![Gus Van Sant’s ‘To Die For’ and the Monstrosity of Female Ambition [The Lady Killers Podcast]](https://i0.wp.com/bloody-disgusting.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/to-die-for-ladykillers.jpeg?resize=1000%2C600&ssl=1 "Gus Van Sant’s ‘To Die For’ and the Monstrosity of Female Ambition [The Lady Killers Podcast]")
“You aren’t really anybody in America if you’re not on TV.”
Don’t we all want to be famous? Whether we dream of becoming a leading expert in our particular field or the latest contestant on reality TV, deep down, don’t we all want to be known and respected by the entire world? But however fleeting or deep-seated this desire, the quest for fame always comes at a price. When we become consumed by the opinions of others, it’s difficult to hold onto our own humanity. Gus Van Sant explores this destructive path in his 1995 film To Die For. Based on the true story of an aspiring TV personality turned murderess, Suzanne Stone (Nicole Kidman) becomes a cautionary tale for ambitious women obsessed with fame at any cost.
By outward appearances, Suzanne has it all. This blonde bombshell has a dreamy new husband named Larry (Matt Dillon), a modern condo, and an adorable little clothes-wearing dog named Walter. She may not have any female friends, but she’s just landed an entry level position at the local TV station and her star appears to be on the rise. Determined to become a world-famous news anchor, Suzanne begins filming three high school delinquents for a documentary called Teens Speak Out. But when Larry begins pushing to have a child, Suzanne devises a sinister plan to save her career and eliminate the man trying to clip her wings.
In the latest episode of Bloody FM’s The Lady Killers Podcast, co-hosts Jenn Adams, Sammie Kuykendall, Rocco Thompson, and Mae Shults continue their study of couples who kill by examining a film that may be more relevant now than when it first premiered. How does Suzanne use sexuality as a weapon? Why does Lydia (Alison Folland) go along with her plan? Is Illeana Douglas’s Janice a lady killer and what CDs does Russel (Casey Affleck) demand? They’ll tackle these questions and more while comparing this 30-year-old film with our current obsession with fame and success.
Stream below and subscribe now via Apple Podcasts and Spotify for future episodes that drop every Thursday.
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