Vladimir Nabokov

NABOKV-L post 0010199, Mon, 2 Aug 2004 19:41:57 -0700

Subject
Re: Boston Strangler (fwd) The 1968 film (fwd)
Date
Body
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Date: Tuesday, August 03, 2004 10:55 AM +1000
From: nitrogen14@australia.edu
EDNOTE. In the film the victims are strangled from behind, usually with a
stocking. DeSalvo confessed but it was inadmissible. He was actually
convicted for other rapes and felonies not associated with the "Strangler"
cases. Many suspected the confession was megalomania. AS far as the film
goes, the point of interest from the VN angle is that it showed him as two
guys in one body with each unaware of the others' actions -- more or less
HP's situation -- although in his case it was a dream state rather than
schizophrenia.



------------------ We're counterparts, Don: I have the *book* THE BOSTON
STRANGLER, and read it years ago, but have never been able to see the
*movie*.

Two points about the late Mr de salvo: 1. as I recall, he didn't use his
hands, but rather his arm full against the windpipe,
applied from behind
-this would suggest that VN didn't read the book

2. He confessed everything, but was never convicted, and I gather the
authorities didn't really know what to do with him thereafter.
In the end, he was murdered in prison.

Peter Hayes




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D. Barton Johnson
NABOKV-L