January 15, 2019 (LifeSiteNews) – Gosnell: The Trial of America's Biggest Serial Killer is coming to home video on February 5, and online preorders are already mirroring the pro-life film’s surprise success in theaters last fall.
Gosnell tells the true story of Philadelphia abortionist Dr. Kermit Gosnell’s arrest, trial, and conviction for the first-degree murder of three born-alive babies and the involuntary manslaughter of patient Karnamaya Mongar. It’s based “very heavily on actual court transcripts,” “dozens of hours of interviews” with Gosnell himself, and the grand jury report.
The film highlights the shocking details of the original trial, such as Gosnell cutting the spinal cords of hundreds of newborns; witnesses describing infants who survived initial abortion attempts as “swimming” in toilets “to get out”; the feet of aborted babies stored in a freezer; and the mainstream media’s initial avoidance of the story.
Produced by investigative journalists Ann McElhinney and Phelim McAleer and directed by film veteran Nick Searcy from a script by novelist and conservative pundit Andrew Klavan, Gosnell overcame stiff resistance from Hollywood and social media to earn $1,235,800 over its opening weekend, rave reviews from conservatives and pro-lifers, and a 98% audience score from Rotten Tomatoes.
“One of last year's most controversial movies has made history with record-breaking DVD pre-sales on Amazon – topping the best-seller list and overtaking big Studio backed films,” Gosnell’s marketing team revealed Monday to the Daily Wire. “With three weeks until the film’s release date, pre-sales have already put it as the number one drama and number 4 best selling DVD on all of Amazon.”
The results so far show that there “is an enormous appetite for this kind of film that tells the truth,” McAleer told the Daily Wire. “People are fed up with being fed movies that attack their values and misrepresent the world.”
Every major Hollywood distributor rejected Gosnell, forcing producers to rely on crowdfunding. Judge Jeffrey Minehart, the original case’s trial judge, tried to block the film with a defamation suit. NPR objected to ads describing its subject as an “abortionist.” Planned Parenthood pressured at least one venue to cancel private screenings. Facebook rejected numerous ads for the film.
In October, McAleer and marketing director John Sullivan raised concerns about almost 200 theaters dropping the film without explanation, as well as reports of theater staffers actively discouraging and preventing customers from buying tickets. Last month, Philadelphia-based journalist Thom Nickels revealed that the film went largely ignored in the city where the case occurred.
Gosnell ultimately earned a box office of more than $3.6 million as of December 17, however, and preorder performance indicates it’s likely to have the last laugh on home video. DVDs can be preordered on Amazon for $9.99 apiece by clicking here.