Celebrity Trials in the Media DVD Review
Posted by Tony Farinella on 11.22.2012
411's Tony Farinella reviews Celebrity Trials in the Media, a new documentary which goes behind the scenes of the Kobe Bryant and Michael Jackson trials!
Celebrity trials almost always provide huge ratings for major television networks. It reminds people that hey, celebrities can get in trouble and wind up in court, just like you or I. The public watches with great fascination as they wait to see what will happen and what big moments will occur in a trial. As the old expression goes, it’s like a train wreck. You shouldn’t watch, but you can’t turn away. A new documentary by Brian Malone titled Celebrity Trials in the Media details the media’s obsession with celebrity trials and the major revenue that is produced because of it.
One major trial that is covered is Kobe Bryant’s rape trial from 2004 in Eagle, Colorado. We see Laker fans outside waiting to see Kobe and even supporting him during this trial. Journalists from all over the world are there to cover it, hoping to capture a major moment in pop culture history. Malone shows that for all of the hype and circus surrounding it, very little actually happens that is worth mentioning or talking about it. However, in a media world that is obsessed with celebrities and their mistakes, they try to squeeze a story out of the most mundane details.
In the same year, the child molestation trial of Michael Jackson was also big news in the 24/7 media world. According to the press release for this film, 1,800 journalists were there to cover the event, which is insanity. We rarely see that kind of press for real news stories that are actually worth covering. Because they are celebrities and everyone is dying to be first as opposed to right, these stories actually make big money for the networks. It’s sad what is considered news these days, and this is covered in great detail in this fascinating documentary.
The documentary was offered great access to two mainstream trials, but Malone is far more fascinated by the journalists and how they are handling this story. Everyone shows up desperately waiting for something, anything big to occur. The news sure has changed these days, and I imagine it’s difficult for most parents to explain to their children exactly what is happening on their TV’s. The news is now filled with negativity, sad stories, and downright unnecessary stories. It’s not about telling news anymore. It’s about making money and being entertaining. Ethics are covered in this documentary and journalists often struggle with this.
The film doesn’t offer a ton of answers, but we know the answers to the questions, sadly. One of the biggest answers is money. As we all know, money talks in this day and age. We rarely see journalists or media outlets doing the right thing. Heck, even major news outlets are focusing more on gossip than actual news. It’s interesting to hear from journalists firsthand and find out their thought process with these stories. Just because the media is 24/7, it doesn’t always mean it is entertaining 24/7.
DVD Info:Celebrity Trials in the Media is released on a single disc DVD from Cinema Libre Studio. The DVD runs at 83 minutes and sadly includes no special features or commentary. There are no subtitles or special audio on this DVD. It’s just the film and nothing else.
Special Features: None
The 411: Celebrity Trials in the Media, at times, is fascinating and thought-provoking, and at other times, it’s rather forgettable and ordinary in terms of how it tells its story. We know most of this already and at times, it can be repetitive. The documentary shines when it focuses on the journalists and we get to hear from them. As a rental, this is worth checking out.
