Two-part documentary Murder in Glitterball City, premieres today on HBO Max.
Directed by Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato (Mapplethorpe: Look at the Pictures, The Eyes of Tammy Faye), the film travels back to the night of June 17, 2010 in Louisville, when the body of James Carroll, a gifted hairdresser and drag performer, is discovered.
Through video of the police interrogations and courtroom testimony, details are shared of ex-lovers Joey Banis and Jeffrey Mundt’s relationship, revealing both men as complex suspects.
Synopsis: The city of Louisville, Kentucky is known for the beauty of its historic Victorian architecture and birthplace of the mirrored glitterball. It also has a reputation for being one of America’s most haunted neighborhoods and is the backdrop for a dark tale of murder, lies, and deceit. With a uniquely colorful cast of local residents as tour guides, the two-part documentary explores the shifting landscape of a grisly murder, the toxic relationship of two ex-lovers, a vulnerable victim, and the unreliable accounts of flawed individuals on trial for their lives.
Inspired by the non-fiction book “A Dark Room in Glitter Ball City” by David Dominé, the film chronicles a 2010 murder case that starts with a 911 phone call that leads police to the gruesome discovery of a body buried in the basement of a Victorian mansion. As two men face police interrogators, a story emerges of twisted liaisons. Each partner points an accusatory finger at the other and their respective accounts brim with glaring inconsistencies and false allegations. As two separate murder trials unfold, key pieces of video evidence emerge, subverting expectations about suspects Joey Banis and Jeffrey Mundt.
The story is told through the lens of the community, as friends, neighbors, police, attorneys join the author of the book in sharing their perspectives.
Credits: HBO Documentary Films presents Murder in Glitterball City, A World of Wonder Production. Directed and produced by Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato; producer, Mona Card; edited by Johanna Gavard and Francy Kachler; cinematography by Huy Truong; music by David Benjamin Steinberg. For HBO: executive producers, Nancy Abraham, Lisa Heller, and Sara Rodriguez.
Friday February 20 on HBO Max.