The Wonderland Massacre & the Secret History of Hollywood

THE WONDERLAND MASSACRE & THE SECRET HISTORY OF HOLLYWOOD (2024 / Docuseries / MGM+). Narrator: Michael Connelly. Director: Alison Ellwood. Here's my review:

2½ out of 4

Examination of the infamous 1981 multiple homicide in Los Angeles leaves no stone unturned. Four people, brutally slain and one in critical condition, were found in a house on the appropriately-named Wonderland Avenue in the Laurel Canyon section of Hollywood. It was quickly determined the killings were in retaliation for a major robbery of local sleazebag / drug kingpin Eddie Nash. Nash soon becomes the central figure, but porn star John Holmes is implicated also. The case eventually peters out with no convictions of anyone and the docuseries segues to other Nash activities, including those involving Liberace and his young lover, Scott Thorson. As the years drag on, however, the Wonderland massacre continues to hang over the proceedings like lockerroom body odor. Crime fiction author Michael Connelly, who narrated, also appears throughout, interviewing key participants.

This was a four part series investigating a horrific massacre of four people at a home in Hollywood back in 1981. Author Michael Connelly was the star interviewer here, but it also featured many members of the LA police force from back then-ones that actually worked the case. I'm a huge fan of the author so it was easy for me to decide to watch. It concerns a very rich man who is robbed of close to a million dollars. A couple of days later four people that were involved in the burglary were bludgeoned to death. Scott Thorson(Liberace's ex-boyfriend becomes involved in the case but not as the murderer. Connelly's interview with him throughout the four parts was what fascinated me. Is he telling the real truth or truth as he believed it? He led quite the life and died right after this was finished. It was dedicated to him. I think this was well worth the watch if you are a true crime aficionado like me. Easy watch of all 4 episodes back to back.

This started strong.. the telling of the murders and circumstances, crime scene photos, etc.. all very intriguing.

The "mystery" is played out well. Detailed and interesting kept me very interested for the first episode and retained interest for the most part during the second episode.

Unfortunately, in episode 3 Scott Thorson is introduced and that seemed to be the death bell tolling for this doc.... it "killed" it. The story evolved from "what happened" to "what happened to Scott" - as Scott tells it, which may or may not be truth, or "embellished".

Episode four is a complete waste of time... just speculation if the case will be reopened after 40 years... and basically an homage to Scott Thorson himself.

Truth is all the "meat" or substance in these four episodes is in the first two (Mostly ep 1).. the last two episodes were just streeeeetching for content.

-- Pass ---

First episode builds hope for something better than what it turned out to be. So many unanswered questions not unlike the case itself. Not sure what it was meant to be kit had a sense they thought it would go somewhere but the passing of its main"unreliable narrator" left it dead in the water. It didn't have to be that way either. So many paths it could have wandered down but inexplicably chose not to. Now we will never know. I'd this kind of stuff interests you there's enough to nibble on but not enough to have a full meal. Maybe it will inspire someone else to follow the trails left open to unravel more of the truth.

Skip this... even if you have this morbid taste for serial killers.

It's not worth your time... I only got "barely" through the third episode...

But the series is basically a visual representation of what you could read in 10 minutes on Wikipedia....

Why would you dedicate so much time to this?

Even if you have an unhealthy appetite for murder, you really won't get your kicks here.

If you want to learn about the sick minds that kill... nope, sorry.

I can't see how there is anything here for anyone...

No idea how this has a 8.4 rating with no reviews... somebody paying?

Seriously... the actors seem "nice"... but there's no life, no interest, no "movement" in the entire thing.

If you really like documentaries... and you like this... please say why. For me, a huge waste of time.