Some of the best scenes in Wonderland are when Kilmer-cum-"Wadd" is figuratively flogging himself for the unparalleled loser he's become. He repeats over and over, "Please forgive me. I'm sorry. Please forgive me." But you will have to look quick to see this great scene because Fox, in obsessive MTV-retard fashion, cuts away as quickly as possible. Oh, he cuts back a couple of times like a chocolate-binging boy with scissors. We eventually see the entire scene, only in snip-snip pieces, inter cut with "Wadd's" girlfriend sleeping with another man. He used to pimp her out you see.
Why is the Wonderland crime still remembered? Pretty simple really. You have a multiple homicide involving former porn stars, piles of drugs, sweaty sex and good rock n' roll. Investigators on the scene claimed the murders were more brutal than anything seen since Manson's Tate-LaBianca Grand-Guignol. And there are other bizarre connections between the two infamous blood epics, with the most glaring being the abuse of drugs and the fall of dreams in the city of Angels. James Ellroy, where for art thou?!
I'm a crime buff, and was familiar with this sordid tale long before Wonderland bombed at the box office. In secret, I have perused great tomes on the Manson clan, Ted Bundy, Bonnie and Clyde, Bugsy Siegel and other demented sociopaths who would just as soon cut your throat as have an espresso. In almost all of these cases, I have avoided the crime scene pics, which I suppose is hypocritical. But if you pick up the Wonderland DVD, you have a lovely little extra which is the actual LAPD crime scene video taken at the soaked scene. In all its crimson, hand-held gore glory, you can see the infamous Wonderland pad, complete with close-ups of the dead and mutilated kids. I turned it off quickly, and am frankly stunned such an insensitive extra would be included. Dope dealers and criminals granted, but these kids deserve a bit more respect than to have their indecent murders serve as fucking gravy on a DVD.
There's not much character development in Wonderland, and motivation is about as thin as a sheet of recycled toilet paper. Brief stardom and falls from porn grace have been brilliantly documented in Paul Thomas Anderson's 1997 film Boogie Nights. In fact, Dirk Diggler was based on Johnny "Wadd" Holmes. The robbery of Eddie Nash was covered in the unforgettable scene where Alfred Molina dances around to Night Ranger in sweaty speedos. Yucky Molina (who plays a character named Rahad Jackson) soon fires his shotgun at the aspiring criminals. Diggler does a Prefontaine and returns to the pad of director pal Jack Horner (Burt Reynolds). The film ends happily ever after, but not before the unforgettable money shot of Diggler's diggler.
Article comments
1 - Lono
You made an interesting link, which should be stronger stated: Wonderland is part two to Boogie Nights. If you ever want to know what happens to Dirk's character... the Holmes story is perfect. I thought it was a really interesting DVD (I rarely kick down the cash to see a movie. Unless it is something like Lord of the Rings... every movie gets the Netflix treatment here). I highly recommend this DVD as a piece of escapist entertainment for people with low legal standards for what constitutes fun!
2 - Chris Kent
Thanks Lono,
I suppose one could consider Wonderland a continuation of the epic Boogie Nights saga, though both films are so different in tone and style that it would be an uneasy transition. Boogie Nights delved far deeper into the characters. Wonderland was so obsessed with the crime, the characters fell by the wayside. If we are to depend on Boogie Nights for the character motivation of Wonderland, then this film is a complete disaster.
Both films have equally talented casts, so the fault must fall on the director and writers of Wonderland. Wonderland perhaps gets a nod for showing a mostly unflinching look at the lives of these Hollywood losers......I will give it that. It's not an easy film to watch.
Wonderland is a historically accurate film, but character depth is shallow and Cox pulled a few too many stylistic moves with a story undeserving of them.
3 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo
Chris, great review as ever! And some really interesting observations, not least the one mentioned by Lono about how this could be an unnoficial sequel to Boogie Nights. I have yet to see this here flick, but hopefully will do shortly, and indeed, my intentions to seek it out have been given a shot in the arse by your article.
Interesting stuff on the crime, too.
Good work, man.
4 - Chris Kent
Thanks Duke,
Depends on which side of the bed I wake up on as to my overall opinion of Wonderland. It's not anywhere near the level of Boogie Nights, which I consider one of the great films of the decade......an absolute classic.
Wonderland should probably be quickly forgotten. But it's still fascinating to watch.