As a crime enthusiast with a soft spot for true-crime anthologies, I am absolutely thrilled about the upcoming installment of “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story” on Netflix. Having followed the Menendez brothers’ case since its sensational debut in the 90s, I can’t wait to see how Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan breathe new life into this captivating story.
In the concluding trailer for Netflix’s anthology series, José and Kitty Menendez appear for the first time as characters, revealing the late parents of the actual brothers Lyle and Erik Menendez in their portrayal titled “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story.
Previously, a brief trailer suggested issues within the family, followed by a full-length trailer focusing on the Menendez brothers post their parents’ murder. Now, a nearly three-minute sneak peek at the latest installment of Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan’s “Monsters” series shines light on José and Mary Louise “Kitty” Menendez in a troubling manner. The 10-episode season will be available starting September 19 on Netflix.
The movie starts with a tense exchange between José (played by Barden) and his son Lyle, portrayed by Nicholas Chavez. In this interaction, José analogizes his son to an unruly dog. He admits, “I believe I didn’t punish you enough,” before striking his son across the face. Regretting his actions, he expresses remorse, stating, “As a father, that was my error. And I apologize.” He then affectionately kisses him on the cheek.
In the show, Sevigny’s character Kitty expresses her feelings frankly, saying, “I can’t stand my children,” as she believes they’ve transformed her and her spouse into unwilling dependents. “They’ve changed us into people we never wanted to become.” At one instance, she directly tells her sons, “I wish I hadn’t had you… I could have been a famous actress like Kim Novak. And this is what I ended up with?
In a conversation, character Erik (portrayed by Cooper Koch), discusses his difficult childhood where José treated his sons roughly, throwing them into rooms or cars, shouting at Lyle, and then affectionately touching each on the chin. “It was never going to stop,” Erik says. “There was no escape from it.” Wife Kitty inquires about Erik’s bond with the boys, assuring him of their privacy, and Erik responds by stating, “I have always prioritized my relationship with my brother over my parents.
35 years after the Menendez brothers were convicted for murdering their parents in the early 1990s, a new Netflix series by Murphy will re-evaluate the self-defense argument presented by their defense team during the trial. Back then, the brothers alleged that they killed their parents, José and Kitty, after enduring years of sexual abuse at their father’s hands, with their mother’s knowledge. This claim was made during their initial 1993 court proceedings.
Following a guilty verdict for pre-planned murder and an agreement to carry out another murder, both individuals were handed back-to-back life imprisonment with no chance for parole. Despite numerous appeals being dismissed by the California judicial system over a period of ten years, they have been spending their adulthood behind bars. Currently, journalist and writer Robert Rand is trying to uncover fresh proof that could potentially nullify their sentences. In 2023, they submitted petitions for habeas corpus, requesting a reconsideration of their cases.
As a fan, I’m eagerly anticipating “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story,” which marks the second chapter in Murphy and Brennan’s gripping true-crime anthology following the acclaimed miniseries “Dahmer — Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story” starring Evan Peters, that captivated viewers last year. With the success of “Dahmer“, Netflix decided to expand this series into an anthology, commissioning two additional installments centered around “stories of other monstrous figures who have left a lasting impact on society.” The Menendez brothers’ tale is the first of these compelling follow-ups.
The synopsis for The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story asks: Who are the real monsters?
“Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Tale” – Exploring a Case That Captivated the World
Alexis Martin Woodall, Eric Kovtun, David McMillan, Louise Shore, Carl Franklin, Scott Robertson, and Bardem serve as executive producers along with creators Murphy and Brennan. The series is overseen by Brennan, Max Winkler, Paris Barclay, Michael Uppendahl, and Carl Franklin in the director’s role, and authored by Murphy, McMillan, Todd Kubrak, Brennan, and Reilly Smith.
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2024-09-10 18:56