{"id":84278,"date":"2024-09-07T19:40:13","date_gmt":"2024-09-07T19:40:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/neclink.com\/index.php\/2024\/09\/07\/michael-connolly-and-alison-ellwood-on-the-wonderland-massacre-the-secret-history-of-hollywood\/"},"modified":"2024-09-07T19:40:13","modified_gmt":"2024-09-07T19:40:13","slug":"michael-connolly-and-alison-ellwood-on-the-wonderland-massacre-the-secret-history-of-hollywood","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/neclink.com\/index.php\/2024\/09\/07\/michael-connolly-and-alison-ellwood-on-the-wonderland-massacre-the-secret-history-of-hollywood\/","title":{"rendered":"Michael Connolly and Alison Ellwood on The Wonderland Massacre & The Secret History of Hollywood"},"content":{"rendered":"


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On July 1, 1981, Hollywood was rocked by one of the most brutal murders in its history \u2014 the Wonderland Murders. <\/p>\n

With ties to drugs, sex, and infamous names like John Holmes and Eddie Nash, the case has captivated true crime enthusiasts for decades. <\/p>\n

Now, best-selling author Michael Connelly (Bosch, The Lincoln Lawyer<\/a>) and Emmy-winning director Alison Ellwood (Laurel Canyon, San Francisco Sounds) are bringing this chilling story back to life with The Wonderland Massacre & The Secret History of Hollywood, a four-part docuseries premiering on MGM+ on September 8.<\/p>\n

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We had the pleasure of speaking with Connelly and Ellwood about their collaboration, our fascination with this crime, and how they\u2019ve turned a notorious Hollywood tale into a compelling visual experience. <\/p>\n

For anyone who\u2019s followed the Wonderland case \u2014 or those discovering it for the first time \u2014 this series promises to be both an eye-opener and a deep dive into Hollywood\u2019s shadowy past.<\/p>\n

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\u201cA Visual Story Begging to Be Told\u201d<\/h3>\n

Connelly, whose Audible podcast about the Wonderland Murders inspired the series, was convinced early on that this was a story that needed to be seen. <\/p>\n

\u201cI just thought it\u2019s more of a visual story,\u201d he shared. \u201cI mean, had the same producers on both things, and so One Traveler Productions felt that they could go the distance as a documentary.\u201d<\/p>\n

Partnering with Ellwood was a natural choice. \u201cThey had a relationship with Alison and brought it to her,\u201d Connelly explained. \u201cWe took her from the sublime to the sordid without ever even leaving Laurel Canyon.\u201d <\/p>\n

Despite the jarring subject matter, it worked, and Connelly says the decision to bring the story to screen paid off. \u201cI didn\u2019t even expect all the deep dive into archival stuff that Alison and her crew were able to find.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ellwood, who had just wrapped her highly-praised Laurel Canyon series, agreed that diving into Wonderland was a stark contrast. <\/p>\n

\u201cThis story to me was the negative image of the beautiful, positive, bucolic image of the Laurel Canyon music scene,\u201d she noted. \u201cIt started to dissipate\u2026 because of the introduction of cocaine.\u201d<\/p>\n

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(Photo by Corine Solberg\/Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A True Crime Story with a Hollywood Twist<\/h3>\n

The Wonderland Murders have long fascinated true crime fans, in part because of the cast of characters involved. <\/p>\n

John Holmes, the porn star whose career had declined into drug addiction, found himself embroiled in a deadly feud between drug dealers and kingpins like Eddie Nash. <\/p>\n

While this larger-than-life setting is what first captures the imagination, The Wonderland Massacre goes deeper into the crime\u2019s ripple effects on Hollywood.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe secret history of Hollywood,\u201d as Connelly describes it, lies at the heart of this story. <\/p>\n

\u201cThis really is a story about the overworld and underworld of Hollywood and these people that were the go-betweens, largely through drugs,\u201d Connelly explained. The documentary peels back the layers of a city where success, fame, and crime are inextricably linked.<\/p>\n

And, as Ellwood pointed out, the crime itself is indicative of a broader societal shift. \u201cIt\u2019s not just a true crime story. It\u2019s about society, and it\u2019s about societal change,\u201d she added. <\/p>\n

\u201cThe introduction of cocaine had such a massive impact, and you see it in how the atmosphere around these homes changed.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Michael Connelly, The \u201cUnrequited Detective\u201d<\/h3>\n

One of the unique elements of the docuseries is Connelly\u2019s role as a kind of on-screen detective<\/a>. While the best-selling crime novelist is no stranger to the genre, stepping into the role of interviewer for the series was a new experience for him. <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve spent my entire life writing about detectives, so I think it\u2019s pretty obvious I wish I was a detective,\u201d Connelly joked. \u201cAnd Alison gave me that shot.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ellwood saw the potential in Connelly\u2019s deep knowledge of the case and his rapport with the people he interviewed. \u201cIn the podcast\u2026 you can see the kind of cat and mouse, Michael trying to get information out of Scott [Thorson],\u201d she explained. \u201cI wanted to capture that visually.\u201d<\/p>\n

Connelly\u2019s relationship with the detectives who worked on the original case also adds a layer of authenticity. \u201cI\u2019ve had lots of face-to-faces with them over the years,\u201d he noted. <\/p>\n

But perhaps most fascinating was his evolving dynamic with Thorson, a key figure in the Wonderland murders who was once Liberace\u2019s lover. \u201cWhen I first talked to him, he was in prison\u2026 Then he got out but was on probation and couldn\u2019t leave his apartment in Las Vegas.\u201d<\/p>\n

Eventually, the interviews with Thorson moved to in-person, including a scene filmed at the iconic Musso & Frank\u2019s in Hollywood. <\/p>\n

\u201cI was a little nervous about it,\u201d Connelly admitted. \u201cWe call him the unreliable narrator\u2026 you never know what he\u2019s going to bring up, how shocking it might be, and then we have to turn around and try to prove or disprove it.\u201d<\/p>\n

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The Unreliable Narrator: Scott Thorson<\/h3>\n

Thorson\u2019s role as the enigma of the series is undeniable. He\u2019s the connection between Hollywood royalty<\/a> like Liberace and the crime world, but his credibility has always been in question. <\/p>\n

For Ellwood, it was a challenge to decide when and how to introduce him into the series. \u201cThe trickiest thing was trying to figure out the structure of how it would work,\u201d she explained. \u201cIf we introduced Scott too soon, you wouldn\u2019t have that mystery of \u2018Who is this person?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Ultimately, Thorson is introduced at the end of the first episode, allowing his story to weave in and out of the main narrative. <\/p>\n

\u201cHe wasn\u2019t discovered by the police until eight years after it happened,\u201d Ellwood added, giving viewers just enough time to build the intrigue before revealing his larger-than-life claims.<\/p>\n

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(Photo by Araya Doheny\/Getty Images for Audible)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A Fascination with Hollywood\u2019s Underworld<\/h3>\n

What makes The Wonderland Massacre unique is its exploration of Hollywood\u2019s dark side. Why are we all still so fascinated with Hollywood in general? You get a crime in Hollywood, and it\u2019ll never go away.<\/p>\n

Connelly draws comparisons between the Wonderland Murders and other notorious cases. \u201cThis is a story that\u2026 pierces all levels of society from street-level drug dealing to the higher echelons of Hollywood.\u201d<\/p>\n

The docuseries doesn\u2019t shy away from showing how those worlds collided. Connelly highlighted that, unlike the Manson murders, the victims in this case were perceived differently. <\/p>\n

Connolly noted, \u201cThis is a crime as awful as it was, four people murdered and in really violent ways. That, alone, is big stuff. But I mean, the tentacles of this case that spread across all of Los Angeles just physically, Laurel Canyons.\u201d<\/p>\n

He continued, \u201cBut also this touches the innocent lives that were destroyed by the crack epidemic. And you can trace the crack epidemic in Los Angeles, at least to Eddie Nash\u2019s mansion. And that, to me, is a significant part of the storytelling.\u201d<\/p>\n

The series emphasizes that not all the victims were involved in criminal<\/a> activity. Some were just in the wrong place at the wrong time, highlighting the randomness and danger of life in the Hollywood underworld.<\/p>\n

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Unearthing New Information<\/h3>\n

Despite decades of coverage, Connelly and Ellwood\u2019s work manages to uncover new details about the case. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe have uncovered new stuff,\u201d Connelly revealed. \u201cWe met with the cold case unit\u2026 and we got to share what information they have. We extended it past the podcast.\u201d<\/p>\n

One of the most striking revelations is that no one has ever been brought to justice for the actual murders. While Eddie Nash, a key figure in orchestrating the killings, was sentenced to three years in prison, Connelly pointed out that \u201che wasn\u2019t in the house.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe people that killed those four people have never been brought to justice,\u201d Connelly said, underscoring the ongoing mystery surrounding the case.<\/p>\n

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