Villisca: Living with a Mystery

I live near Villisca and grew up hearing the stories and theories concerning this horrible crime which still persist today in books, discussions and the memories of those few who still remember when it happened. Now the house is a museum for the macabre crime. The Rundles did such a great job in the documentary so long in the making. The meticulous attention to not just the crime but to the town and people affected was lovingly crafted. I highly recommend this documentary as both a great outlet for crime and history buffs and for those who appreciate that this can be presented without forgetting the human factor.

I've been following this film's progress since I first read about it in June of 2002. I got a chance to see it last October and I was not disappointed. It's really a wonderful film. From the first time I read about the tragedy until I saw the documentary, I was struck with the care that the filmmakers took to remain both faithful to the story and respectful of the people of Villisca, Iowa. Their aim was to try to understand, not exploit, the horrible atrocity that occurred in the once peaceful town nearly 100 years ago. There are many twists and turns and various characters involved and each is depicted in the film in such a way that makes it very easy to understand and follow the story. It's astounding that the deep wound that was inflicted upon Villisca in 1912 is still felt as sharply today. I was also very impressed with the historian, Dr. Epperly, who has diligently been researching this crime for 50 years now! Thank God he and the Rundles found each other and could work together to bring the story to light of what happened in Villisca so long ago.

I think this is a very well done documentary and I highly recommend it!

What a wonderful piece of work! A documentary that is at once informative, intriguing and terrifying - a "horror flick" not due to gruesome special effects and jolting surprises, but rather to the grisly reality that demented acts do occur, and they shape us profoundly from our personal psychologies to our communal attitudes.

Having spent my life on the West Coast, I'd never heard of this town or the murder, so I came to the film knowing only that it was "about an ax murder." It is so much more. Yes, the historical mystery is presented, clearly and fascinatingly. But it goes on to build the psychology and personality of the town itself, as shaped by the murder and its aftermath.

This was a small town in the early 1900s – murder was personal and close and horrifying, there was no way for the townspeople to shrug it off as we might now that we've become more accustomed to, and desensitized to, violent crime. The town changed overnight, from welcoming and warm and trusting, to fearful, prejudiced and defensive. A community that had gone along in harmony became split, with half believing these had been murders for political/financial/community gain and the other half believing it was merely the work of a madman. One belief generated battles and hard feelings within the community, splitting families and friends to opposite sides and lifelong feuds. The other created a fearful, racist, closed society, completely distrustful and rejecting of any stranger or person of color. The town remains split even over the reality of this piece of its history - those who believe it to be historical fact which should be remembered are accused of celebrating it by those who consider it a shame that should be hidden and forgotten.

The documentary presents it all in a fair and non-partisan manner. No sides are taken, so we viewers get the full story and can develop our own conclusions – we are still, after seeing the film, in exactly the same position as the town and the authorities, "living with a mystery" – we have all the information at hand, but still no positive conclusions.

Artistically, this is a documentary with a twist…the narration is so calm and cool and presentational, that it eventually creates a chilling and horrific atmosphere. In our modern world we are so familiar with murder, and so surrounded by excitement and sensationalism, that this calm matter-of-fact voice talking of bashed heads and sundown laws becomes spine-shivering, and we are reminded of the true horror of some things we've begun to accept as common in our modern world.

True-life ax slaughter makes for seemingly horrifying film fare, but Villisca: Living With a Mystery chronicles the aftermath of the murders in a small western Iowa farming town rather than the gore and ghost stories that might have tempted more lurid producers than the Rundles. The cast of characters (names like Blackie, Dona, and the Little Minister) alternate between being fraught with foibles and downright frightening as much as any who populate fiction. Yet these people existed. The film even includes interviews with childhood contemporaries sharing memories of the 1912 murders. A riveting film. Historians Ed Epperly and Bruce Stillian provide commentary as engaging as Shelby Foote's in the PBS Civil War magnum opus. You might not learn for sure Whodunnit, but you will discern insight into how folks react to violent tragedy. Two hours well spent.

I just saw this film for the first time and was captivated from beginning to end. I had never heard about the Villisca ax murders, and this documentary hooked me on the subject. If you like true crime stories or mysteries, this story will knock your socks off. I have read books on all of the well-known murder mysteries that have been done again and again, so it was great to see something completely new. The movie is full of details about various suspects and puts you through the process of trying to figure out "who done it". I will have to see it again, because there was so much to sort through. It really is one of the best murder mystery documentaries I have ever seen. I am a huge fan of Robert Ressler, and was pleasantly surprised to hear his comments about the case. If you haven't seen it, see it!