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THE crimes of Lyle and Erik Menendez have received both documentary and dramatized treatments during the fall of 2024.
Here we take a look at the differences between the two productions.
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The Menendez Brothers Documentary and Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story differ in several key aspects.
Format and style
Directed by legendary Law & Order producer Dick Wolf, The Menendez Brothers Documentary is a factual, non-fiction film that aims to present an objective account of the whole case.
It features interviews, archival footage, and expert commentary, providing a comprehensive overview of the complicated events surrounding the murders of Jose and Kitty Mendendez.
In contrast, Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story is a dramatized series recreating the murders and subsequent trials in an effort to produce an engaging piece of entertainment.
READ MORE ON THE MENENDEZ BROS
Actors portray the key figures, with scripted dialogue and scenes used to tell the story.
This format allows for more creative liberties to be taken, such as depicting conversations and events that may not have been documented.
Perspective and focus
The documentary strives for a balanced presentation of facts, including multiple viewpoints from law enforcement, legal experts, and those close to the case.
The Monsters series, being part of Ryan Murphy’s anthology, tends to focus more on the psychological aspects and personal experiences of the main subjects.
It delves deeper into the brothers’ claims of abuse and their emotional states before the gruesome crime was committed.
Accuracy and creative license
The Menendez Brothers Documentary is bound by journalistic standards, adhering closely to verified facts and testimonies.
Although it may present conflicting information, it avoids speculation or over-dramatization.
The Monsters series, while based on true events, takes a more creative approach to its storytelling.
Fictionalized accounts tend to fill in gaps in the historical record with made-up scenes and dialogue, leading to a less factual and more emotionally-engaging narrative.
Controversy and reception
The Monsters series has sparked considerable debate and criticism, including from the Menendez brothers.
When I spoke to Lyle the other night, I said, ‘I don’t think I’ve ever heard you raise your voice.’ And he agreed
Anamaria Baralt
Erik Menendez has called it “disheartening slander”.
In a statement related via his wife on X, Erik Menendez criticized the production the day after it was released.
He said: “I believed we had moved beyond the lies and ruinous character portrayals of Lyle, creating a caricature of Lyle rooted in horrible and blatant lies rampant in the show.
“I can only believe they were done so on purpose. It is with a heavy heart that I say, I believe Ryan Murphy cannot be this naive and inaccurate about the facts of our lives so as to do this without bad intent.”
He continued: “It is sad for me to know that Netflix’s dishonest portrayal of the tragedies surrounding our crime have taken the painful truths several steps backward — back through time to an era when the prosecution built a narrative on a belief system that males were not sexually abused, and that males experienced rape trauma differently than women.
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“Those awful lies have been disrupted and exposed by countless brave victims over the last two decades who have broken through their personal shame and bravely spoken out.”
Family reaction
The devoted first cousin of Lyle and Erik Menendez, Anamaria Baralt, couldn’t believe what she was seeing when she watched the first episode of Monsters, which depicted the nightmare scenario that has haunted her family for over 30 years.
She remains very close to Lyle and will forever be heartbroken about the events of August 20, 1989.
The yoga instructor, who is based outside Seattle, has visited him countless times in prison.
The 53-year-old knows him better than most, and in a world exclusive for The U.S. Sun spoke publicly for the first time about the killings.
Timeline of the Menendez brothers case
Erik and Lyle Menendez are serving life sentences in prison after being found guilty of shooting their parents to death over 30 years ago.
August 20, 1989 – José and Kitty Menendez are shot to death
March 8, 1990 – Lyle is arrested for the murders
March 11, 1990 – Erik turns himself in
July 20, 1993 – Highly publicized trial begins and ends weeks later in a mistrial
October 11, 1995 – Second trial begins
March 20, 1996 – Menendez brothers are convicted of two counts of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder
July 2, 1996 – Menendez brothers are sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole and sent to separate prisons
February 2018 – Lyle is transferred to the San Diego prison where Erik is held
April 4, 2018 – Erik and Lyle are reunited
May 2023 – Attorney representing the Menendez brothers files a habeas petition
September 19, 2024 – Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story comes out on Netflix
Anamaria’s father Carlos was good friends with his multi-millionaire TV executive brother-in-law Jose Menendez, who along with his wife Kitty was murdered by their two sons in their Beverly Hills mansion.
Anamaria wanted to set the record straight about the depiction of Lyle in Monsters, saying: “The portrayal of Lyle as this rage-fueled, fly-off-the-handle, aggressive personality is so far off the mark of his personality.
“When I spoke to Lyle the other night, I said, ‘I don’t think I’ve ever heard you raise your voice.’ And he agreed.
“When you do meet them, you realize how funny they are. You wouldn’t expect somebody in prison for 35 years to laugh, joke around a lot, and be so warm. But they are just joyous people.”
Although she appreciates some of the dramatic effects added to boost ratings, Anamaria struggled to understand why moves weren’t made to connect with the real-life characters before filming began.
“Shouldn’t it have been the other way round?” she asked.
“If they had met him for five minutes, they would have seen how contrary to his personality. I think it’s weird.”
