JOINING THE FUGITIVE AND CHAIN REACTION IN THE "FILMS OF HYDE PARK" GENRE: Speaking "compelling nonfiction that I assume 80% of this community has read," Erik Larson's 1893 Chicago World's Fair epic The Devil in the White City is being adapted for the big screen, with Leonardo DiCaprio set to start as Herman Webster Mudgett, alias H. H. Holmes. No word on who'll direct, or who'll play Daniel Burnham.
[As EW reported in 2003, Tom Cruise had originally optioned the book for himself upon its publication, but DiCaprio was so interested in the story that he hired screenwriters to develop a script based on the public domain materials. DiCaprio now has the full rights.]
Ah, the book that gave the pop-cult lexicon "landscape architecture." Aaaaaaaaannnnnndddd a Serial Killer!
ReplyDeleteHear that? Moonlight Mile just landed on my kindle.
For some reason, the story of Holmes has always given me the willies more than a lot of other serial killers. I'm intrigued.
ReplyDeleteI really hope they film some of it down here. Some of those buildings (not many, but some) are still standing.
ReplyDeleteI loved that book, but agree it gave me the willies worse than others.
The book was wonderful and only gave me a moderate amount of willies, but a history channel low rent documentary on HH Holmes gave me SOOOO many willies. He is so scary.
ReplyDeletePhiladelphia Weekly, October 2003 on Holmes' Philadelphia years.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoy that book. I've been known to force it on people. Also, the audiobook, as read by Tony Goldwyn, is excellent and super creepy. I find Goldwyn's voice so mellow that I've used the audiobook when I am trying to fall asleep in unfamiliar settings. I try to pick the chapters that aren't so murder-tastic, but there have been times when I've woken up in the middle of the night to some pretty scary parts.
ReplyDeleteI just read Larson's "Thunderstruck" which juxtaposes Marconi and the "race for wireless" against another murder mystery. It was definitely slower than "Devil" but I plowed through.
As for Leo, can't say I'm either excited or disappointed. I'll withhold all opinions until they announce a director.
Films where Hyde Park as a bit part--When Harry met Sally
ReplyDeleteAnd then they apparently made a side trip to Evanston for snacks, judging by the next shot of them driving south into Chicago.
ReplyDelete