This is an expertly crafted documentary superbly edited. It's no wonder it won awards for best documentary.
It chronicles the bizarre story of Burton Pugach and his life long relationship / obsession with Linda Riss, as narrated by them on camera, with extensive archival footage, home movies, photographs, news clips, newspaper headlines, contemporary music samples, and first person interviews, all parading before us at an almost dizzying speed. Just compare this with other documentaries that may contain some or most of these elements, but those mostly come off as being too 'Frontline' -ish or preachy. This one, however, grabs hold of you from the beginning and keeps your attention even up through the final credits (with the great and appropriate 'Burning Love' by Elvis Presley-- what a heck of an ending!).
Given the extensive media coverage given to the Burt / Linda Pugach story during his crime, two trials and their shocking marriage, all of which the filmmakers could draw from, it's amazing how seamlessly and effortlessly this work of art appears to have been crafted. A superlative example of documentary film making.
One clever little editing device for me was that for most of the film, while the camera showed Linda narrating her story and reactions, it would show Burton narrating his story separately. It wasn't until after they got married that you see they have actually been sitting side by side the whole time! A subtle little way to show the development of their story.
The film passes no judgment on either Burton or Linda. The ending where they are dancing on a cruise ship was especially poignant for me: as the narration describes how only they know how they see each other, and it may be as a vision of their past when they were first together. As my own wife and I are approaching 'cruise ship age,' I began thinking how will we see each other as we grow into old age? Needless to say, the image of them dancing is something that will be a part of my thoughts for many years, when my wife and I take their place on that ship.
The bizarre story of Burt and Linda has so many twists and turns that your attention is constantly focused on it; but the superb editing and masterful use of sources are so adroitly done that you're barely aware of how carefully this film was constructed. I'll give it a 10.
It chronicles the bizarre story of Burton Pugach and his life long relationship / obsession with Linda Riss, as narrated by them on camera, with extensive archival footage, home movies, photographs, news clips, newspaper headlines, contemporary music samples, and first person interviews, all parading before us at an almost dizzying speed. Just compare this with other documentaries that may contain some or most of these elements, but those mostly come off as being too 'Frontline' -ish or preachy. This one, however, grabs hold of you from the beginning and keeps your attention even up through the final credits (with the great and appropriate 'Burning Love' by Elvis Presley-- what a heck of an ending!).
Given the extensive media coverage given to the Burt / Linda Pugach story during his crime, two trials and their shocking marriage, all of which the filmmakers could draw from, it's amazing how seamlessly and effortlessly this work of art appears to have been crafted. A superlative example of documentary film making.
One clever little editing device for me was that for most of the film, while the camera showed Linda narrating her story and reactions, it would show Burton narrating his story separately. It wasn't until after they got married that you see they have actually been sitting side by side the whole time! A subtle little way to show the development of their story.
The film passes no judgment on either Burton or Linda. The ending where they are dancing on a cruise ship was especially poignant for me: as the narration describes how only they know how they see each other, and it may be as a vision of their past when they were first together. As my own wife and I are approaching 'cruise ship age,' I began thinking how will we see each other as we grow into old age? Needless to say, the image of them dancing is something that will be a part of my thoughts for many years, when my wife and I take their place on that ship.
The bizarre story of Burt and Linda has so many twists and turns that your attention is constantly focused on it; but the superb editing and masterful use of sources are so adroitly done that you're barely aware of how carefully this film was constructed. I'll give it a 10.