Jeffrey Dahmer: Film Portrayal
Beginning: The Film opens with facts about Jeffery Dahmer. Sets the seen at Dahmer’s work at a chocolate factory, which we know to be a place where Dahmer worked before he went to prison.
First Victim that the film shows seems to be Konerak Sinthasomphone, I made this conclusion off the fact that the character was played by a younger male who escaped and lead the police to Dahmer’s house. However, in the film Dahmer was able to convenience the police that it was just a drunken misunderstanding much like the Konerak case in 1991. As far the abduction it also lines up with the case in real life, he picked Konerak up from a mall in the details of the case as well as in the movie.
As for the second killing shown, seemed to be in Dahmer’s past because he was still living with his mother and his parents seem to have just split. However, this kill does not line up with the Dahmer’s first known kill. He picks this boy up off the side of the road, however it is known that Dahmer picked his first real life victim while he was hiking. This is the only major difference in the true crime and film portrayal.
While, it is mentioned multiple times that in real life Dahmer frequented gay clubs, and that is where he picked up a multiple of his victims. However, it is never shows his taking anyone home in the gay clubs. Instead, it shows him drugging them while still in the club and taking advantage of them while in the back rooms of the club.
Conclusion: The ending leave things mostly unfinished. It shows one of Dahmer’s victims leaving alive, which is not documented in his real-life cases. Then shows young Dahmer going to a therapist, because his dad believes he has a drinking problem. While true in Dahmer’s adult life, it feels like it was added in without a purpose. When the screen fades to black, they give more facts on the end of Dahmer’s life.
The Secret Life of Jeffrey Dahmer (1993)
Beginning: Like the first movie this movie ran facts on Dahmer before the movie played. However, this movie in comparison to the other was more of a walk-through Dahmer’s life instead of an overview. Dahmer’s character narrated the entire film.
This movie walked through almost every murder comment by Dahmer.
When showing Dahmer’s first kill it was exactly as descriptions I found in my research. Unlike in the other film, it showed Dahmer picking up an actual hitch hiker of an old dirt road. Who took back to his house for beers and then last minute knocked over the head with a dumbbell, just as the description I found online.
This movie gave an actual time line of when these murders were happening so, as it moved on to the second murder it mention Dahmer nine-year gap between his first and second murder. This movie went on to show every murder Dahmer committed individually. While, including the locations where he picked up his actual victims, including the bribe of money in extra for photographs and actor who resembled Dahmer’s real-life victims. It also included multiple moments where Dahmer had near runs with police and escaped victims.
This movie was much more accurate to the real cases of Jeffrey Dahmer. This movie showed every murder, arrest, near miss and inside thought that might have been going through Dahmer’s head. It also included the dismembering and preservation of the bodies that Dahmer was known for unlike first film
Conclusion: In the end of this movie it shows Dahmer arrest due to his escape victim, during arrest is when police find evidence that Dahmer was indeed a serial killer. At the end it gives an overview of the punishment he received for his offences along with the details on his death.
Sources
Bowen, David, director. The Secret Life of Jeffery Dahmer. 1993, www.youtube.com/watch?v=bofwya97-CA
“Dahmer (2002).” IMDb, IMDb.com, www.imdb.com/title/tt0285728/.
Jacobson, David, director. Dahmer. 21 June 2002, www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8iP9vv-i9k
