Of Dolls and Murder
Encyclopedia
Of Dolls and Murder is a documentary
film
about a collection of dollhouse crime scenes and society's collective fascination with death. The film is still fundraising to finish post-production.
, created dollhouse crime scenes to help train detectives in the art of reading crimes scenes. The dollhouses, known as The Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death, are on permanent loan to the Maryland
Medical Examiner's Office in Baltimore
, and are not open to the public.
The film follows how these intricate dioramas are still used to train homicide detectives, despite all the technological advances in death investigation. The dioramas also provided inspiration for The Miniature Killer
, a recurring villain in season seven of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
. The villain's modus operandi
is to leave behind accurate dioramas of her crime scenes.
In a further exploration of morbid curiosity, the filmmakers also shadow a Baltimore City Homicide Detective
, and visit The Body Farm
, a famous forensic anthropology
site in Tennessee
where researchers study the decay of bodies.
Documentary
A documentary is a creative work of non-fiction, including:* Documentary film, including television* Radio documentary* Documentary photographyRelated terms include:...
film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
about a collection of dollhouse crime scenes and society's collective fascination with death. The film is still fundraising to finish post-production.
Subject Matter
In the 1930s and 1940s, heiress Frances Glessner LeeFrances Glessner Lee
Frances Glessner Lee was a millionaire heiress who revolutionized the study of crime scene investigation. She founded Harvard's department of legal medicine, the first program in the nation for forensic pathology.-Biography:...
, created dollhouse crime scenes to help train detectives in the art of reading crimes scenes. The dollhouses, known as The Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death, are on permanent loan to the Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
Medical Examiner's Office in Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
, and are not open to the public.
The film follows how these intricate dioramas are still used to train homicide detectives, despite all the technological advances in death investigation. The dioramas also provided inspiration for The Miniature Killer
The Miniature Killer
Natalie Davis is a fictional character on the CBS crime drama CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, portrayed by Jessica Collins....
, a recurring villain in season seven of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation is an American crime drama television series, which premiered on CBS on October 6, 2000. The show was created by Anthony E. Zuiker and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer...
. The villain's modus operandi
Modus operandi
Modus operandi is a Latin phrase, approximately translated as "mode of operation". The term is used to describe someone's habits or manner of working, their method of operating or functioning...
is to leave behind accurate dioramas of her crime scenes.
In a further exploration of morbid curiosity, the filmmakers also shadow a Baltimore City Homicide Detective
Baltimore Police Department
The Baltimore Police Department provides police services to the city of Baltimore, Maryland and was officially established by the Maryland Legislature on March 16, 1853...
, and visit The Body Farm
Body Farm
A body farm is a research facility where human decomposition can be studied in a variety of settings. The aim is to gain a better understanding of the decomposition process, permitting the development of techniques for extracting information from human remains...
, a famous forensic anthropology
Forensic anthropology
Forensic anthropology is the application of the science of physical anthropology and human osteology in a legal setting, most often in criminal cases where the victim's remains are in the advanced stages of decomposition. A forensic anthropologist can assist in the identification of deceased...
site in Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
where researchers study the decay of bodies.
See also
- CSI (franchise)
- The Miniature KillerThe Miniature KillerNatalie Davis is a fictional character on the CBS crime drama CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, portrayed by Jessica Collins....
- John WatersJohn Waters (filmmaker)John Samuel Waters, Jr. is an American filmmaker, actor, stand-up comedian, writer, journalist, visual artist, and art collector, who rose to fame in the early 1970s for his transgressive cult films...