Title that makes no sense? Subject I had not heard about? Documentary? Surely Cropsey is not for me. Quite the contrary.
Cropsey is a documentary by Barbara Brancaccio and Joshua Zeman, who grew up on Staten Island. As kids (though they did not know each other at the time) each were familiar the urban legend of Cropsey, an escaped mental patient who kidnapped and murdered children. He varies from story to story, sometimes having a hook and other times wielding an axe. On July 9, 1987 a young girl named Jennifer Schweiger is kidnapped. After Andre Rand is arrested as a suspect, it seems like Cropsey may not just be an urban legend. Rand was on orderly at Willowbrook, a mental institution for children who were mentally ill, or handicapped. In 1972, Geraldo Rivera did an investigative report on the facility, exposing the horrible treatment of the patients (and employees) and their living conditions. Ultimately, the facility is shut down and the building left abandoned. After sometime, some of the employees (Rand included) returned to live in the underground tunnel system of the facility. Several children in the area had disappeared in the 70′s and 80′s. When Schweiger goes missing, a group called Friends of Jennifer is formed. The group and police comb the area and find nothing. Rand, who is known to camp in the area, is arrested and is clearly out of his mind. A photograph of him in custody shows him drooling and completely gone. Because of his arrest record, many people immediately consider him guilty before he is even put on trial. Another search of the area is conducted, and suddenly Jennifer’s body is now found in a shallow grave near Rand’s camp. This oddly suspicious discovery seals his fate (he is still serving time today). Jennifer’s body is only one of the missing children to have ever been found. Cropsey presents evidence, interviews and case information all in attempt to determine whether Rand was innocent or guilty, and if so, if he acted alone. It also follows his trial some 20 years later of another girl whose body was never found, but he was accused of kidnapping.
Obviously, the subject of children being abducted and murdered is quite disturbing and this film is just that. From the facts of the cases themselves to actual footage from Geraldo’s expose, there is nothing very comfortable to watch here. Yet it is extremely compelling. Essentially what we have is two filmmakers attempting to find out if a tale from their youth is actually true. Within this is the possible implication that a town may have convicted an innocent man, simply because it would provide some closure to a highly disturbing series of events. There is a lot of evidence to argue either side, but not enough to clearly indicate Rand’s guilt or innocence (despite his incarceration).
This is an excellent film that will fascinate true crime fans. It is well put together and complimented with haunting music. Take a viewing of this film and choose what side you believe.
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