Leonardo DiCaprio will star as Americas first serial killer, Dr. HH Holmes

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2010/nov/02/leonardo-dicaprio-serial-killer-film

Leonardo DiCaprio secures rights to book of first serial killer in the US

The star of Titanic has secured rights to a book detailing the horrific story of a man who killed and dissected up to 200 people

Ben Child guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 2 November 2010 21.21 GMT

Leonardo DiCaprio looks set to play a 19th-century serial killer who lured his victims into a "murder castle" containing a gas chamber, crematorium and dissecting table.

DiCaprio has picked up the rights to Erik Larson's 2003 non-fiction book The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic and Madness at the Fair That Changed America. The book recounts the story of mass murderer Dr HH Holmes, a hotelier who is believed to have slaughtered anywhere from 27 to 200 people, mainly young single women whom he lured to his World's Fair Hotel in Chicago.

A genuine doctor – he graduated from the University of Michigan Medical School in 1884 – Holmes was fascinated with corpses and skeletons. He preyed on his employees, lovers and hotel guests, often gassing them in their soundproofed rooms and transporting them by secret chute to the basement, where he had two giant furnaces, several pits of acid and even a stretching rack.



Not a DiCaprio fan. Hoped Johnny Depp had gotten the role.

[kentauros]

1. No matter who plays the role, it's good to see someone picking up the story.

I may have known about the book, but have only read about on him online. Truly a despicable character no matter where you get your information on him.

Also, I don't follow Ghost Hunters but have to wonder if anyone has ever suggested they investigate the former grounds of the "murder castle"...

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

2. "The Devil in White City" is a fascinating book.

I will definitely see the movie -- although I would think a different actor, somebody who looked leaner and harder than DiCaprio, might have been a better choice to play Holmes.

[orleans]

3. i read a ton of that book out loud to my mom

she was fascinated with the world's fair--i skipped reading her the really fucking creepy parts. but i read them.

i won't see that movie simply for that based on a true story creepiness factor

[CrawlingChaos]

11. really sweet that you read aloud to your mom (n/t)

[orleans]

17. yep. how i'd love to still be able to do that. n/t

[Skittles]

10. certainly HH Holmes was nowhere near as tall as Leonardo

[krispos42]

16. DeCaprio has been playing some pretty tough roles recently

"Shutter Island", "Blood Diamond", and "Inception" come to mind.


I think he's tired of being "cute". :-)

[alphafemale]

4. I've always loved both Depp and Dicaprio

I'd love to see them in a movie together again.

But of the two this role is probably better for Leo. He "does the dark" more convincingly than Depp.

But if "doing the dark" was the most important factor maybe Edward Norton would have been the better choice. He can play evil in an pleasant face that will chill to the bone.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

5. nice! sounds like it will make a creepy/cool flick.

[Aristus]

6. The real H.H. Holmes:

By the way, Holmes was an alias. His real name was Herman Webster Mudgett. (If that is not a 19th Century-sounding name, I don't know what is.

And here is his World's Fair Hotel, popularly known as the "Torture Castle":



I think Edward Norton could have done real justice to the role of Holmes. DiCaprio is just too soft and babyish.

[alphafemale]

14. Well...that guy looks kind of soft and babyish.

But haven't most serial killers?

I agree Edward Norton might have been scarier. But it's probably in his future career interest to not play any more homicidal psychos.

[Tyrone Slothrop]

20. He kind of looks like a younger Brad Pitt, IMO n/t

[tonekat]

7. Yikes, that was a scary book

Read it last year or the year before. I actually nearly abandoned it near the end, it took me awhile to get the nerve to pick it up and finish it.

[madrchsod]

8. that`s going to be an interesting movie

i read the story about that guy....

[Skittles]

9. I'M READING THAT BOOK RIGHT NOW!

it is AWESOME! :thumbsup:

The book details the history of that world fair with alternate chapters profiling HH Holmes

[tonekat]

15. Yes, I have to admit the parts about the fair ...

...were quite fascinating.

[CrawlingChaos]

12. Not a DiCaprio fan either

The thing about DiCaprio is, he's a passable actor but a really bland screen presence, IMHO.

I'll be surprised if this film is any good, but the book certainly was a damn good read.

[NNN0LHI]

13. I recently discussed this with someone who watches a lot of movies who thinks DiCaprio ...

... has matured into a very good actor. Said DiCaprio has aged well. He named one of his recent movies he seen him in(I forgot the name?), but he said DiCaprio was really good in it. Like top notch. He said wait for the movie and I might be pleasantly surprised?

So that has set my mind at ease a bit.

Don

[Skittles]

18. he was fantastic as a teenager in What's Eating Gilbert Grape

one of the finest acting jobs I have ever seen, to this day

[tigereye]

19. I thought he was very good as Howard Hughes in the Aviator

very compelling... I think he's a better actor than folks give him credit for. He was also good in Titanic, in Catch Me If You Can. Husband said he was excellent in Gangs of New York, too.