Release Date: March 27, 2007
Tag Line: In sin he found salvation.
Description: Albert Fish, the horrific true story of elderly cannibal, sadomasochist, and serial killer, who lured children to their deaths in Depression-era New York City. Distorting biblical tales, Albert Fish takes the themes of pain, torture, atonement, and suffering literally, as he preys on victims to torture and sacrifice. From John Borowski, award-winning director of H.H. Holmes: America's First Serial Killer, comes the first-ever docudrama to definitively recount the life and times of elderly cannibal Albert Fish. Adding insight to the account are interviews with artist and Odditorium owner Joe Coleman and renowned true-crime author Katherine Ramsland, Ph.D.
Running time: 86 minutes
Rating: Not rated
Plot: This is more documentary than drama, but that’s okay, since there’s plenty of drama in the documentary. A little too much, in fact. This is the story of one of the most prolific serial killers in U.S. history, one that most people don’t know about. And I have to say, you’d be hard-pressed to find a serial killer as hard core as this guy was. About the only thing that bothered me about the presentation were the interviews with Coleman and Ramsland, snippets of which were added at regular intervals. They interrupted the flow of the narrative instead of enhancing it.
Acting: Not really applicable. The “drama” sequences weaved into the documentary were pretty generic. They certainly weren’t as interesting as the documentary itself.
Special Effects: Once again, not really applicable. The effects provided during the dramatic interludes were cheesy at the beginning, but then became more chilling as the story of Albert Fish unfolded. The cannibalism sequences toward the end were the most disturbing.
Keep an Eye Out For. . .
- How this guy gets away with it for so long; it is literally unbelievable.
The Bottom Scoop: I had never heard of Albert Fish until I saw this flick. Hannibal Lecter has nothing, and I mean nothing, on Albert Fish. He makes Lecter look like a kindergarten teacher, and if that’s an exaggeration, it’s only a slight one. Fish spent nearly his entire life traveling all across the country as a painter, attacking, molesting, and sometimes killing kids in a variety of gruesome ways. This docudrama is like a horrific car accident that the authorities haven’t started cleaning up yet—you want to look away, but you just can’t.
Recommendation: This movie is not for the faint of heart. Ol’ Albert was Baskin Robbins insane—32 flavors of crazy. Let’s put it this way. He was eager to go to the electric chair because it was the only form of self-mutilation he hadn’t tried yet. Although the movie was put together in a semi-compelling fashion, even I started squirming after a while, and I’ve got a steel resolve. Unless you’re a true crime fan, steer clear of this one.
Quality Rating: Three and a half scoops
Riff Rating: No scoops (Difficult to find humor in this subject matter.)
Reviewer: Matt Deutsch
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