# Talhotblond



## PoliticalChic (Dec 13, 2010)

*Sex, Lies, and the Internet*

The internet is the hottest thing right now.   For many people, the internet is what they check into the first thing in the morning and the last thing they check on before going to bed.  It has replaced the TV as the constant companion.  There are no strings when youre talking to just a bunch of electrons.  If you dont want to interact with that person on Facebook, you can delete that person.  If that person offends you in the slightest way or you become tired of talking to that person, you can click X to close the chatbox.  The ease, the accessibility, the furtive nature of the internet lured two every day people into an internet romance which eventually led to a shocking and tragic murder.  It will send chills down your spine and continue to haunt you for weeks afterwards.

Talhotblond, a movie, is the true story of an internet romance gone awry.  Talhotblond was exactly that:  Tall, hot, and blond.  She has the face of an angel and the body of a Greek goddess.  She is 18 and is a softballplaying high school senior from West Virginia.  Her counterpart is Tom Montgomery.  His chat ID is Marinesniper.   Tom is a man 46-year old balding machinist living in Buffalo, NY.  His life is going nowhere and his marriage is on the rocks.  He is also having ongoing problems with impotency.  He was a marine for a short time, but he never saw combat, and while he qualified as a sharpshooter, he never qualified as a sniper.  They start chatting in one of those little chat boxes on POGO, a popular online gaming site.  After she had sent Tom some very provocative photos of herself, eventually, Jessi wants to know what Montgomery looks like.  He describes himself as being 6 feet tall, with bright red hair and big shoulders"; and subsequently sends her a photo of him when he was about 18 in his marine uniform.  It is a striking picture and it pleases Jessi very much.

Their secret online romance continues and sizzles into the wee hours of the morning.  And like most relationships, their romance has their ups and downs. Their online romance turns serpentine, perilous when angelic Jessi discloses herself as a vixen and an attention whore.  During one of their lows, Jessi decides to start an online relationship with Brian Barett (screenname: Beefcake).  Complicating matters was the fact that he is a real-life co-worker to Tom.  Suddenly their once lovely linear relationship becomes a tumultuous triangle.  And thats when things become treacherous and eventually murderous. 

The tragic tale of Talhotblond and Marinesniper is told by Tom Montgomery and the voice of Jessi.  It is a spare movie.  Many times youre only looking at the IM texts between Marine Sniper and Talhotblond.  The relatively simple production value is in stark contrast to the complicated entangled web that is woven between Tommy, Jessi, and Brian.  

For a society with a taste for the prurient and a predilection for the fast and easy, its completely understandable how people can be lured into spending time on a spicy name and a coquettish avatar.  Anyone who has had any experience with social networking sites like Facebook or Twitter, or has chatted with anyone will realize that the internet significantly lowers peoples inhibitions.  What people might hesitate to say in real life whether on the phone or face-to-face, is less of an issue on the internet.  You cant see the approval, the disapproval, the smile, the laugh, the sneer, the glare of others.  No one can judge you.  So it comes as no surprise that after sending several photos of herself fully clothed, but in some suggestive poses, that Jess and Tommy quickly embark upon a steamy, tumultuous affair  all online.  

This movie, while only 1 hr and 15 minutes, makes a statement with a huge exclamation point.  There is a rush of excitement talking to someone youve never met before.  Perhaps even more of a rush because youre not even really sure of what they truly look like.  Its happening to fast.  Words are spilling out into the chatbox and pretty soon youre admitting to things that most people dont even say until you know that person for at least a year.  The barriers of social etiquette seem much more relaxed when youre online.  Youre more likely to resort to emotions and use foul language.  Somehow youre less modest on the internet.  Soon thereafter, youre professing love to someone you never even physically met before.

The internet is a wonderful invention.  Like fire, it can be something that can be helpful and keep you warm, but it can also hurt you in a terrible way if you dont use it properly.   This true crime documentary entertains, but leaves you wondering whether that time on the internet is truly well spent.  Just be careful and think because everybody lies on-line.  

One of the best documentaries in recent history and timely as well.  Dont spoil it for yourself by looking up the story.  Rent it or get it from Netflix.  You wont be disappointed!


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## High_Gravity (Dec 13, 2010)

Sounds like a lifetime type movie, I'll check this out.


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## PoliticalChic (Dec 13, 2010)

High_Gravity said:


> Sounds like a lifetime type movie, I'll check this out.



After you do so, I'd like to see if you had the same impressions that I had.


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## High_Gravity (Dec 13, 2010)

PoliticalChic said:


> High_Gravity said:
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> > Sounds like a lifetime type movie, I'll check this out.
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I watched a movie on lifetime where a girl about to graduate high school met a guy on the internet who claimed to be in college but was actually typing to her from Prison and was released in a few weeks, that was a good movie but I cannot remember the name.


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## Madeline (Dec 13, 2010)

Bear in mind that "tallhotblond" is a true story and that a wonderful young man lost his life to homicidial violence because of it.  A middle aged man went to prison, and his wife and kids suffered greatly.  There's a great deal more to this story.

If you ask me, this is a generational problem.  For young people who grew up with the 'net, it is not hard to teach them the others they encounter there are living beings and may sometimes have bad motives.  But for the middle aged, especially the men, the 'net has sometimes acted like a drug and they cannot seem to take in they are interacting with real humans and not porn industry designed bots.

This story is a tragedy for everyone involved, and IMO, justice was not fully served.


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## PoliticalChic (Dec 13, 2010)

Madeline said:


> Bear in mind that "tallhotblond" is a true story edited. EZ That is about 1,001 kinds of creepy.
> 
> If you ask me, this is a generational problem.  For young people who grew up with the 'net, it is not hard to teach them the others they encounter there are living beings and may sometimes have bad motives.  But for the middle aged, especially the men, the 'net has sometimes acted like a drug and they cannot seem to take in they are interacting with real humans and not porn industry designed bots.
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> This story is a tragedy for everyone involved, .




I'm really sorry that you gave away the most surprising element...

why would anyone see it now?


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## xotoxi (Dec 13, 2010)

PoliticalChic said:


> Tom is a man 46-year old balding machinist living in Buffalo, NY.  His life is going nowhere and his marriage is on the rocks.  He is also having ongoing problems with impotency.  He was a marine for a short time, but he never saw combat, and while he qualified as a sharpshooter, he never qualified as a sniper.



Sounds like USMB.


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## Madeline (Dec 13, 2010)

PoliticalChic said:


> Madeline said:
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> > Bear in mind that "tallhotblond" is a true story and that a wonderful young man lost his life to homicidial violence because of it.  A middle aged man went to prison, and his wife and kids suffered greatly.  There's a great deal more to this story.
> ...



It's a terrific piece of reporting, PC.  I apologize if you wanted to "tease" readers....I didn't know.  I think the story lays bare a very serious problem among people my age, and for that, is discussion-worthy.

Forgive me?


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## PoliticalChic (Dec 13, 2010)

Madeline said:


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If possible, can you edit out the spoiler?  Thank you.


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## Madeline (Dec 13, 2010)

PoliticalChic said:


> Madeline said:
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The woman's role in this, I assume?

Odd request, but I suppose so.  I cannot edit my posts quoted within yours, but you can.

Did you not want to discuss this case?  Calling her role in the tragedy a "spoiler" makes it seem as if you think this was a piece of fiction.  It's a true story, PC, and real people suffered...one even died.


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## Madeline (Dec 13, 2010)

BTW, there needs to be a link.  If memory serves, "tallhotblond" is a MSNBC production but I could not track that down.  Google had results indicating Paramount was planning to make it into a movie, but if so they apparently still have not made it.


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## PoliticalChic (Dec 14, 2010)

Madeline said:


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No, what I wanted was for folks to see what I found to be a stunning documentary.


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## PoliticalChic (Dec 14, 2010)

Madeline said:


> BTW, there needs to be a link.  If memory serves, "tallhotblond" is a MSNBC production but I could not track that down.  Google had results indicating Paramount was planning to make it into a movie, but if so they apparently still have not made it.



I wrote the 'review' - why would it require a link?


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## Madeline (Dec 14, 2010)

PoliticalChic said:


> Madeline said:
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> > BTW, there needs to be a link.  If memory serves, "tallhotblond" is a MSNBC production but I could not track that down.  Google had results indicating Paramount was planning to make it into a movie, but if so they apparently still have not made it.
> ...



Because I cannot tell what you're reviewing, PC.  If it's the MSNBC production, I agree it was great but how is anyone to see it without a link?

If Paramount fulfilled its plans to make this into a movie, IMDb and Google both have let me down...I cannot find it.


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## Mr.Fitnah (Dec 14, 2010)

No  she  cant edit out the spoilers


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## PoliticalChic (Dec 14, 2010)

Madeline said:


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Netflix.


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## Si modo (Dec 20, 2010)

Madeline said:


> PoliticalChic said:
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She specifically said that she did not want it spoiled in the OP.  You have serious comprehension issues.  And, even after a request to edit out the spoilers, you still kept some in???

You are an ass.






Luckily, I didn't read your idiocy before I viewed it.  It really is a good documentary to watch (if the key elements of the story are not revealed first ).

Honestly, if I had known some of the key elements beforehand, I would not have found it as interesting.  The presentation is excellent in keeping one guessing as to what happens.

For those new to online social software, this would be a great documentary for educational purposes.  For those of us with more experience in using social software - we take the trust-but-verify approach to any friendships we develop online - it is not as eye-opening, but still interesting if the key elements are not known.

Good review, PC.  You interested me enough to rent it.  Thank goodness I didn't read the rest of the thread; I doubt I would have rented it.


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