The Staircase (2004)
Maha Productions

Description

Directed by Academy AwardŽ-winning filmmaker Jean-Xavier de Lestrade (Murder on a Sunday Morning), THE STAIRCASE is like the most suspenseful of page-turners, adding "layers of complexity until one is entirely hooked by its ambiguities and twists and turns." (Chicago Tribune) One of the most highly acclaimed documentaries in recent years, this shocking, real-life thriller follows the high-profile murder trial of North Carolina author Michael Peterson, who was arraigned in 2001 for the murder of his wife after her body is discovered lying in a pool of blood on the stairway of the couple's upscale Durham home. Did Kathleen Peterson fall down the stairs, or was it cold-blooded murder? As the mystery unravels, de Lestrade's cameras are granted unusual access to Peterson's lawyers, home, and immediate family, resulting in a gripping, inside look at a case so shocking, it is sure to leave you gasping for breath.

Collected reviews and ratings

10 Chicago Tribune | Maureen Ryan

The most compelling murder mystery of the year is not on one of the three "CSIs," the four versions of "Law & Order" or any of their innumerable clones.
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9.0 filmcritic.com | Christopher Null

It's got the feel of a taut legal drama, almost making you forget that this is not just a true story, it's a documentary.
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9.0 New York Times | Virginia Heffernan

As a study of the evolution of a criminal defense, "The Staircase" is a masterpiece.
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9.0 Salon.com | Heather Havrilesky

Still, de Lestrade's choices are so often riveting, his camera work so beautiful and sad, that it's easy to forgive his angle -- we all have our prejudices, after all.
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8.3 The Onion A.V. Club | Nathan Rabin

The series carefully, deliberately examines Peterson's high-profile defense and trial after he's charged with the first-degree murder of his wife.
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8.0 DVD Talk | Francis Rizzo III

If you have any interest in the judicial system, this series is a must-view, but if your judgment is easily swayed, the effect of the presentation may be lost on you.
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7.5 PopMatters.com | Cynthia Fuchs

As de Lestrade's film reveals again and again, conviction is a function of performance, especially in front of a camera.
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7.0 DVD Verdict | Bryan Byun

While fans of courtroom drama and reality TV will undoubtedly eat this series up, I can't say that I especially enjoyed this wallow through the smarmy world of crime and punishment
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