just works. This documentary touches so many of these topics, we are presented with both sides of the case and what we are left with is something that is beyond disturbing, true, and raw. But the thing that impresses me the most is the amount of footage that the film makers were able to receive. They were able to get footage of the victim's family, the three boys on trail, their families, opinions of the community, news reports, their lawyer's opinions, and even footage of the actual trials. Now, there are some thing I wish they could have gotten for this documentary, but for what they got to fill in a two and a half hour documentary (which is about an hour longer then most), it is beyond impressive. If you decide to watch this film, you will have a rather wide range of emotions running through you, ideas and opinions about all of the key players involved, and you will find yourself enjoying the soundtrack that was created my Metallica for this film. All I can say is that THIS is what a documentary should be like. Raw, powerful, and will haunt you for the longest of time after you view it.
  • kiriyamakazou
    August 27, 2011
    kiriyamakazou
    I always believed that a case needed only reasonable doubt to find people innocent. Apparently I was very wrong. I am in no way claiming my support for the three found guilty, but I for one could never convict them based on this evidence. The film shows just how unstable people c... read morean be when faced with those that don't conform. I was amazed by how much I disliked the parents of the murdered boys. They ramble and scream about killing these three, already convinced of their guilt. They seem more unstable and threatening to me, and not just because their children have been murdered. No real physical evidence is brought up against the boys, whom should probably start training professional killers on how not to leave evidence at a murder site. I know for a fact that a lot of details were left out of this documentary, and the celebrity worship that has followed the accused since is a bit too much. However this film is terrifying. It shows that just because of the way you look, and what people say about you, can take away your entire life. Make sure to check out all the evidence for yourself.
  • 76Majikat
    June 19, 2010
    76Majikat
    With a shocking and jolting start to this film, it is certainly not for the faint hearted. Documenting the events of the killing of 3 young boys in West Memphis and the rituals carried out leading up to their untimely deaths.

    The documentary films the main suspect and his hel... read moreper along with their families and their legal support.

    The film makes for compelling viewing, the consideration for both defense and prosecution was interesting and the questioning of the two defendants made for confusing the investigation. An exploration of cult envolement proved to be a sinister angle.

    Just to pull up a negative but niggling point about the film and I?m not sure if this was how the film made it look or this was the final agreement of the court, but despite instincts and some evidence against the boys for commiting the heinous crimes, all the evidence proved seemed to be circumstantial, questions from both sides of the fence were put to the defendants and reasons and explanations were provided as answers. The film didn?t seem to actually show any proof of solid compelling evidence, despite your instincts feeling the outcome.
  • superclerk25
    May 13, 2009
    superclerk25
    A good doc about a horrific crime. It's really hard to watch the first chunk of the movie as we are told and shown the facts of the crime. We see the crime scene and the bodies. We hear the known facts about what has occurred. As the film continues we see the people left behi... read morend try and come to some sort of closure as the trials begin and end.
    We as the viewers draw our own conclusions based on what we are able to see from the snippets of the court proceedings but we have to remember that we aren't privy to the whole trial and that we are missing information.
    In the end we know that the murders are horrific and evil. We also need to wonder if the trials are fair and if the system is just.
    I just hope this never happens again.
  • bbcfloridabound
    October 28, 2008
    bbcfloridabound
    A Great HBO Real Life Court Drama. About 3 Children being killed in west Memphis. I personally beleive that Jason Baldwin is innocent, Damien Wayne Echols is Guilty and thinks he's a movie star. Jessie Miskelly I am not sure about. But the evidance is lacking. Maybe in the 2nd fi... read morelm more will come to light. I do beleive the father of one of the slayen boys is tied in with the crime, this is not a hollywood Movie but a real event filmed on location. Not for Children to watch.
  • creepfreak
    May 12, 2008
    creepfreak
    This one is truly horrifying. It's shocking, ugly, depressing and repulsive. This documentary will definitely leave some sort of mark on you and I'm sure you won't be able to shake it off that easily. It's based on the true story of "The West Memphis 3"(Damien Echols, Jessie Miss... read morekelley, Jason Baldwin), who "supposedly" murdered three young children in the Robin Hood Hills area of West Memphis, Arkansas. They say that Damien Echols, the alleged ringleader, was partially influenced by Death Metal and that he dressed in black clothes and practiced in the Wicca religion. These were just a few subjects that were brought to the people's attention at the trial. The West Memphis 3 still sit in prison till this day and there are many who actually believe that the three defendants were wrongfully convicted at the trial.

    Damien Echols was sentenced to death. Jessie Misskelley and Jason Baldwinwere were sentenced to life in prison.


    The Murders at Robin Hood Hills:

    "Three eight year old boys(Steve Branch, Christopher Byers, and Michael Moore), were found stripped naked and had been hog-tied with their own shoelaces: their right ankles tied to their right wrists behind their backs, the same with their left limbs. Their clothing was found in the creek, some of it twisted around sticks that had been thrust in the muddy creek bed. The clothing was mostly turned inside-out; two of the boys' underwear was never recovered. All of the boys had been severely beaten about their heads and faces, and Byers further had a fractured skull. Chris Byers had deep lacerations and injuries to his scrotum and penis. The original autopsies were inconclusive as to time of death, but stated that Byers died of blood loss (from either stab wounds or a deep head wound), and the other boys drowned."


    You have to watch this documentary and tell me what you think. You might actually think that they're innocent because at the trial there were just so many things that really didn't sound right. Or you might just agree with the courts and believe that justice was well served. You'll know more what I'm talking about when you see this documentary. It's scary. This is real life horror, and it's actually more terrifying then most horror films out there. The good news is that you can watch the whole thing on YouTube. Last time I checked they had the whole documentary in several parts, but be warned, the subject matter in this is disturbing as Hell. Just go to YouTube and type in "Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills"


    There is also a sequel to this documentary titled Paradise Lost 2: Revelations.

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View All Paradise Lost - The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills Reviews

Critic Reviews

Louis Proyect
August 30, 2011
Louis Proyect, rec.arts.movies.reviews

In light of the recent freedom of the 3 victims of a 20th century witch trial depicted in the film, this powerful documentary becomes essential viewing. Full Review

Pablo Villaca
February 4, 2008
Pablo Villaca, Cinema em Cena

Um documento histórico chocante que, ao lado do clássico The Thin Blue Line, expõe as falhas grotescas do sistema judicial norte-americano.

Joe Utichi
May 30, 2005
Joe Utichi, FilmFocus

A disturbing and incredibly difficult film to watch, but it's a fine example of documentary filmmaking done right and it'll blow your mind. Full Review

Philip Martin
January 2, 2005
Philip Martin, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Like an exploded mirror, it dazzles unexpectedly, catching all kinds of crazy angles. It is hard to watch, and beautiful.

Michael W. Phillips, Jr.
May 4, 2004
Michael W. Phillips, Jr., Goatdog's Movies

Utterly convincing. Full Review

Brian Gibson
December 1, 2003
Brian Gibson, Vue Weekly (Edmonton, Canada)

powerful, galling documentary

Nick Davis
August 17, 2003
Nick Davis, Nick's Flick Picks

Key details seem to be left out or skipped over, but the premise and implications are important and involving.

James Sanford
July 29, 2002
James Sanford, Kalamazoo Gazette

a riveting documentary that's almost too bizarre to be believed

Christopher Null
January 1, 2000
Christopher Null, Filmcritic.com

Never get arrested in the south. Full Review

Dennis Schwartz
January 1, 2000
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews

Should give you food for thought about how unfair the judicial system can be for those who are poor. Full Review

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