I was pleasantly surprised that the focus of this documentary lied heavily with investigators and victims rather than the murderer himself. The storyline flowed easily, the interviews were relevant, and good use of archival footage. The paired re-enactment footage was complimentary. Overall a well made documentary.
29 Reviews
The perspective of a Necrophiliac
yelizva-890-80509818 August 2021
2 Tier societies
chrislawuk20 August 2021
Could draw a parallel to Nick Broomfield's Tales From The Grim Sleeper, from the perspective that the bodies were allowed to accumulate because the target victims were from a marginalised group within society. In the former, the victims having been prostitutes, and in the latter being young gay men in 1980s Britain. You tend to think of policing as based on science and with the highest levels of professionalism applied, however this is pretty far from the truth. Both biases and discrimination playing a major role in outcomes. Maybe the biggest divide of them all is class inequality and how that affects victims and perpetrators. Its fairly well made but I felt it could have been longer and gone more in depth in to the psychology of Nilsen. More often than not documentaries tend to avoid doing this, as I guess looking deep in to the mind of a mass murderer isn't essentially positive for the greater public good. There seems to be a lot of audio and writing from him though, and i did feel in the end that aspect of the doc was cut short in this instance, as he seemed to have an awful lot to say for a serial killer.
Not as engrossing as I'd have liked, but still worth a watch! [+57%]
arungeorge1318 August 2021
Netflix has been doing a pretty solid job at serial-killer documentaries and this one falls under the 'fairly okay' category. The core story of Dennis Nilsen's crimes is interesting with some unpredictable layers, however, the recalling style lacks a finite flow. The deeper you get into Nilsen's life journey, the less engrossing it gets. What intrigues is the manner in which he's caught, the articulate person that he is on the tapes, and also some of the survivors' accounts. The homosexual angle is given somewhat less footing here but it's also carefully and respectfully put across. I would have also loved to see more interviews with people who worked alongside Nilsen to get a better insight of how he was publicly perceived. It may also have shed additional light on how he was able to keep his cover for such a long time. At 1h 24m, this one's relatively short and crisp. What astonishes me is that we still don't know the identities of half of his victims.
We get it Netflix, you love tape recorders and recently deceased serial murderers.
imdb-0275520 August 2021
Warning: Spoilers
This is just the next in an endless line of same-looking Netflix "documentaries". At this point it has become quite cliché: Put your guests into a dimly lit room, set the camera off at an angle and let them make vague, ominous statements. Intersplice it with footage from the 70's but with added digital grain and shaking. Use the same music as you've used in all other murder documentaries made by RAW. Lots and lots of macro shots of paper, newspapers, typewriters and of course the star of the show: the cassette player! Oh how Netflix loves to show us the tape spinning in a record player.
Netflix really needs to decide if they want to produce a documentary or a mystery movie.
Netflix really needs to decide if they want to produce a documentary or a mystery movie.
An interesting documentary.
Sleepin_Dragon29 September 2021
A very revealing, well made and interesting documentary about one of Britain's worst ever killers, Nilsen. It's so unusual, it's crazy to think that much of what's being said is from the voice of the man himself, it's chilling.
It's well made, and well put together, fortunately it's a little less heavily produced than some of the documentaries on Netflix, it flows pretty well.
I was keen to learn more about him, particularly after the David Tennant series, and this does the job, it's very interesting.
A good watch, 7/10.
It's well made, and well put together, fortunately it's a little less heavily produced than some of the documentaries on Netflix, it flows pretty well.
I was keen to learn more about him, particularly after the David Tennant series, and this does the job, it's very interesting.
A good watch, 7/10.
Seen it
alanlindsay-9307618 August 2021
I'd like to start this review by apologizing to the writer and director of this documentary. When Netflix first came onto the scene this would have been a jaw dropping, white knuckling thrill ride. Sadly. We've seen it. We've seen it all. I give a 7/10 because it not the writer or directors fault. It's a well put together 1 hour and 30 minute murderer bio. But it's clear Netflix has a template for these now. Again, it's not a bad film just played out. You wouldn't run across the street screaming if Alice Cooper was walking towards you in the sidewalk. But 25 years ago you might of.
Better than the rating says
Lokroep22 September 2021
If you like serial killer docu's go watch it. It has a different more original approach than most and is told for a big part by the killer himself. I really liked this approach, the killer has very relaxed way of talking. Would give it between 7 and 8. Wished it was a bit longer.
Superficial doc
Leofwine_draca27 August 2021
Warning: Spoilers
MEMORIES OF A MURDERER is the latest in Netflix's true crime documentaries series, although sadly this is a one-off production and not nearly as in-depth as I was hoping. It's solid enough on a superficial level and starts off strongly too, with the addition of the serial killer's own voice recordings adding to the intrigue. But then it just gets bogged down with too much biographical family information on the many victims and too much talking head footage from peripheral characters who they don't seem able to get rid of - the same was true of their cat documentary. You don't get the kind of psychological depth that I was hoping for; I thoroughly recommend the book KILLING FOR COMPANY for a more thorough assessment of this man's crimes.
Good watch, but wow...
alcof8923 August 2021
Incredibly boring
djslump22 August 2021
Great
mikeiskorn22 August 2021
A wonderfully well made documentary! I especially like the fact they had real news footage AS WELL AS real tape interviews and survivors. I've never heard of this case (like a lot actually) but I'd recommend this one to anyone interested in true crime.
fairly well done
mangafish5 June 2022
I feel the movie is fairly okay done. The film used his own tape, some interviews of the police man, and news media regarding this case.
As the previous user mentioned, I feel it would be nice to include more information of Dennis Nilsen by interviewing his colleague and etc. There seems to be many question left unanswered.
As the previous user mentioned, I feel it would be nice to include more information of Dennis Nilsen by interviewing his colleague and etc. There seems to be many question left unanswered.
Its quite boring
iruon_itauol18 August 2021
Good one
ariqakbar22 August 2021
Well i'm not really have so much parameter in term of documentary movie. The first that will catch my attention is whether it was boring or not.
This one have good information story telling, good phase, intersting, but thats it. It was a good documentary movie, but nothing really came out to the surface.
This one have good information story telling, good phase, intersting, but thats it. It was a good documentary movie, but nothing really came out to the surface.
Creepy true crime!
bizimcansu10 April 2023
Serial killer Nilsen talks about his crimes with audio recording from prison and how he got away with it for 5 years. He admits, the layers are removed, they put the victim pieces together like a puzzle, the underlying causes come out. Terrible. He narrates the documentary calmly, simultaneously with the victims and the detectives. What's interesting and creepy is that he doesn't know about his victims. It's beautifully constructed. The Nilsen Tapes. That's a bad story.
I have watched better true crime documentaries on Netflix but it is also cool on its own way. I like the style of storytelling.
I have watched better true crime documentaries on Netflix but it is also cool on its own way. I like the style of storytelling.
Worth the look
wisewebwoman11 October 2023
Warning: Spoilers
A very revealing, well made and interesting documentary about one of Britain's worst ever killers, Nilsen. It's so unusual in that much of what's being said is from the voice of the man himself, it's chilling.
Good on Netflix for not dragging this documentary out to breaking point. It's remarkably well constructed, short and concise and hammers home the points from all involved, the press, the police the surviving victims and Nilsin himself via the mutliple tapes he recorded.
Like many serial killers, Nilsin targeted a marginalized group: "rent boys" in the eighties in London. Sadly among the at least 17 boys he strangled to death only eight have been identified. These poor displaced boys and men were never missed by families. Such shame attached to who they were in that discriminatory era.
7/10.
Good on Netflix for not dragging this documentary out to breaking point. It's remarkably well constructed, short and concise and hammers home the points from all involved, the press, the police the surviving victims and Nilsin himself via the mutliple tapes he recorded.
Like many serial killers, Nilsin targeted a marginalized group: "rent boys" in the eighties in London. Sadly among the at least 17 boys he strangled to death only eight have been identified. These poor displaced boys and men were never missed by families. Such shame attached to who they were in that discriminatory era.
7/10.
TDk cassettes
baber41130 August 2021
Warning: Spoilers
I remembered watching a documentary about this man long time ago may be on discovery channel, only thing I remembered was the guy works in the job centre. While I was watching this documentary I found myself on Amazon looking for a tape recorder cassette player.
A true masterpiece in boring
omri-7499518 August 2021
Warning: Spoilers
A man kills over a dozen people, confesses to it in a series of tapes, police finds out somewhat by accident, he is probably a psychopath, they try to find the victims. There, I saved you 1.5 hours of the most boring true crime film on Netflix. Terrible watch.
Beautifully made
rollyhayhay10 June 2023
I don't understand the poor reviews. I really enjoyed it, if you are a fan of serial killer things you'll enjoy that it's done in a quite unique way. It had a great insight into the murderer and his victims. Especially because of the audio recordings. Beautifully shot in a way that took to back to the bleak early 80's London era. Unless they still live in houses furnished like that still, a lot of work has gone into it that's usually missing in documentaries. It's usually very hard to fill the time with compelling footage when there is none available,
I especially liked that it was something I didn't even know happened. Very clever and thorough.
I especially liked that it was something I didn't even know happened. Very clever and thorough.
No depth
LekyLekz26 February 2023
I am surprised that this docu received an above average rating. The inclusion of the tapes has been a fantastic tool and that is the only thing that made this documentary worth watching. There is no depth and the storyline becomes boring and monotonous very quickly. Despite that, I finished watching it but was left with more questions than answers. I wish that the future producers of crime documentaries would read these reviews and take notes on how to produce a killer story and include all the elements and not waste a great story because at the end of the day, this documentary had some serious potential.
Meh...
silviaavram-2506729 August 2021
A single word could describe this "documentary" : CHAOS! The storyline was chaotic and if someone doesn't know Nielsen's story already, they wouldn't understand a thing. How about some backstory on the murderer? Motifs? The whole investigation in detail? Some chronological order of the facts? What happened after the trial? How he decided to record himself? Etc etc...
The only good thing about this documentary are the tapes. Insted of making 1h30 bad show with a lot of missing information why not taking it slower and make it a series? Considering they had hours long of recorded tapes, they could have made a really cool show with multiple episodes where Nielsen is the narrator and we see the story from his side.
Absolutely avoid if you want to learn the actual facts
satansjumpmonkey-094386 September 2021
This is miss classified as a documentary when it's more of a fictional retelling.
It cut out the real DCI who investigated, interviewed, arrested and testified against Nielson, DCI Peter Jay.
It also cut out the Biographer Nielson hired during the investigated who provided the police with key documents.
Along with omitting facts about his police and army history.
As quoted by the director "...we're trying to tell a different story here. And that story had been told and has been told many times."
Ludicrous statement for what is supposed to be a documentary on facts!
It cut out the real DCI who investigated, interviewed, arrested and testified against Nielson, DCI Peter Jay.
It also cut out the Biographer Nielson hired during the investigated who provided the police with key documents.
Along with omitting facts about his police and army history.
As quoted by the director "...we're trying to tell a different story here. And that story had been told and has been told many times."
Ludicrous statement for what is supposed to be a documentary on facts!
Mediocre
Movi3DO30 August 2021
Another crime documentary on Netflix, and this one depended on its unique premise of having the killer's tapes to make it special.
This was quite a boring story with nothing that I have seen before. The murder was just another lesser Criminal Mind episode. Honestly, there was potential with the tapes because Nilsen's voice was calm but eerie at the same time. However, only half or less than that of the movie was his dialogues. Instead, there were more of the typical Netflix documentary style with the slow and indirect narrations from the interviewees. This works at first, but becomes monotonous and boring quickly.
There one or two long monologues from Nilsen, and I think those were the most effective ones at keeping audiences on the edge. I wished the documentary would rely way more on his tapes.
Overall, nothing really special from other Netflix crime documentaries. 5.5/10.
This was quite a boring story with nothing that I have seen before. The murder was just another lesser Criminal Mind episode. Honestly, there was potential with the tapes because Nilsen's voice was calm but eerie at the same time. However, only half or less than that of the movie was his dialogues. Instead, there were more of the typical Netflix documentary style with the slow and indirect narrations from the interviewees. This works at first, but becomes monotonous and boring quickly.
There one or two long monologues from Nilsen, and I think those were the most effective ones at keeping audiences on the edge. I wished the documentary would rely way more on his tapes.
Overall, nothing really special from other Netflix crime documentaries. 5.5/10.
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