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Boston Strangler on Hulu today and the Boston Strangler Press Junket!

Today is an exciting day because  Boston Strangler is now available on Hulu.  Boston Strangler is a true story of the Boston murderer who committed the heinous acts of murdering 13 women in the Boston, MA area in the 1960s. Albert Desalvo was finally discovered to be linked to all the murders through DNA and investigating reporting. This is a movie that the whole world needs to see and it is so well done!

ABOUT THE BOSTON STRANGLER:

From 20th Century Studios and award-winning writer-director Matt Ruskin (“Crown Heights”) comes “Boston Strangler,” a true-crime thriller about the trailblazing reporters who broke the story of the notorious Boston Strangler murders of the 1960s. “Boston Strangler” will premiere March 17, 2023, exclusively on Hulu in the U.S., Star+ in Latin America, and Disney+ under the Star banner in all other territories. The film follows Loretta McLaughlin (Keira Knightley), a reporter for the Record-American newspaper, who becomes the first journalist to connect the Boston Strangler murders. As the mysterious killer claims more and more victims, Loretta attempts to continue her investigation alongside colleague and confidante Jean Cole (Carrie Coon), yet the duo finds themselves stymied by the rampant sexism of the era. Nevertheless, McLaughlin and Cole bravely pursue the story at great personal risk, putting their own lives on the line in their quest to uncover the truth.

PRESS JUNKET OF BOSTON STRANGLER:

I had the chance to attend the virutal press junket for Boston Strangler. During this interview, we had the chance to hear all about The Boston Strangler from the stars and directors including Keira Knightley (“Loretta McLaughlin”) , Carrie Coon (“Jean Cole”), Chris Cooper (“Jack MacLaine”), Alessandro Nivola (“Detective Conley”) , and Matt Ruskin (Director). I hope you enjoy this interview!

  1. Keira and Carrie, I did think it was particularly important that these were two female journalists who cracked the case open. So I kept thinking about women as  victims in this story and then women as avengers. So when you first read the script, what was it about these real  women? They are not around for you to talk to them.  They’ve both passed on.  

Keira said this whole film was a love song to female investigative journalists. It showcases how important it is to have women in position of power in storytelling  because it was these two women that really went, “This is an important story. This is information that needs to be in the public in order to keep women of Boston safe.” It was a story that largely ignored by the male population.

  1. Chris, you were certainly a stumbling block initially for these women,  and I think represented really the face of everything that was holding them back professionally. How did you approach that character?  

Chris said he was lucky enough to rub shoulders with Eileen McNamara, a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist who worked in the Boston Globe in the 70s and 80s. Loretta was a mentor to Eileen, and Eileen directed him to exactly what he needed.  

“And a little bit unorthodox, I followed Jack Maclaine, the character. Jack was never too interested in these murders. And it was complete embarrassment for the Boston Police. They didn’t seem to be pursuing it that much. But Eileen directed me to source material that was so specifically for the 60s newsroom and that is where my interest led me. 

  1. How would you describe that culture and your relationship to Loretta and Jean? -asked to Chris

Chris said they were terribly dismissive of women journalists.  Carrie said there was a great story of Jean who wanted a raise to pay for her childcare.  All the men backed her up and suggested she needed the raise. This highlights the importance of having male allies in this space. Jean was a very practical feminist who put her head down and did her work well. 

  1. Loretta was clearly someone who wouldn’t give up, but what about her tenacity did you most admire, and is this a role that’s inspired you outside of the film? -asked to Keira

Keira said she is completely inspiring. It was her tenacity that was inspiring the most. The tenacity of her and women today is something we can all relate to. The fact that she became an award winning journalist but also had a family was incredible and inspiring.

  1. Loretta  is eager and ready to start reporting, but Jean is more  seasoned. What do you think she can learn from Loretta’s  willingness to throw herself into a crime like this?- asked to Carrie. 1. Keira and Carrie, I did think it was particularly important that these were two female journalists who cracked the case open. So I kept thinking about women as victims in this story and then women as avengers. So when you first read the script, what was it about these real women? They are not around for you to talk to them. They’ve both passed on. Keira said this whole film was a love song to female investigative journalists. It showcases how important it is to have women in position of power in storytelling because it was these two women that really went, “This is an important story. This is information that needs to be in the public in order to keep women of Boston safe.” It was a story that largely ignored by the male population. 2. Chris, you were certainly a stumbling block initially for these women, and I think represented really the face of everything that was holding them back professionally. How did you approach that character? Chris said he was lucky enough to rub shoulders with Eileen McNamara, a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist who worked on the Boston Globe in the 70s and 80s. Loretta was a mentor to Eileen, and Eileen directed him to exactly what he needed. “And a little bit unorthodox, I followed Jack Maclaine, the character. Jack was never too interested in these murders. And it was complete embarrassment for the Boston Police. They didn’t seem to be pursuing it that much. But Eileen directed me to source material that was so specifically for the 60s newsroom and that is where my interest led me. 3. How would you describe that culture and your relationship to Loretta and Jean? -asked to Chris Chris said they were terribly dismissive of women journalists. Carrie said there was a great story of Jean who wanted a raise to pay for her childcare. All the men backed her up and suggested she needed the raise. This highlights the importance of having male allies in this space. Jean was a very practical feminist who put her head down and did her work well. 4. Loretta was clearly someone who wouldn't give up, but what about her tenacity did you most admire, and is this a role that's inspired you outside of the film? -asked to Keira Keira said she is completely inspiring. It was her tenacity that was inspiring the most is what she said. The tenacity of her and women today is something we can all relate to. The fact that she became an award winning journalist but also had a family was incredible and inspiring. 5. Loretta is eager and ready to start reporting, but Jean is more seasoned. What do you think she can learn from Loretta's willingness to throw herself into a crime like this?- asked to Carrie. Carrie said there is a story built in that is about female allyship. There's the broader story that these were the women who warned the women of Boston that there was a danger to them and cautioned them on how to protect themselves, which is not the story that we often tell. It's often about, "Well, there's only room for one, and we already have one, so we don't need another one," right, for women in the workplace. And I think that you do see in the film Jean's perhaps conventional way of moving through that world be challenged by Loretta's doggedness, by her willingness to create controversy, which is something that I think Jean has avoided outside of the arenas that she's investigating.” that reason as well. 6. Were any of you concerned or worried about packaging up brutal real-life material as entertainment? What makes this the right story to tell now? Matt said that is part of why he felt compelled to make the film from the perspective of Loretta and Jean's perspective, rather than, what we've all seen either from the perspective of the killer himself or from the sort of hard-boiled detective story. He felt like this was a really worthwhile way to revisit this series of horrific events.

Carrie said there is a story built in that, that is all about female allyship.  There’s the broader story that these were the women who warned the women of Boston that there was a danger to them and cautioned them on how to protect themselves, which is not the story that we often tell. It’s often about, “Well, there’s only room for one, and we already have one, so we don’t need another one,”  right  for women in the workplace. And I think that you do see in the film Jean’s perhaps conventional way of moving through that world be challenged by Loretta’s doggedness, by her willingness to create controversy, which is something that I think Jean has avoided outside of the  arenas that she’s investigating.” That is the reason as well.

  1. Were any of you concerned or worried about packaging up brutal real-life material as entertainment? What makes this the  right story to tell now? 

Matt said that is part of why he felt compelled to make the film from the perspective of Loretta and Jean’s perspective, rather than, what we’ve all seen either from the perspective of the killer himself or from the sort of hard-boiled detective story.  He felt like this was a really worthwhile way to revisit this series of horrific events.

 

THE BOSTON STRANGLER DEBUTS ON HULU TODAY! IT IS A GOOD ONE!