“Monsters” is a new television series that tells the dramaticized story of the Menendez brother’s murder case. The Menendez case revolves around brothers Lyle and Erik Menendez for murdering both their parents, Kitty and Joe, in 1989. Before the murder, the Menendez family was located in Beverly Hills, Calif., but behind the walls of their Beverly Hills Mansion, the perfect looking family had much darker secrets.
Lyle and Erik Menendez were born in the late 1960’s. Throughout their childhood, both brothers claim to have been victims of abuse at the hands of both parents. During the first and second trial the defense claims that the brothers killed their parents out of fear for their safety after experiencing a lifetime of abuse. The prosecution argued that the brothers simply wanted to be free from their parents and had financial motives.
The Menendez brothers were convicted of first degree murder in 1996 and were sentenced to prison for life. 39 years later, the second season of “Monsters” came out, which tells a dramaticized version of the Menendez case, which quickly became the #1 show on Netflix. Statements have been made by both the Menendez brothers in jail saying that the show “Monsters” does not represent them accurately in any way.
“Monsters” was directed by Ryan Murphy who casted Nicholas Chavez as Lyle Menendez and Cooper Koch as Erik Menendez. The casting was perfect, as the actors and actual brothers look very similar. These two actors did a phenomenal job portraying the difficult life that the real Menendez brothers claim to have gone through. Watching these two actors was truly a touching experience because they had portrayed such realistic emotion.
The set design of this movie perfectly encapsulates what Beverly Hills, Calif. was like during the 1980’s. The sets’ homes, cars, and fashion is what a viewer would expect in this time frame. Such amazing sets and costume design truly immerse the viewer in the show and make the series all the more realistic.
Along with “Monsters” being released there has been a documentary released titled “The Menendez Brothers” which includes interviews of both brothers from jail. The documentary featured 20 hours of new phone interviews from the brothers in prison, on camera interviews with surviving family members, journalists, and the first prosecuting attorney.
The production of many of the scenes in “Monsters” were extremely realistic and accurate to what actually happened. The first appearance the brothers made in court in the show looked identical to how emotionless they looked in actual court footage. The brothers are seen walking in wearing expensive suits, sitting in the wrong seats, and having a smug look on their faces.
“Monsters” is certainly not an entirely accurate depiction of the Menendez brothers’ story, but it is a highly intriguing and well-produced show. The casting, set creation, acting, and costume design of this show was exceptional. The controversy surrounding the show is mainly the reason why so many viewers have tuned in. This series has brought a famous case back into the spotlight, and now it is more popular than it has ever been. For drama-TV lovers, “Monsters” is a must-watch.
