Directed by one of the finest documentarians of all-time.
Audiences have seen so many documentaries that they’re almost pre-programmed to expect a particular style and narrative approach to the subject.
The public’s demand for real-life stories, particularly those that revolve around crime and injustice, has reached fever pitch, as seen by the fact that features like Making A Murderer and The Keepers have really resonated with documentary lovers.
On this note, most documentarians would credit Errol Morris as having a seismic influence on their careers.
If you’ve ever seen The Thin Blue Line or The Fog of War then you’ll know that Morris’ approach to filming his interviews is extremely unique.
He even invented a machine, called the Interrotron, which allows him and his subject to talk to each other through the camera lens itself. His approach is revolutionary, but in his new documentary, Wormwood, the gifted filmmaker is going to combine the styles of traditional narrative and documentary filmmaking.
In Wormwood, the Oscar-winning documentarian will be examining the untold true story of the CIA and their history with LSD experiments, mind control, and the death of a family man.
Wormwood is a six-part Netflix mini-series that tells the story of Frank Olson, a biochemist who fell to his death from a New York hotel in December 1953.
At the time, Olson was reported to have died by suicide but almost two decades later, evidence has emerged that raises serious questions about the official verdict. Ultimately, Olson’s family ended up suing the federal government.
Much like Serial and The Jinx, Morris’ series will deal with the twists and turns that are intrinsic with any true-crime case but there’s more.
We’re treated to testimonies, dramatic reenactments, conspiracy theories and a trip down the murky rabbit hole of CIA murders and cover-ups.
Wormwood is available on Netflix from December 15.
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