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Trigger Warnings: Mentions of sexual assault, rape and femicide<\/em><\/p>\n Director Andrew Templeton opens his debut documentary, \u201c1969: Killers, Freaks, and Radicals,\u201d with a montage. A series of newspaper clippings, video recordings and interview snippets recount the sociopolitical landscape of Michigan in the late 20th century; the audience pieces together context clues from the cacophony of voices and the visuals on screen. The montage describes seemingly random events \u2014 radical activism, marijuana rights, the brutal killing of women, police brutality \u2014\u00a0until it slows at the mention of John Norman Collins, the perpetrator of the infamous serial killings 56 years ago that still haunt Michigan today.<\/p>\n This montage was a perfect set-up for the next two hours of the documentary. \u201c1969: Killers, Freaks, and Radicals\u201d centers the serial killings, dubbed the Michigan Murders<\/a>, that took place in Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti between 1967 and 1969. Happening almost simultaneously were the critical movements that led to a transformation of Michigan\u2019s entire political landscape. Think of the antiwar South University Riots<\/a> that became a hallmark of the University of Michigan\u2019s activist history, or the public outrage<\/a> at the imprisonment of marijuana rights activist John Sinclair that led to the annual Hash Bash we know and love today. Though these events were highly publicized at the time, the media rarely drew a parallel between the two \u2014\u00a0that is, until \u201c1969: Killers, Freaks, and Radicals.\u201d<\/p>\n The documentary\u2019s objective is ambitious: It attempts to explore the unsteady sociopolitical landscape of Michigan during the late 1960s, using the Michigan Murders as a starting point. Templeton, armed with a small crew and $25,000<\/a>, makes it a mission to be as thorough as possible. \u201c1969: Killers, Freaks, and Radicals\u201d does not sensationalize nor does it focus solely on Collins; instead, its primary thesis revolves around the dichotomy of the individual versus community. In order to accurately capture the atmosphere of society back then, Templeton goes as far as writing letters to Collins in prison and purchasing security clearance for the police case reports, all while piecing together past public opinion through newspaper clippings and interview testimonials.<\/p>\n