Cropsey is a 2009 American documentary film directed by Joshua Zeman and Barbara Brancaccio. The film explores the legend of Cropsey, a boogeyman-type figure who was said to kidnap and kill children in Staten Island, New York. The filmmakers investigate the legend and its connection to a series of real-life child abductions and murders that occurred on Staten Island in the 1970s and 1980s.
The film is well-crafted and engaging, and it does a good job of exploring the legend of Cropsey and its connection to real-life events. The interviews with residents of Staten Island are particularly interesting, as they offer insights into the community’s reaction to the child abductions and murders.
It’s worth pointing out right now that Cropsey has nothing to do with movies at all, this is all real life stuff about real life people. Essentially, some sick and twisted fucker murdered children back in the 70’s and 80’s, most (if not all) of these kids had one thing in common, they were mentally deficient in one form or another. To date nobody has been convicted for murdering these kids and their bodies have never been discovered. A man was imprisoned for kidnapping one of them however, his name is Andre Rand.
The two filmmakers interview police detectives, local members of the community, media presenters of the time and a slew of other people who were connected to either Staten Island or directly to Andre Rand.
Cropsey at times does come off as being very emotive. If you like your documentaries to be clinical and dry then you may have issues here. Whether the documentary has been purposefully done this way or this dark emotionalized style is simply a reflection of where the minds of the directors are, is up in the air. I suspect it’s a combo of both.
The factual veracity of Cropsey is something I can’t really comment on since I know nothing of this issue. However, i find the documentary as a whole to be stirring and genuinely sincere. If these people are acting they’re the best actors I have ever seen – and I mean that!
I’m reluctant to divulge too much of what’s contained simply cause i don’t wanna spoil the thing but if you watch Cropsey, it’s a documentary that’ll stay with you for a long time. There’s a lot to think about here and it sends a stark warning as to the darkness that resides in some men’s hearts. To be honest, I didn’t expect too much from this going into watching it but by the end i found it riveting. Certainly anyone looking for info on the Staten Island child murders needs to watch this. For more casual viewers looking for an interesting nights watch you could do far worse than getting a view of this one. Recommended without reserve.
However, the film does have some flaws. It relies heavily on interviews with people who are not directly involved in the case, which can sometimes be frustrating. Additionally, the film does not offer much in terms of new information or insights.
Overall, Cropsey is a well-made documentary that offers a look at an urban legend and its connection to real-life events. While it does have some flaws, the film is still worth watching.
Synopsis
The movie Cropsey is a documentary that explores the legend of a boogeyman who is said to kidnap children on Staten Island. The film starts with the story of a young boy named Andre Rand who was convicted of kidnapping and murdering two children in the 1970s. Rand was never convicted of these crimes and the case remains open. The film then goes on to explore the various stories and legends about the Cropsey boogeyman. Some say that he is a spirit who lives in the woods, while others say that he is a real person who abducts children. The film interviews several people who claim to have seen the Cropsey boogeyman and who have had encounters with him. The film also looks at the possibility that Rand is the Cropsey boogeyman and that he is still abducting and murdering children.
Movie Details
Director: Joshua Zeman
Writer: Joshua Zeman
Actors: Joshua Zeman, Barbara Brancaccio
Release Year: 2009