Fact-Checking 'Small Sacrifices': What the 1989 Movie Got Right and What It Changed

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Q1: Did Diane Downs actually listen to "Hungry Like the Wolf" during the murders?
A1: In the film, Downs dances to Duran Duran's hit track immediately prior to the shooting. In reality, Downs did something even more disturbing: during a voluntary, videotaped drive with Oregon State Police reenacting the route she took that night, Downs sang along and enthusiastically bopped her head to "Hungry Like the Wolf" when it played on the car radio, showing complete indifference to the trauma of the location.

Q2: Why did the movie change the names of the real-life figures?
A2: ABC altered the names of married post office clerk Robert Knickerbocker to "Lew Lewiston" and prosecutor Fred Hugi to "Frank Joanski" to prevent defamation liabilities and protect the ongoing privacy of individuals who were not publicly elected figures. Diane Downs’ real name was retained because she was a convicted felon whose trials were matters of public record.

Q3: What happened to the baby Diane Downs was pregnant with during the trial?
A3: Downs became pregnant while out on bail prior to her 1984 trial, believing an infant would make her appear sympathetic to the jury. She gave birth to a daughter, Amy Elizabeth, shortly after her conviction. The state immediately terminated Downs' parental rights. The infant was adopted by an Oregon couple, Chris and Jackie Babcock, who renamed her Rebecca. In adulthood, Rebecca Babcock gave television interviews detailing her relief at having been removed from Downs' custody at birth.

Q4: Is the movie 'Small Sacrifices' available on Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon Prime?
A4: No. Due to lapsed international distribution rights and unresolved music licensing agreements for licensed pop music used in the film, Small Sacrifices is not available on mainstream subscription platforms. Full-length versions are primarily accessible through out-of-print DVDs and community-uploaded VHS rips on YouTube.