(2007)
Directed by John Borowski
Narrated by Tony Jay

I have never been a big fan of documentaries on true life crime and serial killers. Maybe a little history of Jack the Ripper might peak my interests every now and then, but I’ve never really delved into too much detail. Maybe since it is real, and not the fiction or alternate reality we succumb to while watching a movie, it makes it more disturbing and even harder to just walk away from.

Some time ago, I got a chance to see this documentary by John Borowski on H.H. Holmes, the first real American serial killer. While again, this wasn’t my particular forte, I watched it anyway. I was not only drawn into the history of this psychotic and amazed at the things he had done back in the late 1800’s, but also the style that Borowski told the tale of this demented person. From using grainy black and white re-enactments, it gave an interesting look and feel to this already dark story.

When I heard that Borowski’s next documentary was one the notorious Albert Fish, I was excited to see if he could use this style once again. I knew a little about Fish and his exploits, enough to know that I wasn’t sure if I wanted to know more detail. After watching this documentary, I was in shock. I thought I’d heard enough about Gein, Gacy, and the others to prepare myself for the atrocities of Mr. Fish. I was wrong.

After viewing this 86-minute documentary, I have to say that this was one of the most disturbing films that I’ve seen. The film is really not visually graphic at all, but the things that Fish did to others, not to mention himself, that is simply and utterly horrifying. Hearing Fish’s own words from a confession letter to the mother of one of his victims, a 10-year-old girl, is something that I will never forget.