Netflix releases yet another series for true-crime lovers.
The television series Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffery Dahmer Story, was created by Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan. In the first week of release, the series reached number one on the Netflix chart and is now the second-most watched English series on Netflix.
It is a gruesome, disturbing and spine-chilling series that tells the story of the horrific crimes committed by the Milwaukee Cannibal. This crime-fiction series is the perfect weekend binge for true-crime fans.
The series premiered on September 21, starring Evan Peters as Jeffery Dahmer, a notorious serial killer from the ’80s. Dahmer’s story unfolds in a set of 10 episodes, each episode running for less than 60 minutes.
The show is based on the crimes committed by Jeffrey Dahmer, an American serial killer and sex offender. Evan Peter’s exceptional performance of Dahmer will send chills down your spine.
The writers of the show, Murphy and Brennan, add attention to detail which is not for the faint-hearted. To top the excellent script written by Peters and Murphy, the cinematography directed by Jason McCormick wraps the series together with his clever story-telling techniques.
Between 1987 and 1991, Jeffery Dahmer murdered 17 men in the state of Milwaukee. Dahmer had a mental illness known as Schizotypal Personality Disorder that went untreated.
He targeted men of colour and picked them up at gay bars by offering to go back to his apartment for a drink. He then laced his victim’s drink with a heavy dose of a sedative called halcion. After raping his victims while they were unconscious, Dahmer dismembered the bodies in gruesome and horrific ways.
Dahmer kept many parts of his victims. He ate their heart and bicep muscles, while also keeping parts in his work locker to have his victims near.
Evan Peters is known for his intense roles, such as his recurring characters in “American Horror Story” where he is commonly seen playing a psychotic killer. Though Peters has a history of playing such roles, he had to do extensive research to analyze Dahmer’s creepy nature and portray his character to the best of his abilities.
Peters studied a series of real confession tapes of Dahmer, where he analyzed his voice and behaviour. With the monotone voice, confident walk and body language, Peters captures Dahmer’s creepy nature. This helps the show feel like less of a re-enactment, and more of real-time recordings of Dahmer’s life.
From a rotting corpse in the fridge to the victim’s polaroids, Murphy and Brennan produced the show with various details that portrayed the killer’s devil-like pleasures.
Each episode is written with specific details taken from Dahmer’s original case. This increases the suspense so viewers stay glued to their screens.
The pilot starts with Dahmer washing his bloody hands in the kitchen sink. The episode ends with Dahmer’s arrest when his victim escapes while distracting him. The start of the series leads viewers to ask the big question, “What did Dahmer do to his victims that didn’t escape?”
Murphy and Brennan later introduce Dahmer’s life, his interest and hobbies, revealing the darker part of his secret life and giving the victim’s point of view. With all the presentation of minor gruesome details, Murphy and Brennan were able to illustrate the darkness that lived within Dahmer.
The acting and script are important but Jason McCormick’s cinematography brings the show together.
Flashing lights and camera sturdiness in intense scenes along with different lighting temperatures, such as cool blue during disco scenes and hot red during murder scenes supports the series and creates a strong and dramatic effect during murder scenes. The use of colours and lighting creates suspense and activates emotions. With the cinematography, McCormicks is able to portray the terrifying feel of this crime-thriller series.
The series will leave you shocked, disgusted and horrified by what a “normal” person can do when mental illness is left undiagnosed. The mini-series ‘Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffery Dahmer,’ successfully portrays the true monster Dahmer was through a horrifically marvelous performance, attention to detail and creative cinematography.
If you’re up for sleepless nights, this series will have you wondering who Dahmer’s next victim will be.
Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffery Dahmer Story is a true-crime lovers perfect weekend binge.