Review Summary and Plot Commentary about Wonderland
John Holmes was porn's biggest star but by 1981 he was lost in a haze of drugs and crime. In that year, he became involved in what was known as the Wonderland murders, where 4 of his friends/associates were beaten to death in their Hollywood Hills home on Wonderland Avenue and one was severely injured. The question remains, what role did Holmes play in the killings, if any? Holmes admitted to helping the residents of the Wonderland Avenue house set up a robbery of his friend and wealthy business man Eddie Nash by leaving a kitchen door unlocked so the Wonderland crew, as they became known, could gain entry. They netted over 1 million dollars in drugs, money, guns and jewels from the heist of Nash's home. The question then becomes, did Holmes betray his Wonderland friends to Nash and admit the robbery to save his drug conection, or was he truly forced to go to the Wonderland Avenue crime scene and let the killers in? Holmes at this time was also pimping out his underage girlfriend, Dawn, to Eddie Nash and was apparently not above this type of sleazy underhanded double dealing. But did he actually partake in the killings? His estranged wife seemed to think so, as did the police, but no one could tie him to the scene of the crime. The story is told from many different view points.
--Lori Sheirer, Resident Scholar
The complex story of the Wonderland murders in which fading porn star John Holmes (Kilmer) was implicated. The film looks at Holmes' increasing drug use which leaves him indebted to a ring of dealer-theives who live in a house on Wonderland Avenue -- Ron Launius (Josh Lucas), Billy DeVerell (Tim Blake Nelson), David Lind (the unrecognizable Dylan McDermott). Holmes masterminds a caper which involves robbing the notorius club owner-kingpin Eddie Nash (Eric Bogosian). The Wonderland crew has a successful take of about $1.2 million. Soon, Nash knows Holmes is involved and vows retaliation. Holmes fears for his life and those of his teenaged lover (Bosworth) and ex-wife Sharon (Kudrow). The result is a confusingly grisly crime scene at Wonderland Avenue and a film that tries to untangle the events.
The DVD includes a documentary about the events and crime scene film footage.
--ldpaulson, Resident Scholar
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Analysis of Wonderland
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Composition of Movie Actual chase scenes or violence - 45% Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 40% Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 15%
How difficult to spot villain?
- Story partially from villain's perspective
Time/Era of Movie:
- 1980's-1999
- 1960's-1970's
Murder Mystery?
Yes
What % of story relates directly
to the mystery, not the subplot?
- 90%
Murders of set profession?
- criminals
Misc. Plotlets
- local police have IQ of houseplant
Special suspect?
- chronically deranged person
Crime & Police Story?
Yes
Crime story:
- being chased by crooks who want treasure/$$$$
Criminal enemy is...
- stolen goods organization
If this is a criminal POV story...
- criminals killing each other
Romance
Yes
Main Character
Identity:
- Male
Profession/status:
- actor
Age:
- 20's-30's
Eccentric:
Yes
- mentally ill
- deluded
- emotionally unstable
- wild
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events?
Yes
Hair color?
- blonde
- brunette (Brown)
Hair style
- short/standard wavy (man)
- short/standard curly (man)
Body type
- very skinny (man)
- average (man)
Unclothed?
- Chest and Buttocks
Events of movie makes character more...
- sensitive
- sad
Ethnicity/Nationality
- White (American)
How sensitive is this character?
- middling sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Cynical sense of humor
Intelligence
- Average intelligence
Physique
- druggie/wino disease
Secondary Main Character
Identity:
- Female
Hair color
- red
- blonde
Hair style
- (woman) medium/shoulderlgn, straight
- (woman) long straight
Body type
- very skinny (woman)
Unclothed?
- very tight clothes
How much in movie?
- 40%
Ethnicity/Nationality
- White (American)
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Male
- a criminal organization
Age:
- 40's-50's
Profession/status:
- businessman, big
Eccentric:
Yes
- wild
- eccentric
- emotionally unstable
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- 40%
- 90%-100%
Hair color
- brunette (Black)
Hair type
- (man) short/standard curly
Body type
- skinny (man)
unclothed?
- chest
Ethnicity/Nationality
- Arab
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- druggie/wino disease
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
How sensitive is this character?
- mean, arrogant
Setting
United States
Yes
The US:
- California
City?
Yes
City:
- Los Angeles
Misc setting
- fancy mansion
Style
Accounts of torture and death?
- very gory visuals of deaths and torture
Movie makes you feel...
- depressed/sad
How many deaths in film?
- 3-4
Sex/nudity in movie?
Yes
What kind of sex:
- kissing
- actual description of sex
- seeing breasts
- seeing nude female butt
- seeing nude male butt
How much use of techno gadgets?
- 1 (None)
Kind of violence:
- mental battles
- guns
- knives
Unusual forms of death
- blunt clubbing (like seals)
Any profanity?
- A lot of foul language
- A huge amnt of foul language
If Soundtrack VERY NOTICEABLE...
- Classic/oldies rock
