Serial Killer Movies
Karla
Karla Homolka was released from a Canadian prison in July 2005, and the media held a "Karla watch" in anticipation. She'd met Paul Bernardo in 1987 when she was 17 and began a torrid romance. Paul, however, was secretly raping women in Scarborough. Karla let him do whatever he desired and by some published reports, his demands became increasingly brutal.
Six months prior to their wedding in 1991, Karla offered Paul her 15-year-old sister, Tammy, as a Christmas gift. She'd drugged the girl with a tranquilizer from the vet's office where she worked so Paul could rape her while she was presumably passed out from alcohol consumption. Instead, Tammy died, and it was ruled accidental. After the two bought a house, Paul brought home two girls, Leslie Mahaffy and Kristen French. Both were held captive, terrorized, raped, and finally killed. Paul took videotapes of most of these acts. It later turned out that Karla had lured Kristen French to the car to kidnap, because, as she later put it, Paul liked young girls and she wanted to keep him happy. She had also assisted in dismembering and getting rid of Mahaffy's body.
Since Paul also beat Karla at times, she finally left him in 1993. When the police began asking questions, she offered details about what Paul had done in exchange for two ten-year terms for manslaughter. Two more years were added after videotapes were uncovered and authorities realized her role in her sister's death.
In prison, Karla appeared to thrive. She got involved with a woman (who later claimed to have been manipulated into giving her gifts), and participated in parties and fashion shows. Professional opinion is divided on whether or Karla is a victim or a dangerous psychopath. She's divorced now from Bernardo, imprisoned for life, and in 2006, a movie, originally titled Deadly, was released based on her. In March 2005, a lawyer representing the families of the slain schoolgirls demanded an advance screening of Karla to determine whether he would try to block its release, but he ultimately decided, along with the families, not to fight it.
Directed by Joel Bender, it stars Misha Collins as Paul and Laura Prepon as Karla. Some people believe it's important for the public to see female offenders like this, so as to dispel myths that they are not as devious or violent a men, but others called for a boycott. Nevertheless, a successful film has its own momentum, and one of the most notorious females has had several books and documentaries devoted to her, as well as an opera. In 2005, she got a movie, although by the time it was released, she'd already been executed.