10 things you need to know before watching Extremely Wicked

The day after tomorrow, on May 3rd to be exact, a movie is coming out on Netflix that I have personally been looking forward to for a while. This movie was completed some time ago, was shown at film festivals and received well, but… No one came to buy it. And I didn’t have the money for it either. So it was a waiting game. And none other than the savior in need, Netflix, decided to take it on. I’m talking about the film Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile. Yes, that’s quite a mouthful. The film tells the story of Ted Bundy a.k.a. America’s most notorious serial killer. He is played by Zac Efron, who doesn’t evoke many associations with a serial killer for me, but Ted Bundy was a charming guy, even considered attractive by many. Did you happen to know that? Also check out these 10 things you want to know before watching this movie.

1. The film is based on the book written by Ted Bundy’s ex. Yes, at the time of his murders (and there are over thirty of them!), he had a girlfriend, with whom he was even engaged. This woman, Elizabeth Kloepfer, wrote a book about her life with Bundy, and that book became the guideline for this film. She was in denial for a long time that ‘her’ man was capable of such acts. By the way, half of female America was too: during the trial against Bundy, women came from all over to watch because they found him so charming. He even received love letters and nude photos in prison. How is that possible? Meanwhile, he was on trial for the rape and murder of a number of women that could no longer be counted on one hand. To each their own taste, I suppose…

2. Zac Efron received a lot of praise for his portrayal of Ted Bundy, but the role didn’t come easy to him. He said himself that he was on the verge of a mental breakdown several times. But apparently, he was able to portray Bundy’s manipulative side, as well as his charming yet murderous nature, very well. Perhaps a dubious honor, but with this role, he has permanently shed his High School Musical image . You could say: he’s breaking free. Badum-tss.

3. Bundy had no lawyer during his hearings, but conducted his own defense. Bundy attended Law School for a while (didn’t finish) and thought he had enough experience to be his own lawyer. Not entirely successful, as he did receive the death penalty, but it did give him a chance to escape for the first time. During a break, he gained access to the library where the law books were and jumped out the window. And I say ‘for the first time‘ indeed, because afterwards, he managed to escape once more. And then he murdered his last two victims. Really a nice guy, that Ted.

4. He had a type. All his victims had brown medium-length hair, with a part in the middle. This was because he had an obsession with his high school sweetheart, Stephanie Brooks, who dumped him before he went to Law School. He didn’t take that well, to put it mildly. That obsession never went away, judging by the appearance of his victims, who were referred to in the media as the ‘Brides of Bundy’. I’m curious if the film stays true to this. Zac’s co-star Lily Collins definitely fits this picture.

5. Ted Bundy has a daughter. In fact, that daughter (Rose Bundy, although I guess she goes by a different name these days) was conceived in prison. Apparently, the prison guards didn’t really adhere to the privacy rules regarding a prisoner awaiting his death sentence. I don’t think the film will cover this either, as the trailer suggests it mainly focuses on the time just before and just after he was arrested.

Now here are a few very quick facts that I couldn’t withhold from you:

6. Ted Bundy volunteered at a suicide hotline.

7. To ‘lure’ his victims, he often pretended to be injured with a broken arm needing help.

8. He confessed to thirty murders, but the actual number could be much higher.

9. The car in which he took them is on display in a museum in Washington D.C.

10. The title Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile is a quote from the judge who pronounced Ted Bundy’s death sentence; these were the words he used to describe his actions.

Are you ready for it on May 3rd? You can also prepare by watching The Ted Bundy Tapes on Netflix, which have been available for a while. I found that one quite slow, and with this Bundy crash course, you should be all caught up. So all you have to do is grab that popcorn. Doesn’t seem like too much trouble.

Written by: Wieke Veenboer