The True Story of the Dating Game Serial Killer in Woman of the Hour

As a movie critic with a background in both film studies and criminal justice, I found Anna Kendrick’s directorial debut, Woman of the Hour, to be a chilling yet compelling exploration of gender dynamics, Hollywood sexism, and the true story of serial killer Rodney Alcala. The film seamlessly weaves two narratives that intersect in disconcerting fashion, offering a unique take on the overcrowded true crime genre.

This tale was initially shared in the year 2023 when “Woman of the Hour” made its debut at the Toronto International Film Festival. Now, we’re re-sharing it as the film becomes available on Netflix starting October 18, 2024.

There are two movies at play in Anna Kendrick’s directorial debut, Woman of the Hour, that intersect in disconcerting fashion. In one there’s the story of a serial killer who is raping and murdering women and girls across the country, offering to take their pictures before his crimes. In another, there’s the saga of an aspiring young actor who takes a gig on The Dating Game for visibility. One of her potential bachelors? That very serial killer.

The terrifying fact: It’s based on a true story.

1978 saw Rodney Alcala, a man later convicted for seven murders but potentially responsible for over 100, feature on the dating show The Dating Game. On this occasion, Cheryl Bradshaw, portrayed by Kendrick, was his companion. The HBO series Woman of the Hour, which debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival, dramatizes this event as a means to examine the sexist attitudes that enabled Alcala to evade capture so effectively that he could appear on television during his crime spree. This remarkable tale is now being given a slick cinematic adaptation, showcasing the gruesome nature of Alcala’s actions. However, it attempts to differentiate itself from the common true-crime genre by providing a somewhat satirical take on outdated Hollywood sexism.

How the film works

The True Story of the Dating Game Serial Killer in Woman of the Hour

Kendrick didn’t attend the Toronto premiere due to SAG-AFTRA strike regulations, instead having a producer introduce the film on her behalf. However, this project seems deeply important to her: Initially, she was only cast as the lead, but later took on directing duties when the original director dropped out and proposed it to her.

The film starts in 1977, featuring Daniel Zovatto from “Station Eleven” as Alcala, capturing photos of a woman he later attacks in Wyoming. Written by Ian MacCallister McDonald, the movie jumps through different time periods. All scenes involving Cheryl unfold sequentially, depicting her hesitantly participating in “The Dating Game,” following an unsuccessful audition where her appearance was critically discussed. Occasionally, it returns to Rodney’s storyline, reenacting his recurring pattern with a runaway girl in San Gabriel (1979) and a flight attendant in New York (1971), both portraying real victims of Alcala.

While scenes featuring Kendrick’s character Cheryl exhibit the director’s characteristic swift pacing, those featuring Zovatto’s Rodney escalate with a growing sense of ominous threat. He is heavy and persistently sleazy, seeming slimy even when he appears to be winning women over by persuading them to accompany him to secluded locations.

During the broadcast of Cheryl’s story, a spectator (Nicolette Robinson) identifies Rodney as the individual who was with her friend at the time of her tragic death, which involved sexual assault and homicide. However, her attempts to contact someone in authority to share this vital information are met with indifference. The movie consistently emphasizes the disregard for women’s voices and their experiences. What seems less plausible is how one could fail to discern the malicious intent hidden within Rodney.

The real story

The True Story of the Dating Game Serial Killer in Woman of the Hour

The series “Woman of the Hour” presents an unusual account of its storyline, particularly concerning the arrangement for “The Dating Game.” Interestingly, it fails to explain how Rodney Alcala managed to appear on the show, despite already serving time in prison for child molestation. In a 2021 interview on “20/20,” Mike Metzger, the show’s producer, admitted to having mixed feelings about selecting Alcala, expressing his discomfort with Alcala’s enigmatic appeal.

The format of “The Dating Game” show has a woman questioning three male contestants, who are hidden from her by a barrier, before deciding on who she will go out with. Interestingly, in the movie, Alcala was initially listed as “Bachelor Number One,” but he was actually “Bachelor Number Three.” Nevertheless, he emerged victorious in both instances.

In the movie, Cheryl assertively leads by asking her suitors thoughtful questions instead of suggestive ones written on her cue cards. However, in reality, Alcala’s responses to Bradshaw were overtly sexual and, to be honest, unsettling from the start. Bradshaw asked, “I’m serving you for dinner. What are you called and what do you look like?”, to which Alcala replied, “I am called the banana and I look good.” When she pressed him further, he said, “Peel me.

Following this, Bradshaw phoned Ellen Metzger, the contest coordinator, as per Metzger’s account in her interview with 20/20. According to her statement, Bradshaw expressed reluctance about going on the date, a feeling that may have saved her life. “She told me, ‘Ellen, I can’t go out with this guy,'” Metzger recalled. “There was an eerie sensation coming from him. He was peculiar. I felt uneasy. Is there a problem with this?”, Metzger was asked. Of course, she replied, ‘No.’ Alcala was eventually given the death penalty in California in 2010 for the murder of five women and girls in the 1970s. In 2013, he received additional time in prison in New York for two more murders. Alcala passed away on death row in 2021.

In a hypothetical scene following the show, Cheryl experiences a chilling revelation about Rodney’s true nature, which turns out to be a pivotal yet triumphant moment for her. Since there isn’t much information available about the real Carrie Bradshaw, Kendrick and McDonald creatively develop her character as a strong-willed woman resisting Hollywood’s pressure to be superficial and judged solely by her appearance. Although the narrative eventually revolves around Rodney’s arrest, it’s Cheryl who stands out as the most relatable and captivating character on screen, despite her real-life enigmatic persona.

2024-10-18 17:06

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