‘The Staircase’ [Film/DVD]
Synopsis: From award-winning documentary filmmaker Jean-Xavier de Lestrade comes this real-life, gripping courtroom drama that chronicles the case of author Michael Peterson, who stood trial in 2003 for the murder of his wife, Kathleen. With unprecedented access to Peterson’s lawyers, his family and others involved in the proceedings, de Lestrade offers viewers an intimate look at the judiciary process and the mystery surrounding this high-profile case. (Netflix)
In eight tautly structured chapters, The Staircase takes viewers inside an unpredictable real-life drama, as Peterson’s sons and adopted daughters rally to his defense and his legal team prepares to battle the prosecution. Reviewing the series, which ran in Canada as Death on the Staircase, Henrietta Walmark of The Globe and Mail wrote, “Death on the Staircase is a rare thing: an eight-hour documentary with twists and turns as compelling as any found in classic whodunits…. It’s a masterful work from Jean-Xavier de Lestrade … that will leave you unsettled.” (Sundance Channel)
“The whole film is also so brilliantly conceived, reported, filmed and paced that you may come to wish it were twice as long … The Staircase is a masterpiece.” — Virginia Heffernan, The New York Times, April 4, 2005
—-
I just finished watching “The Staircase,” and it’s the best documentary I’ve seen in quite some time.
It’s a riveting, real-life legal and human drama, and I was blown away by the access the documentary filmmakers were granted to the Peterson family and defense team throughout the trial. It’s a brilliant behind-the-scenes look at the legal process and media circus around a fascinating high-profile murder trial.
“The Staircase” is on DVD — 8 episodes over 2 discs. Highly recommended for any documentary or true crime buffs.
For the best experience watching “The Staircase,” you should definitely avoid reading anything about it or the case until after you’ve seen it. There are a lot of twists and potential spoilers and it’d be a shame for them to blunt the emotional impact of watching this documentary.
The less you know going in, the better.
This is the first film I’ve seen where I’ve actually felt compelled to watch the “extra features” on the DVD after it was done. The “Filmmaker’s Insights” bonus feature was particularly interesting viewing after watching the entire documentary.
The director, de Lestrade, won the 2002 Academy Award® for Best Documentary Feature for “Murder on a Sunday Morning” (Also called: “Un coupable idéal” - France; 2001). That documentary is next on my list.
