The Staircase Murders

The documentary has a more up-to-date, DIFFERENT ending.

There's more crime here than just one alleged murder.

This version does highlight the strains within the family, which are huge. (I think Kathleen's sisters would have had Peterson summarily shot immediately after Kathleen was discovered at the bottom of the staircase.)

I read another theory awhile back, without making the all-important connection to this case. Basically, an owl did it. Seemingly absurd on the face of it, but awfully plausible as you look deeper. Kathleen's head injuries are consistent with an owl attack. Maybe an unindicted co-conspirator?

THE STAIRCASE MURDERS is based on the actual Michael Peterson case and is one that I watched as it unfolded on Court TV several years ago. I was intrigued by the case since it involved a very nondescript looking man suspected of a heinous crime, who happened to be a respected writer who had a good reputation in his neighborhood.

Here the man is played by TREAT WILLIAMS, who does a very effective job of playing the rather snobbish author who looked down on the justice system in his community, alienating the police force by his critical newspaper columns about their ineptness in solving cases.

Watching the case with all of its twists and turns as it actually unfolded in a courtroom was much more interesting than this reenactment, even though the made-for-TV movie has a number of good points. The script barely has enough time to touch on all the incidents (including financial and sexual problems) and has changed things around for dramatic purposes to make things more concise.

None of the subordinate characters are really fleshed out, so the film depends heavily on the central performance of Treat Williams and that of his step-daughter, Caitlin (SAMAIRE ARMSTRONG) who begins to doubt his innocence after viewing the autopsy photos of his dead wife, Kathleen Peterson. She has presumably been killed in an accidental fall down a staircase.

Wisely, the script mentions several times that there was "far too much blood splatter" to account for a mere fall down the stairs. It also shows him staging the scene after her death. And when it turns out that his previous wife had a met a similar fate overseas, the doubts about his innocence become more evident by the time he goes to trial.

He's now serving life in prison without parole. Frankly, I never had any doubts about his guilt in the crime, but I note from the other comments that several viewers are left wondering whether he was innocent or not--which means that the screenwriters did not present the incriminating evidence against him strongly enough and made his character appear too sympathetic.

Let me tell you, Michael Peterson was a far less charming person in real life than he is in this film--although Treat Williams does a creditable job of depicting the man's flawed character. But the man was so complex that the actor is unable to fully suggest the evil intent required to commit the crime.

This film is a run of the mill, made for TV drama, which I happened to catch in the middle of the night on a cable channel.

There's nothing exactly wrong with this movie, but the documentary "The Staircase" (Soupçons) by Jean Xavier Lestrade is far superior. It's one of the best documentaries I've ever seen.

The documentary is extremely suspenseful with unbelievable twists and turns.

Why settle for this fictionalized version?

Maybe I'm biased. If I perhaps hadn't seen the documentary I would have enjoyed this movie more. There's certainly nothing wrong with the acting or the suspense of the subject matter.

detailed regarding the Mike Peterson case and also his interactions in the community of Durham, N.C.

This film was also shown on Sundance- The Staircase Murder, which incredibly Peterson opted to have filmed in his actual home, going about day to day affairs, crying injustice and generally expressing contempt for the legal system.

While these cases have been done to death , Williams is excellent as a manipulative sociopath. What would it take for a person to murder a spouse. Remember the Jeffrey MacDonald case? That too, encompassed the community, the sentiments of people. People who simply could not believe the man could be capable of such an act.

Is there a way to gage marital discord, rage, hatred, simmering resentment? Anyone who enjoyed this case may also enjoy Fatal Vision with Gary Cole as Jeffrey McDonald. The truth is, whether the culprit is guilty or not, it is sometimes incredible to realize what people are capable of, in extreme circumstances. 8/10.

This is not the same movie as the award winning Sundance film "The Staircase." Both movies are about the Peterson case, however this one is a heavy handed reenactment and the Sundance version is an actual documentary. "The Staircase Murders" reeks of those one-sided made for TV movies that came out in the 90's to profit off sensationalized criminal cases. The movie is set up like a a regular dramatization of events intermittent with fake documentary scenes. Basically referencing/ripping off the Sundance film which had unprecedented access to the case and persons involved. Don't be fooled, this TV movie doesn't let the audience decide their opinion based on all the facts. It doesn't even let the story unfold or have any gray areas. It's very condescending and pushes its agenda with supposed reenactments of interviews. If you haven't heard the story you should skip this and rent the Sundance film that is interesting, suspenseful, and objective. Don't watch this Hollywood knockoff that wishes it had got to the story first.