Fatal Vision (miniseries)

Fatal Vision
VHS cover
Based on Fatal Vision
by Joe McGinniss
Screenplay by John Gay
Directed by David Greene
Starring
Composer Gil Mellé
Country of origin United States
Original language English
No. of episodes 2
Production
Executive producers
Producer Richard L. O'Connor
Cinematography Stevan Larner
Editors
  • Parkie L. Singh
  • William B. Stich
Running time 181 minutes
Production company NBC Productions
Original release
Network NBC
Release November 18 –
November 19, 1984

Fatal Vision is a 1984 American true crime drama television miniseries directed by David Greene from a teleplay by John Gay, based on the 1983 novel of the same name by Joe McGinniss. The miniseries stars Karl Malden, Eva Marie Saint, Barry Newman, Gary Cole, and Andy Griffith. It recounts the celebrated case of Jeffrey R. MacDonald, the former Green Beret physician who was convicted of murdering his pregnant wife and their two small children.

The miniseries received five Primetime Emmy Award nominations, including Outstanding Drama/Comedy Special, with Malden winning Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or a Special for his performance as MacDonald's father-in-law, Freddy Kassab.

Cast

Production

NBC paid $130,000 for the rights to the book, according to McGinniss, a transaction that was complicated by a prior contractual claim by Dell publishers. The miniseries was filmed in Santa Clarita and Pasadena, California, as well as at NBC Studios in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California.

Reception

Critical response

John J. O'Connor of The New York Times called the story "chilling" and the miniseries "certainly compelling", but stated it was not "as overwhelming as Mr. McGinniss's book." O'Connor also praised the cast, writing that Cole, Malden, and Saint "contribute outstanding performances." Howard Rosenberg of the Los Angeles Times lauded Fatal Vision for its "superb, meticulous storytelling that will have you on the edge of your seat, with Greene managing to convey the brutality of the crime in a surreal way without showing actual violence." Rosenberg also named it "the highest-rated miniseries of the 1984-85 season."

Accolades

Year Award Category Recipient(s) Result
1985 35th ACE Eddie Awards Best Edited Episode for a Television Mini-Series "Part II"
Parkie L. Singh, William B. Stich 		Won
39th Edgar Awards Best Television Feature or Miniseries John Gay Nominated
1st TCA Awards Program of the Year Fatal Vision Nominated
Outstanding Achievement in Drama Nominated
Outstanding Achievement in Specials Nominated
37th Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Drama/Comedy Special Mike Rosenfeld, Dan Wigutow, Richard L. O'Connor Nominated
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or a Special Karl Malden Won
Outstanding Directing in a Limited Series or a Special David Greene Nominated
Outstanding Writing in a Limited Series or a Special John Gay Nominated
Outstanding Achievement in Makeup Stephen Abrums Nominated
1st Artios Awards Mini-Series or Movie of the Week Casting Karen Hendel Won