Fatal Vision: Jeffrey MacDonald vs. Paul Stombaugh

[xcookiemuncherx]

cold hearted bastard,killing his own children,he deserves to die by the same method, but would want to kill him slowly as possible

[58936865233]

It was an awesome book and a pretty good movie

[lostindiancamp]

Makes my skin crawl when he finds Collette in the child's room and goes in to kill his wife.

[lostindiancamp]

This is one of the best TV movies that I have ever seen. I could watch it today after all these years and still be glued to my TV. I wonder what the fight was all about that started all of this rolling. Did Collette catch him cheating again? Was he on drugs and got ticked off about the baby wetting the bed, causing him not to be able to sleep in his bed?

[countryhoney28]

His motive isn't too hard to conclude. His freedom and he truly thought that he could get away with it for no one would believe a man would kill his family so brutally. A green beret, who protects his country and took an oath to do so couldn't kill his family. His enemy perhaps, but NEVER his wife and little girls. I feel that, like OJ, he would have killed again had he been found innocent. Serial killers never deprive their murderous behavior. His new wife probably would be dead too,

[countryhoney28]

He throws the top on her to keep her warm??Most killers cover the face of the victim when they know them. Plus there were comforters on the bed, the wet and cold top was warmer than a thick and clean blanket? It served better as warmth? He didn't cradel his babies let alone his pregnant wife? I cradeled my cat when he was dying and cried my eyes out- I didn't seek out a laugh track, I was too busy crying and hurting about my loss. He is deplorable and is guilty 100 %.

[BIGAKIZZLE]

well, according to Freddie Kassab's years of research, which are all public domain now and can be accessed on the internet, he believed that Collette walked in from class that night and caught mcmurderer molesting their daughter. he believes this because of macdonalds insistence of the urine in the bed being kristens when it was actually kimberly's who was potty trained and 5 years old. at his parole hearing in 05, colettes brother confronted him with this and macdonald became visabally upset

[BettinaBalser]

The decision to not include a musical soundtrack as the murders unfold on the screen was absolute genius. Just the narration...the violence unfolding and just the calm voice telling us what we were saying...allows for our own horror at WHAT MURDERMAC DID TO HIS FAMILY to really register. That horrible moment when you realize that he killed them. It couldn't have happened any other way.

[jksonny]

@BettinaBalser I agree completely.

[stitchesful]

@BettinaBalser I also agree. I don't see how anybody could think any differently.

[dzanier]

This may be the best example of a made for TV movie-miniseries that is as good as any motion picture. The actors are great & many were not just TV actors at the time. We tend to think that TV movies are inferior in quality to motion pictures for budgetary reasons & the fact that the shoot takes many less months. For actors like Karl Malden & Eva Maries Saint (both Oscar Winners) to accept a role like this proves it was a compelling & well-constructed film. They certainly didn't need the money.

[IFlick]

In 1970, this was a complicated crime scene. Any armchair forensic investigator today would see through this deception in a few minutes. Strangely, Dr. Mac Donald still has his supporters who remain convinced of his innocence.

[IFlick]

I agree with stevepwood, this is the most powerful sceen in the film.

[BettinaBalser]

"It was a blow of tremendous force."

[jimmyb227]

Even if this isn't a conventional "horror" movie- it will still chill you to the bone. An incredible book, followed by this 1984 mini-series. A terrifying movie!

[lowfuellevel]

Karl Malden and Eva Marie Saint both did incredible acting jobs in this made for TV film.

[SUNMAYDEN518]

I think he got in a fight with his wife, lost control and the kids witnessed it Steve

[steve7395]

I remember this film when it came out in the UK as a mini series I think and still find it harrowing to watch and still think he killed them but I just can't find the motive for why he did it. He was portrayed in the film as a handsome " player " but if you had a beautiful wife who may have suspected you but seemed to put up with odd work hours and lifestyle why the hell would you murder your 2 beautiful little daughters ?......still cant get this after 20 or so years fro first seeing it

[jksonny]

@steve7395 It wasn't a planned murder so there wasn't a traditional motive. MacDonald, a sociopath with a violent temper, was arguing with his wife about something (probably the oldest child wetting the bed) and the fight got out of hand. One of the daughters was hurt or killed during the fight with Colette and the other was murdered to cover it up.

[LetFreedomRing]

@jksonny My thoughts exactly.

[MrDkay88]

@jksonny he was molesting Kimberly

[jksonny]

@MrDkay88 I've heard that theory and I know Freddy Kassab concluded that Colette caught Jeff in the act of molesting Kimmy and that's what started the fight. I definitely think it's possible but I'm not convinced that's what happened. Some of the evidence points to possible molestation but other information does not. In any event, it's an interesting hypothesis. Too bad we'll never know for sure.

[MrDkay88]

I believe he struck kimmy deliberatly to spite collette prompting her to stab him with the knife and then he struck her and bashed her!

[jksonny]

@MrDkay88 That's definitely possible. Jeff may have finally decided to go to bed and upon finding that Kimmy had wet the bed, started raising hell and yanked her off the bed, prompting Colette to defend her daughter. Another possibility: Supposedly, Jeff usually made Colette sleep on the couch when one of the children was in their bed. After finding Kimmy, he may have ordered Colette to the couch and she refused. I can certainly see that setting him off.

[MrDkay88]

@steve7395 yeppers

[maf127]

I remember seeing this movie when it came out - very compelling. And Karl Malden's performance was the best thing about this movie.

[13skinsfan69]

@KristenKalianassaKat it didn't happen that way. it's just not possible. 

[13skinsfan69]

@KristenKalianassaKat ok then there you go. he's lying. helena was never at his house. she was just an attention starved loser.

[13skinsfan69]

@KristenKalianassaKat who makes up a story about getting a pj top caught up on your wrists and you get stabbed through that top but you don't have any injuries to your hands or wrists, and there were no threads where he says the top was torn. there are just so many inconsistencies with his made up story. he should've gotten the chair for clubbing a 5 year old. what kind of person would club a 5 year old??? oh...maybe hitler. lol.

[13skinsfan69]

@KristenKalianassaKat it doesn't matter if bodies were moved. again whoever wore that top carried colette out of that room. you can say what you want but he did it, he knows he did it and the govt proved their case and he's going to rot in jail til he dies, end of discussion.

[13skinsfan69]

@KristenKalianassaKat i doesn't matter if a piece of skin was lost. there is no such thing as a perfect crime scene. whoever wore that top carried collete out of kristens room and that person got a sheet from the bedroom. whoever wore that top carried kim back to her bedroom and tucked her in. you mean to tell me an intruder came in and took jeff's top off of him, put it on and killed his family, took it back off and left?? lol.

[13skinsfan69]

@KristenKalianassaKat The govt and army messed up on some things. But there is no explaining away his blue pajama top. Whoever wore it carried Kim back to her bed, whoever wore it carried Collete back to the master bedroom, and whoever wore it was fighting w/ Colette in the master bedroom causing blue threads to be under her body. Yet none were found where he says it was torn. Eviidence does not lie and people do. Jeff M. is a liar and he wore that top the night of the murders.

[kristenevol]

I thought it was determined that Kimberly wet their bed, not Kristen? Odd that they changed this for the movie because it was an important point at trial.

[celinejen]

There's no way drug-crazed hippy's could have done this, they can barley organize a trip to the bathroom muchless meticulisly going around collecting bedspreads. Oh, he did it allright, and I hope the evil Jeffery MacDonald rotts in jail where he belongs. Very sad indeed. It haunts me to this day. Ever since I saw this movie.

[Banner1979]

Two great actors together in one clip - smashing, but a very sad story.....

[stevepwood]

Easily the most powerful scene of the movie. I wonder if it is completely accurate or embellished for Hollywood purposes.

[jksonny]

@stevepwood The information itself is accurate (actually, there is more to the evidence than is shown in the movie). However, Stombaugh did not have this kind of one-on-one conversation with Freddy Kassab.

[stevepwood]

@jksonny Extremely compelling television. I'm not sure I've ever been more uncomfortable watching something on television in my entire life. I am a firm believer that he is where he belongs and will rightly burn in hell when his time comes....

[jksonny]

@stevepwood I agree 100%.

[candy1710]

Thank you so much for this. It's the most powerful scene in the movie, IMO. It's what we all want to know HOW could this have happened, and how could HE have done this to his own family? Karl Malden is awesome as Freddie. The enormity of the tragedy is shown on his face during the times the camera goes back to him during this scene.

[jksonny]

@candy1710 You're welcome! And I agree; Malden was great.

[Floridiane]

Would like to see the entire movie. Please upload it, if possible. Thanks a lot!

[jksonny]

@Floridiane I would like to but I'm fairly certain youtube would pull it.

[Floridiane]

@jksonny

Thank you very much for response. This is so sad, that youtube would pull it. But you upload some scenes, especially the scene with the blood movement. Very impressed. Karl Malden played the scene so wunderful. Although the Doctor/Investigator, who declared whats going on in this night. Thank you jksonny for bringing this.

[jksonny]

@Floridiane You're welcome! 'Fatal Vision' is my favorite TV movie of all time.

[Zodi77]

Could you post the final scene when they're reading the verdict and its zooming in on his face? And the closing part that follows. Love the music they use there.

[jksonny]

@Zodi77 I'll post in the next couple of days.

[69Horrorfan]

God I lived in Fayettivile, NC and have been to the apartment where this happened I didn't know it at that time but I found out when I still lived there pretty creepy.

[sallylea1]

Any chance of uploading the entire movie?Thanks

[jksonny]

@sallylea1

Unfortunately, I think youtube would pull it.