The Recomposer of the Decomposed

"The Recomposer of the Decomposed" is a feature-length documentary in progress about the life and work of forensic sculptor Frank Bender.

Frank Bender revived the dead. Part-detective, part-artist, total genius and a complete maverick,  he battled terminal cancer for over a year until his death on July 28th, 2011. Tributes to Mr. Bender appeared in The New York Times and People Magazine.

This film follows Frank as he sculpts his final bust, 'The Woman in the Woods' and provides a glimpse into an extraordinary character whose unique ability to interpret faces has given victims one last chance to name their killers and exact justice.        

Frank was one of the best forensic sculptors in the world. Sought after by - among others - the FBI, INTERPOL and Scotland Yard to solve some of their most difficult cases. His creations have led to discoveries that have stumped the world’s most renowned detectives. 

Frank’s ability to re-create a human face from the severed heads and broken skulls delivered to his doorstep was uncanny. With each delicately applied layer of clay, he reconstructed a face to create a unique human identity. Frank also specialized in age progression; his work famously led to the arrest and conviction of multiple murderer John List, Colombian crime lord Alphonse Persico and Warlocks motorcycle gang leader Robert Nauss - all of whom had eluded the FBI for years. 

According to Frank, "It's a balance of art and science. You cannot get an accurate rendition if you just follow science. You cannot get an accurate rendition if you simply follow art."

The film follows Frank shortly after he receives the devastating news that he may only have six months to live. But showing the positive spirit that has defined his life, he remains unbeaten,  eighteen months later mystifying doctors with his energy levels and his determination to complete his last case.

"It's interesting that I have cancer, because I have always said through the years that catching fugitives and identifying people takes a piece of cancer out of our society," said Bender.

As he works to discover the identity of one more murder victim, he reflects on his own sense of identity and how it feels to bring an unidentified corpse into consciousness again. How have the dead affected his life? How has his work shaped his views about human nature and the struggle between good and evil? Why  has he been given this gift?

Frank shares his views about relationships and the fragility of human existence through his life and work experiences. While he is harshly exposed to “people’s disregard for human life", he now sees the dead as his protectors, “When I have a nightmare the corpses aren’t hurting me; they’re helping me and scaring away the bad guys.”

In this intimate, yet universally resonant journey, viewers will see how Frank recreates a human face from the skeletal remains of an unknown woman who was murdered many years ago and learn how he fearlessly confronts his own mortality.

The image below is Frank's final facial reconstruction – 'The Woman in the Woods' - a female between 25 and 40 years old whose body was found in December of 2001 in the woods outside Easton, PA. There is more information about this unsolved case at www.solvethiscoldcase.com. By raising awareness of this film and helping to circulate the image of 'The Woman in the Woods,' we hope to solve Frank's last mystery.

We are now fundraising to complete post production. Please visit the donation section of this website for more information about how you can help. Contact the Director Karen Mintz at kmintz@sandokaiproductions.com.  *A TRAILER IS AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST.

You can also join our groups on Facebook at: Frank Bender: Recomposer of the Decomposed Documentary and Solve This Cold Case

THE VIDOCQ SOCIETY

Frank was also a founding member of the Vidocq Society, a real-life crime solving organization that works pro-bono with law enforcement agencies to crack cold cases.  Formed in 1990, the group is named for Francois Vidocq, the 19th century French criminologist who was one of the inspirations for Sherlock Holmes. Frank’s founding colleagues are renowned forensic psychologist and profiler Richard Walter and former U.S. Customs and FBI agent Bill Fleisher.

Vidocq membership includes experts in polygraph testing, body language, poison, terrorism, as well as Mob busters, psychological profilers, coroners, prosecutors, homicide investigators and forensic scientists. Vidocq  members come from 19 states, 12 countries and include agents from the FBI, CIA, Scotland Yard and INTERPOL. Once a month they meet for lunch at a Victorian club in downtown Philadelphia to review cold cases brought to them by detectives whose investigations have come to a dead end.

A recently published book about the Vidocq Society called “The Murder Room” introduces the three founders and catalogues the group’s many triumphs.  Hitting the New York Times bestseller list within weeks of its release in August 2010, “The Murder Room” by Michael Capuzzo is a tribute to the Vidocq Society’s shared commitment to speak for the dead and exact justice when all hope is gone.