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Memories of a Murderer: The Nilsen Tapes: A New Dennis Nilsen Documentary Is Coming To Netflix

Gregory Robinson

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Memories of a Murderer: The Nilsen Tapes: A New Dennis Nilsen Documentary Is Coming To Netflix

Featured Image Credit: PA

Following ITV's gripping drama Des starring David Tennant as the Scottish serial killer Dennis Nilsen, Netflix has announced a new true crime documentary looking into his shocking crimes through never-before-published cassette tapes.

Dennis Nilsen confessed to killing 15 people in 1983. The gruesome murders took place over a five-year period, in which he picked up vulnerable young men, lured them back to his home and strangled them, before disposing of their bodies under the floorboards of his north London flat.

Dennis Nilsen's flat in Muswell Hill, London (Credit: PA)
Dennis Nilsen's flat in Muswell Hill, London (Credit: PA)

Netflix has gained access to a "wealth of personal archive" that was left in his cell after his death in May 2018. The archive includes over 250 hours of never-before-published cassette tapes of his private recordings.

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The film will take viewers into Nilsen's mind and will examine how he went from a boy growing up in a quiet fishing village in Scotland to a notorious cold-blooded murderer prowling the streets of the Capital. Set against the backdrop of Britain in the 1980s, a time when mass unemployment enticed lots of young men to London in search of better opportunities only to find themselves penniless and vulnerable, the film will feature Nilsen's own voice.

Dennis Nilsen arriving at Highgate Magistrates Court in 1983 (Credit: PA)
Dennis Nilsen arriving at Highgate Magistrates Court in 1983 (Credit: PA)

Director Michael Harte and executive producers Dimitri Doganis, Sam Starbuck have weaved together interviews from police, journalists, survivors and bereaved families to explore how Nilsen was able to get away with multiple murders and attacks, unchallenged, for five years.

Nilsen was also the focus of ITV's creepy drama Des which aired over three consecutive nights in September last year.

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David Tennant played Dennis in ITV's Des (Credit: ITV)
David Tennant played Dennis in ITV's Des (Credit: ITV)

Based on Brian Masters' biography of Nilsen, the clever drama tells the story through the prism of three men: Nilsen himself as well as other key characters, Detective Chief Inspector Peter Jay and biographer Brian Masters.

The three-part drama is available to stream on the ITV Hub right now.

Memories of a Murderer: The Nilsen Tapes launches on Netflix August 18th 2021.

Topics: True Crime, Netflix

Gregory Robinson
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