Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky
Encyclopedia
Joe Berlinger
(born 30 October 1961) and Bruce Sinofsky
(born 31 March 1956) are a team of American documentary filmmakers that have received large critical acclaim and cult-fame since their debut true-crime film, Brother's Keeper
(1992
)
which chronicled the murders of three 8-year old boys, Stephen Branch, Christopher Byers, and Michael Moore in rural Arkansas
], eventually became about the fear and panic of satanism
, along with questionable police work that lead to the arrests and convictions of three teenagers, Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin, and Jessie Miskelley; otherwise known as the West Memphis Three
. Since its 1996 premier on HBO, the film has been largely responsible for the widespread support of the convicted men who were released from prison on August 19, 2011. Many believe that the three were convicted entirely on their peculiar personalities and choices in fashion and music.
The first film, being a more objective endeavor, had a follow up on the case titled Paradise Lost 2: Revelations
which revealed more evidence and findings that intended to further prove the innocence of Baldwin, Echols, and Misskelley.
Citing other documentary films such as Errol Morris's
crime film, The Thin Blue Line
(1988
), Berlinger and Sinofsky's intentions were to "have a more dramatic result" with the Paradise Lost films by having the men exonerated from prison.
At the time of the trials the convicted men were fans of the hard rock
band Metallica
. Looking for music their film, Berlinger and Sinofsky asked the band. Metallica, who at the time were notorious for not allowing their music to be used in films, allowed the filmmakers to use their music for free in both of the Paradise Lost films. These meetings created a friendship between the filmmakers and band and would lead to their eventual 2004 film, Some Kind of Monster
.
Joe Berlinger
Joseph "Joe" Berlinger is an American documentary film-maker who, in collaboration with Bruce Sinofsky, has created such films as Paradise Lost about the West Memphis 3, Brother's Keeper, Some Kind of Monster, and Crude....
(born 30 October 1961) and Bruce Sinofsky
Bruce Sinofsky
Bruce Sinofsky is an award-winning documentary film director, who began his career at Maysles Films.Sinofsky was born in Boston, Massachusetts. As Senior Editor for Maysles, he worked on commercials and feature films until 1991, when he and Joe Berlinger formed their own production company,...
(born 31 March 1956) are a team of American documentary filmmakers that have received large critical acclaim and cult-fame since their debut true-crime film, Brother's Keeper
Brother's Keeper (film)
Brother's Keeper is a 1992 documentary directed by Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky. The film is about an alleged 1990 murder in the village of Munnsville, New York. The film is in the "Direct Cinema" style of the Maysles brothers who had formerly employed Berlinger and Sinofsky.The film contrasts...
(1992
1992 in film
The year 1992 in film involved many significant films. -Top grossing films:-Awards:Academy AwardsGolden Globe AwardsNational Film Awards...
)
The West Memphis Three
Originally intended to be a movie about "three guilty teenagers on trial for murder", Sinofsky and Berlinger soon realized that their film, Paradise LostParadise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills
Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills is a 1996 documentary film directed by Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky about the trials of three teenage boys who came to be known as the West Memphis 3 in West Memphis, Arkansas. They were accused of the murder and sexual mutilation of three...
which chronicled the murders of three 8-year old boys, Stephen Branch, Christopher Byers, and Michael Moore in rural Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
], eventually became about the fear and panic of satanism
Satanism
Satanism is a group of religions that is composed of a diverse number of ideological and philosophical beliefs and social phenomena. Their shared feature include symbolic association with, admiration for the character of, and even veneration of Satan or similar rebellious, promethean, and...
, along with questionable police work that lead to the arrests and convictions of three teenagers, Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin, and Jessie Miskelley; otherwise known as the West Memphis Three
West Memphis Three
The West Memphis Three are three men who were tried and convicted as teenagers in 1994 of the 1993 murders of three boys in West Memphis, Arkansas. Damien Echols was sentenced to death, Jessie Misskelley, Jr. was sentenced to life imprisonment plus two 20-year sentences, and Jason Baldwin was...
. Since its 1996 premier on HBO, the film has been largely responsible for the widespread support of the convicted men who were released from prison on August 19, 2011. Many believe that the three were convicted entirely on their peculiar personalities and choices in fashion and music.
The first film, being a more objective endeavor, had a follow up on the case titled Paradise Lost 2: Revelations
Paradise Lost 2: Revelations
Paradise Lost 2: Revelations is the 2000 sequel to the documentary film Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills, about the trial and conviction of three teenagers known as the West Memphis 3 accused of murdering three young boys in a Satanic ritual abuse.-Description:In Paradise Lost...
which revealed more evidence and findings that intended to further prove the innocence of Baldwin, Echols, and Misskelley.
Citing other documentary films such as Errol Morris's
Errol Morris
Errol Mark Morris is an American director. In 2003, The Guardian put him seventh in its list of the world's 40 best directors. Also in 2003, his film The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.-Early life and...
crime film, The Thin Blue Line
The Thin Blue Line (documentary)
The Thin Blue Line is a 1988 documentary film by Errol Morris, depicting the story of Randall Dale Adams, a man convicted and sentenced to die for a murder he did not commit. Adams' case was reviewed and he was released from prison approximately a year after the film's release.-Synopsis:The film...
(1988
1988 in film
-Top grossing films :- Awards :Academy Awards:* Act of Piracy* Action Jackson, starring Carl Weathers, Craig T. Nelson, Vanity, Sharon Stone* The Adventures of Baron Munchausen* Akira* Alice...
), Berlinger and Sinofsky's intentions were to "have a more dramatic result" with the Paradise Lost films by having the men exonerated from prison.
At the time of the trials the convicted men were fans of the hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
band Metallica
Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
. Looking for music their film, Berlinger and Sinofsky asked the band. Metallica, who at the time were notorious for not allowing their music to be used in films, allowed the filmmakers to use their music for free in both of the Paradise Lost films. These meetings created a friendship between the filmmakers and band and would lead to their eventual 2004 film, Some Kind of Monster
Some Kind of Monster (film)
Some Kind of Monster is a 2004 documentary film featuring the American heavy metal band Metallica. It shares its name with the song "Some Kind of Monster" from Metallica's 2003 album St. Anger....
.
Filmography
| Year | Film | Credited as | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Director Film director A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:... s |
Producer Film producer A film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The... s |
Editor Film producer A film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The... s |
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| 1992 1992 in film The year 1992 in film involved many significant films. -Top grossing films:-Awards:Academy AwardsGolden Globe AwardsNational Film Awards... |
Brother's Keeper Brother's Keeper (film) Brother's Keeper is a 1992 documentary directed by Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky. The film is about an alleged 1990 murder in the village of Munnsville, New York. The film is in the "Direct Cinema" style of the Maysles brothers who had formerly employed Berlinger and Sinofsky.The film contrasts... |
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| 1992 | Terminal Bliss (Only Bruce Sinofsky) | |||
| 1996 1996 in film Major releases this year included Scream, Independence Day, Fargo, Trainspotting, The English Patient, Twister, Mars Attacks!, Jerry Maguire and a version of Evita starring Madonna.-Events:... |
Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills is a 1996 documentary film directed by Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky about the trials of three teenage boys who came to be known as the West Memphis 3 in West Memphis, Arkansas. They were accused of the murder and sexual mutilation of three... |
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| 1998 1998 in film -Events:* February 14 - Sharon Stone marries Phil Bronstein.* Former child star Gary Coleman is charged with assaulting a young female bus driver at a California shopping mall.-Top grossing films:... |
Where It's At: The Rolling Stone State of the Union (TV Movie) | |||
| 2000 2000 in film The year 2000 in film involved some significant events.The top grosser worldwide was Mission: Impossible II. Domestically in North America, Gladiator won the Academy Awards for Best Picture and Best Actor .... |
Paradise Lost 2: Revelations Paradise Lost 2: Revelations Paradise Lost 2: Revelations is the 2000 sequel to the documentary film Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills, about the trial and conviction of three teenagers known as the West Memphis 3 accused of murdering three young boys in a Satanic ritual abuse.-Description:In Paradise Lost... |
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| 2000 | Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 is the 2000 American horror film and the sequel to the film The Blair Witch Project, directed by Joe Berlinger... (Only Joe Berlinger) |
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| 2001 2001 in film The year 2001 in film involved some significant events, including the first of the Harry Potter series and also the first of The Lord of the Rings trilogy... |
Good Rockin' Tonight (Only Bruce Sinofsky) | |||
| 2003 2003 in film The year 2003 in film involved some significant events. Releases of sequels took place with movies like The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, 2 Fast 2 Furious, Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle, The Matrix Reloaded, The Matrix Revolutions, Pokémon Heroes, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines,... |
Hollywood High Hollywood High (documentary) Hollywood High is a 2003 documentary television film about the depiction of drug addiction in film. It was directed by Bruce Sinofsky, and features appearances by Darren Aronofsky, Jared Leto and Hubert Selby Jr... (Only Bruce Sinofsky) |
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| 2004 2004 in film The year 2004 in film involved some significant events. Major releases of sequels took place. It included blockbuster films like Shrek 2, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, The Passion of the Christ, Meet the Fockers, Blade: Trinity, Spider-Man 2, Alien vs. Predator, Kill Bill Vol... |
Some Kind of Monster Some Kind of Monster (film) Some Kind of Monster is a 2004 documentary film featuring the American heavy metal band Metallica. It shares its name with the song "Some Kind of Monster" from Metallica's 2003 album St. Anger.... |
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| 2009 2009 in film The year 2009 saw the release of many films. Seven made the top 50 list of highest-grossing films, and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced that as of this year, their Best Picture category would consist of ten nominees, rather than five .- Highest-grossing films :Please note... |
Crude Crude (documentary) Crude is a 90-minute long feature documentary made by Australian filmmaker Richard Smith attempting to explain the links between formation, extraction and refining as well the link between geology and economy. The film features interviews with oil industry professionals and geologists about the... (Only Joe Berlinger) |
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| 2011 2011 in film The year 2011 is notable for containing the release of the most film sequels in a single year, at 27 sequels. The following tables list films that are in production or have completed production and will be released in the United States and Canada at some point in 2011.- Highest-grossing films :... |
Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory is a 2011 documentary film and sequel to the films Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills and Paradise Lost 2: Revelations. The three films chronicle the arrest, 18 year imprisonment, and eventual release of Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin, and Jessie... |
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See also
- West Memphis ThreeWest Memphis ThreeThe West Memphis Three are three men who were tried and convicted as teenagers in 1994 of the 1993 murders of three boys in West Memphis, Arkansas. Damien Echols was sentenced to death, Jessie Misskelley, Jr. was sentenced to life imprisonment plus two 20-year sentences, and Jason Baldwin was...
- MetallicaMetallicaMetallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
- Satanic ritual abuseSatanic ritual abuseSatanic ritual abuse refers to the abuse of a person or animal in a ritual setting or manner...
- Some Kind of Monster (song)Some Kind of Monster (song)"Some Kind of Monster" is a song by the American heavy metal band Metallica. It was released in June 2004 through Elektra Records. The song is featured on their eighth album, St. Anger. It was also released on an EP of the same title, which may be considered as the fourth and final single from the...
- St. AngerSt. AngerSt. Anger is the eighth studio album by the American heavy metal band Metallica. It was released on June 5, 2003 through Elektra Records. It was the band's last album released through Elektra. The album marked the end of the longest timespan between studio albums from Metallica, with nearly six...
- True crimeTrue crimeTrue crime is a non-fiction literary and film genre in which the author examines an actual crime and details the actions of real people.The crimes most commonly include murder, but true crime works have also touched on other legal cases. Depending on the writer, true crime can adhere strictly to...