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Poster for Wisconsin Death Trip

Wisconsin Death Trip

Seen it?

1999 | 76 min | Documentary, Crime

Weeknight Watchearly rating

Why it’s a Weeknight Watch

With almost no lasting buzz and soft box office, it's a mixed bag. Fine if it's on; don't plan your night around it.

Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.

Is it for you?

Who'll love it
If you count yourself among anyone who likes corsets, castles and court intrigue and book lovers, this one's for you. The costumes and settings are a feast on their own. Sits nicely alongside O.J.: Made in America. Adapted from a book, so readers can compare notes.
The mood
Gritty, eye-opening.
The pace
Well paced for a documentary, at 1 hr 16 min. Short enough for a weeknight.
What might put you off
Skip it if you want made-up drama tonight.

Inspired by the book of the same name, film-maker James Marsh relays a tale of tragedy, murder and mayhem that erupted behind the respectable facade of Black River Falls, Wisconsin in the 19th century.

How it earned its rating

  • CriticsSolid

    75% on Rotten Tomatoes, 40 on Metacritic

  • AudiencesNot counted

    Not measured yet: not enough ratings

  • AwardsSolid

    Won 1 BAFTA: British Academy Television Awards: Best Photography (Factual). Plus 3 other awards.

  • Reach & staying powerBelow par

    Streaming release that reached a small audience so far; still draws a steady audience long after release

  • Buzz & cultural impactWeak

    About 14K people sought it out in the past year

Behind the scenes

A few things you might not know about the making of Wisconsin Death Trip.

  • Marsh met with New York-based film producer Maureen Ryan, who agreed to produce the feature despite it having "no obvious commercial prospects and a tiny budget provided by the BBC".

    Development

  • According to Marsh, the film took approximately four years to develop between its initial production and filming.

    Development

Sourced from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA.

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Cast & crew

Directed by James Marsh

  • Ian HolmNarrator (voice)
  • Marcus MonroeYoung Anderson
  • Marilyn WhitePauline L'Allemand
  • John BaltesUndertaker
  • Molly Nikki AndersonMrs. Larson
  • Brittany HaydockBaptized Girl
  • Eddie KunzAbandoned Boy
  • Steven StrobelUnion Man