About Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills

Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills is a 1996 American documentary film directed by Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky about the trials of the West Memphis Three, a trio of teenagers convicted of killing three eight-year-old boys in West Memphis, Arkansas. The boys' bodies were found in a wooded area known as Robin Hood Hills.

Plot and Summary

The documentary presents interviews with the victims’ families and the suspects: Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin, and Jessie Misskelley. As the film progresses, it explores the prosecution's evidence, much of which is questionable, and the trio's alleged involvement with Satanic rituals, which led to them being stereotyped as 'outsiders'. Through its intimate lens, it reveals the deep-seated prejudice and mishandling of the trial by the justice system. The film ends with the boys convicted and sentenced, leaving viewers questioning the validity of the American justice system.

Making / Production

The documentarians, Berlinger and Sinofsky, spent a year in West Memphis filming and conducting interviews. The process was intense and difficult due to the emotionally-charged atmosphere around the trial in the community.

Actors

• Joe Berlinger - The Director, who crafts a compelling depiction of a flawed justice system.
• Bruce Sinofsky - The co-director, who helps to delve deep into the facts of the case.
• Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin, and Jessie Misskelley - The West Memphis Three, whose lives are turned upside down by the murder accusations and trials.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• The directors originally intended to make a documentary about wild teenagers in the South, but the focus changed when they learned about the West Memphis Three.
• The film team has made three documentaries about this case, known collectively as the Paradise Lost Trilogy.

Awards

Paradise Lost: The Child Murders at Robin Hood Hills was universally acclaimed and was nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Informational Programming – Long Form.

Quotes

• "I realized then what true prejudice was. It had nothing to do with the color of someone's skin. It had to do with the way you present yourself and who you are." - Damien Echols

Music, Soundtrack

• The film's score was composed by Metallica, a departure from the band's traditional music-making.