Collectors, a film by Julian P. Hobbs, takes us into two such minds and creates a lasting impression. Stanton, who at one time was the exclusive agent for John Wayne Gacy's paintings, now spends a good portion of his time befriending and corresponding with convicted serial killers. He encourages them to become artists, organizes shows of their work at galleries and arranges sales of the artwork to other collectors, some of them quite prominent themselves. For most people, serial killers are just icons of evil. The filmmakers defend the necessity of bringing the two men's bizarre obsession to the screen.
Violence is the lifeblood of American culture.
But we were fascinated with their fascination, and we knew an audience would be, as well. For Rick and Tobias, they're real people. Collectors could have taken the easy route and just interviewed the two men, followed them around for a while, and interviewed a psychologist or two. But Hobbs and Trent, both of whom work in the cable TV industry for a living, knew that a bizarre obsession like this one would require an above-average effort at explanation. The film features an interview with Elmer Wayne Henley, a serial killer who, along with his partner, tortured and murdered 27 young boys in Houston.