(Google translate from Italian)
It is the first time that an entire American series is dedicated to one of the most famous media cases in Italian history. No wonder, then, that the wait for The Assassination of Gianni Versace (from 19 January on FoxCrime), second chapter of the anthology of Ryan Murphy’s American Crime Story, skyrocketed in Italy, where it is already much discussed.
A few days before airing, the designer’s family has distanced itself and specified in a statement that “they have neither authorized nor had any involvement in the television series dedicated to the death of Gianni Versace.”
“Since Versace has not authorized the book from which it is partially based on, and has not taken part in the writing of the screenplay, this television series must be considered a work of fiction.”
The Murphy series, in fact, is taken from the book Vulgar Favors written in 1999 by the journalist Maureen Orth.
Even if is to be taken as fiction, the opening sequence, dedicated to that morning of July 15, 1997 in which Versace was shot dead by Andrew Cunanan in front of his famous house in Miami Beach, will give shivers. It is a timeless image, that of the dead designer on the steps of Villa Casuarina.
Despite the title, The Assassination of Gianni Versace immediately declares it’s intention to show the killer’s point of view, to reconstruct his story (Cunanan committed suicide 8 days later, without ever explaining his motivations).
In the first episode The Man Who Would Be Vogue are the last moments of the life of Versace, who wakes up in luxury, says no to a fan who asks for an autograph outside his home and goes to buy fashion magazines to look at his creations, which alternate with images of Cunanan, who attempts suicide in the ocean, screams, vomits.
The cast is exceptional. Beginning with Venezuelan Edgar Ramírez, who gained 12 kilos to play Versace and learned to speak English with an Italian accent. Then there is Ricky Martin, in the shoes of Antonio D’Amico, the companion of the Calabrian designer, and the fantastic Penélope Cruz with a platinum blonde wig in the role of Donatella Versace, who immediately takes over the reins of the company .
In the role of the killer, repressed homosexual and pathological liar, there is Darren Criss who, with Murphy, has been working since Glee, but here he is certainly at his most difficult test.
This second season of the anthology, however, is different from the first, which accurately told the story of the OJ Simpson trial and has achieved great critical acclaim, and won 9 Emmys and two Golden Globes, including best miniseries of the year.
In addition to faithfully reconstructing the process and the media case, The People v. OJ Simpson had been a gimmick to talk about racism, the distortion of news from the tabloids, and the role of women (thanks to the story of the prosecution attorney Marcia Clark).
The Assassination of Gianni Versace, on the other hand, is focused on homophobia from the 1990s, a theme very dear to Murphy. That perhaps, for this reason, he lets his hand escape, dedicating a little too much space.
The series proceeds by flashback, alternating to the present on the Versace case with the story of Cunanan, who suffered the rejection of society for gays and at some point in his life became a serial killer: before the designer, he had killed four men, all his lovers.
The most interesting parts, however, are those dedicated to life and the background of the Versace family. And seeing Ramirez, Cruz and Martin at work is fascinating. Even if it’s just fiction.
“The Assassination of Gianni Versace”: what works (and what does not) – VanityFair.it
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