Way back in 2011, long before Joe Exotic found dubious ‘fame’ in the hit Netflix series Tiger King, he was interviewed by UK documentary doyen Louis Theroux at his Oklahoma wildlife park as part of Theroux’s BBC documentary programme America’s Most Dangerous Pets. With Exotic – real name Joseph Maldonado-Passage – now serving a 22-year prison sentence for animal abuse and murder for hire, it seemed logical that Theroux should re-visit the story.
The fact that Joe Exotic had written suggesting that the Brit docmaker should head to the US so he could tell his side of the story was clearly a clincher…but unusually for a Theroux documentary, which tends to see him given full access to his interviewees, things don’t go quite as planned.
The fact that a Tiger King sequel is in the works has an immediate impact on Theroux and his team as they lands in the US. As he settles down to try and interview Exotic’s lawyers he is forced to admit that Tiger King’s producers have sent a legal letter prohibiting him from talking to interviewees he had been pursuing as they – and Exotic himself – had signed exclusivity deals.
Naturally this turns the planned film on its head. Instead of interviewing Exotic and some of the key players in the story, Theroux has to re-think the whole endeavour (he is very good at appearing befuddled on screen) and instead comes up with a film that makes great use of unaired footage from his original film. He embarks on a series of intriguing interviews and considers his own feelings about Exotic, the phenomenon of the series and the practicalities of facing up to being sued for millions if he tries to interview certain folk.
The sight of Theroux in his hotel room watching unused material from the original film, and mulling over his own responses, is fascinating and revealing. As the camera is lowered, filming the floor with the audio still on, Exotic can be heard talking about his ‘nemesis’, animal-rights campaigner Carole Baskin, repeating his claims about the death of her husband. There is also no denying Theroux had a soft-spot for the outlandish Exotic – after an uncomfortable confrontation Theroux suggests they stay friends and hug. “Can I have a hug? I don’t often do that. Quite weird,” reflects Theroux as he rewatches the interview with Exotic.
Theroux does get to interview the much-maligned animal-rights campaigner Carole Baskin and her current husband Howard. They meet at Exotic’s old wildlife park, which they gained ownership of after a lawsuit. While they are happy to talk, there is also a prickly defensiveness when Theroux starts to question them about her missing-presumed-dead second husband Don Lewis.
Equally intriguing is footage of Theroux as he pokes through the ramshackle remains of Joe’s old living quarters at the park, unearthing photographs and memorabilia in amongst the rotting detritus of what is left of Joe Exotic’s former life.
The film, in which the interviewer is denied access late on the day to its prime subject, could have ended up a re-hash of old stories and footage, but luckily Louis Theroux has the charm, humour and intelligence to re-frame the story, insert his own mixed feelings into the structure, and offer an alternative insight into a life story that remains weird, worrying and at times still extremely wild. It may appear patched together at times, but there is no denying Louis Theroux: Shooting Joe Exotic is also thoroughly watchable.
UK, 2021, 99mins
Dir: Jack Rampling
Producer: Cath Boggan
Production: Mindhouse Productions, BBC
Screenplay: Louis Theroux
Cinematography: Jack Rampling
Editor: Emma Lysaght
Music: Miguel d’Oliveira
With: Louis Theroux, Carole Baskin, Howard Baskin
