Anyone watch Louis Theroux’s attempt to befriend paedos on BBC2 this weekend? Sinister, voyeuristic and, at times, had me recoiling in horror.
One scene in particular, which echoed the opening scene of Titicut Follies (1967), was particularly strange. Titicut Follies (a must-see for any documentary-lover) opens with the patients from a State hospital for the criminally insane performing a vaudeville-style show for the entertainment of the institution’s Governors and selected guests. Parading the them out on stage, it’s uncomfortable to watch as the patients, some rather disorientated and bewildered by the performance, unwillingly participate in a cruel exhibition of their mental instability.
Similarly, a scene in A Place For Paedophiles, made for equally uneasy viewing. As part of their annual Halloween celebrations, the patients sang a rendition of ‘Addam’s Family’. Given the context, the family-friendly lyrics took on a whole new meaning - “They're creepy and they're kooky, mysterious and spooky, they're all together ooky, The Addams Family. Their house is a museum, where people come to see 'em, they really are a scream, the Addams Family.” An ill-advised song-selection and one which gave Louis yet another apt opportunity to stand in the corner and watch on like an uninvited party guest, fearful of encroaching on the paedo party. His face said it all.
Thanks to the remarkable access gained by the production team, the film offered an eerie insight into the lives of ostracized individuals who society chooses to shun. Scenes in which grown men construct toy fun fair rides and reminsce about preying on their own children, were disturbing to say the least. Faced with stories of unimaginable human cruelty, Louis kept his cool and took the role of a passive bystander – resisting the temptation to judge, criticise and condemn.
If nothing else, Louis is certainly a brave man. In one scene, he obligingly drank a cocktail mixed by a man convicted of date rape. In his typically polite and oh-so-British manner, he complimented the convicted rapist on his concoction, sipping the drink as the camera lingered on his awkwardness.
Although Louis never really delved into the deep realms of their depravity and questioned what prompted them to act out their perverted fantasies, he did seem to form a relationship with some of the contributors. By the end of the documentary he seemed verging on understanding them and finding forgiveness for their loathsome acts against children. Mostly they were Grandpa-figures you’d befriend if they were a neighbour, old genteel men, softly-spoken and welcoming… and it was easy to forget, that these were the very qualities that enabled them to gain children’s trust in first place. A compelling documentary but one that chills to the core.
Watch on BBC iplayer here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00k3ms6/Louis_Theroux_A_Place_for_Paedophiles/
One scene in particular, which echoed the opening scene of Titicut Follies (1967), was particularly strange. Titicut Follies (a must-see for any documentary-lover) opens with the patients from a State hospital for the criminally insane performing a vaudeville-style show for the entertainment of the institution’s Governors and selected guests. Parading the them out on stage, it’s uncomfortable to watch as the patients, some rather disorientated and bewildered by the performance, unwillingly participate in a cruel exhibition of their mental instability.
Similarly, a scene in A Place For Paedophiles, made for equally uneasy viewing. As part of their annual Halloween celebrations, the patients sang a rendition of ‘Addam’s Family’. Given the context, the family-friendly lyrics took on a whole new meaning - “They're creepy and they're kooky, mysterious and spooky, they're all together ooky, The Addams Family. Their house is a museum, where people come to see 'em, they really are a scream, the Addams Family.” An ill-advised song-selection and one which gave Louis yet another apt opportunity to stand in the corner and watch on like an uninvited party guest, fearful of encroaching on the paedo party. His face said it all.
Thanks to the remarkable access gained by the production team, the film offered an eerie insight into the lives of ostracized individuals who society chooses to shun. Scenes in which grown men construct toy fun fair rides and reminsce about preying on their own children, were disturbing to say the least. Faced with stories of unimaginable human cruelty, Louis kept his cool and took the role of a passive bystander – resisting the temptation to judge, criticise and condemn.
If nothing else, Louis is certainly a brave man. In one scene, he obligingly drank a cocktail mixed by a man convicted of date rape. In his typically polite and oh-so-British manner, he complimented the convicted rapist on his concoction, sipping the drink as the camera lingered on his awkwardness.
Although Louis never really delved into the deep realms of their depravity and questioned what prompted them to act out their perverted fantasies, he did seem to form a relationship with some of the contributors. By the end of the documentary he seemed verging on understanding them and finding forgiveness for their loathsome acts against children. Mostly they were Grandpa-figures you’d befriend if they were a neighbour, old genteel men, softly-spoken and welcoming… and it was easy to forget, that these were the very qualities that enabled them to gain children’s trust in first place. A compelling documentary but one that chills to the core.
Watch on BBC iplayer here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00k3ms6/Louis_Theroux_A_Place_for_Paedophiles/
No comments:
Post a Comment