The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story

[The NZA]

 

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Inspired by actual events, but based on the Maureen Orth book 'Vulgar Favors: Andrew Cunanan, Gianni Versace, and the Largest Failed Manhunt in U. S. History,' 'The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story' is the second installment of FX’s award-winning limited series, 'American Crime Story.'

This season will examine the shocking July 1997 assassination of legendary designer Gianni Versace on the steps of his Miami Beach mansion by sociopath and serial killer Andrew Cunanan, who eight days later killed himself in a house boat as the Miami Dade police force moved in to capture him. Versace was his fifth and final victim.

This season has an entirely different creative team than The People vs OJ - it was written by Tom Rob Smith, the creator of London Spy.

 

 

 

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Cast

Edgar Ramírez as Gianni Versace
Penélope Cruz as Donatella Versace
Darren Criss as Andrew Cunanan
Sebestien Soliz as Israel Sands
Annaleigh Ashford as Elizabeth Cote
Ricky Martin as Antonio D'Amico

 

reviews: 

 

Boston Globe said:

I’m not sure The Assassination of Gianni Versace manages to add contemporary political and cultural resonance to its serial killer story as effectively [as The People v. O.J. Simpson]. ... But The Assassination of Gianni Versace is nonetheless extremely insightful, as well as consistently entertaining.

Variety said:

More saliently, the heavy-handedness slows down the story--or belies the fact that compared to “The People v. O.J. Simpson,” “The Assassination of Gianni Versace” has much less story to tell. ... But with an array of fantastic performances and an eye to exploring the complexity of contemporary queerness, American Crime Story has produced another interesting history play to chew on--one with a lingering, intriguing aftertaste.

Alan Sepinwall said:

If you can view Cunanan not as the protagonist of Assassination, but its connective tissue, then it begins to feel more satisfying as a series of tragic vignettes about what it was like to be gay in America in the ’90s. ... But Cunanan’s just not interesting enough to support so much screen time, especially because we don’t really get to understand what makes him tick until the story’s nearly over. And even then, it’s hard to find empathy, given what we know about all the horror he inflicted.

Vox said:

Assassination may not be as enjoyable to watch as O.J., but it’s striking to see how thoughtfully all involved approach a very different story in a way that gives it its own tone, its own themes, and its own grandeur. This is a more difficult but more ambitious work, and it stands as a worthy companion.

[Donatella]

Wow...that looks brutal. This happened in our neck of the woods and I remember it very well. I remember hearing that Versace had been killed and the manhunt that ensued. It was also the first time I'd heard the term "spree killer." I've walked by the entrance to the Versace mansion where he was shot on Ocean Drive countless times. This should be interesting since it's literally so close to home. 

 

Wait, I thought this was a movie but it's a 9 episode series?? Oh yes, I'm on board for that. It looks like it could border on cheesy but their OJ Simpson series was damn good TV so I'll give this a shot (no pun intended). 

[The NZA]

yeah, this being hometwon does make it seem more interesting - i'd not have pegged this one for their next series, though.  while i can't think of any other big crimes that'd lend themselves to an ensemble cast as well as the OJ story did, i can't deny that this format with something like Gein, Manson etc would be terrifying. 

[Donatella]

59 minutes ago, The NZA said:

yeah, this being hometwon does make it seem more interesting - i'd not have pegged this one for their next series, though.  while i can't think of any other big crimes that'd lend themselves to an ensemble cast as well as the OJ story did, i can't deny that this format with something like Gein, Manson etc would be terrifying. 

 

Damn...a Manson one would be something. Helter Skelter was one of the first true crime books I read and it was so fucking disturbing. That story would need to be on HBO or Showtime...

[Da Cap'n 2099]

Yeah, I remember this very well. Might rubberneck it.