Ryan Murphy Defends ‘Monsters’ After Erik Menendez Criticism

As a dedicated fan of Ryan Murphy’s groundbreaking work, I find myself captivated by his latest offering, “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story.” Despite some criticism from one of its main subjects, Erik Menendez, I believe that Murphy’s storytelling is as compelling and thought-provoking as ever.

Ryan Murphy is justifying his Netflix production titled “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Saga“, following Erik Menendez’s criticism towards the show.

The co-creator of ‘Monsters’ said on Entertainment Tonight on Monday that he found it intriguing he made a statement without watching the show. Murphy was commenting at a New York red carpet event for his new series, ‘Grotesquerie’, premiering this month on FX. He explained that if it’s about one’s own life being portrayed, it can be extremely challenging to watch such depictions.

Ever since its debut a week ago, “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story” has been dominating headlines. This gripping true-crime series from Murphy and Ian Brennan delves into the real-life story of brothers Erik and Lyle Menendez, who were found guilty in 1996 for the murder of their parents, José and Mary Louise “Kitty” Menendez. At present, it stands as the top-ranked show on Netflix in the United States.

The Menendez brothers, currently imprisoned at Donovan Correctional Facility in California, do not have access to Netflix while incarcerated. However, after the show’s release, Erik shared his thoughts about it through a social media post made by his wife, Tammi Menendez. Neither Netflix nor Murphy had responded initially, but The Hollywood Reporter interviewed Robert Rand, a journalist and expert on the Menendez trial, who suggested that Erik might have been informed about the series’ portrayal of him and Lyle by his wife.

Erik voiced his dissatisfaction towards both Murphy and Netflix, claiming they misrepresented him and Lyle poorly in their offensive depictions and spread demoralizing falsehoods.

As a passionate admirer, it’s disheartening for me to acknowledge that Netflix’s depiction of the events surrounding our crime seems to be dishonest. This portrayal appears to have moved us backwards, back to an era where the prosecution constructed narratives based on outdated beliefs about male sexual abuse and rape trauma. In this time, it was assumed that males did not experience such traumas in the same way as women. I can’t help but feel a deep sadness when I say this, but I believe Ryan Murphy may not be unaware or inaccurate to this extent, suggesting he might have acted with less than honorable intentions.

When speaking on Tuesday, Murphy addressed Erik’s criticism head on.

The aspect that I find notable but isn’t explicitly mentioned in Erik’s quote is the fact that approximately 60 to 65% of our series, as portrayed both in scripts and on screen, revolves around the alleged abuse experienced by the characters. We handle this sensitive topic with care, ensuring they have their chance to speak out, and it can be a contentious subject given today’s climate where sexual abuse is more openly discussed.

As a gamer, I’ve been grappling with the portrayal of Lyle and Erik in the game “Monsters.” The characters, played by Nicholas Chavez and Cooper Koch, have sparked controversy due to certain scenes that depict an incestuous relationship between the adult brothers. This includes intimate moments such as kissing. It’s important to note that during his retrial in 1995, Lyle admitted to molesting Erik when they were children. In the game, the brothers discuss this traumatic past with their attorney, Leslie Abramson, portrayed by Ari Graynor, while they share their experiences of abuse at the hands of their father, José.

Instead of confronting the insinuation in the show that the brothers were romantic partners, Erik chose not to comment on it. However, Rand clarified to The Hollywood Reporter this week that the show’s portrayal of their relationship was inaccurate and more about the perceptions of those involved in the trial at the time. “I don’t believe Erik Menendez and Lyle Menendez were ever lovers,” Rand stated. “I think that idea is a product of Dominick Dunne’s imagination, who is portrayed by Nathan Lane in the series.” During the trial, there were whispers about a possible unconventional relationship between the brothers, but I believe their only real physical interaction was what Lyle testified to, which involved them playing with a toothbrush in the woods as children. This, according to Rand, was a response to trauma and not a sexual relationship of any kind.

Murphy explained during his interview with Entertainment Tonight that the series, Monsters, adopts a “Rashomon-style narrative” throughout its nine episodes.

In the series, Murphy stated that Jose and Kitty Menendez, played by Javier Bardem and Chloë Sevigny respectively, were two of the four individuals involved. Regarding the parents, it was our duty as storytellers to attempt to provide their perspective based on our research, which we did.

When directly questioned about the nature of the relationship between the characters on the show, Murphy explained, “The series presents various perspectives and theories from numerous individuals connected to the case, as depicted by Dominick Dunne in his articles. We’re simply portraying his viewpoint, much like we portray Leslie Abramson’s perspective. It was our duty to include all these differing opinions, which we have done.

Following the debut of “Monsters”, Netflix revealed that Erik and Lyle Menendez will feature in a documentary titled “The Menendez Brothers“. In this series, scheduled to stream from October 7th, the brothers will recount their story through audio interviews from prison. For the first time in three decades, the public will hear the brothers speak about the trial that sent shockwaves throughout the nation. Director Alejandro Hartmann, a renowned filmmaker from Argentina, has conducted extensive interviews with Lyle and Erik, legal professionals involved in the case, journalists who covered it, jurors, family members, and other knowledgeable individuals. This documentary offers fresh insights and a unique perspective on a case that many believe they understand.

Currently, you can stream all episodes of the series titled “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story” on Netflix.

2024-09-24 20:25

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