by John Zenoni
One of the latest entries in the documentary genre is ‘Crazy, Not Insane’ on HBO Max. This is a fascinating look into the work of Dr. Dorothy Lewis, a renowned psychiatrist who has spent her life examining infamous serial killers such as Ted Bundy and trying to figure out why they've committed the brutal murders for which they've been arrested and/or executed.
This is a film that focuses partly on her and why she got into the work she did but it's also about her subjects, what they did and why she believes so strongly in multiple personality disorder or dissociative identity disorder. This is a disorder in which the subject changes or transforms in front of her and she blames the upbringing and environment the murderers grew up in for their behavior. To quote something she said in the film, ‘Killers are made, not born.’
Thus, the film leaves you to decide what you believe based on insight into her work, newsreels of the cases and interviews with the murderers themselves. Dr. Lewis had an uphill battle in proving her theories, and faced a great deal of scrutiny from her peers.
It's an interesting insight into her studies and yet it's creepy at the same time watching these subjects in interviews knowing what horrific acts they committed.
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